2013年高考英语阅读理解练习题（九）.doc

　　Early people had very little effect on the environment. They lived in eaves in very small elangroups. They collected or killed only enough for the dans survival. Early clans were nomadic, which means that they did not stay in one place. Instead, they moved around, following the animals that were their main food source and seeking areas where seasonal plants grew wild. Moving around seasonally helped to protect the environment. The land had time to recover and animals had time to breed (繁殖) before the clan returned for the next season. 　　As time went by, these small family clans joined with others to form larger groups for protection. Joining with other clans gave them more hunters and more women to help cut up the meat and share it between families. Eventually, people tamed(驯养) wild animals such as dogs and horses. People settled around rivers and fertile plains to share responsibilities and duties. Then, people began to plant crops instead of moving to areas where the plant grew. This development changed the environment. 　　Traditional forms of work also changed. Some people were hatter at performing a particular task than other clan members, so they began to specialize in things they were good at doing. This also meant that they began to exchange their goods for things that others produced. 　　People began to communicate with distant tribes. Land was cleared for roads. Foreign plants and animals were transported to places where they had not existed before. Specialization also gave people more free time. So art, dance and music became important ways of expressing feelings and thoughts. This was how many great civilizations started. 　　Compared to the past, modern civilization has experienced many changes to become the highly developed society that exists today. Populations have increased rapidly. Forests have been cleared for farms. Inventions and technology have made work easier. 　　However, pollution and other serious problems have also resulted from human progres