How Does the Heart Pump Blood? | Easy Science Reading
This short science reading passage is for English learners. Read the passage, learn key vocabulary, and answer the questions.
Reading Level
A2-B1
Word Count
291 words
Reading Passage
The heart is a strong muscle in the chest. It works day and night to move blood through the body. Each heartbeat is part of this important job.
Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to body cells. It also carries waste away. To move blood, the heart squeezes and relaxes again and again.
The heart has four spaces called chambers. The two upper chambers receive blood. The two lower chambers pump blood out. These chambers work together like a careful team.
Blood first returns to the right side of the heart from the body. This blood has less oxygen. The right side pumps it to the lungs. In the lungs, blood picks up oxygen and lets go of carbon dioxide.
Then the blood returns to the left side of the heart. Now it has more oxygen. The left side pumps this oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body.
Inside the heart, small doors called valves help blood move in the right direction. Valves open to let blood pass and close to stop blood from going backward.
This movement of blood around the body is called circulation. The heart, blood vessels, lungs, and blood all work together.
The heart is not just a symbol of feeling. It is a powerful pump that helps every part of the body get what it needs.
Key Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| heart | a muscle that pumps blood through the body | The heart beats every day and night. |
| oxygen | a gas that the body needs to live | Blood carries oxygen to body cells. |
| chambers | empty spaces inside the heart that hold blood | The heart has four chambers. |
| lungs | body parts in the chest that help us breathe | Blood gets oxygen in the lungs. |
| valves | parts that open and close to keep blood moving one way | Heart valves stop blood from going backward. |
Reading Comprehension Questions
- What does the heart do?
- What does blood carry to body cells?
- How many chambers does the heart have?
- Where does blood pick up oxygen?
- What do valves do?
Answers
- The heart pumps blood through the body.
- Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to body cells.
- The heart has four chambers.
- Blood picks up oxygen in the lungs.
- Valves keep blood moving in the right direction and stop it from going backward.
Short Summary
The heart pumps blood by squeezing and relaxing. Blood travels to the lungs for oxygen, returns to the heart, and then moves through the body.