四、閱讀測驗【請在下列各題中選出最適當的答案】   The mysteries of an ancient civilization on the island of Malta have recently drawn interest. The Temple Culture begannearly 6,000 years ago and numbered several thousand people at most, far denser than the mainland Europe. Archeologistswant to understand the reasons behind this prosperity—and its eventual, sudden collapse.   By drilling earth cores and using carbon dating, an estimation can be placed on the period of the soil. Pollen grains areindividually analyzed to reveal nutrients in the soil. The islanders’ lifestyles are also assessed from tens of thousands ofhuman bones from a burial site.    From the findings, these people seemed to understand the importance of soil management to fend off starvation. Theyreared dairy animals rather than prioritizing meat, mixed manure back into the soil and may even have carted soil washeddown to the valleys back uphill to refresh the upland fields.   Their demise may have occurred around 2350 BC, a period during which, according to tree ring analysis, the wholeregion suffered a catastrophic climate event—possibly a dust cloud caused by a volcanic eruption. Although thecircumstances are still uncertain, the new discoveries have stirred up excitement regarding ancient agriculture, religion, andlifestyles, opening doors to more knowledge about life from another era.
46. What is this article mainly about?
(A) New techniques used in archeology.
(B) Ideal plantation and livestock.
(C) Consequences of overpopulation.
(D) The rise and fall of an ancient culture.