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Unseen Passage for Class 6 with Questions

Reading comprehension lesson 21: Science and environment passages · Set 30 · 12 questions
TalentJR

Reading tip (Cause and effect): Find the topic of the passage in the first sentence. Look for cause-and-effect words: because, so, as a result. Work out new science words from the sentence that explains them.

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  1. 1.The Sun heats water in seas, rivers and lakes. The water turns into an invisible gas called water vapour. This change is called evaporation. High in the sky, the vapour cools and turns into tiny drops of water. These drops join together to form clouds. When the drops become too heavy, they fall as rain. This is called precipitation. Rainwater flows back into rivers and seas, and the cycle begins again.

    What heats the water in seas and rivers?
    (a) The wind (b) The Moon (c) The clouds (d) The Sun
  2. 2.The Sun gives us a huge amount of energy every day. Solar panels can turn sunlight into electricity. They are made of special cells that work when light falls on them. Many homes in India now have solar panels on their roofs. Some villages use solar lamps after dark. Solar energy does not make smoke, so it keeps the air clean. Unlike coal, it will never run out. However, panels make less power on cloudy days.

    When do panels make less power?
    (a) At noon (b) In summer (c) On sunny days (d) On cloudy days
  3. 3.The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite. It goes around the Earth once in about a month. The Moon does not have its own light. It shines because it reflects light from the Sun. As it moves, we see different amounts of its lit side. These changing shapes are called phases. On a full moon night, we see the whole bright face. On a new moon night, we can hardly see it at all.

    How often does the Moon go around the Earth?
    (a) Once a year (b) Once a day (c) Once a week (d) About once a month
  4. 4.A vaccine helps the body fight a disease before the disease attacks. It contains a weak or harmless form of a germ. The body’s defence system learns to recognise it. It then makes special fighters called antibodies. Later, if the real germ enters, the body knows how to beat it quickly. Children in India get vaccines against polio, measles and other diseases. Most vaccines are given as injections, but the polio vaccine can be given as drops. Vaccines have saved millions of lives.

    How can the polio vaccine be given?
    (a) As drops (b) As a tablet (c) As a bandage (d) As a cream
  5. 5.The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite. It goes around the Earth once in about a month. The Moon does not have its own light. It shines because it reflects light from the Sun. As it moves, we see different amounts of its lit side. These changing shapes are called phases. On a full moon night, we see the whole bright face. On a new moon night, we can hardly see it at all.

    Why does the Moon shine?
    (a) It is made of ice (b) It is on fire (c) It reflects sunlight (d) It has its own light
  6. 6.Every winter, thousands of birds fly to India from colder lands. These travellers are called migratory birds. Many of them come from Siberia and Central Asia. They escape the freezing cold and find food in our lakes and wetlands. Bharatpur in Rajasthan and Chilika Lake in Odisha are famous places to see them. Flamingos, cranes and ducks are among the visitors. In spring, the birds fly back to breed. Protecting wetlands keeps their winter homes safe.

    Why do the birds come to India?
    (a) To escape the cold (b) To see people (c) To lay eggs (d) To drink sea water
  7. 7.Lightning is a giant spark of electricity in the sky. It happens when electric charges build up inside storm clouds. A flash of lightning heats the air around it very quickly. The hot air expands with a loud bang, which we hear as thunder. Light travels much faster than sound. That is why we see the flash before we hear the thunder. During a thunderstorm, stay indoors and away from tall trees. Standing under a tree is not safe, as lightning often strikes tall objects.

    What is lightning?
    (a) A spark of electricity (b) A falling star (c) A gust of wind (d) A burst of rain
  8. 8.Earthworms are called the farmer’s friends. They dig tunnels as they move through the soil. These tunnels let air and water reach plant roots. Earthworms eat dead leaves and bits of rotting plants. Their waste, called castings, makes the soil rich. A field with many earthworms is usually healthy. Chemical sprays can kill these helpful creatures. So many farmers now use natural manure instead.

    What are earthworms called?
    (a) The garden pests (b) The soil’s enemies (c) The night hunters (d) The farmer’s friends
  9. 9.Every living thing needs food for energy. Plants make their own food using sunlight. A grasshopper eats grass. A frog eats the grasshopper. A snake eats the frog, and an eagle eats the snake. This link of who eats whom is called a food chain. Every food chain begins with a green plant. If one link disappears, the whole chain is affected.

    What does every food chain begin with?
    (a) A green plant (b) A frog (c) A snake (d) An eagle
  10. 10.Bees visit flowers to collect sweet nectar. While they feed, yellow dust called pollen sticks to their hairy bodies. When a bee flies to the next flower, some pollen rubs off. This carrying of pollen is called pollination. Pollination helps plants make fruits and seeds. Mangoes, apples and many vegetables depend on it. Without bees, farmers would harvest far less food. So bees are tiny helpers of every farm.

    Why does pollen stick to bees?
    (a) Their bodies are hairy (b) They eat it (c) They are very sticky (d) Their wings are wet
  11. 11.In many Indian cities, people face water shortages in summer. Rainwater harvesting is one simple answer. Rain falling on rooftops is collected through pipes. It is then stored in tanks or sent into the ground through pits. Water sent into the ground raises the level of water in wells. A single roof can collect thousands of litres in one monsoon. Some states have made rainwater harvesting compulsory for new buildings. Saving rain today means more water tomorrow.

    What does “compulsory” mean here?
    (a) Not allowed (b) Done for fun (c) Must be done (d) Very costly
  12. 12.Green plants make their own food. This process is called photosynthesis. Leaves take in carbon dioxide from the air through tiny holes. Roots take up water from the soil. A green substance in the leaves, called chlorophyll, traps sunlight. Using the energy of sunlight, the leaf turns water and carbon dioxide into sugar. Oxygen is given out into the air. Animals and people breathe in this oxygen.

    What is the green substance in leaves called?
    (a) chlorophyll (b) carbon dioxide (c) oxygen (d) sugar

Answer key

  1. The Sun
  2. On cloudy days
  3. About once a month
  4. As drops
  5. It reflects sunlight
  6. To escape the cold
  7. A spark of electricity
  8. The farmer’s friends
  9. A green plant
  10. Their bodies are hairy
  11. Must be done
  12. chlorophyll

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