Chapter 5

Chapter 5
Into the city of the dead

antivenom مضاد السم
explain يشرح / يفسر
virus فيروس
quantities كميات
venom سم
sheep خروف
extract يستخلص
antibodies أجسام مضادة
protection وقاية / حماية
roots جذور
extinct منقرض
researcher باحث
botanist أستاذ فى علم النبات
Botanical Science علم النبات
fence سور
gate بوابة
put up يبنى / يقيم
unload يُفرِّغ
tank اسطوانة
insecticides مبيدات حشرية
fencing wire سلك لعمل أسوار
weapons أسلحة
lights مصابيح
tools أدوات
building materials مواد البناء
transparent شفاف
filter مِرْشَحَة
gas mask قناع للحماية من الغازات
excitedly بانفعال
set up يركب
sprays رشاشات
tubes أنابيب
frame إطار
fit يثبت
sheet ملاءة switch off يطفئ
smoker مدخنة
poisonous سام
magnifying glass عدسة مكبرة
at a higher level على مستوى أعلى
adult males ذكور بالغين
cough يكح
injured مصاب
beak through يخترق
breathe in يستنشق
take off يخلع
search يفتش
scientific علمى
interest اهتمام
discovery اكتشاف
venom sacs أكياس السم
antivenom lab معمل الأمصال
shoot / shot / shot يضرب
in addition بالإضافة إلى
damage يدمر / دمار
refer to يشير إلى
blood دم
attack يهاجم
unknown species أنواع غير معروفة
medical text نص طبى
gate بوابة
torches بطاريات
unfold (يَنْشُر (شيئاً مطوِيّاً
make آمن
prevent يمنع
stand back يقف فى الخلف
investigate يبحث
destroy يدمر
orders أوامر
pour ينسكب

Captain Ahmed listened carefully as Professor Jones talked about spiders. He wanted to know everything about spiders in order to be able to fight them. He asked how antivenom is made and why it takes a long time. The professor said that scientists put small quantities of venom into animals; usually horses or sheep, and then the animals make antibodies to fight the venom. Scientists can then extract the antibodies from the animals. If these spiders are unknown species, scientists will have to develop new antivenom. It could be many years before a safe antivenom can be produced in large quantities. Captain Ahmed said that they would have no protection against them for years.

Ayman read Dr Shereen’s e-mail. She told him about the ancient Egyptian medical text, which described a medicine for bites of the black and yellow spiders. The ancient Egyptians made this medicine from the roots of 'Echinacea Negra' plant. This plant is almost extinct and grows only in Sinai. She also told him that Wafaa Sultan, a researcher in the Department of Botanical Science at Cairo University, studied the plant.

Ayman showed the e-mail to the professor and the captain. The professor said he didn't know much about plants and Wafaa Sultan was the person to ask. The captain radioed the colonel and told him about the plants. The colonel said that if the spiders were an unknown species, he would send Wafaa to Sinai to get some of this echinacea negra!
They came to a high wire fence and a gate. They began to unload equipment: protective clothing, tanks of insecticide, fencing wire, big lights, weapons, tools and building materials.

They climbed into the underground tomb. Each man was wearing a large black suit made of strong plastic with a thick transparent window over the face. The men breathed through a filter like a gas mask. They looked like things from another planet. The three young officers carried large sprays with insecticide tanks. Professor Jones carried a machine that looked like a gun with a small petrol engine at one end. Ayman carried a bag of equipment for the professor.

When they arrived at the wide passage, the professor saw all the big spiders' webs that the robbers had seen. "This is fantastic !" he said, excitedly. He set up his equipment in a place where many large webs hung from the ceiling. The captain ordered the three young officers to guard the professor while he set up his equipment. He used a large white sheet over the frame to catch anything that fell onto it. The professor switched on the smoker and hot poisonous smoke went up to the ceiling. About twenty small insects and spiders fell onto the sheet. He picked up three large spiders. They were only half as big as the spider that Ayman had seen. Ayman said they were the same as the spider he had seen but only that one was larger. The professor examined the spiders with a magnifying glass. He found that they were all adult males. He put them into a box and into his bag.
A big black and yellow spider fell onto the sheet. It jumped onto one of the young officers. The other officers used their insecticide sprays. The spider fell to the ground. The professor examined it and found it was a female. Suddenly, it moved and ran into the darkness and disappeared. The young officer was coughing badly. The captain ran to him as he fell to the ground. He said that the spider's fangs broke through his face mask and that they had to leave immediately. He and Ayman carried the injured man. The professor carried the bag with the three dead spiders in it. They took off the young officer's suit. There was no blood on his face. The professor said he just breathed in some insecticide.

