L38-1: The first calendar
Future historians will be in a unique position when they come to record the history of our own times. They will hardly know which facts to select from the great mass of evidence that steadily accumulates. What is more, they will not have to rely solely on the written word. Films, videos, CDs and CD-ROMS are just some of the bewildering amount of information they will have. They will be able, as it were, to see and hear us in action. But the historian attempting to reconstruct the distant pastis always faced with a difficult task. He has to deduce what he can from the few scanty clues available. Even seemingly insignificant remains can shed interesting light on the history of early man.
Up to now, historians have assumed that calendars came into being with the advent of agriculture, for then man was faced with a real need to understand something about the seasons. Recent scientific evidence seems to indicate that this assumption is incorrect.
calendar /ˈkælɪndər/ 日历
historian /hɪˈstɔːriən/ 历史学家
unique /juˈniːk/ 唯一的;独一无二的;独特的;罕见的
steadily /'stedɪlɪ/ 不断地、稳定地;坚定地
accumulate /əˈkjuːmjəleɪt/ 积累;积聚;(数量)逐渐增加;
evidence /ˈevɪdəns/ v. n. 根据;证明;证据;
rely /rɪˈlaɪ/ 依赖、依靠
solely /ˈsoʊlli/ 唯一地 sole 唯一的;仅有的;独占的;
what is more 而且
CD-ROM 光盘驱动器
bewilder /bɪˈwɪldər/ 令人眼花缭乱，使迷惑、糊涂
as it were 可以说（插入语）
deduce /dɪˈduːs/ 推断、推理
scanty /ˈskænti/ 不足的、贫乏的
clue /kluː/ 线索
available /əˈveɪləbl/ 可获得的;可购得的;可找到的;
insignificant /ˌɪnsɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/ 微不足道的;无足轻重的，不重要的 significant 重要的，有重要意义的 显著的, 值得注意的
remain /rɪˈmeɪn/ 仍然存在，继续存在;剩余，余留; 此处译为 遗物
shed /ʃed/ v. 使流出、泻 shed light on 阐明，解释，使。。。清楚地显出来
come into being 产生、形成
advent /ˈædvent/ 出现、到来、来临
agriculture /ˈæɡrɪkʌltʃər/ 农业
scientific /ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk/ 科学的
assumption /əˈsʌmpʃn/ 假定、设想
indicate /ˈɪndɪkeɪt/ 表明、显示、象征
今天的状态有点心不在焉，努力想要保持专注，但是思绪又总是游离在外。
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