Dialogue A


　　（A：Tour Guide Hua B：American Tourist C：Another Tourist）


　　A：We're approaching Badaling and you will see the Great Wall in a short while.


　　B：Wonderful！We've been waiting for it so long.


　　C：Hua，what's the length of the Great Wall？


　　A：The Great Wall meanders from east to west for about6,000 kilometers or 12,000 li.That's why we call it in Chinese“Wan Li Chang Cheng”, Which literally means“Ten Thousand Li Long Wall”。


　　B： And it was built more than 2,000 years ago？


　　A：Yes, construction of the Wall first began during the War-ring States period about 2，500 years ago.Some kingdoms built huge walls hoping to protect their territories. When Qin Shihuang or the First Emperor unified China in 221BC，he decided to have the various sections of the walls linked up and also extended. From that we got the Great Wall.


　　B：And that's what we're going to see,
right？


　　A：No，not really.The Qin Great Wall hasn't got much left today.In the subsequent dynasties，the Great Wall was rebuilt many times.The last massive rebuilding of the Great wall was in Ming Dynasty.The Great Wall we shall see at Badaling was rebuilt then.Oh，here we are. Please remember the number of our bus. Should you go astray from the group. As I know some younger members of our group would like to have a quick climb to the top，please remember to come here before 11 o'clock.


　　B：Hua，what are those towers on the wall spaced at regular distances from one another？


　　A：They are beacon fire towers.In ancient times，if attacked by enemies the guards would set off smoke in the day- time and bonfire at night to alarm troops stationed along the wall.


　　B：I see Bob and Mark are already on the wall.Let's quicken our steps.


　　A：Please watch your step.It's very steep here and the surface is a little slippery.


　　B：I now understand why you told us to wear no high heeled shoes.


　　A：Shall I give you a hand，Catherine？


　　C：No，no.I'm doing fine with the help of the banisters.


　　B：Hold on.A few more steps will bring us to the top.


　　A：Now，this is the furthest point we can go.Beyond here，the wall has not been restored yet.Why don't we sit down and rest for a while before we turn back？


　　C：This is such a lovely place！Green mountains roll over one another.Lush trees dot the slopes.A gentle breeze caresses us and the Great Wall winds its way like a giant serpent.


　　A：I also want to tell you a well-known legend.In 221 B.C.，in ShanXi Province there was a poor scholar.One day the soldiers came to his village and seized every man in sight，but the scholar managed to escape by hiding himself in agarden.He was discovered by a beautiful young girlnamed Meng Jiangnu who helped him.Soon they fell in love.But on their wedding day he was seized by the emperor's soldiers and taken to the Great Wall to work.For months and months，Meng Jiangnu waited for her husband to return but there was no news of him.Finally she decided to go to the Great Wall to look for him.After a long and hard journey，she arrived at the beginning of the wall，at Shanhaiguan by the sea.After searching for him for many weeks，she finally gave up her hope.In great despair she knelt by the wall and wept for three days and three nights.The wall，weakened by her tears，collaped around here and there，where great stones hadonce been，lay the dead body of her husband.Meng Jiangnu was heart-broken.She threw herself into the sea and drowned.If you get the chance to go to Shanhaiguan you'll see a temple dedicated to her memory over-looking the sea.


　　B：Well，Wang，you are not only knowlegeable about history，but also have the gift of the gab！