Francis Alexander XII MIPA 9 / 13

Explanation Text
1. Communicative Purpose
The communicative purpose of the text is to explain processes in the formation or
activities associated with the natural/social/cultural phenomenon.
2. Text Organization
a. General Statements:
In the general statement, the writer introduces and explains the general explanation
of the phenomenon that will be discussed in the test.
b. Sequence of the Events:
In the sequence of events, the writer explains about why the phenomenon may occur
or be created by answering to the question ‘why’ and ‘how’ related to the
phenomenon. This part of the text can contain more than one paragraph.
c. Closing – optional:
Closing part is not listed in the generic structure of the Explanation text. However,
sometimes the last paragraph of the Explanation text looks like closing; it is actually
a part of sequence of the events.
3. Language Features
a. It uses Simple Present Tense.
b. It uses action verbs.
c. It uses passive voice.
d. It uses noun phrase
e. It uses adverbial phrase
f. It uses technical terms
g. Using general and abstract noun
h. Using conjunction of time and cause-effect.

Title How Does A Fan Work?

General Statements
Sequence of the Events
Language Features:
- Conjunction (However)
- Present tense (As the motor
spins, the fan blades rotate.)
- Uses technical terms
(rotating shaft)
- Noun phrase (an)
- Adverbial phrase (to)
- Action verbs (moves)
- Passive voice (inclined)
Concluding Statement
The Fan is an electronic device that everybody
use in their house. People use the fan to make
the air in the room cooler, especially in hot day.
However, do you know how a fan works?
An electric fan has an electric motor with some
fan blades attached to its rotating shaft. As the
motor spins, the fan blades rotate. Each blade is
angled a bit, and as the inclined plane of the
blade moves through the air, it forces the air
ahead of it forward. Each blade does this on a
continuous basis, and the result is a moving air
stream. The fan is taking air from the area
behind itself and blowing it out the front.
The fan generates a movement of air, causing
the warm dense air to descend, and the cool
dense air to rise, thus creating a feeling of
coolness in the air.
 Francis Alexander XII MIPA 9 / 13

Mysterious Underwater Circles

In 1995, beautiful mysterious underwater circles was founded in Japan. The origin of this at
first was an enigma. The locals and the divers call it as “mystery circles” since no one knew
how they were formed.
Finally, the secret behind these circles was revealed in 2011 when a male species of pufferfish
was found as the creatures behind it. Further study showed these small pufferfish make the
ornate circles to attract mates. Males laboriously flat their fins as they swim along the seafloor,
resulting in disrupted sediment and amazing circular patterns. Although the fish are only about
12 cm (5 inches) long, the formations they make measure about 2 meters (7 feet in diameter).
When the circles are finished, females come to inspect them. From Hiroshi Kawase, the curator
of the coastal Branch of Natural History Museum and Institute in China, Japan once it is known
if the females like what they see, they reproduce with the males. However, nobody knows
exactly what the females are looking for in these circles or what traits they find desirable.
Quiz!
1. The writer’s purpose of writing the text above is ….
a. To describe what a pufferfish is
b. To announce about the finding of mysterious underwater circles
c. To give information about the ecosystem of marine life in Japan
d. To explain the secret behind the forming process of mysterious underwater circles
2. … as the creatures behind it
The word creature in paragraph 2 refers to …
a. Plants
b. Circles
c. Animals
d. Creation
3. … females come to inspect them
The word ‘them’ in the text above refers to …
a. Circles
b. Divers
c. Females
d. Scientist
4. The information below can be found from the text, EXCEPT …
a. The females of pufferfish come to inspect the circles after they finish inspecting
b. The secret of underwater circles were remained mysterious until 2011
c. The circular patterns are the result of how the male pufferfish laboriously flap their
fins as they swim along the seafloor.
d. Hiroshi Kawase, the curator of the Coastal Branch of Natural History Museum and
Institute in Chiba, thought that divers can make the same circles.
5. From Hiroshi Kawase, the curator.
What is the synonym to that word above?
a. Peasant
b. Maid
c. Driver
d. Administrator