The Great Wall of China [I] Walls and wall building have played a very important role in Chinese culture. These people, from the dim mists o...

The Great Wall of China

[I] Walls and wall building have played a very important role in Chinese culture. These people, from the dim mists of prehistory have been wall-conscious; from the Neolithic period – when ramparts of pounded earth were used - to the Communist Revolution, walls were an essential part of any village. Not only towns and villages; the houses and the temples within them were somehow walled, and the houses also had no windows overlooking the street, thus giving the feeling of wandering around a huge maze. The name for “city” in Chinese (ch’eng) means wall, and over these walled cities, villages, houses and temples presides the god of walls and mounts, whose duties were, and still are, to protect and be responsible for the welfare of the inhabitants. Thus a great and extremely laborious task such as constructing a wall, which was supposed to run throughout the country, must not have seemed such an absurdity. [II] 

However, it is indeed a common mistake to perceive the Great Wall as a single architectural structure, and it would also be erroneous to assume that it was built during a single dynasty. For the building of the wall spanned the various dynasties, and each of these dynasties somehow contributed to the refurbishing and the construction of a wall, whose foundations had been laid many centuries ago. It was during the fourth and third century B.C. that each warring state started building walls to protect their kingdoms, both against one another and against the northern nomads. Especially three of these states: the Ch’in, the Chao and the Yen, corresponding respectively to the modern provinces of Shensi, Shanzi and Hopei, over and above building walls that surrounded their kingdoms, also laid the foundations on which Ch’in Shih Huang Di would build his first continuous Great Wall. [III]

[IV] Throughout the centuries many settlements were established along the new border. The garrison troops were instructed to reclaim wasteland and to plant crops on it, roads and canals were built, to mention just a few of the works carried out. All these undertakings greatly helped to increase the country’s trade and cultural exchanges with many remote areas and also with the southern, central and western parts of Asia – the formation of the Silk Route. Builders, garrisons, artisans, farmers and peasants left behind a trail of objects, including inscribed tablets, household articles, and written work, which have become extremely valuable archaeological evidence to the study of defence institutions of theGreat Wall and the everyday life of these people who lived and died along the wall.

Question 31: Where in the passage does the following sentence best fit?

The role that the Great Wall played in the growth of Chinese economy was an important one.

A. [I]         B. [III]         C. [IV]         D. [II]

Question 32: The word “absurdity” in paragraph 1 is OPPOSITE in meaning to __________.

A. nonsense         B. ridiculousness         C. irrationality         D. sensibility

Question 33: Which of the following best summarises paragraph 2?

A. Each warring state independently built its own walls, which remained unconnected until the modern era.

B. The Great Wall was built mainly by the Ch’in, Chao, and Yen states, primarily for protection against the northern nomads.

C. The Great Wall was a single, continuous structure initiated by Ch’in Shih Huang Di and completed within his dynasty.

D. The construction of the Great Wall was a prolonged process spanning multiple dynasties, with each contributing to its expansion and foundation.

Question 34: The phrase “left behind a trail of objects” in paragraph 3 mostly means __________.

A. Collected objects for future generations.

B. Abandoned personal belongings without any purpose.

C. Created a series of material evidence that shows their activities and daily life.

D. Lost important documents and artifacts accidentally.

Question 35: According to the passage, the garrison troops were tasked with reclaiming wasteland primarily in order to:

A. Establish military fortifications along the new border

B. Convert unproductive land into cultivated areas for crops

C. Create settlements for artisans and farmers

D. Control trade routes with remote regions

Question 36: The word “it” in paragraph 4 refers to __________.

A. the garrison troop        B. crop         C. settlement         D. wasteland

Question 37: Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 2?

A. Far from being a cohesive structural unit, the Great Wall’s historical reality is obscured by the misconception that it was a collaborative project spanning multiple dynasties.

B. Though commonly regarded as a unified structure, the Great Wall was constructed in distinct phases under different dynasties.

C. While the Great Wall is often erroneously characterized by its architectural heterogeneity, it is an even greater fallacy to attribute its entire development to a succession of distinct imperial regimes.

D. Though commonly regarded as a unified structure, the Great Wall was constructed as a coordinated project across successive dynasties.

Question 38: Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A. The primary function of the Great Wall was decorative rather than defensive.

B. The Great Wall evolved over time rather than being the result of a single plan.

C. Wall construction was deeply embedded in Chinese cultural and religious beliefs.

D. Economic and cultural development occurred alongside military expansion.

Question 39: Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A. The Great Wall’s historical significance has been exaggerated by modern scholars.

B. The Great Wall should be understood as a product of intertwined cultural, military, and economic forces.

C. The Great Wall primarily symbolizes religious devotion in ancient China.

D. The Great Wall functioned mainly as a political symbol rather than a practical structure.

Question 40: Which of the following best summarises the passage?

A. The historical importance of the Great Wall lies chiefly in the archaeological artifacts uncovered near its borders rather than in its construction or cultural meaning.

B. The Great Wall was conceived as a unified architectural project designed to defend China from northern nomads and later adapted for economic purposes.

C. Rooted in China’s wall-centered culture, the Great Wall evolved across dynasties into a multifunctional system supporting defense, settlement, and exchange.

D. Originating in prehistoric China, walls gradually lost their defensive function and became primarily religious symbols integrated into daily life.

[Soucre: ĐỀ KHẢO SÁT CHẤT LƯỢNG THPT LẦN 1 - TRƯỜNG THPT BỈM SƠN]