

shopping centre
[ˈʃɒpɪŋ sentə(r)]art gallery
[ˈɑːt ɡæləri]amusement park
[əˈmjuːzmənt pɑːk]historic building
[hɪˈstɒrɪk ˈbɪldɪŋ]modern building
[ˈmɒdn ˈbɪldɪŋ]snapshot
[ˈsnæpʃɒt]nobody
[ˈnəʊbədi]bored
[bɔːd]emperor
[ˈempərə(r)]once
[wʌns]opera
[ˈɒprə]*sell
[sel]a mix of
[ə mɪks əv]thousands of
[ˈθaʊzndz ɒv]take a trip
[teɪk ə trɪp]a drop of
[ə drɒp ɒv]Explore
Beijing: a big-city snapshot
A city has amazing things to see and interesting places to explore.
Let's take a look at Beijing, the capital of our country.
Beijing is a mix of old and new.
Nobody can be bored in Beijing!
A historic city
Beijing is a very old city with a history of more than 3,000 years.
It has been the capital of China for hundreds of years.
You can enjoy seeing Beijing's historic buildings.
You can learn about China's history at the Palace Museum.
Many emperors once lived there.
Outside the city, you can see the Great Wall.
People built it thousands of years ago.
Modern Beijing
Today, Beijing is one of the most modern cities in the world.
You can find some amazing buildings here.
The National Centre for the Performing Arts looks like a drop of water.
There, you can watch plays and operas.
Then there is the National Stadium, the star of the 2008 Olympic Games.
It looks like a big bird's nest!
Top 3 things to do in Beijing
Take a trip to see the Great Wall.
Visit the Olympic Park.
Try Beijing roast duck.
After walking around the city, you can enjoy a meal at a restaurant.
No one should visit Beijing without trying Beijing roast duck.
Extend
From town to megacity
The year is 1979.
A small town sits at the mouth of the Pearl River.
Nothing much happens there.
The buildings are small.
Only about 310,000 people live there.
It is Shenzhen.
It is 1980.
Many new businesses are opening in Shenzhen.
Thousands of young people come here.
They begin to build tall buildings.
It is now 1990.
About 1.68 million people live in Shenzhen and more workers are coming.
They work hard in new factories.
They have a better life in Shenzhen.
Ten years later, the population jumps to about 7 million!
Shenzhen keeps growing.
Today, it is full of modern buildings and green spaces.
It has more than 1,000 parks!
About 18 million people live in Shenzhen.
They make this city a great place.