问答题
5. Located in Giza, Egypt, alongside the great pyramids, the Sphinx is a massive monolith depicting a mythical creature possessing the body of a lion and the head of a human. According to many experts, the Sphinx was built around 2550 B.C. during the reign of Pharaoh Khafre. However, this date is disputed by a large number of Egyptologists, many of whom believe it was built hundreds—or even thousands—of years prior to Khafre's rule.
One reason experts believe the Sphinx is more than 4,500 years old concerns the weathering of the statue. It was long believed that windblown sand was the cause of the eroding of the Sphinx, yet a new theory maintains that the Sphinx's weathering pattern was caused by falling water instead. The Sphinx has vertical erosion patterns, which indicate rain, whereas horizontal erosion patterns, which are lacking, would be proof of erosion by wind and sand. Since Khafre's time, Egypt has not experienced enough rainfall to cause a significant amount of water erosion. However, it is known that centuries prior to Khafre's reign, Egypt got much greater amounts of rain. This was likely when the Sphinx became weathered.
Another problem is that there are no inscriptions in hieroglyphics anywhere indicating Khafre built it. The Egyptians often left written records about who had commissioned certain buildings, and Khafre certainly would have taken credit for the Sphinx had he been responsible for making it. Thus the absence of written proof shows that the Sphinx likely existed long before Khafre lived.
Finally, many Egyptologists don't believe that the original face of the Sphinx was that of Khafre. The Sphinx's head shows evidence of having been worked on numerous times. In all likelihood, the Sphinx existed when Khafre became the pharaoh, but he had its face redone to resemble his own.
One reason experts believe the Sphinx is more than 4,500 years old concerns the weathering of the statue. It was long believed that windblown sand was the cause of the eroding of the Sphinx, yet a new theory maintains that the Sphinx's weathering pattern was caused by falling water instead. The Sphinx has vertical erosion patterns, which indicate rain, whereas horizontal erosion patterns, which are lacking, would be proof of erosion by wind and sand. Since Khafre's time, Egypt has not experienced enough rainfall to cause a significant amount of water erosion. However, it is known that centuries prior to Khafre's reign, Egypt got much greater amounts of rain. This was likely when the Sphinx became weathered.
Another problem is that there are no inscriptions in hieroglyphics anywhere indicating Khafre built it. The Egyptians often left written records about who had commissioned certain buildings, and Khafre certainly would have taken credit for the Sphinx had he been responsible for making it. Thus the absence of written proof shows that the Sphinx likely existed long before Khafre lived.
Finally, many Egyptologists don't believe that the original face of the Sphinx was that of Khafre. The Sphinx's head shows evidence of having been worked on numerous times. In all likelihood, the Sphinx existed when Khafre became the pharaoh, but he had its face redone to resemble his own.
【正确答案】Sample Note-READING
Sphinx was built before the time of Pharaoh Khafre
1 weathering of Sphinx
-was not caused by wind and sand but by water
-hasn't rained much since Khafre's time but rained a lot in Egypt prior to then
2 no inscriptions saying Khafre built it
-Egyptians always left inscriptions about builders
-if Khafre built it, he would have left written proof
3 Sphinx's original face wasn't Khafre's
-head was worked on in past
-existed before Khafre became pharaoh→changed face to resemble his own
Sample Note-LISTENING
Sphinx was made around 2550 B.C.
1 weathering patterns caused by limestone erosion
-looks like rain caused it
-but was caused by salt making cracks in limestone
2 are inscriptions about Khafre's Pyramid
-Sphinx belongs to Khafre's Pyramid complex
-inscriptions mention he built all the structures
3 Sphinx once looked like Khafre's face
-had brained beard→eroded and fell off
-resembled face of Khafre as seen on statue of him
Sample Essay
The professor and the author of the reading passage discuss the Sphinx's age. While the professor believes it was made around 2550 B.C., the author of the reading passage thinks the Sphinx was built earlier.
The first point the professor brings up concerns erosion. Unlike the author of the reading passage, he does not believe the Sphinx endured water erosion. Instead, he claims that salt in the desert got into cracks in the limestone the Sphinx is made of and caused erosion that appears to be made by water but is not. Hence the professor doubts the claim in the reading passage that the Sphinx was built before Pharaoh Khafre's reign when it used to rain heavily in Egypt.
The second point the professor makes concerns the lack of inscriptions regarding who made the Sphinx. The reading passage argues that the absence of inscriptions proves Khafre did not make the Sphinx. But the professor mentions that there were many inscriptions stating that Khafre had the structures in Khafre's Pyramid built, which proves he made the Sphinx.
The third point is about the face of the Sphinx. Although the reading passage declares that the Sphinx's face was changed during the time of Khafre, the professor disagrees and declares that the Sphinx once had a beard like Khafre, but it eroded and fell off.
