A great deal can be learned from the actual traces of ancient human movement: the footprints of early hominids (原始人类) . The best-known specimens(标本)are the remarkable tracks discovered at Laetoli, Tanzania, by Mary Leaky. These were left by small hominids around 3.6 to 3.75 million years ago.
从古代人类活动的实际痕迹中可以学到很多：早期原始人的脚印。最著名的标本是玛丽·利基在坦桑尼亚的莱托利发现的非凡足迹，这些足迹是由大约360到375万年前的小型人类留下的。

Examination of the shape of the prints revealed to Mary Leakey that the feet had a raised arch, a rounded heel (脚跟), a pronounced ball, and a big to e that pointed forward. These features, together with the weight-bearing pressure patterns, resembled the prints of upright-walking mode m humans. The pressures imposed along the foot, together with the length of step, which averaged 87 centimeters, indicated that the hominids had been walking slowly. In short, all the detectable features implied that the feet that left the footprints were very little different from those of contemporary humans.
对脚印形状的检查向玛丽·利基揭示了这些足部具有隆起的拱形、圆形的脚跟、明显的脚掌和向前指的大脚趾。这些特征，加上承受重量的压力模式，与直立行走的现代人的印迹相似。沿着脚部施加的压力，加上步长的长度，平均为87厘米，表明这些人类祖先行走缓慢。总之，所有可检测到的特征都暗示着留下足印的脚部与当代人的脚部几乎没有什么不同。

A detailed study has been made of the prints using photogrammetry, a technique for obtaining measurements through photographs, which created a drawing showing all the curves and shapes of the prints. The result emphasized that there were at least seven points of similarity with mode m prints, such as the depth of the heel impression, and the deep imprint of the big toe. Footprints thus provide us not merely with rare impressions of the soft tissue of early hominids, but also with evidence of upright walking that in many ways is clearer than can be obtained from the analysis of bones.
通过摄影测量法对脚印进行了详细研究，这是一种通过照片获得测量结果的技术，制作了一份显示所有脚印曲线和形状的图纸。结果强调了至少有七个与现代脚印相似的点，比如脚跟印记的深度和大脚趾的深印记。因此，脚印不仅向我们提供了早期人类软组织的罕见印记，还为我们提供了直立行走的证据，从许多方面来看，这比通过骨骼分析得到的要清晰。

The study of fossil footprints is not restricted to examples from such remote periods. Hundreds of prints are known, for example, in French caves dating from the end of the last Ice Age, approximately 10,000 years ago. Research by Leon Pales has provided information about this period.
对化石脚印的研究不仅限于来自如此久远时期的实例。例如，法国洞穴中有数百个脚印，可以追溯到大约1万年前的最后冰河时期。列昂·帕尔斯的研究为这一时期提供了信息。

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
   A. The career of Mary Leakey.
   B. The analysis of footprint specimens.
   C. Accurate dating of hominid remains.
   D. Behavioral patterns of early humans.
   答案：B

2. The figure of 87 centimeters mentioned in paragraph 2 refers to the size of the _.
   A. hominids feet
   B. hominids bodies
   C. steps taken by the hominids
   D. objects carried by the hominids
   答案：C

3. Why does the author mention the “heel impression” in paragraph 3?
   A. To indicate the weight of early hominids.
   B. To emphasize the size of the hominids foot.
   C. To hint at a possible injury the hominid had suffered.
   D. To give an example of similarity to mode m human footprints.
   答案：D

4. What can be inferred about the footprints found in French caves mentioned in the last paragraph?
   A. They show more details than the Laetoli prints.
   B. They are not as informative as the Laetoli prints.
   C. They are of more recent origin than the Laetoli prints.
   D. They are more difficult to study than the Laetoli prints
   答案：C