Ancient Egypt Making Mummies - · PDF file© 2012 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights...

© 2012 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.

1

Ancient Egypt Making Mummies

Thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt, pharaohs were buried inside

huge pyramids. Before burial, however, their bodies were preserved.1 To do this, the ancient Egyptians would mummify their kings. Mummification was a very careful process. In fact, it took 70 days to complete. First, embalmers2 would remove organs from the body. They removed the brain by sticking a hook up the pharaoh’s nose. This would loosen up the brain so it could be pulled out through the nose. The ancient Egyptians didn’t think the brain was important, so it was thrown away. The stomach, liver, intestines, and lungs were also removed. These organs were carefully wrapped and kept in jars. They thought the heart was most important. They left the heart in its place. The body was now a shell. The embalmers stuffed it with fabric and sawdust. Then it was covered in salt, which dried it out. When the body was completely dry, it was wrapped in layers and layers of linen3 bandages. Then it was placed in a coffin. Sometimes, the coffin was placed inside another coffin. These coffins were made out of wood or stone. They were either shaped like a rectangle or like the mummy itself. The coffin was placed in a tomb. Next to it were many objects for the mummy to use in the afterlife.

1 preserved: prepared to be kept for a long time 2 embalmers: people who preserve dead bodies 3 linen: a type of cloth made from flax


2

Name: _____________________________ Date: _____________________________ 1. What happens when embalmers cover a body with salt?

a. The body turns white. b. The body becomes soft. c. The body disintegrates. d. The body dries out.

2. Which step comes last in the sequence described in the passage?

a. The body is placed in a coffin. b. The body is wrapped in linen bandages. c. The coffin is placed in a tomb. d. Organs are removed from the body

3. It can be inferred from the passage that

a. ancient Egyptians did not think that people had an afterlife b. ancient Egyptians thought the brain was the most important organ c. usually only special people like pharaohs were mummified d. everyone who died in Ancient Egypt was mummified

4. Mummification is a word for describing what process?

a. Preserving bodies b. Destroying bodies c. Hiding bodies d. Burying bodies

5. This passage is mainly about

a. the long, careful process of mummification. b. what is inside the Egyptian pyramids. c. the different organs inside the human body. d. the different kinds of coffins used in Ancient Egypt.


3

6. Why were objects placed in tombs along with the mummies? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

7. Based on the passage, why do you think embalmers stuffed the bodies with fabric and sawdust?

______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the answer that best

completes the sentence. Some people in ancient Egypt used to be mummified before being buried, __________ the way people are buried today.

a. as a result of b. in contrast to c. despite d. because


4

9. Read the following sentence. Thousands of years ago, pharaohs were buried inside huge pyramids in Egypt. Answer the questions below based on the information provided in the sentence you just read. One of the questions has already been answered for you.

1. Who is the subject of the sentence? pharaohs

2. Pharaohs were what? _____________________________________________

3. When? __________________________________________________________

4. Where? _________________________________________________________ 10. Vocabulary Word: coffin: something in which a dead body is buried. Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: ___________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

Non-fiction: WWII – President Roosevelt Addresses Congress


1

WWII

President Roosevelt Addresses Congress

On December 8, 1941, President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan.

“Yesterday, 7 December 1941--a date which will live in infamy--the United

States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces

of the Empire of Japan.

“The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation1

of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor, looking

toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese

air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to

the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal

reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed

useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or

hint of war or armed attack.

“It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it

obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago.

During the intervening time the Japanese Government had deliberately sought to

deceive2 the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for

continued peace.

“The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe

damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives were

lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas

between San Francisco and Honolulu.

1 solicitation: request 2 deceive: mislead; to cause to believe what is untrue



2

“Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against

Malaya.

“Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

“Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.

“Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

“Last night Japanese forces attacked Wake Island.

“This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

“Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending

throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The

people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well

understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

“As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all

measures be taken for our defense.

“Always will we remember the character of the onslaught3 against us.

“No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated4

invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to

absolute victory.

“I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I

assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very

certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.

“Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our

territory, and our interests are in grave danger.

3 onslaught: a violent attack 4 premeditated: planned ahead of time



3

“With confidence in our armed forces--with the unbounded determination

of our people--we will gain the inevitable triumph--so help us God.

