The advent of the compass was a great 1._________(contribute)of the Chinese people to world civilisation. The compass is a simple instrument 2.________(consist) of a magnetic needle that can be turned 3._________(flexible) and a compass with a scale to indicate the direction of the earth's magnetic field.
The earliest instruments that could indicate direction were called Sinan, 4._________ appeared around the Warring States period, when natural magnets were polished into the shape of 5._________ spoon and placed on a graduated square engraved plate to give a general indication of direction.
Later on, it was discovered that by rubbing a magnet against an object such as a steel needle in one direction several 6._________(time), the needle could also be magnetised, so that it could point more accurately than the Sinan, and thus the compass 7._________(invented). In the Song dynasty, an instrument was also invented to indicate direction, 8._________(call) the compass fish, which floated on water.
9._________ the Southern Song Dynasty, people assembled the magnetic needle and the dial into a single unit, named the needle dial, also called the meridian dial, compass and so on. Our compass spread to Europe and the Arabian region around the 10._________(twelve) century, greatly contributing to the development of world navigation and human society.
答案
1.contribution 2.consisting 3.flexibly 4.which 5.a 6.times 7.was invented 8.called 9.In 10.twelfth
翻译
指南针的出现是中华民族对世界文明作出的巨大贡献。指南针是-种由能灵活转动的磁针和有刻度的罗盘组成的能指示方向的简单仪器，在地球磁场的作用下它能够指示方向。
最早的时候能够指示方向的仪器叫司南，大约出现在战国时期，人们将天然磁铁打磨成勺子的的形状，放在有刻度的方形刻盘上，就能大致指定方向。
再后来人们发现用磁石将钢针等物品延一个方向多次摩擦便可让钢针也拥有磁性，这样指向性也比司南更精确-些，由此指南针就发明了出来。在宋代还发明过一种同样用于指示方向的仪器叫指南鱼，漂浮于水上使用。
在南宋时，人们把磁针和刻度盘组装为一个整体，取名为针盘，也叫子午盘，罗盘等。我国的指南针大约十二世纪传到欧洲和阿拉伯地区，大大促进了世界航海事业和人类社会的发展。
词汇解析
assemble /əˈsembl/ v.集合;组装;装配;聚集;收集
contribution/ˌkɒntrɪˈbjuːʃn /n.捐款;捐资;贡献;促成作用;一则，一条，稿件;捐赠
magnetic /mæɡˈnetɪk /adj.有磁性的;磁性的;磁的;像磁铁的;富有吸引力的;有魅力的
compass /ˈkʌmpəs /n.罗盘;罗经;指南针;罗盘仪;圆规;
