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NAME
Page 52
CLASS
LITERARY PERIOD INTRODUCTION TEST
DATE
SCORE
Student Edition page 106
Ancient Greek and Roman Literature:
The Life Worth Living
COMPREHENSION (100 points; 10 points each)
On the line provided, write the letter of the best answer to each of the following items.
______ 1. According to the passage, the Greeks of Homer’s time believed that the Iliad
contained —
A practical approaches for besieging a city
B guidelines for interacting with the gods
C accounts of their own heroic ancestors
D realistic examples of life in ancient Greece
______ 2. Which belief did the Greek city-states share?
F
The belief that they were descendants of Hellen
G The belief that they were a single, united nation
H The belief that religious institutions were unnecessary
J
The belief that neighboring peoples were equals
______ 3. The city-state of Sparta was well known for its —
A freethinking values
B defeat of the Persian Army
C friendship with Athens
______ 4. One of Athens’s greatest legacies to future nations was its —
F
unification of the Roman Empire
G establishment of a democracy
H defeat of the rival city Carthage
J
belief in voting rights for women
______ 5. What event triggered Athens’s decline?
A The collapse of the government
B The rise to power of Darius of Persia
C The death of the statesman Pericles
D The loss of the Peloponnesian War
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Holt Assessment: Literature, Reading, and Vocabulary
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
D militaristic culture
wl06lr_c02_0050-0095.qxp
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Page 53
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______ 6. Why did Virgil write the Aeneid?
F
To criticize military action
G To give Rome a national epic
H To gain Augustus’s patronage
J
To compete with Ovid’s poetry
______ 7. What most contributed to the slow decline of the Roman Empire?
A Overexpansion
B Decreasing tax revenues
C The defeat of Constantinople
D The beliefs of the Epicureans
______ 8. Augustus is best remembered for —
F
defeating the Ottoman Turks
G being a cruel and incompetent leader
H using his own money to rebuild Rome
J
dividing the empire into two administrative units
______ 9. A follower of Stoic philosophy would most likely approve of which of the
following actions?
A Celebrating with abandon at a wedding
B Taking pride in one’s admirable reputation
C Mourning over the loss of one’s wealth
D Greeting the news of a friend’s death calmly
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
______ 10. How did Constantine have lasting effects on the history of medieval Europe?
F
He defeated the German chief Odoacer.
G He tried to convert the empire to Christianity.
H He encouraged Virgil to write the epic the Aeneid.
J
He was able to reunify the Roman Empire.
Literary Period Introduction Test
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Answer Key
Simile from Passage—“The stars . . . / Were
sparkling like mica”; How It Helped Me
Visualize—This simile helped me to
visualize the peacefulness of the night
following the battle.
Comparing and Contrasting
13. Students’ responses will vary. A sample
response follows:
Gilgamesh and Enkidu have many traits
in common. Both are fearful and anxious
as they await the battle with Humbaba.
After seeing Humbaba, both feel pity for
his monstrous appearance and for his
treatment by the gods. However, their
reactions in the battle are different.
Although Enkidu shows valor in the fight
with Humbaba, Gilgamesh has to rescue
him from the monster. When Humbaba
offers to serve Gilgamesh in exchange for
his life, Gilgamesh is tempted, but Enkidu
is suspicious of the monster. In the end,
Gilgamesh demonstrates his great love for
Enkidu and kills Humbaba.
Literary Focus
Narrative
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
14. Students’ responses will vary. A sample
response follows:
Yes, the passage is a narrative, since it
contains characters as well as a sequence of
related events that have a beginning and an
end. The narrative begins when Gilgamesh
chops down a tree, attracting the attention
of Humbaba, the guardian of the cedar
forest. Once the terrible Humbaba appears,
Gilgamesh and Enkidu feel a moment’s
pity for the creature, thus giving Humbaba
the chance to strike Enkidu. In the climactic
battle that ensues between Gilgamesh and
Humbaba, Humbaba falls to the ground,
leaving Gilgamesh, ax raised high, standing
over the creature. Humbaba begs for his
life, but Gilgamesh, heeding Enkidu’s plea
for him not to trust the giant, finally kills
him.
Answer Key
Epic Hero
15. Students’ responses will vary. A sample
response follows:
Although Indiana Jones is the hero of a
series of movies set in the 1930s, we still
recognize in him the heroic qualities
exemplified by Gilgamesh. Like Gilgamesh,
Indiana Jones is courageous and strong,
and he takes a journey filled with trials
and temptations. While brave, both heroes
show their humanity by confronting and
overcoming fear. And both heroes are
compassionate men who protect their
friends and companions.
Although Indiana Jones and Gilgamesh
are heroes in stories that take place in
very different times and places, they both
embody the universal values of love,
loyalty, and friendship.
Collection 2
Collection 2 Diagnostic Test
Literature,Vocabulary, page 50
1. C
2. G
3. A
4. J
5. C
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
G
D
H
D
F
Literary Period Introduction Test, page 52
1. C
2. F
3. D
4. G
5. D
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
G
A
H
D
G
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