英語長文問題クエスト Part 84 (テーマ：ロゼッタ・ストーン)

英語の読解力を伸ばすには多読が必須！特に、TOEFL ibt というテストでは、かなり高度な読解力が必要ですし、何より、このTOEFL ibt という試験が難しいことの理由の１つに、日本語でも勉強していないアカデミックな内容の文章が出題されることです。
このクエストを進めれば、英語の読解力と知識を同時にアップデートさせられるでしょう！
さぁ、今日のクエストを進めてみましょう！

Passages

Title: Deciphering the Rosetta Stone: A Key to Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs

The Rosetta Stone is one of the most famous artifacts in the history of archaeology and linguistics. This ancient slab of black granite, discovered in 1799 in the Egyptian town of Rosetta, played a pivotal role in unlocking the mysteries of Egyptian hieroglyphs, the intricate script of ancient Egypt.

Discovery of the Rosetta Stone

The discovery of the Rosetta Stone is credited to a French officer named Pierre-François Bouchard, who was part of Napoleon Bonaparte's expedition to Egypt. In July 1799, while working on the construction of Fort Julien, Bouchard's troops unearthed the stone, which measures about 114 centimeters in height, 72 centimeters in width, and 28 centimeters in thickness. It bears an inscription in three scripts: Greek, Demotic (a later Egyptian script), and hieroglyphs.

The Importance of Multilingual Inscriptions

The Rosetta Stone's significance lies in its inscriptions in three scripts. At the time of its discovery, knowledge of hieroglyphs had been lost for over a millennium. Scholars were unable to decipher the ancient script, which was used for monumental inscriptions, religious texts, and official documents in ancient Egypt.

However, the Greek inscription on the Rosetta Stone provided the key. Scholars knew how to read ancient Greek, so having a text in that language alongside hieroglyphs allowed them to begin making comparisons. They realized that the inscriptions were translations of one another, and that the hieroglyphic script represented both phonetic and ideographic elements.

The Work of Jean-François Champollion

The process of deciphering hieroglyphs was a complex and lengthy endeavor, but it ultimately led to one of the most significant breakthroughs in the history of linguistics. French scholar Jean-François Champollion is credited with deciphering the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone and unlocking the door to understanding ancient Egyptian texts.

Champollion's breakthrough came through a combination of careful analysis and comparisons of the hieroglyphic text with the known Greek text. He was able to identify phonetic elements in hieroglyphs and, crucially, link them to the names of rulers known from other inscriptions. This allowed him to build a comprehensive understanding of the hieroglyphic script.

Legacy and Impact

The decipherment of hieroglyphs revolutionized the study of ancient Egypt. It opened up a treasure trove of information about the culture, history, and daily life of the ancient Egyptians. Researchers gained access to religious texts, administrative documents, and inscriptions on monuments and tombs.

The Rosetta Stone itself became an iconic symbol of linguistic and archaeological achievement. It is now housed in the British Museum in London, where it continues to be a source of inspiration for those interested in the study of ancient civilizations and languages.

Questions

1. Where was the Rosetta Stone discovered?
   A) Alexandria
   B) Cairo
   C) Rosetta
   D) Luxor

2. What is the Rosetta Stone made of?
   A) Limestone
   B) Granite
   C) Sandstone
   D) Marble

3. Why is the Rosetta Stone significant for the study of hieroglyphs?
   A) It contains a unique type of hieroglyph.
   B) It provided translations of hieroglyphs into Greek.
   C) It is the largest known example of hieroglyphic script.
   D) It was inscribed by the famous scholar Champollion.

4. Who is credited with deciphering the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone?
   A) Napoleon Bonaparte
   B) Pierre-François Bouchard
   C) Jean-François Champollion
   D) Julius Caesar

5. What language was inscribed on the Rosetta Stone alongside hieroglyphs?
   A) Demotic
   B) Latin
   C) Greek
   D) Coptic

6. What was the primary breakthrough that allowed Champollion to decipher hieroglyphs?
   A) Discovering a new hieroglyphic character.
   B) Identifying phonetic elements in hieroglyphs.
   C) Deciphering the entire hieroglyphic text.
   D) Comparing hieroglyphs to ancient Hebrew.

7. What is the Demotic script?
   A) A script used in ancient Greece.
   B) A later Egyptian script.
   C) A form of cuneiform writing.
   D) The earliest form of hieroglyphs.

8. Where is the Rosetta Stone currently housed?
   A) The Louvre Museum in Paris
   B) The British Museum in London
   C) The Egyptian Museum in Cairo
   D) The Vatican Library in Rome

9. What did the decipherment of hieroglyphs reveal about ancient Egypt?
   A) Information about Greek rulers in Egypt.
   B) The secrets of pyramid construction.
   C) Details about daily life, religion, and history.
   D) The location of hidden treasures.

10. What is the symbolic significance of the Rosetta Stone?
    A) It represents the lost art of hieroglyphic writing.
    B) It symbolizes Napoleon Bonaparte's conquest of Egypt.
    C) It represents the unification of ancient scripts.
    D) It is a symbol of linguistic and archaeological achievement.

Answers and Explanations