ABE Reading Comprehension 1

In the 16th century, an age of great marine and terrestrial exploration, Ferdinand Magellan led the first expedition to sail around the world. As a young Portuguese noble, he served the king of Portugal, but he became involved in the quagmire of political intrigue at court and lost the king's favor. After he was dismissed from service by the king of Portugal, he offered to serve the future Emperor Charles V of Spain. 1.
The 16th century was an age of great ______ exploration.

• A. cosmic
• B. land 
• C. mental
• D. common man 

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In the 16th century, an age of great marine and terrestrial exploration, Ferdinand Magellan led the first expedition to sail around the world. As a young Portuguese noble, he served the king of Portugal, but he became involved in the quagmire of political intrigue at court and lost the king's favor. After he was dismissed from service by the king of Portugal, he offered to serve the future Emperor Charles V of Spain. 
2. Magellan lost the favor of the king of Portugal when he became involved in a political 

• A. entanglement 
• B. discussion 
• C. negotiation 
• D. problem 

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A papal decree of 1493 had assigned all land in the New World west of 50 degrees W longitude to Spain and all the land east of that line to Portugal. Magellan offered to prove that the East Indies fell under Spanish authority. On September 20, 1519, Magellan set sail from Spain with five ships. More than a year later, one of these ships was exploring the topography of South America in search of a water route across the continent. This ship sank, but the remaining four ships searched along the southern peninsula of South America. Finally they found the passage they sought near 50 degrees S latitude. Magellan named this passage the Strait of All Saints, but today it is known as the Strait of Magellan. 
3. The Pope divided New World lands between Spain and Portugal according to their location on one side or the other of an imaginary geographical line 50 degrees west of Greenwich that extends in a _________ direction.

• A. north and south 
• B. crosswise 
• C. easterly 
• D. south east

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More than a year later, one of these ships was exploring the topography of South America in search of a water route across the continent. This ship sank, but the remaining four ships searched along the southern peninsula of South America. Finally they found the passage they sought near 50 degrees S latitude. Magellan named this passage the Strait of All Saints, but today it is known as the Strait of Magellan. 
4. One of Magellan's ships explored the _________ of South America for a passage across the continent.

• A. coastline 
• B. mountain range 
• C. physical features 
• D. islands 

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 This ship sank, but the remaining four ships searched along the southern peninsula of South America. Finally they found the passage they sought near 50 degrees S latitude. Magellan named this passage the Strait of All Saints, but today it is known as the Strait of Magellan. 
5. Four of the ships sought a passage along a southern ______.

• A. coast 
• B. inland 
• C. body of land with water on three sides
• D. border 

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Finally they found the passage they sought near 50 degrees S latitude. Magellan named this passage the Strait of All Saints, but today it is known as the Strait of Magellan. 
6. The passage was found near 50 degrees S of ________.

• A. Greenwich 
• B. The equator
• C. Spain 
• D. Portugal

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One ship deserted while in this passage and returned to Spain, so fewer sailors were privileged to gaze at that first panorama of the Pacific Ocean. Those who remained crossed the meridian now known as the International Date Line in the early spring of 1521 after 98 days on the Pacific Ocean. During those long days at sea, many of Magellan's men died of starvation and disease. 
7. In the spring of 1521, the ships crossed the _______ now called the International Date Line.

• A. imaginary circle passing through the poles 
• B. imaginary line parallel to the equator 
• C. area 
• D. land mass 

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Marie Curie was one of the most accomplished scientists in history. Together with her husband, Pierre, she discovered radium, an element widely used for treating cancer, and studied uranium and other radioactive substances. Pierre and Marie's amicable collaboration later helped to unlock the secrets of the atom. 
8. The Curies' _________ collaboration helped to unlock the secrets of the atom.

• A. friendly 
• B. competitive 
• C. courteous 
• D. industrious 

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Marie was born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, where her father was a professor of physics. At an early age, she displayed a brilliant mind and a blithe personality. 
9. Marie had a bright mind and a ______ personality.

• A. strong
• B. lighthearted 
• C. humorous 
• D. strange

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Her great exuberance for learning prompted her to continue with her studies after high school. She became disgruntled, however, when she learned that the university in Warsaw was closed to women. 
10. When she learned that she could not attend the university in Warsaw, she felt 

• A. hopeless 
• B. annoyed 
• C. depressed 
• D. worried 

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