MATERI PEMBELAJARAN
A. Defenition of Explanation Text
Pengertian atau definisi dari explanation text adalah sebuah tulisan yang bersifat
nonfiksi untuk menjelaskan sesuatu. Explanation text dalam bahasa Inggris adalah “The
text often tells you about how something works or why something happens.” Intinya,
penulis akan menjelaskan bagaimana sesuatu bisa bekerja atau mengapa sesuatu
terjadi.
Biasanya, teks ini digunakan untuk mengupas tentang fenomena alam,
fenomena sosial, budaya, atau mengenai benda-benda di sekitar kita dan biasanya
disajikan dalam bahasa sederhana yang dilengkapi dengan gambar.
For example, kita membaca tentang cara kerja gerhana.
Gerhana Bulan
EXPLANATION TEXT Page 1
Kita akan melihat gambar serta bagian-bagian penjelasannya di dalam
explanation text. Hal ini akan memudahkan untuk memahami isi teks sambil
berimajinasi.
Sebetulnya, kamu bisa mendeskripsikan beraneka topik melalui teks ini. Mulai
dari cara organ tubuh manusia bekerja, bagaimana pesawat bisa terbang, cara ikan
untuk bernafas, bagaimana longsor bisa terjadi, and so on.
Namun, memang yang lebih sering dibuat adalah mengenai fenomena alam dan
sosial.. Namun, memang yang lebih sering dibuat adalah mengenai fenomena alam dan
sosial.
Kita dapat menjumpai explanation text di media tertulis yang berbeda-beda,
seperti buku-buku ilmu pengetahuan alam (biologi, dan fisika), buku-buku ilmu
pengetahuan sosial (sejarah dan geografi), pamflet, bahkan artikel di internet.
B. Purpose/Function of Explanation Text
1. Give information to the readers
Sesuai pengertiannya, teks eksplanasi berisi tentang penjelasan mengapa
sesuatu bisa terjadi. Maka dari itu, main function atau social function-nya adalah
untuk menjawab pertanyaan yang mungkin banyak muncul di masyarakat umum.
2. To educate atau memberikan edukasi
Kamu pasti pernah membaca alasan mengapa hujan bisa turun dari
langit, kan? Nah, proses ini bisa dijelaskan dalam bentuk explanation text yang
biasanya muncul di buku-buku Geografi sekolah. So, explanation text tentu bisa
jadi media untuk mengedukasi para pelajar.
C. Types of Explanation Text
1. Sequential (sekuensial)
These detail the stages in an event. Teks tipe ini menjelaskan tentang
proses perubahan dari suatu fenomena alam atau sosial yang akan dibahas
secara rinci.
Contoh dari teks ini adalah: Butterfly life Cycle.
2. Causal (kausal)
Details what causes the change from one stage to the next. Hal yang
dibahas dalam jenis teks ini adalah penyebab suatu perubahan dari keadaan
tertentu ke keadaan lain.
Contoh teksnya: How a president is elected.
3. Theoretical (teoritis)
Details the possible phenomena behind a natural or created process that
is not fully understood. Teks ini menjelaskan tentang suatu kemungkinan
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terjadinya suatu peristiwa alam atau buatan yang masih bersifat teori saja atau
belum sepenuhnya dipahami. Contoh teks eksplanasi teoritis: What caused the
Nazi’s to lose World War II.
4. Factorial and consequential (faktorial dan konsekuensi)
Explanations explain effects and outcomes of processes. Penjelasan
dalam teks eksplanasi ini berisi tentang rangkaian kejadian efek dan dampak dari
sebuah proses.
Sebagai contoh:
Sains– Explain the causes of climate change
Sejarah– Explain the causes of World War 2
The Similarity of Explanation Text and Procedure Text
Explanation text memiliki kemiripan dengan procedure text. Pasalnya,
kedua teks ini sama-sama menjelaskan suatu proses, kemudian terdapat kata
penanda urutan (step by step), serta memakai bahasa yang baku.
The Differentiate of Explanation Text and Procedure Text
Explanation text menjelaskan bagaimana sesuatu bisa terjadi. Dalam hal
ini, sesuatu tersebut merupakan fenomena atau kejadian yang bukan buatan
manusia. Selain itu, penjelasan dalam explanation text dapat didukung dengan
fakta dan juga ilmu pengetahuan.
