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Social Studies Diagnostic 2016-17
7th Grade
Directions: Read each passage carefully and identify the best answer for each question.
Mythology of Ancient Egypt
http://historylink101.com/n/egypt_1/religion.htm
Religion was very important to the Ancient Egyptians. Their religion was strongly
influenced by tradition, which caused them to resist change. "Egyptians did not question
the beliefs which had been handed down to them; they did not desire change in their
society. Their main aim throughout their history was to emulate the conditions which they
believed had existed at the dawn of creation." One of the very strong traditions was that
of Divine Kingship. Divine Kingship is the belief that the Pharaoh was not only the King
(political ruler) but also a god. The Pharaoh was associated with Horus, son of Re the sun
god. Later it was believed that at death he became Osiris, or an Osiris, and would help the
Egyptians in their afterlife.
Due to their beliefs, the Pharaoh held an immense amount of power. In addition,
the priests in Ancient Egypt were also very powerful. When things were going well, the
people believed the priest and pharaoh were doing their jobs well; when things in the
country were not going well, the people believed the pharaoh and the priest were to
blame.
The religion of Ancient Egypt was a polytheistic (many gods) religion with one short period
of monotheism (one god). Their religion hosted about 700 different gods and goddesses.
In addition, it was not uncommon for deities to be combined to form a new deity.
One of the more famous aspects of the Egyptian religious beliefs was their ideas of the
afterlife. They believed the physical body had to be preserved to allow a place for their
spirit to dwell in the afterlife. Because of this, mummification was performed to preserve
the body. In addition, large pyramids were constructed as tombs for the pharaohs in the
Old Kingdom. Later, rock cut tombs were used to bury the pharaohs.
Question 1. Which word could best replace “traditions” as it is used in the sentence
A. culture
B. belief
C. custom
D. heritage
Question 2. What does the word “deity” mean in the passage?
A. immortal
B. goddess
C. idol
D. creator
Question 3. What is the central idea of the passage?
A. Religion was very important to the Ancient Egyptians.
B. Religion in ancient Egypt was polytheistic.
C. Religion played a significant role in how they carried out traditions.
D. Religion had different aspects that designed the culture.
Question 4. Which is the strongest detail that supports the answer in the previous
question?
A. Their religion was strongly influenced by tradition, which caused them to resist
change.
B. Their main aim throughout their history was to emulate the conditions which they
believed had existed at the dawn of creation.
C. The religion of Ancient Egypt was a polytheistic (many gods) religion with one short
period of monotheism (one god).
D. One of the more famous aspects of the Egyptian religious beliefs was their ideas of the
afterlife.
Question 5. What type of text structure?
A. Description
B. Compare and contrast
C. Sequence
D. Problem Solution
The ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti has long been at the center of a mystery. (Lexile
960)
The 3,330-year-old bust of Nefertiti sits in an exhibition in the Kulturforum in Berlin,
Germany, March 1, 2005. Photo: AP/Herbert Knosowski
For decades, archaeologists have spectulated where her tomb might be hidden. Nefertiti
belonged to the family line of the famous King Tutankhamun, better known as King Tut.
Indeed, some believe she was Tut's mother. While the other royals in her line are all
accounted for, Nefertiti is still missing.
Secret Doors In A King's Tomb
Now, however, an archaeologist named Nicholas Reeves claims he has found her secret
tomb. He says it is in the Valley of the Kings, hidden just beyond a wall near the resting
place of Tut.
Reeves' theory is based on a detailed study of the walls of Tutankhamun's tomb. Using
radar scans, Reeves was able to see what the walls looked like beneath their layers of
paint. He found a number of cracks that he believes may indicate two previously
concealed doors.
One of these doors could possibly lead to a storeroom, Reeves said. However, the larger
door on the north side of the tomb could lead to another room holding the remains of
Nefertiti.
Could Be "The Biggest" Discovery
"I have been testing the evidence ever since, looking for indications that what I thought I
was seeing was, in fact, not there," Reeves said. "But the more I looked, the more
information I found that I seemed to be looking at something pretty real."
More tests will be needed to show whether Reeves is right.
"If I'm wrong, I'm wrong," Reeves said. "But if I'm right this is potentially the biggest
archaeological discovery ever made."
The tomb of Tutankhamun was first discovered by archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922.
It consists of four rooms, but it is much smaller than those of other pharaohs.
Priceless Treasures, Hidden Away
When Carter first found it, Tut's tomb was filled with thousands of priceless treasures. It
had remained safe from tomb robbers because of how well it was hidden.
To find Nefertiti would be a huge win for archaeologists. The queen, famed for her beauty,
served as co-ruler with King Akhenaten, her husband. She may also have been a pharaoh
on her own after his death. Most likely her tomb would be filled with as many treasures as
Tutankhamun's — perhaps even more.
Tutankhamun is believed to have ruled for only nine years, after taking power as a young
boy. His remains show that he was a frail child. He had a deformed foot and could walk
only with a cane.
