首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. First, it is the poorest of the poor. Only trifling sums are available for
Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. First, it is the poorest of the poor. Only trifling sums are available for
admin
2011-01-10
54
问题
Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. First, it is the poorest of the poor. Only trifling sums are available for excavating and even less is available for publishing the results and preserving the sites once excavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless objects every day. Second, there is the problem of illegal excavation, resulting in museum- quality pieces being sold to the highest bidder.
I would like to make an outrageous suggestion that would at one stroke provide funds for archaeology and reduce the amount of illegal digging. I would propose that scientific archeological expeditions and governmental authorities sell excavated artifacts on the open market. Such sales would provide substantial funds for the excavation and preservation of archaeological sites and the publication of results. At the same time, they would break the illegal excavator’s grip on the market, thereby decreasing the inducement to engage in illegal activities.
You might object that professionals excavate to acquire knowledge, not money. Moreover, ancient artifacts are part of our global cultural heritage, which should be available for all to appreciate, not sold to the highest bidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique artistic merit or scientific value. But, you might reply, everything that comes out of the ground has scientific value. Here we part company. Theoretically, you may be correct in claiming that every artifact has potential scientific value. Practically, you are wrong.
I refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient lamps that are essentially duplicates of one another. In one small excavation in Cyprus, archaeologists recently uncovered 2,000 virtually indistinguishable small jugs in a single courtyard. Even precious royal seal impressions known as melekh handles have been found in abundance—more than 4,000 examples so far.
The basements of museums are simply not large enough to store the artifacts that are likely to be discovered in the future. There is not enough money even to catalogue the finds; as a result, they cannot be found again and become as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered. Indeed, with the help of a computer, sold artifacts could be more accessible than are the pieces stored in bulging museum basements. Prior to sale, each could be photographed and the list of the purchasers could be maintained on the computer. A purchaser could even be required to agree to return the piece if it should become needed for scientific purposes.
It would be unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging would stop if artifacts were sold on the open market. But the demand for the clandestine product would be substantially reduced. Who would want an unmarked pot when another was available whose provenance was known, and that was dated stratigraphically by the professional archaeologist who excavated it?
The author mentions the excavation in Cyprus to emphasize which of the following points?
选项
A、Ancient lamps and pottery vessels are less valuable, although more rare, than royal seal impressions.
B、Artifacts that are very similar to each other present cataloguing difficulties to archaeologists.
C、Artifacts that are not uniquely valuable, and therefore could be sold, are available in large quantities.
D、Cyprus is the most important location for unearthing large quantities of salable artifacts.
答案
C
解析
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/dGcO777K
本试题收录于:
NAETI中级口译笔试题库外语翻译证书(NAETI)分类
0
NAETI中级口译笔试
外语翻译证书(NAETI)
相关试题推荐
Everygrouphasaculture,howeveruncivilizeditmayseemtous.Totheprofessionalanthropologist,thereisnointrinsicsupe
Everygrouphasaculture,howeveruncivilizeditmayseemtous.Totheprofessionalanthropologist,thereisnointrinsicsupe
Everygrouphasaculture,howeveruncivilizeditmayseemtous.Totheprofessionalanthropologist,thereisnointrinsicsupe
Althoughthelifewasveryharsh,thedoctorremainedontheislandforthereasonofthepeople.
Humanbeingsaresuperiortoanimalsthattheycanuselanguageasatoolofcommunication.
Somepeoplewishtoamendthelawsothatchildrenmuststayatschooluntiltheyare16.
Losingajobornotbeingabletofindonealmostalwaysbringsunwelcomechanges.Ifyou’velostajob,thefirstfeelingisof
Relaxationtherapyteachesonenottofretoversmallproblems.
随机试题
计算机显示器通常南两部分组成:监视器和___________。
Thereisnosmokewithoutfire.
关于施工作业质量控制点中,“见证点”和“待检点”的说法,错误的有()。
新加坡人偏爱()。
对于学习迁移现象最早的系统解释是()
17岁的某甲在外出打工,不慎将同事某乙的数码相机摔坏。此损失应由( )。
判别下列级数的敛散性:
有以下程序charfun(char*c){if(*c=’A’)*c=’A’-’a’;return*c;}main(){chars[81],*p=s;gets(s);whil
—Readthearticleontheoppositepageaboutidentifyingthetrainingneedsofstaff.—Inmostofthelines34-45thereiso
WhyGotoCanada?Huge,scenicandsparselypopulated,CanadawasratedbytheUnitedNationsHumanDevelopmentIndexasthe
最新回复
(
0
)