Quiz on the Trojan War

Read the paragraph from the section "The narrative of the Trojan War." After the Trojan defeat, the Greek heroes slowly made their way home. Odysseus took 10 years to make the arduous and often-interrupted journey home to Ithaca recounted in the “Odyssey.” Helen, whose two successive Trojan husbands were killed during the war, returned to Sparta to reign with Menelaus. After his death, some sources say she was exiled to the island of Rhodes, where a vengeful war widow had her hanged. Which conclusion is BEST supported by this paragraph?

• Greek heroes in the Trojan War were more interested in adventure than returning home.

• The Spartans universally blamed Helen for starting the Trojan War.

• Helen returned to Troy and was able to live a happy life with her first husband Menelaus.

• Some important stories related to the Trojan War took place in the years after it ended.

Read the paragraph from the section "The Trojan War epics." In the first century B.C. the Roman poet Virgil composed the “Aeneid,” the third great classical epic inspired by the Trojan War. It follows a group of Trojans led by the hero Aeneas who leave their destroyed city to travel to Carthage before founding the city of Rome. Virgil’s aim was in part to give Rome’s first imperial dynasty an origin story as impressive as that of the Greeks. Which of the following is the MOST reasonable inference one could make from the paragraph?

• The Romans hoped people would respect them and their history as much as they did the

  Greeks.

• Virgil possessed well-preserved records about the aftermath of the Trojan War.

• The "Aeneid" tried to replicate the success of the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey," but it has not lived up to the

  fame of the Greek stories.

• Many of Rome's founders have been shown to be directly descended from the Trojan hero Aeneas.

What purpose is served by including examples in the article of the gods supposedly involved in the Trojan War?

• They suggest that the Trojan War epics were likely meant to be read as religious texts.

• They help illustrate how complex it has been to try to discern the truth or falsity of the Trojan War stories.

• They provide information about some of the aspects of the archaeological find.

• They provide a colorful, albeit useful, way to understand the historical lineage that led to the founding of Rome.

Read the two paragraphs in the last section of the article. What is the MOST LIKELY reason the author includes these paragraphs in the conclusion of the article?

• to suggest that proof of the Trojan War's existence was found and then hidden

• to highlight the other Greek myths that play an important part in the story of Troy

• to emphasize that the basis for the stories, but not the stories themselves, may be true

• to describe actions taken by archaeologists, as well as historians, to preserve Troy

What does the article most strongly suggest about the archaeological evidence at Troy?

• The ruins found at Troy prove every aspect of the Trojan War occurred exactly as described in Homer's epics.

• The discoveries provide evidence of a city that suffered destruction, supporting parts of the Trojan War's narrative.

• The ruins indicate that Troy was primarily a small, unimportant village during the Bronze Age.

• Archaeologists uncovered clear evidence of the Greek gods' influence in the historical destruction of Troy.

What central idea does the article convey about the Trojan War?

• The Trojan War was a historically accurate event with no mythological exaggeration.

• While the Trojan War stories blend myth and history, archaeological evidence hints at a real historical conflict.

• Homer’s works, such as the Iliad, provide precise historical accounts of the Trojan War.

• The Trojan War inspired later Roman authors but had little impact on Greek mythology.

What does the word mythology most likely mean as it is used in the first paragraph of the article?

• Historical texts recorded with accuracy and care

• Religious beliefs passed down in ancient societies

• Stories that combine historical elements with fictional or supernatural aspects

• Scientific evidence used to prove or disprove historical events