Extract Based Questions: Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues | English Class 11 PDF Download

1. Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Extract:
In his defence, Carter really had little choice. If he hadn’t cut the mummy free, thieves most certainly would have circumvented the guards and ripped it apart to remove the gold. In Tut’s time the royals were fabulously wealthy, and they thought — or hoped — they could take their riches with them. For his journey to the great beyond, King Tut was lavished with glittering goods: precious collars, inlaid necklaces and bracelets, rings, amulets, a ceremonial apron, sandals, sheaths for his fingers and toes, and the now iconic inner coffin and mask — all of pure gold. To separate Tut from his adornments, Carter’s men removed the mummy’s head and severed nearly every major joint.
(Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues )

Question (i): Who was Carter and what did he do to Tut's mummy?

Ans: Carter was an archaeologist who discovered Tut's tomb and cut the mummy free from its coffin.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer this question, we need to locate the information that is directly given in the extract. We can use skimming and scanning skills to find the relevant part of the text quickly. For example:

• Skimming is reading quickly to get the main idea or gist of a text. We can skim the extract and see that it is about how Carter dealt with Tut's mummy and its gold adornments.
• Scanning is reading quickly to find specific details or facts in a text. We can scan the extract and look for keywords or phrases related to the question, such as "Carter", "mummy", or "cut".

We can then use these skills to find the answer in the first and last sentences of the extract. We can use quotation marks to indicate the exact words from the text. We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words. For example: The answer is given in the first and last sentences of the extract: "In his defence, Carter really had little choice. If he hadn’t cut the mummy free, thieves most certainly would have circumvented the guards and ripped it apart to remove the gold...To separate Tut from his adornments, Carter’s men removed the mummy’s head and severed nearly every major joint".

Question (ii) Why did Carter cut the mummy free from its coffin?
(a) He wanted to study it more closely
(b) He wanted to protect it from thieves
(c) He wanted to take it to a museum
(d) He wanted to remove the curse
Ans: (b) He wanted to protect it from thieves
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer this question, we need to recall what the narrator says about why Carter cut the mummy free from its coffin in the extract. We can use quotation marks to indicate the exact words that he says. For example: He says that "If he hadn’t cut the mummy free, thieves most certainly would have circumvented the guards and ripped it apart to remove the gold".
We then need to compare this statement with the four given options and choose the one that matches it best. We can use a process of elimination to rule out the options that are different from what he says. For example:

• Option (a) is different because he does not mention anything about wanting to study the mummy more closely.
• Option (c) is different because he does not mention anything about wanting to take the mummy to a museum.
• Option (d) is different because he does not mention anything about wanting to remove the curse.

We can then conclude that option (b) is the correct answer because it is the same as what he says about why Carter cut the mummy free from its coffin in the extract. We can use bold formatting to indicate our choice. For example: The correct answer is (b) He wanted to protect it from thieves.

Question (iii) What kind of goods were given to King Tut for his journey to the great beyond?
Ans: King Tut was given glittering goods made of pure gold, such as collars, necklaces, bracelets, rings, amulets, a ceremonial apron, sandals, sheaths for his fingers and toes, and a coffin and mask.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer this question, we need to locate the information that is directly given in the extract. We can use skimming and scanning skills to find the relevant part of the text quickly. For example:

• Skimming is reading quickly to get the main idea or gist of a text. We can skim the extract and see that it is about how Carter dealt with Tut's mummy and its gold adornments.
• Scanning is reading quickly to find specific details or facts in a text. We can scan the extract and look for keywords or phrases related to the question, such as "goods", "journey", or "gold".

We can then use these skills to find the answer in the second sentence of the extract. We can use quotation marks to indicate the exact words from the text. We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words. For example: The answer is given in the second sentence of the extract: "For his journey to the great beyond, King Tut was lavished with glittering goods: precious collars, inlaid necklaces and bracelets, rings, amulets, a ceremonial apron, sandals, sheaths for his fingers and toes, and the now iconic inner coffin and mask — all of pure gold".

Question (iv) How does the extract show that King Tut was very wealthy and powerful?
Ans: The extract shows that King Tut was very wealthy and powerful by using words and expressions that convey his status and possessions.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer this question, we need to infer how the extract shows that King Tut was very wealthy and powerful from his actions and words in the extract. We can use clues such as nouns, adjectives, or expressions to help us. For example:

• The narrator says that King Tut was a royal.
• The narrator says that King Tut was lavished with glittering goods.
• The narrator says that King Tut had precious collars, inlaid necklaces and bracelets, rings, amulets, a ceremonial apron, sandals, sheaths for his fingers and toes, and a coffin and mask made of pure gold.

