# An early cultural tourist - 科目：雅思阅读真题（Part 1） - 考频：中频 - 最近考试：2025.1.4 - 题目数：13 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/c8f66b63-2a71-46f8-acc0-a9a3ef30191d（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-10-29 ## 题目原文 In the 15th century, the Italian merchant Cyriacus of Ancona journeyed in search of the Mediterranean's classical past. In doing so, he laid the groundwork for today's cultural holidays A Today we take it for granted that we travel around the world to admire the monuments of the past. We prepare for such trips by reading about what we are going to see, set out on the journey with a good idea of how we will get there and where we will stay and have a sense of what we will encounter on location. Cyriacus of Ancona (1391-1452), the first cultural tourist since antiquity, lacked these advantages when, in the first half of the 15th century, he sailed around the Mediterranean in search of the remains of Greek and Roman civilisations. B Cyriacus first became fascinated by ancient monuments while walking in his home city Ancona and looking at the marble arch, erected in AD 115, to the Roman Emperor Trajan. He suddenly saw the structure in a new light. He no longer saw it as just a familiar and generally overlooked landmark, but as a doorway to the wonders of ancient imperial Rome. Not many people of Cyriacus's time were interested in historical travel, they generally ignored old buildings and structures, or worse, dismantled them for their building materials. C Cyriacus decided to see the world for himself and to record details of whatever other antiquities remained to be discovered. His training as a merchant did not prepare him for this vocation; he did not know ancient languages, history or art. However, he set out to solve these failings, first by learning Latin at the age of 30 and then adding ancient Greek. Having done this, he then set off on voyages around the Mediterranean to find, investigate and understand ancient cultures from their buildings, sculptures and inscriptions. Thus he became the first archaeologist and cultural tourist, predating other antiquarians by some 200 years. D Travel in the 15th century, however, was anything but simple or enjoyable. Overland journeys by foot or mule along bad roads, under constant threat from bandits, were bad; voyages by seas were even worse. When the weather cooperated, sailing went relatively smoothly, ships proceeded along coasts from one recognizable landmark to another. However, when there was no wind the ship did not move. Strong winds were no friends either, they drenched the ship with lashing waves and blew it off course. Water swamped the desk, splashed into the cabins and soaked mattresses, clothes and food. Remarkably, Cyriacus never complained about the miseries of travel. Optimistic by nature, he endured such hardships unafraid and saw opportunities where other people saw setbacks. E Among many of the important records made by Cyriacus was his crucial documenting, in 1431, of the remains of Cyzicus, an ancient Roman city that had relied on commerce for its financial success. He hired a local person to take him to site and then had to work out for himself the significance of the ruins he was looking at because there was no guidebook on ancient architecture to help him. Indeed, his contemporary knowledge about the ruins. Cyzicus had been a splendid city in its prime. Unfortunately, the area was highly seismic and in AD 123 the city was so devastated by a major earthquake that, when the Roman Emperor Hadrian visited it the following year, he was so saddened that he decided to subsidise a campaign to reconstruct Cyzicus. He made a substantial donation for a new temple to the Roman go Jupiter. Cyriacus thought the ruined city was awe-inspiring. He found the remains of the temple and examined it in great detail, looking for clues in ancient texts to help him understand what he was seeing. He sketched the great doorway adorned with carved foliage and mythological characters. Cyriacu's account of this temple is the only record of this building as in the following centuries it was entirely stripped of all its stonework and all that remains is its base. F Cyriacus also visited mainland Greece, in 1436, when no one went to Greece in order to see the country's ancient ruins. One of his destinations was the sanctuary of Delphi. The ancient Greeks considered Delphi as being situated in the most beautiful spot in Greece. When Cyriacus arrived at the site of Delphi, however, he found war, earthquakes and avalanches had all but obliterated its ruins. Determined to find any ancient traces, Cyriacus spent six days walking all over the areas, peering at odd stone blocks sticking out of the ground, running his hands over inscriptions to trace fragments of words, and trying to puzzle out the few surviving structural remains. Climbing uphill towards the rocks that tower over the site, he came upon a theatre built into the slope. Soon after his visit, the site was buried by a rockslide and was not seen again until archaeologists began to excavate the area systematically in the late 19th century. G Cyriacus had hoped to visit Egypt and Ethiopia but he never got there. However, in his life he did record for posterity countless ancient monuments around the Mediterranean, paving the way for future archaeologists and cultural tourists. ## 题目与答案 ### 1. 