NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English (Hornbill) Chapter 3: Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues (NCERT 2026–27)
Complete solutions for Class 11 English Hornbill Chapter 3 – “Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues” by A. R. Williams: an original summary, the theme and message, key word meanings, and every textbook exercise (Understanding the text, Talking about the text, Thinking about language, Working with words, Things to do) answered in full, exam-ready prose. Questions are reproduced exactly as in the NCERT Hornbill textbook; all answers are written originally by ClearStudy.
Class: 11Subject: EnglishBook: HornbillType: Prose (Chapter 3)Author: A. R. WilliamsSession: 2026–27
A. R. Williams is a journalist and writer associated with National Geographic magazine, where this article first appeared (Vol. 207, No. 6). Williams specialises in archaeology, history and cultural heritage, reporting on discoveries that connect modern science with the ancient past. In “Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues”, the writer reports on the 2005 CT scanning of the mummy of the Egyptian boy king Tutankhamun, weaving together vivid on-the-spot description, historical background and expert interviews. The writing reflects the typical National Geographic style – factual yet atmospheric, blending exact data with a strong sense of place and a respect for the people and cultures being studied.
Summary
The article describes how the mummy of the Egyptian boy king Tutankhamun (King Tut) was taken from his tomb in the Valley of the Kings on the evening of 5 January 2005 to undergo a CT (computed tomography) scan. Tut was barely a teenager when he died more than 3,300 years ago, the last heir of a dynasty that had ruled Egypt for centuries. Since Howard Carter discovered his tomb in 1922, the world has speculated about how he died, with murder being the most extreme theory. The scan was meant to provide precise data for an accurate forensic reconstruction and to answer two big questions: how Tut died and how old he was at death.
The writer recalls Carter’s discovery of the richest royal collection ever found – gold artefacts meant to guarantee resurrection, along with everyday objects for the afterlife. Because the ritual resins had cemented Tut to his coffin, Carter cut the mummy apart to remove its priceless gold ornaments, damaging it badly. The article also traces Tut’s family history: Amenhotep III, the powerful pharaoh; his son Akhenaten, who shocked Egypt by promoting the sun-disk Aten and attacking the god Amun; the mysterious Smenkhkare; and finally the boy king who restored the old religion and died unexpectedly after about nine years on the throne.
Today, archaeology focuses less on treasure and more on the details of life and death, using medical technology. The CT machine created 1,700 cross-section images of Tut’s body. Though sand briefly stopped the scanner – jokingly blamed on the pharaoh’s curse – the procedure was completed and Tut was returned to his tomb in peace. As the team left, the constellation Orion, which the ancient Egyptians linked with Osiris, the god of the afterlife, stood over the boy king’s resting place.
Theme & message
The central theme is the meeting of ancient history with modern science – how advanced technology like CT scanning can reopen old mysteries and reveal facts that earlier methods could not. The article also contrasts the greed-driven archaeology of the past (Carter cutting the mummy apart for gold) with the respectful, knowledge-driven approach of today, which values the details of human life over treasure. Running through the text is a sense of respect for the dead and for tradition: even as Tut is probed by machines, the writer treats him with dignity, ending with the image of Osiris and Orion watching over the boy king. The message is that curiosity about our past, pursued with care and respect, enriches our understanding of the world.
Word meanings
Word / Expression
Meaning
forensic reconstruction
rebuilding a likeness/cause of death using scientific evidence
funerary treasures
valuable objects buried with the dead for the afterlife
scudded across
moved swiftly (of clouds) across the sky
circumvented
got around; evaded (e.g. the guards)
casket grey
a dull, coffin-like grey colour
computed tomography (CT)
imaging that combines many cross-section X-rays into a 3-D body
resurrection
rising again after death; rebirth
eerie detail
strange, frightening clarity
mummy
a preserved dead body, wrapped for burial
pharaoh
a king of ancient Egypt
dust devils
small whirlwinds of dust and air
shroud
a cloth used to wrap a dead body
resins
sticky substances from plants; here, the hardened ritual coating
nested coffins
coffins placed one inside another
amulets
ornaments worn to ward off evil; charms
artefacts
objects made by humans, of historical interest
demise
death
dynasty
a line of rulers from the same family
ransacked
searched and robbed roughly
pallbearers
people who carry or escort a coffin at a funeral
constellation
a group of stars forming a pattern
Understanding the text
1. Give reasons for the following.
(i) King Tut’s body has been subjected to repeated scrutiny.(ii) Howard Carter’s investigation was resented.(iii) Carter had to chisel away the solidified resins to raise the king’s remains.(iv) Tut’s body was buried along with gilded treasures.(v) The boy king changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun.
