Help with english reading and writing

WORD POWE,R,

pharaoh ancient Egyptian ruler

WORD POWER

evisceration removal of organs

Hori' arc his ir-r-iprcssions of school-iir-rd of his ['arn-rih'-di[-lcrcnt lroln Bnrr-v'.s? For-erar-r-rple, is school a sanctltzlt'v lor hin-r? Who is lnore impol'tant to l"rir-n, his teachers or his parents?

2. What responsibilitr., iI anr,, do yor-r tl-rink schools 1'rave to ensurre that children are happv and u,ell adjusted (in addition to educated)? Did the schoois 1-ou attended r.r,hen volr \\.ere a chiid serl-e \,our enlo- tional as r,r,ell as 1'our intellectual needs?

Focus on Writing

1. In paragraph 4, Bearman describes himself as "the ri'eircl kid in the corner-." Write zrn esszrv zibr,iut zr tir-ne in vour childhood ri4ren vou \\'el'e an outsicler-. What clici volr cl() to tr'\' to fit in?

2. Retell the storl ol Bearlrzrr-r'.s e.rperiences as a lzrirv tale ciirectcd at el- enlent.u'\ schoolcl-rilclr-en. Begin n,ith "Or-rce Llp()n:r tinre, . . ." use thircl per-son (Joslttutlt,lte, tlte bor'), ancl r-rse the sentence "Cl-reap s\/eets al'e emptY p|omises" :is tl're tzrlei r.r'ro|al.

H()W T() MUMMIFY A PHARA()H

Adam Goodheart

Adam Goodheart is a writer, editor, and historian. One of the founders of Civilization magazine. where this essay originally appeared, Good- head has published widely on subjects including travel, anthropology, science, and history. His book 1861 :The Civil War Awakening (2011) was a New York Times best-seller. ln this essay, Goodhead explains the steps required for making a mummy.

Before you read, consider what you already know (and do not know) about Goodhead's topic.

Old pharaohs never died-they jr-rst took long rracations. Ancient Egvptians believed that at death a person's spirit, or ktL, u.as folciblr. separated ftom tire bod1. But it returned nou,and then for a visit, to snack on the food that had been left in the torr-rb. It r.r'as crucial that the bodv stav as lifelike as possible for eternitr"-that \va\,, the fta (trl-rose life rias halcl enough alreadr)s'ould avoid reanimating Ll-re \\'rong corpse. Tl-rese davs, dead pharaohs are adr-nittedlr-a bit harcl to con-ie b1'. I1'1,ou clecicle to practice r-nur-r.rr.nification on :r l'r-ier-rcl ol le latir c-, plcase nrake sr-rr-e that the lorred one ir.r questior.r is fulh clcccersecl before vou bcgin.

1. Evisceration Made Easy. Tl're earlv stagc's ol the process can be a bit nralodor-oLls, so it's recor.r'rmended that vor-r folloii, the iincient cns- ton-i of relocatir-rg to a ri'ell-r'entilated tent. (\br-r'll l-rave tror-rble breathin-q anv\\'a\, since tradition also prescribes that vou u,ear a jackal-l-read mask in honor of Anubis, god of ti-re dead.) After cleansir-rg the bodr, break the

nose bl pLlshing a long ir-on hook trp t[.re ttostrils. Then trse the hook to renr()\'e rhc- contents ol'the skrrll. Y<ru czrn cliscarcl thc brain (thc ar-rcieltt Egvptians zrttribr-rted no specilrl sigrriliczrncc to it).

Ne'rt, takc ii llir-it knife ar-rd nrarke a long incision dorvu the left side of the abdomen. Actr.rallr', it's best to have a friend do this, since the person ri'ho cuts open the bod-v rnr-rst be pelted u,ith stones to atone for the profanation. After vou've stor-red vour lt'iend, Llse a bronze knife to remole the internal organs through the incision. Wash thern in palm u.ine as a disirrfectant and set them aside to inter later in separate ala- bastel iars. Leave the hcart in place (Egvptians believed it uras the seat of consciousness).

2. Salting and Stuffing. Once the abdominnl cavitr. is cmptr; fill it riith natlr)n, zr natttt'al salt found zit the Wacli Natnrr-r ir-r thc \\'estel-n Nile dclta. Hcap nrorc natr-or1 olr top ol thc ltoclv r-rt-rtil it is cor-npletelv covcr-ed. According to a p.lp\,r-r-ls in thc Louvrc, it shor-rlcl thcn be lcIt Inr' 42 clar s, aItel u,hich it ri ill bc zrlmost tota]lv desiccatcd. Havirtg t-etnovecl the natron, anoint the l-rc-ad u,itlt llat-rkincense and the bodr ri'ith sacred oil. Pack the skull ancl abdon-ren u'itl'r rnvrrh and other spices, and coler the incision u,ith a sheet of .-eold.

Fol an extra-lifeiike effect, \'ou can stuff tl-re co1'pse's skin ri'ith a compound of sau,dust, butter, and mud. Don't overdo it, though. Queen Henettou'er,, u,ife of Pii'rediem I, ri'as so overstuffeci that u-hen arcl.rae- ologists found her, her face had split open ]ike an old sofa.

3. Wrapping Up. If rou thor-rght mumr-nies u'rapped in bedsheets \\'erL- the stulT of B n'rot'ies, think again: Even pharaohs rverc usualh nrtuncl in strips cut fxrnr l-rousehold Iiner-rs. Ponr t-nolten pit.tc t'esin oret' the boclr'; in the course of cct'rtr-rries this ivill ttrrn tltc flesh black, glassr, erncl rrrck-lralcl. Whilc thc r-csilr's still tackr', bartclagc cacl'r of'thc c.rtlerlli- ties separatclr,, ir-rclr-rdirtg lirrgcrs iittcl toes. Then brush <ttt atlothet-crlzrt ar-rd repeat. (Go easv on the rcsin-Ttttankh;it-tren sttrck to his coffin arlcl had to bc'chipped otrt piece bv piece.) Ar-r-rulets catt be placed betu'eert the la1'ers of bandages; a scarab over the heart is the mir-rin-rum. The last Iavers should securc the arms and iegs to the bodli Your muntmt is nori readv to be entombed in grand str1e.

A note on sarcophagi: Careful labeling u,ill prevent embarrassing mir-ups lerter on. A mummr'lon-e thought to be Princess Muten-rhet of the 21st dvnzrstv ri'as recentlv r-raved ancl for-rnd to be a pet baboon.

Focus on Reading .l . Look back at tl're- uot'k roLr clid riltc't't t'<trt prct'ieriecl, highlightecl,

ancl unr-totatccl this cssitl'. Nori, look agairt at thc cssil\"s lrcaclings. \Vhr, do vou tl'rink ther' :rt'e ntttlberecl as u,ell as set in bolcll'ace? Do rou thir-rl< the nutlbers are necc-ssarr.?

2. Relieri,r,or-rr highlighting and annotittiot-ts, ancl make a list otqr-res- tions r,ou t,ouid like to have anstt'cred cluring class discussion.

WORD POWER

profanation disrespectful act

WORD POWER

papyrus an ancient paper or document made from a tall, grasslike plant

desiccated dry

WORD POWER

amulet a charm worn around the neck to ward off evil

scarab a decorative item in the shape of the scarab beetle

Chapter 29 Beadings for Writers

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