We use clear, simple English to help listeners understand the world and improve their English. This episode looks at Magellan’s fleet and a strait later named for him.
Transcript
Welcome to Slow English FM. This is Today in History, a programme about events from the past. We use clear, simple English to help listeners understand the world and improve their English. This episode looks at Magellan’s fleet and a strait later named for him.
EmmaOn October 21, 1520, Magellan’s fleet reached the entrance to the strait. A strait is a narrow passage of water. The fleet was sailing under the Spanish flag. The name came later: the strait was named for Magellan. So the event recorded for this date is the fleet’s arrival at the entrance—not its departure from the strait.
That was Today in History on Slow English FM. Thanks for listening, and stay with Slow English FM.
Vocabulary in this episode
- fleet
This episode looks at Magellan’s fleet and a strait later named for him.
A fleet is a group of ships that travel or operate together.
- fleet
On October 21, 1520, Magellan’s fleet reached the entrance to the strait.
Here, a fleet is the group of ships sailing with Magellan.
- fleet
The fleet was sailing under the Spanish flag.
Here, the fleet means the group of ships sailing together.
- fleet
So the event recorded for this date is the fleet’s arrival at the entrance—not its departure from the strait.
Here, the fleet means Magellan’s group of ships.
- strait
This episode looks at Magellan’s fleet and a strait later named for him.
A strait is a narrow stretch of water between two areas of land.
- strait
On October 21, 1520, Magellan’s fleet reached the entrance to the strait.
The strait is the narrow passage of water the ships reached.
- strait
A strait is a narrow passage of water.
A strait is a narrow passage of water, often connecting larger bodies of water.
- strait
The name came later: the strait was named for Magellan.
Here, the strait is the narrow passage of water that received Magellan’s name.
- strait
So the event recorded for this date is the fleet’s arrival at the entrance—not its departure from the strait.
Here, the strait is the narrow passage of water the ships had not yet left.
- under the Spanish flag
The fleet was sailing under the Spanish flag.
This means the ships were sailing for Spain or as part of Spain’s fleet.
- entrance
On October 21, 1520, Magellan’s fleet reached the entrance to the strait.
The entrance is the point where the ships could enter the strait.
- entrance
So the event recorded for this date is the fleet’s arrival at the entrance—not its departure from the strait.
Here, the entrance is the point where the ships could enter the strait.
- departure
So the event recorded for this date is the fleet’s arrival at the entrance—not its departure from the strait.
A departure is the act of leaving a place.