1 Cyriacus was unable to research his journeys before he left. 1 Cyriacus was unable to research his journeys before he left. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：TRUE 原文定位：lacked these advantages when, in the first half of the 15th century, he sailed around the Mediterranean in search of the remains of Greek and Roman civilisations ### 10. ·10 The city was destroyed by a powerful _____ in AD 123 ·10 The city was destroyed by a powerful _____ in AD 123 **答案**：earthquake 原文定位：Unfortunately, the area was highly seismic and in AD 123 the city was so devastated by a major earthquake that ### 11. ·11 A year later Emperor Hadrian supported a _____ to rebuild the city ·11 A year later Emperor Hadrian supported a _____ to rebuild the city **答案**：campaign 原文定位：he was so saddened that he decided to subsidise a campaign to reconstruct Cyzicus ### 12. ·12 Cyriacus found part of the temple, which was built in the time of Emperor Hadrian, and made drawings of the _____ temple and its decorative carvings ·12 Cyriacus found part of the temple, which was built in the time of Emperor Hadrian, and made drawings of the _____ temple and its decorative carvings **答案**：doorway 原文定位：He sketched the great doorway adorned with carved foliage and mythological characters ### 13. The sanctuary of Delphi 13 By the 15th century Delphi had almost disappeared due to natural disasters and _____ . The sanctuary of Delphi 13 By the 15th century Delphi had almost disappeared due to natural disasters and _____ . **答案**：war 原文定位：When Cyriacus arrived at the site of Delphi, however, he found war, earthquakes and avalanches had all but obliterated its ruins ### 2. 2 The Roman Emperor Trajan built the city of Ancona. 2 The Roman Emperor Trajan built the city of Ancona. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：NOT GIVEN 原文定位：Cyriacus first became fascinated by ancient monuments while walking in his home city Ancona and looking at the marble arch, erected in AD 115, to the Roman Emperor Trajan ### 3. 3 Respect for ancient architecture was widespread in the 15th century. 3 Respect for ancient architecture was widespread in the 15th century. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：FALSE 原文定位：Not many people of Cyriacus's time were interested in historical travel, they generally ignored old buildings and structures, or worse, dismantled them for their building materials ### 4. 4 Cyriacus's experience as a merchant gave him skills he needed to investigate the ancient world. 4 Cyriacus's experience as a merchant gave him skills he needed to investigate the ancient world. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：FALSE 原文定位：His training as a merchant did not prepare him for this vocation; he did not know ancient languages, history or art ### 5. 5 Before leaving on his journey, Cyriacus studied ancient languages. 5 Before leaving on his journey, Cyriacus studied ancient languages. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：TRUE 原文定位：However, he set out to solve these failings, first by learning Latin at the age of 30 and then adding ancient Greek. Having done this, he then set off on voyages around the Mediterranean ### 6. 6 Travelling by sea in the 15th century was easier than travelling on land. 6 Travelling by sea in the 15th century was easier than travelling on land. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：FALSE 原文定位：Overland journeys by foot or mule along bad roads, under constant threat from bandits, were bad; voyages by seas were even worse ### 7. 7 Cyriacus tried to make his fellow sea travelers more comfortable. 7 Cyriacus tried to make his fellow sea travelers more comfortable. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：NOT GIVEN ### 8. Ancient Roman and Greek sites visited by Cyriacus The city of Cyriacus ·8 The wealth of the city had come from _____ . Ancient Roman and Greek sites visited by Cyriacus The city of Cyriacus ·8 The wealth of the city had come from _____ . **答案**：commerce 原文定位：the remains of Cyzicus, an ancient Roman city that had relied on commerce for its financial success ### 9. ·9_____ to the ancient city ruins not available when visited by Cyriacus ·9_____ to the ancient city ruins not available when visited by Cyriacus **答案**：guidebook 原文定位：When he later returned to Rome, he used his own money to fund a travel book --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。