The document summarizes some of the challenges of being a pirate based on four key facts: food goes bad quickly with no refrigeration and may contain insects or maggots; pirates' hammocks are near stored food so rats and mice may share their beds; going to the toilet over the side of the ship is difficult in rough weather; and pirates may have to engage in dangerous battles with other pirates involving swords, guns, and cannons. In short, while stories portray piracy as exciting, the reality of life at sea as a pirate is not as easy or fun as often thought due to difficulties with food, hygiene, and facing life-threatening combat.

1. A pirate’s life for me
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Have you ever thought about being a pirate? You may have read about pirates in
stories and thought that it would be a great life. Pirates sail all day and never have
to go to school. But think again! A pirate's life may not be as much fun as you think.
So if you are thinking of being a pirate, maybe you should go back to school and
find out a few more facts before you set sail. Being a pirate might not be as much
fun as you think.
Food is not easy to find at sea. There are no
refrigerators onboard so you can forget about eating
fresh food. Meat goes bad after just a few days.
Dry food like flour and bread has weevils and other
nasty creatures crawling inside. Imagine eating a
sandwich full of insects or meat served with maggots.
Pirates' hammocks are often hung over
barrels of stored food. That's the perfect
place for rats and mice to live. If you become
a pirate you could wake up each morning
sharing your bed with a few friendly rodents.
Going to the toilet is not that easy either!
Over the side of the ship is the only place for this.
Rough weather makes this really tricky, even for
the most experienced sailor.
It's not all plain sailing on a pirate ship. Some of the time
you will have to do battle with other large, hairy pirates
with long swords, huge guns and very loud cannons.
This could be extremely dangerous — deadly even!
A pirate's life for meA pirate's life for meA pirate's life for meA pirate's life for me

2. A pirate’s life for me
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Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 The writer thinks being a pirate would be
b full of problems.
b fun but dangerous.
b a great way to live.
b better than going to school.
2 The writer says that fresh food on a ship
b rots quickly.
b can be easy to find.
b is used for sandwiches.
b needs to be stored in a refrigerator.
3 Weevils can be found in
b flour.
b meat.
b fresh fruit.
b vegetables.
4 The writer uses the words, a few friendly rodents, to
b show that only a few are good.
b make you believe they are good pets.
b make an awful thing sound not so bad.
b show you how friendly rats and mice are.
5 Going to the toilet on a ship is
b easy in good weather.
b difficult for all pirates.
b tricky only in bad weather.
b easy for experience pirates.

3. A pirate’s life for me
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6 It’s not all plain sailing on a pirate ship
In this sentence the words plain sailing means pirate ships
b are not easy to sail.
b decorated beautifully.
b can be dull and boring.
b need smooth seas to sail.
7 This could be extremely dangerous (paragraph 5).
The word This is referring to
b being a pirate.
b rough weather.
b fighting other pirates.
b putting up the sales.
8 The writer gives four facts to support the argument in this text. Briefly state what these are.
1.
2.
3.
4.