When the captain asked him to identify the spiders, he said they were not a known species. Before he left Oxford, he searched the database of all known species. He looked at all the black and yellow spiders on the database and found no spider like it.
The captain asked about the best way to destroy the spiders. The professor looked as if someone had shot him. He said that they couldn’t destroy the spiders, as they were a new species and a great scientific discovery. The captain said that ten people had died already and his job was to prevent more deaths. The professor said that he had to do what was necessary. But, in his opinion, it was impossible. The spiders were under the ground. They didn't know where all underground rooms and passages were. He could kill some of the spiders, but some of them would live and he would destroy the archaeological site. The captain told him he would pass his opinion to the colonel. That matter had to be decided at a higher level.

Captain Ahmed ordered the other officers not to let anybody come near the site and not to let anything leave it without a careful search. He radioed the colonel. He told Professor Jones and Ayman that the colonel wanted them to return to the town with the dead spiders to send their venom sacs to an antivenom lab so that scientists would begin work on an antivenom. He also said that Wafaa Sultan would leave by helicopter for Sinai. The police there would take her into the mountains to get the plants. He said that they had to find the spider that Ayman saw. The Professor hoped the spider hadn't produced any young yet.

1- Why did Captain Ahmed want to know everything about spiders?( (دور ثان 2006
 In order to be able to fight them.

2- How is antivenom made?
 Scientists put small quantities of venom into animals, usually horses or sheep, and then the animals make antibodies to fight the venom. Scientists can then extract the antibodies from the animals.
3- What did the ancient medical text describe?
 It described a medicine for bites of the black and yellow spider that killed.

4- What do you know about echinacea negra?
 It is a plant that is almost extinct and only grows in Sinai. The ancient Egyptians made a medicine from its roots for the bites of deadly spiders.

5- Who was Wafaa Sultan? Why did the police send her to Sinai?
 She was a botanist at Cairo University. The police send her to Sinai to get some of the echinacea negra plant.

6- Why had a fence been built around the site?
 To keep robbers out.

7- Why did Ayman and the officers wear protective clothes when they entered the
tomb? (دور أول 2003)
 To protect themselves from the deadly spiders and the insecticides.
-
8- What equipment did the officers take with them when they went to the
archaeological site?
 They took protective clothing, tanks of insecticide, fencing wire, big lights, weapons, tools and building materials.

9- What equipment did Professor Jones bring to the archaeological site?
 He brought some metal tubes, a white sheet and a smoker.

10- What did Professor Jones use the large white sheet for?
 He used it for catching the spiders that fell onto it.

11- What happened when Professor Jones switched on the smoker?
 About twenty small insects and spiders fell onto the sheet.

12- What happened to the officer attacked by the female spider?
 He was coughing badly and fell to the ground.

13- Why do you think the large black and yellow spider didn’t die?
 Because it was stronger than the others.

14- Why did Captain Ahmed say that they had to leave the site immediately?
 Because the large female spider attacked one of the officer and broke through his face mask.


15- How did Professor Jones make sure that the female spider was not a known
species?
 Before he left Oxford, he searched the database of all known species of black and yellow spiders and found no spider like it.

16- Why didn’t Professor Jones want to destroy the deadly spiders? (دور أول 2001)
 Because it was a great scientific discovery.

17- Captain Ahmed wanted to destroy the spiders in the archaeological site but
Professor Jones had a different opinion? (دور أول 2007)
 Captain Ahmed wanted to destroy the spiders in the archaeological site because ten people had died and his job was to prevent more deaths. Professor Jones on the other hand believed that these spiders were a new species and a great scientific discovery. He also said that they couldn't be sure of killing all spiders as they didn’t know where all the underground rooms were or how big the area was.

18- Why did the men kill the spiders underground in the tomb? ) دور أول 2002 )
 To collect antivenom without letting the spiders escape.

19- Why would it be difficult to kill all the spiders?
 Because the spiders lived under the ground and they didn’t know where all the underground rooms and passages were. In addition, the archaeological site would be damaged.

20- Why did Professor Jones say to Captain Ahmed that it is impossible to destroy all
the spiders? (دور اول 2004)
 Because the spiders lived under the ground and they didn’t know where all the underground rooms and passages were. In addition, the archaeological site would be damaged.

21- What orders did Captain Ahmed give to the other officers before leaving the
site?
 He ordered them not to let anybody come near the site and not to let anything leave it without a careful search.

22- Why did Captain Ahmed give orders to stop anybody from coming near the site
or leave without search? (دور ثان 2004)
 Because the female spider was not killed yet and it escaped. And he wanted to protect the site from robbers.

23- What did the police do with the dead spiders at the archaeological site?
 They sent their venom sacs to an antivenom lab so that scientists would work on an antivenom.
24- Why was Wafaa Sultan sent to Sinai? (دور ثان 2008)
 Because she was a botanist and would recognize Echinacea Negra and bring it from Sinai.

Read the following quotation and then answer the questions.
1- “A researcher in the Department of Botanical Science at Cairo University has studied the plant.”
a) Who said this? To whom?
Dr Shereen said this to Ayman in an email.
b) What plant is the speaker referring to?
Echinacea Negra.
c) Who is the researcher?
Wafaa Sultan.

2- "I don't know much about plants. This botanist is the person to ask."
(دور ثان 2002)
a) Who said these words? To whom?
Professor Malcolm Jones said these words to Captain Ahmed.
b) What plants is the speaker referring to?
Echinacea Negra.
c) Who is the botanist?
Wafaa Sultan.

3- "This is fantastic!" he said, excitedly.
a) Who said these words?
Professor Jones said these words.
b) When did the speaker say this?
He said this when he saw all the big spiders' webs.
c) Why is it fantastic?
It is fantastic to set up his equipment to catch the spiders.

4- "Professor, where is the best place to set up your equipment?"
a) Who said these words?
Captain Ahmed.
b) What equipment did Professor Jones bring?
He brought some metal tubes, a white sheet and a smoker.
c) Where did Professor set up his equipment?
He set it up in a place where many large webs hung from the ceiling

5- “OK. Let’s see what we’ve got.” said the professor excitedly. (دور ثان 2004)
a) Where did the professor say these words?
In the underground tomb.
b) Who were with him?
Ayman, Captain Ahmed and three young officers.
c) Why was the professor excited?
Because they sprayed insecticides on the spiders and were able to kill 20 small insects and spiders as they found them on the white sheet.

6- "Yes. They're the same as the spider I saw in town. Only that one was larger."
a) Who said these words? To whom?
Ayman said these words to Captain Ahmed.
b) Where did the speaker see that spider?
He saw it in the garden of his house.
c) How were the spiders different from the spider he had seen?
They were only half as big as the spider he had seen.

7- "The spider's fangs broke through his face mask. "We must leave here
immediately."
a) Who said this? To whom?
Captain Ahmed said this to Professor Jones, Ayman and the young officers.
b) Where were they?
They were in the archaeological site.
c) Why did they have to leave early?
Because the large female spider attacked an officer and broke through his face mask.

8- "I can tell you that this spider is not a known species."
a) Who said these words to whom and when?
Professor Jones said these words to Captain Ahmed when he asked him if he could identify the spider.
b) Which spider was the speaker referring to?
He was referring to the female spider in the archaeological site.
c) How did the speaker make sure that the female spider was not a known species?
Before he left Oxford, he searched the database of all known species of black and yellow spiders and found no spider like it.

9- "Professor, what is the best way to destroy these spiders?"
a) Who said these words?
Captain Ahmed said these words.

b) Why did the speaker want to destroy all the spiders?
Because ten people had already died from their bites and he wanted to prevent more deaths.
c) What was the professor’s opinion?
He didn’t want to destroy the deadly spiders because it was a great scientific
discovery

10- "You can’t destroy these spiders!"
a) Who said these words? To whom?
Professor Jones said these words to Captain Ahmed.
b) Why didn’t the speaker want to destroy the spiders?
Because it was a great scientific discovery
c) Why would it be impossible to kill all the spiders?
Because the spiders lived under the ground and they didn’t know where all the underground rooms and passages were. In addition, the archaeological site would be damaged.

11- “I understand your scientific interest, but ten people have died already. My job is to prevent more deaths."
a) Who said these words to Professor Jones?
Captain Ahmed said these words to Professor Jones.
b) What was the professor scientific interest?
It was finding new species of spiders.
c) What did the people die of?
They died of the deadly bites of the spiders.

12- “You're right. You must do what is necessary. But, in my opinion, it’s
impossible."
a) Who said these words?
Professor Jones said these words to Captain Ahmed.
b) Why was it necessary to destroy the spiders?
Because ten people had already died from their bites and he wanted to prevent more deaths.
c) Why was it difficult to kill all the spiders?
Because the spiders lived under the ground and they didn’t know where all the underground rooms and passages were. In addition, the archaeological site would be damaged.

