HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Study Guide 2026 - Big Passages With
Questions and Answers and some with unanswered questions - Verified A+
Practice For Nursing Entrance Exam
PASSAGE 1: THE RISE AND FALL OF ANCIENT EGYPT
Ancient Egypt is one of the most fascinating civilizations in human history. It emerged more than
five thousand years ago along the fertile banks of the Nile River in northeastern Africa. The Nile
was the lifeblood of Egypt. Every year, it flooded and left behind rich, black soil that allowed
farmers to grow wheat, barley, and vegetables in the middle of a desert. Because of this, the
ancient Egyptians called their land Kemet, which means black land, while the desert beyond
was called Deshret, meaning red land.
The history of ancient Egypt is divided into three major periods known as the Old Kingdom, the
Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom, with intermediate periods of instability in between.
During the Old Kingdom, which lasted from around 2686 to 2181 BC, the Egyptians built the
great pyramids at Giza. These massive structures were built as tombs for pharaohs, who were
considered not just kings but living gods. The largest pyramid, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, was
constructed with more than two million stone blocks and remained the tallest man made
structure in the world for almost four thousand years. Its construction shows the incredible
engineering skills, organization, and manpower of the ancient Egyptians.
, The Middle Kingdom, from around 2055 to 1650 BC, is remembered as a time of cultural rebirth
and expansion. Literature, art, and trade flourished. Egyptians expanded their control into Nubia
to the south to gain access to gold mines. However, this period ended when foreign invaders
called the Hyksos, who had superior weapons and horse drawn chariots, took control of
northern Egypt.
The Egyptians eventually expelled the Hyksos and began the New Kingdom, from around 1550
to 1070 BC, which is considered the golden age of ancient Egypt. Famous pharaohs like
Hatshepsut, one of the few female pharaohs, Thutmose III, a great military conqueror,
Akhenaten, who tried to change Egyptian religion to worship one god, and Tutankhamun, whose
tomb was discovered intact in 1922, all ruled during this time. The empire reached its greatest
size, stretching from Syria in the north to Sudan in the south.
Religion was central to Egyptian life. They believed in many gods such as Ra, the sun god,
Osiris, the god of the afterlife, and Isis, the goddess of motherhood. They believed in life after
death, which is why they mummified bodies and buried the dead with food, jewelry, and
everyday objects for use in the next world. They also developed hieroglyphic writing, carved on
temple walls and written on papyrus scrolls, which allowed them to record history, laws, and
religious texts.
Ancient Egypt declined due to a combination of factors, including invasions by Assyrians,
Persians, and finally Alexander the Great in 332 BC. Later, Egypt became a province of the
Roman Empire after the death of Cleopatra VII, the last pharaoh, in 30 BC. Although the
civilization fell, its legacy lives on. Its contributions to mathematics, medicine, architecture, and
government influenced later civilizations in Greece, Rome, and beyond. Today, millions of
people visit Egypt to see the pyramids, the Sphinx, and the temples of Luxor and Karnak, which
stand as enduring symbols of human achievement.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Why was the Nile River so important to ancient Egypt and what did the Egyptians call their
land
Answer: The Nile was important because its annual flooding left behind rich black soil that
allowed farming in the desert. It provided water, food, and transport. The Egyptians called their
fertile land Kemet meaning black land and the desert Deshret meaning red land.
2. What are the three major periods of ancient Egyptian history and what was built during the
Old Kingdom
Answer: The three major periods are the Old Kingdom from 2686 to 2181 BC, the Middle
Kingdom from 2055 to 1650 BC, and the New Kingdom from 1550 to 1070 BC. During the Old
Kingdom the great pyramids at Giza were built as tombs for pharaohs who were seen as living
gods. The Great Pyramid of Khufu used over two million stone blocks.
Questions and Answers and some with unanswered questions - Verified A+
Practice For Nursing Entrance Exam
PASSAGE 1: THE RISE AND FALL OF ANCIENT EGYPT
Ancient Egypt is one of the most fascinating civilizations in human history. It emerged more than
five thousand years ago along the fertile banks of the Nile River in northeastern Africa. The Nile
was the lifeblood of Egypt. Every year, it flooded and left behind rich, black soil that allowed
farmers to grow wheat, barley, and vegetables in the middle of a desert. Because of this, the
ancient Egyptians called their land Kemet, which means black land, while the desert beyond
was called Deshret, meaning red land.
The history of ancient Egypt is divided into three major periods known as the Old Kingdom, the
Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom, with intermediate periods of instability in between.
During the Old Kingdom, which lasted from around 2686 to 2181 BC, the Egyptians built the
great pyramids at Giza. These massive structures were built as tombs for pharaohs, who were
considered not just kings but living gods. The largest pyramid, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, was
constructed with more than two million stone blocks and remained the tallest man made
structure in the world for almost four thousand years. Its construction shows the incredible
engineering skills, organization, and manpower of the ancient Egyptians.
, The Middle Kingdom, from around 2055 to 1650 BC, is remembered as a time of cultural rebirth
and expansion. Literature, art, and trade flourished. Egyptians expanded their control into Nubia
to the south to gain access to gold mines. However, this period ended when foreign invaders
called the Hyksos, who had superior weapons and horse drawn chariots, took control of
northern Egypt.
The Egyptians eventually expelled the Hyksos and began the New Kingdom, from around 1550
to 1070 BC, which is considered the golden age of ancient Egypt. Famous pharaohs like
Hatshepsut, one of the few female pharaohs, Thutmose III, a great military conqueror,
Akhenaten, who tried to change Egyptian religion to worship one god, and Tutankhamun, whose
tomb was discovered intact in 1922, all ruled during this time. The empire reached its greatest
size, stretching from Syria in the north to Sudan in the south.
Religion was central to Egyptian life. They believed in many gods such as Ra, the sun god,
Osiris, the god of the afterlife, and Isis, the goddess of motherhood. They believed in life after
death, which is why they mummified bodies and buried the dead with food, jewelry, and
everyday objects for use in the next world. They also developed hieroglyphic writing, carved on
temple walls and written on papyrus scrolls, which allowed them to record history, laws, and
religious texts.
Ancient Egypt declined due to a combination of factors, including invasions by Assyrians,
Persians, and finally Alexander the Great in 332 BC. Later, Egypt became a province of the
Roman Empire after the death of Cleopatra VII, the last pharaoh, in 30 BC. Although the
civilization fell, its legacy lives on. Its contributions to mathematics, medicine, architecture, and
government influenced later civilizations in Greece, Rome, and beyond. Today, millions of
people visit Egypt to see the pyramids, the Sphinx, and the temples of Luxor and Karnak, which
stand as enduring symbols of human achievement.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Why was the Nile River so important to ancient Egypt and what did the Egyptians call their
land
Answer: The Nile was important because its annual flooding left behind rich black soil that
allowed farming in the desert. It provided water, food, and transport. The Egyptians called their
fertile land Kemet meaning black land and the desert Deshret meaning red land.
2. What are the three major periods of ancient Egyptian history and what was built during the
Old Kingdom
Answer: The three major periods are the Old Kingdom from 2686 to 2181 BC, the Middle
Kingdom from 2055 to 1650 BC, and the New Kingdom from 1550 to 1070 BC. During the Old
Kingdom the great pyramids at Giza were built as tombs for pharaohs who were seen as living
gods. The Great Pyramid of Khufu used over two million stone blocks.
