讲解人 · Jamie
原文
The ancient hand stencil was discovered in Metanduno cave popular with tourists on Muna Island, part of south-eastern Sulawesi.
Beyond providing a minimum age for the cave art, the work furthers thinking on how and when Australia first became settled, with the stencil most likely created by the ancestors of Indigenous Australians.
“There’s a lot of rock art out there but it’s really difficult to date, “ said Prof Maxime Aubert, an archaeologist at Griffith University in Queensland.
“When you can date it, it opens up a completely different world.”
Though faded and partially obscured by a more recent motif on the wall, the Metanduno cave stencil was ascribed a minimum age after the team dated tiny calcite deposits that had formed over the top.
The hand stencils were made by spraying mouthfuls of ochre mixed with water over a hand pressed to the cave wall.
Like some others on Sulawesi, the Metanduno cave stencil has narrow, pointy fingers, which the researchers believe was an intentional modification.
Prof Paul Pettitt, of Durham University, who worked on the Spanish cave markings, said it was not clear whether the pointy-fingered hand stencils in Sulawesi were made on purpose or simply caused by the creator moving their fingers.
“In any case, Neanderthals were modifying hand stencils, so why this should be a behaviour restricted to Homo sapiens, and why other potential human groups couldn’t have created it, is unclear, “ he added.
带着问题听讲解
- 如何理解 stencil 这个词？
- 本文提到的手形图案是在印尼哪里被发现的？
- 研究团队通过什么样的测量手段确定手形图案的年代的？
讲解
重点词汇
faded
/ˈfeɪ.dɪd/
adj. 褪色的；变淡的；逐渐模糊的
- 相关词汇：fade（v. （颜色）褪去、变淡；（光线、声音）逐渐消失；（记忆、情感）逐渐变弱）
- 例句：The sun has faded the curtains.
- 例句：Memories of childhood often fade over time.
搭配短语：faded jeans搭配短语：faded memories
stencil
/ˈsten.səl/
n.（印文字或图案用的）模板；（用模板印的）文字或图案
- 例句：We made snowflake patterns on the window with stencils and spray paint during Christmas.
beyond
/biˈjɑːnd/
prep. 除了…… 之外（还）
- 近义词组：apart from近义词组：in addition to例句：Beyond providing knowledge, a good book can inspire imagination.
further
/ˈfɝː.ðɚ/
v. 推进，促进，深化
- 词性拓展：further（adj./adv. 更高的（地）；更远的（地）；far 的比较级）例句：This research will further our understanding of cancer treatment.
indigenous
/ɪnˈdɪdʒ.ə.nəs/
adj. 本地的；当地的；土生土长的
- 搭配短语：indigenous people搭配短语：indigenous culture例句：The kangaroo is indigenous to Australia.搭配短语：Indigenous Australians（澳大利亚原住民）
date
/deɪt/
v. 确定……的年代；测定……的年代
- 词性拓展：date（n. 约会；日期）例句：Scientists used carbon-14 to date the fossil.
open up
开启，出现；使…成为可能
- 例句：Learning a new language opens up a new culture to you.例句：Traveling opens up your mind to different cultures.
obscured
/əbˈskjʊrd/
adj. 被遮盖的，被掩盖的
- 相关词汇：obscure（v. 遮蔽，掩盖；使模糊不清）
- 例句：Clouds obscured the mountain tops.
- 例句：Complex legal jargon obscured the simple truth.
词性拓展：obscure（adj. 不知名的；晦涩的；难懂的）- 搭配短语：an obscure poet（不知名的）
- 搭配短语：an obscure lecture（晦涩的；难懂的）
motif
/moʊˈtiːf/
n. 装饰图案；装饰图形
- 搭配短语：floral motif搭配短语：animal motif例句：The oriental rug had a complex geometric motif.
ascribe
/əˈskraɪb/
v. 认为……具有；把……归因于；把……归咎于
- 搭配短语：be ascribed to（把……归因于；把……归咎于）
- 例句：His success is ascribed to hard work.（把……归因于；把……归咎于）
例句：We ascribe great importance to these policies.（认为……具有）
calcite
/ˈkælsaɪt/
n. 方解石
deposit
/dɪˈpɑː.zɪt/
n. 沉积物，沉积层；订金；押金；存款
- 搭配短语：gold deposits（金矿）搭配短语：coal deposits（煤藏）搭配短语：calcite deposits（方解石沉积物）
- 例句：The calcite deposits over the hand stencil helped archaeologists determine its age.
spray
/spreɪ/
v. 喷；喷洒
- 例句：The crops are regularly sprayed with pesticide.
mouthful
/ˈmaʊθ.fʊl/
n. 一口，一满口
- 搭配短语：a mouthful of food搭配短语：a mouthful of water
ochre
/ˈoʊ.kɚ/
n. 赭石；赭石颜料
- 例句：Prehistoric artists used ochre to create colorful rock paintings.
pointy
/ˈpɔɪn.t̬i/
adj. 尖的，有尖头的
- 相关词汇：point（尖，尖端）词根词缀：-y（形容词后缀）例句：Witches are often depicted wearing pointy hats.
intentional
/ɪnˈten.ʃən.əl/
adj. 故意的，有意的
- 相关词汇：intend（v. 打算）例句：The mistake was not intentional; it was just a careless error.
on purpose
故意的
- 近义词：intentional例句：I didn't break the cup on purpose; it slipped out of my hand.
拓展阅读
