Crusades
The city of Jerusalem is a holy place to three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Many important events in the history of these religions took place in Jerusalem and the surrounding Holy Land. Between the year 1096 and the late 1200s, Christians fought a series of wars against Muslims—followers of Islam. These wars were called the Crusades. The Crusades were fought for control of the Holy Land.
Who was the youngest man ever elected to be president of the United States? The answer is John F. Kennedy, the nation’s 35th president. Kennedy won the presidency at the age of 43.
Kennedy was the first American president born in the 20th century. He was also the first president of the Catholic faith. But Kennedy’s time as the nation’s leader was cut short. He was assassinated during his third year as president.
She was a simple peasant girl who couldn’t read or write. Yet Joan of Arc united France and helped free her country from English rule. Today, she is remembered as one of the greatest heroines in history.
When most people think about Earth, they think about land. You’ve probably spent your entire life on land. If you look at a globe, however, you can see that there is not as much land as water. Most of the Earth is covered by water, and most of that water is salty. Almost all of the salt water is connected into one huge ocean. The ocean covers almost two-thirds of the Earth.
Other waterfalls are higher than Niagara Falls, but Niagara Falls is one of the most famous. Why? Because the great beauty and immense size of Niagara Falls make it one of North America’s most spectacular natural wonders!
If a pig weighed as much as a pickup truck it might look something like a river hippopotamus. A hippopotamus, or hippo, is an animal that lives in Africa. Like a pig, it has a tubby body, big head, and short, thick neck. In fact, the hippopotamus is a distant relative of the pig.
Brave, bold, and brutally successful—he was known as Charlemagne (Charles the Great). Charlemagne is remembered as one of history’s great leaders. This warrior king succeeded in building an empire that united much of Europe.
As a boy, Jean Chrétien was often picked on. A childhood illness left his face partially paralyzed. It also made him deaf in one ear. When he was teased about these things, he would fight back, and sometimes get in trouble.
Imagine you are snorkeling in the warm ocean water around a tropical coral reef. You put on your mask and swim fins. You float around looking at the reef below you. The coral reef looks like strangely shaped rocks sticking up from the ocean floor. Crooked coral that looks like tree limbs twists up from cracks and caves in the reef
Grand tombs and gateways to the afterlife—the pyramids of Egypt are among the world’s most magnificent monuments. Their massive size and simple shape fascinate people.
Do you think of a desert as a hot, dry place where sand stretches as far as you can see? The Sahara in North Africa is like that, but most deserts are not. All deserts are dry, but some deserts are very cold. Plants and animals live in most deserts. People have learned to live in deserts all over the world.
Elizabeth’s parents were disappointed when she was born. They desperately wanted a son. But Elizabeth eventually became one of England’s greatest rulers.
Unlock All The Benefits
Are You Hungry?
Daily English Plus Bites are just a couple of clicks away...
Sign up and start receiving daily short learning emails which include idioms, reading, word power, common mistakes, grammar and more.
Unlock a world of learning delivered daily to your inbox.
You have Successfully Subscribed!
We will never send you spam, and you can unsubscribe any time you want.