劍橋雅思6Test2閱讀Passage3答案解析 Numeration

劍橋雅思6Test2閱讀Passage3答案解析 Numeration 人類計數系統發展史

第1自然段

One of the first great intellectual feats of a young child is learning how to talk, closely followed by learning how to count. From earliest childhood we are so bound up with our system of numeration that it is a feat of imagination to consider the problems faced by early humans who had not yet developed this facility. Careful consideration of our system of numeration leads to the conviction that, rather than being a facility that comes naturally to a person, it is one of the great and remarkable achievements of the human race.

幼兒首先展現出來的偉大的智力特長之一是學習如何說話，緊接著是學習如何計數。從童年早期開始，我們就與我們的計數體系緊密相連，以至于思考尚未開發出這種工具的早期人類所面臨的問題需要極大的想象力。認真考慮我們的計數體系會導致這樣一種信念，那就是它不是人類固有的便利，而是人類偉大而卓越的成就之一。

第2自然段

It is impossible to learn the sequence of events that led to our developing the concept of number. Even the earliest of tribes had a system of numeration that, if not advanced, was sufficient for the tasks that they had to perform. Our ancestors had little use for actual numbers; instead their considerations would have been more of the kind Is this enough? rather than How many? when they were engaged in food gathering, for example. However, when early humans first began to reflect on the nature of things around them, they discovered that they needed an idea of number simply to keep their thoughts in order. As they began to settle, grow plants and herd animals, the need for a sophisticated number system became paramount. It will never be known how and when this numeration ability developed, but it is certain that numeration was well developed by the time humans had formed even semi-permanent settlements.

要了解引發我們發展數字概念的事件的順序是不可能的。即使是最文章來自老烤鴨雅思早的部落，也都有其計數系統，即使不先進，也足以完成他們必須執行的任務。我們的祖先很少使用實際數字。例如，當他們進行食物收集時，他們會更多的考慮這是否足夠，而不是多少。但是，當早期人類開始反思周圍事物的本質時，他們發現他們需要數字的概念以保持思想的井然有序。隨著他們開始定居，種植植物和放養牲畜，對復雜數字系統的需求變得至關重要。這種計數能力的發展方式和時間都是未知的。但是可以肯定的是，甚至在人類形成半永久性定居點的之前，計數就已經很好地發展了。

第3自然段

Evidence of early stages of arithmetic and numeration can be readily found. The indigenous peoples of Tasmania were only able to count one, two, many; those of South Africa counted one, two, two and one, two twos, two twos and one, and so on. But in real situations the number and words are often accompanied by gestures to help resolve any confusion. For example, when using the one, two, many type of system, the word many would mean, Look at my hands and see how many fingers I am showing you. This basic approach is limited in the range of numbers that it can express, but this range will generally suffice when dealing with the simpler aspects of human existence.

很容易找到算術和計數早期階段的證據。塔斯馬尼亞州的土著人民只會數一，二，多；而南非的土著人民則可以數一，二，二和一，兩個二，兩個二和一，依此類推。但是在實際情況下，數字和詞匯經常伴隨著手勢，以幫助解決困惑。例如，當使用“一，二，多”系統時，“多”這個詞匯意味著，看我的手，看看我給你看了多少根手指。這種基本方法可以表達的數字范圍有限。但是在處理人類存在的簡單問題時，它通常就夠用了。

第4自然段

The lack of ability of some cultures to deal with large numbers is not really surprising. European languages, when traced back to their earlier version, are very poor in number words and expressions. The ancient Gothic word for ten, tachund, is used to express the number 100 as tachund tachund. By the seventh century, the word teon had become interchangeable with the tachund or hund of the Anglo-Saxon language, and so 100 was denoted as hund teontig, or ten times ten. The average person in the seventh century in Europe was not as familiar with numbers as we are today. In fact, to qualify as a witness in a court of law a man had to be able to count to nine!

某些文化缺乏處理大數字的能力并不令人感到意外。當將歐洲語言追溯到早期版本時，其數字方面的單詞和表達就很差。古代的哥特語中用來表達十的單詞是tachund，而數字100則被表達為tachund tachund。到了七世紀，teon一詞已與盎格魯-撒克遜語言中的tachund或hund互換使用，因此100被表示為hund teontig，或十乘十。歐洲七世紀的普通人對數字的熟悉程度不如今天。實際上，要想在法庭上取得證人資格，一個人必須能夠數到九才行！

第5自然段

Perhaps the most fundamental step in developing a sense of number is not the ability to count, but rather to see that a number is really an abstract idea instead of a simple attachment to a group of particular objects. It must have been within the grasp of the earliest humans to conceive that four birds are distinct from two birds; however, it is not an elementary step to associate the number 4, as connected with four birds, to the number 4, as connected with four rocks. Associating a number as one of the qualities of a specific object is a great hindrance to the development of a true number sense. When the number 4 can be registered in the mind as a specific word, independent of the object being referenced, the individual is ready to take the first step toward the development of a notational system for numbers and, from there, to arithmetic.

數字意識形成的最基本步驟也許不是計數能力，而是要意識到數字實際上是一種抽象概念，而不是一組特定物品的附屬物。最早的人類應該知道四只鳥與兩只鳥有區別。但是，將與四個鳥相連的數字4和與四個巖石相連的數字4關聯起來并不是一個簡單的步驟。將數字作為特定物品的一種特質極大地阻礙了真正數字觀念的發展。當數字4可以在大腦中被記憶為一個特定的單詞，而與被引用的物品無關時，那么這個人就可以朝著數字符號系統的發展邁出第一步，并從那里走向算術。

第6自然段

Traces of the very first stages in the development of numeration can be seen in several living languages today. The numeration system of the Tsimshian language in British Columbia contains seven distinct sets of words for numbers according to the class of the item being counted: for counting flat objects and animals, for round objects and time, for people, for long objects and trees, for canoes, for measures, and for counting when no particular object is being numerated. It seems that the last is a later development while the first six groups show the relics of an older system. This diversity of number names can also be found in some widely used languages such as Japanese.今天，在幾種活著的語言中可以看到計算發展初期的痕跡。不列顛哥倫比亞省的Tsimshian語言計數系統包含七組不同的數字單詞，這些數字根據要計數的物品的類別不同而不同：扁平物體和動物，圓形物體和時間，人，長物體和樹木，獨木舟，度量以及在沒有對特定對象進行編號時進行計數。最后一種似乎是后來的發展，而前六個組則展現了古老體統的殘留。數字名稱的這種多樣性還可以在某些廣泛使用的語言（例如日語）中找到。

第7自然段

Intermixed with the development of a number sense is the development of an ability to count. Counting is not directly related to the formation of a number concept because it is possible to count by matching the items being counted against a group of pebbles, grains of corn, or the counter’s fingers. These aids would have been indispensable to very early people who would have found the process impossible without some form of mechanical aid. Such aids, while different, are still used even by the most educated in today’s society due to their convenience. All counting ultimately involves reference to something other than the things being counted. At first it may have been grains or pebbles but now it is a memorised sequence of words that happen to be the names of the numbers.

計數能力的發展與數字概念的發展混雜在一起。計數與數字概念的形成沒有直接關系，因為可以通過將要計數的物品與一組小卵石，玉米粒或數數人的手指相匹配來進行計數。這些輔助工具對于非常早期的人們來說是必不可少的，他們會發現，如果沒有某種形式的機械輔助，該過程是不可能的。盡管這些輔助工具有所不同，但由于它們的方便性，即使是當今社會上受過良好教育的人也仍然在使用。所有的計數最終都涉及到對被計數物品以外的事物的引用。起初它可能是谷物或小卵石，但是現在它是一個對應數字名稱的，可供記憶的單詞序列。

第27題答案：B

對應原文：第2段：As they began to settle, grow plants and herd animals, the need for a sophisticated number system became paramount.

答案解析：根據題干中developed與sophisticated的替換定位到第2段的這一句，原文翻譯過來是：隨著人類開始定居、種植植物和放養牲畜，對復雜數字系統的需求變得無比重要。這與B選項表達的意思幾乎一直，因此確定答案為B

第28題答案：E

對應原文：第3段：But in real situations the number and words are often accompanied by gestures to help resolve any confusion … This basic approach is limited in the range of numbers that it can express

答案解析：根據中hand signal與gestures的同義替換定位到第3段額這句話。之所以出現需要使用手勢的原因還是由于能夠使用的數字范圍有限（本段開頭的舉例和最后一句的總結），因此確定E為正確答案。

第29題答案：A

對應原文：第4段：The average person in the seventh century in Europe was not as familiar with numbers as we are today. In fact, to qualify as a witness in a court of law a man had to be able to count to nine!

