Pompeii puzzles solved庞贝考古之谜

王立柱

1 The ruins of the ancient Roman City of Pompeii are full of strange mysteries. In 79CE， a volcanic eruption wiped out the city of between 10，000 and 20，000 residents.Massive volcanic ash and floating stones shot out of Mount Vesuvius， killing Pompeiisresidents by not letting them breathe air. Archaeologists have found the remains of over1300 victims in the site of the city of Naples over the last 250 years.

2 Some of the bodies of Pompeii were also preserved in plaster （石膏）， but not fromMount Vesuvius and not in 79 CE. In the 1860s and 1870s， archaeologists led byGiuseppe Fiorelli poured plaster into the empty space left behind by the bodies. Thesecasts typically have the bone remains deeply fixed in the plaster that keeps the bodyshape and give a realistic image of victims of the eruption.

3“Pompeii is one of the most important places from an archaeological view，” GianniGallello， an archeologist at the University of Valencia in Spain says.“ Pompeii stopped atthat moment after the eruption， all stuck in time.” However， the plaster may have pollutedthe chemical composition of the bones， according to Gianni. While the plaster may havechanged the chemical make?up of the bones， bioarchaeological analysis still supportsthe theory that these specific victims died from asphyxiation （窒息） and not from forceinjury from rocks or burning.

4 Gallello brought a technique called portable X?ray fluorescence as a way to examinethe elemental composition of the bones and plaster for the first time.“ Its a portable devicethat takes the material profile invisibly，” Gallello explains.

5 Using portable X?ray fluorescence， the archaeologists found that the plaster fromPompeii was completely different from the burned and unburned bones from the collection.Testing out this method for the first time on the Pompeii casts also helped add to the popu?lar theories of what killed these specific residents of Pompeii during the eruption. Whilethe plaster pollution makes it more difficult to study， the chemical analysis supports thetheory that the victims suffocated （窒息） from the volcanic ash.

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1. What do we know about the ruins of Pompeii City？

A. They were caused by fires made by residents.

B. Over 20，000 bodies of residents were dug out.

C. So many puzzles about them wait to be solved.

D. Archaeologists have proved the reasons for them.

2. What is the finding of Gianni Gallellos team？

A. Pompeii once suffered severe pollution.

B. Pompeii victims died from too much volcanic ash.

C. Pompeii victims died from burning and heat.

D. Volcanic eruption in Pompeii was frequent.

3. How did Gianni Gallellos team get the results？

A. By checking up the function of the volcanic ash.

B. By working out the loss caused by the eruption.

C. By examining the composition of rocks in Pompeii.

D. By studying the chemicals in the bones and plaster.

4. What does the text try to convey？

A. Chemical analysis reveals some mysteries in Pompeii.

B. Pompeiis archaeological puzzles won't be solved.

C. With a little help from chemistry we can defeat all.

D. A new device helps Pompeii return to the past.

語篇解码

本文是一篇关于庞贝古城遗址和其石膏人模的考古学文章，主要介绍了庞贝古城被火山喷发摧毁后的情况，以及考古学家是如何在19世纪60年代和19世纪70年代使用石膏对庞贝古城的遗体进行模型化保存的。

语言学习

Ⅰ. 语料荟萃

Ⅱ. 语句分析

1. These casts typically have the bone remains deeply fixed in the plaster that keepsthe body shape and give a realistic image of victims of the eruption. 这些模型通常将骨头深深地固定在石膏中，以保持身体形状，呈现出火山爆发受害者的真实形象。

【点石成金】本句中含有一个定语从句，先行词是plaster，that引导定语从句并在句中作主语。

2. While the plaster may have changed the chemical make?up of the bones， bioar?chaeological analysis still supports the theory that these specific victims died from asphyxi?ation and not from force injury from rocks or burning. 虽然石膏可能改变了骨头的化学成分，但生物考古分析仍然支持这样的理论，即这些特定的受害者死于窒息，而不是死于岩石或燃烧的力伤。

【点石成金】本句是一个主从复合句，while引导让步状语从句，主句中含有一个由that引导的同位语从句，对前面的theory进行解释说明。

语言运用

Ⅰ. 例句仿写

1. 那本我从图书馆借来的书非常有趣。

The book____________is very interesting.

2. 我听说她晋升的消息了。

I heard the news______________.

Ⅱ. 写作实践

假定你是李华，在伦敦某中学做交换生，该校要开设一个中国陶艺工作室，现向中国学生征集建议。请你给负责人Smith写一封建议信，内容包括：

1. 你的建议；

2. 给出理由。

注意：

1. 词数80左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Smith，

_____________________________

Yours sincerely，

Li Hua