THE ACHIEVERS, EXPLORERS, SCHOLARS (AES) PROGRAMME
SUBJECT: UAE SOCIAL STUDIES
TEXTBOOK-1 UNIT-3: EAST ASIA
LESSON 2: ENGINEERING AND CIVILIZATION IN ANCIENT CHINA GRADE:7
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Answer key
Learning Objectives:
➢ Examine the engineering and civilization in Ancient China.
➢ Explain the teachings of the great philosopher Confucius.
A. Name the following:
1. The longest artificial river in the world.
The Grand Canal
2. The first teacher in China and one of the most important thinkers in Chinese culture.
Confucius
3. A collection of literary or philosophical extracts.
Analects
B. Vocabulary Practice: Find the meanings of the new words and write next to them.
Word Meaning
1. Mausoleum A stately or impressive building housing a tomb or group of tombs.
2. Terracotta A type of earthenware, unglazed or glazed fired clay used making things
such as pots, small statues, and tiles.
3. World Heritage Site A natural or man-made site, area, or structure recognized as being of
outstanding international importance and therefore as deserving special
protection. Sites are nominated to and designated by the World Heritage
Convention (an organization of UNESCO).
4. Dynasty A succession of rulers of the same line of descent.
5. Humaneness The quality of compassion or consideration for others.
6. Virtue A behaviour showing high moral standards.
C. Answer the following questions:
1. Which is the longest and oldest canal in China?
The Grand Canal
2. List the longest rivers in China.
Yangtze and Yellow River
Grades 7 Social Studies Dept. 2025-2026 GEMS OOD
3. Who built the terracotta warriors? Why was it built?
➢ Qin Shi Huang ordered his subjects to construct the Terracotta Army and the tomb
complexwhen he ascended the throne of the Qin State at the age of 13 in 246 BC.
➢ Over 700,000 labourers worked around the clock for 36 years. The role of the
TerracottaArmy was to ‘guard’ the entire mausoleum and Qin Shi Huang believed
that the army could protect him in the afterlife.
4. Why do you think that in later centuries, during the Ming Dynasty, the Grand Canal was
extended toBeijing?
➢ The canal was built in order to easily ship grain from the rich farmland in southern
China
to the capital city of Beijing.
➢ It also helped to bring supplies to the Chinese armies defending the northern borders.
➢ It connects the capital city of Beijing in the north to Zhejiang province in the south.
➢ The Ancient Chinese built early canals to help with transportation and commerce.
5. Explain the engineering and metal technology of Ancient China.
➢ The elegant decoration and advanced acoustical properties of Zhou-dynasty bells
illustratethe extraordinary technical sophistication of metallurgy in China
D. Use the words in the box to fill in the gaps in the text.
Laozi Luoyang Ming Dynasty Confucius Taoism The Great Wall Qin Dynasty
Qin Shihuangdi Analects Tao Te Ching Dao
The Shang Dynasty capitals were located near the present-day cities of Zhengzhou and Anyang. The
Eastern Zhou Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang. Laozi was an early philosopher and writer of
legal texts, and a book called Tao Te Chin or Tao that formed the basis of philosophy known as
Taoism. Confucius_ Was one of the world’s great ancient philosophers, His teachings, philosophy,
and morals inspired the development of Chinese civil servants and teaching. He taught the Way of the
Dao, a universal order. It was written down by his students as Analects or texts to be studied by later
generations. A long period of civil war ended the Zhou Dynasty. It ended the victory and establishment
of the Qin Dynasty. The Qin Dynasty was ruled by China’s First Emperor, Qin Shihuangdi, who died
in 210 BCE. The Great Wall is the world’s largest and longest
Grades 7 Social Studies Dept. 2025-2026 GEMS OOD
E. Read some excerpts of Jen (meaning Humaneness)
Possible interpretations of each of the excerpts are listed below.
Match each excerpt with a possible interpretation. (The first is done for you.)
XIV.36 XV.23 1V.25 XV.8
Grades 7 Social Studies Dept. 2025-2026 GEMS OOD
F. Interpret the pictures given below and write at least two sentences about each picture and
answerthe following questions.
1. What does this bell show about the development of
metal casting and metal working in ancient China?
Bronze bells from the Chinese Eastern Zhou
Dynasty, 6th century BC. The elegant decoration
and advanced acoustical properties of Zhou-dynasty
bells illustrate the extraordinary technical
1.-Bell Eastern Zhou Dynasty sophistication of metallurgy in China.
2. Why do you think the bridge at Hangzhou is arched
so high above the canal?
To give strength to the bridge in adverse conditions.
2. Grand Canal, a UNESCO Site.
3. What does this indicate about the Qin Emperor’s
view of his power as Emperor?
In ancient China, death was seen not as the complete
end to an individual but rather, a new stage in life.
Therefore, the army was intended not only
to demonstrate the emperor's power in this life, but also
to extend that same power into the world of the dead.
3. Terracotta Army, part of the First Qin
Emperor’s Mausoleum, Xian China.
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/441/video/
Grades 7 Social Studies Dept. 2025-2026 GEMS OOD
Reflective Log: (To be done in the notebook)
My Reflection
I learnt/understood………………………….
I wish to learn…………………….
Grades 7 Social Studies Dept. 2025-2026 GEMS OOD
