Ancient Timekeeping Quiz

Why did people in ancient times not need to keep track of day, night, and the seasons?

• They used mechanical clocks to tell the time.

• They relied on the sun, moon, and stars for signs of these cycles in nature.

• They had digital watches to keep track of time.

• They used sundials even at night.

What did people in ancient Egypt, Greece, and China use to measure time?

• Water clocks

• Candles

• Shadow clocks or sundials

• Mechanical clocks

What was a problem with clocks that burned candles, oil, or incense?

• They were too expensive for most people.

• They only showed how much time had passed since a fire was said, "I'll meet you when half a candle melts."

• They were perfect and had no issues.

• They were too large and filled up the room.

Why were the old clocks no longer good enough when trade between countries increased?

• They were not loud enough for everyone to hear.

• They were not accurate enough for everyone to share the correct time of day.

• They were too small to be seen by everyone.

• They were too modern for the time period.

What was one of the main features of early mechanical clocks?

• They had faces to tell the time.

• They were small and portable.

• They were made of candles and incense sticks.

• They were moved by heavy weights and did not have faces.

How long did it take before there were enough clocks to go around?

• Less than 100 years

• About 500 years

• Exactly 1300 years

• Only a few decades

What is the main idea of the passage?

• Clocks show the creativity of their designers.

• Clocks help people get to places on time.

• Clocks have gotten smaller and smaller over the years.

• Clocks have improved, so we can keep better track of time.

Which detail from the passage best supports the answer to Part A?

• “To be on time, you’d both have to have the same size candle. . . .” (paragraph 6)

• “The old clocks were no longer good enough. . . .” (paragraph 7)

• “These early mechanical clocks were funny looking. . . .” (paragraph 9)

• “Up high, for everyone to see and hear, the clock rang out the hours. . . .” (paragraph 10)

Why did men’s wristwatches become popular during World War I?

• Soldiers wanted watches that were less expensive.

• Soldiers thought both men and women should wear watches on their wrists.

• Soldiers could remain ready for battle if watches were on their wrists.

• Soldiers realized that it was fashionable to wear small watches.

Which sentence best explains the main problem with sundials?

• Sundials required only a small amount of sunlight each day.

• Sundials worked differently in different countries.

• Sundials were outdoor clocks that could be easily damaged.

• Sundials could be used only during the daytime.