13- "I will pass your opinion to the colonel. This matter must be decided at a higher
level." (دور أول 2005)
a) Who was speaking to whom?
Captain Ahmed was speaking to Professor Jones.
b) What exactly does ‘your opinion’ refer to in this quotation?
Not to kill the spiders.
c) What did the speaker want to do? Why?
He wanted to kill the spiders to prevent more deaths.

14- "I will pass your opinion to the colonel. This matter must be decided at a higher
level." (دور أول 2009)
a) Who was speaking? To whom?
Captain Ahmed was speaking to Professor Jones.
b) What opinion will the speaker pass to the colonel?
They couldn't kill all the spiders because they were underground and the area
was large.
c) What exactly does this matter refer to?
It refers to damaging the archaeological site.

15- “We must find the spider that you saw in Hamdayya."
a) Who said these words? To whom?
Captain Ahmed said these words to Ayman.
b) Where did this conversation take place?
It took place outside the archaeological site.
c) Why did they have to find that spider?
Because it was a deadly female spider.

16- "Let's hope it hasn't produced any young yet."
a) Who said these words? To whom?
Professor Jones said these words to Captain Ahmed and Ayman.
b) What is the speaker talking about?
He is talking about the large female spider in Hamdayya.
c) Did it produce any young?
Yes, it produced 2,000 young spiders.

1- Captain Ahmed listened carefully as professor Jones talked about spiders.
2- Making antivenom is like making antibodies to fight a virus.
3- When venom enters the body of a person or an animal, the body begins to make antibodies to fight it. (دور أول 2007)
4- When scientists put small quantities of venom into animals, these animals make antivenom to fight the venom. (دور أول 2002)
5- It could take many years to produce a safe antivenom in large quantities.
6- If the spiders are unknown species, scientists will have to develop a new antivenom.
7- There was no antivenom for the black and yellow spider because it was a new species and no antivenom was made for it. (دور أول 2001)
8- People in Hamdayya will have no protection against spiders because they are an unknown species.
9- Echinacea Negra is a plant, which can cure the bites of spiders.
(دور أول 2003)
10- To protect themselves against deadly spiders, the police wore protective clothing.
11- In their special clothes, the men looked like things from another planet.
12- While Professor Jones set up his equipment, three young officers guarded him.
13- Professor Jones examined the spiders with a magnifying glass.
14- Although the large female spider attacked one of the officers, it didn’t bite him.
15- The young officer was coughing badly and fell to the ground because he breathed in some insecticide. (دور أول 2004)
16- If the female spider had bitten the young officer’s face, there would have been blood on his face.
17- The police officers tried to kill the large female spider by using their insecticide sprays.
18- Captain Ahmed wanted to kill the spiders because they killed ten people and he wanted to prevent more deaths.
19- Professor Jones said that they couldn’t destroy the spiders as the spiders lived under the ground and they didn’t know where all the underground rooms and passages were. In addition, the archaeological site would be damaged. (دور ثان 2001)
20- All spiders couldn’t be destroyed because they were hidden in unknown places. (دور ثان 2002)


▼أسئلة الكتاب المدرسي
A- Answer the questions.
1) Why had a fence been built around the site?
• 1- To keep the robbers out 2- to prevent any one to go near the site as it was dangerous
2) Why did the men need to wear special clothing when they went underground?
• To protect themselves against the spiders

3) Where did the professor put his equipment?
• In a place where many large webs hung from the ceiling

4) Why do you think the large black and yellow spider did not die?
• As it was stronger than the others

5) How did they know that the spider had not bitten the man's face?
• As there was no blood on his face

• Who wanted to kill the spiders? Who didn't want to kill them? Captain Ahmed - professor Jones

6) Why would it be difficult to kill all the spiders?
• AS they live in unknown places under the ground

7) Who agreed to take Wafaa Sultan into the mountains?
• The police

Read the following quotation and then answer the questions.
'I will pass your opinion to the colonel. This matter must be decided at a higher level.'
1 Who was speaking to whom when this was said?
Captain Ahmed to professor Jones

2 What exactly does 'your opinion' refer to in this quotation?
It refers to the professor's opinion ( it's impossible to kill the spiders )

3 What exactly does 'this matter' refer to
( the matter ) is the issue of whether to try to kill the spiders

Complete the sentences.
1 It could be many years before a safe antivenom is produced in large quantities
2 The men who were going underground wore protective clothes
3 The police officers tried to kill the large female spider by using insecticide sprays