Translation | Comprehension Questions Text B    Beijing     How long has Beijing been in existence as a settlement? What does Beijing serve as a settlement? When did Beijing first achieved prominence? Why was the name of Beijing used? How many people can Tian'an men Square accommodate?                   Beijing has been in existence as a settlement for more than 3,000 years, although the remains of “Peking Man” show that human life existed in this part of China half a million years ago. It serves as political,economic,cultural center in China. Beijing first achieved prominence during the Warring States Period(476—221 BC),when it became the capital of the Kingdom of Yan and was called Ji (meaning “reeds”, because of the marshy nature of the terrain). The name, Beijing, meaning “northern capital”, was used as opposed to Nanjing, which mean’s “southern capital”. The square, which can accommodate 5,000,000 people, is flanked by the Great Hall of the People to the west, the Museum of the Chinese History and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution to the east, with the ancient Tian’anmen Gate to the north.

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