VIP Class Notes (Lily) [R/W]

Today we focused on:

we did 3 Ielts listening practices and one reading.

Reading

The invention of rockets is linked inextricably with the invention of ‘black powder’. Most historians of technology credit the Chinese with its discovery. They base their belief on studies of Chinese writings or on the notebooks of early Europeans who settled in or made long visits to China to study its history and civilisation. It is probable that, some time in the tenth century, black powder was first compounded from its basic ingredients of saltpetre, charcoal and sulphur. But this does not mean that it was immediately used to propel rockets. By the thirteenth century, powder- propelled fire arrows had become rather common. The Chinese relied on this type of technological development to produce incendiary projectiles of many sorts, explosive grenades and possibly cannons to repel their enemies. One such weapon was the ‘basket of fire’ or, as directly translated from Chinese, the ‘arrows like flying leopards’. The 0.7 metre-long arrows, each with a long tube of gunpowder attached near the point of each arrow, could be fired from a long, octagonal-shaped basket at the same time and had a range of 400 paces. Another weapon was the ‘arrow as a flying sabre’, which could be fired from crossbows. The rocket, placed in a similar position to other rocket-propelled arrows, was designed to increase the range. A small iron weight was attached to the 1.5m bamboo shaft, just below the feathers, to increase the arrow’s stability by moving the centre of gravity to a position below the rocket. At a similar time, the Arabs had developed the ‘egg which moves and burns’. This ‘egg’ was apparently full of gunpowder and stabilised by a 1.5m tail. It was fired using two rockets attached to either side of this tail.

Writing exercise

when / where I get the clothes / color / style / price / advantages / matching / stylish / fabric / how to keep it

Actually I’m not interested in item of clothing, if I have to choose, I would choose the burberry coat. I got it from my mother as a gift 4 years ago i think.
It is a dark brown color, and the design is very classic not to easy out of style.
However the price is average the fabric quality is very decent. It is hart to wrinkles even i’m sitting a long time with it. I can wear it with dress or casual wear in spring and early in the winer in Shanghai. It has to dry-clean before storing it.

Revised

when / where I get the clothes / color / style / price / advantages / matching / stylish / fabric / how to keep it

Actually I’m not interested in an particular kind of clothing, if I have to choose, I would choose the burberry coat. I think I got it from my mother as a gift 4 years ago i think.
It is a dark brown color, and the design is very classic ,it will always be in trend.
However the price is average while the fabric quality is very decent. It is hard to get wrinkles even if sit for a long time wearing it. I can wear it with dress or casual wear in the spring and in early winter in the winer in Shanghai. It needs to be dry-cleaned before storing it.