looked at him anxiously.

    More than 700 years ago, a 17-year-old Italian youth followed his father and uncle on a journey to the East, dreaming about the mysteries of China. The three set{#blank#}1{#/blank#} on a path that might have frightened even the most ambitious travellers. The young adventurer was Marco Polo.

    Having a talent for languages，Marco Polo learned to speak Mongolian and Chinese. Later under the orders of Kublai Khan, he{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(travel) far and wide across China. Along the way, he stopped {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (record) detailed notes about the local customs, geography and values of the people, so as to report back to the Khan.

    Marco Polo returned to Venice 24 years later. With{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (count) treasures brought back from the East, he became{#blank#}5{#/blank#} wealthy man overnight.{#blank#}6{#/blank#} he witnessed in China aroused much interest among his countrymen. Marco Polo's journey to China and the contents of his{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (vivid) written book, The Travels of Marco Polo, which{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (think) to be a fairy tale in Europe at the time, triggered a wave of European interest in the Orient.

    Marco Polo's story is both one about an explorer's search riches and a Westerner{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (follow) his dream to reach China. More than 700 years later, China, the once mysterious Oriental nation，is igniting the Chinese dream of many modem Marco Polos, attracted by its rapid {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(develop) and its growing importance in the world.

    Beijing Opera roles require performers to paint{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(they) faces in patterns and colours to represent different character types and{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(quality).

    In Beijing Opera, facial painting can be quite complex. However, in the{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(begin), only three colours were used-red, white, and black. Now, many other colours, such{#blank#}4{#/blank#}yellow, purple, blue and green, are used for facial painting.

Red is a colour for brave and loyal characters. Guan Yu, a general from the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 220-280), is a good example of this kind of character. He is famous{#blank#}5{#/blank#}being very loyal to his emperor, Liu Bei.

    White highlights all{#blank#}6{#/blank#}is bad in human nature. It{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(suggest) dishonesty and betrayal(背叛). One of the typical white-faced characters is Cao Cao, a{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(power) and cruel prime minister from the Three Kingdoms Period.

    Black face paint is{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(usual) used for someone who is fierce and violent. One typical example is General Zhang Fei from the classic novel, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

    All these different colours are used in Beijing Opera facial painting {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(provide) a clear picture of each character.