preserved: found in good condition after a long time
Let's practise
Fossils are the preserved remains of plants or animals. To be considered fossils, scientists have decided they have to be over 10,000 years old.
First, the body of the animal or plant is usually buried under something soft such as sand or soil. Next, water fills the inside of the body and the soft parts rot away. Finally, the hard parts, such as the skeleton, are left behind.
Over millions of years, the sand and mud build up in layers and eventually turn to rock with the preserved remains of the plant or animal, called a fossil, inside. What was once bone is now rock in the shape of a bone.
Judy Tatchell: adapted from the following entries: 'Fossils' and 'Digestion' from The Usborne Internet-linked Science Encyclopedia (Usborne Publishing, 2002)
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The title of this text is How Fossils Are Formed. Underline two
key details from the text that show how fossils are formed.
2 marks
- Read the question. Read it again. What is it asking?
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To find two key details that show how fossils are formed.
- The text includes a set of stages. Find the words that are used to order the instructions.
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First, next, finally, over millions of years.
- Choose two of the words and read the details that follow.
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Animal or plant is usually buried under something soft / water fills the inside of the body and the soft parts rot away / the hard parts, such as the skeleton, are left behind / the sand and mud build up in layers and eventually turn to rock.
- Underline two details. You do not need to underline the whole sentence.
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the body of the animal or plant is usually buried under something soft
water fills the inside of the body and the soft parts rot away.
- Check your answer.