Question

    How did we get the alphabet? It was a long process, covering thousands of years.

The first people to write things down carved symbols onto rocks or shells. These symbols represented people or things.

These people who lived a long time ago had simple lives with simple needs. One of the most basic needs was food. Before the introduction of agriculture, people were called Hunter­Gatherers because they hunted animals and gathered nuts and berries for food. To tell each other about how to hunt animals or where to find them, these people drew on cave walls or on animal hides. Soon, people were growing their own crops. They were also using a system of symbols to stand for people, places and things. The best ancient example of this was found in Egypt, where hieroglyphs (象形字) were used. These people believed in many different gods. Each god had its own symbol. Symbols were also used to stand for water, buildings, food, and other parts of life.

But these picture drawings and hieroglyphs represented whole words, not just sounds. How did we get an alphabet? Recent research suggests that the idea of an alphabet was first used in Egypt about 1900 BC. Civilizations that traded with or fought against Egypt were exposed to this alphabet, and the idea spread.

The ancient Greeks adapted this alphabet and created their own. The ancient Romans polished it up to a state almost like our modern alphabet. The idea of stringing letters together to make words was born. You can see by looking at letters from the Roman alphabet that these letters survive almost unchanged in our modern English alphabet.

This was the case in the Western world. Actually, a similar thing also happened in the East. You can see many examples in such areas’ language development.

1.Why did Hunter­Gatherers use drawings?

A.To assist them in searching for food.

B.To put a series of symbols into a system.

C.To warn their companions to hide safely.

D.To record some methods of growing crops.

2.What does the development of the alphabet reflect?

A.The difficulties ancient people have learning languages.

B.The different kinds of religious beliefs in the same god.

C.The poor living conditions and agricultural development.

D.The needs of ancient people to survive and communicate.

3.How did the ancient Romans influence the alphabet?

A.They made improvements to it.

B.They created it all by themselves.

C.They managed to keep it unchanged.

D.They turned it into the modern one.

4.What will the author probably write about next?

A.The effects of the alphabet on global languages.

B.Why the alphabet grew better in Western world.

C.How the alphabet appeared in the Eastern world.

D.A number of examples of language evolution.

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.A

4.C

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了字母的发展历史，古人通过在石头或贝壳上刻下符号来代表人或物，以此进行彼此之间的交流。

1.

细节理解题。根据第二段中的“To tell each other about how to hunt animals or where to find them, these people drew on cave walls or on animal hides.”可知，为了告诉彼此如何猎杀动物或在哪里找到它们，这些人在洞穴墙壁或动物的兽皮上画了画。由此可知，狩猎者利用绘画帮助他们寻找食物。故选A项。

2.

细节理解题。根据第二段中的“They were also using a system of symbols to stand for people, places and things. The best ancient example of this was found in Egypt, where hieroglyphs (象形字) were used. These people believed in many different gods. Each god had its own symbol. Symbols were also used to stand for water, buildings, food, and other parts of life.”可知，他们还用符号系统来代表人、地方和事物。最好的古代例子是在埃及发现的，那里使用象形文字。这些人信仰许多不同的神。每个神都有自己的象征。符号也被用来代表水、建筑物、食物和其他生活部分。由此可知，字母的发展反映了古人生存和交流的需要。故选D项。

3.

推理判断题。根据第四段中的“The ancient Romans polished it up to a state almost like our modern alphabet.”可知，古罗马人把它打磨成一种几乎和我们现代字母表一样的状态。由此可推知，古罗马人改进了字母表。故选A项。

4.

推理判断题。根据最后第一段中的“This was the case in the Western world. Actually, a similar thing also happened in the East. You can see many examples in such areas’ language development.”可知，西方世界就是这样。事实上，类似的事情也发生在东方。你可以在这些领域的语言发展中看到许多例子。由此可推知，接下来作者可能会写下字母表是如何在东方世界出现的。故选C项。