Following the Silk Road
reading 1
Learning objectives:
Identify the structure of the article;
Summarize the main idea of the article;
Improve their awareness of “a human community with a shared future”.
Step 1 Lead-in
What springs up in your mind when hearing the word “Silk Road” According to the title and the illustration, what might be mentioned in the text
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Step 2 Pre-reading Read and match the structure.
Para. 1: The overall introduction
Para. 2 Significance
Para. 3 Geography
Para. 4-5 Trade and cultural exchange
Para. 6 History
Step 2 Detailed-reading Read the article paragraph by paragraph for details
Q1: Read the para.1,fill in the chart below.
Definition of the Silk Road _______________________________________________
Features of the Silk Road vast distances
an astonishing variety of landscapes
The key section (the Chang’an--Tianshan Corridor) Regions along the route China,Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
Distance _______________________
Length of trade routes _______________________
Number of Sites _______________________
Status(地位) _______________________
Q2: Read the para.2, where did the Silk Road start and end What are the main geographical features of the Silk Road region Give the key words.
______
Q3: Read the para.3 carefully, fill the key words in the blank below.
Zhang Qian’s mission
Time century BCE
Purpose between the Han Dynasty and the Western regions
Starting point and destination Chang’an, China → Central Asia
Influence Trade routes ; _____________________________between the major powers(国家)of the time.
Q4: Read the para.4-5 carefully,what items appeared on the marketplace of goods besides silk
At the initial stage Silk was the main item in the trade list thanks to its _______________________.
At the peak Export
Import
Cultural exchange From India and Arabia to China __________________
From China to the West __________________
Q4: Read the para.6 carefully. What does the phrase “a great age of expansion” in L41 mean
________________________________________________________________
Step 3 Post-reading Discuss in groups
1.What is the major purpose of the Belt and Road Initiative
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2.What is the common function of the Silk Road in ancient times and in the modern age
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Step 5 Summary
The Silk Road, _________(cover) vast distances, was a network of ancient trade routes, extending from East Asia to the Mediterranean. A key section of the Silk Road network is the Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor stretching through China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.Three countries jointly pursued an ____________(apply) for UNESCO World Heritage status.
It was thanks to Zhang’s efforts ______ trade routes took shape. The Silk Road began to develop in the 2nd century BCE when Zhang Qian travelled from Chang’an to Central Asia. He ________(seek) to build bridges between the major powers of the time, with the routes network reaching as far as the Roman Empire._________(initial), silk was the main item. Apart from trade exchange, the network served _____ a bridge for cultural exchange, ________ shaped the evolution of science, art, technology and other areas in societies along the network gradually.
For example, the ____________ (introduce) of astronomy and mathematics from India and Arabia and the spread of papermaking and printing to the West. The Silk Road connected Eastern and Western civilizations, which achieved a _______(share) development. In the modern age, through the Belt and Road Initiative, the Silk Road is once again connecting the countries along the ancient trade routes and promoting the exchanges of different ____________(civilize).
Step 6 Homework Preview language points and recite the key points of the text.