The Silk Road

The routes

For centuries,the Silk Road was the most important line of communication connecting modern day Xi'an with the Middle East and Europe,today one area in particular is associated most closely with the name of the Silk Road.This area is Xinjiang in Northwest China,through which two major routes of the Silk Road passed on the northern and southern side of the Taklamakan desert.

The name

The Silk Road got its name in the 19^th century when a German geographer identified it as the route through which the Romans got their silk from China.However,silk wasn't the only thing that passed along the Silk Road;anything that had buyers was traded along the road.Goods were traded from market to market passing through many hands before they reached their final destinations.

Buddhism

The Silk Road was not just the route through which goods were carried.It was also important for the exchange of ideas.Buddhism from India entered China along the Silk Road and had a huge influence on Chinese culture.Greek art styles were popular along the Silk Road and gave Buddhist statues in Northern India classical Western faces.These styles from Northerm India were also found in Xinjiang.

The people

One of China's famous monks,Xuan Zang,followed the Silk Road in the 6^th century to collect Buddhist scriptures from India.Around 600 years later,one of Europe's famous travellers,MarcoPolo,entered China along the Silk Road.Both Xuan Zang and Marco Polo left detailed records of their journeys along the Silk Road.

The Silk Road today

Today, the Xinjiang Autonomous Region remains an international crossroad where traders from surrounding countries,and tourists from all over the world regularly meet.Trade in precious stones,food,drinks,crafts,art,and of course,silk,contimues,too.

    Are you interested in country music? I like it very much! It will take me away for a while after I am tired. The guitars and songs will take me to mountains and fields.

    Country music usually talks of everyday life and feelings. It's the spirit of America, easy to understand, slow and simple.

Country music developed in the Southern United States. It was the folk music of American countryside. Many of songs told about the lives of farmers. They talked about love, crops or death.

    The life of the countryside can be hard, so the words in country music are often sad. At first, people played the music only at family parties. But it became more popular later. In the nineteen twenties, people played country songs on the radio, and they made them into records.

When people in the countryside moved to towns and cities to look for work, they took their music with them. Country music continued to change and became popular across America.

John Denver was one of America's most famous country singers in the 1970s. His song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" is well-known and people still play it today.

    Many of you have watched a Superman cartoon or movie. But did you know he first appeared in comics（连环漫画）? Do you want to learn more about popular comic books around the world? Take a look!

    Do you find reading boring? Have a read of some comic books. You will learn to love their colorful pictures and simple language.

    Comic books usually tell stories through cartoons. The US and Japan have some great comic books. But they are not the same.

    Their names are different. People say "comic books" in the US but "manga" in Japan.

    American comics are often about superheroes—characters like Superman and Spider Man. So action is a major part of American comics. But Japanese manga like to tell stories of ordinary people. Luffy in One Piece（《海贼王》）is such an example.

    American comics make people excited with super powers, while Japanese manga comfort（安慰）people with moving stories. Natsume's Book of Friends is about a teenage boy. He can see spirits（精灵）. He is confused （困惑的）at first but later he makes friends with spirits.

    you are not interested in these two kinds, why not try some from China? Xia Da, 32, is a great comic book artist from China. Some of her comics are about school life. Others show the beauty of Chinese culture.