On a December afternoon in 1945, five U.S. Navy planes took off from a Florida airbase on a training mission. The 14 crewmembers expected to return by dinnertime. Their navigation instruments failed, however, and they got lost. A search-and-rescue aircraft with a crew of 13 was sent to find them. It disappeared.
Hundreds of ships and planes scoured thousands of square miles of the Atlantic Ocean. But no traces of the 27 crewmembers or their planes were ever found. The Navy's official report proclaimed it was "as if they had flown to Mars."
The perplexing tragedy is part of the headline-grabbing history of the Bermuda Triangle.
A map shows the area of the Bermuda Triangle, with Bermuda as its northeast tip; Miami, Florida as its western point; and Puerto Rico as the southern tip of the triangle
Digital illustration: Achieve3000. Background photo: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio
Where Is the Bermuda Triangle?
The Bermuda Triangle is part of the Atlantic Ocean, but it isn't an officially recognized geographic region. Therefore, its exact size and location are open to debate. Some say it covers about 500,000 square miles (1.3 million square kilometers), but others claim it's three times that size. By one definition, Bermuda is its northeast tip. It extends south to Puerto Rico and west to Miami, Florida.
A History of Mystery?
The term Bermuda Triangle was coined in 1964, but eerie stories have been told about this stretch of sea for centuries. Christopher Columbus reported strange lights and odd compass readings there in 1492. Experts believe that in the last 500 years, about 50 ships and 20 aircraft have gone missing while navigating the triangle.
The Search for Explanations
People have blamed the disappearances on a range of curious causes, from wizardry to sea monsters. Others have proposed more scientific explanations. These include massive rogue waves or magnetic oddities affecting compasses.
The Truth about the Triangle
Scientists say the Bermuda Triangle doesn't deserve its deadly reputation. It's heavily traveled by ships and airplanes and subject to sudden changes in weather and severe tropical storms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has weighed in, too. It says that mysterious disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle are no more common than in any other large, well-traveled area of the ocean.
People, however, often don't let truth get in the way of a good story. Our love of mystery runs deep.
QUESTION 1
1 / 4
Based on information in the article, the reader can predict that __________.
there will always be people who love to read stories about the Bermuda Triangle
ships and airplanes will stop traveling through the Bermuda Triangle
the Bermuda Triangle will be renamed when experts agree on its exact size
scientists will discover evidence of the planes that were lost in the Bermuda Triangle in 1945
The reader can predict that there will always be people who love to read stories about the Bermuda Triangle, as mentioned in the article that people's love of mystery runs deep.
Based on the article, which of these is true about the Bermuda Triangle?
The Bermuda Triangle has had more disappearances than other Atlantic Ocean routes.
The Bermuda Triangle is not a very well-traveled part of the Atlantic Ocean.
The Bermuda Triangle is not part of an officially recognized geographic region.
The Bermuda Triangle has predictable and mostly calm weather patterns.
The Bermuda Triangle is not part of an officially recognized geographic region.
Which passage from the article best supports the idea that the Bermuda Triangle is not unusually dangerous?
The perplexing tragedy is part of the headline-grabbing history of the Bermuda Triangle.
Scientists say the Bermuda Triangle doesn't deserve its deadly reputation.
People have blamed the disappearances on a range of curious causes, from wizardry to sea monsters.
Christopher Columbus reported strange lights and odd compass readings there.
Scientists say the Bermuda Triangle doesn't deserve its deadly reputation.
Which is the closest synonym for the word massive, as it is used in the article?
imaginary
ancient
enormous
graceful