Gold Mask And Legends
King Tut was not as forceful a ruler as some of the pharaohs who came before him,
including Ramses II, Khufu and his father, Akhenaten. Still, the magnificence of his tomb's
treasures made the tomb one of the most celebrated archaeological finds in the world. His
gold funeral mask is one of the most famous ancient artifacts ever discovered.
Tut's tomb has captured the public's imagination not just because of its treasures. It
reflects the beliefs of an ancient and mysterious religion that has intrigued many.
Ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife, so the dead were carefully prepared for their
life after death. Bodies were preserved through mummification. Riches and other
belongings were buried with the dead so they could be used in the afterlife, and families
were expected to bring food to the tombs.
Priestess In A Past Life?
Some believe there is a "Pharaoh's Curse," which brings bad luck to those who disturb the
tombs. Indeed, 12 members of the team that opened King Tut's tomb died within seven
years.
There is also the strange story of Englishwoman Dorothy Louise Eady. Better known as
Omm Sety, Eady believed she had been an ancient Egyptian priestess in a past life.
Eady grew up dreaming about her experiences in ancient Egypt. She eventually moved to
Egypt, where she worked with a number of well-known archaeologists. She made a
number of archaeological discoveries based on what she said were memories, not
research.
At one point, Eady said she knew where the tomb of Nefertiti was located. She claimed she
knew based on a conversation in another life with a pharaoh.
"It's in the Valley of the Kings, and it's quite near to the Tutankhamun tomb," she said.
"But it's in a place where nobody would ever think of looking for it."
It may just turn out that Eady was right all along.
Question 6. Which of the following BEST replaces the phrase "speculated on" in the
sentence without changing its meaning?
A. ruminated on
B. investigated
C. wondered about
D. hypothesized about
Question 7. Read the section "Priestess In A Past Life?" What evidence leads some
people to believe the "Pharaoh's Curse" may be real?
A. Dorothy Louise Eady has said the curse is true.
B. Dorothy Louise Eady refused to enter a tomb due to the curse.
C. Twelve of the people on the team that revealed Tut's tomb died not long after.
D. Anyone who has entered a pharaoh's tomb has had bad luck for seven years
afterword.
Question 8. Which of the following BEST defines the word "pharaoh"?
A.
a king or queen in a tomb
B.
an ancient Egyptian ruler
C.
a secret room where rulers are buried
D.
a curse of bad luck for those who explore ancient Egyptian tombs
Question 9. What is the text structure of this passage?
A. Sequence
B. Problem/Solution
C. Cause/Effect
D. Description
Question 10. What is the central purpose of this text?
A. because then the tomb could be protected from potential grave robbers
B. because scientists want to prove whether or not the "Pharaoh's Curse" is true
C. because Queen Nefertiti is the only one in the royal line who has not been discovered
D. because Queen Nefertiti's tomb would hold almost as many treasures as King Tut’s
tomb
The King of Bling (Lexile 1100)
On Tour with Tut and His Treasures
Howard Carter feverishly chipped away at the ancient door. With sweat dripping from his
brow, Carter chiseled a hole in the rock, hoping to create a space big enough to peer
through.
Bit by bit, tiny fragments of stone and dust fell to the floor. Finally, when the hole was big
enough, Carter picked up a flashlight and looked inside. "The sight that met us was beyond
anything one could conceive," the famous archaeologist wrote in his diary.
Inside the ancient Egyptian vault were alabaster vases, shiny white chests, finely carved
chairs, and a golden throne. The year was 1922, and Carter had just made one of the
greatest archaeological finds in history: the tomb and the mummified3 remains of the boy
king the ancient Egyptians called Tutankhamun.
Treasures on Tour
From the early 2000s to early 2010s, some of the treasures Carter discovered were
displayed in an exhibit called "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs." The
exhibit toured several U.S. cities. It included more than 130 objects. Most of them had
never left Egypt before.
Visitors to the exhibit had an opportunity to learn about King Tut and to see what life was
like for pharaohs, or kings, and other royalty in Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. That's
when Tutankhamun ruled. Tut was 9 or 10 when he came to power after the death of his
father, Akhenaten. When Carter discovered Tut's tomb, it was the only crypt of an ancient
Egyptian king that had not been ransacked by thieves.
When visitors entered the exhibit, they first saw a wooden sculpture of the boy king. In a
darkened room of the exhibit hall, a light shined on a model, depicted without any of Tut's
famous gold or jewels. "Not only does [the figure] show Tut's majesty, but it also shows his
human side," David Silverman, curator and professor of Egyptology at the University of
Pennsylvania, told Senior Edition. "You can see a young boy behind those eyes."
The exhibit included Tut's royal diadem—the crown that historians suggest Tut wore on
the throne. Visitors could also see a golden collar in the shape of a falcon. The collar
depicts the god Horus, a deity associated with Egyptian kings.
