Archeologists have discovered a cave painting in a remote region of the Sahara Desert. The painting depicts a group of hunters using bows and arrows, as well as another unidentified hunting tool. Initial carbon dating analysis suggests that the painting could originate from either the Neolithic period (10,000 BC - 4,500 BC) or the Mesolithic period (20,000 BC - 10,000 BC). However, historians have confirmed that the unidentified hunting tool in the painting first appeared during the Mesolithic period. Therefore, the archaeologists concluded that the painting must have been created during the Mesolithic period.
Which of the following, if true, would most strongly support the archaeologists' conclusion?
(A) Bows and arrows were used as hunting tools in both the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods.
(B) The carbon dating analysis has a margin of error that makes it difficult to pinpoint the exact age of the painting.
(C) Cave paintings typically depict only the technological advancements and tools available during the time of their creation.
(D) Not all hunting tools used during the Mesolithic period would be depicted in cave paintings in a manner similar to the unidentified tool in this painting.
(E) The Neolithic period is characterized by the development of agriculture and the domestication of animals, while the Mesolithic period is known for advancements in hunting techniques.
With advancements in communication technology and the growth of global trade, many business transactions can now be conducted remotely without the need for in-person meetings. Business travel has been a primary source of revenue for airlines through the sale of tickets. As a result of the reduced need for business travel, airline revenues and profits are likely to decline.
Which of the following is an assumption underlying the argument above?
(A) The growth of global trade will not lead to an increase in business travel that could offset the decline caused by advancements in communication technology.
(B) Airlines will not be able to compensate for the loss of revenue from business travel by increasing ticket prices for leisure travel.
(C) The reduction in business travel will not be offset by a corresponding increase in airline profits from other sources, such as cargo transportation or ancillary services.
(D) Advancements in communication technology will continue to reduce the need for in-person business meetings at the same rate as they have in the recent past.
(E) The demand for leisure travel will remain constant, despite potential changes in economic conditions or consumer preferences.
答案:
CC
2.RC
A chain of extinct volcanoes that mostly lie under water stretches across the Pacific from Hawaii to Kamchatka. This chain, known as the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain, is the trail left by a volcanic hotspot. But why does it change direction in the middle? An international team of researchers, including members of GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, and FAU have found an explanation in large-scale tectonic changes that took place around 50 million years ago. Their study has recently been published in the international journal Nature Geoscience.*
The model is very simple in principle. In certain places in the earth’s core, especially hot material rises towards the earth’s crust in what is known as a plume. It melts through the tectonic plates like a blowtorch, depositing magma on the surface. A volcano is formed. However, over time the plates move away from the volcanic hotspot, taking the volcano with them. As the plume continues to expel hot material, a second volcano forms next to the first which is now extinct. In this way, over millions of years a chain of volcanoes is formed. One of the most famous examples of this is in Hawaii, where the chain starts with today’s islands and extends in an almost perfectly straight line towards the north-west. The Hawaiian Islands mark the location of the active hotspot, while the islands and under-water mountains become older and older the further you go to the north-west.
Yet as is so often the case in nature, the reality is more complex than the model. Around 3500 kilometres north-west of Hawaii the chain of volcanoes suddenly changes direction and goes north. From here onwards the submerged mountains are known as the Emperor Chain. ‘Until now there have been several theories as to the cause of the Hawaiian-Emperor bend, but no really reliable explanations. We have found evidence that the Pacific Plate underwent large-scale deformation between 47 and 53 million years ago and that the bend in the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain occurred at the same time. We have come to the conclusion that large-scale changes in plate tectonics and convection currents in the mantle that happened around 50 million years ago could be the cause,’ explains Prof. Dr. Kaj Hoernle from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. He and nine other researchers from Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, the United Kingdom and the USA have now published their findings in the international journal Nature Geoscience.
The researchers were helped by volcanoes with some interesting names. North of the Hawaiian Chain is a range of underwater mountains called the Musicians Seamounts which are named after composers such as Beethoven, Bach or Donizetti. For a long time it was thought that these seamounts were also created by a hotspot. In their study the researchers dated and examined many samples from the Musicians Seamounts using geochemical methods for the first time. They discovered that these underwater mountains do not show a progression from young to old as would be expected for volcanoes formed by a hotspot. ‘The samples that we analysed were mostly between 47 and 53 million years old,’ explains lead author Dr. John O’Connor, a researcher at GeoZentrum Nordbayern at FAU who collaborates with colleagues from Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research and the University of Amsterdam in his research on the dynamics of the earth’s crust.
