British scientists,exploring a beach on the country’s east coast,discovered what they believed were the oldest human footprints outside Africa.They were estimated to be close to one million years old and were believed to be the oldest evidence of humans in northern Europe. Footprints of a group of ancient humans were discovered on a beach in Norfolk,in eastern Britain.They may be about 500,000 years older than the earliest footprints previously found in the country.The 3D images and a model of one of the imprints(印记) were unveiled(透露) at a news conference at the British Museum,in London. The museum’s archaeologist Nick M Ashton described the moment when he realised the footprints were left by prehistoric men.“It was only when the overhead views were emailed to me back in my office that I immediately looked at it and opened up the file and I thought,‘This is absolutely amazing.’ You know,there was no doubt that they really were human footprints,” he said. Nick said the new discovery would alter the understanding of early human history in Europe.A researcher of Liverpool John Moores University Isabelle de Groote analysed the prints.“The spread of the footprint size gave us an indication that there were children,a number of children and probably some adults there with at least one,probably one male,” she said. It is not known how the early humans survived in the cold environment of ancient northern Europe.Scientists said a million years ago,Britain was joined to continental Europe and they believed that the individuals who left the footprints were related to Homosapiens’ ancestors called the Pioneer Man,known to have inhabited in a warmer climate. 语篇解读 英国科学家在英国发现了一组史前人类的足迹,这个发现将帮助人们了解早期人类在欧洲活动的历史。 1.What information can we get from the first paragraph? A.The earliest humans moved from Europe to Africa. B.The oldest human footprints were once found in Africa. C.No humans lived in Britain about one million years ago. D.The earliest humans came to northern Europe from Africa. 2.The underlined word “alter” in Paragraph 4 probably means “ ”. A.prove B.explain C.change D.develop 3.Who left the footprints on the beach according to researcher Isabelle? A.A group of children. B.Some women. C.A group of men. D.Children and adults. 4.We can read the passage above most probably in a . A.science magazine B.student book C.holiday brochure D.geography book