What killed King Tut? Historians and scientists have long believed that ancient Egypt's most famous king
was probably murdered. But a recent scientific study claims to have found a different solution to this more
than 3 300-year-old mystery.
     Tut's full name was Tutankhamen. He was just 9 years old when he became ruler of Egypt in 1348 B.C.
His treasure-packed tomb was revealed (展现) to the world almost a century ago. Tut's tomb was filled with
royal riches, including a solid-gold coffin, a gold mask, and piles of jewelry. It made him one of the best-
known Egyptian kings of all time.
     But Tut did not have much time to enjoy his vast wealth. His reign (执政) was cut short at the age of 19.
Many experts have thought that Tut was killed by one of his advisers, named Ay, who wanted the throne for
himself. Thanks to a major modern science project, it seems that Ay is off the hook.
     Researchers set out to solve the mystery of King Tut's death by using the tools of science. They began
their investigation of Tut's well-preserved mummy by conducting an autopsy (尸体解剖), which is an in-depth
medical examination to determine how someone died. The king's autopsy included DNA tests and electronic
scans of his remains.
     Scientist Carsten Pusch conducted the tests on Tut for the new study. A scan of Tut's mummy showed
an unhealed fracture (骨折) in his leg bone. He thinks a broken leg contributed to the young king's death. The
DNA also indicates that the ruler had an illness that causes bones to go bad. More than 100 walking sticks
were found in King Tut's tomb. This supports the autopsy findings. Many of the sticks were well-worn,
showing regular use. But how could a person die from a simple broken leg? Pusch also found DNA evidence
in Tut's remains that indicates he had malaria, a disease carried by mosquitoes. Malaria severely weakens the
immune system. Finally, the young ruler was just too weak to heal.

1. King Tut is famous because _____.

A. his tomb was packed with treasures
B. he was probably murdered by his adviser
C. his death was a mystery in history
D. he brought much wealth to his people during his reign

2. The underlined phrase"off the hook probably means "_____".

A. buried together with the dead 
B. hanged on a metal hook
C. no longer in such a position
D. the right subject for scientific tests

3. We can know from the text that _____.

A. King Tut died from a weak body and a careless play
B. a jealous adviser named Ay is likely the real killer in King Tut's death
C. King Tut fell to death because of his leg problem
D. the malaria and the bone disease together caused King Tut's death

4. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. King Tut died at the age of 19 and his reign was short.
B. Scientists now know what killed King Tut by performing a scientific investigation.
C. Scientists guessed that Tut used canes (手杖) because they found many canes in his tomb.
D. Tut's broken leg would not heal because no doctors could be found in his time.

5. The writer of the passage mainly wants to tell us that _____.

A. King Tut was the greatest king in Egyptian history
B. King Tut's mummy murder mystery has been solved
C. historical mysteries should be solved by science
D. history never put the blame on a good man without solid evidence