The modern history of Beijing When it was I'm going to talk about the capital city of my country, Beijing, and its modern history. It's located in the East of the country, close to the sea but it's not a coastal city. What happened It has an amazing history as it was the seat of many emperors but nowadays, it's a huge megacity with tall skyscrapers and is a massive business hub where most international companies have a headquarters, and it's this change that fascinates me. How you first heard about it As it's the capital of my country, I learnt about it in history classes and I remember doing a project about it in class as it is home to The Forbidden Palace, which was the home of emperors for over 500 years and is awe-inspiring. The Great Wall is just north of the city too so you can visit that and get a feel for life hundreds of years ago. And explain why you are interested in this period of history What gets me is how Beijing has changed so much in the last hundred years or so. It went from being the political center to being the business and cultural center too in a very short space of time. It's almost unrecognizable today from even 30 years ago, which to me is staggering.

I have always been fascinated by the Renaissance period, a pivotal epoch that unfolded between the 14th and 17th centuries. This era was a beacon of revitalization in art, literature, philosophy, politics, sciences, and exploration after the Dark Ages. I was first introduced to the Renaissance period during my high school history lessons, and my fascination was ignited immediately. What happened during the Renaissance was truly revolutionary. It was marked by the profound evolution of thought processes, a fervent curiosity about the world, and the blossoming of artistic and scientific innovations. It was when luminaries like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo transcended conventional boundaries, producing masterpieces that resonate even today. Leonardo da Vinci, epitomizing the Renaissance Man, delved into anatomy, mechanics, and aviation, and he painted the iconic 'Mona Lisa'. Meanwhile, Michelangelo sculpted 'David' and painted the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling, imbuing them with life and emotion unparalleled in human history. This period also saw the voyages of explorers like Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama, who paved the way for the connectivity of different civilizations. This epoch intrigues me because it signifies humanity’s unwavering pursuit of knowledge, enlightenment, and aesthetic perfection. The curiosity and passion of the Renaissance thinkers and creators inspire me to question, learn, and create, and it reminds me of the boundless potentials of the human mind when driven by curiosity and passion.

- Rich complex sentence structure: The answer uses many compound sentences. For example, "It was when luminaries like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo transcended conventional boundaries, producing masterpieces that resonate even today." This sentence uses "like" to list examples and forms a participle structure through "producing." - Variety in the use of tenses: The answer uses simple past tense and simple present tense to describe situations from different time periods. For example, "I was first introduced to the Renaissance period during my high school history lessons," uses simple past tense. - Coherence and hierarchy: Through words like "meanwhile," "also," and "because," the answer presents good coherence and hierarchy, making the description clearer and more logical. - Precise and rich vocabulary selection: By using words like "pivotal," "beacon," and "resonate," the answer demonstrates rich and precise vocabulary, making the description more vivid and specific.