We use these every day |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
The Chinese invented paper about 2,000 years ago. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They made it from different plants. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
At first they used it for wrapping things, then they used it for writitng and drawing on. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
This picture shows leaves and flowers. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
Paper was most useful for books. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
For hundreds of years, people wrote books. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They used pens and ink and it took a long time. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
Then one of the most important inventions appeared. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
Printing |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
Chinese people first printed on cloth more than 2,000 years ago. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They cut a pattern on a block of wood. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They put dye on the woodblock then they pressed the block onto the cloth. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
The block printed the pattern. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They could use the block again and again. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
Sometimes the cloth was silk. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
The Chinese invented silk, too. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
This piece of silk is a beautiful curtain. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
Later the Chinese printed words on paper. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They cut words on the woodblock. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
This was difficult work. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They put ink on the block then they pressed the paper onto it. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
The woodblock printed the words onto the paper. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
The printers printed one page at a time but they could print with the block many times. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They could make many copies of each book. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
More people could have books. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
The oldest printed book in the world is from China. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
It is more than 1,100 years old. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
The compass |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
A long time ago, sailors used the stars at night. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They could find north, south, east and west. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
When it was cloudy, they could not see the stars and sometimes they lost their way. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
The Chinese made a discovery. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
A special stone made a metal needle point to north. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They floated the needle in a bowl of water and it pointed to north. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
It worked at sea when it was cloudy and completely dark. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
It worked on land in the daytime, too. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
People could find north and then they could follow a map. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They could find their way to new places. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
Gunpowder |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
Chinese scientists discovered gunpowder 1,100 years ago. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
First they found a kind of salt. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
It burned with a purple flame. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They mixed it with other salts. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
When they put the mixture in a metal box and heated it, the box exploded. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
It was a very powerful mixture. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They used the gunpowder to make fireworks. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
Chinese people still make fireworks. They are the best in the world. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
If you go to a firework display, you will see Chinese fireworks. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
They explode in the sky in different shapes and clours. |
play_circle
pause_circle
|
Listen 5 times |
play_circle
pause_circle
|