Diagram Completion
A diagram explaining a scientific or natural process or structure of a living or non living thing is presented.
The candidates are required to complete the labels of the diagram which is described
in the reading passage. The words are to be chosen from the passage. The answers are
not
necessarily
in
the
order
of
the
information
in
the
passage.
Tips to solve:
i) Read the instructions carefully.
ii) In the diagram, notice the various components as well as their arrangement for
correct interpretation from the description in the passage. If it is a process diagram,
notice the arrows to understand the process.
iii) Notice the verbs or action words, or adverbs given in your question to go to the
required information in the passage.
iv) The description of the diagram is mostly found in one paragraph. So, most answers
are present there, but sometimes, the answers to a question or two are found in other
paragraphs too. The sequence may be slightly altered to make the task challenging.
v) Consider the words close to the blanks. These are mostly picked from the text or
reworded with basic synonyms.
vi) Determine the required word form (Noun/ verb/ adjective/ adverb/ determiners)
for accurate information and grammatical accuracy. Although the question uses single
words or phrases, not sentences(usually), the appropriate word form is needed to
convey the correct meaning.
vii) Assume possible answers before jumping to the passage so that you can pick the
required word to suit the content as well as grammatical accuracy instead of hurriedly
picking synonyms or the first word you read. Words must never be considered in
isolation. The entire piece of information must be considered.
Bees
Worker bees are between 8-19mm in length. They are divided into three distinct parts;
head, thorax, abdomen. They have an almost completely black head, a thorax that is
golden brown and black with patches of orange, and yellow bands can be easily seen
on the abdomen. At the front of the head are two antennae for sensing their
environment. They have four single wings. The largest are called forewings and the
smallest hindwings. The hind legs are specialised for collecting pollen – each leg is
flattened
to
form
a
pollen
basket
near
the
Questions 1-4
The diagram below shows the worker bee.
Label the diagram.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Show Answer
Topic Name
Exercise 1
© 2019 Star Wings The Englishpedia. All rights reserved.
Answers:
end.
(Note: The text in italics is from the reading passage and shows the location from
where the answer is taken or inferred. The text in regular font explains the
answer in detail.)
1.
forewing (or) forewings
Explanation: They
have
four
called forewings and
2.
single
the
wings.
The
smallest
largest
are
hindwings.
antennae
Explanation: At the front of the head are two antennae for sensing their
environment.
3. hindwing (or) hindwings
Explanation: They have four single wings. The largest are called forewings
and
4.
the
smallest hindwings.
pollen
basket
Explanation: The hind legs are specialised for collecting pollen – each leg is
flattened to form a pollen basket near the end.
Hide Answer
Topic Name
Exercise 1
© 2019 Star Wings The Englishpedia. All rights reserved.
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Answer questions 1-6 which are based on the reading passage below.
School Experiments
It is essential when conducting this experiment to wear safety gog gles. This
experiment is divided into four distinct sections. The first, the reaction stage, is when
a glass beaker is placed on top of a tripod, and 20cm of dilute sulphuric acid poured
into it. The acid is then heated. When it is almost boiling, a small quantity of copper
oxide powder is added to the beaker. The mixture is then stirred with a glass spatula
until the copper oxide has dissolved. This process is then repeated until 1g of powder
has been added to the sulphuric acid. The heat is then removed f rom the beaker and
the solution allowed to cool. The second stage is the filtration stage and, as the name
suggests, is where a filter and conical flask are used to remove any copper oxide that
has not reacted. A clear copper sulphate solution will be left in the glass dish. The
third stage is where heat is applied to the copper sulphate solution in order to
concentrate the solution: the concentration stage. The final crystallization stage
happens when the solution begins to cool, and pure copper sulphate c rystals start to
form.
Questions 1 – 6
The diagram below shows how copper sulphate can be made using simple laboratory
equipment.
Label the diagram.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the
passage for each answer.
Show Answer
Topic Name
Exercise 1
© 2019 Star Wings The Englishpedia. All rights reserved.
Answers:
(Note: The text in italics is from the reading passage and shows the location from
where the answer is taken or inferred. The text in regular font explains the
answer in detail.)
1
Explanation : The second stage is the filtration stage and, …..
Filtration
2
Crystallization
Explanation : The final crystallization stage happens when the solution begins to
cool, and pure copper sulphate crystals start to form.Answers 1 and 2 can be
understood from the mentioned information that defines stages. The two stages( out of
four) are mentioned in the diagram. As it is a list, similar information is required. The
guiding words for you are: first, second, third and final.
3
Copper
oxide
powder
Explanation : When it is almost boiling, a small quantity of copper oxide powder is
added
to
the
beaker.
The process of heating is mentioned in the diagram, and the arrow at Question 3
indicates the addition of an element.
4
Remove
copper
oxide
/
filter
copper
oxide
Explanation : The second stage is the filtration stage and, as the name suggests, is
where a filter and conical flask are used to remove any copper oxide that has not
reacted.
