英语听力：自然百科 古罗马雕像

 Israeli archeologists have discovered a rare, well-preserved, 1800-year-old figurine in Jerusalem. Dating from the time of the Roman Empire, the two-inch marble bust¹ depicts² the head of a man with a short curly beard .Archeologists believe it was used as a weight for a hanging scale of a type common in the Roman period. The Israeli Antiquities³ Authority says it is unusual because it was made of marble, the first known of its kind. 

 

"We know many other weights that look alike, but all of them were made out of bronze and other metals, but not out of marble and so far in Jerusalem and in Israel, this is why it’s unique, because this is the only item that was made out of marble.” 

 

Archeologists think the figurine could portray⁴ an athlete, possibly a boxer⁵ and that / was most likely carried to Jerusalem by a merchant. It was found in the ruins of a building destroyed by an earthquake in the 4th or 5th Century. The dig is at the site of a parking lot in a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem. It is part of broader archeological excavations⁶ of the site, known to Israeli scholars as the City of David.

1 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

2 depicts   

描绘，描画( depict的第三人称单数 )； 描述

参考例句：

• The book vividly depicts French society of the 1930s. 这本书生动地描绘了20 世纪30 年代的法国社会。
• He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively. 他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。

3 antiquities   

n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 )；古迹；古人们；古代的风俗习惯

参考例句：

• There is rest and healing in the contemplation of antiquities. 欣赏古物有休息和疗养之功。 来自辞典例句
• Bertha developed a fine enthusiasm for the antiquities of London. 伯沙对伦敦的古迹产生了很大的热情。 来自辞典例句

4 portray   

v.描写，描述；画(人物、景象等)

参考例句：

• It is difficult to portray feelings in words.感情很难用言语来描写。
• Can you portray the best and worst aspects of this job?您能描述一下这份工作最好与最坏的方面吗？

5 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

6 excavations   

n.挖掘( excavation的名词复数 )；开凿；开凿的洞穴（或山路等）；（发掘出来的）古迹

参考例句：

• The excavations are open to the public. 发掘现场对公众开放。
• This year's excavations may reveal ancient artifacts. 今年的挖掘可能会发现史前古器物。 来自辞典例句