The Huang He Valley, also 【小题1】 (refer) to as the Yellow River Valley, was the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilization, because of 【小题2】 it is often called “Mother River”. The valley is at the center of thousands of years of Chinese history. 【小题3】 China’s second-longest river, the Huang He is over 5, 400 kilometers long. It is called the Yellow River because its waters carry sand and mud, 【小题4】 (give) the river its yellow-brown color.

While the river helps create fertile land that is suited for farming, during certain times of the year the Huang He 【小题5】 (frequent) overflows, which damages housing and crops across the North China Plain, 【小题6】 important agricultural region. For thousands of years, the Chinese 【小题7】 (conduct) major public projects to keep control of the water from the Huang He, including hydroelectric dams in modern times. Despite the possibility of flooding, the Huang He Valley basin is home to a huge population, and many of the country’s oldest cities 【小题8】 (locate) along the river.

Tribes and villages appeared from around 2100 BC to 1600 BC in the Huang He Valley. During that time, tribal leaders came together to solve the problem of the Huang He overflowing and wiping out their villages and crops. With the ability 【小题9】 (control) the Huang He better and save their crops from flooding, a number of 【小题10】 (dynasty) were then headquartered in the region. The valley became the center of Chinese culture, society and learning.

An important symbol of China is the Chinese characters—hanzi. While this unique writing system has an ancient origin, it was standardised and unified by Emperor Qinshihuang. Since then, it 【小题1】 (be) one of the great things 【小题2】 (bind) the Chinese people together, and a symbol of Chinese national pride.

Another popular symbol of China around the world is the Great Wall. It was originally built by Emperor Qinshihuang, and 【小题3】 (expand) afterwards. The part of the Great Wall most people are familiar with was built by the Ming Dynasty in the 14th century, though.

Porcelain, a fine and delicate ceramic, has long been prized for its beauty and elegance. Each piece, whether ancient or modern, 【小题1】 (reflect) the unique traditions, aesthetics (审美), and skills of its makers. The fact 【小题2】 the country and the material share the same name in English — “China”, is a testament to the Europeans’ long 【小题3】 (aware) of the significance of porcelain in Chinese civilization.

Porcelain found 【小题4】 (it) way to Europe in the 15th century, occupying an important position in the exchanges between China and other countries. The Keise l Randy Museum in Germany, for instance, houses a blue-and-white bowl 【小题5】 (date) back to the Ming dynasty, representative of the conciseness and elegance that Chinese porcelain symbolizes.

Throughout history, China, along with other Asian countries, maintained a busy and vast trade in porcelain 【小题6】 Europe. From 1602 to 1682, the Dutch East India Company transported over 16 million porcelain 【小题7】 (article) to Europe, further establishing China’s reputation for producing delicate ceramics.

Porcelain played 【小题8】 important role in the European idealization of China during the 17th and 18th centuries. The rococo style, popular in Europe during that period, 【小题9】 (influence) by the “Chinese vogue,” evident in the styles of porcelain and gardens inspired by China.

In conclusion, porcelain remains an eternal material, 【小题10】 beauty and diversity continue to appeal to people, making it a timeless treasure.