D. B. COOPER: THE MAN WHO VANISHED INTO THIN AIR
On November 24, 1971, a man who called himself D. B. Cooper boarded a Northwest Orient Airlines flight from Portland to Seattle. He was dressed in a suit and carried a briefcase. Nobody suspected that he was about to pull off one of the most mysterious crimes in American history.
Shortly after takeoff, Cooper handed a note to a flight attendant. It read: “I have a bomb.” He calmly told the crew that he wanted $200,000 in cash, four parachutes, and a fuel truck ready to refuel the plane in Seattle. The airline agreed. When the plane landed, the ransom was delivered, and Cooper gave away the passengers. He then ordered the pilots to take off again and fly towards Mexico.
Somewhere over the forests of Washington, in the middle of the night, Cooper did the unthinkable. He put on a parachute, grabbed the money, and jumped out of the plane. No one ever saw him again. Despite one of the largest manhunts in FBI history, no clear trace of Cooper was ever found. Investigators went through thousands of tips, but nothing led to a definitive answer.
Over the years, theories have emerged. Some believe he died in the wilderness, others think he got away with the crime and lived under a new identity. In 1980, a young boy found $5,800 in decayed bills buried near a river — money that matched the ransom. But the rest of the cash was never recovered.
The case remains open, and D. B. Cooper has become a legend. Who was he? How did he disappear? Did he survive? More than 50 years later, the mystery continues.
1. ransom [’rænsəm] — выкуп;
2. briefcase [’briːfkeɪs] — портфель, чемоданчик;
3. parachute [’pærəʃuːt] — парашют;
4. manhunt [’mænhʌnt] — розыск, масштабная облава;
5. wilderness [’wɪldənəs] — дикая местность.
#b2 #shortstories #learnenglish
On November 24, 1971, a man who called himself D. B. Cooper boarded a Northwest Orient Airlines flight from Portland to Seattle. He was dressed in a suit and carried a briefcase. Nobody suspected that he was about to pull off one of the most mysterious crimes in American history.
Shortly after takeoff, Cooper handed a note to a flight attendant. It read: “I have a bomb.” He calmly told the crew that he wanted $200,000 in cash, four parachutes, and a fuel truck ready to refuel the plane in Seattle. The airline agreed. When the plane landed, the ransom was delivered, and Cooper gave away the passengers. He then ordered the pilots to take off again and fly towards Mexico.
Somewhere over the forests of Washington, in the middle of the night, Cooper did the unthinkable. He put on a parachute, grabbed the money, and jumped out of the plane. No one ever saw him again. Despite one of the largest manhunts in FBI history, no clear trace of Cooper was ever found. Investigators went through thousands of tips, but nothing led to a definitive answer.
Over the years, theories have emerged. Some believe he died in the wilderness, others think he got away with the crime and lived under a new identity. In 1980, a young boy found $5,800 in decayed bills buried near a river — money that matched the ransom. But the rest of the cash was never recovered.
The case remains open, and D. B. Cooper has become a legend. Who was he? How did he disappear? Did he survive? More than 50 years later, the mystery continues.
1. ransom [’rænsəm] — выкуп;
2. briefcase [’briːfkeɪs] — портфель, чемоданчик;
3. parachute [’pærəʃuːt] — парашют;
4. manhunt [’mænhʌnt] — розыск, масштабная облава;
5. wilderness [’wɪldənəs] — дикая местность.
#b2 #shortstories #learnenglish
ONASSIS AND CALLAS: A LOVE STORY OF PASSION AND BETRAYAL
Maria Callas ['kaləs] was the greatest opera singer of her time. Aristotle ['arɪstɒt(ə)l] Onassis [əʊ'nasɪs] was one of the richest men in the world. Their love story was full of passion, but it ended in heartbreak. Maria Callas and Aristotle Onassis met in 1957 at a party in Venice ['venɪs]. She was married, and he was famous for his love affairs. But when they saw [sɔː] each other, there was a strong attraction. Two years later, they went on a cruise [kruːz] together on Onassis’s luxury yacht [jɔt], Christina. During this trip, they fell deeply in love. Callas left her husband for Onassis, believing he was the love of her life.
