剑桥郡一采石场内发现了英国境内最大的恐龙行迹遗址。研究人员在石灰岩地面上辨认出了大约  200  个互相重叠交错的巨大脚印，这些脚印形成于约  1.66  亿年前。

The dinosaur tracks were first discovered by a worker at the quarry. Scientists have now unearthed 200 huge footprints criss-crossing the limestone floor. They were made by two different types of dinosaurs. Giant long-necked sauropods left one-metre-wide circular prints, while smaller three-toed marks were created by the carnivorous Megalosaurus.

这些恐龙的足迹最初被一名采石场的工人发现。科学家目前已经在石灰岩地面上挖掘出了 200 个重叠交错的巨大脚印。这些脚印来自于两种不同的恐龙。体型巨大的长颈蜥脚类恐龙留下的是直径一米宽的圆形脚印，而另外一种较小的三趾脚印则来自于肉食性的巨齿龙。

Scientists aren't sure how they were preserved but think the footprints were perhaps covered with sediment during a storm. Some tracks extend for 150 metres but could reach even further under parts of the quarry not yet excavated.

科学家们不能确定这些脚印是如何被保存下来的，但他们认为这些脚印可能是被一场风暴中的沉积物所掩盖。一些行迹延续了 150 米，但还可能会继续延伸到采石厂中尚未被挖掘的部分。

词汇表

tracks 行迹，足迹
unearthed 挖掘出
criss-crossing 重叠交错的
limestone 石灰岩
three-toed 三趾的
carnivorous 食肉的
sediment 沉积物
excavated 被挖掘的

听力练习

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. What is most important about this finding?

a. the size of the footprints
b. the size of the site
c. the species of dinosaur

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. The tracks were originally found by

a. a university researcher
b. a quarry employee
c. an investigative journalist

2. Sauropods are herbivores.

a. True
b. False
c. Not given

3. Megalosaurus have three toes.

a. True
b. False
c. Not given

4. The footprints may have been protected by

a. an earthquake
b. workers quarrying
c. bad weather

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. Scientists ________________ 200 huge footprints criss-crossing the limestone floor.

2. Some tracks ________________ 150 metres but could reach even further under parts of the quarry not yet excavated.

答案

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. What is most important about this finding?

b. The size of the site. It is the biggest found in the UK. There are 200 footprints. Some tracks are 150 metres long but could be even longer.

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. b. The tracks were discovered by a worker at the quarry.

2. c. Not given. The text does not say whether sauropods are herbivores.

3. a. True. Smaller three-toed marks were created by the carnivorous Megalosaurus.

4. c. The footprints were perhaps covered with sediment during a storm.

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. Scientists have now unearthed 200 huge footprints criss-crossing the limestone floor.

2. Some tracks extend for 150 metres but could reach even further under parts of the quarry not yet excavated.