‘The geochemical analyses also had a surprise in store for us. The composition of the samples from the Musicians Seamounts is more similar to volcanoes that form in mid-ocean ridges that those that grow over a hotspot,’ explains Dr. Folkmar Hauff from GEOMAR, co-author of the study. It is possible that around 50 million years ago large cracks appeared in the Pacific Plate, leading to the formation of these volcanoes. We know from previous studies that this was also the time when the plates in the north and west of the Pacific Ocean began to overlap. The Izu-Bonin-Mariana Arc and the Aleutian Arc are impressive testaments to these processes. ‘Our analyses of the Musicians Seamounts show that all of these events could be related, and that these large-scale changes probably also caused the bend in the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain,’ says Professor Hoernle.
1. The passage suggests that the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain is a result of:
(A) The movement of the Pacific Plate over a stationary hotspot
(B) The progression of a hotspot from the Emperor Chain to the Hawaiian Islands
(C) Large-scale tectonic changes that occurred around 50 million years ago
(D) The formation of the Musicians Seamounts due to large cracks in the Pacific Plate
(E) Convection currents in the mantle that caused the overlapping of plates in the north and west of the Pacific Ocean
2. According to the researchers, which of the following pieces of evidence supports the idea that large-scale changes in plate tectonics and mantle convection caused the Hawaiian-Emperor bend?
(A) The similarity in composition between the Musicians Seamounts and mid-ocean ridge volcanoes
(B) The progression of volcano ages along the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain
(C) The formation of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana Arc and the Aleutian Arc around the same time as the bend
(D) The difference in age between the Hawaiian Chain and the Emperor Chain
(E) The presence of large cracks in the Pacific Plate near the Musicians Seamounts
3. The passage implies that the previous theories about the cause of the Hawaiian-Emperor bend were:
(A) Based on reliable evidence from geochemical analyses of the Musicians Seamounts
(B) Supported by the discovery of a hotspot trail from Hawaii to Kamchatka
(C) Consistent with the findings of the researchers' study
(D) Not fully satisfactory in explaining the bend
(E) Focused primarily on the role of convection currents in the mantle
4. The researchers' analysis of the Musicians Seamounts suggests that:
(A) The seamounts were formed by a different process than the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain
(B) The seamounts are older than the volcanoes in the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain
(C) The seamounts provide evidence of a second hotspot trail in the Pacific Ocean
(D) The seamounts were formed as a result of the Hawaiian-Emperor bend
(E) The seamounts are composed of material similar to that of the Emperor Chain volcanoes
5. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the relationship between the overlapping of plates in the north and west of the Pacific Ocean and the Hawaiian-Emperor bend?
(A) The overlapping of plates caused the formation of the Musicians Seamounts, which in turn led to the Hawaiian-Emperor bend
(B) The overlapping of plates and the Hawaiian-Emperor bend were both consequences of the same large-scale tectonic changes
(C) The Hawaiian-Emperor bend caused the overlapping of plates, as evidenced by the formation of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana Arc and the Aleutian Arc
(D) The overlapping of plates and the Hawaiian-Emperor bend were unrelated events that occurred around the same time
(E) The passage does not provide enough information to determine the relationship between the overlapping of plates and the Hawaiian-Emperor bend
6. The passage suggests that the Musicians Seamounts were named after composers because:
(A) The composers were alive during the time the seamounts were formed
(B) The seamounts were discovered by musicians who were also geologists
(C) The seamounts were formed by a hotspot, similar to the Hawaiian Islands, which are also named after people
(D) The passage does not provide a reason for the naming of the Musicians Seamounts
(E) The seamounts were formed around the same time as the birth of classical music
7. Based on the information in the passage, which of the following statements about hotspots is most accurate?
(A) Hotspots are stationary and can create chains of volcanoes as tectonic plates move over them
(B) Hotspots move along with tectonic plates, creating chains of volcanoes in their wake
(C) Hotspots are responsible for the formation of all underwater mountains in the Pacific Ocean
(D) Hotspots can only form volcanoes on land, not underwater
(E) Hotspots are created by large-scale tectonic changes and mantle convection
8. The researchers' study of the Musicians Seamounts and the Hawaiian-Emperor bend can best be described as:
(A) Confirming the existing theories about the formation of the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain
(B) Providing a novel explanation for a long-standing geological puzzle
(C) Disproving the role of hotspots in the formation of underwater volcanoes
(D) Establishing a direct causal link between the formation of the Musicians Seamounts and the Hawaiian-Emperor bend
(E) Highlighting the importance of geochemical analysis in understanding the Earth's geological history
ACDABDAB
3.DI
In the heart of ancient Babylon, a marvel of engineering and architecture once stood, defying the arid climate and captivating the imaginations of countless generations: the legendary Hanging Gardens. This iconic wonder, which has captured the fascination of historians and archaeologists for centuries, was a testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Babylonian civilization. The Hanging Gardens were not merely an aesthetic triumph but also a vital component of the city's complex irrigation and water management system, which allowed the Babylonians to transform their harsh, desert environment into a thriving metropolis.
