英文8寶箱

When people think about the Middle Ages, they may have beautiful castles, knights in armours, kings, queens, princes and princesses in their minds.

Or, if you know a little bit more about the Western history, you may know that there was the 'Black Death' period during the Middle Ages. Almost 1/3 of the people in Europe died in a horrible plague.

But did you also know that in the later part of the Middle Ages, it was very popular for merchants to travel far away for trade? These merchants travelled by sea or on land to bring back many new things to sell. For example, they brought back silk and fur from China, as well as precious stones and ivory from Africa. (But they did not travel very far away, because people at that time believed that the Earth was flat! They were afraid that they might fall off the edge of the world if they travelled too far!)

Marco Polo (1254 - 1324) was one of the first travellers to visit China. He was born in a very rich merchant family in Venice. When he was a teenager, he travelled to China with his father, uncle and two missionaries. Marco Polo learned the Chinese language very quickly and the Mongol emperor of China, Kublai Khan, was very impressed! The emperor asked Marco Polo to work for him, so Marco Polo had the chance to explore many places in China where Europeans had never visited before!

After Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus (1451 - 1506) also wanted to travel to China, but he ended up discovering a new land - America!

Question

1. Who was one of the first western travellers to visit China?

A. Pepper Macaroni B. Marco Polo

C. Kublai Khan D. Christopher Columbus




2. Who discovered America?

A. St. Augustine B. Ronald McDonald

C. Marco Polo D. Christopher Columbus