Page 10 - Reading Success B4

The first person to sail around the world was a Portuguese traveler named
Ferdinand Magellan. In 1519, he set sail from Spain to find a new route to the

Spice Islands of Indonesia. This voyage became known as the first successful
attempt at circling the world. Back then, spices from Asia were very expensive and

valuable, and Magellan thought he could get to the source of the spices by sailing
west. Unfortunately, Magellan was killed during the journey. He was also the first

European to land in the Philippines and to meet its native people.
However, one of his ships came back after having sailed all the way around the

world. Of the 270 crew members who set out with Magellan to go around the
globe, only a few were able to return to Spain and complete the journey. They

were led by a Spaniard named Juan Sebastian Elcano, who took over command
of the trip after Magellan’s death. Magellan did not intend to circumnavigate the

world, only to find a safe way through which the Spanish ships could travel to the
Spice Islands . It was Elcano, who, after Magellan’s death, decided to push

westwards. He was the first to sail around the entire Earth.

Main Idea

What is the main idea of this story?

a. the first trip around the world

b. Magellan’s death
c. Magellan’s trip to the Philippines

d. the life of Ferdinand Magellan

12_Reading Success B 4