Life in Pompeii

Ever since the ancient Greeks settled in the area in the 8th century B.C., the region around Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples attracted wealthy vacationers who wanted to soak up the sun and the scenery. By the turn of the first century A.D., the town of Pompeii, located about five miles from the mountain, was a flourishing resort for Romes most distinguished citizens. Elegant houses and elaborate villas lined the paved streets. Tourists, townspeople and slaves bustled in and out of small factories and artisans shops, taverns and cafes, and brothels and bathhouses. People gathered in the 20,000-seat arena and lounged in the open-air squares and marketplaces. On the eve of that fateful eruption in 79 A.D., scholars estimate that there were about 20,000 people living in Pompeii and the surrounding region.

Mount Vesuvius
The Vesuvius volcano did not form overnight, of course. In fact, scholars say that the mountain is hundreds of thousands of years old and had been erupting for generations. In about 1780 B.C., for example, an unusually violent eruption (known today as the Avellino eruption) shot millions of tons of superheated lava, ash and rocks about 22 miles into the sky. That prehistoric catastrophe destroyed almost every village, house and farm within 15 miles of the mountain. But it was easy to overlook the mountains bad temper in such a pleasant, sunny spot. Even after a massive earthquake struck the Campania region in 63 A.D.--a quake that, scientists now understand, offered a warning rumble of the disaster to come--people still flocked to the shores of the Bay of Naples. Pompeii grew more crowded every year.

79 A.D.
Sixteen years after that telltale earthquake, in August 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted again. The blast sent a plume of ashes, pumice and other rocks, and scorching-hot volcanic gases so high into the sky that people could see it for hundreds of miles around. (The writer Pliny the Younger, who watched the eruption from across the bay, compared this cloud of unusual size and appearance to a pine tree that rose to a great height on a sort of trunk and then split off into branches; today, geologists refer to this type of volcano as a Plinean eruption.)

But it was easy to overlook the mountains bad temper in such a pleasant, sunny spot. Even after a massive earthquake struck the Campania region in 63 A.D.--a quake that, scientists now understand, offered a warning rumble of the disaster to come--people still flocked to the shores of the Bay of Naples. Pompeii grew more crowded every year.

79 A.D.
Sixteen years after that telltale earthquake, in August 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted again. The blast sent a plume of ashes, pumice and other rocks, and scorching-hot volcanic gases so high into the sky that people could see it for hundreds of miles around. (The writer Pliny the Younger, who watched the eruption from across the bay, compared this cloud of unusual size and appearance to a pine tree that rose to a great height on a sort of trunk and then split off into branches; today, geologists refer to this type of volcano as a Plinean eruption.)

Tourists, townspeople and slaves bustled in and out of small factories and artisans shops, taverns and cafes, and brothels and bathhouses. People gathered in the 20,000-seat arena and lounged in the open-air squares and marketplaces. On the eve of that fateful eruption in 79 A.D., scholars estimate that there were about 20,000 people living in Pompeii and the surrounding region.

Mount Vesuvius
The Vesuvius volcano did not form overnight, of course. In fact, scholars say that the mountain is hundreds of thousands of years old and had been erupting for generations. In about 1780 B.C., for example, an unusually violent eruption (known today as the Avellino eruption) sho t millions of tons of superheated lava, ash and rocks about 22 miles into the sky. That prehistoric catastrophe destroyed almost every village, house and farm within 15 miles of the mountain.

Life in Pompeii
Ever since the ancient Greeks settled in the area in the 8th century B.C., the region around Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples attracted wealthy vacationers who wanted to soak up the sun and the scenery. By the turn of the first century A.D., the town of Pompeii, located about five miles from the mountain, was a flourishing resort for Romes most distinguished citizens. Elegant houses and elaborate villas lined the paved streets.

As cold as stone
If something is as cold as stone, it is very cold. If a person is as cold as stone, they are unemotional.

At sea
If things are at sea, or all at sea, they are disorganized and chaotic.

Break the ice

When you break the ice, you get over any initial embarrassment or shyness when you meet someone for the first time and start conversing.

Clear as mud
If something is as clear as mud, then it is very confusing and unclear.

Cliffhanger
If something like a sports match or an election is a cliffhanger, then the result is so close that it cannot be predicted and will only be known at the very end.

Dead air
When there is a period of total silence, there is dead air.

Down-to-earth
Someone who's down-to-earth is practical and realistic. It can also be used for things like ideas.

Drop in the ocean

A drop in the ocean implies that something will have little effect because it is small and mostly insignificant.

In broad daylight
If a crime or problem happens in broad daylight, it happens during the day and should have been seen and stopped.

Light a fire under

If you light a fire under somebody, you strongly motivate them to work faster.

Make a mountain out of a molehill

If somebody makes a mountain out of a molehill, they exaggerate the importance or seriousness of a problem.

Make waves
If someone makes waves, they cause a lot of trouble.

Many moons ago

A very long time ago.

Not the only pebble on the beach

If something is not the only pebble on the beach, there are other possibilities or alternatives.

On the rocks
If something, like a relationship, is on the rocks, it is in trouble and may come to an end.

Ride with the tide

If you ride with the tide, you accept the majority decision.

Sell down the river

If you sell someone down the river, you betray their trust.

Skate on thin ice

If someone is skating on thin ice, they are taking a big risk.

1. Someone who's practical and realistic. 2. Said of things they are very confusing and unclear. 3. Said of something like a sports match or an election, then the result is so close that it cannot be predicted and will only be known at the very end. 4. When there is a period of total silence. 5. very cold and unemotional. 6. Said of things when disorganized and chaotic. 7. It implies that something will have little effect because it is small and mostly insignificant. 8. Said when you get over any initial embarrassment or shyness when you meet someone for the first time and start conversing. 9.When you take a big risk. 10. it happens during the day and should have been seen and stopped. 11.When you strongly motivate a person to work faster. 12. It means there are other possibilities or alternatives. 13. It means it is in trouble and may come to an end. 14. When you accept the majority decision. 15. When someone exaggerates the importance or seriousness of a problem. 16. It is said of something when it causes a lot of trouble. 17. A very long time ago. 18. When you betray their trust.

As cold as stone At sea Break the ice Clear as mud Cliffhanger Dead air Down-to-earth Drop in the ocean In broad daylight Light a fire under

Make a mountain out of a molehill Make waves Many moons ago Not the only pebble on the beach On the rocks Ride with the tide Sell down the river Skate on thin ice

According to geologic and geographical research, Pompeii sits on a ......... of lava about 40 meters above sea level. On August 24, 79 AD, it was dominated by a supposedly extinct volcano, Mt. Vesuvius. But on that morning, Vesuvius came alive and terrified residents experienced a hurricane of eruptive materials and gas, dying on the streets as they tried to escape. (a) (b) (c) (d) spur butte prominent mesa The pressure beneath the surface of Vesuvius was so intense that the top part collapsed inward, forming the current caldera. Despite the ......... event, Pliny the Latin writer was able to record the terrible three day event for posterity. (a) (b) (c) (d) intrusive inspiring adventurous cataclysmic

3. After the disaster, Pompeii would remain buried under a layer of ash more than seven meters deep, all ......... of the residents existence would lie undiscovered for over 200 years. (a) (b) (c) (d) correspondence substantiation fortitude adventures

A visitor to the Pompeii excavation would experience walking through the grid layout typical of Roman cities. Archaeologists have established that each of the nine areas is......... to present day city blocks. Every building in the regions is still marked with the original Roman numbers, which indicated an address. (a) (b) (c) (d) opposite unusual analogous expanded

5. The main entrance to the city is the gate facing the sea, named Porta Marina. Two arches in the gate separate the entrances; one was intended for use only by pedestrians, while the other was for use by animals. The structure of the gates indicates that the inside area was probably the city ......... where trade was conducted. (a) (b) (c) (d) urban nucleus gridwork support

6. To the right of the gate are the remains of the Temple of Venus. The building was partially destroyed by an earthquake three years prior to the eruption. Very few remains of the sacred edifice were found, but researchers ......... that the construction materials uncovered were for renovation to the temple. (a) (b) (c) (d) estimate measure characterize surmised

Big Yellow Taxi

by Joni Mitchell They paved paradise And put up a parking lot With a pink hotel, a boutique And a swinging hot spot Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got Till it's gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot They took all the trees Put 'em in a tree museum And they charged the people A dollar and a half just to see 'em Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got Till it's gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot Hey farmer farmer Put away that DDT now Give me spots on my apples But leave me the birds and the bees Please! Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got Till it's gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot Late last night I heard the screen door slam And a big yellow taxi Took away my old man Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got Till it's gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot They paved paradise And put up a parking lot

Big Yellow Taxi

by Joni Mitchell They paved __________________ And ____________________________ With a ________________, a _______________ And a swinging hot spot Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got Till ______________ They paved ________________ And ___________________________ They ______________________ Put 'em in a tree museum And they charged _______________ A dollar and a half just to see 'em Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got Till _______________________ They paved _______________ And ________________ Hey _______________________ Put away that DDT now Give me spots on my apples But leave me __________________ Please! Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got Till ______________ They paved ________________ And ________________________ Late ___________________ I heard the screen door slam And a ____________________ Took away my ____________ Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got Till _________________ They paved _____________ And ____________________ They paved __________________ And ________________________