科學家表示，他們在英格蘭諾森伯蘭郡的一片海灘上發現了有史以來最大的巨型千足蟲（又稱 “馬陸”）化石，該發現純屬偶然。

The fossil was discovered when a boulder fell and cracked open at Howick Bay in Northumberland. It revealed a 75cm-long section of what's now been identified as an Arthropleura, a giant millipede that lived more than 300 million years ago.

這塊化石是在諾森伯蘭郡豪威克灣的一塊巨石墜裂時被發現的。巨石中露出了一段75厘米長的化石，現已被鑒定為節胸蜈蚣，是一種生活在三億多年前的巨型千足蟲。

Researchers at Cambridge University say that the whole creature would have been about 2.7 metres long -------– that's the same as a small car and could have weighed 50 kilos.

劍橋大學的研究人員指出，整個生物全長大約2.7米，與小汽車的長度相同，而且可能重達50公斤。

Given this Arthropleura's size, it's possible that it ate small invertebrates and even amphibians. Despite its incredible length and name, researchers say this giant millipede had fewer than a hundred legs.

鑒于這種節胸蜈蚣的體型，它很可能以小型無脊椎動物甚至兩棲動物為食。盡管這種巨型千足蟲的長度和名字很不可思議，但研究人員表示它其實只有不到100條腿。

詞匯表

boulder 巨石
identified 被鑒定，被認出
creature 生物，動物
invertebrates 無脊椎動物
amphibians 兩棲動物
incredible 不可思議的

閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。

1. What was the fossil found inside?

2. How long ago is it thought this millipede lived?

3. What did this millipede possibly eat?

4. True or false? Researchers think this millipede looked like a small car.

答案  

1. What was the fossil found inside?
The fossil was found inside a boulder that cracked open.

2. How long ago is it thought this millipede lived?
It's thought the millipede lived more than 300 million years ago.

3. What did this millipede possibly eat?
It's possible that it ate small invertebrates and even amphibians.

4. True or false? Researchers think this millipede looked like a small car.
False. Researchers thought it was the same length as a small car.