Reading I

The ancient Egyptians firmly believed in the afterlife and spent their time on earth preparing for it. Elaborate burial rituals included preparing the burial site, providing for all of the deceased’s material needs (food, clothing, jewels, and tools of their trade), and preserving the corpse so that it would not decay. This preservation was accomplished through a process of mummification. The ancients left no written accounts as to examine mummies and establish their own theories. The embalming process might have taken up to seventy days for the pharaohs and nobility and only a few days for the poor.

The embalmers spread a variety of compounds of salt, spices, and resins in and over the corpse to preserve it. They followed this with a prescribed wrapping, a procedure in which they wound strips if fine linen around, over and under the body while placing various amulets within the wrappings to protect the deceased from harm on the long journey to the afterlife. They also painted resins over the wrapped linen. Finally, a pharaoh or noble would have been encased in wooden box before being placed in a sarcophagus.

How have been able to learn about the mummification process?

• Accurate records have been handed down to us.

• Interviews with embalmers who still use the process have revealed the secret

• After studying mummies, scientists have developed their own theories.

• Chemical analysis of the compounds has led us to an explanation of the method used.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

The ancient Egyptians firmly believed in the afterlife and spent their time on earth preparing for it. Elaborate burial rituals included preparing the burial site, providing for all of the deceased’s material needs (food, clothing, jewels, and tools of their trade), and preserving the corpse so that it would not decay. This preservation was accomplished through a process of mummification. The ancients left no written accounts as to examine mummies and establish their own theories. The embalming process might have taken up to seventy days for the pharaohs and nobility and only a few days for the poor.

The embalmers spread a variety of compounds of salt, spices, and resins in and over the corpse to preserve it. They followed this with a prescribed wrapping, a procedure in which they wound strips if fine linen around, over and under the body while placing various amulets within the wrappings to protect the deceased from harm on the long journey to the afterlife. They also painted resins over the wrapped linen. Finally, a pharaoh or noble would have been encased in wooden box before being placed in a sarcophagus.

"They also painted resins over the wrapped linen". What does they refer to?

• Embalmers

• Spices

• Pharaohs

• The poor

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

The ancient Egyptians firmly believed in the afterlife and spent their time on earth preparing for it. Elaborate burial rituals included preparing the burial site, providing for all of the deceased’s material needs (food, clothing, jewels, and tools of their trade), and preserving the corpse so that it would not decay. This preservation was accomplished through a process of mummification. The ancients left no written accounts as to examine mummies and establish their own theories. The embalming process might have taken up to seventy days for the pharaohs and nobility and only a few days for the poor.

The embalmers spread a variety of compounds of salt, spices, and resins in and over the corpse to preserve it. They followed this with a prescribed wrapping, a procedure in which they wound strips if fine linen around, over and under the body while placing various amulets within the wrappings to protect the deceased from harm on the long journey to the afterlife. They also painted resins over the wrapped linen. Finally, a pharaoh or noble would have been encased in wooden box before being placed in a sarcophagus.

The embalming process can best be described as ...

• Lengthy and complicated

• Short and simple

• Strict and unfaltering

• Wild and terrifying

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

The ancient Egyptians firmly believed in the afterlife and spent their time on earth preparing for it. Elaborate burial rituals included preparing the burial site, providing for all of the deceased’s material needs (food, clothing, jewels, and tools of their trade), and preserving the corpse so that it would not decay. This preservation was accomplished through a process of mummification. The ancients left no written accounts as to examine mummies and establish their own theories. The embalming process might have taken up to seventy days for the pharaohs and nobility and only a few days for the poor.

The embalmers spread a variety of compounds of salt, spices, and resins in and over the corpse to preserve it. They followed this with a prescribed wrapping, a procedure in which they wound strips if fine linen around, over and under the body while placing various amulets within the wrappings to protect the deceased from harm on the long journey to the afterlife. They also painted resins over the wrapped linen. Finally, a pharaoh or noble would have been encased in wooden box before being placed in a sarcophagus.

The word “decay” in line 3 is closest in meaning to ...

• die

• deteriorate

• embalm

• rejuvenate

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

The ancient Egyptians firmly believed in the afterlife and spent their time on earth preparing for it. Elaborate burial rituals included preparing the burial site, providing for all of the deceased’s material needs (food, clothing, jewels, and tools of their trade), and preserving the corpse so that it would not decay. This preservation was accomplished through a process of mummification. The ancients left no written accounts as to examine mummies and establish their own theories. The embalming process might have taken up to seventy days for the pharaohs and nobility and only a few days for the poor.