We can then use these clues to write a complete sentence that explains how the extract shows that King Tut was very wealthy and powerful. We can use simple words and connect them with conjunctions like "and" or "by". We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words. For example: The extract shows that King Tut was very wealthy and powerful by using words and expressions that convey his status and possessions.

2. Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Back in the trailer a technician pulled up astonishing images of Tut on a computer screen. A grey head took shape from a scattering of pixels, and the technician spun and tilted it in every direction. Neck vertebrae appeared as clearly as in an anatomy class. Other images revealed a hand, several views of the rib cage, and a transection of the skull. But for now the pressure was off. Sitting back in his chair, Zahi Hawass smiled, visibly relieved that nothing had gone seriously wrong. “I didn’t sleep last night, not for a second,” he said. “I was so worried. But now I think I will go and sleep.”
(Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues )

Question (i): Who was Zahi Hawass and what was his role in the project?

Ans: Zahi Hawass was an Egyptian archaeologist and the head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. He was in charge of the project to scan Tut's mummy and reveal its secrets.
Step-by-step explanation: To answer this question, we need to recall the information that is given in the previous part of the story. We can use skimming and scanning skills to find the relevant part of the text quickly. For example:

• Skimming is reading quickly to get the main idea or gist of a text. We can skim the previous part of the story and see that it is about how a team of scientists and technicians prepared to scan Tut's mummy using a CT scanner.
• Scanning is reading quickly to find specific details or facts in a text. We can scan the previous part of the story and look for keywords or phrases related to the question, such as "Zahi Hawass", "Egypt", or "project".

We can then use these skills to find the answer in the first paragraph of the previous part of the story. We can use quotation marks to indicate the exact words from the text. We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words. For example: The answer is given in the first paragraph of the previous part of the story: "The man in charge was Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. He had been planning this project for years".

Question (ii) What kind of images did the technician pull up on the computer screen?
(a) Images of Tut's tomb and treasures
(b) Images of Tut's face and body parts
(c) Images of Tut's DNA and blood type
(d) Images of Tut's clothes and jewellery
Ans: (b) Images of Tut's face and body parts

Step-by-step explanation:
To answer this question, we need to locate the information that is directly given in the extract. We can use skimming and scanning skills to find the relevant part of the text quickly. For example:

• Skimming is reading quickly to get the main idea or gist of a text. We can skim the extract and see that it is about how the technician showed Zahi Hawass some images of Tut on a computer screen.
• Scanning is reading quickly to find specific details or facts in a text. We can scan the extract and look for keywords or phrases related to the question, such as "images", "computer", or "screen".

We can then use these skills to find the answer in the first sentence of the extract. We can use quotation marks to indicate the exact words from the text. We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words. For example: The answer is given in the first sentence of the extract: "Back in the trailer a technician pulled up astonishing images of Tut on a computer screen".
We can then infer from this sentence that the images were of Tut's face and body parts, as they are described in more detail in the following sentences.

Question (iii) How did Zahi Hawass feel after seeing the images?
Ans: Zahi Hawass felt relieved and happy after seeing the images.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer this question, we need to infer how Zahi Hawass felt after seeing the images from his actions and words in the extract. We can use clues such as verbs, adverbs, or expressions to help us. For example:

• The narrator says that Zahi Hawass smiled.
• The narrator says that Zahi Hawass was visibly relieved.
• The narrator says that Zahi Hawass said that he was so worried before.

We can then use these clues to write a complete sentence that explains how Zahi Hawass felt after seeing the images. We can use simple words and connect them with conjunctions like "and" or "because". We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words. For example: Zahi Hawass felt relieved and happy after seeing the images because nothing had gone seriously wrong with the scanning process.

Question (iv) How does the extract show that the scanning process was difficult and risky?
Ans: The extract shows that the scanning process was difficult and risky by using words and expressions that convey the pressure and worry involved.
Step-by-step explanation: To answer this question, we need to infer how the extract shows that the scanning process was difficult and risky from the actions and words in the extract. We can use clues such as nouns, adjectives, or expressions to help us. For example:

• The narrator says that the pressure was off.
• The narrator says that Zahi Hawass did not sleep for a second.
• The narrator says that Zahi Hawass was so worried.
• The narrator says that Zahi Hawass was relieved that nothing had gone seriously wrong.