Kalau, procedure text, ia menjelaskan tentang bagaimana cara melakukan
atau membuat sesuatu dengan instruksi secara urut atau bertahap, yang mana
sesuatu tersebut adalah buatan manusia.
D. Characteristics of Explanation Text)
Explanation text answers questions how and why
Explanation text biasanya menjawab pertanyaan bagaimana dan kenapa
sesuatu terjadi, baik itu fenomena alam atau sosial yang bersifat umum.
Misalnya judul teksnya adalah, “Frog Life Cycle”. Ini merupakan jawaban dari
pertanyaan, “Bagaimana daur hidup katak?”
They have clear titles
Judul dari setiap explanation text biasanya merupakan subjek yang
sedang dijelaskan. Misalnya “How Train Works”, maka seluruh teks akan
membahas tentang cara kerja kereta.
Berbeda halnya dengan narrative text, misalnya Danau Toba, tetapi isinya
bukan tentang apa itu Danau Toba, melainkan cerita rakyat asal usul terjadinya
danau tersebut.
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The first paragraph introduces the subject
Pada paragraf pertama dari teks eksplanasi (explanation text) membahas
tentang pengenalan subjek yang dibahas. Kemudian paragraf selanjutnya hingga
ke akhir akan menjelaskan tentang subjek itu secara mendetail.
They have pictures and diagrams with labels for visual learners
Agar memudahkan para pembaca memahami penjelasan, penulis
explanation text akan menambahkan gambar dan diagram pendukung.
E. The Generic Structure of Explanation Text
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Explanation text memiliki struktur sebagai berikut:
1. General Statement (pernyataan umum
Hal yang harus kamu tulis dalam general statement adalah pernyataan
atau kalimat pembuka. Isinya berupa pengenalan singkat terkait subjek yang
akan dibahas
2. Explanation (penjelasan)
Bagian ini menjelaskan subjek secara detail dan logis. Setelah kalimat
pembuka, dalam beberapa paragraf selanjutnya berisi tentang penjelasan
terhadap proses bagaimana sesuatu dapat bekerja atau mengapa sesuatu dapat
terjadi.
3. Conclusion (kesimpulan)
Paragraf yang berisi kesimpulan atau penutup. Kamu juga bisa
menuliskan tanggapan, kesan, pendapat, atau pandangan teoretis terhadap
sesuatu yang sebelumnya sudah dijelaskan dalam teks.
F. Language Features of Explanation Text
Berikut adalah kaidah kebahasaan yang ada pada explanation text:
1. Menggunakan generalised non-human participants atau kata benda dalam
bahasa Inggris (noun)
Kata benda yang sering muncul di teks eksplanasi bahasa Inggris
contohnya
- water,
- kite,
- frog,
- flood dan lain-lain.
Begini penerapannya dalam kalimat: Chocolate is taken from a tree called cacao
tree.
2. Menggunakan konjungsi kronologis (waktu) dan sebab akibat
Contohnya:
- First (pertama),
- then (kemudian),
- following (selanjutnya),
- finally (akhirnya),
- if – then (jika – maka),
- so (jadi),
- as a consequence (sebagai konsekuensinya),
- since (sejak),
- therefore (oleh karena itu, dengan itu, oleh sebab itu),
- after that (setelah itu),
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- because (karena),
- after (setelah),
- eventually (pada akhirnya),
- or so (atau sehingga),
- the consequences (akibat yang) dan lain-lain.
Contoh kalimatnya adalah: The next process is winnowing.
3. Menggunakan action verbs atau menggunakan kata kerja yang mendeskripsikan
sebuah aksi
Contoh dari action verb seperti run, jump, think, kick, dan lain-lain. Berikut
kalimatnya: This tree grows in equatorial regions, especially in places such as
South America, Africa, and Indonesia.
4. Menggunakan passive voice atau kalimat pasif
Passive voice yaitu kalimat-kalimat untuk menunjukkan benda yang
mengalami suatu aksi, bukan melakukan sebuah aksi.
Contoh: Next, the beans are fermented for about a week, dried in the sun.
5. Menggunakan present tense
Contoh: The chocolate makers work by roasting the beans to bring out the
flavour.
G. Penerapan Language Features dalam Explanation Text
Generalised non-human participants atau nouns
Contoh nouns yang terdapat pada penggalan teks eksplanasi dalam
bahasa Inggris mengenai banjir.
When you hear the word flood, you can imagine an event that is common
in Indonesian society. A flood is a natural phenomenon that occurs due to human
activities. This happens because of the obstacles to rainwater flow that occur due
to several factors. Starting from a forest area converted into a settlement. If a
forest located in a river is converted into a settlement, this will cause rainwater to
have no place to flow. Another cause is the obstruction of a watershed. Disposal
of garbage in the watershed causes the river to become clogged with garbage,
causing the rainwater to not flow smoothly so that the flow of water that should
be large becomes narrow and overflows. Another factor is that the water
absorption area is built by settlements or factories, so rainwater stagnates.
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Konjungsi
Contoh konjungsi yang terdapat pada penggalan teks eksplanasi dalam
bahasa Inggris mengenai siklus air hujan atau hidrologi.
Rain is one of the natural phenomena that have a function for life on earth.
Rain can occur because of a cycle called the hydrological cycle which is a
process of circulating water that moves from the atmosphere to the earth, and
vice versa. Rain doesn’t just happen, it goes through 3 stages. Initially,
evaporation occurs. Evaporation is the process of evaporating seawater, rivers,
lakes, and others. Then when water evaporates into the atmosphere, there will
be condensation or the change of water from gas to liquid. This happens
because the atmosphere changes in temperature and pressure. Water that
collects in the atmosphere will form black clouds that are ready to fall as rain. In
this process, there is also advection or movement of clouds to a place because
of the help of the wind. This causes some areas to rain, while in other areas it
does not. After that, the precipitation process will occur. Precipitation is the
process of the formation of water droplets that fall to the earth. Finally in this
process, the rain occurs. Rain that falls to their homeland will move (run-off) over
the highlands to the lowlands. For example from the mountains to the sea.
Eventually, the water will evaporate again. These are the three main stages of
rain.
Action verbs (kata kerja aktif)
Teks lainnya membahas tentang bagaimana cara kerja layang-layang.
A kite uses wind to make it fly because it is heavier than air. When wind
travels over the surface of the kite, it is split into two streams of air. One stream
of the air goes over the kite while the second stream goes under the kite. The
upper stream creates an area of low pressure above the kite. The lower stream
hits the kite at a shallow angle and creates an area of high pressure.
Passive voice (kalimat pasif)
The high-pressure area has a pushing effect while the low-pressure area
has a pulling effect. The combination of push and pull can create enough force to
lift the kite into the air. Kites have been known for thousands of years. They are
used for military or scientific purposes. Today kites are much used for leisure and
competition.
Present tense
A kite is an object which is made from a light material stretched over a
frame.
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H. Steps to Create “Teks Eksplanasi” in English
a. Tentukan fenomena apa yang ingin dijelaskan
Langkah pertama, kamu bisa memilah terlebih dahulu, kejadian atau
peristiwa apa yang ingin dijelaskan secara rinci? Kamu bisa berangkat dari
berbagai pertanyaan yang mungkin sering muncul di media sosial. Misal,
mengapa ada dua air laut berbeda warna yang tidak dapat bersatu.
b. Riset dan cari referensi
Pada dasarnya, ide akan muncul jika kita rajin mencari referensi. Agar
lebih valid, kamu bisa menemukan referensi dari berbagai jurnal atau artikel
ilmiah, dan juga tulisan dari para ahli yang relevan dengan pembahasan.
c. Buat draft atau outline
d. Lakukan grammar check
e. Finishing dan baca ulang
Setelah semuanya beres, akan lebih baik jika kamu membaca
keseluruhan teks dari awal sampai akhir. Ingat, posisikan diri kamu sebagai
pembaca. Jangan sampai apa yang kamu jelaskan justru akan sulit untuk
diterima oleh audiens.
f. Publish and share
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Contoh Explanation Text
THE WATER CYCLE
Water is an essential part of life. The earth has a limited amount of water,
however, water is continually recycled in a process called the water cycle. It is made up
of four main parts: precipitation, infiltration, evaporation, and condensation.
