Description of the Egyptian pyramids. Egyptian pyramids A story about the Egyptian pyramids in English

Ancient Egypt, one of history's first civilizations arose around the Nile River about 5,000 years ago. It lasted for over 2,000 years.

The Nile River was the center of Ancient Egypt. The annual floods brought rich black soil to the banks of the Nile River and made it possible for farmers to grow crops. The river was also Egypt's main transportation route.

The ancient Egyptians discovered many things. They invented the first kind of paper from the papyrus plant and were the first people to write in pictures, called hieroglyphs. But they became most famous for building stone structures, called pyramids, in which they buried their pharaohs. They still exist because the dry climate has preserved them for almost 5,000 years.

The people of ancient Egypt

The Egyptian population lived on both sides of the Nile valley and in the delta region. The ancient Egyptians had dark skin and dark hair. Most of them belonged to one of the three main classes. The upper class consisted of the pharaoh and his family, rich landowners, priests and doctors. Traders, merchants and craftsmen belong to the middle class. Unskilled workers belonged to the lower class and worked on the fields of farms. Slaves were prisoners that the Egyptians took when they conquered foreign countries.

Daily life

Almost no other ancient culture gave women as many rights as Ancient Egypt. They could buy and sell land and goods, and even divorce their husbands. Still, the head of the family was the father. When he died his eldest son became his head.

Most Egyptians couldn't read or write. Only a few upper class boys and girls went to special schools where they were taught to become scribes. Such scribes wrote official government documents.

Most boys became farmers and craftsmen. They followed their fathers and took on the same jobs. Girls were trained to become mothers and to give birth to children. They learned household chores from their mothers.

Bread made from wheat was the main source of food in Ancient Egypt. Richer families also had vegetables, fish and meat to eat. Middle and lower class people drank beer, the upper classes drank wine. Food was prepared on clay stoves.

Almost all Egyptians wore white clothes. Men wore skirts or robes and women wore skirts or dresses with shoulder straps. While most people went barefoot, richer people wore sandals on their feet. Women were very fond of wearing makeup. They painted their fingernails and put red powder on their lips. They also dyed their hair in many colors. Men and women liked wearing rings and other jewelry.

Egyptian houses were made of dried mud and had flat roofs. Poor people lived in simple huts while the richer people in the cities lived in buildings that had up to three floors. The houses had small windows to keep out the sun and help the house stay cool.

Ancient Egyptians did many different things in their free time. They liked to go swimming and fishing in the Nile River. Hunting crocodiles, lions and other wild animals were popular sports among ancient Egyptians.

Religion

The ancient Egyptians believed in several gods and goddesses. The most important god was the sun god Re (or Ra). People prayed to him for good harvests. The most famous goddess was Isis, who was seen as the ideal mother and wife. Her husband Osiris was the ruler of the dead.

Most Egyptians prayed at home. The gods and goddesses lived in great temples. One of the most famous is in Karnak. It consists of over 130 columns that are 25 meters high.

The Egyptians believed in life after death. They preserved people in mummies, so that their bodies would not decay. These mummies were then put into tombs or graves. Clothing, food and other items of their daily life were also put into the grave because the dead person might need them in their afterlife. Pictures of daily life were painted on the walls of such graves.

Work

Most ancient Egyptians were farmers. In a country that had almost no rainfall, Egyptian farmers depended on the Nile River. They built canals to bring water from the Nile River as far into their land as possible. They also prayed that the yearly floods would make their land fertile. The main crops were wheat and barley; some farmers produced dates, grapes and other fruits and vegetables.

Craftsmen had small shops and were very popular in Egypt. They made textiles, jewellery, bricks, pots and furniture. Building materials were limestone and sandstone that came from mines.

Traveling by boat on the Nile River was the main form of getting around. Early boats were made out of papyrus and moved by sticking poles into the water. Later on the Egyptians built sailing boats. On land people traveled with donkeys that could also carry food and other things.

