[00:09.48]Lesson 5 1.Read and act
[00:16.14]What places of interest in China would you like to visit?
[00:21.79]I want to see xinjiang.
[00:25.31]Are there any other places you'd like to see?
[00:30.07]Yes.I want to go to Guilin and Lijiang.
[00:34.82]Which is of the most interest to you?
[00:38.97]I'd have to say Xinjiang.
[00:42.92]Why is that?
[00:45.84]It has so many mountains and deserts.
[00:50.31]That's true. Why else do you like it?
[00:55.04]Xinjiang doesn't have so many people.
[00:59.40]Do you know there are almost as many people in Beijing as in all of Xinjiang?
[01:06.46]No,I didn't know that.
[01:10.09]It isn't a province,either.It's a region.
[01:15.13]Is that so?
[01:17.98]Lesson 6 2. Read
[01:27.12]Read the story and give it a good title.
[01:32.16]Xinjiang is unlike any other place in China.
[01:37.52]It is larger and farther west than any other province or region in the country.
[01:44.96]Although home to huge deserts,
[01:49.11]it gets water from more than 18,000 glaciers and many rivers and lakes.
[01:56.69]More than half of the people living there are Uighurs,
[02:01.65]who have a different way of like from other Chinese groups.
[02:07.01]Its capital is Urumqi,
[02:11.27]which not so long ago was an important oasis on the Silk Road.
[02:17.33]Nearly half of this famous road is in xinjiang.
[02:22.58]For thousands of yers,Chinese traders in silk,metals,bamboo,
[02:29.81]medicines,and farm tools have travelled to India and Persia.
[02:36.34]Traders from nay other lands brought grapes,spices,nuts,vegetables,
[02:44.41]horses,camels and even elephants into China.
[02:50.37]Their trips often lasted several months or more.
[02:55.62]Along the way,they met and talked to strange people.
[03:01.08]They hoped to share news of good business.
[03:05.55]Sometimes these traders found treasures or made great fortunes.
[03:11.50] Today Urumqi is a place of great change.
[03:16.47]Most business is done by road or by rail.
[03:21.22]Sheep,goats,cotton and wheat are transported to markets in the east.
[03:28.48]So are many fruits,such as melons,apples,grapes and pears.
[03:35.61]Xinjiang is rich in oil and metals.
[03:40.45]Luckily,for tourists and the people who live there,
[03:45.78]Xinjiang has kept most of its beautiful things.
[03:50.84]The days of caravans,however,have gone.
[03:55.60]Still,a ride through the countryside will leave a good feeling on all who see it.
[04:02.26]Lesson 8 2.Read and act
[04:12.00]Have you heard of Turpan? No,I haven't.
[04:17.57]It's a city in Xinjiang about four hours by bus from Urumqi.
[04:24.05]Hmm. Is it an interesting place?
[04:28.70]Oh,yes.It is the second lowest place on earth.
[04:34.26]It used to be called "The Land of Fire" because it is so hot in summer.
[04:40.92]However,in winter it is very cold.
[04:46.17]That's interesting.What else do you like about Turpan?
[04:51.84]It has many bazaars.
[04:55.89]It is a place for families and friends to talk and laugh and do business.
[05:03.33]They sell delicious fruits,especially grapes and melons.
[05:09.50]They also seel donkeys and goats.
[05:13.57]You can find many colourful carpets and pottery,too.
[05:19.03]Is there any other place in Xinjiang that interests you?
[05:24.49]Yes,there is. I like Kashi,also known as Kashgar.
[05:31.34]It is the westernmost city in China.
[05:36.30]It's also an oasis with markets.
[05:41.05]But it isn't as hot as Turpan in summer because it's in the mountains.
[05:47.90]4. Read
[05:51.74]Many people have heard of Tianchi in the Tianshan Mountains of Xinjiang.
[05:58.50]This beautiful lake is about 110 kilometres northeast of Urumqi.
[06:05.95]It is about 3,400 metres long and 1,500 metres wide.
[06:14.49]The water is clear and blue and shines in the sun.
[06:19.95]Tourists usually come in summer.
[06:24.10]They go boating,riding or walking along the lake.
[06:29.96]They enjoy the snow-covered mountain tops,
[06:34.71]colourful flowers on the hills and the very clean air.
[06:40.27]Many plants for medicine can be found here
[06:44.85]Some travellers like to stay in one of the many yurts near the lake for a night. |