The Man Who Did the Impossible

Christopher Columbus discovered America on October 12, 1492. Before the journey, most people thought Columbus would get lost. So when he returned successfully, he became famous.

One day, he was invited to a dinner party with rich guests. But there were some who were jealous of Columbus. “Why was your trip so special? Anyone could do it,” they said.

Columbus made no answer, but he took an egg from a dish. “Can you make this egg stand on end?” he asked. Each guest tried to do it, but no one knew how. “It cannot be done,” they answered.

Then, Columbus struck its small end gently to break the shell a little. And he stood it up easily. “Anyone can do it if he knows how to do it,” he said.

Exercise 4

Reading Check-Up 1

Choose the correct answers to complete the sentences.

This story is about .

A.
the man who discovered America
B.
a man who cooked an egg
C.
a man who ate dinner
D.
a man who could not do anything

Christopher Columbus America on October 12, 1492.

A.
lost
B.
returned
C.
discovered
D.
enjoyed

Columbus became famous after his successful .

A.
cook
B.
trip
C.
study
D.
party

Exercise 5

Reading Check-Up 2

Choose the correct answers to complete the sentences.

Columbus was invited to a dinner party with rich .

A.
guests
B.
waitress

There were some who were of Columbus.

A.
jealous
B.
proud

He struck the small end to break the shell.

A.
loudly
B.
gently

Wise Saying

Listen and repeat after your tutor.

If you change your thinking, you can change the world. - Christopher Columbus

Exercise 6

Short Biography

Born: October 31, 1451, in Italy

Died: May 20, 1506, in Spain

Occupation: Explorer and navigator

Best known for: Discovering America

Fun fact: His father was a wool weaver. He helped his father, but he always wanted to sail the seas.

What is Columbus best known for?

Christopher Columbus is the explorer who discovered (1).

Give an answer that fits in blank 1

Why did Columbus sail to America?

He actually found it by accident. He was looking for a shortcut to China by ship. When he landed in the Americas, he thought he was in India. That is why he called the native people Indians.

Exercise 7

Summary

Choose the correct answers to complete the sentences.

In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered (1). Most people thought Columbus would get lost, but his trip was successful. Some people were (2) of him. At a dinner party, Columbus asked, “Can you make this egg (3) on end?” No one knew how. So he broke the (4) and made the egg stand on end. He told the (5), “Anyone can do it if he knows how to do it.”

Choose answers from the options below that fit in blanks 1 to 5

Answer Pool (Questions 1-5)

stand
jealous
guests
America
shell

Parts of this lesson are based on: