The Silk Road was one of the most important arteries (干线) of trade and culture in the world history.     1     planes and trains brought our world close together, the Silk Road was the first link     2     ever connected the East and the West and the life blood of international trade in ancient time.

Many merchants     3     (travel) on this route between China and Mediterranean bank area for more than 2,000 years. The trading activity has brought culture exchange, religions spreading and contrasts to the connected regions and formed     4     remarkable culture tie featured by Asian, European and the Mediterranean bank.

Since the Chinese highly     5     (qualify) silk had made its fame to the western countries, the merchants    6     (seek) the opportunity of trading Chinese silk along this route and gained a great fortune. Few people would really finish the whole silk route journey, because they just traded certain local crafts such as silk, blanket and carpet, etc.     7     other merchants. Many people took part and numerous goods     8     (trade) in the great international trade at that time.

“The Silk Road is an invaluable world heritage to be celebrated for reminding the world of the importance of cultural     9     (diverse) and cross-cultural communication,” said Shahbaz Khan, director of UNESCO Beijing and Representative to China. “Cultural and artistic creations, no matter what their specific forms are, are all     10     (benefit) to innovation and sustainable development in a country.”