To begin with, precipitation occurs when so much water has formed that the air
cannot hold it any longer. The clouds become heavier and as a result, water falls back
to the earth in the form of rain, hail, sleet, or snow.
When water falls back to the earth as precipitation, it may fall back into the
oceans, lakes, or rivers or it may end up on land. When it ends up on land, it soaks into
the earth and is stored as groundwater. This process is called infiltration.
Evaporation is when the sun heats up water in rivers, lakes, or oceans and turns
it into vapor or steam. The water vapor or steam leaves the river, lake, or ocean and
goes into the air. This stage is called evaporation.
The water vapor cools and this leads to clouds forming. However, the clouds are
unable to hold the water vapor for a long. As a result, rain droplets form and it starts to
rain. This process is called condensation.
Eventually, the water cycle begins again.
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HOW VOLCANOES ERUPT
Volcanoes erupt when molten rock, called magma, rises to the surface of the
Earth. This happens because pressure builds up inside the Earth due to heat and
movement in the mantle. When the pressure becomes too strong, it forces the magma
to escape through cracks in the Earth’s crust. Once it reaches the surface, it is called
lava. The eruption can be explosive or gentle, depending on the type of volcano and the
magma’s composition.
HOW TORNADOES FORM
Tornadoes are powerful rotating columns of air that extend from thunderstorms to
the ground. They form when warm, moist air from the ground meets cold, dry air from
above. This creates instability in the atmosphere. When these air masses collide, the
warm air rises rapidly through the cold air, and a spinning effect begins to form due to
changes in wind direction and speed with height. This spinning column of air is called a
mesocyclone.
As the mesocyclone becomes stronger and is pulled downward by the storm, it
can form a funnel cloud. When this funnel touches the ground, it becomes a tornado.
Tornadoes can cause severe destruction, including uprooting trees, destroying
buildings, and lifting cars off the ground. Their strength is measured using the Enhanced
Fujita (EF) scale, from EF0 (weak) to EF5 (extremely powerful). Tornadoes are most
common in areas like the central United States, known as “Tornado Alley.”
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LEMBAR KERJA SISWA
Tujuan pembelajaran teks eksplanasi adalah agar siswa mampu:
Memahami isi teks: Siswa dapat mengidentifikasi topik, informasi, dan proses
yang dijelaskan dalam teks eksplanasi, seperti fenomena alam, sosial, atau
ilmiah.
Mengidentifikasi struktur teks: Siswa dapat mengenali struktur teks
eksplanasi, yang biasanya terdiri dari pernyataan umum, urutan penjelasan,
dan interpretasi/penutup.
Menganalisis ciri kebahasaan: Siswa dapat mengidentifikasi ciri-ciri
kebahasaan yang digunakan, seperti penggunaan kata kerja yang
menjelaskan proses dan hubungan sebab-akibat.
Menjelaskan proses dan sebab akibat: Siswa dapat menjelaskan bagaimana
dan mengapa suatu fenomena terjadi secara rinci dan logis.
Menyusun teks eksplanasi: Siswa dapat menulis teks eksplanasi sendiri
dengan mengikuti struktur dan kaidah kebahasaan yang benar.
Mengembangkan kemampuan berpikir kritis: Siswa terlatih untuk bertanya
"mengapa" dan "bagaimana" tentang suatu fenomena, serta mencari tahu
jawabannya secara sistematis.
Choose the best answer for the questions below!
The Text is for questions 1 to 3.
HOW IS A TSUNAMI CAUSED?
A tsunami is a huge ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake, a
volcanic eruption, or a landslide. Tsunamis are often generated when a geological
disturbance displaces a large amount of ocean water. An underwater earthquake is the
most common cause of a tsunami.
When a powerful earthquake occurs on the ocean floor, it can cause the seabed
to move, either upward or downward. This vertical movement displaces the entire water
column above it. The huge amount of displaced water then creates powerful waves that
can travel across entire oceans. As the tsunami approaches a shoreline and enters
shallower water, its speed decreases, but its height and power increase dramatically.
