Four Great Inventions

四大发明

HistoryHSK 2+~10 min

Reading

中国的四大是、、和。这四种改变了世界。让知识得以记录和传播。帮助航海家找到方向。这些都出现在中国古代，后来通过传到欧洲。

Tap underlined words for pinyin and meaning.

1
Paper was invented by Cai Lun (蔡伦) around 105 CE during the Han dynasty. Before paper, Chinese records were written on bamboo strips and silk.
2
Moveable type printing was invented by Bi Sheng (毕昇) around 1040 CE during the Song dynasty — about 400 years before Gutenberg's press in Europe.
3
Gunpowder was accidentally discovered by Taoist alchemists searching for an elixir of immortality. It was first used for fireworks and military signals before becoming a weapon.
4
The Silk Road was not a single road but a network of trade routes connecting China to Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, facilitating the exchange of goods, cultures, and ideas for over 1,500 years.

1.Which of the following is NOT one of China's Four Great Inventions?

2.How did China's inventions spread to Europe?

3.What was gunpowder originally discovered by, and for what purpose?

4.Who is credited with inventing moveable type printing in China?

5.What was the primary use of the compass when first invented?

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