TPO51托福閱讀passage1：Origins of the Megaliths原文文本+真習(xí)題答案

1、TPO51托福閱讀passage1：Origins of the Megaliths原文文本+真題答案第一篇：考古類Origins of the MegalithsSince the days of the earliest antiquarians, scholars have been puzzled by the many Neolithic (4000 B.C.2200 B.C.) communal tombs known as megaliths alongEurope's Atlantic seaboard. Although considerable variations

2、 are found in the architectural form of these impressive monuments, there is a general overriding similarity in design and, particularly, in the use of massive stones.The construction of such large and architecturally complex tombs by European barbarians struck early prehistorians as unlikely. The B

3、ronze Age seafaring civilizations that lived in the region of the Aegean Sea ( 3000 B.C. 1000 B.C.), among whom collective burial and a diversity of stone-built tombs were known, seemed a probable source of inspiration. It was suggested that Aegean people had visited Iberia in southwestern Europe in

4、 search of metal ores and had introduced the idea of collective burial in massive tombs, which then spread northward to Brittany, Britain, North Germany, and Scandinavia.Radiocarbon dates for a fortified settlement of megalith builders at Los Millares in Spain appeared to confirm this picture, thoug

5、h dates for megaliths in Brittany seemed too early. When calibrated, however, it became clear that radiocarbon dates were universally too early to support a Bronze Age Aegean origin. It is now clear that the megaliths are a western and northern European invention, not an introduced idea. Even so, th

6、ey are still a subject of speculation and inquiry. What induced their builders to invest massive efforts in erecting such monumental tombs How was the necessary labor force assembled What underlies their striking similaritiesOne answer to the last question was proposed by Professor Grahame Clark, on

7、e ofBritain's greatest prehistorians. Investigating the megaliths of southern Sweden, he noted that one group was concentrated in coastal locations from which deep-sea fish such as cod, haddock, and ling could have been caught in winter. Historically, much of the Atlantic was linked by the trave

8、ls of people who fished, and this could well have provided a mechanism by which the megalith idea and fashions in the style of tomb architecture spread between coastal Iberia, Brittany, Ireland, western England and Scotland, and Scandinavia. The high concentrations of megaliths on coasts and the sur

9、prising number of megaliths found on small islands may support a connection with fishing.Professor Colin Renfrew of the University of Cambridge, England, however, views the similarities as similar responses to similar needs. At the structural level, the passage that forms a major element of many gra

10、ves could have been devised independently in different areas to meet the need for repeated access to the interior of these communal tombs. Other structural resemblances could be due to similarities in the raw materials available. In answer to the question of why the idea of building monumental tombs

11、 should arise independently in a number of areas, he cites the similarities in their backgrounds.Most megaliths occur in areas inhabited in the postglacial period by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers (20000 B.C. 18000 B.C. ). Their adoption of agriculture through contact with Neolithic farmers, Renfrew ar

12、gues, led to a population explosion in the region and consequent competition for farmland between neighboring groups. Inthe face of potential conflict, the groups may have found it desirable to define their territories and emphasize their boundaries. The construction of megaliths could have arisen i

13、n response to this need.Renfrew has studied two circumscribed areas, the Scottish islands of Arran and Rousay, to examine this hypothesis more closely. He found that a division of the arable land into territories, each containing one megalith, results in units that correspond in size to the individu

14、al farming communities of recent times in the same area. 【】Each unit supported between 10 and 50 people. 【】The labor needed to put up a megalith would probably be beyond the capabilities of a community this size. 【 】 But Renfrew argues that the cooperation of other communities could be secured by so

15、me form of recognized social incentive perhaps a period of feasting at which communal building was one of several activities. 【 】Most megaliths contain collective burials. Different tombs used different arrangements, but there seems to have been an underlying theme: people placed in these tombs were

16、 representative of their society, but their identity as individuals was not important. The tombs belonged to the ancestors, through whom the living society laid claim to their land. This interpretation reinforces Renfrews view of the megaliths as territorial markers.題目1.The word "collective&quo

17、t;in the passage is closest in meaning toA.above groundB.publicC.elaborateD.group2.According to paragraph 2, early prehistorians thought the Aegean people of the Bronze Age might have influenced megalith building along the Atlantic seaboard because theyA.had established commercial routes along the A

18、tlantic seaboardB.had been in Iberia, where they introduced the idea of burial in very large tombsC.were thought to have found megaliths in Iberia when searching for metalsD.were thought to have passed along the concept of burial in monumental tombs as they explored Brittany, Britain, North Germany,

19、 and ScandinaviaParagraph 2 is marked with3.In paragraph 3, why does the author discuss the results of radiocarbon dates?A.To support the idea that megaliths spread rapidly during the Bronze AgeB.To question the idea that megaliths have a religious originC.To provide evidence against the theory that

20、 Bronze Age Aegean inspired the megalithsD.To argue that the megaliths in Brittany are older than the megaliths in Los MillaresParagraph 3 is marked with4.The word "erecting" in the passage is closest in meaning toA.designingB.constructingC.protectingD.decorating5.According to paragraph 4,

21、 what did Professor Clark propose as a result of studying the megaliths of southern Sweden?A.Swedish megaliths are nearly identical to megaliths elsewhere.B.People who traveled for fishing may have been responsible for the spread of megaliths in Europe.C.Swedish megaliths were probably built after o

22、ther European megaliths were built.D.Megaliths in Europe were usually located near sites for deep-sea fishing in winter.Paragraph 4 is marked with6.What is the purpose of discussing the passage that forms a major element of many graves?A.To provide an example of a commonly occurring feature of megal

23、iths that might be related to a similar needB.To argue that similarities in raw materials were responsible for the similarity of passagesC.To explain how repeated access to the interior of the communal tombs was possibleD.To provide evidence that the builders of the megaliths had similar backgrounds

24、 Paragraph 5 is marked with7.The word "consequent" in the passage is closest in meaning toA.intenseB.increasingC.resultingD.continual8.According to paragraph 6, Professor Renfrew has argued that one factor leading to the rise of megaliths in Europe wasA.the adoption of farming by Mesolithi

25、c hunter-gatherersB.the transition from a glacial to a postglacial climateC.the relocation of Mesolithic populations from one region to anotherD.the conflict over whether areas inhabited by Mesolithic peoples would be used for farmingParagraph 6 is marked with9.The phrase style "this hypothesis

26、" in the passage refers to the idea thatA.there was competition for territory between Mesolithic hunter-gathers and invading Neolithic farmersB.a population explosion brought about a division of the region's Neolithicfarmers into neighboring groupsC.the need of neighboring groups to define

27、their territories led to the construction of megalithsD.the construction of megaliths was a way of competing for farmland10.According to paragraph 7, what did Renfrew conclude about the megaliths of Arran and Rousay?A.Each megalith was associated with a specific agricultural community.B.Each megalit

28、h was built by between 10 and 50 people.C.Some megaliths were built using stones quarried at other places.D.Some megaliths were built gradually over time rather than all at once. Paragraph 7 is marked with11.The word "reinforces" in the passage is closest in meaning toA.representsB.differs

29、 fromC.expands onD.supports12.According to the passage, all of the following were true of the megaliths along the Atlantic seaboard EXCEPTA.They often had a main passageway.B.They identified the individuals buried within them.C.They were built before the Aegean Bronze Age.D.They differed somewhat in

30、 style from region to region. Paragraph 8 is marked with13.Look at the four squares 【 】 that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.So it might seem that megaliths could not have been used by an individual community to mark its land.Where would be the sentence best fit Click on a square to add the sentence to the passage.14. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not be