On the day after the return of Cotes to Mexico I was waked early in the morning by the cries of thousands of warries and the sound of drums. Hurrying to the little pyramid where Otomie joined me, I saw that the whole people were gathered for war. So far as the eye could reach in squares and streets were thousands of men. Some were armed with bows and arrows others with copper spears and clubs.
As soon as the sun rose the signal was given. With a loud cry thousands of Aztecs is rushed to the attack and the air grew dark with missiles. At the same time a line of smoke followed by the sound of guns broke from the walls of the palace of Axa and the attacking warriors fell like leaves under the fire of the Spaniards. For a moment they stopped, and a loud groan went up. But I saw how Guatemoc jumped forward and they again rushed after him. Now they were under the wall of the palace and tried to climb it. But again, and again they were beaten back with great loss for 12 long hours the fight continued without a stop till the sudden fall of darkness put an end to it.
The fight broke out again early next morning when Cortes attacked with the great part of his soldiers. At first, I thought that he wanted to size Monteuma’s palace, but his aim was to set fire to the houses from the flat roofs of which missiles were thrown on the Spaniards. Presently many houses were on fire and much smoke rose in the air
That very day all the captives were sacrificed. Indeed, that sacrifices had never been so many as during these days of battle. All day long the altars ran red and the priests went about their blood work. In this way they thought to please the gods who would give them victory over the Spaniards.
The fight continued day after day till thousands of the Aztecs were nearly dead and the Spaniards were nearly worn out with hunger war and wounds. At last morning when the attack was at its highest Montezuma appeared on the central tower of the palace. He was dressed in the rich clothes and surrounded by his own nobles and a guard of Spaniards. He held out his hand and suddenly the fighting stopped. Silence fell upon the place. Then he spoke. He prayed his people to stop the war because the Spaniards were his friends and guests and would presently leave the city. Anger sized the people who had the long years looked upon the King as a God. Loud shouts were heard ‘coward! Traitor!’
A15 The author was waked by___
1 the people who were ready to fight
2 the soldiers who had returned after war
3 the sounds of the battle
4 the Spanish attack
A16 The attacking Aztecs were beaten back because
1 they were unskilled soldiers
2 they lacked courage
3 they had no guns
4 the Spaniards outnumbered them
A17 During their first attack Guatemoc_____
1 to climb the wall of the palace
2 to climb the pyramid
3 to defend the palace
4 to defend the pyramid
A18 During the first attack Guatemoc____
1 was killed
2 helped to save the wounded
3 encouraged the Aztecs by his personal example
4 invented a manoeuvre
A19 The first attack of the Aztecs was stopped___
1 because Guatemoc had been killed
2 by the victory of the Spaniards
3 because the Spaniards had left the palace
4 because of darkness
A20 Next morning the aim of Cortes was___
1 to seize Montezuma’s palace
2 to destroy the houses from which the Spaniards were attacked
3 to deceive the Aztecs
4 to kill Montezuma
A21 When Montezuma appeared at the height of the battle
1 he tried to encourage the Aztecs
2 he asked the Aztecs to stop fighting
3 he thanked the Aztecs for their courage
4 the Spaniards killed him
