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The Mysterious Olmecs Name: ________________ Date: ________________ Concept: Comprehension Worksheet Grade Six (A, B) - Read the following text from you Practice Book pages (53,54) then answer the questions. The Mysterious Olmecs 1. The Olmecs were an ancient people who lived around 1200 – 400 B.C. in Middle America. Today we call that area Mexico and Central America. There is a lot that is mysterious about the Olmecs. We know that they made their own written language and calendars. But their systems of language and numbers were difficult, and all we can do is make a guess about what they mean. The Olmecs are well known for their huge rock sculptures. Yet we don’t know what the sculptures stand for or why they were made. One thing we do know is that the Olmecs were a very complicated people. We see their mark on cultures that came later such as the Mayans and Aztecs. 2. The name Olmec means “people of rubber country”. They lived where rubber trees grew. It seems that the Olmecs were the first people to make what we think of as rubber. They mixed vine juice with a milk-like liquid from the trees. With this mixture, they made balls that could bounce high. They used the balls to play games. Later, other cultures continued to play ball games and found more ways to use rubber. The Olmecs’ discovery may be why we use rubber today. 3. Archaeologists have proof that the Olmecs were the first people in the Americans to write. Yet the Olmecs’ early writings are a mystery. No one has been able to break their written code. 1 4. Scientists discovered an important stone in Mexico that dates back to about 900 B.C. Writing is carved into the rock. More pictures and symbols were found on statues and masks. One rock slab has 465 carvings. We do know that Olmec writings included calendar symbols. Large standing stones were carved or painted with important events. 5. Olmec calendars combined two different calendars. Priests made the calendars to keep track of ceremonies. One calendar had 260 days. They made another calendar that had 360 days for other events. The two calendars together were called the Long Count calendar. Long count dates contained five simple numbers made up of lines and dots. The dates also contained the number zero. The Olmecs represented zero with a shell-shaped drawing. Archaeologists credit the Olmecs with inventing zero. 6. The Olmecs used a base – 20 counting system. They wrote separate numbers from 1-20, just as we do for 1-10 today. In order to make their system work, they needed to invent a zero. The idea of zero is common to us. However, most ancient people did not understand it. It is really a very complex idea. Sometimes zero serves as a placeholder to explain other numbers. Zero also stands on its own as a number. The Olmecs understood that. 7. Huge stone faces were found at several Olmec sites. These strange stone carvings range in size from five to nine feet tall. The images all have grim, flat faces. Each head wears what seems to be a helmet. No one knows why. The purpose of the stone heads is unknown. People think the carvings may be Olmecs rulers. It seems likely that the Olmec culture had many classes of people. Leaders would have ruled over the artisans and laborers. Maybe they demanded the images be made. 8. We still have a lot to learn about the Olmecs. Their written language, calendars, rubber-making techniques, and art all point to an early, advanced culture. Researchers have many more mysteries to unravel as they study the Olmec people. Perhaps the Olmecs’ greatest contributions are yet to come. 2 I. Answer the following questions. 1. What were the things that the Olmecs best known for? 2. The word Olmec stands for people of rubbery. Explain. 3. The Olmec had a specific written code. Illustrate. 4. How did the Olmecs solve the problem of keeping track of their ceremonies as well as other events? 5. What problem did the Olmecs solve by inventing the zero? 6. What problem do researchers today have regarding the Olmecs? How might researchers solve this problem in the future? II. Skim the indicated paragraph to find the meaning of the following words. 1- jump repeatedly up and down = ------------------ (par. 2) 2- piece = ------------------ (par. 4) 3- acts as = ------------------ (par. 6) 4- people who are skilled in arts = -------------------- (par. 7) 5- people who work = -------------------- (par. 7) 6- investigate - solve = -------------------- (par. 8) III. Proofread each sentence. Rewrite it using the suitable possessive form. 1. Did Chris car have to be towed away? __________________________________________ 2. The children toys were all over the lawn. _______________________________________ 3 IV. Complete the following sentences with the correct verb form. 1- Last winter, I (catch) -------------- two colds in one month. 2- A: I (want) -------------- to go to the mall this afternoon and look for a new dress. (want, you) -------------- to go with me? B: I can’t. I (have) -------------- another appointment. Besides, I (buy) ----------- a new dress last week. 4 Answer Key I. Answer the following questions. 1. What were the things that the Olmecs best known for? They Olmecs were well known for their huge rock sculptures. Besides, they made their own written language and calendars. 2. The word Olmec stands for people of rubbery. Explain. They were known as the people of rubbery because they lived where rubber trees grew. They were the first people to make what we think rubber is. 3. The Olmec had a specific written code. Illustrate. The Olmec’s writings were written on rocks. Pictures and symbols were carved on statues and masks where stones were painted with important events like calendars symbols. 4. How did the Olmecs solve the problem of keeping track of their ceremonies as well as other events? They solved it by having two different calendars: one had 260 days for ceremonies, and one had 360 days for other events. 5. What problem did the Olmecs solve by inventing the zero? Having zero made their base-twenty counting system work. 6. What problem do researchers today have regarding the Olmecs? How might researchers solve this problem in the future? The problem is that there is still much that researchers do not understand about the Olmecs, such as their written language and the meaning of the huge stone head sculptures. Researches can continue to look for clues and make guesses about the Olmec culture. 5 II. Skim the indicated paragraph to find the meaning of the following words. 1- jump repeatedly up and down = bounce (par. 2) 2- piece = slab (par. 4) 3- acts as = serves (par. 6) 4- people who are skilled in arts = artisans (par. 7) 5- people who work = laborers (par. 7) 6- investigate - solve = unravel (par. 8) III. Proofread each sentence. Rewrite it using the suitable possessive form. 1. Did Chris car have to be towed away? Did Chris’s car have to be towed away? 2. The children toys were all over the lawn. The children’s toys were all over the lawn. IV. Complete the following sentences with the correct verb form. 1- Last winter, I (catch) caught two colds in one month. 2- A: I (want) want to go to the mall this afternoon and look for a new dress. (want, you) Do you want to go with me? B: I can’t. I (have) have another appointment. Besides, I (buy) bought a new dress last week. 6 .
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