Questions 1-4 are about the following passage.

    Mount Masada is an important location in Hebrew history, as it was the last stronghold of Jewish resistance in the Roman Empire. According to legend, the Roman Empire laid siege to Masada in 72 A.D. where the palace fortress of the Jewish people was located. The Romans assumed that their enemies would surrender quickly, but the people of Masada held out for 2 years. Rather than be taken by the Romans, the rebels remained true to their faith and people. They committed suicide in order to evade the troops.

    In reference to the battle of Masada, historians only have one historical record to go by, the work of Josephus, who wrote in the first century A.D. According to Josephus, there were approximately 1,000 people living in the fortress during the siege. The Romans, however, could only find 7 alive, 2 women and 5 children, when they finally entered the fortress by breaking down the gate. In 1842, the legendary location was found, but it wasn't until 1963 that Israeli archeologist Yigael Yadin began excavating the site. Yadin and his team found the remains of many building sites which were originally storehouses, homes, and Jewish chapels called synagogues.

     Today, visitors can climb Masada on the treacherous "Snake Path" or ride a cable car to the top. Masada is located on the edge of the desert fronting the Dead Sea, which is very dry and almost completely isolated. Because of this, it stayed undiscovered for almost two thousand years. Visitors are usually very surprised that ancient people were able to build the city atop this lofty mountain and survive for two years without descending for food or water. Masada has a tragic history, but is an incredible and interesting place, one that is worth visiting if you're ever in Israel.