Sphinx was built before the time of Pharaoh Khafre
1 weathering of Sphinx
-was not caused by wind and sand but by water
-hasn't rained much since Khafre's time but rained a lot in Egypt prior to then
2 no inscriptions saying Khafre built it
-Egyptians always left inscriptions about builders
-if Khafre built it, he would have left written proof
3 Sphinx's original face wasn't Khafre's
-head was worked on in past
-existed before Khafre became pharaoh→changed face to resemble his own
Sample Note-LISTENING
Sphinx was made around 2550 B.C.
1 weathering patterns caused by limestone erosion
-looks like rain caused it
-but was caused by salt making cracks in limestone
2 are inscriptions about Khafre's Pyramid
-Sphinx belongs to Khafre's Pyramid complex
-inscriptions mention he built all the structures
3 Sphinx once looked like Khafre's face
-had brained beard→eroded and fell off
-resembled face of Khafre as seen on statue of him
Sample Essay
The professor and the author of the reading passage discuss the Sphinx's age. While the professor believes it was made around 2550 B.C., the author of the reading passage thinks the Sphinx was built earlier.
The first point the professor brings up concerns erosion. Unlike the author of the reading passage, he does not believe the Sphinx endured water erosion. Instead, he claims that salt in the desert got into cracks in the limestone the Sphinx is made of and caused erosion that appears to be made by water but is not. Hence the professor doubts the claim in the reading passage that the Sphinx was built before Pharaoh Khafre's reign when it used to rain heavily in Egypt.
The second point the professor makes concerns the lack of inscriptions regarding who made the Sphinx. The reading passage argues that the absence of inscriptions proves Khafre did not make the Sphinx. But the professor mentions that there were many inscriptions stating that Khafre had the structures in Khafre's Pyramid built, which proves he made the Sphinx.
The third point is about the face of the Sphinx. Although the reading passage declares that the Sphinx's face was changed during the time of Khafre, the professor disagrees and declares that the Sphinx once had a beard like Khafre, but it eroded and fell off.
【答案解析】 [听力原文]
Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.
M Professor: One of the most controversial matters in Egyptology concerns the age of the Sphinx. Some academics believe it was made more than, uh, 5,000 years ago. However, traditionally, the Pharaoh Khafre is credited with having built it around 2550 B.C., and that's when I feel the Sphinx was made.
Some Egyptologists think the weathering patterns on the Sphinx are indicative of rain rather than wind and sand. Since Egypt has been mostly arid desert since Khafre's time, obviously, they argue, the Sphinx was built before then and was later rained on. That's just not true though. Why not...? Well, the Sphinx is made of limestone, which is brittle. And the desert there has a high salt content. Even a tiny bit of moisture can draw salt into cracks in limestone. Then, the salt expands and causes some pieces of limestone to break off. This type of erosion looks like rain caused it, and that's precisely what happened to the Sphinx over time.
Now, uh, some say there are no inscriptions around the Sphinx indicating Khafre built it. Sure, but let's keep in mind that it was just one of many structures built in connection with Khafre's Pyramid. Inscriptions mentioning Khafre as well as statues of the pharaoh have been found there, so it's verified that he built the pyramid and other structures. Plus, most of the limestone dug out around the Sphinx was used to build the other structures, which is another connection.
Finally, uh, the assertion that the Sphinx's face isn't that of Khafre is wrong. The Sphinx once had a braided beard, just like Khafre has in a statue of him that has survived to this day, but the beard eroded and fell off. Let me assure you that the face of the Sphinx definitely used to resemble Khafre's.
Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.
M Professor: One of the most controversial matters in Egyptology concerns the age of the Sphinx. Some academics believe it was made more than, uh, 5,000 years ago. However, traditionally, the Pharaoh Khafre is credited with having built it around 2550 B.C., and that's when I feel the Sphinx was made.
Some Egyptologists think the weathering patterns on the Sphinx are indicative of rain rather than wind and sand. Since Egypt has been mostly arid desert since Khafre's time, obviously, they argue, the Sphinx was built before then and was later rained on. That's just not true though. Why not...? Well, the Sphinx is made of limestone, which is brittle. And the desert there has a high salt content. Even a tiny bit of moisture can draw salt into cracks in limestone. Then, the salt expands and causes some pieces of limestone to break off. This type of erosion looks like rain caused it, and that's precisely what happened to the Sphinx over time.
Now, uh, some say there are no inscriptions around the Sphinx indicating Khafre built it. Sure, but let's keep in mind that it was just one of many structures built in connection with Khafre's Pyramid. Inscriptions mentioning Khafre as well as statues of the pharaoh have been found there, so it's verified that he built the pyramid and other structures. Plus, most of the limestone dug out around the Sphinx was used to build the other structures, which is another connection.
Finally, uh, the assertion that the Sphinx's face isn't that of Khafre is wrong. The Sphinx once had a braided beard, just like Khafre has in a statue of him that has survived to this day, but the beard eroded and fell off. Let me assure you that the face of the Sphinx definitely used to resemble Khafre's.