“I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly

attack by Japan on Sunday, 7 December, a state of war has existed between the

United States and the Japanese Empire.”

Questions: WWII – President Roosevelt Addresses Congress


4

Name: _______________________ Date: __________________________ 1. When did President Roosevelt ask Congress to declare war on Japan?

a. December 7, 1941 b. October 8, 1941 c. January 1, 1942 d. December 8, 1941

2. The second paragraph of Roosevelt’s speech

a. shows Roosevelt’s sense of anger and betrayal b. provides context for why the attack was so surprising c. emphasizes the cooperation of Japan with the United States d. conveys approval for the actions of the Japanese

3. Based on Roosevelt’s speech, the actions of the Japanese can best be characterized as

a. generous and helpful. b. cowardly and vengeful. c. aggressive and sneaky. d. destructive yet necessary

4. Read the following sentences: “Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.” The word implications most nearly means

a. change b. hysteria c. meaning d. exaggeration

5. The purpose of President Roosevelt’s speech was to

a. ask Congress to declare war on Japan. b. thank the Japanese for their assistance. c. list all of the countries that the Japanese attacked. d. ask other countries to assist the United States.

Questions: WWII – President Roosevelt Addresses Congress


5

6. Why does President Roosevelt think that the attack on Pearl Harbor was “deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago”? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 7. Describe Roosevelt’s tone as he speaks about his outlook on the rest of the war by using textual evidence. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. According to President Roosevelt, the United States needed to enter the war _____ it was under attack.

a. because b. before c. while d. second

9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below. Japanese forces attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Who? Japanese forces (did) What? ______________________________________________________ Where? _________________________________________________________ When? __________________________________________________________ 10. Vocabulary Word: deceive: mislead, lie, cause someone to believe something false. Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: ________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

Music Inside of Us


Music Inside of Us By Kyria Abrahams

When I was four years old, I wanted nothing more in life than to play the piano. My best friend Bethany had a piano, but she didn't play it very often. I could barely contain my jealousy. I felt something tingle inside me when I played it. The piano was important. It was meant to be. Bethany hardly played it at all. She would rather play hide‐and‐seek. It didn't seem fair. One day my mother came to pick me up from Bethany's house. “Watch this!” I told her. Then I ran to play a song I had learned that morning. It was a Russian ballad called “Song of the Volga Boatmen.” It was a very easy arrangement of notes, and I learned it quickly. The lyrics went like this: Yo‐oh. Yo heave ho. One more time. Once again. I sang the song while I played it. “Check it out, Mom!” I was so proud of what I'd learned. “I can play this song all by myself!” “That's nice,” she said. “But we can't afford a piano.”

Music Inside of Us


I cried a little, or maybe I even cried a lot. Then we went home. There was nothing I could do. There would be no piano on that day. It wasn't that my mother didn't want to give me a piano. She just couldn't. In fact, we wouldn't have the money to buy a piano for almost 10 more years. When I turned six, my mother bought me a recorder. The recorder is like a plastic clarinet. I learned to play “Three Blind Mice” and “Hot Cross Buns” but not “Song of the Volga Boatmen.” The problem was I didn't love the recorder. It was just something to play. The piano was special. When I played the recorder, I didn't feel anything special inside. I hated practicing. I was bored. I asked my mother if we could have a piano. “We still can't afford one,” she said. “One day, I promise.” In the sixth grade, my mother traded in the recorder for a real clarinet. I liked the clarinet more, but it still wasn't a piano. My brother asked if he could have a guitar. Instead, my mother bought him a flute. He didn't like the flute at all. “It was on sale,” she told him. “It's a nice flute! You should play the flute.” I never once saw my brother practice the flute. He left the flute lying around the house like he was trying to lose it. My mother would find it in the living room shoved under the couch. “I just don't understand you!” my mother would exclaim. “A perfectly good flute!” “But I wanted a guitar,” he would say. I taught myself a little bit of the flute as well as the clarinet. I thought it would make my mother feel better about spending money. But in my heart, I still longed for a piano.

