Jobs In Ancient Egypt Reading Answers

Jan 11, 2023

Jobs In Ancient Egypt Reading Answers contains 13 questions that are to be answered in 20 minutes. IELTS topic- Jobs In Ancient Egypt Reading Answers explains the history of workers in ancient Egypt. ThisJobs In Ancient Egypt Reading Answers contains three type of IELTS reading questions where the candidate has to write the appropriate answer in the blanks, choose the right answers and words. Candidates need to skim through the passage for the best answer. They can also refer to IELTS Reading practice papers.

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers
Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Jobs In Ancient Egypt Reading Answers

Jobs in Ancient Egypt

In order to be engaged in the higher professions in ancient Egypt, a person had co be literate and so first had to become a scribe. The apprenticeship for this job lasted many years and was tough and challenging. It principally involved memorizing hieroglyphic symbols and practicing handwritten lettering. Scribes noted the everyday activities in ancient Egypt and wrote about everything from grain stocks to tax records. Therefore, most of our information on this rich culture comes from their records. Most scribes were men from privileged backgrounds. The occupation of scribe was among the most sought-after in ancient Egypt. Craftspeople endeavored to get their sons into the school for scribes, but they were rarely successful.

As in many civilizations, the lower classes provided the means for those above them to live comfortable lives. You needed to work if you wanted to eat, but there was no shortage of jobs at any time in Egypt’s history. The commonplace items taken for granted today, such as a brush or bowl, had to be made by hand; laundry had to be washed by hand, clothing sewn, and sandals made from papyrus and palm leaves. In order to make these and have paper to write on, papyrus plants had to be harvested, processed and distributed and all these jobs needed workers. There were rewards and sometimes difficulties. The reed cutter, for example, who harvested papyrus plants along the Nile, had to bear in mind that he worked in an area that was also home to wildlife that, at times, could prove fatal.

At the bottom rung of all these jobs were the people who served as the basis for the entire economy: the farmers. Farmers usually did not own the land they worked. They were given food, implements, and living quarters as payment for their labor. Although there were many more glamorous jobs than farming, farmers were the backbone of the Egyptian economy and sustained everyone else.

The details of lower-class jobs are known from medical reports on the treatment of injuries, letters, and documents written on various professions, literary works, tomb inscriptions, and artistic representations. This evidence presents a comprehensive view of daily work in ancient Egypt – how the jobs were done, and sometimes how people felt about the work. In general, the Egyptians seem to have felt pride in their work no matter what their occupation. Everyone had something to contribute to the community, and no skills seem to have been considered non-essential. The potter who produced cups and bowls was as important to the community as the scribe, and the amulet-maker as vital as the pharmacist.

Part of making a living, regardless of one’s special skills, was raking part in the king’s monumental building projects. Although it is commonly believed that the great monuments and temples of Egypt were achieved through slave labor, there is absolutely no evidence to support this. The pyramids and other monuments were built by Egyptian laborers who either donated their time as community service or were paid for their labor, and Egyptians from every occupation could be called on to do this.

Stone had to first be quarried and chis required workers to split the blocks from the rock cliffs. It was done by inserting wooden wedges in the rock which would swell and cause the stone to break from the face. The often huge blocks were then pushed onto sleds, devices better suited than wheeled vehicles to moving weighty objects over shifting sand. They were then rolled to a different location where they could be cut and shaped. This job was done by skilled stonemasons working with copper chisels and wooden mallets. As the chisels could gee blunt, a specialist in sharpening would take the tool, sharpen it, and bring it back. This would have been constant daily work as the masons could wear down their tools on a single block.

The blocks were then moved into position by unskilled laborers. These people were mostly farmers who could do nothing with their land during the months when the Nile River overflowed its banks. Egyptologists Bob Brier and Hoyt Hobbs explain: ‘For two months annually, workmen gathered by the tells of thousands from all over the country to transport the blocks a permanent crew had quarried during the rest of the year. Overseers organized the men into teams to transport the stones on the sleds.’ Once the pyramid was complete, the inner chambers needed to be decorated by scribes who painted elaborate images on the walls. Interior work on tombs and temples also required sculptors who could expertly cut away the stone around certain figures or scenes that had been painted.

