Listen&Learn: The Great Wall of China

Learn the history of the world’s longest man-made structure

Pre-listening vocabulary

• man-made: built by humans; not natural
• dynasty: a time period where a line of related rulers lead a country
• invade: to attack and enter a foreign country
• tribe: a group of people living together and sharing traditions
• erode: to slowly be destroyed by natural processes
• reinforce: to provide more support and strength to something
• landmark: a recognizable structure

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:16 — 1.2MB)

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Gapfill exercise

The Great Wall of China is the longest man-made in the world. It took almost 2000 years to build. The earliest sections of the wall were built during the Qin dynasty, around 200 B.C.E. They were made of soil and . Their original purpose was to defend the from invading northern tribes. Most of this wall has eroded over time. Hundreds of years later, the emperors of the Ming dynasty reinforced the wall by building sections out of bricks. These parts of the wall, built in the 15th century, are the most today. Construction of the Great Wall ended in the 17th century. Today, it is one of the most famous landmarks in the world.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. The earliest parts of the Great Wall were made of
   a. brick
   b. wood
   c. soil
   
2. The original purpose of the wall was to
   a. defend the country from invaders
   b. provide paths to trade goods with other countries
   c. allow people to hike through the landscape
   
3. The parts of the wall that are now recognizable were built during
   a. the Qin dynasty
   b. the Ming dynasty
   c. the Qing dynasty

Discussion/essay questions

1. Is there an important landmark in your city or country? What makes it significant?

Transcript

The Great Wall of China is the longest man-made structure in the world. It took almost 2000 years to build. The earliest sections of the wall were built during the Qin dynasty, around 200 B.C.E. They were made of soil and stone. Their original purpose was to defend the country from invading northern tribes. Most of this early wall has eroded over time. Hundreds of years later, the emperors of the Ming dynasty reinforced the wall by building sections out of bricks. These parts of the wall, built in the 15th century, are the most recognizable today. Construction of the Great Wall ended in the 17th century. Today, it is one of the most famous landmarks in the world.

Answers to comprehension questions

1c 2a 3b