Raffles Girls’ Primary School · Primary 6 English Preliminary Examination 2026 Q26–Q35 · Full Passage · Instant Feedback
Word Bank
(A) although
(B) an
(C) by
(D) in
(E) its
(F) many
(G) much
(H) of
(J) the
(K) their
(L) these
(M) to
(N) unless
(P) when
(Q) which
Passage
Hiccups are sudden, repeated sounds that happen when your body makes a small “jump” inside your chest. They occur the diaphragm, a muscle under the lungs helps you breathe, suddenly contracts. This quick movement makes you breathe air very fast. At the same time, the gap between your vocal cords snaps shut, causing familiar “hic” sound.
There are reasons why hiccups occur. You might eat or drink too quickly, swallow too much air or even laugh too hard. Sometimes, feeling nervous or excited can also make you get hiccups. In most cases, hiccups last only a few minutes and stop on own.
To get rid hiccups, people often try holding their breath, drinking water slowly or breathing into a paper bag. methods help the diaphragm relax so that your breathing goes back normal. Hiccups are harmless, they can be annoying. The sounds are a normal part of how our bodies work.