Huge Secret Chamber Discovered in Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt
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Article of the Week Penn’s Grove Middle School Huge Secret Chamber Discovered in Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt Instructions: COMPLETE ALL QUESTIONS AND MARGIN NOTES using the CLOSE reading strategies practiced in class. This requires reading the article three times. Step 1: Skim the article using these symbols as you read: (+) agree, (-) disagree, (*) important, (!) surprising, and (?) wondering Step 2: Number the paragraphs. Read the article carefully and make notes in the margin. Notes should include: ● Comments that show that you understand the article. (A summary or statement of the main idea of important sections may serve this purpose.) ● Questions you have that show what you are wondering about as you read. ● Notes that differentiate between fact and opinion. ● Observations about how the writer’s strategies (organization, word choice, literary devices, perspective, support) and choices affect the article. Step 3: A final quick read noting anything you may have missed during the first two reads. Your margin notes are a part of your score for this assessment. Answer the questions carefully in complete sentences unless otherwise instructed. Student Name: __________________________________ Class Period: ___________ Notes on my thoughts, Huge Secret Chamber Discovered in Great Pyramid of reactions, and questions as I Giza in Egypt read: CAIRO — Scientists have just discovered a strange and hidden space deep inside Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza. A pyramid is a structure with four triangle-shaped sides. The huge pyramids built in ancient Egypt are some of the most important buildings in history, and the Great Pyramid is the biggest of them all. This new find could be the first big discovery inside the pyramid since the 1800s. The strange space could also create new excitement about ancient Egypt's pharaohs, or kings. Ancient Pyramids Built As Tombs For Kings The pyramids were built as tombs for pharaohs when Egypt was one of the most powerful civilizations on the planet. More than 4,000 years later they're still here. The pyramids now sit on the outskirts of Egypt's capital city of Cairo. A team of scientists recently said they had found a 98-foot space deep inside the Great Pyramid. Purpose Of Secret Chamber A Mystery The purpose of the space is still unclear. It is not yet known whether the chamber was built for a special reason or if it is just a gap in the pyramid's architecture. Other experts say that they have known about these empty spaces in the pyramid for years. Yet, Mehdi Tayoubi, a co-author of a report written by the scientists, said that this discovery is definitely a first. "It could be composed of one or several structures. ... It could be a chamber, it could be a lot of things," Tayoubi said. Article of the Week Penn’s Grove Middle School Huge Secret Chamber Discovered in Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt Scanning Devices Used In Latest Find Notes on my thoughts, reactions, and questions The international group of scientists made the discovery using cosmic-ray imaging. This works as I read by monitoring the behavior of tiny particles smaller than atoms called muons. Muons pass through rock and other materials in a similar way to X-rays, but they can go much deeper. The tiny muon particles rain down to the ground from Earth's atmosphere. They travel through empty space but are either absorbed by or bounce off harder surfaces. This allows scientists to study their movement and work out what is made of stone and what is not. The scientists used several special scanners in and around the Great Pyramid to collect data on the particles. These scanners showed the hidden space deep inside the famous structure. Egyptian Archaeologist Downplays Discovery Egypt's famous archaeologist Zahi Hawass said that he has known about this for a long time and it is nothing new. Hawass has long downplayed the usefulness of scanning ancient sites. Hawass said that the chamber was likely just an empty space used by the pyramid builders. He thinks the builders would have used the space to build other rooms below it. Hawass said that you would need a big space above to build the Grand Gallery, one of the pyramid's main rooms. He added that there are many large gaps between the stones of the pyramid. Structure Also Known As Khufu's Pyramid The Great Pyramid of Giza is also known as Khufu's Pyramid after Pharaoh Khufu, the man who built it. He ruled over ancient Egypt from more than 4,500 years ago. Visitors to the pyramid today can walk up a long tunnel to reach the Grand Gallery. But the new space that Tayoubi's team found does not seem to link to any other tunnels. The scientists say that this discovery shows the usefulness of modern technology in archaeological studies. Great Pyramid Around 4,500 Years Old The Great Pyramid has thrilled visitors to Egypt since it was built some 4,500 years ago. Experts still disagree on how pyramids were constructed though. So even relatively small discoveries can generate great interest. Many people have wondered whether the tomb of King Tutankhamun contains more secret chambers. Tutankhamun is probably the best-known pharaoh of ancient Egypt. Further scientific scans by radar and other tools have found nothing so far though. While new technology can detect large open spaces, it can't show what is inside. So it is not yet known if this new chamber contains any more objects or even bigger secrets. Tayoubi said his team plans to work with other experts to find out what is inside. "The good news is that the void is there, and it's very big," he said. Article of the Week Penn’s Grove Middle School Huge Secret Chamber Discovered in Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt Comprehension & Vocabulary Questions -- answers may be in phrases 1. Read the sentence from the section "Great Pyramid Around 4,500 Years Old." So even relatively small discoveries can generate great interest. Which of the following words, if it replaced the word "generate" in the sentence above, would CHANGE the meaning of the sentence? a. Activate b. Create c. Terminate d. Initiate 2. Which sentence from the article BEST supports the claim that the chamber is NOT likely to reveal undiscovered secrets? a. It is not yet known whether the chamber was built for a special reason or if it is just a gap in the pyramid's architecture. b. Hawass said that you would need a big space above to build the Grand Gallery, one of the pyramid’s main rooms. He added that there are many large gaps between the stones of the pyramid. c. Visitors to the pyramid today can walk up a long tunnel to reach the Grand Gallery. But the new space that Tayoubi’s team found does not seem to link to any other tunnels. d. Many people have wondered whether the tomb of King Tutankhamun contains more secret chambers. Tutankhamun is probably the best-known pharaoh of ancient Egypt. Further scientific scans by radar and other tools have found nothing so far though. 3. Which paragraph number from the article indicates scientists' continued interest in exploring the chamber? 4. Read the following from the section “Egyptian Archaeologist Downplays Discovery”. Then, fill in the blank. Egypt's famous archaeologist Zahi Hawass said that he has known about this for a long time and it is nothing new. Hawass has long downplayed the usefulness of scanning ancient sites. The word "downplayed" in the paragraph above tells the reader that ____. a. Hawass thinks the discovery is quite significant b. Hawass believes the discover is unimpressive c. Hawass wants more people to examine the hidden room d. Hawass thinks the hidden room will provide meaningful information 5. Based on the passage, what effect did the new technology have on the discoveries? Article of the Week Penn’s Grove Middle School Huge Secret Chamber Discovered in Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt 1. Write an objective summary of the text. (HINT: Think about third-person objective point of view.) 2. How does the section “Egyptian Archaeologist Downplays Discovery” fit into the development of ideas in the article? This assignment addresses the following ELA Standards: E07.B-K.1.1.1, E07.B-K.1.1.3, E07.B-K.1.1.2, E07.B-C.2.1.2, E07.B-V.4.1.1 .