We all know that paper-making, gunpowder, the compass and the art of (print) are the Four Great Inventions of ancient China. But have you heard of another important invention—the abacus (算盘)?
It's said that Li Shou (隶首) invented the abacus. It (be) around for over 5, 000 years. Some researchers believe the abacus has a (long) history than the other calculators (计算器) in the world. In China, people (use) abacuses to do calculations for thousands of years before people use electronic calculators in daily lives.
The abacus is usually made of wood. It has many beads (珠子). Each bead above the abacus stands for five, and each bead below stands for one. moving the beads up or down, one can do all kinds of calculations.
It is pleasant thing to watch a skilled hand use an abacus. Fingers move, beads knock, and after few seconds, the result comes out. In the past, the use of the abacus was a necessary skill. it was taught in many schools.
Today, because we have been used to (use) electronic calculators, we don't have many chances to see an abacus in our daily lives. Many young people have not even (hear) of the word "abacus". However, the abacus still plays an important role in certain situations.
The abacus is one of the important inventions in Chinese history. It used to make a big difference to Chinese people's life. It is one of the (reason) why we are proud of China. It shows the great wisdom of the ancient Chinese people. It is our national treasure.
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