Read the text and label the diagram below.
The chicken egg
Chicken egg consists of six main parts: albumin, yolk, shell, germinal disc, chalaza and
air cell. In further paragraphs we will learn all the important information you need to
know about these parts.
One of the main parts of the egg is yolk - the yellow, inner part of the egg where the
embryo will form. The yolk contains the food that will nourish the embryo as it grows.
Yolk is a major source of vitamins, minerals, almost half of the protein, and all of the fat
and cholesterol. The yolk contains less water and more protein than the white part of
the egg, some fat, and most of the vitamins and minerals of the egg. The yolk is also a
source of lecithin, an effective emulsifier. Yolk color ranges from just a hint of yellow to a
magnificent deep orange, according to the feed and breed of the hen. Yolk is anchored
by chalaza - a spiral, rope-like strand that anchors the yolk in the thick egg white. There
are two chalazae anchoring each yolk; one on the top and one on the bottom.
Another very important part of the egg is the albumin, which is the inner thick white part
of the egg. This part of the egg is a excellent source of riboflavin and protein. In high-
quality eggs, the inner thick albumen stands higher and spreads less than thin white. In
low-quality eggs, it appears thin white.
Now let's talk about the outer part of the egg - the shell It is a hard, protective coating of
the egg. It is semi-permeable; it lets gas exchange occur, but keeps other substances
from entering the egg. The shell is made of calcium carbonate and is covered with as
many as 17,000 tiny pores.
Air cell is an air space that forms when the contents of the egg cool and contract after
the egg is laid. The air cell usually rests between the outer and inner membranes at the
eggs larger end. As the egg ages, moisture and carbon dioxide leave through the pores
of the shell, air enters to replace them and the air cell becomes larger.
And last but not least, let's look at the germinal disc. It's a small, circular, white spot (2-
3 mm across) on the surface of the yolk; it is where the sperm enters the egg. The
nucleus of the egg is in the blastodisc. The embryo develops from this disk, and
gradually sends blood vessels into the yolk to use it for nutrition as the embryo
develops.
Complete the diagram below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Do not write articles.
1……………………………..
2……………………………..
3………………………………
4……………………………...
5……………………………….
6………………………………
Answer Key and hint
1. Shell
You can read in the first sentence of the fourth paragraph: "Now let's talk about the
outer part of the egg - the shell It is a hard, protective coating of the egg. So the
first part of the diagram should be labeled shell.
2. germinal disc
In the last paragraph we can read about the germinal disc, which is descibed as "a
small, circular, white spot (2-3 mm across) on the surface of the yolk". And it
means that germinal disc is the correct answer for the question 2.
3. chalaza
In the end of the second we can read that "Yolk is anchored by chalaza - a spiral,
rope-like strand that anchors the yolk in the thick egg white. There are two
chalazae anchoring each yolk; one on the top and one on the bottom. This
description makes it clear that chalaza is the right answer to the question 3.
4. albumin
The first question of the third paragraph says: "Another very important part of the
egg is the albumin, which is the inner thick white part of the egg. So albumin is the
answer to the 4 question.
5.yolk
It second paragraph we can read about yolk. "One of the main parts of the egg is
yolk - the yellow, inner part of the egg where the embryo will form..." It means that
you should answer yolk in the 5 question.
6.air cell
Fifth paragraph tells us about the air cell. "Air cell is an air space that forms when
the contents of the egg cool and contract after the egg is laid. The air cell usually
rests between the outer and inner membranes at the eggs larger end". This clearly
indicates that air cell is the right answer to the question 6.
