https://deepenglish.com/2018/04/christopher-columbus-used-moon-feed-men/
Christopher Columbus was a hero to some and a villain to others. Hewas a brave explorer, but he also enslaved, murdered and stole fromnative people across the Americas. He first met the Arawak natives inthe Bahamas in 1492. They generously traded everything they owned.Columbus saw this as a weakness. He wrote in his journal, “Theybrought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many otherthings. They do not bear arms, and do not know them. They wouldmake fine servants.”
Eleven years later, Christopher Columbus was still taking advantageof the Arawak’s hospitality.
On his fourth and final voyage in 1503 Columbus found himself indire straits. Shipworms had destroyed two of his ships. He wasforced to abandon them and send the rest of his ships to an island wenow know as Jamaica.
The Arawaks were initially keen to help Columbus. They offered himand his sailors food and shelter. However, after six months, tensionsgrew. The ships had still not been repaired. Some of Columbus’s crewhad mutinied and started to run amok on the island robbing andmurdering some of the natives. The Arawaks also grew tired of tradingfresh food for Columbus’s trinkets. They decided to burn theirbridges with the visitors and cut off their food supply.
Faced with starvation, the crafty Columbus studied his almanac. Helearned that on the evening of Thursday, Feb. 29th, 1504, a total lunar eclipse would occur.
He met with the Arawak chief three days before the eclipse and saidhis Christian god was angry with the natives for no longer supplyinghis men with food. He said in three nights time his god would makethe moon red with anger.
Just as Columbus said, the moon rose and slowly turned blood red asit passed into the shadow of the earth. Columbus’s son Ferdinand saidthe Arawaks were terrified.
He wrote how they howled in fear and came running to the ships.They screamed and begged Columbus to ask his god for mercy.
They promised they would cooperate with Columbus if he would turnthe moon back to normal. Columbus said he would talk privately withhis god.
Columbus spent 50 minutes in his cabin calculating the end of theeclipse. He reappeared and announced his god had forgiven theArawaks. Almost in the same instance the moon slowly began toreappear in all its glory.
To show their gratitude the Arawaks kept Columbus and his men wellfed until they returned to Spain on November 7th.
EXERCISES:
A. situation / generous / dreadful / keen / villain / howl / weapon / stress / leave / dire / straits / abandon / trinket / mutiny / abundant / shrewd / tension / revolt / pardon / trifle / supplies / food / befall /wail / mercy / instance / sample / amok /occur /crafty
B. 1) showing a readiness to give more of something, especially money, than is strictly necessary or expected
2) a long, loud, crying sound.
3) the feeling that is produced in a situation when people are anxious and do not trust each other, and when there is a possibility of sudden violence or conflict.
4) someone who deliberately harms other people or breaks the law in order to get what he or she wants.
5) a prolonged high-pitched cry of pain, grief, or anger
6) You use for instance to introduce a particular event, situation, or person that is an example of what you are talking about.
7) a small part or quantity intended to show what the whole is like
8) especially of something bad happen to someone
9) give up completely (a course of action, a practice, or a way of thinking)
10) an open rebellion against the proper authorities, especially by soldiers or sailors against their officers
11) having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute
12) having or showing eagerness or enthusiasm
13) a small ornament or item of jewellery that is of little value
14) used to emphasize how serious or terrible a situation or event is
15) clever at achieving one’s aims by indirect or deceitful methods
1-b / 2-f / 3-q / 4-e / 5-x / 6-z / 7-1 / 8-w / 9-l / 10-n / 11-p / 12-d / 13-m /14-j / 15-4
