Fill in the gaps
The Egyptian sphinxes, with their human heads and lions' bodies, have always (1) considered to be one of the wonders of the ancient world. The oldest and largest sphinx, the Great Sphinx, (2) located in the desert near Giza, in Egypt. The Great Sphinx is (3) to have been built about 4,500 years ago. It is more (4) 70 metres long and about 20 metres high, and it (5) carved out of the rock (6) workmen using very primitive tools. In the past, the Great Sphinx was often buried in sand, but today it is enclosed by walls (7) keep out the sand. In addition, because of the hot desert wind and sun, the sphinx needs to (8) constantly treated with special chemicals in order to preserve it. The exact age of the sphinx (9) always fascinated archaeologists. Many researchers believe that the Sphinx and the pyramids date from the same time, about 1475 B.C. because the same materials (10) used in the construction of both monuments. But recently, a geologist in the U.S.A. (11) to the conclusion that the sphinx is probably much older than the pyramids. He found signs of deep erosion in the sphinx which haven't been found in the pyramids nearby. This indicates that the sphinx dates back to a wetter, rainier period. If this theory is (12) to be correct, this could change the views held by archaeologists so far. However old the sphinx may be, it will always remain one of the great wonders of the world, and it will continue to be visited by thousands of tourists every year.
