饮风之子：阿拉伯马

江海连

The Arabian Horse

难词探意

1. nomadic /nmdk/ adj. 游牧的

2. robustness /rbstns/ n. 健壮

3. domestication /dmestken/ n. 驯养;驯化

4. excavation /ekskven/ n. 挖掘;开凿

5. evolve /ivlv/ v. 进化

The Arabian Horse is a horse native to the Middle East and known to be the most beautiful horse in the world. It is also one of the oldest horse breeds known to date.

The Arabian Horse， originally living in the desert regions of the Middle East， is famous for its legendary strength and endurance， which result from its life in extreme environments. Nicknamed prince of the desert， he lived during the first millennium（一千年）with nomadic Bedouins and gained his speed and robustness.

The cohabitation between men and horses began thousands of years ago. It is estimated that their domestication began between 4000 and 8000 BC. It is assumed that the first purpose of their domestication was for men to have a “food reserve” because the breeding of horses provided particularly rich meat and milk. But many qualities of the horse， fast， sporty， enduring， and generous， finally made him an essential element in human populations. Horses were first used for hunting and controlling herds， then for transporting men and materials， and finally for cultivation and for war.

The origins of this breed are in Asia and the Middle East. Indeed， the paintings and bones found during archaeological excavations prove the existence thousands of years ago on the Arabian Peninsula of horses very similar to the Arab breed that we know today. Used to evolve in a desert environment and to endure a harsh climate， these horses were domesticated by the Bedouin tribes. For centuries， the Bedouins then carried out very selective breeding and also selected them on criteria of beauty. Arabian horses were then exported across the world for trade and war. For example， they were particularly appreciated by Napoleon Bonaparte who allowed the development of the breed in France.

An annual visit to the dentist is one of the most essential recommendations in the care of the Arabian Horse， seeking to ensure the best oral health of the animal. Another point to take into account is its visual capacity. For this， performing visual examinations frequently will be of great help to rule out any disease.

1. What may cause the legendary strength and endurance of the Arabian Horse？

A. Its living environments. B. Its eating habits.

C. Its born appearance. D. Its training in wars.

2. What were horses originally used for？

A. Transporting men and materials. B. Hunting and controlling herds.

C. Cultivation. D. War.

3. Which of the following can best describe the Bedouins？ selection of the Arabian Horse？

A. Casual. B. Funny.

C. Reasonable. D. Strict.

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about？

A. The importance of dentists. B. The oral health of animals.

C. The care of the Arabian Horse. D. The visual abilities of horses.

Sentence for writing

It is assumed that the first purpose of their domestication was for men to have a “food reserve” because the breeding of horses provided particularly rich meat and milk. 人們认为，驯化阿拉伯马的第一个目的是让人们拥有“食物储备”，因为饲养马能给人们供应特别丰富的肉和奶。

【信息提取】It is assumed that...意为“人们认为/据推测……”。

【句式仿写】人们认为海盗把他们的金银财宝埋藏在这个岛上了。

阿拉伯马世代在干旱少雨、食物匮乏的沙漠环境中演化、成长。他们常年与人为伴，这使得它们性情温和、亲近人类。