Traders sailed to other neighboring countries to get goods that they could not obtain in Egypt. They brought gold, ivory, skins, cattle and spices from Nubia, silver and wood from Syria and other areas of south-western Asia.

Architecture

Egypt's pyramids are among the oldest buildings in the world. About 90 of them still stand on the Nile River. The three large pyramids at Giza belong to the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Great Pyramid is about 140 meters high and was built with over 2 million blocks of limestone. Next to it is the Great Sphinx, a masterpiece of Egyptian sculptors. It is a stone statue with the head of a person and the body of a lion.

>Egyptian pyramids

2 Egyptian pyramids

Egyptian pyramids

Viking 1 photographed what looked like the ruins of Egyptian pyramids. - Viking-1 photographed something resembling the ruins of Egyptian pyramids.

Books

Pyramids of Eternity. Egypt and Nubia, V. A. Nabatchikov. Over the millennia of its existence, humanity has created so many secrets and mysteries that even today, having mastered near-Earth space and nuclear reactions, it cannot reveal and unravel them.... Buy for 421 rubles
How the Egyptian pyramids were built, Kink H.A.. The book tells about the above-ground and underground chambers of the royal tombs (pyramids) with their temples and other buildings. The author shows that ancient Egyptian stone construction is the result...

The Egyptian pyramids are an impressive monument to the power of ancient pharaohs as well as to the oil of numerous slaves. It took 20 years and one hundred thousand workers to build the grandest mausoleum in world history the Great Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) at Giza.

It is the oldest of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one survived to our days. Khufu’s Pyramid stands 140 meters tall and can be seen from a far distance. Inside it there are three burial chambers: the king’s chamber, the queen’s chamber and the underground chamber.

The Great Pyramid is surrounded by several smaller pyramids. They served as tombs for pharaohs and their close relatives.

The pyramid complex at Giza is guarded by the Sphinx carved from limestone. It has the head of a man and the body of a lion. The bottom part of the monument is buried under the sands.

The Egyptian pyramids are an impressive monument to the power of the ancient pharaohs, as well as the hard work of numerous slaves. It took 20 years and 100 thousand workers to build the most grandiose mausoleum in world history, the Great Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) in Giza.

It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World and the only one that has survived to this day. The Pyramid of Khufu reaches 140 meters in height and is visible from a great distance. Inside it are three burial chambers: the king's chamber, the queen's chamber and the underground chamber.

The Great Pyramid is surrounded by several smaller pyramids. They served as tombs for pharaohs and their close relatives.

The pyramid complex at Giza is guarded by a Sphinx carved from limestone. He has the head of a man and the body of a lion. The lower part of the monument is buried under the sand.

Pyramids of Egypt

Since ancient times, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt have been one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. The largest of these, the Great Pyramid of Giza, or Pyramid of Cheops, is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that still exists. It was
the tallest building in the world for almost 5,000 years - that is, until the Eiffel Tower, which was built in 1889.
The pharaohs, the first rulers of Egypt, built pyramids to show their power to the people. The first pharaohs built simpler tombs called mastabas. These mastabas were square buildings with a space inside large enough for the coffin, mummy body of the pharaoh and his treasures. The ancient Egyptians believed that deceased people still needed their bodies and treasures, such as paintings, gold and gems, for their life after death.
Many of the pyramids had decorations on the inside, especially in the room where the dead pharaoh was laid. Archaeologists have discovered many images in the tombs and mysterious writings on the walls, called hieroglyphs. Invented about 5,000 years ago, hieroglyphs are the oldest form of writing. They were just simple drawings of the everyday things we see and hear. The Egyptians believed that both hieroglyphs and tomb paintings were magical, so they painted them inside the pyramid.
When we look at the pyramids today, we can easily see that they were built to last for a very long time. Have you ever wondered how these great monuments were built? Many archaeologists believe that the builders first studied the stars to determine which direction the pyramid would face, since the Egyptians believed that the pharaohs would join the stars after death. They then built a small mastaba on the ground. Then they laid mud and stones all over it, leaving the tunnel to the outside. To get the stones to the top of the pyramid, they probably built long ramps and then lifted the stones up them.
The city of Giza is located on the Nile River. The Nile was also very important in the construction of the pyramids, as it was used to transport stones from afar. Granite and marble, for example, were brought from Aswan, which is more than 500 km away. Many ships also brought the limestone used for the outer walls of the pyramid from the city of Tura, which was on the other side of the river from the city of Giza.
Just to give you an idea of how big the Great Pyramid is - that's the height of a modern 40-story building, or over 145 meters. It occupies an area of land the size of seven city streets. Workers used 2,300,000 blocks to build it, each weighing 2,500 kg (2.5 tons). It took about 36,000 workers (mostly slaves and farmers) 20 to 30 years to build it. This means that for every minute they worked, they added three blocks to the pyramid!
In conclusion, there are still many surprises and mysteries around the pyramid. Nobody knows exactly when and how they were built. So far, 46 of them have been found in Egypt. However, there may be others lying beneath the sand, just waiting to be discovered. Only time will tell!

