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SERI OMEGA PRIVATE & INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

SUBJECT : ENGLISH LEVEL : FORM 3 ONLINE LESSON : 24

Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage.

Camouflage develops differently depending on

the physiology and behaviour of an animal. For
example, an animal with fur will develop a different
sort of camouflage from an animal with scales, and
an animal that swims in large schools underwater
will develop a different camouflage from one that swings alone through the trees.

An animal's environment is often the most important factor in what the camouflage
looks like. The simplest camouflage technique is for an animal to match the background of its
surroundings. In this case, the various elements of the natural habitat may be referred to as the
model for the camouflage.

An animal will not develop any camouflage that does not help it survive, so not all
animals blend in with their environment the same way. For example, there is no point in an
animal replicating the colour of its surroundings if its main predator is colour-blind.

For most animals, 'blending in' is the most effective approach. You can see this sort of
camouflage everywhere. Deer, squirrels, hedgehogs and many other animals have brownish,
earth-tone colours that match the brown of the trees and soil at the forest ground level. Sharks,
dolphins and many other sea creatures have a greyish-blue colouring, which helps them blend
in with the soft light underwater.

There are two ways in which animals produce different colours. Biochromes, which are
microscopic, and natural pigments in an animal's body produce colours chemically. Their
chemical makeup is such that they absorb some colours of light and reflect others. The

1
apparent colour of a pigment is a combination of all the visible wavelengths of light that are
reflected by that pigment.

Animals may also produce colours via microscopic physical structures. Essentially, these
structures act like prisms, refracting and scattering visible light so that a certain combination of
colours are reflected. Polar bears, for example, actually have black skin but appear white
because they have translucent hair. When light shines on the hair, each hair bends it a little bit.
This bounces the light around so that some of it makes it to the surface of the skin and the rest
of it is deflected back out, producing white colouration.

In some animals, the two types of colouration are combined. For example, reptiles,
amphibians and fish with green colouration typically have a layer of skin with yellow pigment
and a layer of skin that scatters light to reflect a blue colour. Combined, these layers of skin
produce green. Both physical and chemical colouration is determined genetically; they are
passed on from parent to offspring. A species develops camouflage colouration gradually
through the process of natural selection. In the wild, an individual animal that more closely
matches its surroundings is more likely to be overlooked by predators and so lives longer.
Consequently, the animal that matches its surroundings is more likely to produce offspring than
an animal that does not match. The camouflager's offspring will likely inherit the same
colouration, and they will also live long enough to pass it on.

The means of colouration depends on an animal's physiology. In most mammals, the

camouflage colouration is in the fur since this is the outermost layer of the body. In reptiles,
amphibians and fish, it is in the scales; in birds it is in the feathers and in insects it is part of the
exoskeleton. The actual structure of the outer covering may also evolve to create better
camouflage. In squirrels, for example, the fur is fairly rough and uneven, so it resembles the
texture of tree bark. Many insects have a shell that replicates the smooth texture of leaves.

Adapted from: http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/all-about-animals/animal-

camouflage.htm

2
1. From paragraph 1, what are the two factors that affect the development of camouflage?

(a) __________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

(b) __________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

2. From paragraph 2, why is the animal's environment the most important factor for
camouflage?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. From paragraph 3, explain the 'blending in' of animals to their environment as a form of
survival.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4. From paragraphs 5 and 6, what are the two ways in which animals produce different
colours?

(a) __________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

(b) __________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

5. From paragraph 7,

(a) what type of wild animal is more likely to live longer?

______________________________________________________________________________

(b) what is the reason?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3
Fill in the blanks with a suitable answer based on the helping words provided below.

triumphantly exuberant savoured ecstatic

blood-flushed jubilance guffaw bashful

cachinnated laughter

1. Mother hid her _______________________ broad smile behind her hands when Father

presented her with a bouquet of red roses on their anniversary. Her ___________________

grin scorched her cheeks to a radiant rosy tone.

2. The mountaineers _______________________ the sweet taste of success and enjoyed the

glorious sunrise when they finally scaled the peak. They basked in their moment of

_________________________.

3. The boys _______________________ convulsively till their faces were all

________________________.

4. To the dismay of their neighbours, the old men _______________________ very rowdily

at the void deck every night. Their raspy _______________________ is indeed quite a

nuisance to a lot of residents.

5. An _______________________ wave gushed through the bunch of footballers when they

won the match. All their supporters cheered _______________________.