We can then use these clues to write a complete sentence that explains how the extract shows that the scanning process was difficult and risky. We can use simple words and connect them with conjunctions like "and" or "by". We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words. For example: The extract shows that the scanning process was difficult and risky by using words and expressions that convey the pressure and worry involved.

3. Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Extract:
The night of the scan, workmen carried Tut from the tomb in his box. Like pallbearers they climbed a ramp and a flight of stairs into the swirling sand outside, then rose on a hydraulic lift into the trailer that held the scanner. Twenty minutes later two men emerged, sprinted for an office nearby, and returned with a pair of white plastic  fans. The million-dollar scanner had quit because of sand in a cooler  fan. “Curse of the pharaoh,” joked a guard nervously.
(Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues )

Question (i): What did the workmen do to carry Tut from the tomb to the scanner?
Ans: The workmen carried Tut in his box, climbed a ramp and a flight of stairs, and rose on a hydraulic lift.
Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to locate the information that is directly given in the extract. We can use skimming and scanning skills to find the relevant part of the text quickly.
• Skimming is reading quickly to get the main idea or gist of a text.
• We can skim the extract and see that it is about how the workmen moved Tut from his tomb to the scanner on a night with swirling sand.
• Scanning is reading quickly to find specific details or facts in a text.
• We can scan the extract and look for keywords or phrases related to the question, such as "workmen," "carry," or "scanner."
• We can then use these skills to find the answer in the first sentence of the extract. We can use quotation marks to indicate the exact words from the text. We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words.

Example: The answer is given in the first sentence of the extract: "The night of the scan, workmen carried Tut from the tomb in his box. Like pallbearers they climbed a ramp and a flight of stairs into the swirling sand outside, then rose on a hydraulic lift into the trailer that held the scanner."

Question (ii): Why did the scanner stop working?
(a) Because of a power outage
(b) Because of a software glitch
(c) Because of sand in a cooler fan
(d) Because of a broken cable

Ans: (c) Because of sand in a cooler fan
Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to locate the information that is directly given in the extract. We can use skimming and scanning skills to find the relevant part of the text quickly.
• Skimming is reading quickly to get the main idea or gist of a text.
• We can skim the extract and see that it is about how the workmen moved Tut from his tomb to the scanner on a night with swirling sand.
• Scanning is reading quickly to find specific details or facts in a text.
• We can scan the extract and look for keywords or phrases related to the question, such as "scanner," "stop," or "sand."
• We can then use these skills to find the answer in the second sentence of the extract. We can use quotation marks to indicate the exact words from the text. We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words.

Example: The answer is given in the second sentence of the extract: "Twenty minutes later two men emerged, sprinted for an office nearby, and returned with a pair of white plastic fans. The million-dollar scanner had quit because of sand in a cooler fan."

Question (iii): What did the guard say as a joke when the scanner stopped working?
Ans: The guard said "Curse of the pharaoh" as a joke when the scanner stopped working.
Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to locate the information that is directly given in the extract. We can use skimming and scanning skills to find the relevant part of the text quickly.
• Skimming is reading quickly to get the main idea or gist of a text.
• We can skim the extract and see that it is about how the workmen moved Tut from his tomb to the scanner on a night with swirling sand.
• Scanning is reading quickly to find specific details or facts in a text.
• We can scan the extract and look for keywords or phrases related to the question, such as "guard," "say," or "joke."
• We can use quotation marks to indicate the exact words from the text. We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words.

Example: The answer is given in the last sentence of the extract: "‘Curse of the pharaoh,’ joked a guard nervously."

Question (iv): How does the extract show that the scanning process was challenging and tense?
Ans: The extract shows that the scanning process was challenging and tense by using words and expressions that convey the difficulty and anxiety involved.
Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to infer how the extract shows that the scanning process was challenging and tense from the actions and words in the extract. We can use clues such as nouns, adjectives, or expressions to help us. For example:
• The narrator says that the workmen carried Tut like pallbearers.
• The narrator says that the sand was swirling outside.
• The narrator says that the scanner quit because of sand in a cooler fan.
• The narrator says that two men sprinted for an office nearby.
• The narrator says that the guard joked nervously about the curse.
• We can then use these clues to write a complete sentence that explains how the extract shows that the scanning process was challenging and tense. We can use simple words and connect them with conjunctions like "and" or "by." We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words.

Example: The extract shows that the scanning process was challenging and tense by using words and expressions that convey the difficulty and anxiety involved.