Instructions
Read the short story about Ancient Egypt carefully. Then, answer the questions that follow in full sentences. Remember to use the information from the text to help you.
A Story from the Nile
Long, long ago, in a hot and sandy land, there was a great civilization called Ancient Egypt. The Egyptian people lived along the green banks of a long river called the Nile. This river was very important for farming and travel. The rulers of Egypt were powerful kings and queens known as pharaohs.
The Ancient Egyptians had a beautiful and creative way to express themselves: their writing! They did not use letters like 'a', 'b', and 'c'. Instead, they used special picture-symbols called hieroglyphs. Each picture could mean a whole word, an idea, or a sound. Special writers, called scribes, would write on a type of paper made from a river plant. This paper was called papyrus. Using hieroglyphs, they wrote down their history, stories, and religious beliefs so they would be remembered forever.
Religion was a big part of Egyptian life. They believed in many gods and goddesses who controlled everything. Three of the most famous were Ra, the powerful sun god with the head of a falcon; Anubis, the god of the afterlife who had the head of a jackal; and Isis, a kind and clever goddess who was seen as a protector of the people.
Questions
Answer Key
1. Along which important river did the Ancient Egyptians live? (1 mark)
The Ancient Egyptians lived along the Nile River.
2. What was the special picture writing of the Ancient Egyptians called? (1 mark)
The special picture writing was called hieroglyphs.
3. What was the name of the special paper they wrote on? (1 mark)
The special paper they wrote on was called papyrus.
4. Name two gods mentioned in the story and describe what they were the god of. (2 marks)
(Award one mark for each correct answer. Any two of the following are acceptable).
- Ra was the sun god.
- Anubis was the god of the afterlife.
- Isis was a goddess who was a protector of the people.
5. According to the text, what are two things the Egyptians wrote about with hieroglyphs? (2 marks)
(Award one mark for each correct point. Any two of the following are acceptable).
- They wrote about their history.
- They wrote about their stories.
- They wrote about their religious beliefs.
6. How was using hieroglyphs a good way for Ancient Egyptians to express their ideas and beliefs? (3 marks)
(Sample Answer - Award marks for answers that show understanding of expression and recording information).
Using hieroglyphs was a good way for them to express themselves because they could use pictures to show their stories and ideas. It helped them write down their history and beliefs so that people in the future could learn about their culture and what was important to them.