A young man who travelled to China and came home with an amazing story — but did he really go?
Want more detail? Read this lesson at B2/C1 level →
Before we read, let's learn the important words. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.
1 = D (a merchant) · 2 = F (a caravan) · 3 = A (an emperor) · 4 = G (an envoy)
5 = B (a marvel) · 6 = H (sceptical) · 7 = C (a manuscript) · 8 = E (a legacy)
Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and talk about the last one.
Marco Polo was born in the city of Venice, in Italy, in about 1254. His family were merchants. They bought and sold things, and they travelled far to do it.
His father and his uncle had already travelled deep into Asia. So in 1271, they went east again, and this time they took young Marco with him. He was only about seventeen years old.
The journey was very long and very hard. They travelled for three or four years, across mountains and deserts, with a caravan of traders and animals. Finally, they reached China. There they met Kublai Khan, the great emperor. The emperor liked the clever young man, and Marco stayed in China for about seventeen years. The emperor sent him as an envoy to many cities, and Marco saw amazing things.
1. Who did Marco travel with in 1271? How old was he?
2. Who did the family meet in China, and what did Marco do there?
1. He travelled with his father and his uncle. He was only about seventeen years old.
2. They met Kublai Khan, the emperor of China. Marco stayed for about seventeen years and the emperor sent him to many cities as an envoy.
After about twenty-four years away, Marco came home to Venice. He was now rich, but his city almost did not remember him. His best treasure was the story in his head.
Then something strange happened. Venice was at war with another city, Genoa. Marco was caught and put in prison. In prison, he met a writer. Marco talked about his travels, and the writer wrote everything down. This became a famous book, The Travels of Marco Polo.
People copied the book by hand — this was before printing, so it was a manuscript. The book spread across Europe. It told of marvels: a city of great size, black stones that burned like wood (coal), and money made of paper! For many people, it was their first picture of Asia. Years later, the explorer Christopher Columbus owned a copy and sailed west to look for these lands.
1. How did Marco's story become a book?
2. What marvels did the book describe? Who did it later inspire?
1. Marco was caught in the war with Genoa and put in prison. There he met a writer. Marco talked, and the writer wrote his travels down in a book.
2. It told of a huge city, stones that burned (coal), and paper money. It later inspired the explorer Christopher Columbus.
Here is a big question. From the start, some people were sceptical. They did not believe Marco. The numbers in his book were so big! Some people gave the book a joke name that meant "Marco of the Million Lies."
Even today, some people doubt him. They ask: if Marco really lived in China for years, why does his book not talk about the Great Wall of China? Why no tea? Why no chopsticks? Why no Chinese writing? These are things you would surely see. Some people think he never reached China, and that he just heard the stories from other travellers.
But other people say Marco is telling the truth. He describes paper money and burning coal very well. He describes the Mongol taxes very well too. These small, correct details are hard to make up. So maybe the truth is simple and human: Marco really did go to China and see wonders — but, like many travellers, he also made his story a little bigger and better.
1. Why do some people not believe Marco? What is missing from his book?
2. What makes other people believe him?
1. His numbers are very big, and his book does not mention the Great Wall, tea, chopsticks or Chinese writing — things he would surely see. Some think he heard the stories from other travellers.
2. He describes paper money, burning coal, and the Mongol taxes very well. These small, correct details are hard to invent.
Marco's book is full of amazing things — but we don't know if they are all true! So this is a perfect story for words that say "maybe this is true, but I'm not sure."
Put apparently or maybe at the start, so the sentence says "people say this, but I'm not sure."
1. , Marco served the great emperor for many years.
2. he saw a city with a thousand bridges.
3. he did not really go to China — nobody is sure.
1. Apparently (people say it, but maybe not true)
2. Apparently / Maybe
3. Maybe (it is possible)
Make each sentence "maybe true." Start with People say that… or It is said that…. Then read it out loud.
1. Marco saw cities richer than any in Europe. → People say Marco saw cities richer than any in Europe.
2. He brought paper money to Venice. → It is said he brought paper money to Venice.
3. He told the true story on his last day. → People that he told the true story on his last day.
1. that (People say that…)
2. that (It is said that…)
3. say (People say that… = maybe true)
There is a real podcast about Marco Polo. It is for native speakers, so it is fast and quite difficult — that is normal! You do not need to understand every word.
From the Noiser podcast network. Hosted by historians, roughly 50 minutes.
Listen on Spotify →Do all three tasks out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.
Tell the story of Marco Polo in your own words. Use these steps to help you: a merchant family in Venice → the long road east in 1271 → the emperor Kublai Khan → about twenty-four years away → the prison and the writer → the famous book → and the big question: did he really go?
For the parts you are not sure about, say them as maybe true ("Apparently…", "People say that…", "It is said that…") — tell the legend without saying it is 100% true. Use some of the key words (merchant, caravan, emperor, envoy, marvel, manuscript, sceptical, legacy).
What do you think — did Marco really go to China? Say one reason against him (no Great Wall, no tea, big numbers) and one reason for him (the paper money, the coal, the correct taxes). Then say what you believe.
Tell the story of any traveller you know — an explorer, or even a friend or relative whose holiday stories get bigger every year. Tell the parts you are not sure about as maybe true: "Apparently, they saw…", "People say that…", "Maybe it is not all true." What did people not believe?
Not sure what to talk about? Choose one: