ThepotteryofancientRomans isremarkablein several ways. The highqualityof Romanpotteryis very easy toappreciatewhen handling actual pieces of tableware or indeed kitchenware and amphorae (the large jars usedthroughouttheMediterraneanfor thetransportandstorageof liquids, such as wine and oil). However, it is impossible to dojusticeto Roman wares on the page,evenwhen words can be backed up by photographs and drawing. Most Romanpotteryis light and smooth to touch and verytough, although, like allpottery, it shatters if dropped on a hard surface. It is generally made with carefully selected and purifiedclay, worked to thin-walled and standardized shapes on a fast wheel and fired in akiln(potteryoven)capableof ensuring aconsistentfinish. With handmadepottery,inevitablythere areslightdifferences betweenindividualvessels of the same design andoccasionalminorblemishes (flaws). But what strikes the eye and the touch most immediately and most powerfully with Romanpotteryis itsconsistenthighquality.

This is not just anaestheticconsiderationbut also apracticalone. These vessels aresolid(brittle, but notfragile), they are pleasant and easy tohandle(being light and smooth), and, with their hard and sometimesglossy(smooth and shiny) surfaces, they hold liquids well and are easy to wash. Furthermore, theirregularand standardized shapes would have made them simple tostackand store. When people today are shown a very ordinary Roman pot and, inparticular, are allowed tohandleit, they oftencommenton how modern it looks and feels, and they need to be convinced of its true age.

Asimpressiveas thequalityof Romanpotteryis itssheermassivequantity. When considering quantities, we would ideally like to have some estimates foroverallproduction fromparticularsites ofpotterymanufactureand foroverallconsumptionatspecificsettlements. Unfortunately, it is in the nature of thearchaeologicalevidence, which is almost invariable only asampleof what once existed, that such figures will always beelusive. However, no one who has ever worked in thefieldwould question theabundanceof Romanpottery, particularly in theMediterraneanregion. Thisabundanceisnotablein Roman settlements (especiallyurbansites) where the labor that archaeologists have to put into the washing and sorting of potsherds (fragments ofpottery) constitutes a highproportionof the total work during theinitialphases ofexcavation.

Onlyrarelycan wederiveany “real” quantities from deposits of broken pots.

However, there is oneexceptionaldump, which doesrepresenta very large part of the site’s totalhistoryofconsumptionand for which anestimateofquantityhas been produced. On the left bank of the Tiber River in Rome, by one of the river ports of theancientcity, is asubstantialhill some 50

meters high called Monte Testaccio. It is made upentirelyof broken oil amphorae, mainly of thesecondand third centuries A.D. It has been estimated that Monte Testaccio contains the remains of

some 53 million amphorae, in which around 6,000million liters of oil were imported into the city fromoverseas, imports intoimperialRome were supported by the full might of thestateand werethereforequite exceptional----but the size of the operations at Monte Testaccio, and theproductivityandcomplexitythatlaybehind them,nonethelesscannot fail to impress. This was a society

with similarities to modern one----moving goods on agiganticscale, manufacturing high-quality containers to do so, and occasionally, as here,evendiscarding them on delivery.

Romanpotterywas transported not only in large quantities but also oversubstantialdistances. Many Roman pots, inparticularamphorae and the fine wares designed for use at tables, could travel hundreds of miles----all over theMediterraneanand also furtherafield. But maps that show the various spots where Romanpotteryof aparticulartype has been found tell only part of the story. What is moresignificantthan anygeographicalspreadis theaccessthat different levels of society had to good-quality products. In all but the remotest regions of theempire, Romanpotteryof a highstandardiscommonat the sites of humble villages andisolatedfarmsteads.

Questions:
question_stem: Paragraph 1 indicates which of the following about Roman pottery?
choices: tag: A
text: Roman amphorae were of much higher quality overall than other Roman pottery.

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

tag: C
text: Roman pottery declined slightly in quality when the use of fast wheels and kilns was introduced.

tag: D
text: Roman practical tableware spread more rapidly across the Mediterranean than amphorae did.
answer_key: B
explanation: B 没有特别好的关键词，需要通读后判断。也可以用选项的关键词分别定为。A 选项可以用 quality 进行定位，而 B 选项用 appreciate，D 选项用 Mediterrannean 定位到该段第二句话： The high quality of Roman pottery is very easy to appreciate when handing actual pieces of tableware or indeed kitchenware and amphorae (the large jars used throughout the Mediterranean for the transport and storage of liquids, such as wine and oil).对应的这句话中，并没有对 amphorae 和 pottery 的比较, 所以 A 错；而 B 选项则和改句中的 easy to appreciate when handing 呼应，所以 B 正确；这句话提到了陶器在 Mediterranean 的广泛使用，但是没有种类间的比较，所以 D 错。C 选项可以用 wheel and kiln 去定位，定位到倒数第三句话： It is generally made with carefully selected and purified clay, worked to thin-walled and standardized shapes on a fast wheel and fired in a kiln (pottery oven) capable of ensuring a consistent finish.原文提到了快速转轮和烧窑的使用，但并没说因此陶器质量就下降了。所以 C 不正确。

question_stem: All of the following are mentioned in paragraph 1 as characteristics of Roman pottery EXCEPT:
choices: tag: A
text: It was usually made with high-quality clay.

