Grade 7 Reading Comprehension Exercises

Reading comprehension passage for grade 7 that describes ancient Egyptian civilization.

Ancient Egypt

1. Around 5000 years ago, Ancient Egypt was home to one of the first civilizations in the world. Lasting about 2000 years, it was also one of the longest to survive.

2. Located in north-east Africa, Ancient Egypt stretched along a thin strip of land along the River Nile. Did you know that the Nile river is considered the world's longest river? It stretches about 6650 kilometres. Every year, in the rainy season, the river flooded. When this happened black river mud, called silt, would cover the area. The silt made the soil fertile and good for farming. The Nile provided water for crops and plants. It was also Ancient Egypt's main transportation route. Without the river, Ancient Egypt would never have existed.

3. Ancient Egyptian farmers grew many things. Every year after the flooding, the first crop they would plant was grain. It was used to produce bread and porridge. After the grain was harvested, farmers would also grow crops such as onions, cabbages, beans and lettuce. They also grew fruits, including figs, melons and pomegranates. Along paths, grapevines and various types of trees were planted to provide shade as well as more fruit. Another important crop was flax. This was used to make linen, which could then be turned into clothes.

4. Between one and four million people lived in this area of the Nile Valley at various times. Ancient Egyptians were descendants of people from north Africa and south-west Asia. They spoke a language similar to other languages from these places and wrote in hieroglyphics - a form of writing using more than 700 picture symbols of people, animals plants and objects. However, most Ancient Egyptians did not learn to read or write. Only priests and people called 'scribes' were allowed to learn hieroglyphics.

5. Everyone who lived in Ancient Egypt belonged to a class, or level, of society. The upper class included the royal family, noblemen, wealthy landowners, priests and doctors. The middle class consisted of merchants, craft workers and manufacturers. Most people, however, belonged to the lower class and worked as labourers on farms, fishermen, hunters, or as servants to people in higher classes.

6. Royalty ruled Ancient Egypt. At some time in its history the king or queen became known as the 'pharaoh' - an Egyptian word meaning 'great house'. The pharaoh was the most important and powerful person in the kingdom and was the head of the government. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the pharaoh had magical powers and made the Nile flood, the crops grow, protected the people and could bring good fortune. While most pharaohs were men, some were women. Even now, some of their names are still well known. Nefertiti and Cleopatra are perhaps the two most famous female pharaohs, while Tutankhamun may well be the most famous male pharaoh, despite being just 19 years of age when he died.

7. Ancient Egyptians believed in various gods and goddesses, who could make life easy or difficult for them. They also believed in an afterlife (life after death), and this was the reason why many great tombs and pyramids were built for pharaohs and other members of the upper class. In some cases, building work would begin many years before a pharaoh's death, so that it would be ready whenever it was needed. The bodies of dead pharaohs were mummified so they would not decay. They were placed in their tombs with items such as clothing, food, jewellery and furniture to use in the afterlife.

8. The Ancient Egyptians are remembered for many things that helped future civilisations. These include forming governments, building and farming methods, medicine, engineering and science. For most people, the most obvious reminders of this great civilisation are the pyramids - still standing after 4500 years!

9. The achievements of the ancient Egyptians include the construction techniques that supported the building of pyramids, temples, and obelisks, a system of mathematics, an effective system of medicine, irrigation systems, and agricultural production techniques, and new forms of literature. Ancient Egypt has bequeathed a lasting legacy. Its art and architecture were widely imitated, and its antiquities were transported to far corners of the world. Its monumental ruins have attracted tourists and writers for millennia. In recent times, a newfound interest for antiquities and excavations in the early periods by Europeans and Egyptians has resulted in the scientific investigation of Egyptian civilization and a greater understanding of its cultural legacy.

From paragraph 1
1. Complete the sentence below by writing one word in the gap.
If we travelled back in time ………… thousand years, we would be at the beginning of Ancient Egypt civilization.