ANSWER(i) Tut’s body has been examined again and again because his death is wrapped in mystery – the modern world has long speculated about how this young ruler died, with murder being the most extreme theory. Scholars also wanted to know his exact age at death. Each new advance in technology – from X-rays in 1968 to the CT scan in 2005 – offered fresh clues, so his remains were studied repeatedly to learn more about his life and death.(ii) Carter’s investigation was resented because, in his eagerness to remove the priceless gold ornaments fused to the mummy, he cut the body apart – severing the head and nearly every major joint. Zahi Hawass remarked that the mummy was “in very bad condition because of what Carter did in the 1920s”, blaming Carter for the damage done to the king’s remains.(iii) The ritual resins poured over Tut during burial had hardened over the centuries and cemented his body to the bottom of his solid gold coffin. Even the blazing Egyptian sun, which Carter used to heat the mummy to 149°F for several hours, could not loosen them. Since “no amount of legitimate force” could move the body, the consolidated material had to be chiselled away from beneath the limbs and trunk to raise the king’s remains.(iv) In Tut’s time the royals were fabulously wealthy and believed they could carry their riches into the afterlife. The dazzling gold – collars, necklaces, bracelets, rings, amulets, the iconic mask and inner coffin – was meant to guarantee resurrection, while everyday items (board games, a razor, food and wine) were buried for his journey to the great beyond.(v) He was born during the reign of the heretic pharaoh Akhenaten, who worshipped the sun-disk Aten, so his name was Tutankhaten. On taking the throne, the boy king restored the worship of the old god Amun and reversed Akhenaten’s religious changes; to mark this return to the old ways, he changed his name to Tutankhamun, meaning ‘living image of Amun’.
2.
(i) List the deeds that led Ray Johnson to describe Akhenaten as “wacky”.(ii) What were the results of the CT scan?(iii) List the advances in technology that have improved forensic analysis.(iv) Explain the statement, “King Tut is one of the first mummies to be scanned — in death, as in life …”
ANSWER(i) Akhenaten promoted the worship of the Aten, the sun disk, instead of the traditional gods; he changed his own name from Amenhotep IV to Akhenaten (‘servant of the Aten’); he moved the religious capital from the old city of Thebes to a new city, Akhetaten (now Amarna); and he attacked the major god Amun, smashing his images and closing his temples. These radical, disruptive acts made Ray Johnson describe him as having “went a little wacky”.(ii) The CT scan created 1,700 digital cross-section images and a clear three-dimensional picture of Tut. On screen, his neck vertebrae, a hand, several views of the rib cage and a transection of the skull appeared in sharp, “eerie” detail. The data gave specialists in radiology, forensics and anatomy precise information for an accurate forensic reconstruction and helped them probe how Tut died and how old he was. (Above all, the scan confirmed that nothing had gone seriously wrong with the precious mummy.)(iii) The chief advances are: the X-ray, first used on the mummy in 1968, which revealed that Tut’s breast-bone and front ribs were missing; and computed tomography (CT), by which hundreds of X-rays in cross section are put together “like slices of bread” to build a three-dimensional virtual body. Portable CT machines now allow mummies to be scanned on site rather than disturbed and moved.(iv) In life, Tut was a king who always moved at the head of his people, ahead of his countrymen in rank and importance. The statement means that even in death he kept this privileged, regal position: of the nearly 600 mummies recorded by the Egyptian Mummy Project, he was among the very first to be honoured with a CT scan – so, just as he led in life, he “moved regally ahead” of the other mummies in death too.
Talking about the text
Discuss the following in groups of two pairs, each pair in a group taking opposite points of view.
1. Scientific intervention is necessary to unearth buried mysteries.2. Advanced technology gives us conclusive evidence of past events.3. Traditions, rituals and funerary practices must be respected.4. Knowledge about the past is useful to complete our knowledge of the world we live in.
