Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues
Understanding the text
1. Give reasons for the following.
(i) King Tut’s body has been subjected to repeated scrutiny.
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(ii) Howard Carter’s investigation was resented.
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(iii) Carter had to chisel away the solidified resins to raise the
king’s remains.
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(iv) Tut’s body was buried along with gilded treasures.
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(v) The boy king changed his name from Tutankhaten to
Tutankhamun.
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2. (i) List the deeds that led Ray Johnson to describe Akhenaten
as “wacky”.
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(ii) What were the results of the CT scan?
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(iii) List the advances in technology that have improved forensic
analysis.
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(iv) Explain the statement, “King Tut is one of the first mummies
to be scanned — in death, as in life...”
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Talking about the text
Discuss the following in groups of two pairs, each pair in a group
taking opposite points of view.
1. Scientific intervention is necessary to unearth buried mysteries.
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2. Advanced technology gives us conclusive evidence of past events.
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3. Traditions, rituals and funerary practices must be respected.
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4. Knowledge about the past is useful to complete our knowledge
of the world we live in.
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Thinking about language
1. Read the following piece of information from The Encyclopedia of
Language by David Crystal.
Egyptian is now extinct: its history dates from before the third
millennium B.C., preserved in many hieroglyphic inscriptions
and papyrus manuscripts. Around the second century A.D.,
it developed into a language known as Coptic. Coptic may
still have been used as late as the early nineteenth century
and is still used as a religious language by Monophysite
Christians in Egypt.
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2. What do you think are the reasons for the extinction of
languages?
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3. Do you think it is important to preserve languages?
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4. In what ways do you think we could help prevent the extinction
of languages and dialects?
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Working with words
1. Given below are some interesting combinations of words. Explain
why they have been used together.
(i) ghostly dust devils (vi) dark-bellied clouds
(ii) desert sky (vii) casket grey
(iii) stunning artefacts (viii) eternal brilliance
(iv) funerary treasures (ix) ritual resins
(v) scientific detachment (x) virtual body
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2. Here are some commonly used medical terms. Find out their
meanings.
CT scan MRI tomography
autopsy dialysis ECG
post mortem angiography biopsy
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Things to do
1. The constellation Orion is associated with the legend of Osiris, the god of the afterlife. Find out the astronomical descriptions and legends associated
with the following.
(i) Ursa Major (Saptarishi mandala)
(ii) Polaris (Dhruva tara)
(iii) Pegasus (Winged horse)
(iv) Sirius (Dog star)
(v) Gemini (Mithuna)
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2. Some of the leaves and flowers mentioned in the passage foradorning the dead are willow, olive, celery, lotus, cornflower. Which of these are common in our country?
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3. Name some leaves and flowers that are used as adornments in
our country.
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