The diagrams below show the life cycle of a species of large fish called the salmon. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Salmon

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begins

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begin

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life as eggs on a pebbly riverbed, hidden among reeds in the slowing upper reaches of a river. After five to six months the eggs hatch into “fry”. For approximately the

next

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four years, these baby salmons will live in the lower, faster-flowing water of their river. During

this

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time they measure between three and eight centimetres in length. By the time

salmon

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reach twelve to fifteen centimetres, they are termed “smolt”, and at

this

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time they migrate

further

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downriver into the open sea. After five years at

sea

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,sea

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the

salmon

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will have grown to adult size, which is between seventy and seventy-six centimetres. They

then

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begin swimming back to their birthplace, where they will lay their eggs, and the cycle starts anew. In summary,

the

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salmon

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passes through three distinct physical stages as it grows to maturity. Each of these stages takes place in a very different aquatic location. It is noteworthy that the first two stages of

this

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fish’s life occur in a freshwater environment,

while

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the

third

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stage is in

the

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salt water.