it's here that we found evidence of some of the earliest people who lived in this part of the world. We've been excavating here for many years and ...

考：欢迎到中国来参观周口店洞穴。很高兴见到你们这些来自英国并且对考古学感兴趣的学生。你们想必都很清楚，正是在这个地方，我们找到了居住在世界上这个部分最早人类的证据。我们在这儿进行的挖掘工作已经很多年了，而且……S1: I'm sorry to interrupt you but how could they live here? There are only rocks and trees. 学1：对不起，打断了你的讲话。请问他们怎么能够住在这个地方呢？这儿只有石头和树木啊。

A: Good question. You are an acute observer. We have found human and animal bones in those caves higher up the hill as well as tools and other objects. So we think it is reasonable to assume they lived in these caves, regardless of the cold.

考：问得好。你是个敏锐地观察者。在高山上的那些洞穴里我们找到了人骨和兽骨，还有工具和其他物品。因此，我们有理由认为他们不顾严寒，就住在这些洞穴里。

S2: How did they keep warm? They couldn't have mats, blankets or quilts like we do. It must have been very uncomfortable.

学2：那他们是怎样取暖的呢？他们不可能像我们现在这样有垫子、毯子和被子。想必是很不舒服的了。

A: We've discovered fireplaces in the centre of the caves where they made fires. That would have kept them warm, cooked the food and scared wild beasts away as well. We have been excavating layers of ash almost six metres thick, which suggests that they might have kept the fire burning all winter. We haven't found any doors but we think they might have hung animal skins at the cave mouth to keep out the cold during the

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freezing winter.

考：我们发现在洞穴中央有生火用的地炉。他们用地炉里的火来取暖、做饭，还可以用火来吓跑野兽。我们一直在挖掘一层层的积灰，几乎有六米厚，这意味着他们可能整个冬天都在烧火。我们还没有找到门，但我们认为在天寒地冻的冬季他们可能是用兽皮挂在洞口来防寒的。 S3: What wild animals were there all that time ago? 学3：在那以前有些什么野兽呢？

A: Well, we've been finding the bones of tigers and bears in the caves, and we think these were their most dangerous enemies. Now what do you think this tells us about the life of these early people? (shows picture of a sewing needle)

考：嗯，我们在洞里陆续发现老虎和熊的骨头。我们认为，这些野兽对他们来讲是最危险的敌人了。现在，你们看这个东西能告诉我们有关早期人类生活的什么情况呢？（指着一张画有针线的照片让大家看）

S2.: Gosh! That's a needle. Goodness, does that mean they repaired things? 学2：哎呀，那是一根针。天哪，难道他们还会修补东西吗？ A: What else do you think it might have been used for? 考：除此之外，你认为还可能派别的什么用场吗？

S4: Let me look at it. It's at most three centimetres long. Ah yes, it seems to be made of bone. I wonder how they made the hole for the ...

学4：让我看看。这个东西最多三厘米长，看起来像是骨头做的。我不知道他们是怎么样做成针眼的。

S2: (interrupting) Do you mean that they made their own clothes? Where did they get the material?

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学2：（插话）你是不是说他们自己做衣服穿？他们又是从哪里搞到衣料呢？ A: They didn't have material like we have today. Can you guess what they used? 考：他们没有像我们今天穿的这种衣料。你能猜出他们用的是什么吗？ Sl: Wow! Did they wear clothes made entirely of animal skins? How did they prepare them? I'm sure they were quite heavy to cut and sew together.

学1：哇，他们穿的衣服全都是用兽皮做的吗？他们那些衣服是怎么做成的？兽皮剪裁并缝起来一定又厚又重啊。

A: Our evidence suggests that they did wear clothes made from animal skins. We continue discovering tools that were sharpeners for other tools. It seems that they used the sharpened stone tools to cut up animals and remove their skin. Then smaller scrapers were probably used to remove the fat and meat from the skin. After that they would rub an ample amount of salt onto the skin to make it soft. Finally, they would cut it and sew the pieces together. Quite a difficult and messy task! Now look at this. (shows a necklace)

考：我们有证据表明，他们的确穿的是用兽皮制作的衣服。我们不断发现一些磨削其他工具用的工具。看样子他们可能是用磨尖的石器来切割野兽并剥皮，可能再用小一些的刮子把皮上的脂肪和肉去掉。然后他们可能在兽皮上擦上大量的盐，使皮变柔软。最后进行剪裁，缝起来就成了。确实是既难又脏的活！现在来看看这个吧。（指着一串项链）

S2:Why, it's a primitive necklace. Did early people really care about their appearance like we do? It's lovely!

