Askar Aru, 427

Seminar 12
Do Whales Sleep?
Whales are mammals, so in many ways, they are just like human beings. The most important
difference is that humans and whales live in different environments and whales have a special
respiratory system that enables them to stay underwater for several minutes without breathing
oxygen. For this reason, they are said to be voluntary breathers. That is, because of whales’
underwater environment, they must be conscious breathers. They think about every breath they
take and come up to the surface of the water to breathe through blowholes on top of their heads.
What is outstanding about whales is the way they can sleep. While all mammals sleep, whales
cannot afford to become unconscious for long because they may drown. The only way they can
sleep is by remaining partially conscious. It is believed that only one hemisphere of the whale’s
brain sleeps at a time, so they rest but are never completely asleep. They can do so most
probably near the surface so that they can come up for air easily.

Category Informational, analytical

Genre Scientific, publicistic, informational
text
Function Give information
Aim Give truthful information using facts
Basic speech actions Description and reasoning
Author’s position Clearly expressed
The author’s role on the text Informing
Informational foundation Address information and collection of
information from resources
Composition Introduction:
Whales are mammals, so in many ways, they
are just like human beings. The most
important difference is that humans and
whales live in different environments and
whales have a special respiratory system that
enables them to stay underwater for several
minutes without breathing oxygen.
The main part, the facts:
For this reason, they are said to be voluntary
breathers. That is, because of whales’
underwater environment, they must be
conscious breathers. They think about every
breath they take and come up to the surface of
the water to breathe through blowholes on top
of their heads.
What is outstanding about whales is the way
they can sleep. While all mammals sleep,
whales cannot afford to become unconscious
for long because they may drown.
 Conclusion:
The only way they can sleep is by remaining
partially conscious. It is believed that only
one hemisphere of the whale’s brain sleeps at
a time, so they rest but are never completely
asleep. They can do so most probably near the
surface so that they can come up for air
easily.

Key words: Whale - кит

Mammal - млекопитающий
Vocabulary Scientific:
Environment -  окружающая среда
Voluntary – добровольный; здесь:
намеренный, преднамеренный,
сознательный, умышленный
Respiratory system – дыхательная система
Oxygen - кислород
Voluntary breather
Surface - поверхность
Blowholes - дыхало (у кита)
Outstanding - выдающийся
Remaining - оставшийся
Partially - частично, отчасти
Conscious - сознание
Hemisphere – полушарие
In many ways – во многом; во многих
отношениях
Human being – человеческое существо
Syntax The connection between sentences is carried
out with the help of logic, clarity, and speech
accuracy. Using phrases and collocations.
Declarative sentences:
Whales are mammals, so in many ways,
they are just like human beings.
Compound sentences:
The most important difference is that humans
and whales live in different environments and
whales have a special respiratory system that
enables them to stay underwater for several
minutes without breathing oxygen.
Complex sentences:
That is, because of whales’ underwater
environment, they must be conscious
breathers.
While all mammals sleep, whales cannot
afford to become unconscious for long
because they may drown.
Phraseology None