It has long beenknown that the hunting scenes depicted on walls were not simply a form of artisticexpression. They had a definite meaning, for they were as near as early man could getto writing. It is possible that there is a definite relation between these paintings andthe markings that sometimes accompany them. It seems that man was making a realeffort to understand the seasons 20,000 years earlier than has been supposed.

　　16.It has long been known that the hunting scenes depicted on walls were not simply aform of artistic expression.

　　大家早就知道，画在墙上的狩猎图景并不是单纯的艺术表现形式。

　　语言点1:句子结构分析:It has long been known that…是一个固定句式，表示“大家早就知道…”，it充当形式主语，that引导的内容才是真正的主语。

　　语言点2:depicted on walls为过去分词短语，作hunting scenes的后置定语。

　　语言点3:be not simply a form of的意思是“并不是一种简单的…形式”。

　　17.They had a definite meaning, for they were as near as early man could get towriting.

　　它们有着一定的含义，因为它们已接近古代人的文字形式。

　　语言点1:句子结构分析:for引导原因状语从句，交代“有含义”的理由。

　　语言点2:they指代上文中所说the hunting scenes depicted on walls。

　　18.It is possible that there is a definite relation between these paintings and themarkings that sometimes accompany them.

　　有时，这种图画与墙壁上的刻痕共存，它们之间可能有一定的联系。

　　语言点:句子结构分析:第一个that引导的部分是真正的主语，it是形式主语，第二个that引导定语从句，修饰markings.

　　19.It seems that man was making a real effort to understand the seasons 20,000 yearsearlier than has been supposed.

　　看来人类早就致力于探索四季变迁了，比人们想像的要早20,000年。

　　语言点:句子结构分析:that引导表语从句;在这个从句中，than引导定语从句，在该定语从句中，than作主语，这是定语从句中的特别现象。