Mountain of Doom

The main purpose of “Mountain of Doom” is to________________, whereas the main purpose of “My Journey to Pompeii” is to ________________.

• teach readers about one of the worst disasters of the ancient world; share an author’s writing process

• detail the history of the Roman Empire; explain why volcanoes erupt

• introduce readers to the field of archaeology; describe ancient Pompeii

• describe pyroclastic flow; detail the eruption of Mount Vesuvius

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In the first paragraph of “Mountain of Doom,” author Lauren Tarshis writes that the main street in Pompeii “teems with people.” Based on context clues, what is the definition of teem?

• to be without or not have enough

• to be full of or swarming with

• to produce a lot of noise

• to feel surprise or shock

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Tarshis characterizes the Roman Empire at the time of Mount Vesuvius’s eruption in 79 a.d. as

• small and peaceful.

• poor and struggling.

• powerful and advanced.

• dangerous and unstable.

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Which provide the best support to question 3? (Choose 2 answers)

• photos of casts made by archaeologists

• the description of Roman water system

• the map of the Roman Empire

• Pliny the Younger’s eyewitness account

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On page 18, Tarshis writes, “There is not even a word for volcano in Latin.” What purpose does this detail serve

• It provides background information about the language spoken in Pompeii.

• It compares and contrasts English and Latin.

• It shows how little the people of Pompeii knew about volcanoes.

• It helps the reader understand why the eruption of Vesuvius was not surprising.

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In “My Journey to Pompeii,” Tarshis describes Vesuvius as a “mountain raining down death and destruction.” Which section from “Mountain of Doom” develops this idea?

• the introduction

• “A Boiling Avalanche”

• the map of the Roman Empire

• the sidebar “Unlocking the Secrets of Pompeii”

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Imagine that you are writing a paragraph explaining how a lack of knowledge about volcanoes led to the people of Pompeii’s downfall.

A. Which of the following would be the BEST topic sentence for your paragraph?

• The eruption of Mount Vesuvius destroyed the city of Pompeii.

• There were many warning signs that Mount Vesuvius might soon erupt.

• Due to their lack of understanding of volcanoes, the people of Pompeii did not recognize the many warning signs signaling that Mount Vesuvius might soon erupt.

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Which information from the article BEST supports the sentence you chose in part A?

• “Nobody understands that the terrible smell is sulfurous gas, part of the explosive brew simmering inside Vesuvius.” (p. 18)

• “Over the next few hours, millions of tons of ash and rock fall on the city.” (p. 20)

• “For months, magma has been rising through the center of the volcano. Pressure is building. A catastrophic eruption is coming.” (p. 18)

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Which of the following BEST explains why the text evidence you chose in part B is relevant?

• It shows how Pompeii was destroyed.

• It provides an example of a warning sign that the people of Pompeii were unaware of because they did not know about volcanoes and how they work.

• C It explains what happens before a volcano erupts.

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Choose the ONE piece of text evidence from the article that best supports the statement below. Then complete the sentence to explain your choice.

"Pompeii was surprisingly modern in many ways."

• A “People hide in their homes, believing that this strange storm of ash and rock will soon end.” (p. 20)

• “Vendors shout for your attention, offering slices of juicy melon and sizzling hunks of roasted meat.” (p. 18)

• “Nowhere else in the world has such a sophisticated system of aqueducts—underground tunnels that deliver fresh water to fountains, bathhouses, and homes.” (p. 18)

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