The origins of the Hanging Gardens can be traced back to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BCE), the greatest king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. According to ancient accounts, Nebuchadnezzar constructed the gardens to please his homesick wife, Amytis, who longed for the lush, green hills of her native Media. The king's ambitious project involved creating an artificial mountain, adorned with terraces of exotic plants, trees, and flowers, which would transport Amytis to a world of beauty and tranquility in the midst of the Mesopotamian desert.
The exact location and appearance of the Hanging Gardens remain a subject of debate among scholars, as no definitive archaeological evidence has been discovered. However, based on descriptions from ancient Greek and Roman writers, such as Diodorus Siculus and Quintus Curtius Rufus, a general picture of the gardens emerges. The Hanging Gardens were likely situated within the walls of the royal palace complex, near the banks of the Euphrates River. The gardens were said to have been built on a series of tiered terraces, each rising 20 meters above the last, and supported by massive stone columns and vaulted chambers.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Hanging Gardens was the sophisticated irrigation system that sustained the lush vegetation in the midst of the desert. The Babylonians employed a complex network of pumps, waterwheels, and aqueducts to raise water from the Euphrates River to the highest terraces of the gardens. Recent studies suggest that the gardens may have required up to 37,000 liters of water per day to maintain the diverse array of plants, which included everything from roses and jasmine to date palms and fig trees.
The irrigation system of the Hanging Gardens was not only a feat of engineering but also a reflection of the Babylonians' deep understanding of water management and agriculture. The Babylonians were renowned for their ability to harness the power of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, creating a vast network of canals, levees, and reservoirs that allowed them to cultivate a wide range of crops in an otherwise inhospitable environment. Estimates suggest that during the height of the Babylonian civilization, the agricultural output of the region was sufficient to support a population of over 15 million people.
The Hanging Gardens also served as a powerful symbol of Babylonian power and prestige, showcasing the empire's wealth, knowledge, and cultural sophistication. The gardens were a marvel of their time, and their fame spread far beyond the borders of Mesopotamia. Greek historians, such as Herodotus and Strabo, wrote about the Hanging Gardens with a mixture of awe and incredulity, describing them as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Despite their renown, the Hanging Gardens eventually fell into decline, along with the rest of the Babylonian Empire. The exact fate of the gardens is unknown, but it is believed that they may have been destroyed during the Persian conquest of Babylon in 539 BCE or gradually abandoned as the city's population and importance waned in the following centuries.
Today, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon continue to captivate the imagination of people around the world, serving as a testament to the ingenuity, resilience, and cultural legacy of one of the greatest civilizations in human history. Although the gardens themselves may have vanished, their impact on art, literature, and the collective imagination endures, reminding us of the extraordinary achievements of our ancient predecessors and the timeless human desire to create beauty and harmony in the face of adversity.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon also offer valuable lessons for contemporary societies grappling with the challenges of water scarcity, environmental sustainability, and urban development. The Babylonians' sophisticated irrigation techniques, their ability to adapt to harsh climatic conditions, and their integration of green spaces into the urban fabric all provide insights that can inform modern approaches to water management, agriculture, and city planning.
Moreover, the Hanging Gardens serve as a powerful symbol of the importance of cultural heritage and the need to preserve and protect the world's historical and archaeological treasures. The fact that no physical remains of the gardens have been found highlights the fragility of our shared cultural heritage and the urgency of efforts to document, study, and safeguard these invaluable resources for future generations.
In recent years, several initiatives have been undertaken to revive the legacy of the Hanging Gardens and to promote further research into their history and significance. These include the creation of virtual reconstructions and 3D models of the gardens, based on the available historical and archaeological evidence, as well as the establishment of international collaborations and funding programs to support ongoing investigations and excavations in the region.
One of the most ambitious of these projects is the "Hanging Gardens of Babylon Project," a joint venture between the Iraqi Ministry of Culture, the World Monuments Fund, and the University of Oxford. This multi-year initiative aims to conduct comprehensive archaeological surveys and excavations at the site of ancient Babylon, with a particular focus on uncovering evidence related to the Hanging Gardens and other key features of the Babylonian capital.
The project also seeks to promote the conservation and sustainable development of the Babylon site, which has suffered from decades of neglect, looting, and damage due to war and political instability. By engaging local communities, training Iraqi archaeologists and heritage professionals, and developing long-term management plans for the site, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon Project hopes to ensure that this priceless cultural heritage is preserved and celebrated for generations to come.
In addition to these research and conservation efforts, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon continue to inspire artists, writers, and thinkers around the world. From paintings and poems to novels and films, the gardens have become a potent symbol of human creativity, resilience, and the enduring power of the imagination. They remind us that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, the human spirit has the capacity to dream, to create, and to leave a lasting legacy that transcends the boundaries of time and space.
As we confront the urgent challenges of our own era, from climate change and environmental degradation to social and economic inequalities, the example of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon offers both inspiration and a call to action. It reminds us that by harnessing our collective ingenuity, by learning from the wisdom of our ancestors, and by working together to build a more sustainable and equitable future, we too can create marvels that will endure long after we are gone, shaping the course of history and inspiring generations yet to come.
In the end, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon stand as a timeless testament to the indomitable human spirit, to the power of imagination and innovation, and to the enduring legacy of the world's great civilizations. As we continue to unravel the mysteries of this ancient wonder and to draw inspiration from its extraordinary story, we are reminded of the boundless potential of the human mind and the transformative impact that a single vision, a single dream, can have on the course of history.
Questions:
1. According to the passage, who was primarily responsible for the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?
(A) Hammurabi
(B) Nebuchadnezzar II
(C) Cyrus the Great
(D) Darius I
(E) Alexander the Great
2. The passage suggests that the primary motivation behind the construction of the Hanging Gardens was to:
(A) Demonstrate Babylonian engineering prowess
(B) Create a sustainable agricultural system
(C) Please Nebuchadnezzar's homesick wife, Amytis
(D) Establish a center for botanical research
(E) Provide a public space for the citizens of Babylon
3. According to ancient Greek and Roman accounts, how tall were each of the tiered terraces of the Hanging Gardens?
(A) 5 meters
(B) 10 meters
(C) 15 meters
(D) 20 meters
(E) 25 meters
4. The passage estimates that the Hanging Gardens required how many liters of water per day to maintain the diverse array of plants?
(A) 17,000 liters
(B) 27,000 liters
(C) 37,000 liters
(D) 47,000 liters
(E) 57,000 liters
5. The agricultural output of the Babylonian region during the height of its civilization was sufficient to support a population of approximately:
(A) 5 million people
(B) 10 million people
(C) 15 million people
(D) 20 million people
(E) 25 million people
6. The passage suggests that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon may have been destroyed during:
(A) The reign of Nebuchadnezzar II
(B) The conquest of Babylon by Alexander the Great
(C) The Persian conquest of Babylon in 539 BCE
(D) The Assyrian conquest of Babylon in 689 BCE
(E) The Mongol invasion of Mesopotamia in the 13th century CE
7. Which of the following best describes the main purpose of the "Hanging Gardens of Babylon Project"?
(A) To create a virtual reconstruction of the Hanging Gardens
(B) To conduct archaeological excavations and promote conservation at the Babylon site
(C) To train Iraqi archaeologists and heritage professionals
(D) To develop a sustainable tourism plan for the Babylon site
(E) To create a botanical garden inspired by the Hanging Gardens
8. The passage suggests that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon serve as a symbol of:
(A) The importance of cultural heritage preservation
(B) The power of human creativity and resilience
(C) The need for sustainable urban development
(D) The enduring legacy of ancient civilizations
(E) All of the above
9. The author draws a parallel between the challenges faced by the Babylonians and the contemporary issues of:
(A) Water scarcity and environmental sustainability
(B) Urban development and city planning
(C) Social and economic inequalities
(D) Climate change and environmental degradation
(E) All of the above
10. The passage concludes by emphasizing the Hanging Gardens of Babylon as a testament to:
(A) The ingenuity of Babylonian engineers
(B) The importance of international collaboration in archaeology
(C) The transformative power of a single vision or dream
(D) The potential for green spaces in urban environments
(E) The need for further research and exploration of ancient civilizations