Hiccups, Sneezes and Yawns Inside You: teacher key

Hiccups, Sneezes and Yawns, grade 7 edition, written for 7th grade. A hiccup, a sneeze and a yawn all happen in your body without you deciding. Find out what each one is, what moves inside you, and what people try for hiccups.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. What is the diaphragm?
   • A part of the throat that makes sounds
   • A muscle under the lungs that helps you breathe (answer)
   • A tube that carries food to the stomach
2. What makes the "hic" sound?
   • The vocal cords snapping shut after air rushes in fast (answer)
   • The nose filling with dust
   • The lungs shrinking
3. Where do the nerves in the nose send a message when you sneeze?
   • To the stomach
   • To the heart
   • To the brainstem (answer)
4. What do the NHS and the big study say about home hiccup tricks?
   • They always work
   • There is no evidence they work for everyone (answer)
   • They cure hiccups in a minute
5. Why can nobody say what a yawn is for yet?
   • Nobody knows for certain why we yawn (answer)
   • Yawns last too short a time
   • Only babies yawn
6. What does spasms mean in "the diaphragm jerks, or spasms"?
   • Slowly stretches
   • Rests
   • Sudden muscle jerks (answer)

Words

• diaphragm: breathing muscle
• reflex: automatic body action
• glottis: throat gap
• spasms: sudden muscle jerks
• brainstem: brain base