Question

Tens of thousands of ancient pictures carved into the rocks at one of France’s most important tourist sites are being gradually destroyed. Scientists and researchers fear that the 36,000 drawings on rocks in Mont Bego in the French Alps are being damaged so rapidly that they will not survive for future generations.

The mountain, believed to have once been a site for prayer, is scattered (散布) with 4,000-year-old drawings cut into bare rock. They include pictures of cows with horns, cultivated fields (耕地) and various gods and goddesses. But as the popularity of the site increases, the pictures are being ruined by thoughtless graffiti (涂鸦).

Jean Clottes is the chairman of the International Committee on Rock Art. He says, “People think that because the pictures have been there so long they will always continue to be there. But if the damage continues at this rate there will be nothing left in 50 years.”

He describes seeing tourists stamping on the drawings, wearing away the rock and definition (清晰) of the artwork as they do so. Some visitors, he says, even cut off parts to take home as souvenirs. “When people think they can’t take a good enough photograph, they rub the drawings to get a clearer picture,” he said. “The drawings are polished by the weather, and if the sun is shining and the visitors can’t see them properly they simply rub them to make them look fresher.” Other researchers describe how people arrive carrying long sticks with sharp ends to scratch (刮) their own drawings, or even their names, in the rocks.

But experts are divided over the best way to preserve the drawings. Henry de Lumley, director of the Museum of Natural History in Paris, believes that the only way to save the site is to turn the whole mountain into a “no-go” area, preventing the public from going there except on guided tours. Otherwise, he says, not only will the site be completely destroyed but important research work will be reduced.

Clottes disagrees, “The measure suggested by Henry de Lumley is the most severe, and while it is the most effective, it is also certain to bring about protests from people who live there,” he said. “The site was classified as a historic monument years ago by the Ministry of Culture, and we must do as much as possible to save what is there.”

David Lavergne, the regional architect, also wants to avoid closing the site. “Henry de Lumley’s idea isn’t ideal,” he said. “Our department feels that the best solution is to let people look at the site, but because the area is very big it is difficult to prevent visitors from damaging it. I would prefer that everyone was able to look at it, but the main problem is money. We do not have the funds to employ the necessary number of guards. We may have to consider charging a fee. It doesn’t seem to be possible to get the government support.”

In Nice, Annie Echassoux, who also worked on researching the site, is alarmed that as the mountain becomes easier to reach — tourists can now avoid the three-and-a-half-hour walk by hiring vehicles — the damage will increase rapidly. She thinks that the only solution is to rope off the area and provide guides. “You can’t say the plan can’t go ahead because there is no money,” she said. “That is not good enough. Money must be provided because the Ministry of Culture has classified this area as a historic site. If we don’t take steps, we will be responsible for losing the drawings for the next generation.”

1.Jean Clottes says that people who visit the mountain____.

A. do not believe the drawings are old.

B. believe they are allowed to paint there

C. think the drawings should be left alone

D. think the drawings will not disappear

2.According to Jean Clottes, some of the visitors to the area have____.

A. helped to clean the drawings

B. taken bits of the rock home

C. been unable to take photographs

D. misunderstood what the pictures mean

3.Henry de Lumley is eager to ____.

A. set up research projects

B. protect public rights

C. keep out individual visitors

D. ban traffic in the area

4.Which word best describes Annie Echassoux’s attitude towards saving the historic site?

A. Supportive.        B. Disappointed.

C. Worried.       D. Hesitant.

5.This passage has been written about Mont Bego to ____.

A. advertise the closing of the site

B. warn visitors about the dangers of the site

C. encourage scientists to visit the site

D. describe fears for the future of the site

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.C

4.A

5.D

【解析】

试题分析：本文讲述的是法国一些重要的景点古代石刻画的丢失严重，科学家和研究表达对这些情况的担忧，许多人纷纷出来出谋划策。

1.D 细节理解题。根据第三段提到People think that because the pictures have been there so long they will always continue to be there人们认为因为画在那如此长的时间所以还会继续在那，故选D项。

2.B 细节理解题。根据第四段提到Some visitors, he says, even cut off parts to take home as souvenirs可知一些画被游客带回家，故选B项。

3.C 细节理解题。根据第五段提到Henry de Lumley, director of the Museum of Natural History in Paris, believes that the only way to save the site is to turn the whole mountain into a “no-go” area, preventing the public from going there except on guided tours可知唯一保护的办法就是设立禁止区域，阻止公众去那个地方，除了有组织的旅游，故选C项。

4.A 细节推断题。根据最后一段提到 If we don’t take steps, we will be responsible for losing the drawings for the next generation.如果我们不采取措施的话，我们不能为丢失文物而为下一代负责，故选A项。

5.D 推断题。根据第一段提到Scientists and researchers fear that the 36,000 drawings on rocks in Mont Bego in the French Alps are being damaged so rapidly that they will not survive for future generations可知科学家和研究者表达对这一区域壁画丢失的担心，故选D项。

考点：文化类阅读。