The embalmers spread a variety of compounds of salt, spices, and resins in and over the corpse to preserve it. They followed this with a prescribed wrapping, a procedure in which they wound strips if fine linen around, over and under the body while placing various amulets within the wrappings to protect the deceased from harm on the long journey to the afterlife. They also painted resins over the wrapped linen. Finally, a pharaoh or noble would have been encased in wooden box before being placed in a sarcophagus.

All of the following statements are true except

• Bodies were preserved as a matter of religious belief

• All mummification took seventy days to complete

• Special compounds were used to embalm the bodies

• It has been difficult to determine the process used

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

The ancient Egyptians firmly believed in the afterlife and spent their time on earth preparing for it. Elaborate burial rituals included preparing the burial site, providing for all of the deceased’s material needs (food, clothing, jewels, and tools of their trade), and preserving the corpse so that it would not decay. This preservation was accomplished through a process of mummification. The ancients left no written accounts as to examine mummies and establish their own theories. The embalming process might have taken up to seventy days for the pharaohs and nobility and only a few days for the poor.

The embalmers spread a variety of compounds of salt, spices, and resins in and over the corpse to preserve it. They followed this with a prescribed wrapping, a procedure in which they wound strips if fine linen around, over and under the body while placing various amulets within the wrappings to protect the deceased from harm on the long journey to the afterlife. They also painted resins over the wrapped linen. Finally, a pharaoh or noble would have been encased in wooden box before being placed in a sarcophagus.

Why did ancient Egyptians mummify the deceased?

• To preserve the body from destruction

• To scare tomb robbers

• To encase the body in a sarcophagus

• To protect the body form harm on the journey to the afterlife

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

The ancient Egyptians firmly believed in the afterlife and spent their time on earth preparing for it. Elaborate burial rituals included preparing the burial site, providing for all of the deceased’s material needs (food, clothing, jewels, and tools of their trade), and preserving the corpse so that it would not decay. This preservation was accomplished through a process of mummification. The ancients left no written accounts as to examine mummies and establish their own theories. The embalming process might have taken up to seventy days for the pharaohs and nobility and only a few days for the poor.

The embalmers spread a variety of compounds of salt, spices, and resins in and over the corpse to preserve it. They followed this with a prescribed wrapping, a procedure in which they wound strips if fine linen around, over and under the body while placing various amulets within the wrappings to protect the deceased from harm on the long journey to the afterlife. They also painted resins over the wrapped linen. Finally, a pharaoh or noble would have been encased in wooden box before being placed in a sarcophagus.

It can be inferred that the Egyptians buried food, clothing, jewels, and tools with the deceased because

• The family did not want anyone else to share them

• That was the wish of the deceased

• They were afraid

• The deceased would need them while en-route to the afterlife.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

They followed this with a prescribed wrapping, a procedure in which they wound strips if fine linen around, over and under the body while placing various amulets within the wrappings to protect the deceased from harm on the long journey to the afterlife.

The word 'amulets' has the closest meaning to ...

• Weapons

• Coins

• Charms

• Curses

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

"This preservation was accomplished through a process of mummification".

What is the synonym of accomplished?

• Performed

• Forsaken

• Reproduced

• Dwindled

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

The ancient Egyptians firmly believed in the afterlife and spent their time on earth preparing for it. Elaborate burial rituals included preparing the burial site, providing for all of the deceased’s material needs (food, clothing, jewels, and tools of their trade), and preserving the corpse so that it would not decay. This preservation was accomplished through a process of mummification. The ancients left no written accounts as to examine mummies and establish their own theories. The embalming process might have taken up to seventy days for the pharaohs and nobility and only a few days for the poor.

The embalmers spread a variety of compounds of salt, spices, and resins in and over the corpse to preserve it. They followed this with a prescribed wrapping, a procedure in which they wound strips if fine linen around, over and under the body while placing various amulets within the wrappings to protect the deceased from harm on the long journey to the afterlife. They also painted resins over the wrapped linen. Finally, a pharaoh or noble would have been encased in wooden box before being placed in a sarcophagus.

The distinction between mummification of bodies from different classes is explained in lines ...

• 2-6

• 8-10

• 13-14

• 15

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2