At first, their relationship was full of excitement. Onassis was rich, powerful, and charming. He gave Callas expensive gifts and took her to the most beautiful places in the world. But he was also a man who loved freedom. Callas wanted a serious relationship. She even gave up her singing career for him. But Onassis was not a faithful man. He had many other women, and Maria suffered because of it.
In 1968, Onassis shocked the world. He married Jacqueline [ˈdʒæklɪn] Kennedy, the widow of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Callas was heartbroken. She had given everything to Onassis, but he chose someone else. Even after his marriage, Onassis continued to see Callas. But their love was no longer the same. She became lonely and sad.
Onassis’s son, Alexander, died in a plane crash in 1973. This tragedy destroyed him. Two years later, Onassis himself died. Maria Callas never fully recovered from her broken heart. She lived alone in Paris and died in 1977. Their love story was passionate but painful. Callas gave Onassis her heart, but he never truly gave her his.
1. heartbreak [ˈhɑːrtˌbreɪk] — душевная боль, глубокое горе;
2. affair [əˈfer] — роман, дело, событие;
3. luxury [ˈlʌk.ʃɚ.i] — роскошь, люкс;
4. excitement [ɪkˈsaɪt.mənt] — возбуждение, волнение, восторг;
5. charming [ˈtʃɑːr.mɪŋ] — очаровательный, обаятельный;
6. relationship [rɪˈleɪ.ʃən.ʃɪp] — отношения, связь;
7. faithful [ˈfeɪθ.fəl] — верный, преданный;
8. heartbroken [ˈhɑːrtˌbroʊ.kən] — убитый горем, с разбитым сердцем;
9. passionate [ˈpæʃ.ən.ət] — страстный, пылкий;
10. truly ['truːlɪ] — правдиво, искренне
действительно, по-настоящему.
#b1 #shortstories #learnenglish
Maria Callas ['kaləs] was the greatest opera singer of her time. Aristotle ['arɪstɒt(ə)l] Onassis [əʊ'nasɪs] was one of the richest men in the world. Their love story was full of passion, but it ended in heartbreak. Maria Callas and Aristotle Onassis met in 1957 at a party in Venice ['venɪs]. She was married, and he was famous for his love affairs. But when they saw [sɔː] each other, there was a strong attraction. Two years later, they went on a cruise [kruːz] together on Onassis’s luxury yacht [jɔt], Christina. During this trip, they fell deeply in love. Callas left her husband for Onassis, believing he was the love of her life.
At first, their relationship was full of excitement. Onassis was rich, powerful, and charming. He gave Callas expensive gifts and took her to the most beautiful places in the world. But he was also a man who loved freedom. Callas wanted a serious relationship. She even gave up her singing career for him. But Onassis was not a faithful man. He had many other women, and Maria suffered because of it.
In 1968, Onassis shocked the world. He married Jacqueline [ˈdʒæklɪn] Kennedy, the widow of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Callas was heartbroken. She had given everything to Onassis, but he chose someone else. Even after his marriage, Onassis continued to see Callas. But their love was no longer the same. She became lonely and sad.
Onassis’s son, Alexander, died in a plane crash in 1973. This tragedy destroyed him. Two years later, Onassis himself died. Maria Callas never fully recovered from her broken heart. She lived alone in Paris and died in 1977. Their love story was passionate but painful. Callas gave Onassis her heart, but he never truly gave her his.
1. heartbreak [ˈhɑːrtˌbreɪk] — душевная боль, глубокое горе;
2. affair [əˈfer] — роман, дело, событие;
3. luxury [ˈlʌk.ʃɚ.i] — роскошь, люкс;
4. excitement [ɪkˈsaɪt.mənt] — возбуждение, волнение, восторг;
5. charming [ˈtʃɑːr.mɪŋ] — очаровательный, обаятельный;
6. relationship [rɪˈleɪ.ʃən.ʃɪp] — отношения, связь;
7. faithful [ˈfeɪθ.fəl] — верный, преданный;
8. heartbroken [ˈhɑːrtˌbroʊ.kən] — убитый горем, с разбитым сердцем;
9. passionate [ˈpæʃ.ən.ət] — страстный, пылкий;
10. truly ['truːlɪ] — правдиво, искренне
действительно, по-настоящему.
#b1 #shortstories #learnenglish