Before you read

Below are two famous man-made wonders of the world. Look at them and answer the questions.

(Dưới đây là hai kì quan nhân tạo nổi tiếng. Nhìn vào chúng và trả lời các câu hỏi.)

1. Can you name these two wonders of the world?

(Bạn có thể kể tên cho hai kỳ quan thế giới này?)

2. Where do you think they are located?

(Bạn nghĩ chúng ở đâu?)

3. What do you know about them?

(Bạn biết gì về chúng?)

While you read

Read the passage and then do the task that follow.

(Đọc kĩ đoạn văn và sau đó làm nhiệm vụ tiếp theo.)

THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA

The Great Pyramid of Giza was built by the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu around the year 2560 BC. The purpose of this huge stone pyramid was to serve as a tomb when he died and to protect the burial chamber from the weather and from thieves who might try to steal the treasures and belongings there. The Great Pyramid is believed to have been built over a 20-year period. First, the site was prepared and then the huge blocks of stone were transported and put in their places.

When it was built, the Great Pyramid was 147 metres high on a base of 230 square metres. It ranked as the tallest structure on earth for more than 43 centuries, only to be surpassed in height in the nineteenth century AD. The structure consisted of approximately 2 million blocks of stone, each weighing about 2.5 tons. It has been suggested that there are enough blocks in the three pyramids to build a 3-metre high. 0.3-metre-thick wall around France.

Although it is not known how the blocks were put in place, several theories have been proposed. One theory involves the construction of a straight or spiral ramp that was raised as the construction proceeded. A second theory suggests that the blocks were lifted and placed using thousands of huge weight arms.

Today, the Great Pyramid of Giza is enclosed, together with the other pyramids in the tourist region of the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the River Nile. Also in the area is the museum housing the mysterious Sun Boat, only discovered in 1954 near the south side of the pyramid. The boat is believed to have been used to carry the body of Khufu in his last journey on earth before being buried inside the pyramid.

Task 1. The words in the box all appear in the passage. Fill each blank with a suitable word.

(Những từ trong khung xuất hiện trong đoạn văn. Điền vào chỗ trống một từ thích hợp.)

1. Last week we paid a visit to the _______ of an unknown mandarin.

2. The movie was about a _______ of the world.

3. A _______ is needed at the exit and entrance for wheelchairs users.

4. The Queen's private _______ is not opened to public.

5. It’s not known why Beson disappeared in _______ circumstances.

6. A snail’s shell is _______ in form.

Task 2. Answer the following questions.

(Trả lời những câu hỏi sau đây.)

1. Where is the Great Pyramid of Giza situated and when was it built?

(Kim tự tháp Giza nằm ở đâu và được xây dựng khi nào?)

2. How high and large was the Great Pyramid of Giza?

(Kim tự tháp Giza lớn và cao bao nhiêu?)

3. What was the purpose of this huge stone Pyramid?

(Mục đích của Kim tự tháp đá khổng lồ này là gì?)

4. How did the people of ancient Egypt build the Great Pyramid?

(Người Ai Cập cổ đại xây dựng Kim Tự Tháp như thế nào?)

5. According to the passage, what is the boat believed to have been used for?

(Theo đoạn văn, chiếc thuyền được cho là đã được sử dụng để làm gì?)

Task 3. Scan the text and say what the following words refer to.

(Đọc lướt đoạn văn và nói những từ sau chỉ gì?)

1. who (line 4) _________.

2. it (line 8) _________.

3. it (line 9) _________.

4. each (line 12) _________.