Dreamreader.

net Beginner – Academic English

King James I
James I became the King of England and Ireland in 1603.

He became the King of England because Queen Elizabeth

I didn’t have a husband or any children to become king

or queen. James I was the closest living relative of

Queen Elizabeth I.

James was already a king when he became the King of

England and Ireland. He was King James VI of Scotland.

He had been the king of Scotland for twenty-nine years.

James I was the first king or queen to rule England,

Ireland, and Scotland. He was the first King of Great

Britain. He also had the title of King of France, but he

didn’t actively rule France.

James married Anne of Denmark in 1589. In total, they had eight children, but only three of these

children lived to be adults. Henry, Prince of Wales was the oldest. He was born on February 19,

1594. Next was Elizabeth who was born two years later on August 19, 1596. The youngest was

Charles. He was born on November 19, 1600 and would be the next King of England.

King James wasn't a very popular king with the people of England. In 1605, there was a plot to blow

up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I. This plan was made by a group of Christians. The

most famous member of the group was Guy Fawkes. He was caught before the group could carry

out their plan. Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot became famous. This event has been

commemorated in Britain since November 5, 1605. Traditionally, a model of Fawkes is burned on a

bonfire and there is usually a firework display.

Although he wasn’t popular, King James is thought to have been one of the cleverest kings. He

wrote several books, and he approved the publication of the King James Version of the Bible. This is

the most printed book in history. More than one billion copies were printed.

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 Dreamreader.net Beginner – Academic English

1. When did James I become the King of England and Ireland?

a) in 1589
b) in 1600
c) in 1603
d) in 1605

2. The word ‘relative’ in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to:

a) relation
b) restrict
c) friend
d) associate

3. Who was King James’ oldest son?

a) James
b) Charles
c) Henry
d) Guy

4. The word ‘plot’ in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to:

a) plan
b) plate
c) hunt
d) hint

5. When is the Gunpowder Plot remembered in Britain?

a) on February 5
b) on August 19
c) on November 5
d) on November 19

6. How many copies of the King James Version of the Bible were published?
a) about one thousand
b) less than one million
c) around ten million
d) more than one billion

Answers: 1. (c) 2. (a) 3. (c) 4. (a) 5. (c) 6. (d)

This text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. You may copy, share or adapt
this material so long as it is not used for commercial purposes.