Chinese kites today

難詞探意

1. mythological /,m?θ?'lɑd??kl/ adj. 神話的； 神話學的

2.ornamental/,??n?'mentl/adj. 裝飾性的

3.millennium/m?'leni?m/n.千年期（尤指公元紀年）

4. siege /si?d?/ n. 圍攻；包圍

5. transcend /tr?n'send/ v. 超出；超越

6. pliable /'pla??bl/ adj. 柔韌的；易彎曲的

7. fibrous /'fa?br?s/ adj. 纖維性的

Chinese kites usually representmythologicalcharacters,symbolic creatures, as well as legendary figures. We can divide them into two categories: large and small kites.

Kites in China were made with wood, paper, or silk. The earliest kites were made from light varieties of wood and later includedornamentalpaper and fabric. Kites in China are typically broken down into three categories. The first type of kites is wooden kites. Wooden kites were called mu yuan. Paper kites is another type of kites. Another source indicates that a paper kite, the zhi yuan, was used as an emergency warning device. This occurred amillenniumlater, when the kite was flown in order to appeal for help during thesiegeof Nanjing.

It was not until the Tang (CE 618—907) Dynasty that lighter kites made of first silk and then paper (bamboo was a common material used for the ribs) made their appearance. It was at this time that the kite came totranscendits military, or functional origins, becoming an instrument of pleasure.

Kite construction consists of three parts: framing, gluing and decoration. With framing, light woods such as bamboo were often used to create the bones of the kite. These are both light, exceptionally strong,andpliable.

The construction of kites has changed over the years. New materials and better understanding of flight have given modern kites a serious advantage in flight. However, the ancient methods are still interesting and worthy of note.

Modern kite artisans go beyond the tradition, producing kites that conform only to the creator's imagination.

Many materials are used for construction of kites. For example, silk, paper, nylon and other modern materials are used for the kite's “sail”. The paper type used for kites is very thin butfibrous, which both reduces weight and ensures strength. It is often treated with a thin layer of oil to preserve it. In addition,tassels and sometimes hollow reeds are attached to the kite in order to give it movement or produce sound.

Reading Check

1. What are the three types of kites in China?

2. What's the difference between ancient and modern kite making apart from the materials and crafts?

Language Study

Sentence for writing

It was not until the Tang Dynasty that lighter kites made of first silk and then paper made their appearance.

【信息提取】本句中，It was not until that意為“直到……才……”，其中包含了強調句式it is... that。

【句式仿寫】直到昨天我才注意到這件事。