科學傢對生活在 4500 年前尼羅河谷的一位男性的遺骨進行瞭 DNA 檢測，檢測結果可能會揭露關於埃及文明是如何興盛起來的新線索。對這具骨架的分析顯示，這名男子五分之一的 DNA 都來自於居住在 1500 公裡外另一個偉大文明的祖先。這些祖先屬於當時的美索不達米亞文明，也就是現今的伊朗地區。
Archaeological evidence indicates that ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia may have been in contact at least 10,000 years ago, when people in Mesopotamia began to farm and domesticate animals, and so making the transition from hunter-gatherers to an agricultural society. Many scholars believe that this social and technological revolution may have influenced similar developments in ancient Egypt, but there’s been no irrefutable proof of direct contact between the populations until now.
考古證據表明，古埃及文明和美索不達米亞文明可能早在一萬年前就有過接觸。當時，美索不達米亞人開始進行農墾並馴化動物，從而開啟瞭從狩獵采集者向農耕社會的轉變。許多學者相信，這一社會和技術變革可能影響瞭古埃及文明的類似發展進程，但此前還沒有確鑿的證據證明兩個人群之間發生過直接接觸。
Scientists have been using ancient DNA analysis to track changes in human evolution over millions of years, but refinements of the technique mean the technology now has the potential to show more recent historical events in a new way.
科學傢一直在用對人類遠古 DNA 的分析來追蹤人類在數百萬年間的進化過程，但這項技術的改進意味著它現在有可能以一種新的方式呈現更近期的歷史事件。
詞匯表
archaeological 考古學的
in contact 接觸，聯系
domesticate 馴化
hunter-gatherers 狩獵采集者
agricultural 農業的
revolution 變革
irrefutable 無可辯駁的
track 跟蹤
refinements 改進，改良
聽力練習
一、聽第一遍音頻，回答問題。
1. What is the main idea of this report?
二、用一分鐘閱讀下列問題，然後聽第二遍音頻並回答問題。
1. What did people in Mesopotamia start doing 10,000 years ago?
a. farming and domesticating animals
b. hunting and gathering
c. trading with ancient Egypt
2. 10,000 years ago, people in Mesopotamia transitioned to a(n) _______ society.
3. Many scholars believe Mesopotamia’s transition to a farming society may have influenced ancient Egypt.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given
4. This is the first time scientists have used DNA analysis to track changes in human evolution.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given
5. How have scientists been able to reveal this new information?
a. by using the same DNA analysis techniques they’ve always used
b. by refining the DNA analysis techniques
c. by creating a new kind of DNA analysis technology
三、聽第三遍音頻，將句子補充完整。（提示：可以反復聽，直到聽清楚每一個詞）
1. Archaeological evidence indicates that ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia ________________ in contact at least 10,000 years ago…
2. … there’s been no irrefutable ________________ direct contact between the populations until now.
答案
一、聽第一遍音頻，回答問題。
1. What is the main idea of this report?
A DNA bone test of a man who lived in ancient Egypt has revealed that populations in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia may have come into contact 10,000 years ago.
二、用一分鐘閱讀下列問題，然後聽第二遍音頻並回答問題。
1. a. …10,000 years ago, when people in Mesopotamia began to farm and domesticate animals…
2. 10,000 years ago, people in Mesopotamia transitioned to a(n) agricultural society.
3. a. True. … an agricultural society. Many scholars believe that this social and technological revolution may have influenced similar developments in ancient Egypt.
4. b. False. Scientists have been using ancient DNA analysis to track changes in human evolution…
5. b. … but refinements of the technique mean the technology now has the potential to show more recent historical events in a new way.
三、聽第三遍音頻，將句子補充完整。（提示：可以反復聽，直到聽清楚每一個詞）
1. Archaeological evidence indicates that ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia may have been in contact at least 10,000 years ago…
2. … there’s been no irrefutable proof of direct contact between the populations until now.
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