English Reading Practice

China

China is a country in Asia. It is the fourth largest country in the world. More than 1 billion people live in China. That means that it has the largest population in the world. "Population" is the number of people that live in one place. China has a rich culture and history that is interesting to learn about.

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History of China

China is over 5000 years old. In the beginning, there were many tribes that lived in China. A "tribe" is a small group of people who live together and speak the same language.

The tribes were brought together to live under one country in the 21st century BC. This is when China began to be ruled by one government.

From the 21st century BC until 1911, China was ruled by different dynasties. A "dynasty" is a family that rules a country for many years. The Xia dynasty was the first ruling family. Other dynasties have been the Han, Yuan, Ming, and Qing.

Today, China is a Communist country. This is a kind of government in which the state controls all the producing means. It is ruled by a President, Vice President, and Premier, who is like a Prime Minister. It is involved in many international organizations. Modern China is one of the fastest growing countries in the world.

Geography of China

China is a very large country that has many different kinds of landscapes. In China, you can find hot weather in the south and cold weather in the north.

There is a large desert in the west, called the Gobi desert, and three seas in the east. There are three major rivers in China. All over the country, you can find mountains and hills. The Himalaya mountains, the world's tallest mountains, cross the southern part of China.

Arts of China

China is famous for its beautiful and carefully made art work. Much of the art work made in China today is made in the same way it was made hundreds of years ago.

China is especially famous for three kinds of art work: porcelain, painting, and jade.

"Porcelain" is a kind of ceramic material that is used to make bowls, plates, and statues. Chinese porcelain is very delicate and beautiful. It is often hand painted to show pictures of China and Chinese traditions.


Painting is an ancient tradition in China. Chinese painters used brushes and ink and painted on paper and silk. Paintings usually showed people, animals, birds, or landscapes of China.


"Jade" is a green stone that the Chinese believed to have magical powers. It was carved (cut with a knife to make pictures) and made into jewelry, sculptures, and decorations. Often the pictures were of animals such as birds, turtles, and fish.

China is a large and beautiful country that has given a lot to the world. Chinese arts and traditions have been passed along to other countries for hundreds of years through trade and immigration. This continues today.

And now, practice:

China - Exercises

Vocabulary Questions

1. What does "population" mean?


2. What is a "dynasty"?


3. What is "porcelain"?

Grammar Questions

1. China ________ a rich culture and history that is interesting to learn about.


2.    China ________ ruled by different dynasties.


3. The Himalaya mountains ________ the southern part of China.

Comprehension Questions

1. How old is China?

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2. How many rivers does China have?

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3. What color is jade?

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