TEST X

                                                           The Discovery of America

Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. He was born in Italy. His father and both grandfathers were cloth makers. Columbus was a seaman and made many sea voyages.

Most people in Columbus ‘s days thought that the earth was flat and they did not believe that beyond the Atlantic Ocean lay India.

In 1492 the King and the Queen of Spain gave Columbus money to go to India. He decided to sail west as he was sure that our planet was round. There were 3 caravels: the Santa Maria, the Nina and the Pinta. After sailing 4,000 miles he reached some land. The crew saw something like a white cliff and cried out: “Tierra! Tierra!” Columbus thought that it must be India but it was not. It was a new land – a new continent. It was America. Columbus named the land they reached San Salvador (“Holy Savior”). People began to speak about the land as “The New World”.

            European people came to the New World for many reasons. Some hoped to find gold and silver. Priests and missionaries came to bring to Christian religion to the Indians. Among those who came for freedom was a small group of English people called Pilgrims. They wanted to start a new life and to have no religious problems they had in English. In 1620 on the ship “Mayflower” they landed in the northeast of America. They set up a colony and called that part of the country “New England”.

I. Write if the following information is true (T) or false (F):

1.      The USA was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492.

2.      Columbus was a cloth maker.

3.      Most people in Columbus’s days believed that beyond the Atlantic Ocean lay India.

4.      Columbus sailed 4,000 miles to reach a new land.

5.      All European people came to the New World to find gold and silver.

6.      The first English settlers in America called Pilgrims set up a colony.

II. Answer the following questions in Russian:

1. Who discovered America?
2. The King and the Queen of what country gave Columbus money for voyage?
3. How many caravels were there?
4. How did Columbus name the land he had reached?
5. What reasons did European people come to the New World for?
6. How did the Pilgrims reach America?