Wild Children

The early history of the city of Rome involves Romulus and Remus, two orphan boys who,

legend says, were raised by a she-wolf. The boys' mother had been murdered by an evil king and

the two babies tossed into the river Tiber. When the wolf found them they had washed up on the

shore. She perhaps took pity on the crying of the babies and, gently picking them up in her teeth,

she carried them back to her cave and fed them on her milk. The boys grew bigger and stronger

and, eventually, were found by a herdsman who took them home. He and his wife raised the boys

like their own children. When they reached manhood they sought revenge on the king who had

killed their mother and driven them from their home.

They decided to build a city. Unfortunately, they argued over the appropriate site and Romulus

killed his brother Remus. Romulus ruled this city – called Roma – for thirty-seven years.

The city of Rome is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. If you travel there

you can see a statue of the two baby boys feeding from their mother – the wolf.

1. What is the gist (the main idea) that this piece of writing conveys?

a) Wolves like to take care of human children.

b) The city of Rome had many wolves in the old days.

c) The city of Rome was founded by a wolf.

d) Romulus established the city of Rome.

2. "...they sought revenge on the king who had killed their mother..." means...

a) They attacked the king who had harmed their mother and made them orphans.

b) They went to court to sue the king for his crime against their mother.

c) They hired some gangsters to take care of their problem with the king.

d) They went to talk to the king about his crime against their mother