The dimensions of the flask and the shaded portion in the flask indicate the residue in
the filter.
5
Copper
sulphate
solution
Explanation : A clear copper sulphate solution will be left in the glass dish. The third
stage is where heat is applied to the copper sulphate solution in order to concentrate
the
solution;
the
concentration
stage.
The shape of the dish, the heat are indicators of what is obtained next.
6
Copper
sulphate
crystals
Explanation : The final crystallization stage happens when the solution begins to
cool,
and
pure
copper
sulphate
crystals
start
to
form.
The keyword ‘final’ guides you to the answer and the shape of the contents also lead
you to the word ‘crystals’.
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which are based on the reading passage below.
The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)
The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is one of the most unusual, unlikely and
evolutionary distinct animals alive. According to the BBC, the first time a platypus
was brought from Australia to Britain, people believed that a hoodwinker had sewn
two animals together and that they were the victims of a hoax. Platypuses are best
described as a hotchpotch of more recognizable species such as the du ck, beaver or
otter. The physical structure, habitat and reproduction system of the platypus makes it
an interesting and unique mammal.
Weighing around three pounds, the platypus measures 15 inches (38 cm) from its head
to lower back. The tail adds about 5 inches (13 cm). However, the creatures inhabiting
colder regions are bigger. The physiology of the platypus is adapted for survival on
land as well as in water. The shape of its bill gives it the name duck-billed platypus.
This flexible body part is smooth like suede and has receptors for navigation and
detection of movements of freely-swimming food, such as shrimp. The eyes and ears
located in the grooves behind the bill are covered by folds of skin and a watertight
seal that closes the nostrils when it is underwater. Platypuses have thick waterproof
fur which allows them to stay warm underwater. Although most of its fur is dark
brown, a patch near the eyes and on the underside is of a lighter shade. When on land,
the webbing on their feet retracts, making their claws more pronounced and hence,
these animals walk awkwardly on their knuckles to protect the web.
Yet another peculiar fact about these animals is that they are one of the very few
mammals which are poisonous. Male platypuses have a horny spur on the ankles of
their hind feet. It is connected to a venom gland in the upper leg. It releases a poison
capable of causing excruciating pain to humans and is also capable of killing other
small animals. Fat is stored in the tail.
These mammals inhabit only one small area of the world. Platypuses make their
homes in freshwater bodies that flow throughout the eastern and south -eastern coasts
of Australia and the island of Tasmania. Though these creatures exist only on one side
of one continent, platypuses can be found in various climate extremes such as in
lowlands, plateaus, cold mountains and tropical rainforests. Although platypuses
spend a lot of time in the water, they waddle onto the riverbanks to claw through the
mud using their nails and feet to make burrows which are tunnels with chambers or
rooms. They can also reside under debris, rock ledges or roots.
Platypuses are nocturnal and hence are most actively hunting during the night which
can last for about 10 to 12 hours. Hunting for food takes place under the water. As
they swim, they try to detect food such as insects, larvae, worms or shellfish along the
muddy bottom of the water body. They scoop the prey in their bills, store it in cheek
pouches and swim to the surface. Because they do not have tee th but grinding plates,
they use the gravel and dirt that they scooped up to fragment their food into digestible
portions.
The platypus is listed as a species of ‘least concern’ by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, being a carnivore, its role as that of
controlling the population of species in the lower level of the food chain cannot be
ignored. The biggest threats include natural predators such as snakes, water rats and
goannas, and some introduced animals such as foxes, dogs and cats. Human activities
such as land clearing and dams are the biggest threat to the loss of habitat. However,
platypuses have been able to evade most of the human intrusion of their natural
environment.
Questions 1-6
Label the diagram below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Show Answer
Topic Name
Exercise 1
© 2019 Star Wings The Englishpedia. All rights reserved.
(Note: The text in italics is from the reading passage and shows the location from
where the answer is taken or inferred. The text in the regular font explains the
answer in detail.)
1 food
Explanation: Paragraph 2 - The shape of its bill gives it the name duck-billed
platypus. This flexible body part is smooth like suede and has receptors for
navigation and detection of movements of freely-swimming food, such as shrimp.
2 nostrils
Explanation: Paragraph 2 - The eyes and ears located in the grooves behind the bill
are covered by folds of skin and a watertight seal that closes the nostrils when it is
underwater.
3 webbing
Explanation: Paragraph 2 - When on land, the webbing on their feet retracts,
making their claws more pronounced …
4 spur
Explanation: Paragraph 3 - Male platypuses have a horny spur on the ankles of
their hind feet. It is connected to a venom gland in the upper leg. It releases a poison
…
5 fat
Explanation: Paragraph 3 - Fat is stored in the tail.
6 fur
Explanation: Paragraph 2 - Platypuses have thick waterproof fur which allows them
to stay warm underwater.
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Answer questions 1-6 which are based on the reading passage below.
