Mystery of The Mummies – IELTS Reading Answers
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The ‘Mystery of The Mummies’ Academic Reading Practice Test is a good resource for anyone who is preparing for the IELTS Reading test. The passages in the test are similar in difficulty to the passages that you will encounter on the actual IELTS Reading test.
By taking the ‘Mystery of The Mummies’ IELTS Reading Answer practice test, you can get a feel for the types of questions that you will be asked and the level of difficulty that you can expect.
The question types in this Reading Passage include:
- Multiple Choice Questions (Q 1-3 & 14)
- Matching Information (Q 4-8)
- Yes/No/Not Given Questions (Q 9-13)
For more IELTS Reading practice, take more IELTS reading practice tests.
Reading Passage
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You should spend about 20 minutes on questions 1-13, which are based on the Reading Passage below.
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Mystery of The Mummies
A In 1992, a German scientist made a discovery that was to upset whole areas of scientific study from history and archaeology to chemistry and botany. Dr. Svetlana Balabanova, a forensic specialist, was performing tissue tests on an Egyptian mummy, part of a German museum collection. The mummified remains were of a woman named Henut-Taui who had died over 3,000 years ago.
B Amazingly, the tests revealed that her body contained large quantities of cocaine and nicotine. Dr. Balabanova had regularly used the same testing methods to convict people of drug consumption but she had not expected to find nicotine and cocaine in an Ancient Egyptian mummy. It is generally accepted that these two plants, native to the Americas, did not exist on other continents prior to European exploration.
C Dr. Balabanova repeated the tests and then sent out fresh samples to three other labs. When the results came back positive, she published a paper with two other scientists. If Balabanova was shocked by the results of her tests, she was even more shocked at the hostile response to her publication. She received many insulting letters, accusing her of fraud.
D There were two explanations that came immediately to mind. One was that something in the tests could have given a false result. The second was that the mummies tested were not truly Ancient Egyptian. Perhaps they were relatively modern bodies, containing traces of cocaine. Dr. Balabanova then examined tissue from 134 naturally preserved bodies over a thousand years old discovered in an excavated cemetery in the Sudan. About a third of them tested positive for nicotine or cocaine.
E But something had happened even earlier which should have initiated serious discussion. In 1976, the mummi$ed remains of Ramses II arrived in Paris for repair work. Dr. Michelle Lescot of the Natural History Museum (Paris) was looking at sections of bandages and within the $bres found a plant fragment. When she checked it under a microscope, she was amazed to discover that the plant was tobacco. Fearing that she had made some mistake, she repeated her tests again and again with the same result every time: a New World plant had been found on an Old World mummy. The results caused a sensation in Europe.
F Was it possible that a piece of tobacco had been dropped by chance from the pipe of some forgotten archaeologist? Dr. Lescot responded to this charge of contamination by carefully extracting new samples from the abdomen, with the entire process recorded on $lm. These samples, which could not be ‘droppings’, were then tested. Once again they were shown to be tobacco. The discovery of tobacco fragments in the mummi$ed body of Ramses II should have had a profound influence on our whole understanding of the relationship between Ancient Egypt and America but this piece of evidence was simply ignored. It raised too many questions and was too far outside of commonly accepted scientific views.
G So now the question had returned. Could Ancient Egyptian trade have stretched all the way across the Atlantic Ocean? This was an idea so unbelievable it could only be considered after all other possibilities had been eliminated. Could Egyptians have obtained imports from a place thousands of miles away, from a continent supposedly not discovered until thousands of years later?
H Was it possible that coca – a plant from South America – had found its way to Egypt 3,000 years ago? If the cocaine found in mummies could not be explained by contamination, fake mummies, or by Egyptian plants containing it, there appeared to be another interesting possibility: a trade route with links all the way to the Americas.
I The Egyptians did make great efforts to obtain incense and other valuable plants used in religious ceremonies and herbal medicines, but to the majority of archaeologists, the idea is hardly worth talking about. Professor John Baines, an Egyptologist from Oxford University, states: ‘I don’t think it is at all likely that there was an ancient trade network that included America. The essential problem with any such idea is that there are no artifacts found either in Europe or in America.’
