C1 : The Astors of New York
After their 2021 bestseller about the Vanderbilt dynasty, CNN and "60 Minutes" correspondent Anderson Cooper reteamed with historian Katherine Howe for their latest book, "Astor," which traces the fortunes of one of the most prominent and wealthy New York City families in the 19th and 20th centuries. Correspondent Kelefa Sanneh talks with Cooper about what made John Jacob Astor rich, and how Brooke Astor, who married into the family, sought to rehabilitate the Astors' reputation. Air Date: Sep 16, 2023
Vocabulary
Sublease ---> a lease of a property by a tenant to a subtenant; a sublet.
Indigenous ---> originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native.
Etched ---> figuratively means deeply imprinted or imprinted in a way that is not easily erased, like a physical carving or a permanent memory. It suggests something is firmly and indelibly part of a person's mind or memory, often a traumatic or significant experience
Multifaceted ---> having many different aspects or features.
Slumlord ---> a landlord of slum property, typically one who charges extortionate rents.
Plutocrat ---> a person whose power derives from their wealth.
Above : John Jacob Astor
The Astors: Anderson Cooper on an American dynasty
Quiz 1
1 - The Astor family were __________ immigrants.
a. English
b. German
c. French
d. Italian
e. Dutch
f. Portuguese
2 - The book discussed in the video was written by __________.
a. Roger Clemens
b. Frederick Douglas
c. Anderson Cooper
d. D.W. Cooper
e. Brady Anderson
f. Gloria Vanderbilt
3 - Who was John Jacob Astor and his son?
a. Oil tycoons
b. Steel entrepreneurs
c. Real estate mongols
d. Military officers
e. Politicians
f. None of the above
4 - John Jacob Astor was America's third multimillionaire.
a. True
b. False
c. Does not say
5 - John Jacob Astor was an alcoholic.
a. True
b. False
c. Does not say
6 - John Jacob Astor died in __________.
a. 1844
b. 1845
c. 1846
d. 1847
e. 1848
f. 1849
7 - John Jacob Astor died with one regret. Which one of the following was his regret?
a. He wished he had been just and fair in his business deals in the beaver pelt trade
b. He wished he had invested in the slave trade
c. He wished he had made his wife sign a prenup
d. He wished he had sold more tracts of land
e. He wished he had bought more real estate
f. None of the above
8 - John Jacob Astor made a fortune in the bloody and brutal __________ fur/pelt trade.
a. antelope
b. beaver
c. crow
d. Mongoose
e. Snake
f. Capybara
9 - What does the word "indigenous" mean?
a. the process of digesting food.
b. originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native.
c. the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce a pleasing effect.
d. (of a person or their behavior) tending to attract attention because of their exuberance, confidence, and stylishness.
e. a very tall building of many storeys.
f. None of the above
10 - By __________ Astor's fur trading business was the largest business enterprise in the United States.
a. 1830
b. 1831
c. 1832
d. 1833
e. 1834
f. 1835
11 - Cooper stated that "He (John Jacob Astor) would screw over the traders that worked for him. What does "screw over" mean?
a. free of deceit; truthful and sincere.
b. impartial and just, without favouritism or discrimination.
c. cheat, swindle, or exploit someone.
d. (of a person or their behaviour) unconventional and slightly strange.
e. miserably inadequate; of very low standard.
f. None of the above
12 - John Jacob Astor was from the next generation of Astors after William Astor
a. True
b. False
c. Does not say
13 - John Jacob Astor was a slumlord.
a. True
b. False
c. Does not say
14 - What does "sub-lease" mean?
a. give something and receive something of the same kind in return.
b. exchange (something) for something else, typically as a commercial transaction.
c. an act of selling or attempting to sell something.
d. a lease of a property by a tenant to a subtenant; a sublet.
e.
f. None of the above
15 - Today the Astor name is etched into the infrastructure of New York City.
What does Etched mean?
a. create or represent (something) by carving, casting, or other shaping techniques.
b.
c. something being indelibly imprinted or ingrained in one's memory or consciousness, often with a deep and lasting impact
d.
e.
f. None of the above
16 - What does "multifaceted" mean?
a.
b.
c. having many different aspects or features.
d.
e.
f. None of the above
17 -
18 -
19 -
20 -
Plutocrat -
Answer Key 1
1 - B ---> German
2 - C ---> Anderson Cooper
3 - C ---> Real Estate Mongols ---> A real estate mogul is an entrepreneur who has built a massive real estate empire by actively or passively investing in real estate. It is no surprise that real estate moguls are among the richest billionaires in the world who own hundreds of commercial & residential properties.
4 - B ---> False ---> John Jacob Astor was America's FIRST multimillionaire.
5 - C ---> Does not say
6 - E ---> 1848
7 - E ---> He wished he had bought more real estate
8 - B ---> Beaver
9 - B ---> originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native.
10 - E ---> 1834
11 - C ---> cheat, swindle, or exploit someone.
12 - B ---> False ---> William Astor was from the next generation of Astors after John Jacob Astor
13 - A ---> True
14 - D ---> a lease of a property by a tenant to a subtenant; a sublet.
15 - C ---> something being indelibly imprinted or ingrained in one's memory or consciousness, often with a deep and lasting impact
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Quiz 2
Open-ended Questions
In your own words, who were the Astors?
Where the Astor's good people? Why or why not?
How did they make their fortune?
What do you think about what happened to the Astors toward the end of the family's wealth?
External Links
Other A1 - C1 English Tasks
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