高中三年级英语(人教版)全一册 Unit 2 Reading

　　REACHING OUT ACROSS THE OCEAN

　　Trade and curiosity have often formed the foundation for mankind's greatest endeavour. To people of early civilisations, the world map was a great puzzle. Marco Polo's stories inspired Christopher Columbus and other European explorers to search for sea routes to the distant, wealthy Asian lands. However, long before that brave merchants were the real explorers of the Western Ocean.

　　It is well known that Africa had contacts with India and the Red Sea civilisations from the earliest times. Silk from China found its way over land along the Silk Road to India, the Middle East and Rome, in exchange for spices and glass. Silk was also traded along the coasts of the Indian Ocean. Ceylon, with its central position, was the place where Chinese merchants met with Arab merchants and heard about the westernmost lands. Thus, people of the Han Dynasty knew about Africa and had books with descriptions of the kingdoms on the African coast and the Red Sea. In 97 AD Gan Ying, a Chinese ambassador, went to the East Roman Empire over land and returned to Luoya.ng with a present from an African king -- rhinoceros horns.

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