The Lost Ship Quiz

1. Which is NOT a reason the USS Indianapolis crew felt hopeful before their ship was torpedoed

• World War II seemed to be ending.

• Japan had been defeated.

• They were moving away from the fighting.

• They had completed their mission.

2. What does the word verdict mean in the sentence “This verdict did nothing to bring back the men who had been lost”?

• actions taken by a leader

• lives lost in a disaster

• the decision made in a trial

• a person’s statement in a trial

3. Which sentence from the story supports the answer to question 2?

• “He was put on trial by the military.”

• “. . . the Navy accused McVay of putting the ship in danger.”

• “After a two-week trial, McVay was found guilty.”

• “He was haunted by the loss of his men and his ship . . .”

4. Which trait best describes Hunter Scott?

• determined

• impatient

• uncertain

• uncaring

5. Stories from Indianapolis survivors differed from what Hunter had read because they showed McVay was _________.

• disliked

• respected

• treated fairly

• often careless

6. What is the main idea of the section “What Really Happened?

• Hundreds of captains lost ships in the war but were not tried.

• The Indianapolis never sent a distress signal.

• McVay refused the escort ship he was offered.

• McVay's trial was unfair to him.

7. The author most likely wrote this article to show readers that they _________.

• should accept history as it is written.

• should believe everything they read.

• must change the world alone

• can help solve problems from the past

8. Which TWO sentences from the story support the answer to question 7?

• Some spoke for the first time in decades about what they’d gone through.”

• “No one was even sure whether zigzagging was effective.”

• “His project would be a quest to bring back the respect that McVay deserved.”

• “Eventually, two members of Congress took up Hunter’s cause.

9. Hunter changed his research project from the Indianapolis to __________.

• stories of its survivors

• proving McVay was innocent

• life in the U.S. Navy

• ship captains of World War II

10. The author most likely wrote this article to show readers they __________.

• cannot change history

• should believe everything they read

• must solve problems alone

• can help make the world a better place