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  3. One of the oldest seafaring ships in the world has been reconstructed after seven years’ patient archaeological work. The ship,

One of the oldest seafaring ships in the world has been reconstructed after seven years’ patient archaeological work. The ship,

admin2009-04-27  55
问题     One of the oldest seafaring ships in the world has been reconstructed after seven years’ patient archaeological work. The ship, a 60-foot sailing vessel, sank off the coast of Cyprus in the days of Alexander the Great around the year 300 B.C. Its discovery and restoration have now thrown new light on the ancient trade routes and shipbuilding techniques.
    What makes the Cyprus ship so informative is the remarkable state of preservation—mainly due to an unusual feature of its design. The hull was sheathed on the outside with lead that was fixed to the timber with bronze tacks which helped the wooden frame survive 2000 years under the sea.
    The first clue to the wreck’s existence came in 1964 when a sponge diver from the present-day resort of Kyrenia came across a pole of amphorae(ancient storage jugs). Unfortunately his diving air supply ran out just at that moment, so that he had no time to mark the spot. It took him three years and hundreds of dives before he chanced upon them again.
    He reported his find to an underwater archaeological team from the University of Pennsylvania which was surveying the Cypriot coasts for wrecks. After checking his description, the team decided to concentrate their resources on the Kyrenia ship, and over the next two years a team of no fewer that 50 archaeologists and divers took part in the excavation.
    With the help of a metal detector, the team discovered that wreckage lay scattered over a 2000-square-foot area, often buried beneath sand and sea-weed. Each item was carefully photographed in its place, and a system of plastic grids stretched over the whole site so that it could be accurately mapped.
    More than 400 amphorae lay buried in the sand. The ship had been carrying a cargo of wine and almonds. More than 9000 of these were found in or nearby the amphorae, their outer shells still perfectly preserved. As well as these, there were 29 stone grain mills, being carried both as cargo and as ballast. These were carefully stored in three rows parallel to the axis of the keel.
    As well as the main cargo, there were other small finds. Four wooden spoons, four oil jugs, four salt dishes and four drinking cups suggested the number of crew on the ship s last voyage. There was an axe, and near the intricately carved mast lay a wooden pulley, used to raise and lower the yard. A bronze cauldron, used perhaps to prepare the crew’s meals was also lying in the wreck.
    Of five bronze coins found, none dated earlier than 306 B.C. Carbon-14 analysis of the almond cargo pinpointed their date at about 288 B.C., but that of the ship’s planking suggested an earlier of 370 B.C. Thus the Kyrenia ship was more than 80 years old the day she sank-a long life for a wooden hull and proof of the good craftsmanship of her builder.
选项 A、the oldest surviving ship it is a valuable source of information
B、it is a useful means of extending their existing knowledge
C、its discovery has changed completely their existing ideas
D、this provides the only information about early Mediterranean trading ships that has come their way
答案B
解析 本题考查对细节的理解以及根据细节作推断的能力。文章第一段最后一句谈到了发现这艘古船的重大意义。"Its discovery and restoration have now thrown new light on the ancient trade routes and shipbuilding techniques"．这艘古船的发现和恢复使人们对古代的贸易航道和造船技术有所了解。由此，可推断对于研究古代船只的来说，它的发现可以扩宽他们已有的知识。选项"the oldest surviving ship it is a valuable source of information"有很强的干忧性，但文章第一句提到"one of the oldest seafaring ship"，因此这艘船不是"the oldest surviving ship"。
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