Reading Text
For hundreds of years, the Bajau people of Southeast Asia have lived on the ocean. Many live on houseboats and spend hours every day diving for fish and shellfish. Surprisingly, many Bajau divers can stay underwater for up to 13 minutes on a single breath!
Scientists studied the Bajau and found that they have a remarkable physical adaptation. Their spleens are about 50 percent larger than those of neighboring land-based communities. The spleen acts like a natural oxygen tank. When you hold your breath underwater, the spleen contracts and releases fresh, oxygen-rich red blood cells into your bloodstream. Because the Bajau have spent generations living and diving in the sea, their bodies have adapted to support their underwater lifestyle.
1. Key Vocabulary
- houseboat (noun): A boat that is designed and fitted for people to live in.
- remarkable (adjective): Unusual, surprising, and worthy of attention.
- spleen (noun): An organ near the stomach that cleans the blood and stores blood cells.
- contract (verb): To become smaller or tighter.
- generation (noun): All the people born and living at about the same time.
2. Reading Comprehension Questions
- How long can some Bajau divers stay underwater on one breath?
- Which organ in the Bajau body is larger than normal?
- How does the spleen help a diver when they are underwater?
3. Grammar & Tenses Focus: Present Perfect vs. Past Simple
Choose the correct verb form to complete each sentence.
- The Bajau people (have lived / lived) on the ocean for hundreds of years, and they still live there today.
- In 2018, scientists (have published / published) a famous study about the Bajau people's spleens.
- Many divers (have trained / trained) for years, but they still cannot match the Bajau's ability.
- The Bajau (developed / have developed) a unique lifestyle because of their ocean environment.
Super Divers: The Sea Nomads
2. Reading Comprehension Answers
- How long can some Bajau divers stay underwater on one breath? They can stay underwater for up to 13 minutes.
- Which organ in the Bajau body is larger than normal? Their spleen (it is about 50 percent larger than average).
- How does the spleen help a diver when they are underwater? It contracts and releases fresh, oxygen-rich red blood cells into the bloodstream when they hold their breath.
3. Grammar & Tenses Focus Answers
- The Bajau people have lived on the ocean for hundreds of years, and they still live there today.
- In 2018, scientists published a famous study about the Bajau people's spleens.
- Many divers have trained for years, but they still cannot match the Bajau's ability.
- The Bajau developed a unique lifestyle because of their ocean environment.
