Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- If you could go back in time, what would you want to teach early humans?
- What are some everyday tools you use? How do they help make tasks easier?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- handheld /HAND-held/
- weapon /WEP-uhn/
- craftsmanship /KRAFTS-muhn-ship/
- sophistication /suh-fis-ti-KEY-shuhn/
- evolution /ev-uh-LOO-shuhn/
[adjective] – small and designed to be held in the hand
The researchers developed a handheld device to detect air pollution in urban areas.
[noun] – an object used to harm or attack
Ancient warriors used spears and bows as weapons for hunting and battle.
[noun] – the skill of making things by hand with great attention to detail
The craftsmanship of the handmade furniture was evident in its intricate carvings.
[noun] – a high level of development, intelligence, or complexity
The sophistication of the newly designed aircraft impressed engineers worldwide.
[noun] – the gradual development or change of something over time
The evolution of smartphones has transformed the way people communicate.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
A groundbreaking discovery in Tanzania’s Olduvai Gorge has shifted the timeline for ancient bone tool use back by nearly one million years. Archaeologists have uncovered 27 carved and sharpened bones from elephants and hippos, proving that early humans regularly used animal bones to create cutting tools around 1.5 million years ago. Earlier research showed that humans made stone tools as early as 3.3 million years ago, but this new evidence reveals they had a more advanced and diverse toolkit than previously thought. The study, published in Nature, suggests that early human ancestors—possibly Homo erectus, Homo habilis, or Paranthropus boisei—carefully chose and modified bones, showing a systematic approach to tool-making.
Analysis of these tools shows a clear production method. Large leg bones were intentionally broken, then shaped using stone tools to create a sharpened edge and a pointed tip. These bone tools likely served as handheld blades, helping early humans butcher scavenged carcasses rather than being used as weapons. Some tools also show signs of repeated flake removal, indicating careful craftsmanship. Minimal natural erosion or animal damage suggests that humans intentionally shaped them. This discovery challenges earlier ideas about primitive tool-making, demonstrating the cognitive and technological sophistication of early humans and offering new insights into their evolution and adaptability.
Analysis of these tools shows a clear production method. Large leg bones were intentionally broken, then shaped using stone tools to create a sharpened edge and a pointed tip. These bone tools likely served as handheld blades, helping early humans butcher scavenged carcasses rather than being used as weapons. Some tools also show signs of repeated flake removal, indicating careful craftsmanship. Minimal natural erosion or animal damage suggests that humans intentionally shaped them. This discovery challenges earlier ideas about primitive tool-making, demonstrating the cognitive and technological sophistication of early humans and offering new insights into their evolution and adaptability.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- Where did archaeologists find the ancient bone tools?
- How many bone tools did the archaeologists uncover?
- What kinds of animals did the bones come from?
- When did early humans use these bone tools?
- Which human ancestors may have made these tools?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you ever made something using your hands, like a craft or a project? If so, what did you make, and how did you feel after finishing it? If not, what is something you would like to try making?
- Have you ever found an old or interesting object and wondered about its history? If so, what was it, and what did you think about it? If not, what kind of object from the past would you like to find?
- Do you agree that discovering old tools is important for understanding history?
- Why do you think early humans used bones instead of only using stone tools?
- How do you think tools from the past are different from the tools we use today?