Marathon - The Legend and the Truth
This task is about locating information and making inferences.
Read "Marathon: The Legend and the Truth", pages 2-4, School Journal, Part 4, Number 1, 1996 and answer the questions that follow.
Question
a) Why do today's athletes consider the marathon "the supreme event" in the Olympic Games?
It is the longest race run in the Olympics.
The marathon has an ancient history.
Athletes must train for years to be able to run in it.
The marathon originated in Greece, the home of the Olympics.
It represents what the Games stand for.
Question
b) The Persians decided to punish the Athenians because
Athens had incited other Greek cities to rebel against them.
they had insulted Darius I, the Persian King.
the Persian overlords had been threatened.
they were occupying territory the Persians wanted.
Athens was the leader of a collection of Greek cities united against them.
Question
c) The Spartans were unable to help the Athenians, as requested, because they
failed to understand the urgency of Pheidippides' message.
thought the other Greek cities would go to the aid of Athens.
did not think they could reach Athens in time to fight the Persians.
were engaged in religious ceremonies at the time.
expected the Persians would also attack Sparta and were worried about their own defence.
Question
d) What led to the Persians' heavy casualties at the Battle of Marathon?
The Athenians and their allies were better trained and equipped.
The Persians had to land their army from ships.
The Greek generals led the Persians into a trap.
The battle was fought in mountainous country familiar to the Athenians.
The Persians expected an easy victory over the smaller Athenian army.
Question
e) In fighting the Battle of Marathon, the Athenians and their allies were outnumbered by about
3 to 1
5 to 1
10 to 1
20 to 1
Question
f) All these words would be used to describe Pheidippides' feat EXCEPT
courageous
remarkable
determined
challenging
controversial.
Question
6
Change answer
g) For what
two
reasons did the Persians not attack the city of Athens?
g) For what
two
reasons did the Persians not attack the city of Athens?
1.
2.
Question
7
Change answer
h) How have the Athenian dead at the Battle of Marathon been remembered?
h) How have the Athenian dead at the Battle of Marathon been remembered?
Question
8
Change answer
i) What is the "cost" referred to in the third-to-last paragraph?
i) What is the "cost" referred to in the third-to-last paragraph?
Question
9
Change answer
j) What is a "forced march", as used in the second-to-last paragraph?
j) What is a "forced march", as used in the second-to-last paragraph?
Question
10
Change answer
k) What words does the author use to tell us that Pheidippides' reply from the Spartans was not what the Athenians wanted to hear?
k) What words does the author use to tell us that Pheidippides' reply from the Spartans was not what the Athenians wanted to hear?
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