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Listen & Learn: The Golden Age of Piracy

10th July 2024 by Jaksyn Peacock
Jolly Roger flag. Image by Jonas Hasselqvist (Pixabay)
  • dispute: to fight for control or ownership of something
  • colony: a place that another country takes control of
  • merchant: someone who sells products
  • income: the money that someone earns
  • piracy: the act of robbing ships
  • trope: a common theme in similar stories
  • Jolly Roger: a flag with a skull and crossbones on it, commonly associated with pirates

Listening activity

Gapfill exercise

In the early 18th century, several European , including Spain, Portugal, France, and Britain, fought in the War of the Spanish Succession. Many of these countries disputed each other’s over colonies in the Americas and the Caribbean. During the war, militaries often hired independent sailors, or “privateers,” to attack merchant from other countries. When the war ended, privateers lost their source of income. Piracy allowed them to use their skills to riches for themselves. During the Golden Age, a group of pirates even formed their own on the island of Nassau. Many tropes of pirate legends, such as the Jolly Roger flag, come from the Golden Age. Piracy became much less common in the 19th century, but pirates still operate around the world today.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

  1. The War of the Spanish Succession was fought mostly between countries in
    a. Europe
    b. Asia
    c. Africa
  2. A “privateer” was someone who
    a. used military funds to hire pirates
    b. enlisted in the military to hunt down pirates
    c. attacked foreign merchant ships to help their country’s military
  3. The island of Nassau was important during the Golden Age because
    a. there was often buried treasure there
    b. there was a military outpost there
    c. a group of pirates formed a government there

Discussion/essay questions

  1. In 1883, Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson published Treasure Island, a pirate adventure novel. Many common pirate tropes are inspired by his work. Why do you think people like to read about pirates? Can you think of some other popular pirate stories?

Transcript

In the early 18th century, several European countries, including Spain, Portugal, France, and Britain, fought in the War of the Spanish Succession. Many of these countries disputed each other’s control over colonies in the Americas and the Caribbean. During the war, militaries often hired independent sailors, or “privateers,” to attack merchant ships from other countries. When the war ended, privateers lost their source of income. Piracy allowed them to use their skills to steal riches for themselves. During the Golden Age, a group of pirates even formed their own government on the island of Nassau. Many tropes of pirate legends, such as the Jolly Roger flag, come from the Golden Age. Piracy became much less common in the 19th century, but pirates still operate around the world today.

Answers to comprehension questions

1a 2c 3c

Listen&Learn: Fingerprints

27th December 2023 by Jaksyn Peacock

Pre-listening vocabulary

  • physical: relating to the body
  • genetic: caused by DNA
  • permanent: lasting forever
  • identify: to find out who someone is
  • accurate: correct
  • proportions: the size of one thing in comparison to something else
  • foolproof: always reliable, having no room for error

Listening activity

Gapfill exercise

Unlike most physical features, fingerprints are not genetic. The patterns on our fingers develop in the womb, while is still growing. For this reason, no two people have the same fingerprints, even identical . The ridges of a fingerprint are the same through multiple of skin. This is why fingerprints stay the same after cuts or scrapes heal. To permanently change your fingerprint, you would need to destroy all of the skin’s outer layers and damage the inner layer, which is called the dermis. Since the early 20th century, many law enforcement agencies have used fingerprints to identify people. They are more accurate than earlier identification techniques, such as measuring proportions. However, fingerprints are not a foolproof way to find someone. Some diseases and medications can cause people to lose their fingerprints. A very small percentage of people are even born without them. This can make it difficult to get documents, enter different countries, and apply for certain jobs.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

  1. Fingerprints develop
    a. when DNA first forms
    b. in the womb, while skin is still growing
    c. a few days after birth
  2. To change your fingerprint, you would need to damage a layer of skin called
    a. the epidermis
    b. the dermis
    c. the hypodermis
  3. A very small percentage of people
    a. have matching fingerprints
    b. have fingerprints that change naturally
    c. have no fingerprints

Discussion/essay questions

  1. Many cell phones now allow people to use their fingerprints to secure their personal information. Some people find this concerning. Unlike a password, it is very difficult to change your fingerprint. Do you think it is a good idea to secure your information with a fingerprint? Why or why not?