Music Inside of Us


Everyone said I had a very nice sound on the clarinet; that it was “smooth,” and I never squeaked or squawked my high notes. I liked being good at something, and I loved playing music, but I wasn't happy. It wasn't the music that was inside of me. One day, when I was in seventh grade, my mother clipped an ad out of the newspaper. This was back in the 1980s, before computers, so if people wanted to sell something, they had to put an ad in an actual newspaper. We drove to a stranger's home in Providence, Rhode Island, where I grew up. The woman had a beautiful, dark wood piano from Russia. It's called an upright piano because it was tall. It had a slick, modern design. It was so shiny it looked like it was wet. “We'll take it,” my mother said. “It has a nice sound.” After that, I played the piano every single day. I played it before school. I played it after school. I even played if I stayed home sick. On the weekends, I played all day long until my parents had to ask me to stop. When I left for school in the morning, I would leave sheet music open on the piano. Sheet music is like a book with notes and lyrics in it. It tells you how a song goes. So I would plan it out ahead of time, before I left. When I got home from school, I wouldn't even take my backpack off. I'd walk straight to the piano and sit down and start playing the sheet music I had left open that morning. I had finally found the music inside of me. We all have music inside of us, even if it's just what we listen to. Surely, you have a favorite band or a favorite song. You want to sing along with it, or dance to it. You move to the beat of that favorite song. Or, maybe, like my brother, you want to pick up a guitar and actually play that song. It's been 20 years since my brother asked for a guitar. Now he owns four of them.

Music Inside of Us


Do you struggle with music? Have you been given an instrument to play, but you just can't play it? Maybe like my brother, you were given a flute when you really wanted a guitar. If you find that you are struggling with your instrument, remember the story of my clarinet. I wasn't happy with the clarinet, because it wasn't the right instrument for me. Remember my brother and how much he hated the flute? He loves the guitar and plays every day. He also sings. Maybe you think you're just no good or that you don't have any musical talent. Don't get discouraged. It's not true! We all have music inside of us. Now it's up to you to find the right way to set that music free.

C O N C E P T S O F COM P RE HEN S I O N : G E N RE 5 t h G R AD E U NI T

Question Sheet

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Name: Date:

“News Debate: Out of Touch?” Questions 1. In the sentence, “Schools have banned those games,” you can guess that when something is banned, it is

a. not enjoyed. b. rewarded. c. not allowed. d. nationwide.

2. You would be likely to find this type of article in

a. a story book. b. a magazine. c. a textbook. d. a book of science fiction

___ 3. Some people think playing contact sports at recess is dangerous because

a. students don’t use the proper equipment. b. the games are too old-fashioned. c. students haven’t been taught how to play properly. d. students choose dangerous playmates.

__ 4. You can tell this passage is nonfiction, because it includes

a. the first and last names of experts in the field b. the places where these experts work c. the exact words experts have said or written d. all of the above

__ 5. How would you change the article to make it an editorial? ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________

C O N C E P T S O F COM P RE HEN S I O N : G E N RE 5 t h G R AD E U NI T

Reading Passage

Text: Copyright © 2007 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved. Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation. Used by permission. © 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved.

News Debate: Out of Touch? Are contact sports too dangerous for recess?

Not all students are allowed to play touch football, soccer, and tag at recess. Schools in at least seven towns and cities throughout the United States have banned those games. More schools nationwide are considering the ban. Check out both sides of the debate to decide whether you think contact sports should be kicked out of recess.

Officials say putting a stop to some popular recess games will make playgrounds safer. Charles Pinckney Elementary School in Charleston, S.C., nixed contact sports after some students suffered broken arms and dislocated fingers while playing touch football.

"Students haven’t been taught early on how to start, stop, and touch properly," Donna Thompson, director of the National Program for Playground Safety, told WR News. "That’s going to lead to injuries with these contact sports."

Thompson argues that schools should provide equipment for their students to play flag football instead of touch football, which would make the game less perilous, or risky. She also points out that touch football, soccer, and tag aren’t the only banned games. Many schools have already restricted dodgeball and red rover to cut down on student injuries.

Some people think that the ban on contact sports goes too far. "It’s taking away children’s rights to choose their own activities," Rhonda Clements, a physical education professor at Manhattanville College, told WR News. Clements and other experts think that kids should be able to play the kinds of traditional playground games that their parents and grandparents played.

