An incredible journey

ANALYTICAL AND CRITICAL
READING 0115222

AN INCRIDIBLE

JOURNEY

Marco Polo

AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY

members

Nantawan Somnuek Nadiyah Salae
641011598 s102 641011599 s102

Nur-ainee Sri-amat Mus-ub Samae
641011602 s102 641011618 s102

1

BEFORE YOU READ

A. Pair work. Have you ever heard Marco Polo before?
(Describe with a partner.)

B. Preview the reading. Look quickly over the article on pages 2-3
to complete the previewing short below.

Previewing Chart

1.Title of the reading.......................................................................
2. Name of people and place in the reading. (List 5 more)

........................................... ...........................................
........................................... ...........................................

...........................................

2

MARCO POLO

AN
INCREDIBLE
JOURNEY

A The Polos—Marco, his father, Niccolò, and his uncle, Maffeo—had been traveling for three and a half years
when they finally achieved their objective—a long-awaited meeting with the powerful Mongol leader Kublai
Khan. The historic event took place in 1275 at the Khan’s luxurious summer capital1 in Shangdu, in what is
now northern China. Kublai Khan was surprisingly informal as he greeted his tired guests: “Welcome,
gentlemen! Please stand up. How’ve you been? How was the trip?”

Who is Kublai Khan and how relevent with Marco Polo?………………
What was surprising about the Polo's meeting with the Khan?……………

B Marco Polo’s trip had, in fact, started more than 9,000 kilometers away in Venice when he was just a
teenager. His father and uncle already knew Kublai Khan from a previous visit nine years earlier, when they
had spent a short time in Shangdu. On this second trip, the Polos stayed for 17 years before they returned
home. They made themselves useful to the Khan, and undertook various missions2 and tasks for him. It is
likely that the Khan considered it an honor3 that these Europeans—who were rare in China— had made
this extremely difficult journey, and he took the opportunity to make good use of their skills and knowledge.

How did Macro Polo's father and his uncle come to know Kublai Khan?…………….
Where they spent their short time?…………….

C While he was in the service of Kublai Khan, “the most powerful man in people and in lands and in treasure
that ever was in the world,” Marco Polo was able to learn and experience many things that were new to
Europeans. In his travel journal, he wrote that Kublai Khan’s palace was the greatest he had ever seen. He
admired the Khan’s recently completed new capital—Daidu—whose streets were “so straight and so
broad.”
The city was located in what is now the center of Beijing, and Kublai Khan’s city planning can still be
perceived in the straight, broad streets of China’s modern capital.

1 The capital of a country is the city where its government meets. A statue of Marco Polo in
2 A mission is an important task, especially one that involves traveling. Zhenglan Banner, China, close to
3 Something that is an honor is special and desirable. where Polo is thought to have met
Mongol leader Kublai Khan

3

what is synonym of journal?……………….
Where is Daidu?…………………….

D We learn from Marco Polo that, in the administration of his empire, Kublai Khan made use of a fast and
simple message system. Horse riders spaced every 40 kilometers allowed messages to cover 500
kilometers a day. As soon as one horse had run 40 kilometers, the next horse would run the next 40
kilometers, and so on. Marco also learned the secret of asbestos cloth, which is made from a mineral4 and
doesn’t catch fire. Paper money also took him by surprise, since it was not yet used in the West at that time.
Homes were heated with “black stones ... which burn like logs.” Those stones were coal—unknown in most
of Europe—and were so plentiful that many people had a hot bath three times a week.

What is the secret that Marco Polo learned?………………….
What is the closest meaning of “plentiful”?…………………………

E Although the Khan did not want his visitors to leave, the Polos finally received permission to return home
in 1292. Marco continued his observations while on the ocean voyage by way of Sumatra and India. After
he returned home, Marco completed a book about his trip, full of details about his amazing cultural
experiences. It was probably the single greatest contribution to geographical knowledge ever made to the
West about the East.

What the detail in the Marco Polo’s book?……………………….

4 A mineral is a substance that is found naturally in rocks and in the earth.

An ancient fort in Jiayuguan,
China—a location Marco Polo is
likely to have traveled through

Jiayuguan, China—a location Marco Polo

4

After You Read

Understanding theText

Identifying the Author's purpose The purpose of the article is to............

A. educated
B. persuade
C. entertain
D. tell a personal story

Finding the main idea A main idea of this article is that...............
A. Marco Polo's relationship with his father
B. How Marco Polo was able to reach China
C. Marco Polo's travelling
D. Marco Polo's writes a book

Scanning for Detail According to the reading, Horse riders space every .......
Kilometers allowed messages to cover ........ Kilometers a day.
A. 40,40
B. 40,400
C. 40,500
D. 40,1292

Pronoun reference In the paragraph A line number 6, the word he refers to..... .
A. Marco Polo.
B. Kublai Khan.
C. Maffeo.
D. His father..

Meaning In Context Which word is closest in meaning to informal ( in
paragraph A )
A. casual
B. official
C. literary
D. smart

5

TAKING NOTE

A. Complete the notes below using a word or
number from the reading passage.

MP’s journey to China

Started in Venice when MP was a (1) ………………………………..…
Approx (2)………………..….……………….……km
Stayed in Shangdu for (3)…………………………………..yrs, left 1292
Helped (4)…………………………………….….w/ various tasks
KK “considered it an honor” b/c (5) …………………….…… rare in China

MP’s observations

KK had amazing palace
Impressed by capital, Daidu (now center of (6) …………………..…..)
KK had fast (7) ……………………………system w/ horse riders
Learned about: 1. asbestos cloth, 2. (8) ………………money, 3. coal

Why important?

Used notes to complete a (9)……………………………..
Considered “single greatest contribution to geographical
knowledge” about East to the West

6

VOCABULARY
PRACTICE

DEFINITIONS
A. Complete the definitions using the words in the box.

informal objective observations perceive permission

1.Your……………………….is what you are trying to achieve.
something means to see it.
2. To…………………………something means to see it.
3. Your…………………….are what you see or notice
4. If you have…………………..to do something, you are allowed to
do it.
5. If a situation is……………………., it is usually relaxed, friendly,
or unofficial.

7

AN INCREDIBLE
JOURNEY

WORD SEARCH

Find the words listed below and circle them.

UND E R TOOKA S P
I N F O RMA L L H S E
E JOURNA L VOTR
P E RM I S S I ONUC
T ACADM I R E OD E
RSDRSKBGRR E I
BACCONS I D E RV
GVHOB J E C T I V E
L I B RARVOYAGE

OBJECTIVE JOURNAL VOYAGE
INFORMAL ADMIRE MARCO
UNDERTOOK PERCEIVE MISSION
CONSIDER PERMISSION HONOR

8

KEY ANSWER

WHILE READING

A
kublai khan is the powerful mongol leader.
He spoke to them in a causal way.

B
His father and uncle already knew Kublai Khan from a previous visit nine years earlier.
They have spent a short time in Shangdu.

C
Dairy
The center of Beijing

D
Asbestos cloth, Papermoney, Homes were heated with “black stones which burn like logs.
Abundant

E
his amazing culture experiences.

AFTER YOU READ

UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. D 1. objective
2. C 2. perceive
3. C 3. observation
4. B 4. permission
5. A 5. informal

TAKING NOTE

1. teenager
2. 9,000
3. 17
4.The khan
5.who were
6. Beijing
7. message
8. paper
9. book

9

ANSWER KEY

WORD SEARCH

Find the words listed below and circle them.

U N D E R T O O KAS P

I N F O R M A L LHS E

E J O U R N A L VOT R

PE RM I SS I ONU C

T ACADM I R E OD E

R S D R S K B G RRE I

BACCON S I DER V

G V H O B J E C TIV E

L I B R A R V O YAG E

OBJECTIVE JOURNAL VOYAGE
INFORMAL ADMIRE MARCO
UNDERTOOK PERCEIVE MISSION
CONSIDER PERMISSION HONOR

Thyaonuk