Learning English

Inspiring language learning since 1943

研究人员表示，印度尼西亚苏拉威西岛上一幅喷绘的手掌轮廓是目前世界上已知最古老的洞穴壁画。

Cave art is seen as a key evolutionary moment, marking the point that humans began to think in truly abstract, symbolic ways. The kind of imagination that underpins language, religion, and science.

洞穴艺术的出现被视作进化史上的一个关键时刻，它标志着人类从这个时间点开始用真正抽象和象征性的方式思考。正是这种想象力，构成了语言、宗教和科学的基石。

Uranium dating confirms that the latest discovery is more than a thousand years older than the previous oldest artwork. It adds to the view that there was no single creative awakening for humanity in a small part of Western Europe, which then spread. Rather, creativity was innate. Evidence for which stretches back to Africa where our species of humans, Homo sapiens, evolved.

铀系测年法确认，最新的发现比先前认为最古老的画作还要早 1000 多年。这一发现进一步支持了这样一个观点：人类创造力的觉醒并非源于西欧的一小块地区，而后扩散传播开来。恰恰相反，创造力是与生俱来的。证明这一点的证据可以追溯到非洲，我们人类的物种——智人最初进化出来的地方。

词汇表

evolutionary 进化的
marking 标志着
abstract 抽象的
symbolic 象征性的
underpins 构成…的基础
dating 确定…的年代
awakening 觉醒
spread 传播
innate 天生的
stretches back 追溯到
species 物种

听力练习

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. The discovery of this cave painting shows that…
a. art began in Western Europe.
b. Homo sapiens used cave art to relax.
c. humans have always been creative.

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. Cave paintings show us that early humans had an imagination.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

2. It has been confirmed that this newly discovered cave painting is the oldest artwork to be discovered.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

3. This new cave painting discovery contradicts the view that art was created in _______.
a. Africa
b. Asia
c. Europe

4. Cave paintings can tell us a lot about how Homo sapiens evolved.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. Cave art is seen as a key evolutionary moment, ________________ that humans began to think in truly abstract, symbolic ways.

2. It adds ________________ that there was no single creative awakening for humanity in a small part of Western Europe, which then spread.

答案

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. c.Rather, creativity was innate. Evidence for which stretches back to Africa were our species of humans Homo sapiens evolved.

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. a. True. … humans began to think in truly abstract, symbolic ways. The kind of imagination that underpins language, religion, and science.

2. a. True.Uranium dating confirms that the latest discovery is more than a thousand years older than the previous oldest artwork.

3. c.It adds to the view that there was no single creative awakening for humanity in a small part of Western Europe, which then spread.

4. c. Not given. How Homo sapiens have evolved was not specifically mentioned.

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. Cave art is seen as a key evolutionary moment, marking the point that humans began to think in truly abstract, symbolic ways.

2. It adds to the view that there was no single creative awakening for humanity in a small part of Western Europe, which then spread.