VOA标准英语2015--考古学家发现农业起源的线索

Archeologists Uncover Clues on Beginnings of Agriculture 考古学家发现农业起源的线索

New findings by archeologists excavating¹ a prehistoric² site in Jordan may shed new light on the way early humans transitioned from hunter-gatherers to farmers. But the discoveries also reveal the dramatic consequences of ancient climate changes.

Driving through arid³, barren lava⁴ fields in Jordan’s Black Desert, it is hard to imagine that about 14,000 years ago, this was the area where humans started a revolutionary transition - from hunting and gathering⁵ to farming.

University of Copenhagen archaeologist Tobias Richter, who leads the excavation⁶, says findings made so far show that after the last Ice Age, there was much more water here than there is today.

“When people appeared to have started to settle here, this would have been an extensive wetland area with birds, with lots of wetland plants that we found in the excavation, water fowl⁷, herds⁸ of gazelle, of wild ass⁹, of onager, roaming around this landscape. One can imagine it perhaps a little bit like the Serengeti in Africa," said Richter.

At this site, close to the Syrian border, scientists have found evidence that the area was occupied by a large number of humans who may have decided¹⁰ to stay because of the abundance of animals suitable for hunting.

Researchers think the lush richness of the land is also why the hunters eventually decided to settle down and begin farming.

Stone artifacts, along with bones of a child and an adult found nearby, may help scientists piece together a story about the lives of Neolithic¹¹ humans - what plants and animals they grew and how they interacted within their social groups.

The project’s finds coordinator¹², Erin Estrup, shows off an ancient stone pestle¹³, evidence that these early farmers grew seed pods and many other crops.

“We can then identify different species of plants which in turn will tell us what sort of things were growing out here. It's hard to imagine right now because it's all desert, but back many, many years ago, it was actually really nice and very, very green, and we can tell that from these plant remains," said Estrup.

On the environmental side, the dramatic transition from lush green steppes to now barren rocks in this part of Jordan is also strong evidence, scientists say, that climate changes occurred in the past and may happen in the future.

1 excavating   

v.挖掘( excavate的现在分词 )；开凿；挖出；发掘

参考例句：

• A bulldozer was employed for excavating the foundations of the building. 推土机用来给楼房挖地基。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A new Danish expedition is again excavating the site in annual summer digs. 一支新的丹麦探险队又在那个遗址上进行一年一度的夏季挖掘。 来自辞典例句

2 prehistoric   

adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的

参考例句：

• They have found prehistoric remains.他们发现了史前遗迹。
• It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。

3 arid   

adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的

参考例句：

• These trees will shield off arid winds and protect the fields.这些树能挡住旱风,保护农田。
• There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。

4 lava   

n.熔岩，火山岩

参考例句：

• The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。
• His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。

5 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

6 excavation   

n.挖掘，发掘；被挖掘之地

参考例句：

• The bad weather has hung up the work of excavation.天气不好耽误了挖掘工作。
• The excavation exposed some ancient ruins.这次挖掘暴露出一些古遗迹。

7 fowl   

n.家禽，鸡，禽肉

参考例句：

• Fowl is not part of a traditional brunch.禽肉不是传统的早午餐的一部分。
• Since my heart attack,I've eaten more fish and fowl and less red meat.自从我患了心脏病后，我就多吃鱼肉和禽肉，少吃红色肉类。

8 herds   

兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众

参考例句：

• Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。
• There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。

9 ass   

n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人

参考例句：

• He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。
• An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

11 neolithic   

adj.新石器时代的

参考例句：

• Cattle were first domesticated in Neolithic times.新石器时代有人开始驯养牛。
• The monument was Stone Age or Neolithic.该纪念碑是属于石器时代或新石器时代的。

12 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

13 pestle   

n.杵

参考例句：

• He ground the rock candy with a mortar and pestle.他自己动手用研钵和杵把冰糖研成粉。
• An iron pestle can be ground down to a needle.只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针。