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Name: ___________________ An Introduction to Ancient Egypt Date: ___________________

Class: ___________________ #3746E7

agriculture: the raising of crops for food and trade

civilization: humans living together in an advanced way
fertile: good for growing plants
stationary: staying in one place, not moving
unify: to bring together

The sun is setting over the Nile River. It casts shadows over the crops of wheat and barley. The day's work is done. Soon you will return
to your mud­brick home. There you'll enjoy a well­deserved dinner of lentils, vegetables, and fresh river fish. This is everyday life for a
farmer in ancient Egypt. Egyptian civilization will see many changes over its 3000­year history. But through it all, the river's waters will
continue to rise and fall every season. They are as reliable as the rising sun. This sacred river is the lifeblood of the fertile Nile River
Valley. It brings fresh water and rich soil to the crops along its banks.

The mighty Egyptian civilization began as small groups of hunter­gatherers. These nomadic people roamed in search of nourishment. But
they never roamed too far from the Nile River. The river attracted the animals they hunted and nourished the plants they gathered. Like
other Stone Age peoples, the people of the Nile River Valley gradually mastered the art of farming. They became stationary, living in one
place and tending to their crops instead of traveling in search of food.

By 3400 BC, the people living along the banks of the river formed two separate kingdoms. They were called the Red Land and the White
Land. These two kingdoms were unified in 3100 BC by the White Land ruler, King Menes. The unification of these two kingdoms marked
the true beginning of ancient Egypt as a civilization.

Menes ruled over Egypt from the new capital city of Memphis. It was located at the northern tip of the Nile River. Memphis was an
excellent location for a capital city because it was located at the point where the Nile River split into several smaller rivers. These many
narrow rivers branched off northward toward the sea. They made the entire area above Memphis a green and fertile land. Memphis'
location also provided protection for Menes' kingdom. From the mouth of the river, he controlled the flow of all ships southward.

But despite changes in leadership, life continued on much the same as it had been for most Egyptians. They continued to earn their
livelihood through agriculture: the raising of crops for food and trade. Each year, the Nile River rose up from its banks and flooded the
valley. After the waters receded, farmers would plant seeds in the moist, nutrient­rich soil left behind. Later, they would harvest these crops
and trade them for other goods or use them to feed their families. Kings might come and go, but the river continued its yearly cycle, and
the people depended on it for their survival.

1. The text refers to the Nile River as the "lifeblood" of the river valley because it:
(A) is worshipped as a god by Egyptians
(B) waters the crops along its banks
(C) provides protection from enemy attacks
(D) contains the blood of those who died upon its shores

2. Based on the context of the article, the term "nomadic" most likely refers to a people who:
(A) raise crops along a river valley
(B) worship the sacred waters of a river
(C) raise animals for use at home and in battle
(D) wander in search of food

3. Memphis was an excellent location for a capital city because:

(A) it was close to fertile land
(B) it was far from the southern White Land
(C) it could not be reached by ship
(D) it was Menes' birthplace

4. The term "receded" as used in paragraph 5 most likely means:

(A) deepened
(B) flooded
(C) drew back
(D) destroyed

5. Which of the following did ancient Egyptians not grow?

(A) wheat
(B) barley
(C) lentils
(D) corn

© 2018 Passages Worth Assigning. All Rights Reserved. This text may not be altered, put on the internet, sold, or distributed in any form outside of your personal classroom.
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6. Which accurately describes the daily lives of the majority of ancient Egyptians?
(A) They were ordinary farmers
(B) They were powerful rulers
(C) They were wealthy traders
(D) They were skilled navigators

7. The article suggests that changes in Egyptian leadership generally:

(A) led to large changes that affected day­to­day life in Egypt
(B) had little effect on the day­to­day lives of most Egyptians
(C) did not occur throughout the history of Egyptian civilization
(D) were caused by popular uprisings among the Egyptian people

8. Why did the peoples of the Nile River Valley become stationary?
(A) The Nile River began to rise, and as a result, they were forced to flee the valley.
(B) A powerful king took leadership of Egypt, and as a result, they were not allowed to travel.
(C) They learned to raise crops, and as a result, they stayed close to their farms.
(D) Animals began to become extinct, and as a result, they adopted agriculture.

9. This passage could most likely be found:

(A) In a newspaper
(B) In a medical journal
(C) In a travel guide
(D) In a textbook

10. In a single paragraph, describe the relationship between Nile River Valley and its people.

© 2018 Passages Worth Assigning. All Rights Reserved. This text may not be altered, put on the internet, sold, or distributed in any form outside of your personal classroom.