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.

• 複合句結構豐富：答案中運用了眾多的複合句。例如："It was when luminaries like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo transcended conventional boundaries, producing masterpieces that resonate even today." 這個句子用了“like”來列舉例子，並通過“producing”形成了分詞結構。 • 時態運用多樣：答案中使用了一般過去時、一般現在時來描述不同時期的情況。例如："I was first introduced to the Renaissance period during my high school history lessons," 這句用了一般過去時。 • 連貫性和層次感：通過使用"meanwhile," "also," 和 "because,"等詞，答案呈現了良好的連貫性和層次感，使描述更為清晰和邏輯。 • 精確豐富的詞彙選擇：通過使用"pivotal," "beacon," 和 "resonate"等詞，答案展現了豐富和精確的詞彙，使描述更加生動和具體。