Non-fiction: Ancient Egypt The Legend of the Pharaoh s Curse Ancient Egypt The Legend of the Pharaoh s Curse It s 1922. An empty house sits on the banks of the Nile River in Egypt. A canary chirps in its cage. All of a sudden, the chirping stops. The neighbors are worried. They run next door to find the bird lying on the bottom of its cage. The bird is dead. A cobra slithers 1 out of the bird s cage. The house and the bird belonged to a man named Howard Carter. Carter had just discovered the tomb of King Tut. King Tut was one of the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. Some people thought the canary s death was the result of an ancient curse 2. They claimed the pharaoh put the curse on anyone who entered his tomb. They believed this because cobras were sacred 3 to pharaohs. They protected and defended these ancient Egyptian kings. The story gets worse, though. The canary would not be the only one to die. Others who helped Carter find the tomb also died. Legend has it that when one of them died, all the lights in Cairo mysteriously went out at the moment of his death. Carter himself, however, lived 17 more years. He died at the age of 65. 1 slithers: to slide or move like a snake 2 curse: a magic spell that causes harm or evil 3 sacred: holy 1
Questions: Ancient Egypt The Legend of the Pharaoh s Curse Name: Date: 1.The main idea of this story is a. Many people believe King Tut s tomb is cursed. b. Many people are afraid of snakes. c. Many people die in Egypt. d. Cobras like to eat birds. 2. In the story, what happens after the neighbors find the bird? a. The bird chirps. b. The bird escapes his cage. c. A cobra leaves the cage. d. King Tut s tomb is discovered. 3. This story would probably go on to talk about a. King Tut. b. Other Pharaohs. c. Howard Carter s early life. d. Other people connected with the tomb who died. 4.The author of this passage probably wants to a. inform readers. b. bore readers. c. make readers cry. d. make readers laugh. 5. It can be inferred from the passage that the lights which mysteriously went out in Cairo a. caused the deaths of the people who helped discover King Tut s tomb b. were linked to the deaths of the people who helped discover King Tut s tomb c. were turned off by King Tut d. cursed the people of Cairo 2
Questions: Ancient Egypt The Legend of the Pharaoh s Curse 6. According to the passage, what caused the curse to begin? 7. Why does the author point out the age at which Howard Carter dies? 8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. It is believed that several people who helped find King Tut s tomb died the ancient curse placed on anyone who entered the tomb. a. before b. despite c. as a result of d. in contrast to 9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below. Each time one of the people who helped discover King Tut s tomb died the lights in Cairo mysteriously went out. What? the lights (did) What? Where? When? 10. Vocabulary Word: legend: a very old and popular story that may be true. Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: 3
Answers: Ancient Egypt The Legend of the Pharaoh s Curse Passage Reading Level: Lexile 610 Teacher Guide and Answers Featured Text Structure: Descriptive the writer explains, defines or illustrates a concept or topic Passage Summary: The passage discusses the ancient curse King Tut placed on anyone who enters his tomb. It is believed that this curse brought about several deaths of people associated with the discovery of his tomb in 1922. 1.The main idea of this story is a. Many people believe King Tut s tomb is cursed. b. Many people are afraid of snakes. c. Many people die in Egypt. d. Cobras like to eat birds. 2. In the story, what happens after the neighbors find the bird? a. The bird chirps. b. The bird escapes his cage. c. A cobra leaves the cage. d. King Tut s tomb is discovered. 3.This story would probably go on to talk about a. King Tut. b. Other Pharaohs. c. Howard Carter s early life. d. Other people connected with the tomb who died. 4.The author of this passage probably wants to a. inform readers. b. bore readers. c. make readers cry. d. make readers laugh. 5. It can be inferred from the passage that the lights which mysteriously went out in Cairo a. caused the deaths of the people who helped discover King Tut s tomb b. were linked to the deaths of the people who helped discover King Tut s tomb c. were turned off by King Tut d. cursed the people of Cairo 4
Answers: Ancient Egypt The Legend of the Pharaoh s Curse 6. According to the passage, what caused the curse to begin? Suggested answer: The curse began after Howard Carter and others entered King Tut s Tomb. 7. Why does the author point out the age at which Howard Carter dies? Suggested answer: In order to highlight the fact that Howard Carter appeared to not be directly affected by the ancient curse, despite the fact that it was he who led the team that discovered King Tut s tomb. For whatever reason, the curse did not extend to him, making the nature of the curse and what is believed about it, all the more mysterious. 8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. It is believed that several people who helped find King Tut s tomb died the ancient curse placed on anyone who entered the tomb. a. before b. despite c. as a result of d. in contrast to 9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below. Each time one of the people who helped discover King Tut s tomb died the lights in Cairo mysteriously went out. What? the lights (did) What? mysteriously went out Where? in Cairo When? each time one of the people who helped discover King Tut s tomb died 10. Vocabulary Word: legend: a very old and popular story that may be true. Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: answers may vary. 5