ANSWER (sample debate points)1.For: Many secrets of the past lie buried and cannot be understood without scientific tools; CT scans, DNA tests and X-rays reveal facts – like Tut’s missing ribs – that no amount of guessing could uncover. Against: Such intervention can damage fragile remains (as Carter damaged Tut) and may disturb the dignity of the dead; some mysteries are best left undisturbed.2.For: Technology gives precise, measurable data – 1,700 images, exact ages, exact injuries – replacing rumour with evidence. Against: Even advanced scans rarely give final answers; the cause of Tut’s death is still debated, so technology offers strong clues but not always conclusive proof.3.For: Funerary practices reflect a people’s deepest beliefs and deserve respect; the ancient Egyptians’ rituals should be honoured even by researchers. Against: A reasonable, respectful study of remains can be done without harm, and the knowledge gained benefits all humanity; respect and research can go together.4.For: Understanding past civilisations – their science, religion and daily life – helps us see how the present world took shape and learn from history. Against: Some argue resources should go to present-day problems; yet knowledge of the past completes our picture of ourselves and is rarely wasted.
Thinking about language
1. Read the following piece of information from The Encyclopedia of Language by David Crystal.
Egyptian is now extinct: its history dates from before the third millennium B.C., preserved in many hieroglyphic inscriptions and papyrus manuscripts. Around the second century A.D., it developed into a language known as Coptic. Coptic may still have been used as late as the early nineteenth century and is still used as a religious language by Monophysite Christians in Egypt.
ANSWERThis passage tells us that ancient Egyptian, one of the world’s oldest recorded languages, is no longer spoken. It survived for thousands of years in hieroglyphic inscriptions and papyrus manuscripts, then changed over time into Coptic, which lingered as a spoken language until about the early nineteenth century. Today Coptic survives only as a religious language used by Monophysite Christians in Egypt – showing how a once-living language can fade into use only in special contexts.
2. What do you think are the reasons for the extinction of languages?
ANSWERLanguages become extinct for several reasons. When a dominant language (often the language of rulers, trade or education) takes over, speakers gradually abandon their mother tongue for better opportunities. Migration, colonisation and globalisation push small communities to adopt widely-spoken languages. If a language is not taught to children or used in schools, media and daily life, the younger generation stops speaking it, and once the last fluent speakers die, the language disappears. War, displacement and the absence of a written script also hasten the loss.
3. Do you think it is important to preserve languages?
ANSWERYes, preserving languages is very important. Every language carries the unique culture, history, knowledge, folklore and worldview of its community; when a language dies, all of this is lost forever. Languages also store valuable knowledge of local medicine, environment and traditions. Linguistic diversity, like biodiversity, enriches humanity. Preserving languages keeps communities connected to their roots and identity, and protects a precious part of our shared human heritage.
4. In what ways do you think we could help prevent the extinction of languages and dialects?
ANSWERWe can help by encouraging families to speak their mother tongue at home and by teaching it to children. Schools and universities can offer courses in endangered languages; governments can give them official recognition and use them in administration and media. Books, dictionaries, films, songs, websites and radio programmes in these languages keep them alive and visible. Documenting languages with audio and written records, and creating scripts where none exist, preserves them for the future. Above all, communities should take pride in their language rather than feel ashamed of it.
Working with words
1. Given below are some interesting combinations of words. Explain why they have been used together.
(i) ghostly dust devils (vi) dark-bellied clouds(ii) desert sky (vii) casket grey(iii) stunning artefacts (viii) eternal brilliance(iv) funerary treasures (ix) ritual resins(v) scientific detachment (x) virtual body
ANSWER(i) ghostly dust devils – the whirling columns of dust looked pale, eerie and ghost-like, suiting the spooky, death-filled setting of the tomb.(ii) desert sky – the wide sky above the Egyptian desert; it sets the dry, vast, lonely scene of the Valley of the Kings.(iii) stunning artefacts – the gold objects were so dazzling and beautiful that they astonished everyone who saw them.(iv) funerary treasures – the precious objects were not ordinary treasures but ones specially buried with the dead for use in the afterlife.(v) scientific detachment – Carter reported the damage to the mummy coolly and objectively, like a scientist, without emotion.(vi) dark-bellied clouds – the heavy, rain-bearing clouds had dark undersides, like a dark belly, adding a brooding, gloomy mood.(vii) casket grey – the sky was a dull, dead grey resembling the colour of a coffin (casket), fitting the funeral-like atmosphere.(viii) eternal brilliance – the gold shines forever; its everlasting shine was meant to guarantee the king’s eternal life or resurrection.(ix) ritual resins – the resins were poured over the body as part of the burial ritual; they were religious, not ordinary, substances.(x) virtual body – the CT scan created a three-dimensional image of Tut’s body on a computer – not the real body but a digital, virtual one.
