China is     1     (wide) known for its ancient civilisation, which has continued all the way until now. One of the main     2     (factor) is the Chinese writing system.

At the beginning, written Chinese     3     (base) on picture language, which dates back several thousand years. Ancient Chinese people carved symbols on animal bones and shells.

By the Shang Dynasty, these symbols     4     (become) a well-developed writing system. At that time, people lived in different places,     5     (lead) to many varieties of dialects and characters.

Emperor Qinshihuang united the seven major states into one country     6     the Chinese writing system began to develop in one direction. The writing system played     7     important part in uniting the Chinese people and culture. Now, people can still communicate in writing.

Written Chinese has also become an important means by which China’s present is connected with its past. People in modern times can read classic works which were     8     (write) by Chinese in ancient times. The Chinese writing system has developed into Chinese calligraphy,     9     is an important part of Chinese culture. Today, the Chinese writing system plays a greater role in     10     (globe) affairs.

2 . Imagine a relay race. During this race, an athlete holds a stick as he runs a certain distance. Then he passes the stick to the next runner. That person runs faster, and then passes the stick to a third runner. Now imagine that the runners do not pass a stick. Instead they pass shiny silk, as well as gold, fruit, and glass. Imagine that the race does not move forward in just one direction. Instead the runners go back and forth along a road. They trade goods all along this route (路线) and at each end of it. Now imagine that the runners are businessmen. They lead caravans (商队) or lines of camels that carry things to sell. They travel on the ancient Silk Road to earn their living.

The Silk Road was a complex trade network. It passed through thousands of cities and towns. It stretched from eastern China, across central Asia and the Middle east, to the Mediterranean Sea. Businessmen traveled on the Silk Road from about 200 B.C. to about 1300 A.D.. Then sea travel began to offer new routes. Some people called the Silk Road the world’s longest highway. However, the Silk Road included many routes--not just one smooth path. The routes ran through mountains and across deserts. They passed through an area that now includes 18 countries. The Silk Road had many dangers. These dangers ranged from hot sun and deep snow to thieves and wars. Only expert traders could survive.

The Silk Road got its name from its most prized goods. People used silk as money. They could pay taxes or buy goods with it. Traders carried more than just silk, though. They had gold, silver, and glass from Europe. People in the Middle East and Asia wanted these things. Businessmen also took horses from flat, grassy areas in central Asia and brought them to China and other areas. The horses changed the way people farmed and ran their armies. Indian businessmen traded salt and rare, beautiful stones. Chinese merchants traded medicine and china. They also traded paper, which quickly replaced animal skins in the west. Businessmen carried apples from central Asia to Rome. The Chinese had learned to combine different trees to create new kinds of fruit. They taught this science to others, such as the Romans. The Romans began to grow apples for food. The Silk Road led to worldwide commerce 2,000 years before the World Wide Web.

The people along the Silk Road did not share only goods. They also shared beliefs. Monks, priests, and other faith leaders taught their religions to others. The Silk Road created pathways for knowledge, diplomacy, and religion.

John Snow was a famous doctor in London —so    1    , indeed, that he attended Queen Victoria as her personal     2    . But he became inspired when he thought about helping ordinary people     3    to cholera.

First there was England. Wales was    4     to it in the thirteenth century.Now when people refer to England you find Wales    5    as well.Next England and Wales were joined to Scotland in the seventeenth century and the name was changed to “Great Britain”. Happily this was accomplished without    6     when King James of Scotland became King of England and Wales as well.

At first my new surroundings were difficult to    7    . The air seemed thin, as though its combination of gases had little oxygen     8    . Hit by a    9     of fresh air, my head ached. Just as I tried to make the necessary    10    to this new situation, Wang Ping appeared.

The Silk Road is in fact a relatively recent term. These ancient roads had no particular name until in the mid-nineteenth century, Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen    1    (name) the trade and communication network the Silk Road. Since then the term     2    (accept) globally.

In the nineteenth century, a new type of travelers stepped onto the Silk Road: archaeologists and geographers, enthusiastic explorers who were eager     3     (look) for adventure. Researchers who came from many countries traveled through the Taklamakan Desert,    4     is now in Xinjiang, to explore ancient sites along the Silk Road,     5     (lead) to many discoveries and studies, and most of all, a renewed interest     6    the history of these routes.

Today, many historic     7     (build) and monuments still stand, marking the passage of the Silk Road through hotels, ports and cities. What’s more, the long-standing legacy(遗产) of this remarkable network is reflected in    8       large number of cultures, languages, customs and religions that have developed for many years along these routes. The passage of merchants and travelers of many    9     (difference) nationalities resulted not only in commercial exchange, but in a widespread and continual process of cultural interaction.     10     (obvious), it has become a driving force in the formation(形式) of diverse societies.