A true pioneer
Marco Polo is probably the most famous traveler-explorer of the Far East. He was born in 1254 and was the son of an Italian merchant living in Venice, an important trade centre at that time. Arco was well educated and also very curious, A22 ____ particular interest in different cultures. His father had already travelled to the Far East several times, and in 1271, when Marco was seventeen, he decided to take Marco with him on his journey to China along the Silk Road, a series of trade A23 ____ through Asia.
They set out from Venice, travelled through Armenia, Persia and Afghanistan and along the Silk Road. After travelling for A24 _____ three years, they finally arrived at their destination; the summer residence of the emperor Kublai Khan at Shang-tu, close to modern-day Beijing. Marco Polo A25 _____ in love with the city and became close to Kublai Khan, advising him on many matters.
Marco Polo left a A26 _____ account of his journey to China and his stay there. A27 _____ the fact that he was not really a historian, he also wrote a long story of the Mongol people. Not everyone agrees that Marco Polo’s stories are real. However, fiction or not, they have captivated readers A28 _____ the centuries.
A22 1) presenting 2) putting 3) showing 4) giving
A23 1) routes 2) ways 3) courses 4) tracks
A24 1) beyond 2) after 3) above 4) over
A25 1) set 2) went 3) fell 4) dropped
A26 1) specific 2) detailed 3) particular 4) proper
A27 1) Although 2) Owing 3) Due 4) Despite
A28 1) during 2) throughout 3) in 4) by
