COMPRENSIONE INGLESE TESTO CON SOLUZIONI

Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451. His career in exploration started when he was very young. As a teenager he traveled the seas and eventually made Portugal his base. He appealed to the kings of Portugal, France and England to finance a westward trip to the Indies, but all denied his request. After ten years of monumental efforts but fruitless results, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain agreed to finance Columbus in the hopes of acquiring great wealth. On August 3, 1492, Columbus and three ships, the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, left Palos, Spain and headed westward.  

After stopping in the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, Columbus' ships hit the open seas. Covering about 150 miles a day, the trip was long and arduous. The crew was afraid of sea monsters and grew more restless every day land was not sighted. Columbus offered a reward for the first person to sight land. On October 12, a crew member aboard the Pinta sighted one of the Bahama Islands. Columbus set foot on what he believed was one of the Spice Islands, a group of islands in Asia (now known as Indonesia), where valuable spices and riches came from. He named the land San Salvador. Columbus failed to find the riches he expected, and continued to search for China. He next visited Cuba and Hispaniola (Dominican Republic). He encountered native peoples who he named "Indians" because he believed they were inhabitants of the Indies.

Columbus returned to Spain a hero. He was named viceroy of the Indies. He soon returned to the New World but never found the riches he expected. Some began to believe that Columbus had found "a new world" rather that a shortcut to the Indies.

Christopher Columbus made one of the greatest discoveries in the history of the world - North America. Though he probably wasn't the first explorer to see the continent, and he believed until his death that the islands he encountered were in the Asian continent, his discoveries were instrumental in the establishment of Spanish colonies in North America. Today, we celebrate Columbus Day in October to commemorate his discoveries.

Questions

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1)Christopher Columbus was born in the 14th century

True/False

2)He started to explore world when he was quite old

True/False

3)Eventually in line 2 means

a.in the end

b.immediately

c.always

d.certainly

4)It took him a long time before finding someone disposed to finance his exploration projects

True/False

5)Which of the following is closest in meaning to "fruitless"?

a.without fruit

b.without success

c.empty

d.unavaible

6)What country eventually agreed to finance Christopher Columbus' trip?

a.Spain

b.Italy

c.France

d.Portugal

7)About how many miles did the ship travel every day?

a.200

b.100

c.150

d.50

8)The crew was unworried and confident

True/False

9)Columbus and his crew visited Canary Islands, Bahama Islands, Cuba and Spice Islands

True/False

10)Why did he name native people “Indians”?

11)Columbus never came back from North America: he died during a sea storm along Massachussetts coasts

True/False

12)He believed until his death that the islands he encountered were in
a.Africa
b.Oceania
c.America
d.Asia

13)Today, we celebrate Columbus Day in

a.September

b.October

c.August

d.December

1)False:1451 is in 15th century 2)False:he started when he was very young 3)a=in the end 4)True=ten years of monumental efforts! 5)b=without success 6)a=Spain 7)c=150 miles per day 8)False=The crew was afraid of sea monsters and grew more restless every day 9)False=He believed San Salvador was one of the Spice Islands (Indonesia nowadays) 10) Because he believed they were inhabitants of the Indies 11)False=Columbus returned to Spain a hero 12)d=Asia 13)b=October