答案解析：根據seventh-century Europe定位到第4段的這句話。原文中提到“要取得法庭上的證人資格，一個人必須得能數到9才行”，對應A選項中fulfil a civic role，由此確定答案。

第30題答案：C

對應原文：第5段：When the number 4 can be registered in the mind as a specific word, independent of the object being referenced, the individual is ready to take the first step toward the development of a notational system for numbers and, from there, to arithmetic.

答案解析：根據題干中“數字作為實際物體外的抽象概念”這一含義定位到第5段。段末提到從這里走向代數。因此確定C為正確答案。

第31題答案：G

對應原文：第6段：Traces of the very first stages in the development of numeration can be seen in several living languages today…seven distinct sets of words for numbers according to the class of the item being counted

答案解析：根據題干中“物品類別不同，數字表達不同”的含義定位到第6段。這一段開頭提到這是早期數字發展的殘留。very first stages與early對應，由此確定G為答案。

第32題答案：TRUE

對應原文：第2段：Our ancestors had little use for actual numbers; instead their considerations would have been more of the kind Is this enough? rather than How many?

答案解析：原文中提到我們的祖先在思考的時候會更加關注這是否足夠，而不是有多少。其中enough, rather than, how many分別與題文章來自老烤鴨雅思干中sufficiency, more important和quantity對應。即題干中的所有信息點在原文中都有出現，由此判斷為TRUE。

第33題答案：FALSE

對應原文：第3段：The indigenous peoples of Tasmania were only able to count one, two, many

答案解析：文中提到塔斯馬尼亞的土著人可以數一、二和多，也就是只有三個詞，而非題干上說的四個詞，因此判斷為FALSE

第34題答案：TRUE

對應原文：第3段：But in real situations the number and words are often accompanied by gestures to help resolve any confusion.

答案解析：原文中提到，數字和詞匯通常伴隨手勢也幫助解決疑惑。題干中的simple number systems對應之前的背景，body language對應gestures，resolve any confusion對應prevent misunderstanding，即所有主要信息點都可以在原文中找到依據，由此確定答案為TRUE。

第35題答案：FALSE

對應原文：第4段：The lack of ability of some cultures to deal with large numbers is not really surprising.

答案解析：原文句子的含義為：一些文明缺乏處理大數字的能力不足為奇。即不是所有文明都能夠處理大數字。這與題干中的all cultures相反，因此判斷為FALSE。

第36題答案：NOT GIVEN

對應原文：第4段：By the seventh century, the word teon had become interchangeable with the tachund or hund of the Anglo-Saxon language, and so 100 was denoted as hund teontig, or ten times ten.

答案解析：根據Anglo-Saxon定位到這句話，但原文一直在討論一百的表達，并沒有提及“千”怎么說，因此判斷為NOT GIVEN

第37題答案：TRUE

對應原文：第4段：The average person in the seventh century in Europe was not as familiar with numbers as we are today. In fact, to qualify as a witness in a court of law a man had to be able to count to nine!

答案解析：原文中先提到7世紀的歐洲人不像我們現在這樣熟悉數字，又說只要能數到9就可以在法庭上做證人。可見那時的人們數數能力不強，因此判斷為TRUE

第38題答案：FALSE

對應原文：第6段：seven distinct sets of words for numbers according to the class of the item being counted: for counting flat objects and animals, for round objects and time, for people, for long objects and trees, for canoes…

答案解析：塔斯馬尼亞語言使用七組不同的數字單詞來表達不同的物品類別，其中長物體（long objects）和獨木舟（canoes）并不是一組，數字單詞不同，因此判斷為FALSE

第39題答案：TRUE

對應原文：第6段：It seems that the last is a later development while the first six groups show the relics of an older system.

答案解析：這句話的意思為“似乎最后一種是后來的發展成果，而前六組則是古老體系的殘留”，即塔斯馬尼亞語言中即包含新的計數系統，也包含舊的計數系統，因此判斷為TRUE。

第40題答案：NOT GIVEN

對應原文：第7段：it is possible to count by matching the items being counted against a group of pebbles, grains of corn, or the counter’s fingers.

答案解析：原文中只提到用小卵石和手指輔助計數，并沒有比較兩者中哪種更為簡單或者復雜，因此判斷為NOT GIVEN。

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