For the past five years, Paula Smith, a historian of science, has devoted herself to re-creating long-forgotten techniques. While doing research for her new book, she came across a 16th-century French manuscript（手稿）consisting of nearly 1,000 sets of instructions, covering subjects from tool making to finding the best sand.
在过去的五年里，科学史学家宝拉·史密斯一直致力于重现早已被遗忘的技术。在为她的新书做研究时，她偶然发现了一份16世纪的法国手稿，包含了近1000套指令，涵盖了从制作工具到寻找最佳沙子的各种主题。

The author’s intention remains as mysterious（神秘）as his name; he may have been simply taking notes for his own records. But Smith was struck mainly by the fact that she didn’t truly grasp any of the skills the author described. “You simply can’t get an understanding of that handwork by reading about it,” she says.
作者的意图和他的名字一样神秘；他可能只是在为自己记录笔记。但史密斯主要被这样一个事实所触动，那就是她并没有真正理解作者描述的任何一项技能。“你根本无法通过阅读来理解那种手工活，”她说。

Though Smith did get her hands on the best sand, doing things the old-fashioned way isn’t just about playing around with French mud. Reconstructing the work of the craftsmen（工匠）who lived centuries ago can reveal how they viewed the world, what objects filled their homes, and what went on in the workshops that produced them. It can even help solve present-day problems: In 2015, scientists discovered that a 10th-century English medicine for eve problems could kill a drug-resistant virus.
尽管史密斯确实找到了最好的沙子，但以老式的方式做事并不仅仅是玩弄法国泥土。重建几个世纪前工匠的工作可以揭示他们如何看待世界，他们的家中充满了哪些物品，以及生产这些物品的工作室里发生了什么。它甚至可以帮助解决当今的问题：2015年，科学家发现一种10世纪的英国眼部问题药物能够杀死耐药性病毒。

The work has also brought insights for museums, Smith says. One must know how on object was made in order to preserve it. What’s more, reconstructions might be the only way to know what treasures looked like before time wore them down. Scholars have seen this idea in practice with ancient Greek and Roman statues. These sculptures were painted a rainbow of striking colours. We can’t appreciate these kinds of details without seeing works of art as they originally appeared-something Smith believes you can do only when you have a road map.
史密斯表示，这项工作也为博物馆带来了洞见。为了保存一个物品，人们必须知道它是如何制作的。更重要的是，重建可能是了解宝藏在时间磨损之前的样子的唯一方式。学者们已经在古希腊和罗马雕塑的实践中看到了这一理念。这些雕塑被涂上了彩虹般的鲜艳色彩。如果我们不将艺术品视为它们最初的样子，就无法欣赏这些细节——史密斯认为，只有当你拥有一张路线图时，你才能做到这一点。

Smith has put the manuscript’s ideas into practice. Her final goal is to link the worlds of art and science back together: She believes that bringing the old recipes to life can help develop a kind of learning that highlights experimentation, teamwork, and problem solving.
史密斯已经将手稿的想法付诸实践。她的最终目标是将艺术和科学的世界重新联系在一起：她相信，让古老的配方复活可以帮助发展一种强调实验、团队合作和问题解决的学习方式。

Back when science—then called “the new philosophy”—took shape, academics looked to craftsmen for help in understanding the natural world. Microscopes and telescopes were invented by way of artistic tinkering（修补）, as craftsmen experimented with glass to better bend light.
当时，科学——当时被称为“新哲学”——开始形成，学者们向工匠寻求帮助以理解自然界。显微镜和望远镜是通过艺术性的修补发明出来的，因为工匠们尝试用玻璃更好地弯曲光线。

If we can rediscover the values of hands-on experience and craftwork, Smith says, we can marry the best of our modern insights with the handiness of our ancestors.
如果我们能够重新发现亲身体验和手工艺的价值，史密斯说，我们可以将我们现代的洞察力与我们祖先的灵巧结合起来。

1. How did Smith, feel after reading the French manuscript? （ ）
   A. Confused about the technical terms.
   B. Impressed with its detailed instructions.
   C. Discouraged by its complex structure.
   D. Shocked for her own lack of hand skills.
   答案：D

2. According to Smith, the reconstruction work is done mainly to _. （ ）
   A. restore old workshops B. understand the craftsmen
   C. improve visual effects D. inspire the philosophers
   答案：B

3. Why does the author mention museums? （ ）
   A. To reveal the beauty of ancient objects.
   B. To present the findings of old science.
   C. To highlight the importance of antiques.
   D. To emphasise the values of hand skills.
   答案：D

4. Which would be the best title for this passage? （ ）
   A. Craftsmen Set the Trends for Artists
   B. Craftsmanship Leads to New Theories
   C. Craftsmanship Makes Better Scientists
   D. Craftsmen Reshape the Future of Science
   答案：C