丝绸之路是起始于古代中国，连接（）的古代陆上商业贸易路线。 The Silk Road is an ancient land commercial trade route starting from ancient China and connecting （）.A．大洋洲 OceaniaB．亚洲 AsianC．北美洲 North AmericaD．非洲 AfricaE．欧洲 Europe

E

New archaeological discovers suggest that trade between Europe and Asia along the Silk Road probably began in some form. many countries earlier than once thought. The findings, coupled with a widening range of scientific and historical research could add a fascinating new page to the epic of the Silk Road.

The farest and most surprising discovery is pieces of silk found in the hair of and Egyptian mummy from about 1000 BC, long before regular traffic on the Silk Road and at least one thousand years before silk was previously thought to be used in Egypt. Other research may extend human activity along this route back even further, perhaps a million years to the migration of human ancestors into eastern Asia.

The official origin of East-West commerce along the road is usually placed in the late 2nd century BC which was the agent of the Chinese Emperor Wu-di returned from a dangerous secret mission（使命）across the desert into the remote high country of Central Asia. The agent, Zhang Qian, travelled as far as Afghanistan back knowledge of even more distant lands such as Persia, Syria and a place known as Lijion,. Histerents have called this one of the most important journeys in ancient times. His journey opened the way for what have been thought to be the first indirect contacts between the ancient world’s two superpowers, China and Rome. Chinese silk, first traded to central Asian tribes for war horses and to the Parthians of old Pet la lu exchange for acrobats and ostrich eggs, was soon finding its way through a network of merchants to the luxury markets in Rome.

But the new discoveries show that Chinese silk was apparently present in the West long before the Han emperor started organized trade over the Silk Road. The research could change thinking about the early history of world trade and provide insights into the mystery of just how and when Europe and the Mediterranean lands first became aware of the glorious culture at the other end of Eurasia.

72. The word “coupled” in the first paragraph could best be replaced by .

A. produced

B. contributed

C. doubled

D. combined

The Old Silk Road starts from China's ( ) in the east.

A. Luoyang

B. Taiyuan

C. Xi'an

D. Yinchuan

The overland trade route was to bacome famously known as the Silk Road.()

The silk thread found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy suggests that .

A. Egyptians had probably travelled to China to buy silk

B. trade along the Silk Road began earlier than once thought

C. historical research often achieves fascinating results

D. new light can now be thrown on ancient trading practices

Along the Old Silk Road there are ( ).

A. grottoes

B. Buddist temples

C. ancient city remains

D. historical sites