Tim Nguyen 4/25/2012

Page 11 Questions 1. The Chinese named their country the Middle Kingdom or Zhung-Guo, because they believed that China was the center of the universe. 2. Compared to other countries, China would stand as the fourth largest country in the world, owning 3.7 million square miles of land. Only Canada, the United States, and the Soviet Union can outmatch their size. 3. a. The heartland of China is known as China Proper b. People inhabit China Proper in four distinct areas: the North China Plain, Chang Jiang, the Valley of the Xi River, and the broad plateau of the southwest. c. The climate of North China differs greatly from South because of the Qinling Shan, a mountain, which acts as the barrier. The North receives 10 to 25 inches of rain, while the South receives 40 to 90 inches of rain. Summer in North China can be warm and hot and winter can be fierce. South China stays warm during the summer and has mild winters. Crops on North China depend mainly on their water supply because of their little rainfall while the South can farm all year round. 4. a. Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Tibet, Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning are the borderlands in China today. b. Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and Tibet are the autonomous regions in China.

Thinking Critically (Page 32) 1. In productivity, North Chinas principal crop has been wheat, only surpassed by the United States and Soviet Union. South China contains rice paddies which are part of almost every farming area there. China is the leading producer of rice. They share their production of tea, silk, and soybeans, which are immensely popular. Next, the people who live in North China, tend to have light or cream-colored skin, while those who live in the south have many different shades. In some parts of China, people have almondshaped eyes. Lastly, North China contains less inhabitants compared to the south. It has the Gobi desert there whereas the south doesnt have a desert 2. Chinas three major rivers, Huang He, Chung Jiang, and Xi has served as the arteries of China. The Huang He, Chinas lifeline, is one of the worlds longest rivers, is used primarily as just water for farmers. Its held back by dikes and these have sometimes burst and flooded land, leaving a fertile layer of silt. The Chang Jiang, Chinas most

important river, is navigable for about 1,000 miles. Its use mainly to make way between ports. Lastly, the Xi, Chinas great river, is navigable and can transfer goods to Hong Kong, making it a major transportation route. 3. Parts of China have suffered from famine because of one, their climate changes. Tragedies occurred because their either can be too much or too little rain causing floods or deadly droughts. Another reason can be accidents. The dams holding back the rivers from flooding may have burst and caused flooding. 4. The language in China has shaped their way of life because it allows the Chinese to share a common language. The current main language is Mandarin Chinese. Given the name guoyu, which translates to national language, Mandarin Chinese is the everyday speech of about three-fourths of the country. Their culture, which includes their marriage patterns and village ties, shaped them the way they are now. The ways of traditional Chinese has matured into a culture now that can be shared as a common way of life.