Read the text and answer questions

Thousands of years ago, the first pearl was probably discovered while human beings were searching for food at the sea shore. Throughout history, the pearl with its shine has been one of the most highly valued gems.

Pearls have been mentioned many times in religious texts and mythologies from the earliest times.

The ancient Egyptians valued pearls so nuch that they were buried with them. It is said that the famous queen of Egypt, Cleopatra would dissolve a pearl in a glass and drink it as a sign of love and respect for the entire nation.

The Greeks thought the pearls as a sign of wealth and social position. The beauty of. pearls was associated with love and marriage.

In ancient Rome, pearls were considered the greatest sign of wealth and social status.

At that time the young women of noble families loved to wear beautiful pearl necklaces. The brave knights used to wear them in the battles for good luck.

• (2)

  Answer the following questions from your reading of the above text.
• (a) When and how was pearl discovered?

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• (b) Why were the ancient Egyptians buried with pearls?

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• (c) How was pearl to the Greeks?

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• (d) Who used pearls as ornaments in ancient time?

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• (e) Why did Cleopatra dissolve a pearl in a glass of water?

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• (f) What did the Greeks think about pearls?

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• (g) How did people discover pearls?

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• (h) Why is pearl one of the most valuable gems?

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• (i) Where have pearls been mentioned?

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• (j) What did the Egyptians do with the dead?

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• (k) When were pearls discovered by human beings?

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• (l) What is said about Cleopatra in mythology?

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• (m) Why did the brave knights used to wear pearls in battle fields?

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• (n) Why do you think pearls were valued so much in the past?

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• (o) What good luck did the Knights think the pearls would bring them?

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• (p) Do you think 'pearls' were discovered by accident? Why?

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• (q) Why do you think pearls were valued so much in the past?

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• (r) What good luck did the knights think pearls would bring them?

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• (3)

  Fill in each gap with a suitable word based on the information of the text.

  Pearls were discovered thousands of years ago while they werc (a) _______ for food at the sea sore. Ancient Egyptians. Romans and Greeks valued pearls very (b) _______ . The Egyptians would take away pearls to their (c) _________ . The ancient Romans and Greeks considered it as a (d) ________  of wealth and social position. In the battle field the brave knights used to (c) ________ them for good luck.

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• (4)

  Write the synonym or antonym of the following words as directed.
• (a) ancient (antonym)

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• (b) status (synonym)

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• (c) pearl (antonym)

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• (d) discover (synonym)

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• (e) shine (antonym)

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