2. Here are some commonly used medical terms. Find out their meanings.
CT scan MRI tomographyautopsy dialysis ECGpost mortem angiography biopsy
ANSWERCT scan – computed tomography scan; many cross-section X-rays combined by computer into a detailed 3-D image of the body.MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging; uses strong magnets and radio waves to produce detailed images of organs and tissues.tomography – imaging the body in sections or slices using X-rays or other rays.autopsy – examination of a dead body to find the cause of death.dialysis – a process that cleans the blood of waste when the kidneys fail to do so.ECG – Electrocardiogram; a record of the electrical activity of the heart.post mortem – an examination of a dead body after death (Latin: ‘after death’); another term for an autopsy.angiography – X-ray imaging of blood vessels using a special dye to detect blockages.biopsy – removal and examination of a small piece of body tissue to diagnose disease.
Things to do
1. The constellation Orion is associated with the legend of Osiris, the god of the afterlife. Find out the astronomical descriptions and legends associated with the following.
(i) Ursa Major (Saptarishi mandala) (ii) Polaris (Dhruva tara)(iii) Pegasus (Winged horse) (iv) Sirius (Dog star)(v) Gemini (Mithuna)
ANSWER (project task – sample notes)(i) Ursa Major (Saptarishi mandala): A large northern constellation whose seven bright stars form the ‘Great Bear’ or ‘Big Dipper’. In Indian tradition these seven stars are the Saptarishi, the seven great sages; they are used to locate the Pole Star.(ii) Polaris (Dhruva tara): The Pole Star, which appears almost fixed above the North Pole and is used for direction. In Indian legend it is Dhruva, the devoted boy-prince whose steadfast penance won him an everlasting, unmoving place in the sky.(iii) Pegasus (Winged horse): A constellation named after the winged horse of Greek mythology, born from the blood of Medusa, who carried the hero Bellerophon and was later placed among the stars by the gods.(iv) Sirius (Dog star): The brightest star in the night sky, in the constellation Canis Major (the ‘Greater Dog’). The ancient Egyptians linked its dawn rising with the flooding of the Nile.(v) Gemini (Mithuna): A zodiac constellation representing twins; its two brightest stars are named Castor and Pollux after the twin brothers of Greek myth. In Indian astronomy it is the Mithuna rashi.
2. Some of the leaves and flowers mentioned in the passage for adorning the dead are willow, olive, celery, lotus, cornflower. Which of these are common in our country?
ANSWEROf these, the lotus is very common in India – it is, in fact, the national flower and grows widely in ponds and lakes. Willow trees grow in cooler regions such as Kashmir, and celery is grown and used in some parts of India. Olive and cornflower are far less common and are mostly seen in cultivated gardens or imported.
3. Name some leaves and flowers that are used as adornments in our country.
ANSWERIn India, common flowers and leaves used for adornment and rituals include marigold, rose, jasmine (chameli/mogra), lotus, hibiscus, chrysanthemum, champa and tuberose (rajnigandha) among flowers, and mango leaves, banana leaves, tulsi and betel (paan) leaves among leaves. They are used to make garlands, decorate homes and temples, and adorn idols and guests on festivals and special occasions.
Extra questions
Short answer (30–40 words)
1. When and from where was King Tut taken for the CT scan?
ANSWERKing Tut was taken at 6 p.m. on 5 January 2005 from his resting place in the ancient Egyptian cemetery known as the Valley of the Kings, and moved into a CT scanner placed in a trailer outside the tomb.
2. What startling fact did the 1968 X-ray reveal?
ANSWERWhen an anatomy professor X-rayed the mummy in 1968, more than forty years after Carter’s discovery, it revealed that beneath the resin caking his chest, Tut’s breast-bone and front ribs were missing.
3. Why did the scanner stop working during the procedure?
ANSWERThe million-dollar CT scanner quit because sand had got into a cooler fan. A guard nervously joked that it was the “curse of the pharaoh”. Substitute plastic fans were fetched, and the scan was finished.
4. What everyday objects were buried with Tut for the afterlife?
ANSWERBesides his gold treasures, Tut was buried with ordinary things he would want in the afterlife – board games, a bronze razor, linen undergarments, and cases of food and wine.
5. How is the meaning of Tut’s two names different?
ANSWERHis first name, Tutankhaten, linked him to the Aten, the sun-disk worshipped by Akhenaten. After restoring the old religion, he changed it to Tutankhamun, meaning ‘living image of Amun’, honouring the traditional god Amun.
