2014 高考英语二轮阅读理解三月特训 <br />Human remains of ancient settlements will be reburied and lost to science under <br />a law that threatens research into the history of humans in Britain, a group of <br />leading archeologists (考古学家) say. In a letter addressed to the justice secretary, <br />Ken Clarke, 40 archaeologists write of their “deep and widespread concern” about <br />the issue. It centres on the law introduced by the Ministry of Justice in 2008 which <br />requires all human remains unearthed in England and Wales to be reburied within two <br />years, regardless of their age. The decision means scientists have too little time <br />to study bones and other human remains of national and cultural significance. <br />“Your current requirement that all archaeologically unearthed human remains <br />should be reburied, whether after a standard period of two years or a further special <br />extension, is contrary to basic principles of archaeological and scientific <br />research and of museum practice，” they write. <br />The law applies to any pieces of bone uncovered at around 400 dig sites, including <br />the remains of bodies found at Stonehenge in 2008 that date back to 3 ， 000 <br />BC.Archaeologists have been granted a temporary extension to give them more time, <br />but eventually the bones will have to be returned to the ground. <br />The arrangements may result in the waste of future discoveries at sites such <br />as Happisburgh in Norfolk, where digging is continuing after the discovery of stone <br />tools made by early humans 950，000 years ago. If human remains were found at <br />Happisburgh, they would be the oldest in northern Europe and the first indication <br />of what this species was. Under the current practice of the law, those remains would <br />have to be reburied and effectively destroyed. <br />Before 2008, guidelines allowed for the proper preservation and study of bones <br />of sufficient age and historical interest, while the Burial Act 1857 applied to more <br />recent remains. The Ministry of Justice assured archaeologists two years ago that <br />the law was temporary, but has so far failed to revise it. <br />Mike Parker Pearson, an archaeologist at Sheffield University, said, <br />“Archaeologists have been extremely pat ient because we were led to believe the <br />ministry was sorting out this problem, but we feel that we cannot wait any longer.” <br />The ministry has no guidelines on where or how remains should be reburied, or <br />on what records should be kept. <br />1．According to the passage, scientists are unhappy with the law mainly because <br />________． <br />A．it is only a temporary measure on the human remains <br />B．it is unreasonable and thus destr uctive to scientific research <br />C．it was introduced by the government without their knowledge <br />D．it is vague about where and how to rebury human remains <br />2．Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? <br />A．Tem...
