I. Reading skills

Ex. 1. Read the text and get its central idea. Say when the first Chinese dynasty appeared.

Ex. 2. Read the text again and note important details. Divide the text into logical parts. Find key sentences in each part.

Ex. 3. Find in the text and read aloud sentences that prove that...

1. the first known ruler is famous for his efforts to control the floods of the Yellow River.

2. cattle breeding was well developed in ancient China.

3. Erlitou was a nice capital.

4. agriculture in China differs from that in India.

5. a lot of domesticated plants were introduced from abroad.

6. the Yellow River provided the transition to civilization

7. archaeological findings confirm ancient legends.

8. the Shang dynasty was the first to record the Chinese history.

9. Shang emperors claimed that heaven had given them their authority to rule the Chinese people.

10. the remains of Anyang are evidence of well-developed city life in northern China.

Ex. 4. List the following items in the order in which they come in the text:

1. Shang was the title they chose for their imperial name.

2. China was not rich in native plants that could be domesticated.

3. When the emperors died they were buried in huge tombs similar to the pyramids of Egypt.

4. The legend has it that the first important ruler, Yu the Great, appeared about 2200 ВС.

5. Anyang was one of the Shang capitals, a city located in northern China on the Yellow River.

6. Animals from other regions of Asia also found their way into China.

7. An ancient legend says that the Chinese people settled along the Yellow River many centuries ago.

II. VOCABULARY SKILLS

Ex. 5. Give Russian equivalents of the following word combinations and reproduce the sentences in which these units are used in the text.

to take the title of to be confirmed from archaeological findings to settle along the river to cultivate crops to domesticate animals (plants) to give smb an authority to rule transition to civilization

to be decorated with fish motifs grave gifts to furnish the bulk of daily diet of bread the silkworm cocoons not to survive except for foundations to enhance prestige and wealth