The Great Wall of China: A Marvel of Ancient Engineering
The Great Wall of China is one of the most impressive structures in the world. Built over many centuries, it stretches across the northern part of China for thousands of kilometres. The wall was originally constructed to protect Chinese states and empires from nomadic invasions, but today it stands as a symbol of Chinese civilisation and a popular tourist attraction.
Construction of the Great Wall began more than 2,000 years ago during the Warring States period (475-221 BCE). However, the most famous parts of the wall were built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE). The wall was made from various materials, including stone, brick, rammed earth, and even sticky rice!
Despite its name, the Great Wall is not actually a single, continuous wall. It's a network of walls, towers, and fortresses. Some parts of the wall are wide enough for five horses to ride side by side, while other sections are much narrower. The highest point of the wall is about 14 metres tall.
Building the Great Wall was an enormous task that took millions of workers. Many people died during its construction, and there's a legend that their bodies were buried within the wall. While this isn't true, it shows how challenging and dangerous the work was.
Today, the Great Wall of China is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Millions of people visit it each year, marvelling at its size and the skill of the ancient builders. While much of the wall has crumbled over time, significant portions have been restored, allowing visitors to walk along it and imagine what life was like for the soldiers who once guarded China's borders.
Vocabulary
Nomadic – Relating to people who move from place to place rather than living in one place all the time.
Synonyms: Wandering, Roaming
Example Sentences:
The Great Wall was built to protect against nomadic invasions.
Nomadic tribes often follow their herds as they search for fresh grazing land.
Question: Do you know of any nomadic cultures that exist today?
Fortresses – Strong buildings or places that are easy to defend against attack.
Synonyms: Strongholds, Castles
Example Sentences:
The Great Wall included many fortresses where soldiers could rest and store supplies.
Medieval kings often built fortresses to protect their kingdoms.
Question: Have you ever visited a fortress or castle? What was it like?
Rammed earth – A technique for building walls using natural raw materials such as earth, chalk, lime, or gravel.
Synonyms: Compressed soil, Earth construction
Example Sentences:
Some sections of the Great Wall were made using rammed earth techniques.
Rammed earth buildings can be very durable and environmentally friendly.
Question: Would you like to live in a house made of rammed earth? Why or why not?
UNESCO World Heritage site – A place (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that is listed by UNESCO as being of special cultural or physical significance.
Synonyms: Protected site, Cultural treasure
Example Sentences:
The Great Wall of China was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.
There are over 1,000 UNESCO World Heritage sites around the world.
Question: Are there any UNESCO World Heritage sites in your country? Have you visited any?
Marvel – Something that causes wonder or astonishment.
Synonyms: Wonder, Miracle
Example Sentences:
The Great Wall is considered a marvel of ancient engineering.
The Taj Mahal is a marvel of Mughal architecture.
Question: What's something you've seen that you would describe as a marvel?
Restored – Brought back to a former or original condition.
Synonyms: Renovated, Refurbished
Example Sentences:
Significant portions of the Great Wall have been restored for visitors.
The old painting was carefully restored by expert conservators.
Question: Do you think it's important to restore historical buildings? Why or why not?
Grammar Focus
Reported Speech
Example Sentences:
Direct: The tour guide said, "The Great Wall is over 21,000 kilometres long."
Reported: The tour guide said that the Great Wall was over 21,000 kilometres long.
Direct: "Millions of workers built the wall," the historian explained.
Reported: The historian explained that millions of workers had built the wall.
Direct: The traveller exclaimed, "This view is breathtaking!"
Reported: The traveller exclaimed that the view was breathtaking.
Grammar Questions:
Change this direct speech to reported speech: "I am visiting the Great Wall tomorrow."
Change this direct speech to reported speech: "We have discovered a new section of the wall," the archaeologist said.
Change this direct speech to reported speech: "The wall was built over many centuries," the researcher claimed.
Discussion Questions
Why do you think the Great Wall of China was built over such a long period of time?
How do you think the people who built the Great Wall felt about their work?
Do you think it's important to preserve ancient structures like the Great Wall? Why or why not?
What other famous walls do you know about in the world? How do they compare to the Great Wall of China?
What's the most impressive historical site you've ever visited? What made it special?
How has tourism changed the way we interact with historical sites?
If you could travel back in time to witness the construction of any famous landmark, which would you choose and why?
How do you think future generations will view the landmarks and structures we're building today?
How do you think learning about history through travel differs from learning about it in books or documentaries?
What's one historical place you'd like to visit in the future? Why does it interest you?
What challenges do you think historians face when trying to piece together the stories of ancient civilizations?