These waves can cause immense destruction when they finally reach land, often
with little warning.
1. What is the primary purpose of the text?
A. To report on a recent tsunami disaster.
B. To describe the destructive effects of a tsunami.
C. To explain the process of how a tsunami occurs.
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D. To persuade readers to help earthquake victims.
E. To entertain the reader with a story about a tsunami.
2. According to the text, what is the most common cause of a tsunami?
A. A change in ocean water temperature.
B. A large landslide on the ocean floor.
C. A vertical movement of the seabed.
D. A volcanic eruption under the sea.
E. An underwater earthquake.
3. What happens to a tsunami as it moves from deep ocean water to shallower
water near the coast?
A. Its speed and height both increase.
B. Its speed and height both decrease
C. Its speed increases, but its height decreases.
D. Its speed decreases, and its height increases.
E. Its speed remains constant, but its height increases.
The Text is for questions 4 to 6.
HOW VOLCANOES ERUPT
Indonesia is located in the "Ring of Fire," a band of volcanoes and earthquake-
prone areas that extends from Nusa Tenggara, through Java, Sumatra, and the
Philippine Islands to the Atlantic Ocean. Volcanoes erupt when magma, molten rock
from deep within the Earth, rises to the surface. As magma rises, it encounters less
pressure, and dissolved gases within it expand, creating bubbles. When these gases
accumulate and the pressure becomes too great for the magma chamber, the magma is
forced violently out of the volcano's vent.
4. What causes magma to expand and form bubbles during a volcanic eruption?
A. Decreased pressure as magma rises.
B. Increased pressure in the magma chamber.
C. The melting of rocks on the Earth's surface.
D. A decrease in the temperature of the magma.
5. According to the text, what is the ultimate reason for the magma to be forced out
of the volcano violently?
A. A lower temperature in the magma chamber.
B. The expansion of gas bubbles within the magma.
C. Too much pressure from surrounding solid rocks.
D. The volcanic eruption occurs in the "Ring of Fire".
EXPLANATION TEXT Page 12
6. Which statement is NOT true based on the provided text?
A. Volcanoes are part of a larger geological belt known as the "Ring of Fire."
B. Volcanoes erupt when magma encounters higher pressure.
C. Magma is molten rock found deep within the Earth.
D. The "Ring of Fire" ends in the Atlantic Ocean.
Read the following text to answer questions number 7 to 10.
Recycling is the collection, processing, and reuse of materials that would
otherwise be thrown away. Materials ranging from precious metals to broken glass, from
old newspapers to plastic spoons, can be recycled. The recycling process reclaims the
original material and uses it in new products.
In general, using recycled materials to make new products costs less and
requires less energy than using new materials. Recycling can also reduce pollution,
either by reducing the demand for high-pollution alternatives or minimizing the pollution
produced during the manufacturing process.
Paper products that can be recycled include cardboard containers, wrapping
paper, and office paper. The most commonly recycled paper product is newsprint. In
newspaper recycling, old newspapers are collected and searched for contaminants
such as plastic bags and aluminum foil. The paper goes to a processing plant where it is
mixed with hot water and turned into pulp in a machine that works much like a big
kitchen blender.
The pulp is screened and filtered to remove smaller contaminants. The pulp then
goes to a large vat where the ink separates from the paper fibers and floats to the
surface. The ink is skimmed off, dried, and reused as ink or burned as boiler fuel. The
cleaned pulp is mixed with new wood fibers to be made into paper again.
Experts estimate the average office worker generates about 5 kg of wastepaper
per month. Every ton of paper that is recycled saves about 1.4 cu m (about 50 cu ft) of
landfill space. One ton of recycled paper saves 17 pulpwood trees (trees used to
produce paper).
