ACT Reading Practice Test 36
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NATURAL SCIENCE: The Great Pyramid at Giza: Its Composition and Structure
The Great Pyramid at Giza is arguably one of the most fascinating and contentious piece of architecture in the world. In the 1980s, researchers began focusing on studying the mortar from the pyramid, hoping it
Line 5 would reveal important clues about the pyramid’s age and construction. Instead of clarifying or expunging older theories about the Great Pyramid’s age, the results of the study left the researchers mystified. Robert J. Wenke from the University of
10 Washington received authorization to collect mortar samples from some of the famous ancient construction sites. Among these sites was the Great Pyramid. The mortar that Wenke discovered was formed by particles of pollen, charcoal, and other organic matter. By using
15 radiocarbon dating, scientists were able to make some disconcerting discoveries. After adjusting the data, the mortar revealed that the pyramid must have been built between 3100 BC and 2850 BC with an average date of 2977 BC. This discovery was controversial because
20 these dates claimed that the structure was built over 400 years earlier than most archaeologists originally believed it had been constructed. Furthermore, archaeologists discovered something even more anomalous. Most of the mortar samples
25 collected appeared to be little more than processed gypsum with traces of sand and limestone. The sand and limestone found in the gypsum were not added but were actually contaminants of the processed gypsum. The mortar used to build the Great Pyramid is of an
30 unknown origin. It has been analyzed repeatedly and its chemical composition has been established. However, even using modern techniques, scientists have been unable to reproduce it. The gypsum mortar is stronger than the stone on the pyramid and the mortar is still
35 intact today, thousands of years after the pyramid was built. This mortar was not used to bond the heavy stone blocks together like cement mortar does with modern bricks. Instead, the gypsum mortar’s role was to buffer the joints and to reduce friction as the enormous blocks
40 were put into place. Examining the mortar from the Great Pyramid assists scientists in making inferences about Egypt’s past. Researchers questioned why the Egyptian builders would choose to use gypsum mortar over lime mortar.
45 Egypt had numerous limestone mines that could have been used to create a more durable lime mortar. Despite the abundance of lime, there is no evidence of lime mortar being used in Egypt until 2500 years after the pyramids were built. Researchers then began to determine
50 why the more water-soluble gypsum would have been preferred. They discovered that gypsum would have been easier to mine than limestone. In addition, the Egyptian builders discovered that when gypsum is heated to approximately 265 degrees Fahrenheit, some
55 of the moisture is excluded. When the processed gypsum is mixed with water again, the resulting substance is used for the mortar. Despite having significant mineral resources, Egypt has few natural fuels available. The 265 degree
60 Fahrenheit temperatures needed to process the gypsum and turn it into mortar can be achieved with the heat of an open fire. On the other hand, to make lime mortar, extremely high temperatures of around 1800 degrees Fahrenheit are needed. Most historians conjecture that
65 the high heat needed to process limestone is the reason lime mortar was not used. The shortage of natural fuel sources would most likely have made the creation of lime mortar highly uneconomical.
From the author’s reference to the Great Pyramid at Giza as both “fascinating and contentious,” (line 2) it can be inferred that the Great Pyramid is seen as both:
captivating and flawless.
placid and disputable.
intriguing and controversial.
monotonous and statuesque.
According to the passage, the mortar used to build the Great Pyramid included all of the following EXCEPT:
charcoal.
processed limestone.
pollen.
processed gypsum.
The passage indicates that, unlike gypsum, limestone:
needs extremely high temperatures to be transformed into mortar.
would have been very easy for ancient Egyptians to mine.
was not nearly as resilient as gypsum.
was very soluble when mixed with water.
Which of the following was NOT a use of the mortar used in constructing the Great Pyramid?
Assisting in the placement of stone blocks
Shielding the joints of the heavy stone blocks
Adhering heavy stone blocks together
Diminishing friction between the stone blocks
It may be reasonably inferred from the passage that for those studying ancient pyramids:
radiocarbon dating is a relatively simple method to find an exact date of construction.
analyzing the chemical composition of a building material allows scientists to recreate the material being evaluated.
there is typically a very large gap between the conclusions of scientific researchers and those of archaeologists.
when conclusive facts are not available, researchers must sometimes speculate about the nature of certain findings.
The passage indicates that the type of mortar used in the construction of ancient Egyptian pyramids was affected by:
the durability of the mortar.
the amount of mineral resources available.
the inferences drawn by the researchers.
the natural fuel sources available.
As it is used in line 6, the word expunging most nearly means:
eliminating.
restoring.
devising.
obscuring.
Previous to the research discussed in the passage, it was believed that the Great Pyramid was constructed in approximately what year?
3377 BC
2977 BC
2577 BC
2177 BC
The passage indicates that researchers believed that examination of the mortar would reveal information regarding the Great Pyramid’s:
natural fuel sources.
construction.
durability.
constant temperature.
According to the passage, which of the following is a reason that gypsum was used to create mortar instead of limestone?
Gypsum is more water-soluble than limestone.
Gypsum is less complicated to mine than limestone.
Gypsum is sturdier than limestone.
Gypsum is more costly to mine than limestone.
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