Level 2 Reading 3B

Ch.6 Reading 3B

第6章 阅读3B

WHO KILLED THE ICEMAN? In 1991, high in the mountains of Europe, hikers made a shocking discovery: a dead man partly frozen in the ice. The police investigation soon became a scientific one. Carbon dating indicated that the man died over 5,300 years ago. Today, he is known as the Iceman and nicknamed "Ötzi" for the Ötztal Alps where he was found. Kept in perfect condition by the ice, he is the oldest complete human body found on Earth. Who Was the Iceman? Scientists believe Ötzi was an important person in his village. Examinations of his teeth and skull tell us he was in his mid-forties when he died. The things he carried also tell us about who he was. His knife was made of stone, but he carried a copper ax. This was a valuable tool in Ötzi's time and suggests that he may have been a local leader. A fire-starting kit was discovered with him, so we know he could make fire. And the food he ate and carried enabled scientists to know exactly where in Italy he lived—a village down in the valley. Clues to an Ancient Murder But why did Ötzi die in such a high and icy place? Some said he was a lost farmer or shepherd. Others thought he was killed in a religious ceremony. No one knows for sure. Over the years, tiny scientific discoveries have led to great changes in our understanding of Ötzi's story. "[Once], the story was that he fled up there and walked around in the snow and probably died of exposure," said scientist Klaus Oeggl. "Now it's all changed. ...It's more like a...crime scene." A Bloody Discovery In fact, the newest scientific information indicates Ötzi was cruelly murdered. In June 2001, an X-ray of the body showed a small dark shape beneath Ötzi's left shoulder. It was the stone head of an arrow that had hit him from behind. CT scans showed that this caused an injury that killed him very quickly. Then, in 2003, an Australian scientist discovered the blood of four other people on Ötzi's clothes. Was Ötzi killed in a fight? It isn't likely, as Ötzi's other injuries, on his hand and head, had already started to close. This means there probably was a fight, but it happened much earlier. Perhaps Ötzi was being chased when he died? In 2010, scientists took the mummy out of the cold and examined him again. They discovered that just before his death, he had a big meal of bread and goat meat. In 2018, further analysis of his stomach showed Ötzi had also eaten deer meat. Would someone being chased stop to eat a large meal? The scientists don't think so. More likely, he was attacked while resting. He may have thought he had escaped and was safe. Today, the research continues, proving some of these ideas as false while opening the door to others. Ötzi, it seems, has more to tell us about his life and the time in which he lived.

世界卫生组织杀了冰人？ 1991年，在欧洲的高山上，徒步旅行者发现了一个令人震惊的发现：一名部分被冻在冰里的死人。 警方的调查很快变成了科学调查。 碳测年表明，该男子死于5300多年前。 今天，他被称为“冰人”，绰号“Ötzi”，因为他在Ötztal阿尔卑斯山被发现。 他被冰层保持在完美的状态，是地球上发现的最古老的完整人体。 谁是冰人？ 科学家们认为奥兹是村里的重要人物。 对他的牙齿和头骨的检查告诉我们，他去世时已经四十多岁了。 他携带的东西也告诉我们他是谁。 他的刀是石头做的，但他拿着一把铜斧头。 这是奥兹时代的一个宝贵工具，表明他可能是当地的领导人。 在他身上发现了一个火把，所以我们知道他可以生火。 他吃的和携带的食物使科学家们能够准确地知道他住在意大利的哪个地方——山谷里的一个村庄。 古代谋杀案线索 但是为什么奥兹会死在这么高、这么冷的地方呢？ 有人说他是个迷路的农民或牧羊人。 其他人认为他是在宗教仪式上被杀的。 没有人确切知道。 多年来，微小的科学发现使我们对奥兹故事的理解发生了巨大变化。 科学家克劳斯·奥格尔说：“（有一次），故事是他逃到那里，在雪地里走来走去，可能死于暴露。”。 “现在一切都变了……更像是……犯罪现场。” 血腥的发现 事实上，最新的科学信息表明奥兹被残忍地谋杀了。 2001年6月，尸体的X光片显示奥兹左肩下方有一个小的黑色形状。 是一支石头箭从后面射中了他。 CT扫描显示，这导致他受伤，很快死亡。 然后，在2003年，一位澳大利亚科学家在奥兹的衣服上发现了另外四人的血液。 奥兹在打斗中被杀了吗？ 这不太可能，因为奥兹手部和头部的其他伤势已经开始好转。 这意味着可能发生了一场战斗，但它发生得更早。 也许奥兹死的时候被追赶了？ 2010年，科学家们将木乃伊从寒冷中取出，再次对其进行了检查。 他们发现，就在他去世前，他吃了一顿面包和山羊肉大餐。 2018年，对奥兹胃的进一步分析表明，奥兹也吃过鹿肉。 被追赶的人会停下来吃一顿大餐吗？ 科学家们不这么认为。 更有可能的是，他在休息时遭到袭击。 他可能以为自己逃跑了，很安全。 今天，研究仍在继续，证明其中一些想法是错误的，同时为其他想法打开了大门。 奥兹似乎有更多关于他的生活和他所生活的时代的信息要告诉我们。

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