7. The following things can be recycled, except ....
A. Broken glass
B. Precious metals
C. Old newspapers
D. Fresh vegetables and fruits
8. Which of the following is not the benefit of recycling?
A. It reduces the demand for high-pollution alternatives.
B. It costs a lot of money for the process of recycling.
C. It costs less to make new products.
D. It requires less energy.
EXPLANATION TEXT Page 13
9. What is the third step of recycling paper products?
A. Collect and search for contaminants such as plastic bags and aluminum foil.
B. Put the pulp into a large vat to separate the ink from the paper fibers.
C. Mix the paper with hot water in a blender which turns it into pulp.
D. Screen and filter the pulp to remove smaller contaminants.
10. We can make use of the ink after being separated from the paper fibers by doing
the followings, except ....
A. Dry it
B. Skim it off
C. Reuse as ink
D. Mix it with the pulp
The following text is for questions 11 to 14.
TSUNAMI
A tsunami occurs when a major fault under the ocean floor suddenly slips. The
displaced rock pushes water above it like a giant paddle, producing powerful water
waves at the ocean surface. The ocean waves spread out from the vicinity of the
earthquake source and move across the ocean until they reach the coastline, where
their height increases as they reach the continental shelf, the part of the earth's crust
that slopes, or rises, from the ocean floor up to the land.
A tsunami washes ashore with often disastrous effects such as severe flooding,
loss of lives due to drowning, and damage to property.
A tsunami is a very large sea wave that is generated by a disturbance along the
ocean floor. This disturbance can be an earthquake, a landslide, or a volcanic eruption.
A tsunami is undetectable far out in the ocean, but once it reaches shallow water, this
fast-traveling wave grows very large.
11. Tsunami happens because ....
A. The displaced rock pushes water above it.
B. A significant fault under the ocean floor slips suddenly.
C. The ocean waves spread out from the vicinity of the source.
D. The waves move across the ocean until they reach the beach.
12. What are the impacts of tsunamis?
A. A tsunami is detectable far out in the ocean.
B. The part of the Earth's crust that slopes, or rises, from the ocean floor down
to the land.
C. A tsunami washes ashore with often disastrous effects such as flooding and
loss of lives.
D. A tsunami is a very large sea wave that is not generated by a disturbance
along the ocean floor.
EXPLANATION TEXT Page 14
13. We understand from the text that tsunami ....
A. Forms a new shape of the coastline.
B. Causes the movement of the earth.
C. Makes unfortunate events.
D. Rises a new coastal land.
14. " ... producing powerful water waves at the ocean surface."
The synonym of the underlined word is ....
A. Fast
B. Deep
C. Quick
D. Strong
The following text is for questions 15 to 18.
All human beings eat food and use the chemical energy in it, as do all other
animals. Perhaps you wonder where all that chemical energy comes from. Why doesn't
the food all get used up?
The answer is that new food is being grown as fast as old food is used. It is the
green plants that form the new food. Animals either eat the plants or eat other animals
that have eaten plants.
The green substance of plants is chlorophyll. Chlorophyll can absorb sunlight.
When it does so, it changes the energy of the sun into chemical energy. The chemical
energy present in sunlit chlorophyll is used to combine dioxide in the air with water from
the soil. Starch and other complicated compounds are formed. These are high in
chemical energy obtained from the sunlit chlorophyll.
They make up the food on which mankind and all other animals live. In the
process of forming this food, some oxygen atoms are left over. These are given off into
the air by the plants. The whole process is called photosynthesis.
Thus, plants use sunlight to form food and oxygen to form carbon dioxide and
water again. Plants change the sun’s energy into chemical energy. And animals change
the animal energy into kinetic and heat energy.
15. The text is about ...
A. The process of changing chemical energy.
B. The formation of carbon dioxide.
C. The process of photosynthesis.
D. The green substance of plants.
16. What will happen when chlorophyll absorbs sunlight? It will ...
A. Change the sun's energy into chemical energy.
B. Change heat into kinetic energy.
EXPLANATION TEXT Page 15
C. Form complicated compound.
D. Make use of heat energy.
17. From the text we know that ....
A. Plants need to heat energy to live.
B. All human beings need chemical energy.
C. Plants absorb sunlight to produce kinetic energy.
D. Chlorophyll is the most important thing in photosynthesis.
18. The green substance of plants is chlorophyll. The underlined word is closest in
meaning to ....
A. Core
B. Body
C. Stuff
D. Essence
The following text is for questions 19 to 21.
