1 . For archaeologists (考古学家) in Israel, eight prehistoric ostrich (鸵鸟) eggs-thought to be between 4,000 and 7,500 years old-proved as valuable as treasure when they were dis-covered near an ancient fire pit in the Negev, a desert region in the south of the country.
They were discovered during an archaeological excavation (挖掘) in the agricultural fields of Be’er Milka, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced on Thursday. The eggs’ location suggests that they were collected by the prehistoric (史前的) desert nomads (游牧民) who used the campsite, according to a press release from IAA, and further lab analysis will provide more information about their uses and ages. Although the nomads did not build permanent structures at this site, the finding allows us to feel their presence in the desert. The campsites were covered by sand, keeping the eggs exceptionally well-preserved.
Ostriches were common in the region until they became extinct in the wild during the 19th century. Their eggs were beautifully decorated and were prized items during the Bronze and Iron Ages (青铜和铁器时代). As well as being used as decorative items, ostrich eggs were also used as a source of food. One ostrich egg has the nutritional value of about 25 normal chicken eggs.
While ostrich eggs are not uncommon in excavations, the bones of the large bird are not found. This may indicate that in the ancient world, people avoided dealing with the ostrich and were content with collecting their eggs.
1. What did archaeologists find in Israel?| A．Ostriches. | B．Burnt tools. | C．Ostrich eggs. | D．The bones of ostriches. |
| A．The trees. | B．The fire pit. | C．The campsites. | D．The sand. |
| A．To provide shelter for them. |
| B．To protect agricultural fields. |
| C．To get food or decorations. |
| D．To do some research on them. |
| A．Ostrich eggs have high nutritional value. |
| B．Ostriches were found near an ancient fire pit. |
| C．People tended to hunt ostriches as food sources. |
| D．Ostriches were common in Israel in the 20th century. |
