YouTuber Arrested for Visiting Protected Island
Warm-up Questions: (1) Read the headline. What do you think happened? (2) What do you know about India? (3) Do you like coconut?
An American YouTuber named Mykhailo Polyakov, 24 years old, was arrested in India after visiting North Sentinel Island. This island is home to the Sentinelese, an isolated tribe that has lived there for thousands of years and avoids contact with outsiders.
Indian law prohibits anyone from coming within five kilometers of the island to protect the tribe from diseases and outside influence. Despite this, Polyakov traveled to the island on March 29, 2025. He left a can of Diet Coke and a coconut on the beach as gifts, blew a whistle to get attention, took a video, and collected sand samples. He stayed on the beach for about an hour but did not see any tribe members.
After returning to his boat, local fishermen saw him and reported the incident to the authorities. Police arrested Polyakov on March 31 in Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He was charged with violating laws that protect the island and its people. If found guilty, he could face up to five years in prison and a fine.
Officials stated that Polyakov had carefully planned his trip. He used GPS to navigate and had previously tried to reach the island twice before. Police said his actions were dangerous because the Sentinelese have no immunity to common diseases, and contact could harm them.
In the past, the Sentinelese have attacked outsiders who came to their island. In 2018, an American missionary was killed after landing there illegally. The Indian government continues to enforce strict rules to protect the tribe and their way of life.
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Indian law prohibits anyone from coming within five kilometers of the island to protect the tribe from (2) __________ and outside influence. Despite this, Polyakov traveled to the island on March 29, 2025. He left a can of Diet Coke and a (3) __________ on the beach as gifts, blew a whistle to get attention, took a video, and collected sand samples. He stayed on the beach for about an hour but did not see any tribe members.
After returning to his boat, local fishermen saw him and reported the incident to the authorities. Police arrested Polyakov on March 31 in Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He was (4) __________ with violating laws that protect the island and its people. If found guilty, he could face up to five years in prison and a fine.
Officials stated that Polyakov had carefully planned his trip. He used GPS to navigate and had previously tried to reach the island twice before. Police said his actions were (5) __________ because the Sentinelese have no immunity to common diseases, and contact could harm them.
In the past, the Sentinelese have attacked outsiders who came to their island. In 2018, an American missionary was killed after landing there illegally. The Indian government continues to enforce (6) __________ rules to protect the tribe and their way of life.
Comprehension
Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click Check Answers to see your results.
Comprehension
1. Polyakov gave food and drinks to the Sentinelese people. TRUE/FALSE
2. Indian law allows visitors to come close to North Sentinel Island if they don’t stay long. TRUE/FALSE
3. Polyakov was arrested two days after he visited the island. TRUE/FALSE
4. The Sentinelese people have harmed outsiders before. TRUE/FALSE
Vocabulary n = noun, v = verb, adj = adjective, adv = adverb, prep = preposition, phr. v = phrasal verb, pl = plural
Drag each vocabulary word to its matching definition:
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Vocabulary
Match each vocabulary word with a definition:
1. Arrested (v)
2. Isolated (adj)
3. Prohibit (v)
4. Authorities (n)
5. Violate (v)
6. Guilty (adj)
7. Navigate (v)
8. Immunity (n)
9. Missionary (n)
10. Enforce (v)
a) To make sure people follow a rule or law.
b) A person who travels to another place to teach or spread a religion.
c) The body’s ability to fight disease or not get sick from it.
d) To find your way, especially by using maps or GPS.
e) Officially found to have done something wrong or illegal.
f) To break a rule, law, or agreement.
g) People or organizations with power, such as the police or government.
h) Says that something is not allowed by law or rule.
i) Far away from other people or places; separated from others.
j) Taken by the police because someone is believed to have broken the law.
Discussion
- What did you think about this story? Was there any surprising information?
- Why do you think the Indian government wants to protect the Sentinelese tribe?
- Why did Polyakov visit the island, in your opinion? Is he brave, foolish, or something else?
- What are some possible dangers of contacting isolated groups?
- Do you think five years in prison is a fair punishment for Polyakov? Explain.
- As a YouTuber, Polyakov probably wanted views. Should content creators behave better?
- What is a missionary, and why do they sometimes enter dangerous places?
- Do you think the Sentinelese people are happy? Why or why not?
- Would you feel guilty if your actions hurt another group of people, even if you didn’t mean to?
- In modern societies, people are immune to certain diseases thanks to vaccines. At the same time, some people reject vaccines for a variety of reasons. What do you think about this issue?
Answers
Listening:
- isolated
- diseases
- coconut
- charged
- dangerous
- strict
Comprehension:
- False. He left a can of soda and a coconut, but didn’t see any tribe members.
- False. The law prohibits anyone from coming within 5 kilometers.
- True. Visited on March 29, arrested on March 31.
- True. In 2018, a missionary was killed after landing there.
Vocabulary:
- Arrested (v): Taken by the police because someone is believed to have broken the law.
- Isolated (adj): Far away from other people or places; separated from others.
- Prohibit (v): Says that something is not allowed by law or rule.
- Authorities (n): People or organizations with power, such as the police or government.
- Violate (v): To break a rule, law, or agreement.
- Guilty (adj): Officially found to have done something wrong or illegal.
- Navigate (v): To find your way, especially by using maps or GPS.
- Immunity (n): The body’s ability to fight disease or not get sick from it.
- Missionary (n): A person who travels to another place to teach or spread a religion.
- Enforce (v): To make sure people follow a rule or law.