Guardian on the Plateau

According to the passage, the Sphinx is carved into stone and measures 235 feet long by 66 feet tall. Which of the following states two central ideas from the passage that this detail supports?

• The ancient Egyptians repaired damage to the Sphinx, and more repairs were made recently.

• The Great Sphinx was painted, and paint can still be seen on the face of the statue.

• The ancient Egyptians worshipped the sun, and the Sphinx was connected to the sun.

• The Great Sphinx was a powerful symbol, creating it was a significant achievement.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

What is the most likely reason the authors refer to the stone as "living rock" in paragraph 2?

• to emphasize how the Sphinx is connected to and grows from the earth

• to stress the effects on the lives of the workers who built the Sphinx

• to show how the Sphinx has grown larger and changed over time

• to describe how the surface of the Sphinx provides a home for plant life

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

Which sentence from the passage shows that the material used for building was not entirely durable?

• "The Sphinx is actually limestone that is still attached to the ground along its belly and legs"

• "The blue was probably made from azurite, a mineral found in the Sinai Peninsula."

• "Some layers, known as strata, are soft and crumbly, while others are harder and stronger."

• "The nose is missing, but this is because it was destroyed on purpose long after the time of the pharaohs."

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

What sentence from the passage helps to develop the idea that the Sphinx is a "guardian" of the pyramids?

• "Just outside the city of Cairo lie the pyramids of Giza-three of the best-known monuments in the world"

• "The ancient Egyptians believed this snake protected the king and was always ready to spit fire and poison at his enemies."

• "The stripes of the nemes were painted blue and yellow, and bits of red paint can still be seen on the face."

• "The red and yellow paint was made of ochers, which are soft, colored minerals found in the deserts of Egypt."

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

The authors of the passage believe that the Sphinx was an important part of Egyptian culture. Which of the following sentences from the passage best supports the above statement?

• "The red and yellow paint was made of ochers, which are soft, colored minerals found in the deserts of Egypt."

• To paint, Egyptian artists would have used very large brushes that were made of reeds or palm fibers."

• "For thousands of years, people have been fascinated by this curious creature."

• "It represented the king as a god, with the wisdom of a human and the power of a lion, the mightiest of all beasts."

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

Which of the following best summarizes the ideas of "Guardians on the Plateau" in the correct order?

• The Great Sphinx sits at the base of the plateau near the pyramids of Giza. The statue has the head of a human but the body of a lion. The statue's head has a headcloth worn only by kings. This world-famous statue fascinates people not only because of its great size but also because of its symbolic power.

• The Great Sphinx is a huge statue of a half-human, half-lion figure that sits near the pyramids of Giza. The statue was carved into limestone rock using simple tools. Over time the statue has needed repairs to the softer limestone. The statue was built around 2550 B.C. for Khafre, an Egyptian king, and has a temple worshipping the sun.

• The Great Sphinx, a statue that sits near the pyramids of Giza, is the largest statue ever created. Carved directly into the limestone rock of a quarry, the Sphinx is 235 feet long and 66 feet tall. Workers used simple tools like chisels and pounders to carve the statue around 2550 B.C. Final shaping and sanding of the statue was done with sand and sandstone.

• Near Cairo, Egypt, stand some of the world's most famous monuments: the pyramids of Egypt and the Great Sphinx. The Sphinx was carved into a limestone quarry around 2550 B.C., most likely under the direction of a king named Khafre. In front of the statue is the Sphinx temple. The temple would most likely have been used to worship the rising and setting sun.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2