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Unit1SocrateswasaclassicalGreekphilosopherwhoiscreditedwithlayingthefundamentalsofmodernWesternphilosophy.Heisamysteriousfigureknownchieflythroughtheaccountsoflaterclassicalwriters,especiallythewritingsofhismostfamousstudentPlato.Socrateshasbecomewellknownforhiscontributiontothefieldofethics.Hismethodofteaching,knownastheSocraticMethod,byaskingandansweringquestionstostimulatecriticalthinkingandtoexplainideasremainsacommonlyusedtoolinawiderangeofdiscussions.Healsomadeimportantandlastingcontributionstothefieldofepistemologyandlogic,andtheinfluenceofhisideasandapproachremainsastrongfoundationforWesternphilosophythatfollowed.Socrateswasthemostcolorfulfigureinthehistoryofancientphilosophy.Hisfamewaswidespreadinhisowntime,andhisnamesoonbecameahouseholdwordalthoughheconstructednophilosophicalsystem,establishednoschool,andfoundednosect.ConfucianismsageTheAnalects21ConfuciuswasagreatthinkerandeducatorinChinesehistory.HewasthefounderofConfucianismandwasrespectfullyreferredtoasanancientsage.HiswordsandlifestorywererecordedinTheAnalects.AnenduringclassicofancientChineseculture,TheAnalectshashadagreatinfluenceonthethinkers,writers,andstatesmenthatcameafterConfucius.Withoutstudyingthisbook,onecouldhardlytrulyunderstandthethousands-of-years'traditionalChineseculture.MuchofConfucius'thought,especiallyhisthoughtoneducation,hashadaprofoundinfluenceonChinesesociety.Inthe21stcentury,ConfucianthoughtnotonlyretainstheattentionoftheChinese,butitalsowinsanincreasingattentionfromtheinternationalcommunity.Unit21225336Christmasisawidelyobservedculturalholiday,celebratedonDecember25bymillionsofpeoplearoundtheworld.Itcommemorates()thebirthofJesusChrist.Thefestivaldatedfromasearlyas336AD.Graduallyitevolvedintoareligiousaswellassecular()celebration,celebratedbyanincreasingnumberofnon-Christians.TodayChristmasisobservedasanimportantfestivalandpublicholidayaroundtheworld.Christmascustomsdifferindifferentcountries.PopularmoderncustomsoftheholidayincludeanexchangeofChristmascardsandgifts,Christmassinging,churchattendance,thedisplayofvariousChristmasdecorationsandtrees,familygatherings,andaspecialmealpreparation.Tosmallchildren,thefestivalisfulloffantasyandsurprise.Legend()hasitthatSantaClauswillentereachhousethroughthechimneyandbringgiftstowell-behavedchildrenonChristmasEve.Becausegift-givingandmanyotheraspectsoftheChristmasfestivalheighteneconomicactivityamongbothChristiansandnon-Christians,theholidayhasalsobecomeasignificanteventandakeysalesperiodforbusinesses.ChineselunarcalendartheMid-AutumnFestival2008AccordingtotheChineselunarcalendar,August15ofeveryyearisatraditionalChinesefestivaltheMid-AutumnFestival.Thisdayisthemiddleofautumn,soitiscalledMid-Autumn.OneoftheimportantMid-AutumnFestivalactivitiesistoenjoythemoon.Onthatnight,peoplegathertogethertocelebratetheMid-AutumnFestival,lookingupatthebrightmoonandeatingmooncakes.Thefestivalisalsoatimeforfamilyreunion.Peoplelivingfarawayfromhomewillexpresstheirfeelingsofmissingtheirhometownsandfamiliesatthisfestival.Therearemanycustomstocelebratethefestival,allexpressingpeople'sloveandhopeforahappylife.Since2008,theMid-AutumnFestivalhasbecomeanofficialnationalholidayinChina.Unit319186312275250452013150TheLondonUndergroundisarapidtransit()systemintheUnitedKingdom,servingalargepartofGreaterLondon.TheundergroundsystemisalsoknownastheTube,duetothecharacteristicshapeofthesubwaytunnels.Itallstartedinthemid-1800s.TheTubewastheworld'sfirstundergroundtrainsystem,withthefirstsectionopeningin1863.Sincethenithasgrowntoanundergroundmasterpiece()of12lines,275stations,andover250milesofrailtrack,45%ofwhichisunderground.Itisthefourthlargestmetrosystemintheworldintermsofroutemiles.Italsohasoneofthelargestnumbersofstations.AsanaffordableandeasywaytogetaroundLondon,theTuberemainsthefirstchoiceformillionsofcommuterseachday,aswellastouristsvisitingthecityonholidays.TheTubehasbeenaninternationaliconforLondon.TheLondonUndergroundcelebratedits150yearsofoperationin2013,withvariouseventsmarkingthemilestone().195619701992mannedspaceflightprogram20032007lunar-orbiting2013China'sspaceindustrywaslaunchedin1956.Overthepastdecades,China'sspaceindustryhascreatedonemiracleafteranother.In1970Chinalauncheditsfirstman-madeearthsatellite,rankingChinathefifthcountryintheworldtoindependentlydevelopandlaunchman-madeearthsatellites.In1992Chinabegantocarryoutthemannedspaceflightprogram.In2003ChinalaunchedShenzhou-5,amannedspaceship.ThesuccessfullaunchmadeChinathethirdcountrytolaunchmannedspaceships.In2007Chang'e-1,thefirstlunar-orbitingman-madesatellite,wassenttospace.In2013Shenzhou-10,thefifthmannedspaceship,waslaunchedsuccessfully,layingthefoundationforbuildingtheChineseSpaceStation.Unit4?1271129517?1516???AsoneofthefirstEuropeanstotravelacrossAsiathroughChina,MarcoPoloisperhapsthemostwell-knownforeignmerchantandvoyagertotheChinesepeople.Hetraveledextensively()withhisfamily,journeyingfromEuropetoAsiafrom1271to1295.HeremainedinChinafor17ofthoseyears.HisbookTheTravelsofMarcoPolodepictshisjourneysthroughoutAsia,givingEuropeanstheirfirstcomp