媒體英語
World's oldest cave art found showing humans and pig 繪有人和豬形象的世界最古老洞穴壁畫被發(fā)現(xiàn)
澳大利亞和印度尼西亞科學家在印尼的蘇拉威西島上發(fā)現(xiàn)了目前已知最早的繪有人和動物形象的洞穴壁畫。這幅壁畫創(chuàng)作于距今至少 5 萬年，畫中描繪了一只野豬以及三個類似人類的形象，比此前發(fā)現(xiàn)的最古老的同類洞穴壁畫提早了 5 千年之多。
The discovery is important because it pushes back the time that modern humans first showed the ability for creative thought.
這幅壁畫的發(fā)現(xiàn)意義重大，因為它提前了現(xiàn)代人類首次展現(xiàn)出創(chuàng)造性思維的時間點。
The painting shows a pig standing with its mouth partly open with at least three other human-like figures interacting with it. The largest of them has both arms extended and appears to be holding a rod, possibly a spear. The second is immediately in front of the pig with its head next to its snout. It also seems to be holding a stick, one end of which may be in contact with the pig's throat. And the final figure seems to be upside down with its legs facing up and splayed outwards. It has one hand reaching towards and seemingly touching the pig's head.
這幅畫呈現(xiàn)了一頭站立著、嘴部略有張開的野豬與三個類似人類的形象發(fā)生互動的場景。其中最大的那個形象張開雙臂，看上去像是握著一根棍子，可能是長矛。第二個形象位于野豬的正前方，它的頭挨著野豬的口鼻部。這個形象也似乎握著一根棍子，棍子的一端似乎碰到了野豬的喉嚨。第三個形象看上去是倒過來的，它的雙腿張開朝向上方。這個形象的一只手伸向野豬的頭部，似乎已經(jīng)摸到了豬的頭。
Representational cave paintings have been found across the world. The big question is whether that ability first emerged in Africa, where modern humans evolved and spread when our species left the continent 60,000 years ago, or it emerged independently, later, as there became a greater social need for recorded communication.
世界各地都曾發(fā)現(xiàn)過寫實類型的洞穴壁畫。但最重要的問題是：當 6 萬年前我們的祖先進化成現(xiàn)代人類并且從非洲分散開來的時候，繪制這些壁畫的能力就已經(jīng)出現(xiàn)；還是說當書面交流成為一種廣泛的的社會需要時，這項能力才分別在不同的人群中逐漸形成？
詞匯表
creative thought 創(chuàng)造性思維
rod 棍子，棒狀物
spear 長矛
snout 口鼻部
upside down 上下顛倒
splayed 張開，叉開
representational 寫實的
spread （生物）分散開來
emerged 出現(xiàn)，形成
閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。
1. Why is the cave painting discovery important?
2. True or False? None of the human-like figures in the painting are near the pig.
3. What do two of the human-like figures appear to be holding?
4. According to the article, when did modern humans first start to leave the African continent?
答案
1. Why is the cave painting discovery important?
The discovery is important because it pushes back the time that modern humans first showed the ability for creative thought.
2. True or False? None of the human-like figures in the painting are near the pig.
False. One of the figures is immediately in front of the pig with its head next to its snout. Another has one hand reaching towards and seemingly touching the pig's head.
3. What do two of the human-like figures appear to be holding?
One figure appears to be holding a rod, possibly a spear, and the other seems to be holding a stick.
4. According to the article, when did modern humans first start to leave the African continent?
According to the article, modern humans left the African continent 60,000 years ago.
