The correct answer is:
C. “The Myth of Achilles” contains a more objective story about the life of Achilles. “The Quiz Bowl King” contains details that show that Travis has a large ego and feels more important than his friends.
he Myth of Achilles
Achilles is a well-known hero in Greek mythology. This brave warrior fought in the Trojan War. The following myth is where the phrase “Achilles’ heel” comes from.
1
Achilles was the son of Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis. When Achilles was still a baby, Thetis tried to make him immortal by dipping him in the river Styx. Her actions made Achilles’ body completely invulnerable to harm with one exception: his right heel. This was what Thetis held on to as she dipped him into the flowing water.
2
When Achilles was still a young boy, Thetis was told that her son would either have a long but inglorious life of comfort and inactivity, or would have a short but heroic career, soon after which his life would end.
3
Thetis naturally hoped to prolong the life of Achilles, and made the decision to send him away to the island of Scyros, where he was raised as a girl to conceal his true identity.
4
Achilles could not remain in hiding forever, though. When it was predicted that it would be impossible to capture Troy without the assistance of Achilles, the hero Odysseus was sent to Scyros to find Achilles. Faced with the task of determining which of the “females” he encountered in the royal palace was actually Achilles in disguise, Odysseus presented a set of weapons to the group. Achilles could not conceal his excitement when he saw the weapons. He seized them and revealed his identity, after which he joined the Greeks in their fight against the Trojans.
5
The war was lengthy. Many battles were fought, and many warriors were lost. Achilles donned a magnificent suit of armor and led the Greeks in their struggle against the enemy, himself defeating numerous powerful foes.
6
On the last day of his life, Achilles faced off against Memnon, ally of the Trojans. Conquering this enemy gave Achilles the confidence to attempt to storm the city of Troy, but this act would prove to be his downfall. A warrior named Paris shot an arrow at Achilles, which pierced his right heel, the sole part of his body that had not been bathed in the protective waters of the river Styx.
7
Achilles dropped to the ground and died of his wound. Thetis came to embrace her gallant son and wept bitterly over the loss, joining the entire Greek army in their sorrow over the fallen hero.The Quiz Bowl King
1
The name hasn’t exactly caught on with the other members of my group, but I think of myself as the quiz bowl king, and I’m about to make my school’s team the best one in the entire state. In preparation for the state competition, I’ve spent hours each day for the last several months making sure there is no question that will stump me. I can name every U.S. president who has ever been in office, tell you which professional baseball player holds the record for the most home runs, and explain how photosynthesis works. Looks like it’s time for me to get in the hot seat and show the audience what I know.
2
A few hours into the competition, and we’re well on our way to victory. Things are closer than I anticipated they would be, though. Our opponents have a total of 26 points, while my teammates and I—well, mostly me—have managed to rack up a total of 28 points. Although my fellow trivia buffs might not show it, and may sometimes appear to be annoyed when I consistently ring my buzzer before the question is even half finished, I know they must secretly be grateful to have such a genius on their team. Without me, they honestly wouldn’t stand a chance.
3
Jason and Katie answered two questions incorrectly, so now we need to have a tiebreaker. After all of our hard work, the outcome of the competition is going to come down to just one question. We have thirty seconds to decide who is going to take on this huge responsibility and represent our team.
4
“You answered everything else today and didn’t give us a chance. I guess you should do this part too, Travis,” Jason says sarcastically.
5
“Yes, I agree,” I say, ignoring his tone of voice.
6
I proceed to the center of the floor to stand at a small podium beside Bethany, who is undoubtedly her school’s reigning quiz bowl queen.
7
I feel as cool as a cucumber, running through the list of possible topics in my head—pop culture, animals, psychology, astronomy, technology—and knowing I am an expert on every one. There is just one area I skimmed over as I crammed dozens or even hundreds of facts and figures into my head over the last several months, but surely…
8
The moderator clears his throat and begins.
9
“Travis, you will go first. Your topic is…Greek mythology,” he says.
10
It can’t be! Instantly, I feel my face flush and my palms start to sweat.
11
“Which famous hero of the Trojan War died when Paris shot him in the heel with an arrow?”
12
I can’t say that I scrambled to find the right answer, because I had no clue. After my 10 seconds were up I heard Bethany confidently say “Achilles,” winning the entire competition for her team. She returned to her side of the stage, where she was given a champion’s welcome.
13
As for me, I was quickly forgiven by Jason, Katie, and the rest of the gang, but I don’t think the good-natured teasing about my Achilles’ heel is going to stop anytime soon.
Multiple Choice Question
How are the structures in the first paragraph of each text different?
A.
“The Myth of Achilles” contains the idea of the importance of family over that of friends. In “The Quiz Bowl King” the role of friends are more important that that of one’s family.
B.
“The Myth of Achilles” contains the idea that following one’s destiny is the primary function of living life. In “The Quiz Bowl King” a person learns that he is better than other people.
C.
“The Myth of Achilles” contains a more objective story about the life of Achilles. “The Quiz Bowl King” contains details that show that Travis has a large ego and feels more important than his friends.
D.
“The Myth of Achilles” contains details that show the importance of mythological characters. In “The Quiz Bowl King” the main character of Travis discusses why competitions are important to friends.
1 answer