Unit 5 Assessment (Reading)

Part A: Which statement best expresses the main idea of paragraph 3?

• The town of Venice had more than 400 bridges.

• The town of Venice was wealthy and filled with expensive things.

• Many buildings in Venice rest on pillars driven in the mud.

• Many canals connected the islands of Venice.

Part B: In paragraph 3, which sentence provides the best evidence for the answer to Part A.

• The people of Venice, called Venetians, were proud of their splendid city.

• Visitors admired the city, too.

• A French diplomat visiting Venice was very impressed with this unusual city.

• "The houses are very large and lofty and built of stone," he reported.

• "Most of them have rich marble chimney pieces, gold-colored bedframes and doors, and beautiful furnishings."

In paragraph 4, the author asks, “How did Venice gain its prosperity?” What is a synonym of the word prosperity?

• success or wealth

• illness

• health

• failure or poverty

What are two reasons the author gives to support the point that Venice was able to become a strong, rich city?

• Venetians created an extensive trading empire.

• The families named in the Golden Book became hereditary rulers of Venice.

• Venice had the military force it needed to defend a large trading empire.

• Venice’s islands are located in the middle of a lagoon.

• Not all Venetians could participate in government.

In paragraph 3, which two words help the reader understand what the word splendid means?

• diplomat

• beautiful

• impressed

• visitors

• city

Which statement best represents the main idea of this selection about Venice?

• With its island and canals, Venice was an interesting city to visit.

• Venice had an effective and strong form of government during the Renaissance.

• There were a lot of beautiful things to see in Venice during the Renaissance.

• Venice was a powerful trading city and made important contributions to the Renaissance movement.

Read the following sentence from “Venice: Jewel of the Adriatic.” These new trade routes turned trade away from the Mediterranean and the Middle East to the Atlantic Ocean. Which point is the author supporting by including this sentence in the selection?

• how difficult it is to learn about people based on the objects they have left behind

• that objects that were considered worthless in the past are also worthless in the present

• that throughout history people have fought over valuable objects

• that Venice’s trading power eventually started to decline