New discoveries suggest that trade between Europe and Asia along the Silk Road probably began many centuries earlier than once thought. The findings add a fascinating new page to the epic(史诗) of the Silk Road, which spread far and wide in no time. The latest and most surprising discovery is pieces of silk found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy(木乃伊) from about l,000 BC, long before regular traffic on the Silk Road and at least one thousand years before silk was previously thought to be used in Egypt. Other researches may extend human activity along this road back even further, perhaps a million years to the moving of human ancestors into eastern Asia. The official origin of East-West trade along the road is usually placed in the late 2nd century BC when an agent of the Chinese Emperor Wu-di returned from a dangerous secret task across the desert into the remote high country of Central Asia. The agent, Zhang Qian, traveled as far as Afghanistan and brought back knowledge of even more distant lands such as Persia, Syria and a place known as Lijien, perhaps Rome. Historians(历史学家) have called this one of the most important journeys in ancient times. His journey opened the way for what have been thought to be the first indirect touches between the ancient world’s two super-powers, China and Rome. Chinese silk, first traded to Central Asia for war horses, was soon finding its way to the markets of Rome through a network of businessmen. But the new discoveries show that Chinese silk apparently existed in the West long before the Han emperor started to organize trade over the Silk Road. The research could change thinking about the early history of world trade and provide comprehension into the mystery(谜) of just how and when Europe first realized the glorious culture at the other end of Eurasia. Title: New Discovery of the Silk Road Introduction New findings about the 76. ________ of trade along the Silk Road are spread far and wide in no time. Discovery ☆ The silk thread found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy from about 1,000 BC makes all feel greatly 77. ________ . ☆ The discovery suggests the trade along the Silk Road may 78. ________ back to an earlier time than once thought. Zhang Qian’s 79. ________ ☆ Being accepted as official 80. ________ of East-West commerce along the Silk Road. ☆ Opening the way for the first 81. ________ touches between the ancient China and Rome. ☆ 82. ________ Chinese silk to Central Asia and Persia. ☆ Making Chinese silk 83. ________ the markets of Rome. Summary ☆ Show the 84. ________ of Chinese silk in the West long before the Han Dynasty. ☆ Change thinking about the early history of word trade. ☆ Help to solve the puzzle of Europeans’ first realizing 85. ________ culture.
答案:76.start/beginning 77.surprised 78.date/go 79.task/mission 80.origin 81.indirect 82.Trading 83.enter/reach 84.existence 85.Chinese