Read the text, then choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D) for questions 1-7.
1 Pyramid of Cheops...
A is the most popular tourist destination in the world.
B is the highest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
C was built about five thousand years ago.
D is taller than the Eiffel Tower.
2 Mastabas…
A were pyramids.
These were simple burial places for dead pharaohs.
C were larger than the pyramids.
D kept the mothers of the pharaohs.
3 The Egyptians decorated the pyramids
A only in hieroglyphs.
In images only.
With hieroglyphs and images.
D gold and jewels.
4 Which of the following is not true about hieroglyphs?
A They are an ancient form of writing.
The Egyptians believed that they had magical powers.
C They showed everyday things.
D They were painted on the outside of the pyramids.
5 The Egyptians built pyramids...
A away from the Nile River.
In order to study the stars.
With next to the mastabas.
D using long ramps.
6 Limestone was mined in...
A Giza.
In a river.
With Aswane.
D Toure.
7 The Great Pyramid of Giza...
A has 40 tiers.
B looks like a modern building.
It was built over many years.
D was built by 2,300,000 workers.

Fill in the blanks (1-7) with the correct derivative of the words in bold.

Russian river cruise

Day 9-10: St. Petersburg: Arrive in St. Petersburg after enjoying breakfast while enjoying an amazing sunrise while sailing on the Neva River. Visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress, an old prison whose "guests" included Alexei's own son Peter the Great, Dostoevsky, Gorky and Trotsky. View the amazing Winter Palace, which includes the Hermitage. Housed here are some of the most important paintings in history, including the world's finest collection of French Impressionists. After an unforgettable journey through this historic city, return to the ship for the captain's farewell dinner and your last night on board. The next morning we will transfer you to the airport for your flight home.

Listen to speakers 1-5. Which of the following comments might each speaker make? One comment you should not use.
A I prefer to go on holiday in cold weather.
Q I don't like going on vacation.
C I like to relax on vacation.
D I don't like to fly alone.
E I spend a lot of money on holidays.
F Holidays are really important to me.
Listening text:
Interviewer: I spoke to several young people to find out their views on holidays. Here's what they said:
Interviewee 1: I usually go on holiday at least three times a year. I know this sounds like a lot, but my job is pretty stressful so I often need to get away from it all. Also, I just love to travel and see the world!
Interviewee 2: I'm not particularly enthusiastic about flying. I feel very awkward, although nothing bad has ever happened. I try to travel with friends. This helps me feel less nervous.
Interviewee 3: I only go on holiday once a year, so I don't mind paying a little for luxury! I always travel first class and stay in the best hotels.
Interlocutor 4: I can’t stand going on vacation in the summer - it’s so hot. Going on vacation in winter is much more enjoyable, even if it's really cold! You can do many fun things like skiing and snowboarding.
Interviewee 5: When I go on vacation, I like to do absolutely nothing! Forget about sports, excursions, shopping and the like. I just want to lie on the beach, swim and read a good book!

