WEEK 2: EXPLANATION TEXT

Last semester you studied some types of texts such as. narrative, recount, procedure, etc.
This semester you are going to study some other types of texts. The first type of texts you are
going to study is Explanation text. The first text to be introduced is the one entitled ‘Why is the
Sky Blue?’ Read the title carefully. Think about it. From the title we can expect that the text will
explain reasons or causes why the sky is blue.

Exercise1. In your group, discuss the following questions in not more than 10 minutes.
a. What is discussed in paragraph 1?
b. What is the relation between paragraph and paragraphs 2 and 3?

Why is the Sky Blue?

The most basic ‘Why’ questions that people ask about how the world works is ‘Why is
the sky blue?’ In South East Asia, we are fortunate to have blue skies most of the year, at least
when the sky is not blocked out by air pollution. Yet, many people do not know the answer to
this seemingly simple question. Do you know why thw sky is blue? If not please read on.
The sun provides an extremerely bright source of light for the earth. The sun sends out
light waves. These light waves can be detected by the human eye. These waves make up the
visible light spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet (please see Figure 1).
We usually do not see these colours. It is only when raindrops reftract (change the direction of)
sunlight that we see colours of the spectrum ROYGBIV in rainbows. The colours of the
spectrum can also be seen on soap bubbles, insect wings and patches of oil and water.

ROYGBIV

Long wavelength short wavelength

low frequency high frequency

Lost readily Most readily

scattered scattered
part of spectrum part of spectrum

After leaving the sun, light waves from the sun must pass through the Earth’s
atmosphere. Our atmosphere is like a sea of gases. The two most common gases in the
atmosphere are nitrogen and oxygen. When the sun’s light waves pass through the atmosphere
enroute to our eyes, they affected by these gases. The high frequency colours are more easily
scattered than the low frequency colours. Of the high frequency colours, our eyes are more
sensitive to light with blue frequencies. Thus, the sky is seen by our eyes are being blue.
 Now let’s discuss the answers to exercise 1. The first paragraph introduces
the phenomenon of blue skies. Paragraphs 2 and 3 are sequenced explanations of the
phenomenon. It begins with the source of the light, the sun, and continues until the light waves
reach our eyes.

Exercise 2. Scan the text and answer the questions in 10 minutes.

1. In addition to ‘Why is the sky blue?’, what is another why question that people ask?
2. What is one source of the air pollution that sometimes keeps people us from seeing the
blue sky?
3. Besides air pollution, what some times keeps from seeing the sky?
4. What is the general frequency of light waves with long wavelengths?
5. What colors is indigo similar to?
6. What happens to the sun’s light waves when they pass through the Earth’s atmosphere?
7. Which part of the visible light spectrum is not easily scattered: low frequency or high
frequency one?
8. Which high frequency light waves are easiest for our eyes to see?

As mentioned in the introduction, the type of text being discussed now is Explanation
text. Explanations are a text type we use when we want to to tell how something works or why
some thing works at iy does. Coursebooks and other school materials often use this type. Lets
have a look at the characteristics of Explanation texts.

Now let’s apply the characteristics of Explanation text to the text that we have just
discussed, that is ‘Why is the Sky Blue’

The Purpose: to tell how something works or to give reasons for some phenomenon.

Organizational Structure or Schematic Structure

It includes an introduction of the phenomenon followed by a sequenced explanation
of the phenomenon.

Language Features:
1. General Participant
2. Action Verbs
3. Passive Voice
4. Logical sequence
5. Connectors of sequence, such as first, next
6. Connectors of causes and effects, such as because as a result
7. Technical vocabulary
8. Graphics with tables (graphics make explanations easier to understand by adding a
visual element
Now let’s apply the characteristics of Explanation text to the text that we have just
discussed, that is ‘Why is the Sky Blue’

Purpose

The purpose is to readers readers the reasons why the sky is blue.

Organizational Structure or Schematic Structure

The first paragraph introduces the phenomenon of blue skies. Following that is a
sequenced explanation of the phenomenon. It begins with the source of the light, the sun,
and continues until the light waves reach our eyes.

Language Features

Generalized participants: Light waves are discussed in general. People are also discussed
in general.

Action Verbs: provides, sends, seen, affected, scattered

Timeles presnt tense: provides, sends, have, is,are

Passive Voice: be detected, be seen, are scattered, is seen

Logical sequence. The esplanation begins with the sun follows the waves as they pass
through the Earth’s atmosphere, get scattered, and finally reach our eyes.

Connectors of sequence: after, When

Connectors of cause and effect: Thus

Technical vocabulary: frequencies, spectrum, refract

Graphics with labels: The visible light spectrum graphic.