J But other experts aren’t so sure. Professor Martin Bernal, a historian from Cornell University, says, ‘We’re getting more and more evidence of world trade at an earlier stage. You have the Chinese silk definitely arriving in Egypt by 1000 BC.’ In his opinion, it is arrogance on the part of modern people to believe that a transoceanic trading network could only have been set up in recent times.
K The discoveries in mummies from Egypt and Sudan have challenged conventional beliefs. It is no longer possible to exclude the hypothesis of transoceanic trade in ancient times. The tale of Henut-Taui and the story of Ramses II show that, in science, facts can be rejected if they don’t fit with our beliefs, while what is believed to be proven, may actually be uncertain. It is understandable then, how a story of a scientist, a few mummies, and some routine tests, could upset whole areas of knowledge we thought we could take for granted.
Questions 1-3
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Choose the correct letter A-D.
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1 What most surprised Dr. Balabanova about her discovery?
A the presence of drugs in the mummies
B the fact that the plants originated in the western hemisphere
C the positive results of tests on other mummies
D the hostile reaction of the scientific community
2 Which of the following was ruled out by Dr. Lescot’s investigation?
A Tobacco had been dropped onto the mummy.
B Tobacco grew in Ancient Egypt.
C Chemicals produced false test results.
D The mummies were fake.
3 Why was the discovery of tobacco in the body of Ramses II ignored?
A Contamination was suspected.
B The evidence raised difficult questions.
C The tests produced false results.
D The researcher was a woman.
Questions 4-8
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Match ONE of the researchers (A-D) to each of the statements (4-8) below.
There may be more than one correct answer. |
4 …………… first to find a substance from the Americas in a mummy
5 …………… argues against transoceanic trade because of lack of evidence
6 …………… had to defend against attacks on research methodology
7 …………… gives evidence of extensive Egyptian trade in ancient times
8 …………… publication of research results was controversial
A Dr. Svetlana Balabanova
B Dr. Michelle Lescot
C Professor John Baines
D Professor Martin Bernal.
Questions 9-13
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Do the following statements reflect the opinions of the writer in the passage? Write: YES – if the statement agrees with the views of the writer NO – if the statement contradicts the views of the writer NOT GIVEN – if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this |
9 There is proof that tobacco was grown in Ancient Egypt.
10 Trade routes across the Atlantic Ocean may have existed thousands of years ago.
11 Ancient Egyptians were great shipbuilders.
12 The scientific community generally rejects the idea of contact between Ancient Egypt and the Americas.
13 The unusual test results could have come from ‘qat’, a plant native to North Africa.
Question 14
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Choose the correct letter A-D.
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14 What is the main idea of this passage?
A Experimental research often gives false results.
B Long-held beliefs can be challenged by new information.
C The scientific community is conservative by nature.
D Ideas that don’t fit our belief system must be wrong.
Mystery of The Mummies Reading Answer Explanations
1 D
Answer Location: Para C, line 3.
Answer Explanation: If Balabanova was shocked by the results of her tests, she was even more shocked at the hostile response to her publication.
2 A
Answer Location: Paragraph F
Answer Explanation: It describes how Dr. Lescot ruled out the possibility of contamination by carefully extracting new samples from the mummy’s abdomen, making it clear that tobacco had not been dropped onto the mummy.
3 B
Answer Location: Paragraph F
Answer Explanation: It states that the discovery of tobacco in Ramses II’s body should have had a profound influence on our understanding but was ignored because it raised too many questions and was outside commonly accepted scientific views.
4 B
Answer Location: Paragraph E
Answer Explanation: It mentions that Dr. Michelle Lescot found a plant fragment from the Americas (tobacco) in the mummified remains of Ramses II.
5 C
Answer Location: Paragraph I
Answer Explanation: It features Professor John Baines, who argues against the idea of transoceanic trade due to the lack of artifacts found in Europe or America.
