Question

    Most of the thousands of tourists who visit Pompeii every year leave with nothing more than amazing memories. But there are some who take away a little extra – the relics themselves.

However, it seems that those visitors who have slipped a piece of the world’s most important archaeological(考古的) site into their pockets have come to regret their actions.

Tourists who took relics from the ruined Roman city have been returning them to the site, saying they are cursed (诅咒).

One man wrote from Latin America saying that he and his entire family had experienced “trauma after trauma” after he took a piece of stone from Pompeii.

Massimo Osanna, a senior official at Pompeii, said he had received up to a hundred packages from across the world in recent years containing items from the site, often accompanied by letters explaining the relics had brought them bad luck.

The “curse of Pompeii” is an old story that says the eruption(火山爆发) of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, which buried Pompeii, was punishment from the gods after troops ruined the buildings where people showed respect to the gods.

“At a certain point, people started believing in this story again,” said Mr. Osanna. “Even proper thieves have returned things to us.”

In one case, five packages were sent to Pompeii containing stolen items, including a statue that had disappeared in 1987. The accompanying letter was sent from Spain and the writer explained the statue had brought a “curse on his entire family”.

However, some are affected by a strong feeling of dishonor in their heart, rather than an ancient curse. Mr. Osanna said that an English woman had recently returned around 10 mosaic tiles (镶嵌地砖) that her parents had taken while on holiday during the Seventies.

“When her mother died, she received these little pieces. But in the letter she described them as ‘uncomfortable’ and said she wanted to give them back,” he said.

Mr. Osanna is considering setting up an exhibition of all the letters he has received, calling it “What I brought back from Pompeii”.

1.Why did some visitors who took relics away regret?

A.Because there was nothing but amazing memories.

B.Because they took away the relics themselves.

C.Because they thought the stolen relics brought them bad luck.

D.Because they received letters from a senior official at Pompeii.

2.The underlined word “trauma” probably means “________”.

A.an unpleasant and upsetting experience

B.an old object or custom that reminds people of the past

C.a building where people respect gods

D.the things that a person or animal does

3.According to the old story, the gods were angry because________.

A.some people cursed them

B.the city of  Pompeii was buried

C.some soldiers didn’t show them enough respect

D.too many buildings for people were ruined

4.Before returning the mosaic tiles, the English woman must have felt _______.

A.ashamed B.scared

C.proud D.unconcerned

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.C

4.A

【解析】

本文为一篇说明文。文章介绍了许多游客害怕庞贝的诅咒而归还了拿走的文物。

1.

细节理解题。根据第五段Massimo Osanna, a senior official at Pompeii, said he had received up to a hundred packages from across the world in recent years containing items from the site, often accompanied by letters explaining the relics had brought them bad luck. 庞贝城高级官员马西莫·奥萨纳说，近年来，他收到了来自世界各地的多达100个包裹，里面装着来自该遗址的物品，通常还附有信件，说这些文物给他们带来了厄运。可知，拿走文物的游客会后悔是因为他们认为被盗的文物给他们带来了厄运。故选C项。

2.

词句猜测题。结合前文Tourists who took relics from the ruined Roman city have been returning them to the site, saying they are cursed (诅咒). 游客们从这座被毁坏的罗马城取走了文物，他们说这些文物是被诅咒的。推测游客拿走了石头后会受到诅咒，有不愉快且不安的经历，因此trauma与an unpleasant and upsetting experience令人不愉快和不安的经历，意思相近。故选A项。

3.

细节理解题。根据第六段The “curse of Pompeii” is an old story that says the eruption(火山爆发) of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, which buried Pompeii, was punishment from the gods after troops ruined the buildings where people showed respect to the gods. “庞贝的诅咒”是一个古老的故事，公元79年维苏威火山爆发埋葬了庞贝，这是军队毁坏了人们表示对神的尊敬而建造的建筑物后，神的惩罚。根据古老的故事，众神愤怒是因为士兵对神不尊重。故选C项。

4.

细节理解题。根据倒数第三段However, some are affected by a strong feeling of dishonor in their heart, rather than an ancient curse. 然而，有些人却受到内心强烈的耻辱感的影响，而不是一种古老的诅咒。可知，英国妇女是感觉到了惭愧才归还了马赛克瓷砖。故选A项。