S2 Unit 14 Challenging Long Questions

Unit 14:
Beautiful
Butterflies

Reading Skills

Vocabulary
Questions

‘Find a word / phrase in
paragraph X with the
same meaning as […]’

• Note the part of speech of the word in

the question

• Noun
• Verb
• Adjective
• Adverb

• Use your understanding of the

surrounding words to help you guess

Suggest some words with the following word
endings…

-ment
• e.g. excitement

-able / -ible

• e.g. recyclable

-ise / -ize

• e.g. recognise

Read the question
carefully

•A word / A phrase?

•Which paragraph(s)?

•Same meaning / Opposite
meaning?

New Question

Type 1

Open Ended

Why does the writer mention in Paragraph 1 that admission fee of the Fung Yuen Butterfly Reserve is $20 ?

Why does the author mention / emphasise
that […]?

Ans: To show that…

How to answer:
Think about how the new information
relates to the old information

We will accept all reasonable

answers.

Why does the writer mention the admission
fee of the Fung Yuen Butterfly Reserve in
Paragraph 1?

The admission fee was very reasonable – only $20.

Old information

New information

Ans: To show that the admission fee (of the Fung Yuen

Butterfly Reserve) was very reasonable.

Open Ended

Why does Mr Lee emphasise that ‘more than 200 of the 239 species of butterflies found in Hong Kong have been observed at the reserve’?

Why does Mr Lee emphasise that ‘more than 200
of the 239 species of butterflies found in Hong
Kong have been observed at the reserve’?

He explained that due to Hong Kong’s mild
climate and ample rainfall, it is very rich in
flora and fauna. More than 200 of the 239
species of butterflies in Hong Kong have
been observed at the reserve.

Ans: To show that the reserve shows how rich Hong

Kong’s flora and fauna are

Open Ended

Why does the writer emphasise that the Common Birdwing has a wingspan of about 13-17 cm? (1 + 1 marks)

Why does the writer emphasise that the Common
Birdwing has a wingspan of about 13-17 cm?

(1 + 1 marks)

We were fortunate enough to spot a Common Birdwing, one of the
largest and most beautiful butterflies in Asia. I was able to take some
amazing close-up photos of this majestic butterfly. Its wings are black
and golden yellow and it has a wingspan of about 13-17 cm.

Ans: The writer emphasizes this / It is to show that the

Common Birdwing is one of the largest butterflies in Asia.

Open Ended

Why does the writer emphasise that the Common Birdwing’s ‘wings are black and golden yellow’?

Open Ended

Why does the writer emphasise that the Common Birdwing lays its eggs on only one type of plant?

Why does the writer emphasise that the Common
Birdwing lays its eggs on only one type of plant?

Sadly, the Common Birdwing is
now an endangered species.
It’s

particularly

vulnerable

because it only lays its eggs on
one type of plant.

Ans: To explain why the Common Birdwing is endangered

/ To explain why the Common Birdwing is particularly

vulnerable

Open Ended

Why does the writer emphasise in Paragraph 1 that the Reserve is home to other small creatures aside from butterflies?

Open Ended

Why does the writer emphasise that she was ‘fortunate’ to spot a Common Birdwing in Paragraph 4?

Open Ended

Why does the writer mention that she is studying insects in Paragraph 2?

Open Ended

What is the purpose of paragraph 1?

Open Ended

What is the purpose of paragraph 2?

Open Ended

What is the purpose of paragraph 3?

Open Ended

What is the purpose of paragraph 4?

Open Ended

What is the purpose of paragraph 5?

Open Ended

What is the purpose of paragraph 6?