Long answer (100–120 words)
6. How does the chapter show that the aims and methods of archaeology have changed over time?
ANSWERIn the 1920s, archaeology was largely focused on treasure. Carter’s chief concern was to recover Tut’s priceless gold, and to do so he cut the mummy apart, severing the head and joints and damaging the body badly. Decades later, the goals had shifted. Modern archaeology focuses less on treasure and more on the fascinating details of life and the intriguing mysteries of death. It also uses sophisticated medical technology – X-rays in 1968 and CT scanning in 2005 – which can study a mummy in 1,700 cross-section images without taking it apart. Thus the chapter shows a clear change from destructive treasure-hunting to careful, respectful, science-based investigation.
7. Describe how the writer creates a respectful, almost reverent atmosphere around the dead boy king.
ANSWERThroughout the article, Williams treats Tut not as a mere object of study but as a king deserving dignity. He describes the “angry wind”, “ghostly dust devils” and sky veiled in “casket grey”, surrounding the scene with a solemn, funeral-like mood. The workmen who carry Tut are compared to “pallbearers”, and after the scan he is returned to rest “in peace where the funerary priests had laid him so long ago”. The phrase “in death, as in life, moving regally ahead of his countrymen” restores his royal status. Finally, the constellation Orion – the soul of Osiris, god of the afterlife – stands watch over the boy king, ending the piece on a note of reverence.
MCQs & Assertion–Reason
1. Who wrote “Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues”?
(a) Howard Carter (b) A. R. Williams (c) Zahi Hawass (d) Ray Johnson
2. In which year was King Tut’s tomb discovered?
(a) 1905 (b) 1922 (c) 1968 (d) 2005
3. Tut’s tomb lies in the ancient cemetery known as:
(a) the Valley of the Kings (b) Amarna (c) Thebes (d) Luxor
4. On what date was Tut’s mummy taken for the CT scan?
(a) 12 June 2024 (b) 5 January 2005 (c) 6 December 2003 (d) 1 March 1968
5. Why did Carter cut the mummy apart?
(a) for research (b) to remove the gold ornaments fused to it (c) to scan it (d) by accident
Assertion–Reason – choose: (a) A and R true, R explains A; (b) A and R true, R does not explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.
1. Assertion (A): King Tut’s body has been studied repeatedly over the decades.
Reason (R): The mystery of how he died and how old he was has long fascinated the world.
2. Assertion (A): Carter cut Tut’s mummy into pieces.
Reason (R): The ritual resins had cemented the body to the gold coffin, and the gold could not otherwise be removed.
3. Assertion (A): The boy king changed his name to Tutankhamun.
Reason (R): He wished to honour the sun-disk Aten and continue Akhenaten’s religion.
4. Assertion (A): Modern archaeology relies on medical technology like CT scanning.
Reason (R): Such tools can reveal the details of life and death without destroying the remains.
5. Assertion (A): A guard joked that the scanner had stopped because of the “curse of the pharaoh”.
Reason (R): The scanner had actually stopped because sand had got into a cooler fan.
Answer key: 1-(a), 2-(a), 3-(c) [A is true, but R is false – he changed his name to honour Amun and restore the old religion, not the Aten], 4-(a), 5-(b) [both true, but the joke and the real cause are separate, so R does not explain the joke].
FAQs
Who was King Tut and why is he famous?
King Tut (Tutankhamun) was a boy king of ancient Egypt who died in his late teens more than 3,300 years ago. He is famous because his tomb, discovered by Howard Carter in 1922, was found almost intact with the richest royal treasure ever uncovered.
Why was King Tut’s mummy given a CT scan in 2005?
The CT scan was done to provide precise data for an accurate forensic reconstruction and to answer two big questions still lingering about him – how he died and how old he was at the time of his death.
Why was Howard Carter blamed for damaging the mummy?
To remove the gold ornaments fused to the body by hardened resins, Carter’s men severed the mummy’s head and nearly every major joint, leaving it badly damaged – which experts like Zahi Hawass later criticised.
What is the main message of “Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues”?
It shows how modern science can reopen ancient mysteries and contrasts the treasure-hunting archaeology of the past with today’s respectful, knowledge-driven study, while reminding us to honour the dead and their traditions.
Questions are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT Hornbill textbook; summaries and answers are written originally by ClearStudy.
