六年级下册英语第七单元课文

Unit 7: A great explorer

Part 1:

Many years ago, there was a great explorer named Christopher Columbus. He was born in Italy but later lived in Spain. Columbus loved adventure and dreamed of finding a new way to reach Asia.

In those days, many people believed that the earth was flat.

Columbus believed that the earth was round and that it was much smaller than most people thought. He thought that he could reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean.

Columbus needed money to make his dream come true. He asked the king and queen of Spain for help, but they were not interested. Finally, Columbus found support from some wealthy merchants and set off on his journey.

Part 2:

On August 3, 1492, Columbus and his crew left Spain on three ships, the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. They sailed west for many weeks, and finally, on October 12, they saw land. It was a small island in the Caribbean, which Columbus called San Salvador.

Columbus continued to sail through the Caribbean and discovered many new islands. He believed that he had reached Asia, but he had actually discovered a new land, which he named the New

World.

Columbus made three more voyages to the New World. He explored many areas and discovered more islands. Though he is known as a great explorer, Columbus was not always kind to the native people he encountered. Nonetheless, his discoveries opened up the New World to exploration and colonization by other European countries.

Part 3:

Today, many people celebrate Columbus Day to honor Christopher Columbus and his achievements. Some people see him as a hero who made great discoveries and established communication between the Old World and the New World. However, others criticize Columbus for his treatment of the native people and the negative impact his voyages had on their culture.

Whether you view Columbus positively or negatively, it is clear that his exploration of the New World was a major turning point in history and had a lasting impact on the world as we know it today.