OG-2-12 OG10版本

Archaeology as a profession faces two major prob-

lems. First, it is the poorest of the poor. Only paltry

sums are available for excavating and even less is avail-

able for publishing the results and preserving the sites

(5) once excavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless

objects every day. Second, there is the problem of illegal

excavation, resulting in museum-quality pieces being

sold to the highest bidder.

I would like to make an outrageous suggestion that

(10) would at one stroke provide funds for archaeology and

reduce the amount of illegal digging. I would propose

that scientific archeological expeditions and govern-

mental authorities sell excavated artifacts on the open

market. Such sales would provide substantial funds for

(15) the excavation and preservation of archaeological sites

and the publication of results. At the same time, they

would break the illegal excavator’s grip on the market,

thereby decreasing the inducement to engage in illegal

activities.

(20) You might object that professionals excavate to

acquire knowledge, not money. Moreover, ancient arti-

facts are part of our global cultural heritage, which

should be available for all to appreciate, not sold to the

highest bidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique

(25) artistic merit or scientific value. But, you might reply,

everything that comes our of the ground has scientific

value. Here we part company. Theoretically, you may be

correct in claiming that every artifact has potential scien-

tific value. Practically, you are wrong.

(30) I refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient

lamps that are essentially duplicates of one another. In

one small excavation in Cyprus, archaeologists recently

uncovered 2,000 virtually indistinguishable small jugs in

a single courtyard, Even precious royal seal impressions

(35) known as/melekh handles have been found in abun-

dance---more than 4,000 examples so far.

The basements of museums are simply not large

enough to store the artifacts that are likely to be discov-

ered in the future. There is not enough money even to

(40) catalogue the finds; as a result, they cannot be found

again and become as inaccessible as if they had never

been discovered. Indeed, with the help of a computer,

sold artifacts could be more accessible than are the

pieces stored in bulging museum basements. Prior to

(45) sale, each could be photographed and the list of the

purchasers could be maintained on the computer A

purchaser could even be required to agree to return the

piece if it should become needed for scientific purposes.

It would be unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging

(50) would stop if artifacts were sold on the open market.

But the demand for the clandestine product would be

substantially reduced. Who would want an unmarked

pot when another was available whose provenance was

known, and that was dated stratigraphically by the

professional archaeologist who excavated it?

12. The author anticipates which of the following initial objections to the adoption of his proposal?

(A) Museum officials will become unwilling to store artifacts.

(B) An oversupply of salable artifacts will result and the demand for them will fall.

(C) Artifacts that would have been displayed in public places will be sold to private collectors.

(D) Illegal excavators will have an even larger supply of artifacts for resale.

(E) Counterfeiting of artifacts will become more commonplace.

order to anticipate possible objections to the adoption of his proposal. In the next sentence the

author asserts that “ancient artifacts…should be available for all to appreciate, not sold to the

highest bidder” 9lines 29-33), acknowledging an opponent’s fear that individuals might be

allowed to purchase objects that ought to be displayed in public institutions. This objection is

paraphrased in this choice.

    为何不选B？还有C解释引用的原文部分怎么感觉对不上？

But the demand for the clandestine product would be

substantially reduced. 就是根据这句吧

that scientific archeological expeditions and govern- mental authorities sell excavated artifacts on the open market