Reading
Passage A broch
(pronounced brock) is a large Iron Age structure which is found only in
Scotland. A broch was a round tapering tower built of dry stone: that
is stones placed on top of each other without any cement to hold the
stones together. Brochs are generally acknowledged to be among the most
sophisticated examples of dry-stone architecture ever built. In the
past most archaeologists thought that the brochs were built by a people
who had been pushed northward by the Roman invasion of the Britain and
two theories arose concerning their purpose. One was that they were
built as fortified places (like a latter-day castle) to serve as
shelter in times of war. Another was that they were built by powerful
families as a symbol of their power and prestige. (130)
Reading Main
idea: broch, iron age structure, only Scotland MP
1: --- dry stone, no cement -- very sophisticated example MP2:
--- built by people pushed north by Romans MP3:
--- two theories of purpose
-- fortress (shelter in wartime)
-- prestige house, symbol of powerful family
Listening
Passage The view of
the broch as a stronghold or prestige home built by a people forced
into Scotland by the Roman invaders has been challenged in recent
years. Although brochs were inhabited during the Roman period,
radiocarbon dating of the structures has shown many to have been built
well before the Romans ever came to Britain. It is now felt that the
brochs were built by local people not immigrants. The purpose of brochs
has also been disputed. In some areas the brochs are built close
together and in fairly large numbers and this seems to disprove the
previous theories of the broch as a place of defence or a great lord’s
home. Low levels of population in ancient times make it unlikely that
there would be a need for so many defensive structures in one area.
Similarly, the chances of many powerful families living in close
proximity are fairly slim. Scientists now believe there was no single
reason for the construction of brochs and that each individual
structure was built for different reasons.(174)
Listening Main
idea: changed view of broch MP
1: --- built by local people not immigrants
-- some built before Romans came to Brit. MP2:
--- not fortress or prestige house
-- many built close together
-- so unlikely for defence or power symbol MP3:
--- scientists think no one reason for broch