1. (2020高一下·朝阳期末) 阅读理解

The Beauties of the Stone Age

    I have just come home after viewing some amazing works of art that were recently discovered in Church Hole Gave in Nottinghamshire. They are not drawings but etchings—shapes cut into the rock—and they describe different kinds of wild animals.

    First of all, the number is great: there are 90 in all. Moreover, 58 of them are on the ceiling (天花板). This is quite unusual in cave art, according to Dr. Wilbur Samson of Central Midlands University. "Wall pictures are the usual way," he says. "The Church Hole etchings are an artistic achievement. It was thought that ice-age hunters in this country were separated from those in central areas of Europe, but the Church Hole etchings proved that they were actually part of a way of living, thinking and seeing the world that had spread right across Europe."

    News of such exciting discoveries spreads quickly, and thanks to the Internet and mobile phones, a great many people have known about this discovery. However, an examination of the etchings last year failed to show the presence of them. The reason lay in the expectations of the researchers. They looked for the usual type of cave drawings, which show up best under direct light. So they used powerful torches (火炬), shining them straight onto the rock face. However, the Church Hole etchings are not drawings on the rocks, like the other cave ones. They are modifications of the rock itself and can't be easily made out. They show up best when seen from a certain direction in the natural light of early morning.

    Dr. Samson feels that the lighting factor provides important information about the function of these works of art. I think the artists knew very well that the etchings would hardly be seen except early in the morning. We can decide that the cave was used for important events like animal worship (祭拜), and that they were conducted just after dawn, as the beginning of the day's hunting.

    To which I can only add that I feel very lucky to have been able to view Church Hole. It is a site of great importance culturally and is part of the traditional values, not only of this country, but the world as a whole.

1. （1） What is the significance of the etchings in Church Hole Cave?

   A . They show the existence of an ice-age culture. B . They describe a more advanced life of Europeans. C . They prove that ancient people hunted in large areas. D . They indicate that fewer people settled in central Europe.
3. （2） According to the passage,        .

   A . the methods taken to protect the etchings are useless B . the etchings are various from the usual cave paintings C . the discovery of the etchings should not be made public D . many people visited the cave within hours of its discovery
5. （3） What does the underlined word "modifications" in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

   A . Small changes. B . Free gifts. C . Good examples. D . Different areas.
7. （4） What does Dr. Samson state from the lighting factor?

   A . The search took place at the wrong place of the cave. B . The artists never planned to let the etchings seen by others. C . The torches people used in the examination were too bright. D . The etchings were intended to be seen at a certain time of day.