THE MAN WHO SOLD THE EIFFEL TOWER — TWICE!

Victor Lustig [’vɪktə ’lʌstɪɡ] was one of the greatest conmen in history. He was so clever that he managed to sell the Eiffel [ˌaɪf(ə)l] Tower — not once, but twice!

In 1925, Lustig arrived in Paris and read a newspaper article about the Eiffel Tower needing repairs. This gave him an idea. He created fake government documents and invited wealthy businessmen to a secret meeting. There, he told them that the French government wanted to sell the Eiffel Tower for scrap metal because it was too expensive to maintain.

One businessman, André Poisson, believed Lustig’s story and paid a large sum of money to “buy” the tower. By the time Poisson realized he had been tricked, Lustig had already escaped to Austria. But Lustig wasn’t done. A few months later, he returned to Paris and repeated the same trick on another group of businessmen. This time, however, one of them became suspicious and reported Lustig to the police.

Lustig fled to the United States, where he continued his career as a conman. He even tricked Al Capone, one of the most dangerous gangsters of the time. However, in 1935, the FBI finally caught him, and he spent the rest of his life in prison.

Victor Lustig’s story is a reminder that even the smartest people can fall for a clever trick. And he remains the only man in history who successfully “sold” the Eiffel Tower — twice!

1. conman [’kɒnmæn] — мошенник, аферист;

2. scrap metal [skræp_’metl] — металлолом;

3. maintain [meɪn’teɪn] — содержать, поддерживать;

4. suspicious [sə’spɪʃəs] — подозрительный;

5. escape [ɪs’keɪp] — сбежать.

#b1 #shortstories #learnenglish

AMELIA EARHART: THE WOMAN WHO VANISHED INTO THE SKY

Amelia Earhart [ə’miːliə_’eəˌhɑːt] was not just a pioneer [ˌpaɪə'nɪə] of aviation — she was a symbol of courage, determination, and mystery. Her name is forever linked with one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the 20th century: the disappearance of her plane during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe.

Born in 1897, Earhart developed a fascination with flying at a time when women were expected to remain grounded — both literally and figuratively ['fɪgj(ə)rətɪvlɪ]. She shattered stereotypes [ˈstɛəriːəˌtaɪps], setting multiple aviation records, including becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932. The world admired her fearlessness, but she wanted more.

In 1937, she embarked on her most ambitious journey: a flight around the world. Accompanied by navigator Fred Noonan, she set off in a Lockheed Electra, meticulously planning every leg of the journey. However, on July 2, 1937, as she approached Howland Island, a tiny speck in the Pacific, radio transmissions became increasingly desperate. “We are running low on fuel,” she signaled. Then — silence.

Despite an extensive search operation, no definitive trace of Earhart or her plane was ever found. Theories abound: did she crash into the ocean? Was she captured by the Japanese? Did she survive on a deserted island? The mystery continues to fascinate historians, conspiracy theorists, and adventurers alike.

Amelia Earhart’s legacy, however, is far greater than the enigma of her disappearance. She proved that women could conquer the skies, inspiring generations to dream beyond limitations. Though she vanished, her fearless spirit still soars.

1. pioneer [ˌpaɪə’nɪə] — первопроходец, новатор;

2. circumnavigate [ˌsɜːkəm’nævɪɡeɪt] — совершить кругосветное путешествие;

3. shattered [ˈʃætəd] — разрушила, разбила;

4. embarked [ɪmˈbɑːkt] — отправилась, приступила;

5. meticulously [mɪ’tɪkjʊləsli] — тщательно, скрупулёзно;

6. leg (of the journey) [leɡ] — этап (путешествия);

7. speck [spek] — крошечная точка, пятнышко;

8. abound [əˈbaʊnd] — быть в изобилии, множиться;

9. fascinate [ˈfæsɪneɪt] — очаровывать, увлекать;

10. enigma [ɪ’nɪɡmə] — загадка, тайна;

11. soars [sɔːz] — взмывает, парит.

#b2 #shortstories #learnenglish