Scientists depict the social life of humans 4,000 years ago_科学技术

Scientists depict the social life of humans 4,000 years ago

文章来源：文章作者：发布时间：2006-09-16 07:06 字体： [大中小]　进入论坛

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By studying the animal and plant fossils and things left over by the deceased in these relic¹ sites, scientists tried to figure out how ancient people living in the central part of China did farm work, raised animals, and produced porcelain², jade³, and bronze tools. (File Photo)

Chinanews, Beijing, Sept. 16 - Director of the Archeological Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Wang Wei said recently that the first phase of the exploration work on ancient Chinese civilization had been concluded and passed experts' appraisal⁴ recently. The study is aimed to present a truthful⁵ picture of the social life of ancient Chinese people living during 2500 B.C - 1500 B.C.

This covers the Period of the Five Legendary⁶ Rulers, Xia Dynasty and Shang Dynasty, a critical time when ancient Chinese civilization began to take shape.

In October 2004, a group of 28 scientists from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese University of Hong Kong conducted a joint⁷ research on four relic sites in China. By studying the animal and plant fossils and things left over by the deceased in these relic sites, scientists tried to figure out how ancient people living in the central part of China did farm work, raised animals, and produced porcelain, jade, and bronze tools. By studying these human activities, scientists tried to obtain information about the economic and technological⁸ development and civilization progress at that time.

Yuan Jing, head of the research group, said the result showed that agricultural production had made great achievement at that time, and bronze making technology, which played a very important role in the economic and social development in early Chinese history, had already reached a very high level during this period. Human's social life at that time can be described as follows:

In agricultural field, while people continued to grow crops and raise pigs as their forefathers⁹ did, they also began to plant paddy rice and raise cattle. At that time, wheat and sheep began to be introduced to central China from West Asia. Gradually, people grew many more crops in the fields and the type of domestic animals they raised also increased.

Great achievement was made in production technology. In metallurgical industry, apart from using arsenic¹⁰ and copper¹¹ to make bronze tools, people began to add tin and lead in the bronze production process, and the latter quickly represented the advanced technology in the bronze-making era.

In civilization process, hierarchical system began to develop during this period. Studies showed that many bronze tools unearthed¹² in Erlitou in Henan province were used as symbols for their owners' social status. In ancient times, domestic animals such as pig, ox and sheep were regarded as intermediate animals for people to communicate with their ancestors, and these animals were also graded into different classes.

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1 relic
n.神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物
参考例句：
This stone axe is a relic of ancient times.这石斧是古代的遗物。 He found himself thinking of the man as a relic from the past.他把这个男人看成是过去时代的人物。

2 porcelain
n.瓷；adj.瓷的，瓷制的
参考例句：
These porcelain plates have rather original designs on them.这些瓷盘的花纹很别致。 The porcelain vase is enveloped in cotton.瓷花瓶用棉花裹着。

3 jade
n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠
参考例句：
The statue was carved out of jade.这座塑像是玉雕的。 He presented us with a couple of jade lions.他送给我们一对玉狮子。

4 appraisal
n.对…作出的评价；评价，鉴定，评估
参考例句：
What's your appraisal of the situation?你对局势是如何评估的？ We need to make a proper appraisal of his work.对于他的工作我们需要做出适当的评价。

5 truthful
adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的
参考例句：
You can count on him for a truthful report of the accident.你放心，他会对事故作出如实的报告的。 I don't think you are being entirely truthful.我认为你并没全讲真话。

6 legendary
adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）
参考例句：
Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。 Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

7 joint
adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合
参考例句：
I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。 We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

8 technological
adj.技术的；工艺的
参考例句：
A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。 Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今，随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

9 forefathers
n.祖先，先人；祖先，祖宗( forefather的名词复数 )；列祖列宗；前人
参考例句：
They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left. 它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。来自《简明英汉词典》 All of us bristled at the lawyer's speech insulting our forefathers. 听到那个律师在讲演中污蔑我们的祖先，大家都气得怒发冲冠。来自《简明英汉词典》

10 arsenic
n.砒霜，砷；adj.砷的
参考例句：
His wife poisoned him with arsenic.他的妻子用砒霜把他毒死了。 Arsenic is a poison.砒霜是毒药。

11 copper
n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的
参考例句：
The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。 Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

12 unearthed
出土的（考古）
参考例句：
Many unearthed cultural relics are set forth in the exhibition hall. 展览馆里陈列着许多出土文物。 Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。

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