Ancient Rome and Byzantium
The Forum
In ancient Rome, the government was located in a part of the city called
the Forum. The Roman Forum was the center of the city. It contained the
senate house, other government buildings, and some important temples.
Many things happened in the Forum. People would gather there for
meetings. They came to listen to speeches by the great orators. Julius Caesar
was even murdered in the Forum.
Before it was the center of the Roman Empire, the land that the Forum
stands on was a marsh.1 People used the marsh as a cemetery. They buried
bodies in the grassy, wet land. Eventually, the marsh was drained. The great
buildings of the Forum were erected on the land.2
Over time, Rome changed and grew. The Forum was no longer used. Its
buildings crumbled from neglect.3 Still, something of the Roman Forum remains
today. If you ever travel to Rome, you can explore the ruins.
1
marsh – a wet, muddy, grassy area
erected – built
3
neglect – the act of not taking care of something
2
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Name: ____________________________
Date: ______________________
1. Which buildings are NOT mentioned as being part of the Forum?
a.
b.
c.
d.
temples
government buildings
cemeteries
the Senate house
2. Why does the author describe how the land under the Forum used to be a
swampy cemetery?
a.
b.
c.
d.
to explain the murder of Julius Caesar
to show that the Forum was haunted
to show that the Forum was built on shifty ground
to give information about the Forum’s beginnings.
3. The Forum could be compared to a modern day
a.
b.
c.
d.
school.
store.
downtown.
park.
4. According to the passage, what is an orator?
a.
b.
c.
d.
A speaker
A singer
An actor
A dentist
5. The passage “The Forum” is mostly about
a. where people chose to argue in ancient Rome and why
b. an important area of ancient Rome and its history
c. how dead people were treated in ancient Rome
d. how to build land on top of a marsh
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6. Why did the Forum crumble?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
7. Why might it be important to study the ruins of the Forum?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the answer that best
completes the sentence.
The Forum started out as the center of life in Rome, but ________ fell apart.
a. before
b. including
c. previously
d. eventually
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9. Read the following sentence.
In ancient Rome, the government was located in a part of the city called the
Forum.
Answer the questions below based on the information provided in the sentence
you just read. One of the questions has already been answered for you.
1. What is the subject of the sentence? the government
2. The government was what? ________________________________________
3. Where? _________________________________________________________
10. Vocabulary Word: neglect: the act of not taking care of something.
Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: ___________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Teacher Guide and Answers
Passage Reading Level: Lexile 570
Featured Text Structure: Descriptive – the writer explains, defines or illustrates
a concept or topic
Passage Summary: In Rome, the government was located in a part of the city
called the Forum. Many important things happened there, including meetings
and speeches, and you can still see the ruins today.
1. Which buildings are NOT mentioned as being part of the Forum?
a.
b.
c.
d.
temples
government buildings
cemeteries
the Senate house
2. Why does the author describe how the land under the Forum used to be a
swampy cemetery?
a.
b.
c.
d.
to explain the murder of Julius Caesar
to show that the Forum was haunted
to show that the Forum was built on shifty ground
to give information about the Forum’s beginnings.
3. The Forum could be compared to a modern day
a.
b.
c.
d.
school.
store.
downtown.
park.
4. According to the passage, what is an orator?
a.
b.
c.
d.
A speaker
A singer
An actor
A dentist
5. The passage “The Forum” is mostly about
a. where people chose to argue in ancient Rome and why
b. an important area of ancient Rome and its history
c. how dead people were treated in ancient Rome
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© 2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.
d. how to build land on top of a marsh
6. Why did the Forum crumble?
Suggested answer: The Forum crumbled because people stopped using
it and therefore stopped taking care of it.
7. Why might it be important to study the ruins of the Forum?
Suggested answer: Answers will vary but, should include the idea that
the Forum’s ruins contain information that teach us about the past.
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the answer that best
completes the sentence.
The Forum started out as the center of life in Rome, but ________ fell apart.
a. before
b. including
c. previously
d. eventually
9. Read the following sentence.
In ancient Rome, the government was located in a part of the city called the
Forum.
Answer the questions below based on the information provided in the sentence
you just read. One of the questions has already been answered for you.
1. What is the subject of the sentence? the government
2. The government was what? located in a part of the city called the
Forum
3. Where? in ancient Rome
10. Vocabulary Word: neglect: the act of not taking care of something.
Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: answers may vary.
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© 2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.