Read an excerpt from your pen pal's letter. His name is Ben. Write a letter to Ben, who is coming to visit you soon. In his letter:
tell him about your holidays
ask three questions about a music festival
Write 100-140 words.

I hope you had a good holiday! What were you doing? What was the weather like? I'm going to a music festival this weekend, I can't wait!

You are organizing a summer vacation with a friend. Discuss the following types of vacations and choose the one you both enjoy the most.
backpacking Europe
holiday package in Italy
Mediterranean cruise
camping in Russia

You start a conversation and have to decide which type of weekend to take (only one). Your partner will play the role of your friend. Do not forget:
discuss all options
take an active part in the conversation and be polite
suggest ideas
offer good ideas
find out your friend's attitude and take it into account
invite your friend to propose
come to an agreement

English version of the main texts translated above:

TAPESCRIPT
Interviewer: I spoke to some young people to find out about their views on holidays. Here's what they had to say:
Speaker 1: I usually go on holiday at least three times a year. I know it sounds like a lot but my job is quite stressful so I often need to get away from it all. Also, I just love traveling and seeing the world!
Speaker 2: I"m not very keen on flying. It makes me feel very uneasy, although I"ve never had any bad experiences. I try to travel with friends. That helps me to feel less nervous.
Speaker 3: I only go on holiday once a year, so I don't mind paying for a little bit of luxury! I always travel first class and stay in the best hotels.
Speaker 4: I can't stand going on holiday in the summer - it's just too hot. Going on holiday in the winter is much nicer, even if it's really cold! You can do more fun things, too, like skiing and snowboarding.
Speaker 5: When I go on holiday, I like to do absolutely nothing! Forget sports, sightseeing tours, shopping, and all of that. I just want to lie on the beach, swim and read a good book!

THE PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT
Since ancient times, the pyramids at Giza in Egypt have been one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. The largest of these, the Great Pyramid of Giza, or Khufu's Pyramid, is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that still survives today. It was the tallest building in the world for almost 5,000 years - that is, until the Eiffel Tower was built in 1889.
Pharaohs, the first rulers of Egypt, built pyramids to show their power to the people. The first Pharaohs built much simpler tombs called mastabas. These mastabas were square buildings with a room inside big enough for the coffin, the mummy of the pharaoh's body and his treasures. Ancient Egyptians believed that dead people still needed their bodies and treasures, such as paintings, gold and jewels, for them life after death.
Many of the pyramids were decorated inside, especially in the room where the dead pharaoh was laid. Archaeologists discovered many pictures in the tombs and mysterious writing on the walls called hieroglyphics. Invented about 5,000 years ago, hieroglyphics are the oldest form of writing. They were just simple drawings of everyday things we see and hear. The Egyptians believed that both the hieroglyphics and the tomb pictures were magical, which is why they painted them inside the pyramids.
When we look at the pyramids today, it is easy to see that they were built to last for a very long time. Have you ever wondered how these great monuments were built? Many archaeologists believe that the builders first studied the stars to decide which direction the pyramid would face, as Egyptians believed the pharaohs would join the stars after death. Then, they built a small mastaba on the ground. Next, they put dirt and stones all over it, leaving a tunnel to the outside. To raise the stones to the top of the pyramid, they probably built long ramps and then rolled the stones up them.
The city of Giza is on the River Nile. The Nile was also very important in the building of the pyramids as it was used to transport the stones from far away. Granite and marble, for example, were brought from Aswan, which is over 500km away. ships Many also brought limestone, used for the outside walls of the pyramids, from the city of Tura, which was just across the river from Giza.
Just to give you an idea of how large the Great Pyramid is - it is the height of a modern 40-storey building, or over 145 meters. It covers an area of land the size of seven city streets. Workers used 2,300,000 blocks to build it, each weighing 2,500 kilograms (2.5 tons). It took about 36,000 workers (mostly slaves and farmers) between 20 and 30 years to build it. This means that for every minute they worked, they added three blocks to the pyramid!
In conclusion, there is still a great deal of wonder and mystery surrounding the pyramids. No one knows for certain exactly when and how they were built. So far 46 of them have been found in Egypt. However, maybe there are others lying underneath the sand just waiting to be discovered. Only time will tell!

