Journey to the Titanic: STAAR Questions

What is the central idea of the section, “Rotting Away?”

• The Titanic had enough lifeboats for all passengers.
• The shipwreck of the Titanic is eroding and may disappear in 20 years.
• Ocean currents have preserved the Titanic well for over a century.
• Explorers have recovered many artifacts from the Titanic.

What is the best summary for this selection?

• The Titanic was a ship that sank in 1912 and its artifacts are being preserved.
• An expedition is planned to visit the Titanic wreck before it deteriorates completely.
• The Titanic was unsinkable but sank; scientists and tourists are now exploring it.
• Renata Rojas dreams of visiting the Titanic, and OceanGate is making it possible.

Why was the Titanic considered "unsinkable" by many people?

• It was made of the strongest metal available at the time.
• It had an advanced navigation system that avoided icebergs.
• It was the biggest and fastest ship of its day, built with new technology.
• It had enough lifeboats for all passengers and crew.

What can be concluded about the significance of Robert Ballard's discovery of the Titanic wreck in 1985?

• It proved the Titanic was not actually unsinkable.
• It solved the mystery of the Titanic's final resting place.
• It showed that the Titanic was in perfect condition.
• It led to the recovery of all artifacts from the ship.

What does the word, “deteriorating” mean?

• Improving over time
• Falling apart or becoming worse over time
• Remaining unchanged
• Being discovered again

Which sentence from the text shows why the Titanic is deteriorating?

• “The Titanic slammed into an iceberg and sank.”
• “The Titanic had only enough lifeboats for about half its passengers and crew.”
• “Ocean currents have slowly eroded, or worn away, the ship.”
• “Rojas has signed up to be one of a group of tourists on the trip.”

Which sentence from the text shows why OceanGate wants to explore the Titanic?

• “Visitors to the Titanic have included archaeologists and filmmakers.”
• “OceanGate’s goal is to analyze just how fast the Titanic is deteriorating.”
• “A company called OceanGate is planning expeditions to the famous wreckage next summer.”
• “The Titanic has been in the sea for more than a century.”

What is one reason some people believe it's disrespectful to remove artifacts from the Titanic?

• Artifacts should be left for future generations to discover.
• The Titanic is a gravesite and should be left undisturbed.
• The items are too fragile to be moved.
• Artifacts do not provide any historical insights.

What is one way scientists will study the Titanic during the expedition?

• By using high-tech scanning equipment to create a 3-D map
• By bringing artifacts back to the surface for analysis
• By exploring the captain’s quarters in detail
• By diving without any equipment to observe the ship

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