2014高考英语二轮复习阅读理解专题测试题 (46).docVIP

The ancient Egyptians appeared to be among the first early civilizations to learn how to grow roses. In 1888, at Hawara in the El Faiyum area of Egypt, two-thousand-year-old roses were found in ancient tombs. The discovery suggested roses were an important part of the complex burial ceremony which took place when an important person died. The roses found in the tombs are thought by modern experts to be the oldest preserved flowers ever found in the world. They must have been cut and dried before flowering so that they would remain undamaged. Over the centuries, the roses had shrunk and became tight balls, but on careful examination it was discovered that the petals (花瓣) themselves were hardly damaged. Egypt’s skill in mass-cultivation（大面积栽培）of roses in early times led to the flowers becoming an important export product. At the height of the Roman Empire, Egypt exported large quantities of roses to the Roman courts. Wealthy Romans loved the beautiful colors and sweet smells of roses. So the Romans attempted to grow their own roses and they eventually mastered the art of mass cultivation. Egypt then decided to concentrate on growing grain instead of roses, so grain soon took over as the number-one agricultural product of Egypt. Roses were appreciated in other early civilizations too, including Greece and Persia. They are a decorative feature on coins, sculpture, and vases dating back thousands of years. There is also evidence that roses were highly valued by the Chinese who believed that the flowers could be used to help treat a wide range of illnesses, from toothache to skin and chest diseases. In the modern world, the rose has not lost its popularity as the “Queen of Flowers” — the name given to it by the Greek poetess Sappho. Even today more roses are sold than any other flower. Modern techniques have enabled people to create ever more beautiful roses. Transportation by air makes it possible to grow roses in countries with favorable climates and sell them within