Vasco da Gama is best remembered as the first European to sail from European to

India. The sea route he found helped Portugal build a rich empire overseas.
Vasco da gama was born is Sines, Portugal, around 1469. As young man, da gama
studied navigation an astronomy. He went on the serve as an officer in the Portuguese
navy. In 1497, the king of Portugal asked da Gama to find the sea route to india by
sailling around Africa. This would allow Portugal to control the rich Indian spice trade.
Could da Gama do it? Earlier Portuguese expedition had rounded the southern trips of
Africa. But these trip were long, difficult, and dangerous. Was it possible to travel
from europe to india in a single voyage?
In July 1497, da gama set sail from lisbon, portugal, with four ships. By january
1498, the expedition reached mozambique on africa’s southeastern coast. But arab
traders in mozambique disslike the portuguese. They drove da gama away, farther
north, on the coast of kenya, da gama calicut on india’s coast. In calicut, da gama
found pearls, jewels, and wonderful spices for sale. But the king and local merchents
refused to trade with portuguise. Furious, da gama siled away. He arrived in portugal
1499 and was honored as hero.
In 1502, da gama made a second voyage to india. he returned to calicut with
warships and soldiers. Da gama sank merchant vessels and killed many civilians. The
king of calicut surrended. Da gama sailed home to portugal carrying a rich cargo of
spice. Portugal soon built a valuable trading empire in India.
In 1524, da gama made his last voyage to india. The portuguese king had named da
gama the governor of portugal’s possesions there. Da gama died three months after
reahing India.

14. Which of the following statements is TRUE ?

A. Vasco da Gama is the king of Portugal
B. Vasco da gama studied navigation an astronomy to be a sailor
C. Vasco da Gama sailling around Africa to find the sea route to india
D. Arab traders like da gama so they drove him away
E. The king and local merchents accepted to trade with portuguise.

15. “Earlier Portuguese expedition had rounded the southern tip of africa” (paragraph
2)
The meaning of the underline word is...
A. Presently
B. Shortly
C. Before
D. Soon
E. Later

16. Portugal built a valuable trading empire in india soon after da gama defeated the
king and the people of calicut in....
A. 1497
B. 1498
C. 1499
D. 1502
E. 1524

17. What did the king do while da gama successful in helping his country to build a
rich empire overseas? Giving him as....
A. As an empire
B. The best civilian
C. A good soldier
D. One of Portugal’s merchants
E. One of portugal’s governors