Conversation 2
Waitress: OK.
Kate: Thank you.
Mark: Thanks.
Kate: So go on about Emperor Qin. It’s really interesting.
Janet: It is, isn’t it? Well, so he unified China and that was an incredible achievement. But as a result, huge numbers of soldiers were killed.
Kate: About how many?
Janet: Oh, I don’t know, something like 500,000 men?
Kate: That is huge.
Mark: So how do the Chinese see Qin?
Janet: He’s seen as the greatest emperor in Chinese history.
Mark: Why? Because he unified China? That’s a very good reason, mind you.
Janet: Not only that. The thing is, as a result of the unification, he did many amazing things. He built roads all across China, he standardized writing ... and also the money system. Oh, and the system for measuring and weighing things as well.
Mark: So he was a great leader for China.
Janet: Yes, he was, but he was also very cruel.
Mark: Yes, but most emperors were cruel, weren’t they?
Kate: Well I guess that’s true. You’re right.
Mark: So did he have enemies?
Janet: Of course, I think all great emperors have some enemies. Some people hated him so much they tried to kill him!
Mark: Was he the emperor who built the Great Wall of China?
Janet: He built the first Great Wall. You see, tribes from the north were always trying to invade so he built a huge wall across China to stop them. Hundreds of thousands of men died building it.
Kate: It’s so sad – all those thousands of people dying.
Mark: But then ... that’s war, isn’t it?
Answers:
Conversation 2
3. Answers:
1 Something like 500,000 men.
2 He is seen as the greatest emperor in Chinese history.
3 Yes, of course he had enemies.
4 Yes, he built the first Great Wall.
4.Answers:
1 She says it was an incredible achievement.
2 As a result of the unification.
3 He standardized writing, the money system and the system for measuring and weighing things.
4 He built it to stop tribes from the north invading.
5. Answers:
(1) an incredible achievement
(2) 500,000 men
(3) the greatest emperor
(4) standardize writing
(5) a great leader
(6) have enemies
(7) trying to invade
(8) died building it
6. Answers:
1 (b) 2 (a) 3 (b) 4 (a)

