Reading Comprehension Practice
Read the following passage and answer the multipe choice questions that follow. Underlined words are defined for you on the right side (or below on smaller screens).
MEMNON AND AURORA
The death and remembrance of Memnon
1 Aurōra, dea prīmae lūcis, propter mortem fīlī, Memnonis, lacrimābat.
2 Achilles Memnonem in Bellō Troiānō necāverat. Troiānī corpus in rogum
3 posuērunt sed māter fīlium nōn spectāre cupiēbat. Aurōra genūflexit ante
4 pedēs rēgis deōrum et dīxit, “Nōn sum potēns apud deōs. Multa templa
5 nōn habeō. Neque templa neque ārās mihi petō. Dēbēs tamen dare mihi
6 favōrem quod ego tibi prīmam lūcem cotīdiē dabam. Dā, magne rēx deōrum,
7 meō fīliō meritum honōrem et levā dolōrem mātris!”
8 Dum rogus in flammās cadit et columna fūmī lūcem obscūrat, Iuppiter annuit.
9 Cinerēs similēs avibus ex flammīs fūmīsque appārēbant. Cinerēs
10 factī sunt avēs. Ter avēs circumvolāvērunt; ter magnum clāmōrem ad stellās
11 attollēbant. Subitō avēs inter sē pugnābant. Avēs in memoriā Memnonis
12 quotannis pugnant. Bellum Troiānum in caelō gerunt. Etiam hodiē Aurōra,
13 dea prīmae lūcis, terram madidam lacrimīs facit.
(Inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses XIII.576-622)
propter = on account of
necāverat = had killed; rogum = funeral pyre
genūflexit = knelt
potēns = powerful; apud = among
ārās = altars; tamen = however
cotīdiē = daily
meritum = rightful
Dum = While; annuit = nodded assent
Cinerēs = ashes; avibus = to birds
factī sunt = became; Ter = Three times
attollēbant = they raised; sē = themselves
quotannis = every year; gerunt = they wage
madidam = wet
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