IV.

Reading Comprehension 2 (Supplementary Reading)

The First to the North Pole

Science is not new to the idea of controversy and fraud such as in the case of the
Piltdown Man. The history of the exploration of the North Pole is another case of this nature.
The two main players in this story are Robert Peary, a famous explorer in the early 20th
century, and Dr. Frederick Cook, another explorer who frequently accompanied Peary on his
expeditions.
According to Dr. Cook, he reached the North Pole on April 21, 1908. Cook then
became lost in the Arctic for almost a year. In the meantime, Robert Peary was also trying to
reach the North Pole. He claimed to have arrived there on April 6, 1909, almost a year after
Cook. In September 1909, both men managed to make it back to civilization and, within
days of each other, telegraphed their rival claims to the newspapers. Controversy ensued
when Peary accused Cook of fraud, claiming that he had no compelling evidence to support
his claim as the first man to reach the North Pole. Who was the first man to reach the North
Pole?

A. Mark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the reading.
1. _____ There are other controversies in science.
2. _____ Robert Peary was a well-known explorer of the 1900s.
3. _____Dr. Cook claimed to have reached the North Pole on April 21, 1908.
4. _____Peary and Cook reached the North Pole at the same time.

B. Choose the best answer according to the reading.
1. Why is the history of the North Pole considered controversial?
(A) No one knows who got there first.
(B) There is no North Pole.
(C) A man wrote in his diary.
(D) Scientists need to go there still.

2. When did Cook arrive at the North Pole?
(A) 1902
(B) 1909
(C) 1920
(D) 1908

3. Why was Cook not able to report his accomplishment right away?
(A) He was lazy.
(B) He took a slow ship.
(C) He got lost.
(D) He wanted to wait for Peary.

4. Why did Peary accuse Cook of a hoax?
(A) He had no proof.
(B) He had his diary.
(C) He talked to the newspapers.
(D) He had a lot of witnesses.