While these artists were highly skilled, everyone – no matter what their job for the rest of the year – was expected to contribute to communal projects. This practice was in keeping with the value of ma’at (harmony and balance) which was central to Egyptian culture. One was expected to care for others as much as oneself and contributing to the common good was an expression of this. There is no doubt there were many people who did not love their job every day, but the Egyptian government was aware of how hard the people worked and so staged a number of festivals throughout the year to show gratitude and give them days off to relax.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 28-32

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in boxes 28-32 on your answer sheet.

What does the writer say about scribes in ancient Egypt?

Their working days were very long.
The topics they wrote about were very varied.
Many of them were once ordinary working people.
Few of them realized the true value of their occupation.

Answer: B. The topics they wrote about were very varied.
Supporting Sentence: Scribes noted the everyday activities in ancient Egypt and wrote about everything from grain stocks to tax records.
Keywords: Scribes noted, grain stocks to tax records
Keyword Location: Paragraph – 1, lines 4-6
Explanation: The first paragraph states that Scribes documented daily activities in ancient Egypt, and created documentation about grain stocks to tax records. As a result, their records provide the majority of the information we have about this rich culture. This clearly indicates that they write about various topics.

What is the writer doing in the second paragraph?

explaining why jobs were plentiful in ancient Egypt
pointing out how honest workers were in ancient Egypt
comparing manual and professional work in ancient Egypt
noting the range of duties an individual worker had in ancient Egypt

Answer: A. explaining why jobs were plentiful in ancient Egypt
Supporting Sentence: You needed to work if you wanted to eat, but there was no shortage of jobs at any time in Egypt’s history.
Keywords: shortage of jobs
Keyword Location: Paragraph – 2, line 3
Explanation: The second paragraph states that the lower classes, as in many societies, provided the means for the upper classes to lead comfortable lives. There was never a shortage of jobs in Egypt's history.

What is the writer doing in the fifth paragraph?

explaining a problem
describing a change
rejecting a popular view
criticising a past activity

Answer: C. rejecting a popular view
Supporting Sentence: Although it is commonly believed that the great monuments and temples of Egypt were achieved through slave labor, there is absolutely no evidence to support this.
Keywords: Paragraph-5, lines 2-4
Keyword Location: commonly believed, no evidence, support this.
Explanation: The author explains in the fifth paragraph that there is absolutely no evidence to support the widely held belief. It was that slave labor was used to build the great monuments and temples of ancient Egypt. The author clearly tries to express that a common view is wrong.

The writer refers to the value of ma’at in order to explain

how the work of artists reflected beliefs in ancient Egypt.
how ancient Egyptians viewed their role in society.
why the opinions of certain people were valued in ancient Egypt.
why ancient Egyptians expressed their views so readily.

Answer: B. how ancient Egyptians viewed their role in society.
Supporting Sentence: This practice was in keeping with the value of ma’at (harmony and balance) which was central to Egyptian culture.
Keywords: value of ma’at , (harmony and balance), central to Egyptian culture
Keyword Location: Last paragraph, lines 2-3
Explanation: The author in the final paragraph explained that the Egyptian culture's core value of ma'at (balance and harmony) was reflected in a practice. This proves how the Egyptians understood their role.

Which word best describes the attitude of the Egyptian government toward its workers?

strict
patient
negligent
appreciative

Answer: D. appreciative
Supporting Sentence: the Egyptian government was aware of how hard the people worked and so staged a number of festivals throughout the year to show gratitude and give them days off to relax
Keywords: Egyptian government, aware of how hard, show gratitude
Keyword Location: Last paragraph, lines 6-8
Explanation: There were undoubtedly many people who did not enjoy going to work every day, but the Egyptian government recognised how hard the people worked. For this, held a number of festivals throughout the year as a way to show appreciation and give them time to unwind.

Questions 33-36

Look at the following statements (Questions 33-36) and the list of jobs below.
Match each statement with the correct job, A- G.
Write the correct letter, A- G, in boxes 33- 36 on your answer sheet.

