CLOZE The West has began to takemore notice of the East. The fifth volume of anenormous work reassessing the Chinese contribution to science and technology isto be published next year. The first volume, whichwas published twenty years ago _1_ the tone of the whole work. In it, evidencewas given to show that many inventions which until then western historians hadclaimed for Europe, _2_ made first in China. The attempt to rewrite theintellectual history of the world was not received without protest by somereputable historians. However , the evidence that has been presented so far in thefirst _3_ volumes has persuaded many historians who skeptical at first. China’s _4_ of paper,printing, the magnetic compass and gunpowder has _5_ been disputed, but thisnew history has added advanced bridge design, mechanical clocks, paddleboatsand many _6_ inventions to the list. In the four volumes _7_ sofar no attempt has been made to explain why China has not kept up with the Westin science and technology in modern times. It is probable that theanswer is to be found in the social and economic history of China, where astatic society _8_ a relatively benevolent regime of scholar-gentry contrastswith the potentially revolutionary and dynamic society of the West at the endof the Middle Ages. In recent years, theChinese government has been making every effort to catch up with the _9_ again,and there is _10_ doubt that the gap is being reduced year by year. But willChina avoid the West’s mistake? A every B America C little D West E set F inventions G were H four I published J fifth K never L releasing M under N other