Illustration by Lynn M. Hanousek
According to old stories, the Trojan War was fought in Troy thousands of years ago. The ancient Greeks were attacking the city of Troy. Homer, a Greek poet, describes1 the Trojan War in a famous epic2 poem. It is called the Iliad.
The war started partly because of two people, Paris and Helen. Helen was the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris, a prince of Troy, wanted her to be with him. There was a problem, though. Helen was already married to the King of Sparta, Menelaus.
Paris went to visit Helen. At night they ran away together. The couple went to Troy. King Menelaus was furious. He put together a huge army. The army went to Troy to fight and get Helen back.
The Greeks and the Trojans fought for 10 years. However, the Greeks could not get past the wall surrounding3 Troy. They knew they couldn’t win the war if they couldn’t get into Troy. They decided to play a trick on the Trojans.
The Greeks built a gigantic4 wooden horse and left it for the Trojans as an offering. The Trojans were excited. They thought they had won the war. They pulled the horse into the city.
Later that night, when Troy was asleep, Greek soldiers emerged from inside the horse. They opened the city gates and let the entire Greek army in. Troy was finally defeated. Helen had to go back home to King Menelaus.
1 describes: tells about 2 epic: long, involving lots of events and people 3 surrounding: going all around the outside of 4 gigantic: huge, very big, enormous
Name: ______Date: ______
1. Who was Homer?
a. the King of Sparta b. a warrior in the Trojan War c. a famous poet d. a boyfriend of Helen
2. How would the author probably describe the Trojan horse?
a. as a gift and peace offering b. as a very large piece of art c. as a trick to win the war d. as a present from Paris to Helen
3. What was Helen and Paris’s main problem?
a. Paris was already married. b. Helen was already married. c. They lived so far apart. d. Helen didn’t want to live in Troy.
4. Based on the passage, what does furious mean?
a. Jealous b. Powerful c. Stupid d. Angry
5. The passage “The Trojan War” is mainly about
a. a war that happened twenty years ago. b. a strategy for fighting wars. c. different types of Greek horses. d. an ancient war and how it was won.
6. What poem was written about the Trojan War?
______
______
______
7. How did the soldiers fighting in the war probably feel about Paris and Helen?
______
______
______
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.
The Trojans fell for a trick and, ______, they lost the war.
a. especially b. although c. because d. as a result
9. Read the following sentence.
While the Trojans slept, Greek soldiers snuck out of the wooden horse and let the Greek army into the city.
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. Who is the subject of the sentence? Greek soldiers
2. What did Greek soldiers do ______
3. Why?______
4. When? ______
10. Vocabulary Word: gigantic: huge, very big, enormous.
Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: ______
______
Teacher Guide and Answers
Passage Reading Level: Lexile 590
Featured Text Structure: Descriptive – the writer explains, defines or illustrates a concept or topic
Passage Summary: The Trojan War was fought thousands of years ago over a beautiful woman named Helen. The Greeks defeated the Trojans using a trick horse that looked like a gift but had soldiers hidden inside.
1. Who was Homer?
a. the King of Sparta b. a warrior in the Trojan War c. a famous poet d. a boyfriend of Helen
2. How would the author probably describe the Trojan horse?
a. as a gift and peace offering b. as a very large piece of art c. as a trick to win the war d. as a present from Paris to Helen
3. What was Helen and Paris’s main problem?
a. Paris was already married. b. Helen was already married. c. They lived so far apart. d. Helen didn’t want to live in Troy.
4. Based on the passage, what does furious mean?
a. Jealous b. Powerful c. Stupid d. Angry
5. The passage “The Trojan War” is mainly about
a. a war that happened twenty years ago. b. a strategy for fighting wars. c. different types of Greek horses. d. an ancient war and how it was won.
6. What poem was written about the Trojan War?
Suggested answer: A poet named Homer wrote a poem called The Iliad about the Trojan War.
7. How did the soldiers fighting in the war probably feel about Paris and Helen?
Suggested answer: Answers will vary, but should be based on inferences from the text. Trojans might feel loyal to their Prince and approve of Helen, or else upset that they brought war upon them. Greeks would probably feel anger at Paris and blame Helen for running away with him.
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.
The Trojans fell for a trick and, ______, they lost the war.
a. especially b. although c. because d. as a result
9. Read the following sentence.
While the Trojans slept, Greek soldiers snuck out of the wooden horse and let the Greek army into the city.
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. Who is the subject of the sentence? Greek soldiers
2. What did Greek soldiers do? snuck out of the wooden horse
3. Why? to let the Greek army into the city
4. When? while the Trojans slept
10. Vocabulary Word: gigantic: huge, very big, enormous.
Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: answers may vary.