List of Jobs

scribe
reed cutter
farmer
potter
stonemason
overseer
sculptor

was unable to work at certain times

Answer: C. farmer
Supporting Sentence: These people were mostly farmers who could do nothing with their land during the months when the Nile River overflowed its banks
Keywords: Paragraph – 7, line 1-3
Keyword Location: mostly farmers, could do nothing.
Explanation: The seventh paragraph states that during the months when the Nile River overflowed its banks, the majority of these people were farmers who were unable to do anything with their land. This explains that farmers were sometimes in a situation of not being able to work.

divided workers into groups

Answer: F. overseer
Supporting Sentence: Overseers organized the men into teams to transport the stones on the sleds.
Keywords: Paragraph -7, lines 6-7
Keyword Location: Overseers organized, into teams
Explanation: In the seventh paragraph, a statement from Egyptologists Bob Brier and Hoyt Hobbs was given. It talks about the process where to move the stones on the sleds, overseers divided the men into teams.

faced daily hazards

Answer: B. reed cutter
Supporting Sentence: The reed cutter, for example, who harvested papyrus plants along the Nile, had to bear in mind that he worked in an area that was also home to wildlife that, at times, could prove fatal.
Keywords: reed cutter, bear in mind, could prove fatal
Keyword Location: Paragraph-2, lines 8-10
Explanation: The second paragraph includes important information about reed cutters harvesting papyrus plants along the Nile. They had to be aware that the area they are working in is also a home to wildlife which could at times result in fatal incidents.

underwent a long period of training

Answer: A. scribe
Supporting Sentence: In order to be engaged in the higher professions in ancient Egypt, a person had co be literate and so first had to become a scribe. The apprenticeship for this job lasted many years and was tough and
challenging.
Keywords: scribe, apprenticeship, many years
Keyword Location: Paragraph-1, lines 1-3.
Explanation: The first paragraph opens up with a note about scribe. In ancient Egypt, one had to be literate in order to work in the higher-ranking professions; as a result, becoming a scribe was the first step. The apprenticeship for this job was many years.

Questions 37-40

Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text above for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 37- 40 on your answer sheet.

The king’s building projects

Labourers who worked on the king’s buildings were local people who chose to participate in 37 .................... or who received payment.

Answer: Community service
Supporting Sentence: The pyramids and other monuments were built by Egyptian laborers who either donated their time as community service or were paid for their labor
Keywords: community service
Keyword Location: Paragraph-5 , lines 4-6
Explanation: The fifth paragraph talks about laborers working on the king’s buildings. Egyptian laborers from all professions were able to be called upon to complete the construction of the pyramids and other monuments. These workers either donated their time as community service or were paid for their work.

The work involved breaking up stone cliffs using wooden wedges. The large pieces of stone were then transported to another site on sleds, which moved easily over the 38 ....................

Answer: Shifting sand
Supporting Sentence: The often huge blocks were then pushed onto sleds, devices better suited than wheeled vehicles to moving weighty objects over shifting sand.
Keywords: huge blocks, moving, shifting sand
Keyword Location: Paragraph-6, lines 3-5
Explanation: The sixth paragraph talks about a process taking place during construction. The frequently enormous blocks were then pushed onto sleds, which are more appropriate for moving heavy objects over shifting sand than wheeled vehicles.

Here, the blocks could be cut and shaped using tools made of 39 .................... and wood. Some of these had to be sharpened regularly.

Answer: Copper
Supporting Sentence: This job was done by skilled stonemasons working with copper chisels and wooden mallets.
Keywords: This job, copper chisels
Keyword Location: Pargraph-6, lines 7-8
Explanation: The sixth paragraph states that with the aid of copper chisels and wooden mallets, skilled stonemasons worked to cut and shape the blocks.

Eventually, the stone was moved into place to create a building. The job of moving the Stone was often done by 40 .................... or other unskilled workers.

Answer: Farmers
Supporting Sentence: The blocks were then moved into position by unskilled laborers. These people were mostly farmers
Keywords: blocks, moved, farmers
Keyword Location: Paragraph.-7, lines 1-3
Explanation: The seventh paragraph mentions something important. In the construction process, unskilled laborers placed the blocks in their final position. The majority of these people were farmers who were unable to do anything with their land during the months when the Nile River overflowed its banks.