In 1954, when Shan Lun arrived in Yangling as a fresh college graduate, he found the place was no more than a backwater village with neither tap water nor electricity.
Yesterday, however, the 75-year-old member of the China Academy of Engineering carried the torch on the first leg of the Olympic relay not through a town in the shadows, but a thriving district that is the only State-level Demonstration Zone of Agricultural Hi-tech Industries in the country.
Shan, who was born in Shandong, is a specialist in dry-land farming who chose to settle in Yangling because he knew it was where he could put his knowledge to best use.
"Despite its backward economic situation at that time, Yangling had a lot of brainpower in the fields of agricultural technology and research," Shan said.
And due to its closeness to the Loess Plateau, which experiences frequent droughts, it was the ideal base for dry-land farming research, which is now very important, he said.
"China relies on its eastern regions for food production, but is looking to the northwest as a backup," he said.
Despite his elder status, Shan continues to work in research and occasionally can be found in the fields lending a technical hand to farmers.
"The arrival of the torch in town is a great encouragement for Yangling people," he said.
"We will certainly apply the Olympic slogan of higher, faster, stronger to build a better future for Yangling and for our agricultural development."
Questions:
1. How many years ago did Shan Lun arrive in Yangling?
2. Shan is a specialist in which agricultural sector?
3. Compare the location when Shan first arrived to Yangling and the scene today that welcomed the Olympic Torch – how does it stand out？
Answers:
1. 54.
2. Dry farming research.
3. Today it is a thriving district that is the only State-level Demonstration Zone of Agricultural Hi-tech Industries in the country.
（英語點津 Helen 編輯）
About the broadcaster:
Brendan joined The China Daily in 2007 as a language polisher in the Language Tips Department, where he writes a regular column for Chinese English Language learners, reads audio news for listeners and anchors the weekly video news in addition to assisting with on location stories. Elsewhere he writes Op’Ed pieces with a China focus that feature in the Daily’s Website opinion section.
He received his B.A. and Post Grad Dip from Curtin University in 1997 and his Masters in Community Development and Management from Charles Darwin University in 2003. He has taught in Japan, England, Australia and most recently China. His articles have featured in the Bangkok Post, The Taipei Times, The Asia News Network and in-flight magazines.
