Christopher Columbus The discovery of America

Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 in Italy. His father and both grandfathers were cloth mak­ers. He probably worked as a weaver before go­ing to sea.

We don't know much about Christopher Columbus. He had blue eyes and red hair. He lived in Spain for a long time. He married the daughter of a sea captain. For some time he earned his living partly by making sea voyages, and partly by drawing maps and selling them.

In the fifteenth century most people thought that the earth was flat. They didn't believe that India lay beyond the Atlantic Ocean. They knew only three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Christopher Columbus was sure that our planet was round. He decided to reach India by sail­ing to the west. In 1492 the King and the Queen of Spain gave him money to go to India. No­body wanted to help him. Many years after he sailed with three small ships into Atlantic Ocean. They were the Santa Maria, the Nina and the Pinta. After sailing 4000 miles (6400 kilometers) they reached some land. When they landed they saw strange trees and flowers, men and women with olive colored skin. They gathered around sailors and looked at them with great surprise.

Columbus thought that it must be India. He called these islands the West Indies. People be­gan to speak about the land as "the New World." But it was America. So, Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492.

Columbus made many voyages to the New World. The second great voyage of Christopher Columbus took place in 1493. He had seventeen ships with him. He reached Cuba and discovered some other islands of the West Indies.

Twice more Columbus tried to find India. Dur­ing his third voyage, enemies spread false rumours about him. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were led to believe that he was a tyrant. He was sent home in chains. Back in Spain, he quickly proved his innocence.

Columbus made his last voyage in 1502-1504. He discovered many islands and made them a part of Spain. He was seriously ill and died in 1506. Columbus was a great explorer and many places have been named in his honour.

But America was named after another explorer, Amerigo Vespucci, because he was the first man who understood it was the new continent.

8.3.2 Post-Text Exercises

8.3.2.1 Pronounce the following words and geographic names

Christopher Columbus - Христофор Колумб

the Atlantic Ocean - Атлантический океан

Europe - Европа

Asia - Азия

Cuba - Куба

Amerigo Vespucci - Америго Веспуччи

cloth maker - суконщик

weaver - ткач

to earn - зарабатывать

partly - частично

flat - плоский

beyond - no ту сторону, за

olive colored skin - оливковый цвет кожи

surprise - удивление

enemy - враг

to spread (spread, spread) - распространять

false - ложный

rumour - слух, молва

tyrant - тиран, деспот

chain - цепь

to prove - доказывать

innocence - невиновность

seriously - серьёзно

explorer - исследователь

to name – называть

8.3.2.2 Answer the questions

1 When was Christopher Columbus born?

2 Where was he born?

3 What were his father and both grandfathers?

4 What was Columbus before going to sea?

5 Where did he live for a long time?

6 What was his wife?

7 How did he earn his living for some time?

8 Did Christopher Columbus think that the earth was flat?

9 Christopher Columbus was sure that our planet was round, wasn't he?

10 How many continents did most people know in the fifteenth century?

11 What country did Columbus decide to reach by sailing to the west?

12 Who gave him money to go there?

13 How many ships did Columbus have?

14 What were the names of the ships?

15 What land did they reach after sailing 4000 miles?

16 What did they see when they landed?

17 How did Columbus call these islands?

18 When did Columbus discover America?

19 When did the second great voyage of Chri­stopher Columbus take place?

20 How many ships did he have with him?

21 How many times did Columbus try to find India?

22 What happened during his third voyage?

23 When did Columbus make his last voyage?

24 When did Columbus die?

25 Why was America named after another ex­plorer?

8.3.2.3 Match the two parts of the sentences

1 They knew only three continents: ... 2 The second great voyage of Christopher Co­lumbus took place ... 3 But America was named after another explorer, Amerigo Vespucci, because ... 4 During his third voyage ... 5 For some time Columbus earned his living partly by ... 6 So Christopher Columbus discovered Ameri­ca ... 7 In the fifteenth century most people thought that... 8 He sailed with three small ships into the Atlantic Ocean. They were ...

... he was the first man who understood that it was the new continent. ... in 1492. ... the Santa Maria, the Nina and the Pinta. ... Europe, Asia and Africa. ... the earth was flat. ... in 1493. ... making sea voyages and partly by drawing maps and selling them. ... enemies spread false rumours about him.

8.3.2.4 Read the beginning of the sentence and find its end in the text

1 Christopher Columbus was sure that ...

2 They gathered around sailors and ...

3 King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were led to believe that ...

4 Christopher Columbus was born ...

5 Twice more Columbus tried ...

6 Columbus was a great explorer and many places ...

7 When they landed they saw ...

8.3.2.5 Put in the missing words according to the text

1 During his third voyage, enemies spread false ... about him.

2 Columbus probably worked as ... before going to sea.

3 They gathered around sailors and looked at them with great ... .

4 He was ... ill and died in 1506.

5 His father and both grandfathers were ... .

6 They didn't believe that India lay ... the Atlan­tic Ocean.

7 In the fifteenth century most people thought that the earth was ...

8.3.2.6 Choose the correct verb for each blank: have been named, decided, proved, earned, reached, saw

1 He ... to reach India by sailing to the west.

2 When they landed they ... strange trees and flowers, men and women with olivecolored skin.

3 Columbus was a great explorer and many places ... in his honour.

4 Back in Spain, he quickly ... his innocence.

5 For some time he... his living partly by making sea voyages and partly by drawing maps and selling them.

6 They ... Cuba and discovered some other is­ lands of the West Indies.

8.3.2.7 Read and learn the dialogue by heart. Then act it out

Ann: Hi, Julia, how are you doing?

Julia: Hi, not too bad, thanks. And you?

Ann: Just fine. How was your weekend?

Julia: Very well. On Sunday I played badmintonwith my friend in the city park. You know, I'm not much of a sportsman, so of course I lost the game. What about you? How didyou spend your weekend?

Ann: Nothing special. I was at home and watched TV. By the way, did you see the new film about Christopher Columbus?

]ulia: No, I didn't. As far as I remember, we learnt a lot about him at the English and History lessons at school, didn't we?

Ann: Yes, you are quite right. But I was surprised to learn that his life had been so unhappy.

Julia: Why do you think so?

Ann: Because he spent all his life on voyages. No­body helped him but during his third voy­age enemies spread false rumours about him.

Julia: I see. What rumours?

Ann: That he was a tyrant.

Julia: Did anybody believe it?

Ann: The King and the Queen of Spain were led to believe it and Columbus was sent home in chains.

Julia: It's awful. Did he prove his innocence?

Ann: Yes, he did. But there were a lot of difficul­ties in his life.

Julia: Yes, to say nothing of the fact that he discov­ered America, but it was named after Amerigo Vespucci.

Ann: Such is life. It can't be helped.