tag: B
text: It generally did not weigh much.

tag: C
text: It did not break as easily as other ancient pottery.

tag: D
text: It sometimes had imperfections.
answer_key: C
explanation: C 选项用 high-quality 定位到： The high quality of Roman pottery is very easy to appreciate…内容和 A 选项呼应，所以 A 不选；B 选项用 weigh 去定位，定位到： Most roman pottery is light and smooth...很明显，和 B 选项的 did not weight too much 想吻合，所以选 B 选项不选； C 选项用 break 定位到： Like all pottery, it shatters if dropped on a hard surface.和 C 选项的 did not break 矛盾，所以选 C。D 选项用 imperfecxtions 定位到倒数第二句的 flaws： With handmade pottery, inevitably there are slight differences between individual vessels of the same design and occasional minor blemishes (flaws).和 D 选项的内容呼应。

question_stem: According to paragraph 2, which of the following is NOT true of Roman vessels?
choices: tag: A
text: They were good containers for liquids.

tag: B
text: Their shapes allowed for easy stacking and storing.

tag: C
text: They sometimes had shiny surfaces.

tag: D
text: Their true age is immediately apparent.
answer_key: D
explanation: D 选项用 liquids 对应到原文第二句话：...they hold liquids well and are easy to wash.内容和 A 吻合； B 选项用 stacking and storing 定位到原文第三句： Furthermore, their regular and standardized shapes would have made them simple to stack and store.内容和 B 选项吻合； C 选项用 shiny surfaces 对应到原文第二句话：...with their hard and sometimes glossy (smooth and shiny) surfaces...内容和 C 选项吻合。D 选项用 true age 对应到原文的最后一句：...they often comment on how modern it looks and feels, and they need to be convinced of its true age.这句话说一眼看上去这个 pot 是非常现代化的。但实际很古老了。因此 its true age 并不明显。D 错误。

question_stem: The author mentions the work of archaeologists in paragraph 3 in order to
choices: tag: A
text: support the idea that pottery was produced in large quantities by the Romans

tag: B
text: illustrate how hard it is for archaeologists to find complete pieces of Roman pottery

tag: C
text: contrast archaeological sites in Roman urban areas with other sites in the Mediterranean

tag: D
text: explain why the quantities of pottery found vary significantly from one site to another
answer_key: A
explanation: A  用 archeologists 去定位，定位到全文最后一句话： This abundance is notable in Roman settlements (especially urban sites) where the labor that archaeologist have to put into the washing and sorting of potsherds (fragments of pottery) constitutes a high proportion of the total work during the initial phases of excavation.这句话本身是说罗马的定居点遗留下来的 pottery 很多。往前寻找支持的主旨句，发现前文有个很明显的 However,转折前后主要是说罗马发现的 pottery 的量和以往不同，数量非常丰富。随后就在这句对应部分提到考古学家们在罗马的这个定居点的大，也是为了突出在这里发现的 pottery 的数量之多。所以真确答案就是 A。

question_stem: The word “substantial”in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: protected

tag: B
text: man-made

tag: C
text: large

tag: D
text: famous
answer_key: C
explanation: C Substantial：大量的，实质的。A 是保护的；B 是人工的；D 是著名的。只有 C 是大的。从词意上来看还是 C 最接近。对应原文 On the left bank of the Tiber River in Rome, by one of the river ports of the ancient city, is a substantial hill some 50 meters high called Monte Testaccio.也可以通过原句的意思来进行给推敲，这里也描述50 meters high 也是描述了它的大小。所以应选择与大小有关的。而这4个选项中只有 C 选项是最合适的。

question_stem: According to paragraph 4, Monte Testaccio is particularly important for archaeologists because archaeologists were able to
choices: tag: A
text: conclude how amphorae manufacturing increased rapidly after the second century A.D.