6 C
Answer Location: Paragraph C
Answer Explanation: It mentions that Dr. Balabanova faced a hostile response to her publication and received insulting letters, accusing her of fraud, which suggests that she had to defend her research methodology.
7 D
Answer Location: Paragraph J
Answer Explanation: But other experts aren’t so sure. Professor Martin Bernal, a historian from Cornell University, says, ‘We’re getting more and more evidence of world trade at an earlier stage.
8 A
Answer Location: Paragraph C
Answer Explanation: It mentions that Dr. Balabanova published a paper with two other scientists, and her publication was controversial due to the hostile response it received.
9 NO
Answer Location: NA
Answer Explanation: The passage does not provide any proof or evidence that tobacco was grown in Ancient Egypt. It suggests the opposite, as tobacco was native to the Americas.
10 YES
Answer Location: Paragraph H
Answer Explanation: The passage discusses the possibility of trade routes between Ancient Egypt and the Americas, suggesting that such routes may have existed thousands of years ago.
11 NOT GIVEN
Answer Location: NA
Answer Explanation: The passage does not provide information about the shipbuilding abilities of Ancient Egyptians.
12 YES
Answer Location: Paragraph F
Answer Explanation: The discovery of tobacco fragments in the mummi$ed body of Ramses II should have had a profound influence on our whole understanding of the relationship between Ancient Egypt and America but this piece of evidence was simply ignored.
13 NOT GIVEN
Answer Location: NA
Answer Explanation: The passage does not mention ‘qat’ or provide information about its relevance to the unusual test results.
14 B
Answer Location: Paragraph K
Answer Explanation: The main idea of the passage is that the discovery of substances from the Americas in Ancient Egyptian mummies challenged long-held beliefs and raised questions about the possibility of transoceanic trade in ancient times.
Tips for Solving Questions of The Reading Passage ‘Mystery of The Mummies’ With Insights!
Multiple Choice Questions
- Read all options: Always read all the options before selecting your answer. Sometimes, the first option that seems correct may not be the best choice after considering all the options.
- Identify keywords: Identify keywords in the question and focus on finding these keywords in the passage. This will help you narrow down the relevant information.
- Eliminate wrong choices: After reading all the options, eliminate the ones that are clearly incorrect. This can make it easier to choose the correct answer among the remaining options.
- Consider the context: Pay attention to the context of the passage. Sometimes, a choice that seems correct out of context may not be when placed within the context of the passage.
- Guess if unsure: If you’re unsure about an answer, make an educated guess. There is no penalty for incorrect answers in the IELTS Reading test, so it’s better to make an educated guess than to leave it blank.
Matching Information
- Read the instructions carefully: Before you start, make sure you understand what you need to match. Sometimes, you’ll be asked to match headings to paragraphs or statements to sections, so be clear on the task.
- Skim the passage: Quickly read through the passage to get a general sense of the content and layout. This will help you identify where the information you need might be located.
- Use keywords: Look for keywords or key phrases in the question and the passage. These words are often repeated or paraphrased in the text and can guide you to the correct answer.
- Underline or highlight: As you find information that matches the question, underline or highlight it in the passage. This will make it easier to refer back to when answering the questions.
- Check for synonyms: Be aware of synonyms and paraphrases. Sometimes, the exact words from the question may not appear in the passage, but similar words or phrases will. Keep an eye out for these.
True/False/Not Given
- Read the instructions carefully: Understand the difference between “True,” “False,” and “Not Given.” “True” means the information is directly stated in the passage, “False” means it contradicts the information in the passage, and “Not Given” means the information isn’t mentioned in the passage.
- Refer to the passage: For each statement, go back to the passage and carefully locate the relevant information. Pay close attention to the wording of the statement and compare it to the information in the passage.
- Beware of paraphrasing: Sometimes, the statement is paraphrased in the passage, so be vigilant about synonyms and rephrased sentences.
- Focus on keywords: Identify the keywords in the statement and look for those exact words or synonyms in the passage.
- Watch out for distractors: The passage may contain information that seems related to the statement but isn’t directly addressing it. Don’t be tricked by these distractors; the answer should directly match the statement.
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