早在傢犬出現以前，我們的祖先可能已經把狐貍當做寵物喂養瞭。有考古證據表明，南美洲的古人類社會對狐貍尊愛有加，以至於主人會將它們葬於自己的身旁。
The fox was about the size of a German shepherd dog and lived across much of South America, only going extinct a few hundred years ago. A near-complete skeleton of the animal was found in a human grave dating back to 1,500 years ago.
這種狐貍和德國牧羊犬差不多大，曾生活在南美洲的大部分地區，直到幾百年前才滅絕。考古人員在一座距今 1500 年前的人類墳墓中發現瞭一副近乎完整的該動物骨架。
The study, by researchers at the University of Oxford, shows the fox ate a similar diet to ancient hunter gatherers, suggesting it lived alongside them and might have been a highly valued pet or companion animal.
牛津大學的研究人員進行的這項研究表明，這種狐貍的飲食跟古代狩獵采集者的相似。這說明該動物曾跟人類一起居住，可能是一種受高度重視的寵物或伴侶動物。
There have been other finds of fox teeth in the area, which adds to the evidence that foxes were highly revered by our ancestors and may have formed a strong bond with humans long before domestic dogs came along.
在這個地區還有其它有關狐貍牙齒的考古發現，這進一步證明瞭狐貍在當時受到我們祖先的高度尊重與喜愛，並且可能早在傢犬出現以前就已經與人類結成瞭牢固的紐帶。
詞匯表
German shepherd 德國牧羊犬
extinct 滅絕的，絕種的
dating back 追溯到，距今（時間）
hunter gatherers 狩獵采集者
highly valued 高度重視，認為非常有價值的
finds 發現，考古發現
revered 受尊重的，可敬的
ancestors 祖先
strong bond 牢固的紐帶
domestic 傢養的，傢庭的
閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題。
1. When did this South American fox go extinct?
2. True or False? The skeleton was almost whole when it was found.
3. Why is the fox likely to have been a pet?
4. Apart from the fox skeleton, what else has been found nearby?
答案
1. When did this South American fox go extinct?
The fox only went extinct a few hundred years ago.
2. True or False? The skeleton was almost whole when it was found.
True. The skeleton was ‘near-complete’.
3. Why is the fox likely to have been a pet?
The fox is likely to have been a pet because the skeleton was found in a human grave and ate a similar diet to hunter gatherers.
4. Apart from the fox skeleton, what else has been found nearby?
Fox teeth have been found in the area.
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