Silkworms live for only two or three days after laying eggs. About 36,000 to
50,000 eggs are laid, and these are carefully stored at the silkworm farm until they are
ready to hatch. The eggs hatch into caterpillars, which feed on mulberry leaves. Soon,
the caterpillars are ready to spin their cocoons.
Not all caterpillars can spin silk cocoons. Only the caterpillars of a silkworm moth
known as ‘Bombyx Marie can do the such spinning. This caterpillar has special glands
which secrete liquid silk through its lower lip. The liquid produced later hardens to form
tine strands.
The caterpillar makes its cocoons using these strands. The threads on the
outside of the cocoon are rough, while those inside are soft and smooth.
Some fully-spun cocoons are heated. This kills the pupa inside. The cocoons are
then put into hot water to loosen the fine threads. Finally, these threads are reeled off
the cocoons.
The length of unbroken thread produced by a single cocoon measures about
one-and-a-half kilometers. Being twisted together several of these threads make single
woven materials.
19. What is the purpose of the text ....
A. To persuade readers to buy silk.
B. To put silk into different categories.
C. To entertain readers with knowledge.
D. To describe how silk comes into existence.
20. How are the threads on the outside of the cocoon ....
A. Fine
B. Soft
C. Strong
D. Rough
EXPLANATION TEXT Page 16
21. What are mulberry leaves for ...
A. Feeding caterpillars
B. Spinning cocoons
C. Storing threads
D. Hatching eggs
Read the text carefully, the answer the questions given!
Text 1
WHY IS THE SKY BLUE?
The blue color of the sky is due to a phenomenon called scattering. Scattering
occurs when the molecules and particles in the atmosphere interact with the solar
radiation (sunlight). The sunlight that reaches the earth is composed of different
wavelengths, which correspond to different colors. The human eye can perceive these
colors as the spectrum of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and
violet.
The amount of scattering depends on the wavelength of the light and the size of
the particles. According to Rayleigh's law, the scattering is inversely proportional to the
fourth power of the wavelength. This means that shorter wavelengths (such as blue and
violet) are scattered more than longer wavelengths (such as red and orange).
However, this does not explain why the sky is blue and not violet, since violet has
the shortest wavelength and should be scattered the most. The reason is that the sun
emits more blue light than violet, and also that the human eye is more sensitive to blue
light than violet. Therefore, the combination of these factors makes the sky appear blue
to us.
Questions:
1. What is the main purpose of the text?
2. What is the phenomenon that causes the blue color of the sky?
3. What is the relationship between the wavelength of light and the amount of
scattering?
4. What are the two factors that make the sky appear blue and not violet?
EXPLANATION TEXT Page 17
Text 2
HOW DOES A RAINBOW FORM?
A rainbow is a colorful arc that appears in the sky when sunlight is refracted and
reflected by water droplets in the air. The formation of a rainbow involves three steps:
refraction, reflection, and dispersion.
Refraction is the bending of light when it passes from one medium to another
with a different density. When sunlight enters a water droplet, it is refracted at the
surface of the droplet and changes its direction.
Reflection is the bouncing of light when it hits a surface. When the refracted
sunlight reaches the back of the droplet, it is reflected back to the front of the droplet.
Dispersion is the splitting of white light into its component colors. When the reflected
sunlight exits the droplet, it is refracted again at the surface of the droplet and changes
its direction. However, this time, the angle of refraction depends on the wavelength of
the light. Shorter wavelengths (such as violet and blue) are refracted more than longer
wavelengths (such as red and orange). This causes the white light to split into a
spectrum of colors.
The colors of the rainbow are arranged in the order of decreasing wavelength and
increasing refraction: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. This is the
same order as the colors of the spectrum that are produced by a prism. To see a
rainbow, the observer must be positioned between the sun and the water droplets, and
the sun must be behind the observer. The angle between the sun, the observer, and the
center of the rainbow is about 42 degrees.
Questions:
1. What is the definition of a rainbow according to the text?
2. What are the three steps involved in the formation of a rainbow?
3. What is the difference between refraction and reflection?
4. What is the cause of dispersion of white light into a spectrum of colors?
5. What are the conditions for observing a rainbow?
Text 3
HOW DOES A VOLCANO ERUPT?
