Note On The Topic Before You Read Reading Further Information 哈里斯太太：我想我能猜到那是什么。把丝绸和其他东西卖掉 之后，商人必定会带些中国所需要的货物回去。我说的对吗？ 许教授：说得对，确实如此。大多数人只想到中国商品流入地 中海和欧洲国家，其实这种贸易流通是互惠的，蜂蜜、羊毛、 皮草之类的欧洲货也沿着丝绸之路来到了中国。因此贸易很大 程度上是一种双向的过程。现在我们把另一个误解也纠正了吧 古时候，在丝绸之路最为繁忙的时期 也就是公元前200年到 公元400年 也很少有人走完全程。他们用不着这么做，因为 商队一般只进行短途跋涉去跟其他商队交换货物，其他那些商 队由东向西或由西向东行进，跋涉的路程也跟他们差不多。Mrs Harris: I think I can guess what it is. Having sold all their silk and all the other things, the traders must have brought back products that were in demand in China. Am I right? Professor Xu: Yes, indeed. While most people think only about Chinese goods going west towards the Mediterranean and Europe, these were in fact reciprocal trade flows, and European produce such as honey, wool, and furs, came along the Silk Road into China. So trade was very much a two-way process. Also, let’s yet another myth right now. During its peak use in ancient times – that’s between 200 BC and 400 AD – very few people travelled along the whole of a route. They had no need to because teams of merchants ge n e ra lly m ad e s ho rt t r ips to exch a n ge goo ds w it h to finally show that something is not true put to rest Reading C Note On The Topic Before You Read others making similar short trips to the east or west. C Further Information 哈里斯太太：我想我能猜到那是什么。把丝绸和其他东西卖掉 之后，商人必定会带些中国所需要的货物回去。我说的对吗？ 许教授：说得对，确实如此。大多数人只想到中国商品流入地 中海和欧洲国家，其实这种贸易流通是互惠的，蜂蜜、羊毛、 皮草之类的欧洲货也沿着丝绸之路来到了中国。因此贸易很大 程度上是一种双向的过程。现在我们把另一个误解也纠正了吧。 古时候，在丝绸之路最为繁忙的时期——也就是公元前200年到 公元400年——也很少有人走完全程。他们用不着这么做，因为 商队一般只进行短途跋涉去跟其他商队交换货物，其他那些商 队由东向西或由西向东行进，跋涉的路程也跟他们差不多