Skip to content
🎮 Let’s playUGABUGAPLAY · PRINT · LEARN · CELEBRATE
עברית

Grade 8 (A2) · Fact text · 198 words

The Mystery of the Yawn

A fact text about yawning: the explanations scientists have suggested, which one is probably wrong, why yawns are contagious, and why scientists are still not sure.

Tap any word to hear it · dotted words have a definition in the glossary

🎧 Listen

1Everybody yawns. Babies , teenagers in boring lessons, and even dogs, cats and fish seem to . A usually lasts only a few seconds: we open our mouths wide, take in a long breath, and then breathe out slowly. But why do we do it? The surprising answer is that scientists are still not sure.

2For many years, people believed that we because our bodies need more . However, in , people who breathed extra did not less. So today, most scientists think this is probably wrong.

3Another idea is that yawning helps to cool the brain. When we take in a deep breath of air, it may cool the blood that goes to the head. Some studies found that people less on very hot days, when the outside air cannot cool them. This idea is interesting, but it still needs more .

4Scientists do agree about one strange fact: yawning is . If you see, hear or even read about someone yawning, you are likely to start yawning too. In fact, you may be yawning right now! Why this happens is another that researchers are still trying to solve.

📘 Glossary
  • yawn - to open your mouth wide and breathe in deeply when tired
  • oxygen - the gas in the air that we need to breathe
  • experiments - scientific tests
  • explanation - a reason that tells why something happens
  • research - careful study to find out facts
  • contagious - spreading easily from one person to another
  • mystery - something that nobody can explain yet

Questions

  1. Finding details

    1. According to paragraph 1, which sentence is TRUE?

  2. Finding details

    2. What did people believe for many years?

  3. Finding details

    3. What happened in the experiments with extra oxygen?

  4. Reference words

    4. In paragraph 2, "this explanation" refers to the idea that…

  5. Finding details

    5. What is the second idea in the text?

  6. Reference words

    6. In paragraph 3, what does "it" refer to in "it may cool the blood"?

  7. Word meaning

    7. In paragraph 4, "contagious" means…

  8. Making inferences

    8. Why does the writer say "you may be yawning right now!"?

  9. Purpose and structure

    9. Why does the writer use words like "probably", "may" and "needs more research"?

Answer every question to get a score (0/9)

More Grade 8 passages

Fact text · 205 words · 9 questionsFrom Bitter Drink to Sweet BarA fact text about the history of chocolate, from the bitter drink of the Maya and Aztecs to the first chocolate bar.Personal story · 202 words · 9 questionsSeven Days, Zero ScreensA personal story about a girl who took part in a class challenge of a week without screens, and what she discovered along the way.News report · 201 words · 9 questionsGirl Finds 2,000-Year-Old Coin on Family HikeA news report about a girl who found a coin from the time of the Great Revolt on a family hike and gave it to the Antiquities Authority.Opinion article · 198 words · 9 questionsWhy I Like Wearing the Same Shirt Every DayAn opinion article by a student who supports the school shirt and explains her reasons.Fact text · 189 words · 9 questionsFrom Running Machine to Racing BikeAn informative text about the history of the bicycle, from the early running machine with no pedals to the modern bike.Interview · 207 words · 9 questionsThinking Five Moves AheadAn interview with Mia, a 14-year-old who plays in chess tournaments, about how she started, how she deals with losing and what chess taught her.Opinion article · 199 words · 9 questionsGive Us a Longer Break!An opinion article by a student who asks for a longer long break, with her arguments, a counter-argument and a practical suggestion.Story · 202 words · 8 questionsThe Recipe BookA story about Hila, who finds her grandmother's recipe notebook and discovers much more than recipes in it.Fact text · 216 words · 9 questionsDrop by DropA fact text about drip irrigation, an idea developed in Israel: how it began, how it works and how it helps farmers save water.Opinion article · 195 words · 9 questionsLet Our Weekends Be FreeAn opinion article by a student who wants schools to stop giving weekend homework, with her arguments, the opposing view and her suggestion.Story · 227 words · 9 questionsThe Sound of the SeaA story about Maya, who gets lost in the alleys of old Akko on a class trip and finds her way thanks to the guide's advice.Interview · 221 words · 9 questionsOne Hour a WeekAn interview with Jonathan, a 15-year-old who visits elderly neighbours living alone every week: how he started, what he does and what he learned.News report · 209 words · 9 questionsStudents Clean Beach — and Learn a LessonA news report about eighth graders from Nahariya who cleaned a beach, recorded every item they collected and found out what really pollutes the shore.Diary · 218 words · 9 questionsMy First Week on the DrumsA diary of Maya's first week of drum lessons: the difficulty, the wish to give up and the moment the beat finally worked.Fact text · 216 words · 9 questionsFrom Sand to GlassA fact text about how sand becomes glass: heating, shaping, cooling and recycling.Fact text · 225 words · 9 questionsA Day on the Space StationA fact text about life on the space station: sleeping, working, eating, exercising and the view from the window.Story · 218 words · 9 questionsTwo Ideas, One RobotA story about Noa and Shira, who built a robot together for a competition, argued three days before it and discovered that each of them was partly right.Book review · 224 words · 9 questionsThe Clock in the Attic — A Book ReviewA book review by Yuval about a novel in which Maya finds an old clock and travels back a hundred years: what she liked, what she liked less and who she recommends it to.Advertisement · 201 words · 9 questionsA New Cycling Path in TownA city notice about the opening of a new cycling path in the park: who it is for, the safety rules and who will help new riders.Fact text · 212 words · 9 questionsDogs with a JobA fact text about assistance dogs, including guide dogs, hearing dogs and dogs for people in wheelchairs, how they are trained and how to behave around them.Opinion article · 198 words · 9 questionsLeave the Phone at HomeAn opinion article by a student who was first angry about the ban on phones during the school trip and then changed her mind.Personal story · 227 words · 9 questionsGrandpa's Olive TreeA personal story about Shira, who planted an olive tree with her grandfather on Tu BiShvat, forgot about it and returned to it nine years later.Fact text · 213 words · 9 questionsThe Pencil That Has No LeadA fact text about the history of the pencil, from the discovery of graphite in England to the eraser on the end, and why there is no lead in it at all.Personal story · 239 words · 9 questionsMy Four-Legged BusinessA personal story about a teenage girl who started a small business walking dogs in her neighborhood.Fact text · 241 words · 9 questionsHow Lighthouses WorkA fact text about lighthouses, how they work and how sailors recognize each one.Human-interest article · 231 words · 9 questionsNever Too Old to LearnA human-interest article about a 78-year-old grandmother who learned to use a smartphone with her grandson's help.Review · 245 words · 9 questionsA Day at the Science MuseumA student's review of a class visit to a science museum, with what was great and what was not.Opinion article · 245 words · 9 questionsLet Teenagers Sleep!A student's opinion article about why sleep is important for teenagers and what can be done to get more of it.News report · 240 words · 9 questionsLost Violin Finds Its Way HomeA news-style report about a violin left at the central bus station and returned to its owner thanks to honest workers.

← All Grade 8 passages · All reading comprehension