From paragraph 2
2. What type of transport was common in Ancient Egypt?
3. ‘Without the river, Ancient Egypt would never have existed.’ Why does the author say so?

From paragraph 3
4. What did Ancient Egyptians make from things that were grown by farmers? Give 3 details.

From paragraph 4
5. What was the maximum number of people that lived in Egypt at one time?
6. Complete the sentence below by writing one word in each gap.
Scribes were people who could ………..and …………

From paragraph 8
7. In your own words, explain why the writer believes that the pyramids are “the most obvious reminders of this great civilization.”

From paragraph 9
8. ‘Ancient Egypt has bequeathed a lasting legacy.’ Choose the meaning of the underlined word in this sentence from among the options given. Write the letter of your answer in the bracket given. [  ]
a) donated
b) handed down
c) left
d) conferred on

9. ‘Its art and architecture were widely imitated, and its antiquities were transported to far corners of the world.’ Choose the meaning of the underlined word in this sentence from among the options given. Write the letter of your answer in the bracket given. [  ]
a) ancient times
b) artefacts
c) debris
d) Remains

10. ‘Its monumental ruins have attracted tourists and writers for millennia.’
Choose the meaning of the underlined word in this sentence from among the options given. Write the letter of your answer in the bracket given. [  ]
a) Massive
b) Huge
c) Historic
d) enormous

From the whole passage
11. Write a summary of the passage describing the way of life of the Egyptians in ancient times. Include information from paragraph 1 till paragraph 7 for your summary. Your summary must be not more than 120 words.

Answer Scheme

1. Complete the sentence below by writing one word in the gap.
If we travelled back in time five thousand years, we would be at the beginning of Ancient Egypt civilization.

From paragraph 2
2. What type of transport was common in Ancient Egypt?
Water transport was common in Ancient Egypt
3. ‘Without the river, Ancient Egypt would never have existed.’ Why does the author say so?
The people of Egypt were dependent on river Nile for food and transportation.

From paragraph 3
4. What did Ancient Egyptians make from things that were grown by farmers? Give 3 details.
- bread
- porridge
- linen (to make clothes)

From paragraph 4
5. What was the maximum number of people that lived in Egypt at one time?
400 million people was the maximum number of people that lived in Egypt at one time.

6. Complete the sentence below by writing one word in each gap.
Scribes were people who could read and write.

From paragraph 8
7. In your own words, explain why the writer believes that the pyramids are “the most obvious reminders of this great civilization.”
This is because they are enormous structures and are one of the only artifacts that remain till this day, and therefore, reminds everyone of the Ancient Egypt civilization.

From paragraph 9
8. ‘Ancient Egypt has bequeathed a lasting legacy.’ Choose the meaning of the underlined word in this sentence from among the options given.
c) left

9. ‘Its art and architecture were widely imitated, and its antiquities were transported to far corners of the world.’ Choose the meaning of the underlined word in this sentence from among the options given.
b) artefacts

10. ‘Its monumental ruins have attracted tourists and writers for millennia.’
Choose the meaning of the underlined word in this sentence from among the options given. Write the letter of your answer in the box given.
c) historic

11. Write a summary of the passage describing the way of life of the Egyptians in ancient times. Include information from paragraph 1 till paragraph 8 for your summary. Your summary must be not more than 160 words.
Around 5000 years ago, Ancient Egypt was one of the world's first civilizations, and it thrived on the banks of the river Nile which provided the means for growing crops and transportation. Ancient Egyptian farmers grew grains, crops and fruits. They spoke Egyptian which is a dead language now, and wrote in hieroglyphics. But only priests and scribes were allowed to learn hieroglyphics. Egyptian society was made up of upper class which included royal family, middle class which included merchants and lower class which included labourers. Egyptians were ruled by the ‘pharaoh’. They believed in gods and goddesses and also in an afterlife. The bodies of dead pharaohs were mummified so they would not decay.