Question

【题目】If you visit the new Mummies(木乃伊) show at the American Museum of Natural History(AMNH), in New York City, don’t miss the Gilded Lady. Scientists say she probably died of lung disease when she was in her 40s---about 2,000 years ago---in Egypt. They even have a model of her skull(头骨). Based on that, an artist was sure how she may have looked when she was alive. And yet, the mummy’s coffin has never been opened. Instead, scientists used a machine called a CT scanner(扫描仪) to look inside.

CT scanners were developed to help doctors examine patients. But the machines turned out to be perfect for studying mummies, too.

“A hundred years ago, scientists would usually open mummies’ coffins. This did a great deal of harm to those mummies,” say AMNH president Ellen V. Futter. “We just don’t do that anymore. We can do so much better. By using CT scanners, scientists can know about an ancient person’s diet from some of a mummy’s hair. Pieces of bone can show who was related to whom.”

Some mummies in Peru were buried with a skull hanging from their neck. Scientists thought these mummies wore the skull of an enemy. But DNA evidence showed that the mummies were buried with the skull of an ancestor(祖先).

The 19 mummies in the show are from Egypt and Peru. They had completely different reasons for mummifying the dead. The ancient Egyptians believed that mummification allowed an ancestor to live on in the next world. The people who prepared the Gilded Lady thought she would continue to see, hear, and smell. In ancient Peru, people practiced mummification to stay connected with their ancestors. Some families kept mummies in their home.

Futter calls the mummies in the show “messengers from another time.” With the help of technology, scientists will continue to uncover mummies’ secrets so we can understand it.

【1】What did scientists find about the Gilded Lady?

A. She was a great artist.

B. She died a natural death.

C. She lived in ancient Egypt.

D. She had an amazingly long life.

【2】What do Futter’s words suggest?

A. Pieces of bone show a person’s diet.

B. CT scanners do great harm to mummies.

C. Mummies usually wore the skull of an enemy.

D. Technology plays an important role in mummy studies.

【3】Why did the ancient Peruvians make mummies?

A. To do traditional medical research.

B. To keep close ties with their relatives.

C. To help their families live a better life.

D. To let their ancestors live in another world.

【4】What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to?

A. The technology.

B. Their message.

C. Their family.

D. The show.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】D

【3】B

【4】B

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。本文通过介绍纽约美国自然历史博物馆展出的来自埃及和秘鲁的木乃伊，指出现代科技在帮助科学家探索木乃伊的秘密上发挥的重要作用。

【1】推理判断题。根据第一段Scientists say she probably died of lung disease when she was in her 40s---about 2,000 years ago---in Egypt.得知，科学家通过研究木乃伊—镀金女士推断出她生活在两千年前的古埃及，故选C。

【2】推理判断题。根据第三段By using CT scanners, scientists can know about an ancient person’s diet from some of a mummy’s hair. Pieces of bone can show who was related to whom.”得知，美国自然历史博物馆馆长Ellen V. Futter指出科技在研究木乃伊中起到重要作用，故选D。

【3】细节理解题。根据倒数第二段In ancient Peru, people practiced mummification to stay connected with their ancestors.得知，古代秘鲁人制作木乃伊是为了和自己的祖先保持联系，故选B。

【4】词义猜测题。根据最后一段Futter calls the mummies in the show “messengers from another time.” With the help of technology, scientists will continue to uncover mummies’ secrets so we can understand it.得知，Futter称展览中的木乃伊是另一个时代的信使，在科技的帮助下，科学家会继续揭示木乃伊的秘密更好的理解它们传递的信息，故选B。