LEMBAGA PENDIDIKAN PERCONTOHAN

RUMAH MATEMATIKA DAN SAINS

Jl. Sungai Raya Dalam Ruko Puri Akcaya 1 No.1
Telp. (0561) 6714075
Pontianak, Indonesia

045/ KEP/LKP/ 1991 050/DPMTKPTSP/2018 AHU-870.AH.02.01 NO 22

EXPLANATION TEXT

Definition of Explanation Text

Explanation is a text which tells processes relating to forming of natural, social, scientific and cultural phenomena.
Explanation text is to say ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the forming of the phenomena. It is often found in science, geography
and history text books.

Generic Structure of Explanation Text

– General statement
General statement; stating the phenomenon issues which are to be explained.
– Sequenced of explanation
Sequenced explanation; stating a series of steps which explain the phenomena.

Purpose of Explanation Text

– Explanation is a text which tells processes relating to forming of natural, social, scientific, and cultural
phenomena.
– To explain how or why something happens.

According to Mark Anderson and Kathy Anderson (1997: 82) says that the explanation text type is often used to
tell how and why thing (phenomena) occur in nature.

Language Features of Explanation Text

In an explanation text, there are linguistic features as below :

– Using simple present tense
– Using abstract noun (no visible noun)
– Using Passive voice
– Using Action verbs
– Containing explanation of the process ..

Example of explanation text :

Flooding is a disaster which commonly happens in large and densely populated cities. In Indonesia, the floods hit
Jakarta very often and cause many victims. Then, do you know the process of how flood happens? Pay attention
to the following explanation.

The process of natural flooding is preceded by rain which falls to the surface of the earth. Then the rain water is
absorbed by the ground surface and flows to the lower place. Once that condition happens, evaporation and the
water appear to the surface of the land. Flooding can be disastrous for humans when floods happen in an area
that people live because the water carries along objects like houses, bridges, cars, furniture and even people.
On the other hand, the process of non natural flooding is usually caused by bad habits of humans who do not care
about the environment, such as littering that can make water flow clogged. This makes the water deposited in
landfills which gradually becomes more common. When water reservoirs can no longer hold water discharge, the
water then overflows out theland and cause flooding.

EXERCISE

The following text is for questions 1 to 4

Human body is made up of countless millions of cells. Food is needed to built up new cells and replace the worn
out cells. However, the food that we take must be changed into substances that can be carried in the blood to the
places where they are needed. This process is called digestion.

The first digestive process takes place in the mouth. The food we eat is broken up into small pieces by the action
of teeth, mixed with saliva, a juice secreted by glands in the mouth. Saliva contains digestive juice which moisten
the food, so it can be swallowed easily.

From the mouth, food passes through the esophagus (the food passage) into the stomach. Here, the food is
mixed with the juices secreted by the cells in the stomach for several hours. Then the food enters the small
intestine. All the time the muscular walls of the intestine are squeezing, mixing and moving the food onwards.

In a few hours, the food changes into acids. These are soon absorbed by the villi (microscopic branch projections
from the intestine walls) and passed into the bloodstream.

1. What is the text about?

A. The digestive system
B. The digestive juice
C. The method of the digestive system
D. The process of intestine work
E. The food substances

2. How can we swallow the food easily?

A. The food changes into acids absorbed by the villi.
B. The food must be digested first through the process.
C. The food is directly swallowed through esophagus into the stomach.
D. The food is mixed with the juices secreted by the cells in the stomach.
E. The food we take must be changed into substances carried in the blood to the places.

3. From the text above, we imply that ….

A. A good process of digestive system will help our body becoming healthier.
B. No one concerned with the process of digestive system for their health.
C. The digestive system is needed if we are eating the food instantly.
D. Everybody must conduct the processes of digestive system well.
E. The better we digest the food we eat, the healthier we will be.

4. “Human body is made up of countless millions of cells.” (Paragraph 1)

The underlined phrase means ….
A. Produced
B. Managed
C. Arranged
D. Completed
E. Constructed

The following text is for questions 5 to 8

Biodiesel is a clean burning substitute for petroleum based diesel fuel. Biodiesel is made of vegetable oil.

To make or manufacture Biodiesel, you must first start with raw materials. The raw materials needed in the
production of Biodiesel are a small amount of methanol and a ready supply of vegetable product. One of the most
common vegetables used in the production of Biodiesel is corn, although depending on the geographic location of
the manufacturing facility many other plants are used as well (rapeseed, soybeans, flaxseed, etc.). The first step
is to use the raw vegetable product to make vegetable oil. Vegetable oil by itself will not be what you need to
power a car, from here it has to be processed into Biodiesel.

The process for converting vegetable oil into Biodiesel is sometimes called ester interchange. To complete this
process the vegetable oil has to be combined with a smaller amount of methanol and then put in the presence of a
small quantity of an alkaline catalyst (for example, 5% to 1% sodium hydroxide). Vegetable oil is made up of so-
called triglycerides, which is a compound of the trivalent alcohol glycerin with three fatty acids. The goal of ester
interchange is to separate the glycerin molecule from the three fatty acids and replace it with three methanol
molecules. This process then yields roughly 90% Biodiesel and 10% of a glycerin byproduct. The glycerin
byproduct can be used in a number of other chemical processes for different industries.