4
 Vocabulary

1. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

5. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

6. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

7. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

8. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

9. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

10. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

5
Fill in the blanks with a suitable answer based on the helping words provided below.

plunged berserk assertive chaotic

hysteria orderly warning death

reassuring screeched pandemonium

The train 1. ______________________ to a halt in the tunnel. The lights went off

without 2. ______________________ . Everything 3. ______________________ into

darkness. 4. ______________________ struck. Children were bawling and people were

screaming. The 5. ______________________ blocked out the evacuation announcement that

was being played on the public announcement system. Everyone was just going 6.

______________________ with uncontrolled fear.

Thomas and his brother tried to remain calm. The brothers stayed in their seats and their

hands locked in a 7. ______________________ grip. They strained their ears to listen to the

announcement. Thomas comforted his younger sibling, 8. ______________________ him that

everything would be alright once they were safely evacuated.

"Proceed to the exits in an 9. ______________________ manner, there will be officers

assisting all passengers to evacuate safely from the tunnel. Please kindly proceed immediately,"

the 10. ______________________ voice repeated the announcement several times. Much to the

relief of Thomas, finally the 11. ______________________ crowd calmed down and followed

the instructions given.

6
 Vocabulary

1. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

5. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

6. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

7. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

8. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

9. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

10. ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________

7
Unscramble each set of letters to form a word.

A 1. _______________________ (atnatisling) aroma wafted from the kitchen. Mother

was busy preparing a Christmas 2. _______________________ (easft) for the party later. There

were freshly baked cupcakes that were 3. _______________________ (daroned) with green and

red ribbons. The long table was filled with all the appetite-whetting party delights. Father

4. _______________________ (eftosoned) balloons to all the pillars in the living room.

Christmas colours filled the area. A tall Christmas tree stood 5. _______________________

(amejtiscalyl) in the centre of the living room. A cheery Christmas 6. ___________________

(acolr) was being played in the background.

Soon the guests arrived. My cousins were all decked out in their Christmassy-coloured

clothes, while all my aunts and uncles were in either green or red. Everyone was all

7. _______________________ (yphde) up to 8. _______________________ (suehr) in this

festive season. All of them brought presents that were beautifully wrapped in vibrantly-coloured

papers. Before long, the base of the Christmas tree was 9. _______________________ (tsckaed)

with gifts of all shapes and sizes. The house was soon packed to the brim and

10. _______________________ (ivvcioaus) chatter filled the air.

The party had started!

8
 SERI OMEGA PRIVATE & INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

SUBJECT : ENGLISH LEVEL : FORM 3 ONLINE LESSON : 24

Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage.

Camouflage develops differently depending on

the physiology and behaviour of an animal. For
example, an animal with fur will develop a different
sort of camouflage from an animal with scales, and
an animal that swims in large schools underwater
will develop a different camouflage from one that swings alone through the trees.

An animal's environment is often the most important factor in what the camouflage
looks like. The simplest camouflage technique is for an animal to match the background of its
surroundings. In this case, the various elements of the natural habitat may be referred to as the
model for the camouflage.

An animal will not develop any camouflage that does not help it survive, so not all
animals blend in with their environment the same way. For example, there is no point in an
animal replicating the colour of its surroundings if its main predator is colour-blind.

For most animals, 'blending in' is the most effective approach. You can see this sort of
camouflage everywhere. Deer, squirrels, hedgehogs and many other animals have brownish,
earth-tone colours that match the brown of the trees and soil at the forest ground level. Sharks,
dolphins and many other sea creatures have a greyish-blue colouring, which helps them blend
in with the soft light underwater.

There are two ways in which animals produce different colours. Biochromes, which are
microscopic, and natural pigments in an animal's body produce colours chemically. Their
chemical makeup is such that they absorb some colours of light and reflect others. The

9
apparent colour of a pigment is a combination of all the visible wavelengths of light that are
reflected by that pigment.

Animals may also produce colours via microscopic physical structures. Essentially, these
structures act like prisms, refracting and scattering visible light so that a certain combination of
colours are reflected. Polar bears, for example, actually have black skin but appear white
because they have translucent hair. When light shines on the hair, each hair bends it a little bit.
This bounces the light around so that some of it makes it to the surface of the skin and the rest
of it is deflected back out, producing white colouration.

In some animals, the two types of colouration are combined. For example, reptiles,
amphibians and fish with green colouration typically have a layer of skin with yellow pigment
and a layer of skin that scatters light to reflect a blue colour. Combined, these layers of skin
produce green. Both physical and chemical colouration is determined genetically; they are
passed on from parent to offspring. A species develops camouflage colouration gradually
through the process of natural selection. In the wild, an individual animal that more closely
matches its surroundings is more likely to be overlooked by predators and so lives longer.
Consequently, the animal that matches its surroundings is more likely to produce offspring than
an animal that does not match. The camouflager's offspring will likely inherit the same
colouration, and they will also live long enough to pass it on.

The means of colouration depends on an animal's physiology. In most mammals, the

camouflage colouration is in the fur since this is the outermost layer of the body. In reptiles,
amphibians and fish, it is in the scales; in birds it is in the feathers and in insects it is part of the
exoskeleton. The actual structure of the outer covering may also evolve to create better
camouflage. In squirrels, for example, the fur is fairly rough and uneven, so it resembles the
texture of tree bark. Many insects have a shell that replicates the smooth texture of leaves.

Adapted from: http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/all-about-animals/animal-

camouflage.htm

10
1. From paragraph 1, what are the two factors that affect the development of camouflage?

(a) The physiology of an animal

(b) The behaviour of an animal

2. From paragraph 2, why is the animal's environment the most important factor for
camouflage?
This is because the animal has to match the background of its surroundings as the natural
habitat is the model for the camouflage.

3. From paragraph 3, explain the 'blending in' of animals to their environment as a form of
survival.
It means that the colours of animals match the surroundings and this protects them from
predators.

4. From paragraphs 5 and 6, what are the two ways in which animals produce different
colours?

(a) Biochromes and natural pigments

(b) Microscopic physical structures

5. From paragraph 7,

(a) what type of wild animal is more likely to live longer?

An animal that more closely matches its surroundings.

(b) what is the reason?

It can be overlooked by predators and so lives longer.

11
Fill in the blanks with a suitable answer based on the helping words provided below.

triumphantly exuberant savoured ecstatic

blood-flushed jubilance guffaw bashful

cachinnated laughter

1. Mother hid her exuberant broad smile behind her hands when Father presented her with a

bouquet of red roses on their anniversary. Her bashful grin scorched her cheeks to a

radiant rosy tone.

2. The mountaineers savoured the sweet taste of success and enjoyed the glorious sunrise

when they finally scaled the peak. They basked in their moment of jubilance.

3. The boys cachinnated convulsively till their faces were all blood-flushed.

4. To the dismay of their neighbours, the old men guffaw very rowdily at the void deck every

night. Their raspy laughter is indeed quite a nuisance to a lot of residents.

5. An ecstatic wave gushed through the bunch of footballers when they won the match. All

their supporters cheered triumphantly.

12
Fill in the blanks with a suitable answer based on the helping words provided below.

plunged berserk assertive chaotic

hysteria orderly warning death

reassuring screeched pandemonium

The train 1. screeched to a halt in the tunnel. The lights went off without 2. warning.

Everything 3. plunged into darkness. 4. Pandemonium struck. Children were bawling and

people were screaming. The 5. hysteria blocked out the evacuation announcement that was

being played on the public announcement system. Everyone was just going 6. berserk with

uncontrolled fear.

Thomas and his brother tried to remain calm. The brothers stayed in their seats and their

hands locked in a 7. death grip. They strained their ears to listen to the announcement. Thomas

comforted his younger sibling, 8. reassuring him that everything would be alright once they

were safely evacuated.

"Proceed to the exits in an 9. orderly manner, there will be officers assisting all

passengers to evacuate safely from the tunnel. Please kindly proceed immediately," the

10. assertive voice repeated the announcement several times. Much to the relief of Thomas,

finally the 11. chaotic crowd calmed down and followed the instructions given.

13
Unscramble each set of letters to form a word.

A 1. tantalising (atnatisling) aroma wafted from the kitchen. Mother was busy preparing

a Christmas 2. feast (easft) for the party later. There were freshly baked cupcakes that were

3. adorned (daroned) with green and red ribbons. The long table was filled with all the appetite-

whetting party delights. Father 4. festooned (eftosoned) balloons to all the pillars in the living

room. Christmas colours filled the area. A tall Christmas tree stood 5. majestically

(amejtiscalyl) in the centre of the living room. A cheery Christmas 6. carol (acolr) was being

played in the background.

Soon the guests arrived. My cousins were all decked out in their Christmassy-coloured

clothes, while all my aunts and uncles were in either green or red. Everyone was all

7. hyped (yphde) up to 8. usher (suehr) in this festive season. All of them brought presents that

were beautifully wrapped in vibrantly-coloured papers. Before long, the base of the Christmas

tree was 9. stacked (tsckaed) with gifts of all shapes and sizes. The house was soon packed to

the brim and 10. vivacious (ivvcioaus) chatter filled the air.

The party had started!

14