"There are very few opportunities in a school day where children can choose [whom] they play with and what they play," says Clements. Experts say that touch football and tag are among those opportunities, and playing those games helps kids develop good exercise habits. Research shows that more than 9 million kids ages 6 to 19 are considered overweight. Participating in recess games such as tag and soccer keeps kids active.

Sticky Fingers, Helping Hands


Sticky Fingers, Helping Hands By ReadWorks

Who doesn’t enjoy a chocolate bar? Okay, maybe not everyone loves chocolate, but a lot of people do. No matter the vehicle—ice cream, cake, as a beverage, or simply in a candy bar—chocolate is enjoyed by millions of Americans. It’s readily available, too; all you have to do for a taste is visit a corner market or a drug store, and you’ll find a shelf of various chocolate bars waiting. A lot goes into a chocolate bar, though, and ultimately, its origins trace back further than the grocery store checkout line. Your favorite Halloween candy has roots even deeper than the company that manufactured it. The next time you get to indulge, take a look at the candy wrapper. What’s the most important ingredient in a chocolate bar, the one that makes chocolate…well, chocolaty? It’s cocoa.

The origins of that corner‐store chocolate bar start in fields along the Equator, in countries in South America, Africa, and South Asia. Cocoa comes from the seeds of cacao trees, which thrive in hot, humid climates. This is why most of the world’s supply comes from places like Ghana or Nigeria in West Africa. Some cocoa is harvested in countries like Brazil, near the cacao tree’s original habitat.

Chocolate farming may sound like a dream job, but unfortunately, the reality of life on a cocoa farm is less than idyllic. Cocoa farms are usually located in small villages in remote areas of countries that are still developing a lot of the luxuries taken for granted by people who live in first world countries: running water, reliable electricity, accessible education, and so on.

The demand for chocolate throughout the world is high, so farmers work extremely hard to pick cocoa pods. The average workday hours an American may be used to do not apply on these farms—workers don’t get scheduled breaks or eight‐hour shifts. Laws restricting child labor don’t apply here, either. Some cocoa farms use slave labor, buying and selling people as young as children to work long days in dangerous conditions.

Sticky Fingers, Helping Hands


Additionally, many of these cocoa farmers aren’t making much money, even though the world population loves its chocolate! Sometimes, greedy middlemen—a term for the marketers and salespeople who buy cocoa pods from farmers and sell them to chocolate makers around the world—buy for very little and sell for a much higher price. This means the traders are the ones making money, instead of the farmers. As people involved in the global trade of cocoa began to find out about the slavery, child exploitation, and unsafe conditions on cocoa farms, they started to demand change. National and international regulations emerged to help regulate the labor and trade of other crops, such as coffee and tea. Cocoa joined the list of commodities that could be “fair trade.”

Fair trade is a term that applies to anything farmed or made and traded, usually from small communities in developing countries to bigger communities with first world economies. The fair trade movement aims to fix the ugly scenarios on places like cocoa farms: lots of hard work, no access to medicine, not enough food, and definitely no fair pay.

To be certified as a fair trade product, a farm must adhere to some important rules. First of all, farming practices must be earth‐friendly. Sustainability is a big issue for farmers worldwide, and fair trade organizations take it seriously. If a farm can’t treat the land well, will it also treat its workers poorly?

Then, the concept of fair trade requires living and work conditions for laborers that are safe and clean. Fair trade certified operations promise better lives for the people doing the work. Fair trade organizations also prohibit the use of child labor and fight back against slave trafficking.

Finally (and this is where the “fair” part of fair trade really comes in), fairly traded products typically sell at higher prices to consumers so that the producers—the cocoa farmers—are getting paid a fair amount, often designated by the country’s minimum wage.

Becoming fair trade certified is a process, and certification is sometimes expensive. However, once an operation is fair trade certified, the farmers start to earn more money, as their products sell at a higher price. With increased profits, working conditions will also improve.

How can you tell the difference between fair trade chocolate and something that isn’t? Look at the label on the candy you’re about to enjoy. If there’s a symbol on it that reads “Fair Trade Certified,” you’ll know that the cocoa in your chocolate bar didn’t come from a farm that hurts its workers—and that’s definitely something sweet.

Ancient Egypt Making Mummies - · PDF file© 2012 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights...

Documents

Transcript of Ancient Egypt Making Mummies - · PDF file© 2012 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights...