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1、2015考研英语阅读理解精读P9—历史学 Passage9 Itwasabrief,shiningmomentinEgypt'shistory--atimeofepochalchangepresidedoverbyaPharaohnamedAkhenatenandhisbeautifulwifeNefertiti.Duringhis17-yearreigntheoldgodswerecastaside,monotheismwasintroduced,andtheartsliberatedfrom
2、theirstiflingrigidity.EvenEgypt'scapitalwasmovedtoanewcityalongtheNilecalledAkhetaten(modernAmarna).ButlikeCamelot,itwasshort-lived,anditslegacywasburiedinthedesertsands. NowAkhenaten's3,400-year-oldworldhasbeenbrilliantlyrecalledinanexhibittitled"Ph
3、araohsoftheSun:Akhenaten,Nefertiti,Tutankhamen,"whichopensthisweekatBoston'sMuseumofFineArts.Partofthecity'seight-monthtributetoancientEgypt(operas,balletandanIMAXfilm),itisauniqueassemblageofmorethan250objectsfromEgypt's18thdynasty,someofwhichhavelan
4、guishedunseeninstoreroomsandprivatecollectionsfordecades.Theyrangefromlarger-than-lifestatuesofAkhenatentoexquisitelysculptedreliefsanddazzlingjewelrytosuchpoignantremindersofeverydaylifeasaperfectlypreservedchild'ssandal. Theexhibitilluminatesamurky
5、periodinEgyptianhistorythatcuratorRitaFreeddescribesashaving"alltheelementsofasoapopera."WhenAmenhotepIV,ashewasoriginallycalled,ascendedthethronein1353B.C.,Egyptwasaflourishingempire,atpeacewithitsneighbors.Yetthereweretroublingsigns.HisfatherAmenhot
6、epIIIhadalreadychallengedthepowerfulpriesthoodbyproclaimingthesungodAtenasforemostamongEgyptiandeitiesandhimselfashislivingincarnation. Hissonshookthingsupevenmore,notonlychanginghisnametohonorthenewgod(Akhenatenmeans"onewhoservesAten")butalsobanishi
7、ngtheoldergods,especiallythepriestlyfavoriteAmen.SomescholarsbelieveAkhenaten'smonotheism,ahistoricfirst,inspiredtheHebrewprophets,butithadthemoreimmediateeffectoffreeingEgypt'sartists.TheycouldnowportraythePharaohandthevoluptuousNefertiti(whomayhaves
8、haredthethronewithhim)inafarmorecasual,realisticway.Akhenaten'scone-shapedhead,elongatedface,fingersandtoes,potbellyandflaringhipshaveledsomescholarstosuggestthathehadhydrocephalusorMarfan'ssyndrome. Hewascertainlyarevolutionary,propelledeith
