tpo29閱讀原文

　　【3】As impressive as the quality of Roman pottery is its sheer massive quantity. Whenconsidering quantities, we would ideally like to have some estimates for overall production fromparticular sites of pottery manufacture and for overall consumption at specific settlements.Unfortunately, it is in the nature of the archaeological evidence, which is almost invariableonly a sample of what once existed, that such figures will always be elusive. However, no onewho has ever worked in the field would question the abundance of Roman pottery, particularlyin the Mediterranean region. This abundance is notable in Roman settlements (especiallyurban sites) where the labor that archaeologists have to put into the washing and sorting ofpotsherds (fragments of pottery) constitutes a high proportion of the total work during theinitial phases of excavation.

　　【4】Only rarely can we derive any “real” quantities from deposits of broken pots. However,there is one exceptional dump, which does represent a very large part of the site’s totalhistory of consumption and for which an estimate of quantity has been produced. On the leftbank of the Tiber River in Rome, by one of the river ports of the ancient city, is a substantialhill some 50 meters high called Monte Testaccio. It is made up entirely of broken oil amphorae,mainly of the second and third centuries A.D. It has been estimated that Monte Testacciocontains the remains of some 53 million amphorae, in which around 6,000million liters of oil wereimported into the city from overseas, imports into imperial Rome were supported by the fullmight of the state and were therefore quite exceptional—but the size of the operations atMonte Testaccio, and the productivity and complexity that lay behind them, nonethelesscannot fail to impress. This was a society with similarities to modern one—moving goods on agigantic scale, manufacturing high-quality containers to do so, and occasionally, as here,even discarding them on delivery.

　　【5】Roman pottery was transported not only in large quantities but also over substantialdistances. Many Roman pots, in particular amphorae and the fine wares designed for use attables, could travel hundreds of miles—all over the Mediterranean and also further afield. Butmaps that show the various spots where Roman pottery of a particular type has been foundtell only part of the story. What is more significant than any geographical spread is the accessthat different levels of society had to good-quality products. In all but the remotest regions ofthe empire, Roman pottery of a high standard is common at the sites of humble villages andisolated farmsteads

　　tpo29閱讀題

　　1.Paragraph 1 indicates which of the following about Roman pottery?

　　A.Roman amphorae were of much higher quality overall than other Roman pottery.

　　B.Roman pottery can best be appreciated when actual pieces are handled.

　　C.Roman pottery declined slightly in quality when the use of fast wheels and kilns wasintroduced.

　　D.Roman practical tableware spread more rapidly across the Mediterranean than amphorae did.

　　2.All of the following are mentioned in paragraph 1 as characteristics of Roman potteryEXCEPT

　　A.It was usually made with high-quality clay.

　　B.It generally did not weigh much.

　　C.It did not break as easily as other ancient pottery.

　　D.It sometimes had imperfections.

　　3.According to paragraph 2, which of the following is NOT true of Roman vessels?

　　A.They were good containers for liquids.

　　B.Their shapes allowed for easy stacking and storing.

　　C.They sometimes had shiny surfaces.

　　D.Their true age is immediately apparent.

　　4.The author mentions the work of archaeologists in paragraph 3 in order to

　　A.support the idea that pottery was produced in large quantities by the Romans.

　　B.illustrate how hard it is for archaeologists to find complete pieces of Roman pottery.

　　C.contrast archaeological sites in Roman urban areas with other sites in the Mediterranean.

　　D.explain why the quantities of pottery found vary significantly from one site to another.

　　5.The word "substantial" in the passage(paragraph 4)is closest in meaning to

　　A.protected.

　　B.man-made.

　　C.large.

　　D.famous.

　　6.According to paragraph 4, Monte Testaccio is particularly important forarchaeologistsbecause archaeologists were able to

　　A.conclude how amphorae manufacturing increased rapidly after the second century A.D..

　　B.find the locations where most of the amphorae in the Roman Empire were produced.

　　C.obtain relatively accurate calculations of the quantities of amphorae used over time in thatplace.

　　D.discover that the Roman state had supported amphorae production.

　　7.The word "entirely" in the passage(paragraph 4)is closest in meaning to

　　A.apparently.

　　B.completely.

　　C.basically.

　　D.mostly.

　　8.Paragraph 4 indicates which of the following about the port on the Tiber River nearMonte Testaccio?

　　A.It was built around the third century A.D..

　　B.It was close to areas where large quantities of oil were produced.

　　C.It was in use only for a very short period of time.

　　D.It had impressive level of commercial activity.

　　9.The statement in paragraph 4 that amphorae delivered to the port near MonteTestaccio were occasionally discarded support which of the following?

　　A.Traders at the port were often careless.