Prīma lūx est. Nōn iam est nox, sed lūx nōn est clāra. Avēs nōn iam quiētem capiunt. Omnēs excitantur. Iam arborēs ubi per tōtam noctem dormiēbant relinquunt. Nōn iam avēs silent. Undique audīrī possunt. Ad agrōs properant. Ibi est cōpia frūmentī et avēs cibum dēsīderant. Prīmā lūce collēs Rōmae sunt obscūrī. Nunc Carolus et Maria et pater et māter in summō colle Rōmae stant. Undique circumspectant. Urbs semper nātūrā pulchra nunc etiam pulchrior est. Flūmen nōn longē abest. Ibi paucae nāvēs nāviculaeque vidērī possunt. Caelum nunc clārius vidētur. Ibi nūllae nūbēs sunt et diēs erit pulcher. Diū Americānī silent ubi urbem spectant. Maestī sunt quod hōra appropinquat ubi necesse est Rōmam relinquere. Ubi antīquās ruīnās vident, dē temporibus antīquīs putant: ōlim Rōmānī antīquī in illō flūmine natābant et corpora valida habēbant. In illō locō rēgēs tēcta sua aedificābant. Ibi mīlitēs Rōmānī bellum parābant.
“Ubi
est urbs tam pulchra quam Rōma?” rogat Iūlia. “Nūlla pulchrior est in tōtā
Eurōpā.”
Subitō
vir huic locō appropinquat. Quis est? Poēta amīcōs suōs salūtat. Iam lūx est
clārior et urbs clārē vidētur. Omnēs in saxō sedent. Colloquium nōn est longum
quod paene est tempus Rōmam relinquere. Mox poēta cum suīs amīcīs viā angustā
dē summō colle properat. Prope rīpam Tiberis omnēs “Valēte” inquiunt. Posteā
poēta sōlus domum it.
Nunc
Americānī ab urbe properant. “Nūlla urbs erit grātior aut pulchrior quam Rōma,”
inquit Maria. “Alia exempla urbium antīquārum vidēre cupiō.”
Aedificia
urbis nōn iam vidērī possunt. Collēs urbis parvī videntur. Ā sinistrā et ā
dextrā sunt agrī et silvae.
“Omnium
terrārum,” inquit Iūlia, “Italia est mihi grātissima.”
Section
A: Understanding the narrative
[i]
At what time of day does the story begin?
[ii]
Why do the birds hurry to the fields?
[iii]
Where are Carolus, Maria, and their parents standing at the beginning of the
scene?
[iv]
What can be seen on the river?
[v]
Why are the Americans sad?
[vi]
What do they think about when they see the ancient ruins?
[vii]
Who approaches the group suddenly?
[viii]
Why is the conversation short?
[ix]
Where do the Americans go after leaving the city?
[x]
What does Julia say about Italy at the end of the passage?
____________________
Section A: Understanding the narrative
[i] early morning / dawn / first light
[ii] food available; grain in the fields
[iii] on the highest hill of Rome
[iv] a few boats / small boats
[v] they must leave Rome; the time is approaching
[vi] ancient times / ancient Rome / the past
[vii] a man / a poet
[viii] there is almost no time; it is nearly time to leave Rome
[ix] away from the city into the countryside / fields and woods
[x] Italy is most pleasing to her / her favourite land
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