Benchmark Corrections Review

What symbol of the ancient Aztec Empire can be found on the flag of Mexico?

• gold and silver

• offerings to their gods

• calendar with 365 days

• eagle with a snake in its mouth

According to “The End of the Aztec Empire,” which of the following BEST explains why Mexico includes the image of an eagle with a snake in its mouth on its flag?

• to symbolize how freedom will defeat treachery

• to represent the Spanish influence on Mexican culture

• to represent Hernán Cortés’s conquest of the Aztec Empire

• to represent the historic and cultural influences of the Aztec Empire

Which of the following BEST explains Hernán Cortés’ role in the Aztec Empire?

• His exploration and conquest led to the downfall of the Aztec Empire.

• His exploration led to the growth and expansion of the Aztec Empire.

• His exploration and conquest led to the building of Mexico City.

• His army defeated the second largest city of the Aztec Empire.

Which sentence from the passage is the central idea of “The End of the Aztec Empire”?

• At its height, just before 1519, six million people were part of the empire.

• In 1519, Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés was given a commission to explore and claim the interior of Mexico for Spain.

• On July 1, 1520, Moctezuma met his death at the hands of the Spaniards.

• Although conquered, the Aztec Empire continues to have an impact on the country and to make its mark on modern Mexico.

Which of the following sentences from “The End of the Aztec Empire” is used to support the idea that the Aztec Empire thrived during the 14th and 15th centuries?

• They raised crops that included maize, avocados, beans, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and chilies to trade in busy marketplaces.

• Moctezuma welcomed Cortés and his men, hoping that by inviting them into the capital city, he could learn about the Spaniards and discover their weaknesses.

• Cortés and his men left Tenochtitlán because the native people were very angry with them.

• The flag of Mexico includes the ancient symbol of the Aztec Empire, an eagle with a snake in its mouth.

According to “The End of the Aztec Empire,” what event caused the greatest number of deaths among the native people of the Aztec Empire?

• Cortés’s continued blockade of Tenochtitlán

• Cortés’s superior technology, including horses and a canon

• the death of Moctezuma II, causing the Aztec people to surrender

• the introduction of the European smallpox virus to the American Continent

Which of the following BEST restates the meaning of at the hands of in the sentence?

• to hand over

• due to the actions of

• give a hand

• with an iron hand or fist

Which of the following sentences BEST describes how the opening two paragraphs fit into the overall structure of “The End of the Aztec Empire”?

• The opening provides background information about Hernán Cortés and his army.

• The opening provides background information on the Aztecs before introducing the major events of the article.

• The opening discusses how the Aztec Empire was a primitive civilization that was easily conquered by the Spanish Army.

• The opening provides geographic information to help the reader understand the course Hernán Cortés would have to take over the course of his conquest.

Who was Moctezuma II?

• an Aztec ruler

• an Aztec villager

• a Spanish soldier

• a Spanish invader

What does the author use to convey the theme of the passage?

• the greed of Cortes

• the fury of the soldiers

• the regret of Moctezuma

• the anger of the Aztec people