5. What is the text about?

A. The process of making Biodiesel.
B. The use of the Biodiesel.
C. The advantage of using the Biodiesel.
D. The benefit of producing the Biodiesel.
E. The development of the Biodiesel product.

6. What are interchanged in the process of ester interchange?

A. The three fatty acids with the glycerin molecules.
B. The glycerin molecule with three methanol molecules.
C. Methanol with the three fatty acids.
D. Vegetable oil with methanol
E. Methanol and alkaline catalyst.

7. According to the text, one of the advantages in using biodiesel is…

A. It is cheap.
B. It only uses vegetable oil.
C. It uses replaceable materials.
D. It can be done in small industry.
E. It gives less pollution than petroleum.

8. “The process for converting vegetable oil…”(Paragraph 3)

The underline word is closest in meaning to…
A. Producing
B. Separating
C. Attaching
D. Processing
E. Changing

The following text is for questions 9 to 11

The nose, trachea and lungs are the main organs which make up the respiratory system. This system allows the
exchange of gases which are needed for us to live.

Breathing happens when the brain sends a message through the nerves to the intercostal muscles which lie
between the ribs and diaphragm. When the instruction is received, the muscles pull the ribs outwards and the
diaphragm relaxes so that the space in the chest gets bigger. Because the pressure in the chest gets lower, air
rushes in to fill the lungs.

This air is first taken in through the nose or mouth. It then travels into the throat (the pharynx) and on through the
voice box (the larynx). The opening to the voice box has a cover over it called the epiglottis.

This cover opens when a breath is taken. In this way, the air is able to flow down the trachea but food is kept out.

After passing down the trachea the air travels into the lung down either the right or left bronchus, through the
bronchioles and at last into tiny air sacs called alveoli. These are covered with small blood vessels called
capillaries. From here, oxygen is finally taken into the blood stream and carbon dioxide is passed back to the
lungs.

The intercostal muscles then push the rib cage back inwards. As a result, the space in the chest gets smaller and
the pressure rises, thus pushing the carbon dioxide back out of the lungs.

And it all happens in the space of a single breath!

9. What organ makes up the human respiratory system?

A. Mouth
B. Pancreas
C. Trachea
D. Liver
E. Stomach

10. The following statements are true EXCEPT ...

A. The nose, trachea and lungs are the main organs which make up the respiratory system.
B. The intercostal muscles push the rib cage back inwards.
C. The intercostal muscles then push the rib cage back inwards.
D. Breathing happens when the brain receives a message through the nerves to the intercostal muscles.
E. Epiglottis is opened when a breath is taken.

11. “It then travels into the throat (the pharynx) and …” (Paragraph 3)
The underlined word refers to ...
A. The chest
B. The water
C. The lung
D. The rib
E. The voice

The following text is for questions 12 to 15

The sense of taste is one of a person’s five senses. We taste with the help of taste-buds in the tongue.

There are four main kinds of taste: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. All other tastes are just mixtures of two or more
of these main types.

The surface of the tongue has more than fifteen thousand taste-buds (or cells). These are connected to the brain
by special nerves which send the so-called ‘tastes messages.

When the tongue comes into contact with food of any kind, the taste-buds will pick up the taste. The nerves then
send a message to the brain. This will make us aware of the taste. All this happens in just a few seconds.

There are four kinds of taste-buds, each of which is sensitive to only a particular taste. These four groups are
located in different parts of the tongue.

The taste-buds for salty and sweet tastes are found round the tip of the tongue and along its sides. Sour tastes
can be picked up only at the sides of the tongue. The taste-buds of the bitter taste are found at the innermost
edge of the tongue. There are taste-buds at the centre of the tongue.

The senses of smell and sight can affect taste. The good smell of food increases its taste. Similarly, attractive
colours can make food appear tastier and more delicious. If food does not smell good or is dull-coloured, it will
look tasty and may not taste good at all.

Very hot or cold sensations can make the taste-buds insensitive. Food that is too hot or too cold, when placed in
the mouth, will have no tastes at all.

12. We can taste any kind of food because of ...

A. The good smell of food
B. The four main kinds of taste
C. The taste-buds in the tongue
D. The senses of smell and sight
E. The taste-buds round the tip of the tongue

13. When we eat very hot or cold food ...

A. The food will lose its taste
B. The food won’t smell good
C. The taste of the food increases
D. The taste-buds will be sensitive
E. The taste-buds will be very, responsive

14. The senses of smell and sight ...

A. Increase the taste of the food
B. Affect the taste of the food
C. Make food more delicious
D. Make the food look good
E. Make the food attractive

15. The purpose of the text is ...

A. To explain how we can taste any food in the mouth
B. To give a report about the sense of taste
C. To inform how important the tongue is
D. To describe the use of the tongue
E. To tell the taste of the food