18. 风筝
The kite, a Chinese invention, has been praised as the forerunner of modern aeroplane. It has contributed to the development of science and production of aeroplanes. The first plane was shaped after the kite. The earliest Chinese kites were made of wood which can date back as far as the Warring States Period, at least two millennia ago. After the invention of paper, kites began to be made of this new material. Early kites were used for military purposes. Historical records say they were large in size; some were large enough to carry men up in the air to observe enemy movements.
风筝是中国的一个发明，被赞誉为现代飞机的先驱。它为科学的发展和飞机的生产做出了贡献。第一架飞机的形状便是根据风筝造出来的。中国最早的风筝都是用木头做的，最早可追溯到至少两千年前的战国时期（the Warring States Period）。纸被发明后，人们开始使用这种新材料制作风筝。早期的风筝被用于军事目的。据历史文献记载，那时风筝的尺寸很大，有些大到足以能够把人带到空中来观察敌人的行动。