tag: B
text: find the locations where most of the amphorae in the Roman Empire were produced

tag: C
text: obtain relatively accurate calculations of the quantities of amphorae used over time in that place

tag: D
text: discover that the Roman state had supported amphorae production
answer_key: C
explanation: C 没有特别好的定位词，需要综合理解。这里介绍 Monte Testaccil 是在支持本段的论点。回到原文这段的第一句可以看到原文说”很难通过 broken pot 来确定那个时期的 pot 产量，而 Monte Testaccil 确实个例外“。所以也就是说可以通过这个 dump 遗址得到当时的 quantities。选 C。ABD 在原文都没有提及。

question_stem: The word “entirely”in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: apparently

tag: B
text: completely

tag: C
text: basically

tag: D
text: mostly
answer_key: B
explanation: B entirely: 完全的，整个的。A 是明显的，B 是完全的，C 是基本的，D 是大部分的。这里 B 最符合。对应原文 It is made up entirely of broken oil amphorae, mainly of the second and third centuries A.D.可以从这句话的前后搭配来做推测。将4个选项代入，发现 AC 代入后完全不通，BD 都有可能，而 B 更加接近 entirely。

question_stem: Paragraph 4 indicates which of the following about the port on the Tiber River near Monte Testaccio?
choices: tag: A
text: It was built around the third century A.D.

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

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

tag: D
text: It had impressive level of commercial activity.
answer_key: D
explanation: D 根据 Tiber River 定位，看到后面的描述说: It has been estimated that Monte Testaccio contains the remains of some 53 million amphorae, in which around 6,000 million liters of oil were imported into the city from overseas…从这个惊人的进口的数量来看，当时的进出口贸易非常繁华。对应答案 D。而 A 选项的建造时间是无法推测的，原文只是说在 hill 上发现的那些 broken oil amphorae 主要是公元2.3世纪的；B 的 oil 和原文说的 oil amphorae 不是一回事，过度推断；C 选项在原文完全没有相关内容。

question_stem: The statement in paragraph 4 that amphorae delivered to the port near Monte Testaccio were occasionally discarded support which of the following?
choices: tag: A
text: Traders at the port were often careless.

tag: B
text: The quality of the amphorae used at the port was not very good.

tag: C
text: The scale of the trade made it possible to waste quality amphorae sometimes.

tag: D
text: The importing of oil from overseas gradually declined, reducing the need for pottery containers.
answer_key: C
explanation: C 根据原文 discarded 定位到原文最后一句。往前找描述。前文说如同现代工业社会一样，大量生产和需求，但是背后的生产力并不能满足之类的。所以在运送的时候也是如此。有时大量运送就难免会有打碎的，需要扔掉。因此选择 C。A 原文没提到；B 原文也没说，而且前文一直在说 pot 都是 high quality 的。D 这里也没说到 oil 和 pottery 的关系。

question_stem: The statement that “maps that show the various spots where Roman pottery of a particular type has been found tell only part of the story”makes the point that
choices: tag: A
text: maps indicate where specific pottery styles have been found, but they do not indicate where these styles originated

tag: B
text: maps show the geographical spread of Roman pottery but not the people who had access to it

tag: C
text: maps do not usually include pottery styles found in the remotest regions the Roman Empire

tag: D
text: archaeologist studying Roman pottery need to use a range of techniques in their investigations
answer_key: B
explanation: B 这里说 Map 只是 tell part of the story，那么证明能得到 roman pottery 的不仅是 map 描画的范围，应该会有更大的范围。从这句话开头的 but 知道，它和前文形成转折关系，这句话所支持的中心句应该在其下文。读懂下一句话就可以找出答案： What is more significant than any geographical spread is the access that different levels of society had to good-quality products.这句话中强调的是 access society had to products。说 maps 在一定程度上说明了罗马陶器的地理散播，但并不是所有能得到陶器的人。对应 B 选项。A 选项错误，styles 是从罗马来的。C，D 跟原文也没关系。

question_stem: The word “humble”in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: rural

tag: B
text: distant

tag: C
text: ancient

tag: D
text: modest
answer_key: D
explanation: D Humble: 简陋的。对应 D 选项 modest（普通的，落后的）。对应原文 In all but the remotest regions of the empire, Roman pottery of a high standard is common at the sites of humble villages and isolated farmsteads.也可以通过 and 的并列形式推断词义，后面是 isolated，与世隔绝的，那么也可以引申为，偏远的，落后的。所以 humble 应该是相近的意思。此处 A 是干扰项，乡村的，田园的。但是少了简陋那层意思。用 D 最合适。而选项 distant（遥远的）和 ancient（古老的）都和 humble 有差距。

question_stem: The word “particular”in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: specific

tag: B
text: common

tag: C
text: ancient

tag: D
text: superior
answer_key: A
explanation: A  particular: 特别的，特指的。对应 A 选项的 specific（特定的，特殊的）对应原文 But maps that show the various spots where Roman pottery of a particular type has been found tell only part of the story.这里首先可以关注前后搭配，of a particular type，说的是什么的类型。然后可以依照上文推断。B 是常见的，C 是原始的，D 是先进的。代入后都和上下文不能连贯，只有 A 最为合适。