Spark Study Buddy (Challenger): Egypt uncovers 3,500-year-old tomb of King Thutmose II
The story on this page has some tougher vocabulary words and questions to improve your understanding and English grammar.
Egypt’s antiquities authority has discovered King Thutmose II’s tomb near Luxor, marking a significant archaeological breakthrough. Photo: AFPContent provided by British Council
[1] Egypt’s antiquities authority has unearthed the ancient tomb of King Thutmose II. It is the first royal tomb found since the famous discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922. The tomb was found near the Valley of the Kings in Luxor in southern Egypt. It belonged to King Thutmose II of the 18th dynasty, who lived nearly 3,500 years ago.
[2] Thutmose II was an ancestor to Tutankhamen himself, and his half-sister and queen consort was Pharaoh Hatshepsut. Her giant mortuary temple stands on the west bank of the Nile at Luxor, a few kilometres from where the tomb of Thutmose II was found.
[3] Initial studies indicate that the contents of the tomb were moved in ancient times. Because of this, the tomb does not contain the famous mummy or the gold treasures found in Tutankhamen’s tomb. However, the antiquities ministry said this discovery is “one of the most significant archaeological breakthroughs in recent years.”
[4] The entrance to the tomb was first discovered in 2022 in the Luxor mountains, west of the Valley of the Kings. Initially, it was thought to lead to the tomb of a royal wife. However, the team later found small pieces of alabaster jars inscribed with the name of Pharaoh Thutmose II, referred to as the ‘deceased king.’ They also found inscriptions that included the name of Hatshepsut, his chief royal consort. This confirmed the identity of the tomb, according to the ministry.
[5] Shortly after the king was buried, water flooded the burial chamber. This caused damage to the interior and left pieces of plaster that had parts of the Book of Amduat, an old text about the underworld. Some funerary items that belonged to Thutmose II have also been found in the tomb. It is being described as “the first-ever find” of its kind, according to the ministry.
[6] Mission leader Dr Piers Litherland stated that the team will keep working in the area, aiming to uncover the original contents of the tomb. In recent years, there has been a rise in significant archaeological discoveries as Egypt aims to enhance its tourism sector, which is an important source of foreign income.
[7] Last year, Egypt hosted 15.7 million tourists and aims to attract 18 million visitors in 2025. The crown jewel of the government’s strategy is the long-delayed inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum at the foot of the pyramids in Giza, which Egypt has said will finally open this year.
Source: Agence France-Presse, February 19
Questions
1. Who was King Thutmose II, according to paragraph 1?
2. In paragraph 4, the inscriptions confirmed that the tomb …
A. belonged to a member of the Egyptian royal family
B. was built 3,500 years ago.
C. was located near the Valley of the Kings
D. none of the above
3. Based on your understanding of paragraph 5, what particularly interesting find was discovered in the tomb, and why?
4. What is one of Egypt’s primary sources of income from other countries according to paragraph 6?
5. What does the “crown jewel” in paragraph 7 refer to?
6. Below is a summary of the story. Two of the sentences have a grammar mistake. Find the errors and write the corrections. If there is no mistake, put an x. The first one has been done for you. (3 marks)
Example: Egyptian archaeologists have discover the tomb of King Thutmose II, the first royal burial site found since Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922.
Correction: discovered
(i) Thutmose II was an ancestor of Tutankhamen and the half-brother of Pharaoh Hatshepsut.
(ii) The king’s tomb flooded after his buried, and it was badly damaged.
(iii) The discovery is considering significant and is part of Egypt’s effort to boost its tourism industry.
Answers
1. He was a king during the 18th dynasty in ancient Egypt.
2. D
3. Some funerary furniture because they are “the first-ever find” of its kind to be recovered. (accept all similar answers)
4. tourism
5. the Grand Egyptian Museum
6. (i) x; (ii) he was/burial (any one); (iii) considered