【阅读理解Ancienthistoryisbetterunderstoodandourknowledgeofthepastisdirectlyincreasedwhentheremainsofoldanimalsandcitiesareunearthed(发掘).Amongtheanimalsthatwandered(游荡)throughtheworldofl】

　　阅读理解

　　Ancienthistoryisbetterunderstoodandourknowledgeofthepastisdirectlyincreasedwhentheremainsofoldanimalsandcitiesareunearthed(发掘).Amongtheanimalsthatwandered(游荡)throughtheworldoflongagoaresomewhichhavenowentirelydiedoutbutsometimesthebonesofsuchcreaturesarefoundintheearthbythescientist.Fromthesebonesheisabletoreconstruct(修复)theskeleton(骨架)oftheanimalandfromtheskeletonhecanobtainquiteagoodideaofitsappearance.Ifamanonhiswaytoworkinthemorningweretomeetoneoftheseprehistoric(史前的)creatureshewouldgetthebiggestshockofhislife.Amongthemwerethevariouskindsofdinosaurs(恐龙)thebonesofwhichhavebeenfoundbothinEuropeandinAmerica.Someofthemwalkedonfourlegsbutothersstoodpartlyuprightandwalkedontheirbacklegsonlylikeabird.Buttheywerenottobecomparedwithabirdinsize.Thedinosaurswerethebiggestanimalsthateverwalkedonthesurfaceoftheearth.Someweretwelvefeethigh;someweresixtyfeetlongotherseightyfeetlong!Thelengthsayofsixorsevenbigmotorcarsendtoend.Theupperboneofthebacklegofonewasthesizeofatallmansixfeettwoinchesinlength.Imagineanothercreaturewhichhadaheadthesizeofaroomdoorwayeightfeetinlengthandwiththreebonypointsonit.Orimagineanotherwithplates(盾片)stickinguponedgealongitsbackperhapsforthepurposeofkeepingofftheattacksofanimalsthatwantedtoeatit.Atoneperiodofhistorythesedinosaurswerethemastersoftheearth.Nownotoneremains.Ourknowledgeofthemiswhollyobtainedfromthebonesthathavebeenfoundhereandthereburiedintheground.

　　Otherbuffedremainsareasignoftheactivitiesofancientmen.Thearchaeologist(考古学家)digsupobjectsprovingthatcivilizationisnottheproductonlyofmodemtimes.Oldcitiesyield(透露暴露)uptheirtreasures.Beautifulpottery(陶器)isbroughttolightafterlyingburiedforcenturies.Inscriptions(碑文)onstonetelloftheactivitiesofmenlongsincedead.ThelanguagesoftheancientEgyptianswasforlongapuzzletotheEgyptologistandnoonewasabletounderstandtheinscriptionsfoundonancientEgyptianstones.BygoodfortunehoweverapieceofstonewasfoundnearRosettaintheNileDelta.TheStoneprovedtobethekeytooldEgyptianlanguagebecausetheGreek