15 questions from CHS 2024. Real examination questions for PSLE 2027/2028 preparation.
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Fill in each blank with a suitable word.
We all know the feeling. We get a strange tingly sensation on our skin when we feel a cool breeze or (1) a spooky sound. That's goosebumps! They are small bumps that (2) the skin of chicken after the feathers have been plucked. But have you ever (3) what exactly makes your skin get all bumpy? Do goosebumps (4) a purpose?
Under our skin, there are millions of tiny muscles. Each of them (5) connected to each hair on the skin surface. (6) we feel cold, these muscles tighten. The contraction causes our hair to (7) up straight, resulting in goosebumps popping up on our skin.
Based on evolutionary theories, some scientists believe that goosebumps may have been (8) down from apes. They were covered in thick fur and the tiny muscles under their skin were much stronger. This meant that when goosebumps caused their fur to stand on (9), a warm layer of air would be trapped next to their skin. Their thick hair coat therefore served as insulation, (10) them from the wind and cold.
In (11) to keeping them warm, some animals use goosebumps as a survival tactic when (12) with danger. To prepare them for a flight-or-fight reaction, a hormone called adrenaline is released, causing the contraction of skin muscles. (13) instance, when a cat is feeling threatened by a dog, the elevated hair, together (14) its arched back, makes it appear bigger. This is an attempt to make the dog back off.
Similarly, we may also experience an adrenaline rush when we stand on a podium to receive an award or while watching horror movies. This often (15) in goosebumps, a physical reaction to intense emotions. While goosebumps might have served an important function once upon a time, evolution has rendered them unimportant. They are merely an outward reflection of surging hormones, big emotions or a literal chill.
Adapted from: https://kidsdiscover.com/quick-reads/causes-goose-bumps/