7/28/2019 The 7 Wonders of the Modern World

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What are the 7 wonders of the modern world?

The Colossus of Rhodes. The Great Pyramid of Giza. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Lighthouse of Alexandria. OK, these are starting to sound vaguely familiar. But what are they?

These, along with some other spectacular sights make up the Seven Wonders of the Ancient

World. Think of it as a sort of ideal travel itinerary from a long, long, long time ago. In 2007, a

new list of natural wonders was announced for our modern world. What made the list?

Chichén Itza, Mexico  

The ancient city of Chichén is located on the Yucatan Peninsula

in Mexico. This well-known Mayan city served as a religious,

 political and economic centre for several hundred years. This

 pyramid stands approximately 80 feet high. It has nine terraces

and four sets of stairs. Each staircase has 91 steps. If you include

the top platform as a step, then the pyramid has a total of 365

steps – one for each day of the year!

Christ the Redeemer Statue, Brazil 

This statue of Jesus is one of Rio de Janiero's most recognized

monuments. It stands 98.5 feet tall atop the summit of Mount Corcovado

and it weighs approximately 700 tons; the statue is made of concrete and

soapstone and took nine years to be completed, from 1922 to 1931, and

was opened on October 12, 1931.

Colosseum, Italy 

If you've seen the movie "Gladiator," then you've seen the

Colosseum. The Colosseum of Rome is considered to be one of 

the greatest pieces of Roman architecture. The biggest

amphitheatre ever to be built in Rome, it has a capacity of 

50,000 spectators and was primarily used for gladiatorialcontests, royal speeches and dramatic performances.

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Taj Mahal, India

One of the most popular Indian tourist spots and a world attraction,

the Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India. Constructed

of pure-white marble, it required more than 20,000 laborers and

cost several million rupees. The building of this structure began in1632, and took 22 years to complete.

Great Wall of China  

One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Wall of 

China is a man-made structure that was constructed over two

thousand years ago and took about 100 years to complete. It

is the most famous and magnificent monument of China and

the greatest construction work ever carried out. Some peoplesay that the Great Wall is the only man-made object visible

from the space. 

Petra, Jordan  

Located in southwest Jordan are the ruins of the ancient city of 

Petra. Petra, which is Greek for "rock," is also known as "the city

in the rock." Besides the decorative tomb facades and monuments,

Petra is also known for its highly organized water system, which

included ceramic pipes, water channels and cisterns.

Machu Picchu, Peru  

If Petra is the city in the rock, then Machu Picchu is the city in

the clouds as it was hidden in the middle of the abundant forest

and clouds for more than three centuries. Also known as "The

Lost City of the Incas", the construction of Machu Picchu

 began around 1430 AD during the glorious days of the Inca

Empire but was abandoned in the 16th century at the time of 

Spanish invasion. Yale professor Hiram Bingham rediscovered

the city in 1911.

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A.  Answer the questions below using the article:

1.  Which from the seven Wonders can be, at least theoretically, seen from the space with

the naked eye?

…………………………………………………………………………………………… ..2.  Which from these spectacular sights is known as "the city in the rock"? What about the

"The Lost City of the Incas"?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………… ..3.  The mausoleum constructed of pure-white marble is named …………………..…………? 

4.  The ……………………….. is one of the greatest pieces of Roman architecture and the

 biggest amphitheatre ever to be built in Rome.

5.  The pyramid with a total of 365 steps - one for each day of the year - is ………………… from …………………………….

6.  The Great Pyramid of Giza is one of the …………………………………………………  

7.  Identify this wonder of the world:

  The Leaning Tower of Pisa  Chichen Itza

  Christ the Redeemer 

  Hagia Sophia

B. Answer the questions below:

1. Which "wonder" did you like most? Why?

2.  Have you ever been in one of those places? If yes, where? If not, where would youlike to go in the near future and why?