The Afterlife
When Carter discovered Tut's tomb, it was the only crypt of an ancient Egyptian king that
had not been ransacked by thieves. The ancient Egyptians believed in the afterlife, or life
after death.
Therefore, religious leaders buried pharaohs with gold, jewels, and furniture—things the
rulers would need in the afterlife. One of the fascinating items on display was a solid-gold
dagger Carter found strapped to Tut's mummified thigh. Scientists believe Tut's subjects
buried their king with the dagger so that he could fend off villains in the afterlife. The
exhibit included a canopic jar that held Tut's liver, which was also believed to have been
needed in the next world. Canopic jars are special containers used to hold the preserved
organs of the dead.
Protecting History
Visitors were able to see relics from Tut's father, mother, grandparents, and greatgrandparents. Eighty items unearthed from other royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings,
near the Nile River, were also on display. Money from the exhibition went toward
protecting Egypt's historic sites, including the Great Pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx. Zahi
Hawass, the former head of Egyptian antiquities, said those sites and others in Egypt had
been literally crumbling. "These monuments will be gone in 100 years if we don't raise the
money to restore them," he told The New York Times.
Question 11. In the sentence, “it was the only crypt of an ancient Egyptian king that had
not been ransacked by thieves”, ransacked could be replaced by
A.
discovered.
B.
looted.
C.
protected.
D. imprisoned.
Question 12. In the sentence,“The exhibit included a canopic jar that held Tut’s liver…,” we
can assume that:
A.
these jars do not have gold or jewels on them.
B.
mummy makers put the organs in special holders.
C.
only pharaohs had their livers removed for safekeeping.
D. these jars were placed under protective awnings.
Question 13. Read the sentence. The collar depicts the god Horus, a deity associated with
Egyptian kings.
Which word has a similar meaning close to “depicts” as used in the sentence?
A. Sketches
B. Outlines
C. Describes
D. Portrays
Question 14. David Silverman seems to be a man who
A.
uses his imagination to make history seem personal.
B.
doesn’t like to answer questions.
C.
might be jealous of King Tut.
D. is ambitious about raising money for a good cause.
Question 15. What was the author’s purpose for writing the passage?
A. To inform the reader that King Tut’s tomb had valuable items
B. To persuade the reader that we need to protect history
C. To show that visitors can see relics from King Tut and his family
D. To prove that King Tut’s tomb was ransacked
News Shorts: Tomb Raiders (Lexile 980)
American archaeologists recently did something that would make their mummies proud:
They discovered a hidden Egyptian tomb! Otto J. Schaden and his team found the burial
chamber underground in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. It holds five mummies in sarcophagi
(sar-KAH-fuh-gigh), or coffins.
The tomb also contains 20 jars in which Egyptians stored food and drink for the afterlife.
This marks the first time an intact tomb has been discovered in the valley in 84 years. The
last tomb found there was that of Tutankhamen, the boy king.
Tut’s tomb is just feet from the newly found chamber. "It was just so amazing to find an
intact tomb here after all the work that’s been done before," Edwin Brock, one of the
project leaders, told reporters. Archaeologists suspect that the tomb is about 3,000 years
old.
The scientists will study the sarcophagi to determine the mummies’ identities and social
status. One of the sarcophagi has the features of a woman with black hair, dark-lined eyes,
and a gold necklace.
Schaden says the mummies may be members of a pharaoh’s court, but some people have
speculated that the tomb may hold the mummy of Nefertiti—one of Egypt’s most beautiful
and powerful queens. Even if the tomb doesn’t hold Nefertiti’s remains, it’s still the find of
a lifetime, archaeologists say. "This cache…proves that the Valley of the Kings is not
exhausted," Mansour Bouriak, an Egyptian official, told reporters.
Question 16. The main idea of this passage is:
A. The remains of Nefertiti were found.
B. Archaeologists recently found a hidden Egyptian tomb.
C. Sarcophagi were coffins that hold Egyptian mummies.
D. Egyptians store food and drink in coffins.
Question 17. Read the sentence. The scientists will study the sarcophagi to determine the
mummies’ identities and social status.
What does the phrase “social status” mean as used in the sentence?
A. Place
B. Rank
C. Position
D. Grade
Question 18. The author included the quote from Edwin Brock
A. to add additional facts about the findings.
B. to show the archaeologists’ perspective.
C. to encourage the reader to study archeology.
D. to highlight the need for historians to find actual artifacts
Question 19. Egyptians stored food and drink in their tombs, because
A. they wanted to feed their dead as they enter the afterlife.
B. they wanted to feed workers that were building the tomb.
C. they wanted to preserve the food for later use.
D. tombs were cold and acted as refrigeration for ancient Egyptians.
Question 20. The main idea of the last paragraph is
A. Scientists are hypothesizing who might be in the tomb.
B. Nefertiti was the most beautiful of Egyptian women.
C. Social status can be determined by the way someone was buried.
D. Even though they do not know who is in the tomb, it is still an important discovery.