Pompeii and Herculaneum: A Day of Disaster

The transcript narrates a day in Pompeii, focusing on Fabia and her brothers as they go about their daily activities. Suddenly, Mount Vesuvius erupts, forcing the residents to make life-or-death decisions. Fabia and her family attempt to escape on foot, while Marcus tries to flee by sea. The eruption's deadly pyroclastic surges devastate Herculaneum and Pompeii. The towns remain buried until the 1800s, when excavations reveal insights into Roman life and the eruption's impact.

What does Fabia offer at the Temple of Venus?

• A sacrificial lamb

• A sacrificial dove

• A sacrificial goat

• A sacrificial cow

What task did Marcus help with in the morning?

• Constructing a new bathhouse

• Building a new temple

• Laying a grand mosaic floor

• Repairing a brickyard

What interrupts the siblings' discussion about the wedding?

• A messenger's arrival

• A deafening boom

• A market brawl

• A sudden rainstorm

What are the three options for survival mentioned?

• Seek shelter, escape south on foot, flee west by sea

• Hide in the temple, run north, sail east

• Stay indoors, travel to Rome, swim across the bay

• Climb a tree, dig a hole, fly a kite

Why can't Marcus and his family escape by sea?

• The boats are all destroyed

• The waves are too high

• The sea is filled with volcanic matter

• The docks are too crowded

What is a pyroclastic surge?

• A strong wind

• A wave of hot ash and gas

• A volcanic eruption

• A type of earthquake

How long did Fabia and her family walk through ash?

• About 20 hours

• Exactly 10 hours

• Less than 5 hours

• More than 14 hours

What do Fabia and her family do after reaching the mountains?

• They pause to look back

• They build a new home

• They start a fire

• They return to Pompeii

When did official excavations of Pompeii begin?

• In the early 1700s

• In the mid-1800s

• In the early 2000s

• In the late 1900s

What insights have archaeologists gained from Pompeii and Herculaneum?

• Future volcanic predictions

• Ancient Roman life details

• Modern architecture techniques

• Medieval history