Russian river cruise
Day 9-10: St Petersburg: Arrive in St Petersburg after enjoying a spectacular sunrise breakfast while sailing down the River Neva. Visit the Peter and Paul Fortress, an old prison whose "guests" have included Peter the Great"s own son Alexei, Dostoyevsky, Gorky and Trotsky. See the amazing Winter
Palace, which includes the Hermitage Museum. Housed here are some of history's most important paintings, including the world's best collection of French impressionists. After your unforgettable journey through this historical city, return to the ship for the captain's farewell dinner and your final night on board. The following morning, we will transfer you to the airport for your flight home.

More meanings of this word and English-Russian, Russian-English translations for the word “EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS” in dictionaries.

PYRAMIDS
PYRAMIDS
Russian Learner's Dictionary
EGYPTIAN - Egyptian
Russian Learner's Dictionary
PYRAMID - 1. noun. 1) a) pyramid b) an object or some formation resembling a pyramid in shape 2) pyramidal tree 3) pl. pyramid,...
EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHS - Egyptian hieroglyph
Russian-American English Dictionary
EGYPTIAN FRACTIONS – Egyptian fraction
Russian-American English Dictionary
PYRAMID - pyramid.ogg 1. ʹpırəmıd n 1. 1> pyramid the Pyramids - Egyptian pyramids 2> sth. having the shape of a pyramid 2. mat. pyramid...
PYRAMID - 1. [ʹpırəmıd] n 1. 1) pyramid the Pyramids - Egyptian pyramids 2) smb. having the shape of a pyramid 2. mat. pyramid 3. ...
SOLERA - Spanish “solera” system (Spanish method of aging fortified wines (“Sherry”, “Marsala”): oak barrels, 5/6 filled with wine, are stacked on top of each other in ...
English-Russian explanatory dictionary
VERTEX OF PYRAMID - the top of the pyramid
Large English-Russian Dictionary
TIME - 1. noun. 1) a) time in/on one's own time ≈ in free time on time Amer. ≈ exactly, on time make …
Large English-Russian Dictionary
SYMBOLIZE - Ch. 1) symbolize 2) depict symbolically Syn: mean symbolize depict symbolically - the five elements *d by a sphere, ...
Large English-Russian Dictionary
PYRAMIDS - Pyramids
Large English-Russian Dictionary
PYRAMIDICAL
Large English-Russian Dictionary
PYRAMIDIC - pyramidal, shaped like a pyramid (anatomy) pyramidal - * tract pyramidal path (colloquial) colossal, huge - * ignorance blatant ignorance - ...
Large English-Russian Dictionary
PYRAMIDAL - adj. 1) pyramidal pyramidal cypress ≈ pyramidal cypress 2) anat. pyramidal pyramidal tract ≈ pyramidal path 3) huge, colossal (journalism) ...
Large English-Russian Dictionary
PETROSAL - anat. upper edge of the pyramid of the temporal bone (anatomy) upper edge of the pyramid of the temporal bone (anatomy) related to the petrous part of the temporal bone
Large English-Russian Dictionary
MUMMY - I 1. noun. 1) a) straight. and transfer mummy The old theological dogmas had become mere mummies. ≈ Old theological...
Large English-Russian Dictionary
EGYPTIAN
Large English-Russian Dictionary
EGYPTIAN - 1. adj. Egyptian Egyptian clover ≈ Egyptian clover Egyptian cotton a) bot. Egyptian cotton b) Egyptian cotton Egyptian pound ≈ ...
Large English-Russian Dictionary
DIAMOND PYRAMID HARDNESS MACHINE - Vickers device (for determining hardness by indentation of a diamond pyramid)
Large English-Russian Dictionary
BATTEN - I 1. noun. 1) floorboard 2) shingles Syn: lath, shingle 3) wooden slats, metal slats a good firm...
Large English-Russian Dictionary
HIEROGLYPHIC - Egyptian hieroglyphs
HIEROGLIPHIC - Egyptian hieroglyphs
American English-Russian Dictionary
HIEROGLIPH - Egyptian hieroglyphs
