澳大利亚和印度尼西亚科学家在印尼的苏拉威西岛上发现了目前已知最早的绘有人和动物形象的洞穴壁画。这幅壁画创作于距今至少  5  万年，画中描绘了一只野猪以及三个类似人类的形象，比此前发现的最古老的同类洞穴壁画提早了  5  千年之多。

The discovery is important because it pushes back the time that modern humans first showed the ability for creative thought.

这幅壁画的发现意义重大，因为它提前了现代人类首次展现出创造性思维的时间点。

The painting shows a pig standing with its mouth partly open with at least three other human-like figures interacting with it. The largest of them has both arms extended and appears to be holding a rod, possibly a spear. The second is immediately in front of the pig with its head next to its snout. It also seems to be holding a stick, one end of which may be in contact with the pig's throat. And the final figure seems to be upside down with its legs facing up and splayed outwards. It has one hand reaching towards and seemingly touching the pig's head.

这幅画呈现了一头站立着、嘴部略有张开的野猪与三个类似人类的形象发生互动的场景。其中最大的那个形象张开双臂，看上去像是握着一根棍子，可能是长矛。第二个形象位于野猪的正前方，它的头挨着野猪的口鼻部。这个形象也似乎握着一根棍子，棍子的一端似乎碰到了野猪的喉咙。第三个形象看上去是倒过来的，它的双腿张开朝向上方。这个形象的一只手伸向野猪的头部，似乎已经摸到了猪的头。 

Representational cave paintings have been found across the world. The big question is whether that ability first emerged in Africa, where modern humans evolved and spread when our species left the continent 60,000 years ago, or it emerged independently, later, as there became a greater social need for recorded communication.

世界各地都曾发现过写实类型的洞穴壁画。但最重要的问题是：当 6 万年前我们的祖先进化成现代人类并且从非洲分散开来的时候，绘制这些壁画的能力就已经出现；还是说当书面交流成为一种广泛的的社会需要时，这项能力才分别在不同的人群中逐渐形成？

词汇表

creative thought 创造性思维
rod 棍子，棒状物
spear 长矛
snout 口鼻部
upside down 上下颠倒
splayed 张开，叉开
representational 写实的
spread （生物）分散开来
emerged 出现，形成

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。

1. Why is the cave painting discovery important?  

2. True or False? None of the human-like figures in the painting are near the pig. 

3. What do two of the human-like figures appear to be holding?  

4. According to the article, when did modern humans first start to leave the African continent?  

答案

1. Why is the cave painting discovery important?  

The discovery is important because it pushes back the time that modern  humans first showed the ability for creative thought.

2. True or False? None of the human-like figures in the painting are near the pig.

False. One of the figures is immediately in front of the pig with its head next to its snout. Another has one hand reaching towards and seemingly touching the pig's head.

3. What do two of the human-like figures appear to be holding?  

One figure appears to be holding a rod, possibly a spear, and the other seems to be holding a stick.

4. According to the article, when did modern humans first start to leave the African continent?  

According to the article, modern humans left the African continent 60,000 years ago.