学2：哎呀！这是一条原始的项链吧。早期人类也像我们现在一样讲究外貌吗？太漂亮了！

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A:Yes, and so well preserved. What do you think it's made of?. 考：是的，还保存得很好呢。你们看看是用什么做的？

S4:Let me see. Oh, I think some of the beads are made of animal bones but others are made of shells.

学4：我来摸摸看。我想，有的珠子是用兽骨做的，有的是用贝壳做的，对吗？ A:How clever you are! One bone is actually an animal tooth and the shells are from the seaside. Can you identify any other bones?

考：你真聪明！有块骨头实际上是用野兽的牙齿，贝壳是从海边捡来的。你还认得别的骨头吗？

S1:This one looks very much like a fish bone. Is that reasonable? 学1：这根很像鱼骨头，对吗？

A:Yes, indeed, as the botanical analyses have shown us, all the fields around here used to be part of a large shallow lake. Probably there were fish in it.

考：很对。植物学的分析结果明确地告诉我们，这儿四周曾经是一个很大的浅水湖。当时湖里可能是有鱼的。

S3:But a lake is not the sea. We are miles from the sea, so how did the seashells get here? 学3：不过，湖并不是海呀。我们离海还远着呢。那么，贝壳又是怎么来的呢？ A:Perhaps there was trade between early peoples or they travelled to the seaside on their journeys. We know that they moved around, following the herds of animals. They didn't grow their own crops, but picked fruit when it ripened and hunted animals. That's why they are called hunters and gatherers. Now, why don't we go and visit the caves? 考：早期人类之间也许有贸易往来，或者他们也可能旅行到海边去。我们知道，他们跟着兽群四处走。他们并不种植谷物，而是在野果熟了的时候采摘它们并捕

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杀野兽来充饥。这就是他们被称之为猎人和采摘者的缘故。好了，咱们去参观洞穴好吗？

10.选修八Unit 5 THE FEAST: 18,000 BC公元前一万八千年的一次盛宴

Worried about the preparations for her feast, Lala quickly turned for home with her collection of nuts, melons and other fruit.拉拉担心她这次盛宴的准备工作，所以赶紧把坚果、甜瓜和其他水果收集起来就快步回家了。It was the custom of family groups to separate and then gather again at different sites for reunions as they followed the animal herds across the grasslands.由于在草原上放牧，家族成员先分散开，然后在不同的地方相聚，这是他们的一个习俗。A wrinkle appeared on her forehead.她的额头出现了一道皱纹。If only it could be just like last year!要是能像去年那样就好了！At that time she had been so happy when Dahu chose her as the future mother of his children.当大胡选拉拉作未来孩子的母亲时，她觉得很高兴。He was the best toolmaker in the group and it was a great honour for her to be chosen.他是这个家族中最好的工匠，被他选中对拉拉来说是莫大的荣幸。She remembered the blood pulsing through her veins.她记得那时热血澎湃。 She had felt so proud as the group shouted loudly to applaud his choice.当族人为他的选择欢呼鼓掌的时候，拉拉觉得非常自豪。If only she had looked ahead and planned better this year!她今年要是早有预见，计划得更好些就好了！Then she wouldn't have been feeling so worried now.那么她就不会这么担心了。

Having heard wolves howling in the forest, Lala accelerated her walk up the path to the caves fearing that there might be wild beasts lying in wait for her.听见狼群在森林里嚎叫，拉拉加快了回洞穴的步伐，担心会有野兽在等着她。She had no man with his

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