American English-Russian Dictionary
PYRAMIDS OF GIZA – Egyptian pyramids
American English-Russian Dictionary
GIZA PYRAMID COMPLEX – Egyptian pyramids
American English-Russian Dictionary
EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS - Egyptian pyramids
American English-Russian Dictionary
EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHS - Egyptian hieroglyphs
American English-Russian Dictionary
EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPH - Egyptian hieroglyphs
American English-Russian Dictionary
EGYPTIAN FRACTION - Egyptian fractions
American English-Russian Dictionary
MUMMY — _I 1. ʹmʌmı n 1. mummy 2. soft shapeless mass to beat smth. to a mummy - turn sth. V …
English-Russian-English dictionary of general vocabulary - Collection of the best dictionaries
EGYPTIAN - 1. ıʹdʒıpʃ(ə)n n 1. Egyptian; Egyptian the Egyptians - coll. Egyptians 2. Ancient Egyptian language (Hamitic) 3. Amer. joking ...
English-Russian-English dictionary of general vocabulary - Collection of the best dictionaries
VERSED - versed adj. experienced, knowledgeable (in - in smb.) I am not much versed in Egyptian hieroglyphics. - I'm not very...
English-Russian Dictionary Tiger
SPHINX - noun; pl. including sphinxes, sphinges1) sphinx (stone sculpture of a reclining lion with a human head) Egyptian Sphinxes - Egyptian sphinxes 2) (Sphinx) ...
English-Russian Dictionary Tiger
MUMMY - I 1. [ʹmʌmı] n 1. mummy 2. soft shapeless mass to beat smth. to a ~ - turn smth. V …
New large English-Russian dictionary - Apresyan, Mednikova
EGYPTIAN - 1. [ıʹdʒıpʃ(ə)n] n 1. Egyptian; Egyptian the ~s - collected. Egyptians 2. Ancient Egyptian language (Hamitic) 3. Amer. joking ...
New large English-Russian dictionary - Apresyan, Mednikova
PYRAMID - 1. ʹpırəmıd n 1. 1> pyramid the Pyramids - Egyptian pyramids 2> smth. having the shape of a pyramid 2. mat. pyramid 3. ...
Large new English-Russian dictionary
PYRAMID - 1. noun. 1) a) pyramid - diet pyramid - Food Guide Pyramid - food pyramid b) an object or some formation, ...
FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID - noun. food pyramid (depicts a set of foods for a balanced diet; was developed by the US Department of Agriculture in 1992; was subjected to ...
English-Russian dictionary of general vocabulary
PYRAMID - 1. noun. 1) a) pyramid - diet pyramid - Food Guide Pyramid - food pyramid b) an object or some formation resembling a pyramid in shape 2) a pyramidal tree 3) ...
FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID - noun. food pyramid (depicts a set of foods for a balanced diet; was developed by the US Department of Agriculture in 1992; has been modified; includes ...
English-Russian dictionary of general vocabulary
EPIOTIC CENTER - point of ossification of the pyramid of the temporal bone, center of ossification of the pyramid of the temporal bone
New English-Russian Medical Dictionary
PYRAMID - 1) pyramid 2) something shaped like a pyramid 3) arrange, build in the form of a pyramid. - truncated pyramid
English-Russian dictionary of construction and new construction technologies
GREAT SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES - Great Seal of the United States of America State emblem of the United States. Adopted on June 20, 1782. Developed according to the project of the Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson ...
GREAT SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES - Great Seal of the United States of America State emblem of the United States. Adopted on June 20, 1782. Developed according to the design of the Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson)