Explanation Text

PURPOSE
to explain the process involved in the information or workings of natural or sociocultural phenomena.

The writer's purpose is to explain how something works or state reasons for some phenomenon. Explanations answer the questions "how" or "why". There are two basic types of explanation which focus on:

• "How" (How does a pump work? How does a computer work? How are mountains formed? How does a spider spin a web?)

• "Why" (Why do some things float or sink? Why is the ozone layer getting thinner? Why does iron go rusty? Why do living things need food?)

GENERIC STRUCTURE
1. General statement: stating the phenomenon issues which are to be explained.
2. Sequenced Explanation: stating a series of steps which explain of why or how something occurs.

LANGUAGE FEATURES

• focus on generic, non human Participants.
• use mainly of Material and Relational Processes.
• use mainly of temporal and causal Circumtenses and Conjunctions.
• some use of Passive voice to get Theme right. written in the 'timeless' present tense (are, turns, happens)
• use of action verbs (falls, rises, changes)
• use of non-human participants (the sea, the mountains, the computers, the engine)
• conjunctions (when, then, first, after this so)
• some passives (is saturated, are changed)
• use of nouns tends to be general rather than specific (cars, boats, spiders, schools)
• use of pronouns (their, they, them)

Example of Explanation Text / Contoh Explanation Text

Tsunami

General Statement:
A tsunami is a very large sea wave that is generated by a disturbance along the ocean floor. This disturbance can be an earthquake, a landslide, or a volcanic eruption. A tsunami is undetectable far out in the ocean, but once it reaches shallow water, this fast-traveling wave grows very large.

Explanation:
Tsunamis occur when a major fault under the ocean floor suddenly slips. The displaced rock pushes water above it like a giant paddle, producing powerful water waves at the ocean surface. The ocean waves spread out from the vicinity of the earthquake source and move across the ocean until they reach the coastline, where their height increases as they reach the continental shelf, the part of the Earth’s crust that slopes, or rises, from the ocean floor up to the land.

Closing:
Tsunamis wash ashore with often disastrous effects such as severe flooding, loss of lives due to drowning, and damage to property.

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Example/Contoh Explanation Text lainnya:

Example of Explanation Text: The Effects of Acid Soil

Soils with a pH of less than 7.0 are acid. The lower the pH, the more acid the soil. When soil pH falls below 5.5, plant growth is affected. Crop yields decrease, reducing productivity

Soils provide water and nutrients for plant growth and development. Essential plant nutrients include phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium and sulfur. Plants require other elements such as molybdenum, in smaller quantities. Some elements eg aluminium and manganese, are toxic to plants.

Nutrients become available to plants when they are dissolved in water. Plants are able to take up phosphate, nitrate, potassium and sulfate ions in solution.

The solubility of nitients changes with pH. In acid soils (low pH), molybdenum becomes less soluble and aluminium becomes more soluble. Therefore, plant growth may be affected by either a deficiency of molybdenum or too much aluminium.

Both crop and pasture plants are affected by acid soils. there may be a range of symptoms. Crops and pastures may be poorly established resulting in patchy and uneven growth. Plant leaves may go yellow and die at the tips. The root system of the plant may be stunted. Crops may yield less.

Plants vary in their sensitivity to low pH. Canola and lucerne are very sensitive to acid soils so do not grow well. Lupins and triticale are tolerant to soils of low pH so they still perform well.

Land can become unproductive if acid soil is left untreated. Incorporating lime into the soil raises the pH. Therefore, liming soil can reverse the effects of acid soil on plants and return a paddock to productivity.

Example of Explanation Text: How Venus Eclipse Happens

On May 16, 2010, people in most regions in the world have seen a very rare natural phenomenon. It was Venus eclipse. It was very rare amazing natural event. It was reported that the Venus eclipse will seen again in the future in 2050. Do you know how this rare Venus eclipse happens?

Well, actually Venus eclipse is like Sun eclipse. Venus eclipses occurs when the position of the earth, moon and Venus is parallel. Venus planet will slowly disappear for a moment because it is covered the surface of the Moon. Venus planet seems to move to the back side of the Moon.

The moon and planets are sharing a similar apparent path in the sky. That is why, it is not unusual for the moon to appear to pass close to Venus. In fact, the moon appears somewhere near it about once a month. However, most people don’t see these events because they are visible in the evening sky only half the time, and then only for a short period after sunset. The apparent closeness varies from month to month as well.

Example of Explanation Text: How does Rain Happen?

Rain is the primary source of fresh water for most areas of the world, providing suitable conditions for diverse ecosystems, as well as water for hydroelectric power plants and crop irrigation.

The phenomenon of rain is actually a water circle. The concept of the water cycle involves the sun heating the Earth's surface water and causing the surface water to evaporate. The water vapor rises into the Earth's atmosphere. The water in the atmosphere cools and condenses into liquid droplets. The droplets grow until they are heavy and fall to the earth as precipitation which can be in the form of rain or snow.

However, not all rain reaches the surface. Some evaporates while falling through dry air. This is called virga, a phenomenon which is often seen in hot, dry desert regions.

Source:

http://mypages.iit.edu/~smart/abduima/lesson2.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain

Example of Explanation Text: How Earthquakes Happen

Earthquake is one of the most destroying natural disasters. Unluckily it often happens in several regions. Recently a horrible earthquake has shaken West Sumatra. It has brought great damages. Why did it occur? Do you know how an earthquake happens?

Earthquakes are usually caused when rock underground suddenly breaks along a fault. This sudden release of energy causes the seismic waves. It make the ground shake. When two blocks of rock or two plates are rubbing against each other, they stick a little. They don't just slide smoothly. The rocks are still pushing against each other, but not moving. After a while, the rocks break because of all the pressure that's built up. When the rocks break, the earthquake occurs.

During the earthquake and afterward, the plates or blocks of rock start moving, and they continue to move until they get stuck again. The spot underground where the rock breaks is called the focus of the earthquake. The place right above the focus is called the epicenter of the earthquake.

source: www.geo.mtu.edu/UPSeis/why.html

Example of Explanation Text: Photosynthesis

What is photosynthesis? Photosynthesis is a food-making process that occurs in green plants. It is the chief function of leaves. The word photosynthesis means putting together with light. Green plants use energy from light to combine carbon dioxide and water to make sugar and other chemical compounds.

How is the light used in photosynthesis?

The light used in photosynthesis is absorbed by a green pigment called chlorophyll. Each food-making cell in a plant leaf contains chlorophyll in small bodies called chloroplasts. In chloroplast, light energy causes water drawn form the soil to split into hydrogen and oxygen.

What are the steps of photosynthesis process? Let me tell you the process of photosynthesis, in a series of complicated steps, the hydrogen combines with carbon dioxide from the air, forming a simple sugar. Oxygen from the water molecules is given off in the process. From sugar together with nitrogen, sulphur, and phosporus from the soil-green plants can make starch, fat, protein, vitamins, and other complex compounds essential for life. Photosynthesis provides the chemical energy that is needed to produced these compounds.

Example of Explanation Text: Why Eiffel Tower was Built

If we talk about the Wonders of the World buildings, then we will see Eiffel Tower as one of them. However many of us do not know the tower’s past history on why it was build. Everything has the reasonable background, especially for the tower which is to be one of the most recognized buildings in the world.

Primarily, the Eiffel Tower was built for the World Exhibition. It was called Paris Exposition in 1889. The exhibition was organized to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. The purpose of building Eiffel Tower in such structure was to show to the world France’s advancement of technology and beauty. The Eiffel Tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel. It seemed that then the name of the tower was derived from the designer’s last name, “Eiffel”

Another reason on why the tower was built was for scientific progress. Although few realized it, the Eiffel Tower would become the prominent structure in terms of science and technology. Many experiment with temperature, pressure and pendulums were performed atop the unique famous building. Additionally the Eiffel Tower was used for radio transmission tower. Many experiments were conducted atop the Eiffel Tower for radio transmission advancement. Once the Eiffel Tower was proposed to be demolished but it was spared because the tower had the promising future as a radio tower.

(Simplified from http://ezinearticles.com/)

Example of Explanation Text: How Roman Roads were Built

The system of roads for mobility has been begun early decades. It was started since the Roman Empire conquered the world. The roads in Roman era were known as the best construction.

The Romans built roads are for the purpose of mobility, especially for the army. Having the best road, the army could march from one place to another. They built the roads as straight as possible, so that the army could take the shortest route.

It is interesting to know how the roads were built, which some of them are still in use today. First, the Romans builders would clear the ground of rocks and trees. Then they dug a trench where the road was to go and filled it with big stones. Next, they put in big stones, pebbles, cement and sand which they packed down to make a firm base. After that, they added another layer of cement mixed with broken tiles. On top of that rough construction, then they put paving stones to make the flat surface. These stones were cut so that they fitted together tightly. As the finishing touch, kerb stones were put at each sides of the road to hold in the paving stones. It was also used to make a channel for the water to run away.

(Partly taken from: www.teachingideas.co.uk)

Example of Explanation Text: How Chocholate is Made

Have we wondered how we get chocolate from? Well this time we will enter the amazing world of chocolate so we can understand exactly we are eating.

Chocolate starts a tree called cacao tree. This tree grows in equatorial regions, especially in place such as South America, Africa, and Indonesia. The cacao tree produces a fruit about the size of a small pine apple. In side the fruits are the tree's seeds. They are also known as coco beans.

Next, the beans are fermented for about a week, dried in the sun. After that they are shipped to the chocolate maker. The chocolate maker starts by roasting the beans to bring out the flavour. Different beans from different places have different qualities and flavour. So they are often shorted and blended to produce a distinctive mix.

The next process is winnowing. The roasted beans are winnowed to remove the meat nib of the cacao bean from its shell. Then the nibs are blended. The blended nibs are ground to make it a liquid. The liquid is called chocolate liquor. It tastes bitter.

All seeds contain some amount of fat and cacao beans are not different. However, cacao beans are half fat, which is why the ground nibs from liquid. It is pure bitter chocolate.

Example of Explanation Text: How Fuel Warning Light Work

Many cars, motorcycles and other modern vehicles have fuel warning light devices. the warning light is usually red which switches on automatically when the level of fuel in the tank is very low. The warning light gives the driver information about the amount of petrol in the tank. When the light switches on red, it tells the driver that the petrol in the tank is almost empty. Therefore he have to put more fuel into the tank. However do you know how the fuel warning works?

Well this is the way the fuel warning light work and gives the driver information about the accurate amount of the petrol in the tank. When the level of the fuel falls, the float inside the tank moves downwards. When this condition happens, the arm also moves downwards and it make the lever touch an electrical contact. This switches on the fuel light in the car dashboard.

The red light which appears in the fuel panel of the dashboard tells the driver that he needs more petrol for his car. When he pours more petrol into the tank, this condition makes the fuel level rise and it pushes the float upwards. In return it disconnects to the electrical contact and makes the red light switch off.

Example of Explanation Text: CANCER

What is cancer? It is actually a group of more than one hundred separate diseases. Most of us are fear from cancer It is reasonable because next to heart disease, cancer is the second leading cause of death.

Cancer cells come from normal cells because of mutations of DNA. Those mutations can occur spontaneously. The mutations may be also induced by other factors such as: nuclear and electromagnetic radiation, viruses, bacteria and fungi, parasites, heat, chemicals in the air, water and food, mechanical cell-level injury, free radicals, evolution and ageing of DNA, etc. All such factors can produce mutations that may start cancer.

Cancer cells are formed continuously in the organism. It is estimated that there are about 10,000 cancer cells at any given time in a healthy person. Why do some result in macroscopic-level cancers and some do not? First, not all damaged cells can multiply and many of them die quickly. Second, those which potentially divide and form cancer are effectively destroyed by the mechanisms available to the immune system. Therefore cancer develops if the immune system is not working properly or the amount of cells produced is too great for the immune system to eliminate.

(Simplified from:www.digital-recordings.com/publ/cancer.html)

Genre of Text

GENRE	PURPOSE	INFO
Narrative	To entertain/amuse the reader.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Orientation: sets the scene and introduces the participants. Evaluation: a stepping back to evaluate the plight. Complication: a crisis arises. Resolution: the crisis is resolved, for better or for worse. Re-orientation: optional. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Past Tense 2. Using action verb 3. Chronologically arranged
Recount	To retell events for the purpose of informing or entertaining.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Orientation: provides the setting and introduces participants Events: tell what happened, in what sequence. Re-orientation: optional-closure of events. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Past Tense 2. Using action verb 3. Using adjective
Spoof	To retell something funny for the purpose of entertaining.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Orientation: provides the setting and introduces participants Events: tell what happened, in what sequence. Twist: the funniest part of the text. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Past Tense 2. Using action verb 3. Using adverb 4. Chronologically arranged
Anecdote	To share with others an account of an unusual or amusing incident.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Abstract: signals the retelling of an unusual incident. Orientation: sets the scene. Crisis: provides details of the unusual incident Reaction: reaction to crises Coda: optional – reflection on or evaluation of the incident. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using exclamations, rhetorical question or intensifiers 2. Using material process 3. Using temporal conjunctions
News Item	To inform readers, listeners or viewers about events of the day which are considered newsworthy or important.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Newsworthy Event(s): recounts the event in summary form Background Events: elaborate what happened, to whom, in what circumstances. Sources: comments by participants in, witnesses to and authorizes expert on the event. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline 2. Using action verbs 3. Using saying verbs 4. Using adverbs : time, place and manner.
Description	To describe a particular person, place or thing.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Identification: Identifies phenomenon to be described. Description: describes parts, qualities, characteristics. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Simple Present Tense 2. Using action verb 3. Using adverb 4. Using special technical terms
Report	To describe the way things are, with reference to a range of natural, man-made and social phenomena in our environment.	GENERIC STRUCTURE General classification: tells what the phenomenon under discussion is. Description: tells what the phenomenon under discussion is like in terms of (l) parts, (2) qualities, (3) habits or behaviors, if living; uses, if non-natural LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Introducing group or general aspect 2. Using conditional logical connection 3. Using Simple Present Tense
Explanation	To explain the processes involved in the formation or workings of natural or socio-cultural phenomena.	GENERIC STRUCTURE A general statement to position the reader. A sequenced explanation of why or how something occurs. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Simple Present Tense 2. Using action verbs 3. Using passive voice 4. Using noun phrase 5. Using adverbial phrase 6. Using technical terms 7. Using general and abstract noun 8. Using conjunction of time and cause-effect.
Discussion	To present (at least) two points of view about an issue.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Issue Arguments for and against or Statement of differing points of view. Conclusion or Recommendation LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Simple Present Tense 2. Use of relating verb/to be 3. Using thinking verb 4. Using general and abstract noun 5. Using conjunction/transition 6. Using modality 7. Using adverb of manner
Hortatory Exposition	To persuade the reader or listener that something should or should not be the case or be done.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Thesis: announcement of issue concern. Arguments: reasons for concern, leading to recommendation. Recommendation: statement of what ought or ought not to happen. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Simple Present Tense 2. Using modals 3. Using action verbs 4. Using thinking verbs 5. Using adverbs 6. Using adjective 7. Using technical terms 8. Using general and abstract noun 9. Using connectives/transition
Analytical Exposition	To reveal the readers that something is the important case.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Thesis: Position: Introduces topic and indicates writer’s position. Preview: Outlines the main arguments to be presented. Arguments: Point: restates main arguments outlined in Preview. Elaboration: develops and supports each Point/argument Reiteration: restates writer’s position. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using modals 2. Using action verbs 3. Using thinking verbs 4. Using adverbs 5. Using adjective 6. Using technical terms 7. Using general and abstract noun 8. Using connectives/transition
Review	To critique an art work, event for a public audience. Such works of art include movies, TV shows, books, plays, operas, recordings, exhibitions, concerts and ballets.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Orientation: places the work in its general and particular context, often by comparing it with others of its kind or through analogue with a non-art object or event. Interpretive Recount: summaries the plot and/or provides an account of how the reviewed rendition of the work came into being; is optional, but if present, often recursive. Evaluation: provides an evaluation of the work and/or its performance or production; is usually recursive. Evaluative Summation: provides a kind of punchline which sums up the reviewer’s opinion of the art event as a whole; is optional. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Focus on specific participants 2. Using adjectives 3. Using long and complex clauses 4. Using metaphor