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2013 ‫מועד דצמבר‬ - 49 - ‫ פרק שני‬- ‫ אנגלית‬

Text II (Questions 18-22)

(1) Over the past three centuries, pirates have figured prominently in many classic
works of English literature and drama. These include Treasure Island, a novel by
Robert Louis Stevenson; The Pirates of Penzance, a comic opera by Gilbert and
Sullivan; and Peter Pan, a play by Sir James Barrie. The pirates of the imagination are a

(5) romantic blend of many details. They wear gold earrings, high black boots and
impressively large hats. They are bold and adventurous, stealing only from the rich and
corrupt. In fact, however, the pirates of history were often desperate, drunken men who
dressed in tattered clothing and were cruel to their prisoners and to one another.

The historical period known as the "age of piracy" began in the late 1500s, reaching
(10) its height in the 1600s. During this time, powerful European countries sent many

merchant ships to search for riches in the New World. As the merchant ships sailed
back to Europe, filled with gold and other treasures, pirates – expert seamen who had
light, fast boats – would capture the heavier, slower ships. Once on board, the pirates
would steal the cargo and kidnap or kill the crew.

(15) The European powers tried to fight piracy by passing laws that made it a crime
punishable by death. Paradoxically, however, pirates were often sent by one European
country to raid the ships of another. For example, the British and French hired pirates to
weaken Spanish control over the shipping routes of the Atlantic.

Not surprisingly, piracy proved an unreliable weapon in the war for commercial
(20) gain. Pirates would rob the ships of any country, including those of Britain and France.

In response, Britain and France sent their navies to fight against the pirates and
significantly reduced their numbers. In 1720, there were over two thousand pirates in
the Atlantic; a decade later, there were fewer than two hundred.

Questions

18. The main purpose of the text is to -

(1) explain why pirates figure in many classic works
(2) describe the methods used by pirates
(3) present a short history of piracy
(4) discuss how the "age of piracy" ended

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