Transcript

Unlike most physical features, fingerprints are not genetic. The patterns on our fingers develop in the womb, while skin is still growing. For this reason, no two people have the same fingerprints, even identical twins. The ridges of a fingerprint are the same through multiple layers of skin. This is why fingerprints stay the same after cuts or scrapes heal. To permanently change your fingerprint, you would need to destroy all of the skin’s outer layers and damage the inner layer, which is called the dermis. Since the early 20th century, many law enforcement agencies have used fingerprints to identify people. They are more accurate than earlier identification techniques, such as measuring body proportions. However, fingerprints are not a foolproof way to find someone. Some diseases and medications can cause people to lose their fingerprints. A very small percentage of people are even born without them. This can make it difficult to get legal documents, enter different countries, and apply for certain jobs.

Answers to comprehension questions

1b 2b 3c

Listen&Learn: The D. B. Cooper Case

2nd March 2022 by Jaksyn Peacock
D B Cooper case

Pre-listening vocabulary

  • hijack: to take control of a vehicle by force
  • parachute: an object that slows someone’s fall from the air
  • ransom: money that is given to a person in exchange for hostages
  • alias: a fake name that a person uses to hide their real identity
  • misinterpretation: something that is not understood correctly
  • case: something that is being investigated

Listening activity

Gapfill exercise

On November 24th, 1971, a from Portland to Seattle was hijacked by a man named Dan Cooper, who had brought a bomb on board. He demanded that the flight crew get him four parachutes and $200,000 in . Once Cooper received the ransom, he asked the to take him to Mexico City. In the middle of the flight, he jumped out of the with the money. He was never seen again. Although he had used the alias “Dan Cooper”, a misinterpretation caused the to call him “D. B. Cooper”, the name that most people know him by today. In 1980, some bills from Cooper’s ransom were found near a river, which caused many people to believe that he didn’t survive the jump. However, the case is still unsolved.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20868″]

Discussion/essay questions

  1. Do you know of any other unsolved mysteries?
  2. D. B. Cooper’s case quickly drew the attention of the public. Why do you think people are so interested in unsolved cases?

Transcript

On November 24th, 1971, a flight from Portland to Seattle was hijacked by a man named Dan Cooper, who had brought a bomb on board. He demanded that the flight crew get him four parachutes and $200,000 in cash. Once Cooper received the ransom, he asked the pilot to take him to Mexico City. In the middle of the flight, he jumped out of the plane with the money. He was never seen again. Although he had used the alias “Dan Cooper”, a misinterpretation caused the media to call him “D. B. Cooper”, the name that most people know him by today. In 1980, some bills from Cooper’s ransom were found near a river, which caused many people to believe that he didn’t survive the jump. However, the case is still unsolved.

Listen&Learn: Prohibition

3rd November 2021 by Jaksyn Peacock

Pre-listening vocabulary

  • temperance union: an organization that advocated for the prohibition of alcohol
  • poverty: a state of having very little money
  • crime: illegal activity
  • code: a way of communication that hides a person’s true message
  • gang: an organization of people that commit crimes
  • profit: to make money from something
  • smuggle: to bring something over a border illegally

Listening activity

Gapfill exercise

Prohibition was a period of time when was banned in the United States. It came about because of the of temperance unions, which believed that banning alcohol would reduce poverty and crime. The American government outlawed the sale of alcohol in 1920, but this ban was not very effective. bars called speakeasies began to appear throughout the country, where people could alcohol by speaking in code. Prohibition also gave gangs an opportunity to profit from the sale of alcohol. People known as rum-runners would smuggle alcohol across the Canadian border in order to sell it in the U.S. By 1933, it became clear that the ban had failed, and the government passed a new law allowing the sale of alcohol once again.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20673″]

Discussion/essay questions

  1. Why do you think Prohibition failed?

Transcript

Prohibition was a period of time when alcohol was banned in the United States. It came about because of the protests of temperance unions, which believed that banning alcohol would reduce poverty and crime. The American government outlawed the sale of alcohol in 1920, but this ban was not very effective. Secret bars called speakeasies began to appear throughout the country, where people could order alcohol by speaking in code. Prohibition also gave gangs an opportunity to profit from the illegal sale of alcohol. People known as rum-runners would smuggle alcohol across the Canadian border in order to sell it in the U.S. By 1933, it became clear that the ban had failed, and the government passed a new law allowing the sale of alcohol once again.