The Structure of a Tick
Ticks are invertebrate animals in the phylum arthropod in the subclass Acari. For the
layman, the tick is just another insect like a fly or mosquito for its bothersome
existence. However, ticks are arachnids like mites and spiders with distinct anatomy.
The symbiotic relation of ticks with other species falls under parasitism, where one
creature gains whereas the other suffers.
Tick families can be classified as the hard ticks (Ixodidae) and the soft ticks
(Argasidae). Hard ticks have a shield like protection (scutum) on the upper surface.
Male ticks have a large scutum, covering almost the entire body, whereas female hard
ticks have a much smaller scutum, covering less than half of its body. There are many
folds on the underside. The rectangular folds along the rounded posterior of the body
in hard ticks are called festoons. These help the immature and adult female hard tick
bodies to expand as they feed. The structure of a hard tick can be divided as the
capitulum, which looks like the head on the tick’s body and comprises three parts.
These are the mouthparts that protrude forward from the body, which is called the
idiosoma. The capitulum has two chelicerae which are the cutting organs with hook -
like barbs that face outward. The cutting surfaces are inserted into the host’s skin and
pushed outwards so that a hole is formed for the hypostome to enter. The hypostome
is a barbed needle-like structure near the mouth between the chelicerae that the tick
uses to hold itself to the host. It is equipped with rows of small spines(denticles) on
the underside that point backwards making it difficult to pull the tick out. The longer
palps on both sides of the hypostome have a sensory function only. They move away
as the chelicerae insert into the skin. Some ticks secrete a cement-like substance from
the salivary glands near the biting organs. This substance acts like glue as the tick
sucks blood, making it even more difficult to remove the feeding tick.
The idiosoma includes four pairs of legs. Each leg is covered in short, spiny hairs
with a tiny claw at the end. The spines and the claws help the tick grasp leaves, grass
and other vegetation, and their host. The tick’s body is very flat which makes it easy
for the animal to latch on top of its host without being seen. As the tick feeds on the
host’s body, the tick’s saliva prevents the host’s blood from clotting. Unlike the saliva
of a flea, the tick’s saliva does not have compounds that cause the host’s body to itch
and swell. The body or the idiosoma expands as it feeds. The expansion varies as the
male hard tick scutum covers much of the tick’s back such that it does not swell as
much. However, the female hard ticks do swell enormously as they need a lot of blood
to lay their eggs. Without food, ticks can starve to death although this can take
months or even years.
The tick begins its life as an egg, which hatches into a six-legged larva. The larva
looks for a host. After feeding, the larva drops to the ground and moults into a nymph
within three weeks. The nymph has eight legs and looks like a smaller version of the
adult tick. It looks for another host, and after feeding, it drops to the ground and
moults again. Some soft ticks will moult several times consuming blood before each
moult. After the last moult, the tick becomes an adult. The hard adult tick will at tach
to a host before mating, and the male will often die after mating. The female too will
attach to a host, feed for more than 24 hours and after mating, will lay 2,000 to
18,000 eggs and die. Soft ticks are an exception. They will feed on their host sev eral
times, mate and lay eggs severally.
Unlike many other arachnids, ticks do not jump or land on their host by hanging. The
front legs of the ticks have sensors called Haller’s organs. Haller described these
special features in a publication in 1881, mistaking the structures for ears, but they
are the olfactory organs of the tick that sense the presence of a human through the
carbon dioxide exhaled and the ammonia from human sweat. Ticks can also detect the
slightest movement. Ticks rest on a leaf, stem of a plant or a blade of grass with its
front legs outstretched in a posture called questing. They usually crawl up from the
feet of a human body, sometimes up to the hair.
Ticks are carriers of diseases such as spotted fever, Lyme, rocky and anaplasmosis.
Tick infestation in gardens or your body while on a hike or trek can be prevented
using tick-repellants and regular pest control methods.
Question 1-6
Label the diagram below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Structure of a Tick
Show Answer
Topic Name
Exercise 1
© 2019 Star Wings The Englishpedia. All rights reserved.
(Note: The text in italics is from the reading passage and shows the location from
where the answer is taken or inferred. The text in regular font explains the
answer in detail.)
1 capitulum
Explanation: Paragraph 2: The structure of a hard tick can be divided as
the capitulum, which looks like the head on the tick’s body and comprises three
parts. These are the mouthparts that protrude forward from the body, which is called
the idiosoma.
2 hypostome
Explanation: Paragraph 2: The hypostome is a barbed needle-like structure near
the mouth between the chelicerae ...
3 chelicerae
Explanation: Paragraph 2: The capitulum has two chelicerae which are the cutting
organs with hook-like barbs that face outward.
4 claw
Explanation: Paragraph 3: The idiosoma includes four pairs of legs. Each leg is
covered in short, spiny hairs with a tiny claw at the end.
5 festoons
Explanation: Paragraph 2: The rectangular folds along the rounded posterior of the
body in hard ticks are called festoons.
6 scutum
Explanation: Paragraph 2: Hard ticks have a shield like protection (scutum) on the
upper surface.
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