China

Land

Rugged 1.) ____________ such as the Himalaya and Kunlun Shan

cover about of the country.
China is also home to the 2.) ______________ of Tibet, which is known as the
Roof of the World.
The Taklimakan 3.) _______________ is an isolated region in Western China
with very high temperatures.
The 4.) ______________ desert can be found in northern China, and has rocks
and stones instead of sand.
5.) _______________ are extremely important to the Chinese people. They
serve as important 6.) ______________ routes and as a source of soil. However,
flooding costs hundreds of thousands of lives and caused much damage.
Examples: Yangtze and 7.) ___________ Rivers.
Eastern China has 8.) _____________ along the Yellow, East China, and South
China Seas. About 90% of people live on these 9.) ________________ plains.

History

Chinas civilization is more than 10.) ______________ years old. For many
centuries until the early 1900s, rulers known as emperors or empresses ruled
China.
A 11.) _______________, or line of rulers from a single family, would hold
power until it was overthrown. Then a new leader would begin a new one.
As their civilization developed, the Chinese tried to keep out foreign 12.)
_______________. In many ways, this was
easy, due to 13.) ___________ Barriers such as seas, deserts, and 14.)
___________________.

Foreign influences increasingly entered China during the 1700s and 1800s.
Europeans especially wanted Chinese goods such as tea, pottery, and 15.)
____________. The United Kingdom and other countries used military
power to force China to trade with them. Eventually, the Emperor was
overthrown and the country was ruled by the 14.) _______________ party.

People

China is a 15.) ____________________ country, which means all land and

factories are controlled by the government.
Farmers are organized onto large government farms. However, many
government plans went wrong, and individual freedoms are lost. Many people
were killed because they oppose communism.
Countries around the world have 16.) ______________ the Chineses continued
harsh treatment of people who criticize it.
They say that Chinese leaders have no respect for human 17.)
_______________.
About 63% of Chinas people live in 18.) _____________ areas. Most are
crowded into the fertile river valleys of Eastern China. Families work hard in
their fields, but use hand tools because mechanical equipment is too
expensive.
More than 503 million people live in 19.) _______________. Chinas cities are
growing rapidly as people leave farms hoping to find better-paying 20.)
_____________.
Living conditions are crowded, but most homes and apartments have
heat, electricity, and running water.
China is famous for its traditional 21.)___________. Chinese craft workers
make bronze bowls, jade, decorated silk, glazed pottery, and fine porcelain.
The Chinese are also known for their 22.) ______________, sculpture, and
architecture.