A volcano is a vent or opening in the earth's crust that allows molten rock, ash,
and gas to escape from below the surface. A volcano erupts when the pressure and
temperature inside the magma chamber, which is a reservoir of molten rock under the
volcano, become too high. The magma then rises through cracks and fissures in the
crust and reaches the surface.
There are different types of volcanic eruptions, depending on the viscosity and
gas content of the magma. Viscosity is a measure of how thick or fluid a substance is.
Gas content is a measure of how much dissolved gas is present in the magma. The
more viscous and gas-rich the magma is, the more explosive the eruption will be.
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Some examples of volcanic eruptions are:
- Hawaiian eruptions: These are the least explosive type of eruptions, characterized
by the gentle outflow of very fluid and gas-poor lava. The lava forms fountains,
rivers, and lakes, and can travel long distances. The lava also cools and solidifies
into various shapes, such as ropes, balls, and tubes. Hawaiian eruptions are named
after the volcanoes in Hawaii, where they are common.
- Strombolian eruptions: These are moderately explosive eruptions, characterized by
the intermittent burst of gas-rich lava. The lava forms jets, bombs, and blocks, and
can reach heights of hundreds of meters. The lava also accumulates around the
vent and forms a cone-shaped mountain. Strombolian eruptions are named after the
volcano Stromboli in Italy, where they are frequent.
- Vulcanian eruptions: These are very explosive eruptions, characterized by the
violent ejection of viscous and gas-rich magma. The magma forms clouds, columns,
and plumes of ash, dust, and rock, and can reach heights of several kilometers. The
magma also falls back to the ground and forms pyroclastic flows, which are fast-
moving and deadly mixtures of hot gas and solid particles. Vulcanian eruptions are
named after the volcano Vulcano in Italy, where they were first observed.
- Plinian eruptions: These are the most explosive and destructive type of eruptions,
characterized by the colossal blast of extremely viscous and gas-rich magma. The
magma forms gigantic clouds, columns, and plumes of ash, dust, and rock, and can
reach heights of tens of kilometers. The magma also falls back to the ground and
forms pyroclastic flows, as well as lahars, which are mudflows of volcanic debris and
water. Plinian eruptions are named after the Roman writer Pliny the Younger, who
witnessed and described the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
Questions:
1. What is the main cause of a volcanic eruption?
2. What are the two factors that determine the type of volcanic eruption?
3. What is the difference between viscosity and gas content?
4. What is the name of the type of eruption that produces fountains and rivers of
lava?
5. What is the name of the type of eruption that produces pyroclastic flows and
lahars?
Text 4
HOW DOES A MICROWAVE OVEN WORK?
A microwave oven is a device that uses electromagnetic waves to heat and cook
food. Microwave ovens are different from conventional ovens, which use thermal
radiation to transfer heat to the food. Microwave ovens use microwaves, which are a
type of electromagnetic wave with a wavelength of about 12 centimeters and a
frequency of about 2.45 gigahertz.
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Microwaves are generated by a device called a magnetron, which converts
electrical energy into electromagnetic energy. The magnetron consists of a cathode, an
anode, and a series of magnets. When an electric current flows through the cathode, it
emits electrons. The electrons are then accelerated by the electric field between the
cathode and the anode, and deflected by the magnetic field around the anode. The
electrons move in a circular path, creating oscillating electric and magnetic fields. These
fields form microwaves, which are then directed by a waveguide to the cooking
chamber.
The cooking chamber is a metal box that reflects the microwaves and prevents
them from escaping. The food is placed on a rotating turntable, which ensures even
exposure to the microwaves. The microwaves penetrate the food and interact with the
water molecules inside. The water molecules have a positive and a negative end, which
makes them polar. The microwaves cause the water molecules to rotate rapidly,
creating friction and heat. The heat is then transferred to the rest of the food by
conduction and convection. This is how the food is cooked in a microwave oven.
Questions:
1. What is the main purpose of the text?
2. What is the difference between a microwave oven and a conventional oven?
3. What is the device that produces microwaves in a microwave oven?
4. How do the microwaves heat the food?
5. What is the function of the turntable in the cooking chamber?
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