Smart 2011: SPM English Language 1119

SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119
SMART
MODULE 1
2011
ENGLISH
LANGUAGE UNIT
KEDAH EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT
SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119

SMART MODULE 1 2011
Patron
En. Man sor bin Lat
Director of Kedah Education Department
Advisor
Tn. Hj. Asmee bin Haji Tajuddin
Head of the Academic Sector
Coordinator
Pn. Hjh. Zaliha bt Ahmad
The Principal Assistant Director (English Language)
Committee Members
Pn. Wan Aisyah bt Haris
(Assistant District Language Officer for Language, Kota Setar)
Pn. Hjh. Fadzillah bt Selamat
(Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Kubang Pasu)
En. Yong Kooi Hin
(Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Baling Sik)
En. Nordin bin Mohd. Noor
(Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Padang Terap)
En. Azmi bin Othman
(Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Kuala Muda Yan)
En. Nagaiah Velu
(Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Langkawi)
En. Md. Zahir bin Husin
(Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Kulim Bandar Baharu)
Pn. Nadia Normala Vimala bt Abdullah
(Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Pendang)
Cik Farha bt Sobry
(Assistant District Language Officer for English (Secondary), Kuala Muda Yan
En. Oslan bin Yum
(Assistant District Language Officer for English (Secondary), Kubang Pasu
Panel of Smart Module 1 2011 (SPM 1119)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
En. Zanurin bin Mohamad Safar (SMK Kulim)

Pn. Uma Devi Menon (SMK Dato Bijaya Setia)
Pn. Rozita bt Abdul Razak (SMK Jitra)
Pn. Koh Mui Hoong (SM Sains Sultan Mohamad Jiwa)
Pn. Norazlina bt Ismail (SM Sultan Abdul Halim)
En. Asif Barkhiya b Muhammad Mustafa (SMK Sungai Karangan)
En. Suresh a/l Baskaran (SMK Tunku Panglima Besar)
Cik Nurul Hanani bt Abdul Rahman (SMK Ayer Hangat)
Pn. Razliza bt Abdul Razak (SM Vokasional Kulim)
TABLE OF CONTENT
CONTENT
PAGE
1. TEXT AND GRAPHICS

1.1 Teachers Notes
1.2 Students Tips
1.3 Practices
1
1
1
5
2. READING COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY

2.1 Teachers Notes
2.2 Students Tips
2.3 Practices
Practice 1
Practice 2
Practice 3
Practice 4
Practice 5
Practice 6
Practice 7
Practice 8
Practice 9
17
17
17
19
19
23
27
32
36
40
46
51
55
3. LITERATURE COMPONENT POEMS

3.1 Teachers Notes
3.2 Students Tips
3.3 Practices
3.3.1 In The Midst of Hardship (Set A Set E)
3.3.2 He Had Such Quiet Eyes (Set A Set E)
3.3.3 Nature (Set A Set E)
3.3.4 Are You Still Playing the Flute? (Set A Set E)
60
60
60
61
61
64
67
70
4. LITERATURE COMPONENT NOVEL

4.1 Teachers Notes
Synopsis
Plot Summary (Chapter 1 Chapter 33)
Characters
Setting
Plot
Themes
Values
Band Descriptor
77
77
77
77
82
83
85
86
86
87
4.2 Students Tips

4.3 Practices
Practice 1
Practice 2
Practice 3
Practice 4
Practice 5
Practice 6
88
88
88
89
90
91
92
93
CONTENT
Practice 7
Practice 8
Practice 9
Practice 10
Practice 11
Practice 12
Practice 13
Practice 14
Practice 15
5. CONTINUOUS WRITING
5.1 Accuracy in Language
5.1.1 Parts of Speech
5.1.2 Different Forms of Past Tense Verbs
5.1.3 Common Errors
PAGE
93
94
95
96
96
97
98
98
99
100
100
100
102
103
5.2 Vocabulary Enrichment

5.2.1 Using Sophisticated Adjectives (Applying VENESSA)
Practice 1
Practice 2
Practice 3
Practice 4
Practice 5
107
107
113
114
115
116
117
5.3 Varied Sentence Structures

5.3.1 Different Sentence Types
5.3.2 Different Sentence Starters
119
119
120
5.4 Generation and Development of Ideas

5.4.1 Sentence Expansion
5.4.2 Developing Ideas
Practice 1
Practice 2
Practice 3
Practice 4
Enrichment Practices
121
121
122
123
124
125
126
126
1. Texts and Graphics

1.1 Teachers Notes
The first part of Section A consists of eight questions on a variety of stimuli.
The stimuli are often referred to as graphic materials and short texts. These can be in the
form of advertisements, notices or signs, memos, graphs or charts, short extracts (like news
reports, book/movie reviews), instructions and even cartoon strips.
Remember, vocabulary is also tested here and not in the rational cloze.
Below is an analysis of the stimuli given for the past seven years:
TYPE OF STIMULUS
2001
Advertisements
2
Notices/signs/slogans
1
Memos
Graphs/charts
1
Short extracts/letters/ book
2
reviews/newspaper
reports
Instructions
Cartoon strips
2
Diagrams/maps
2005
2006
1
4
2007
1
3
2008
2009
2010
1
1
1
4
2
5
1
1
1
1
2
1
1.2 Students Tips
Types of Advertisement
Job Vacancies
Added Advantages
Commensurate with
experience
Essential
Fringe Benefit
Preferable
Proficient
ADVERTISEMENT
Common Words/ Phrases
Qualification / minimum experience
Ability to communicate/ proficient
Essential/ preferably male/female
SPM/Diploma or equivalent
Walk-in interview
Shortlisted candidates
Working experience/ability to work
Independently
Job Vacancies
Advantage over other candidates
Suited according to the experience
Required or important
An extra perk given to the right candidate such as
allowances, company car, insurance coverage, etc
A candidate will be seen as preferable if he or she has
extra qualifications or abilities over the others
Skilled in a particular area or field such as languages,
Qualification
Remuneration
Shortlisted candidates
Walk-in interview
Types of advertisements
Sales / Promotions
Clearance Sale
Closing Down Sale
Down Payment
Excellent/Tip-top / Mint
condition
On nearest offer
Warranty
Announcements / Special
events
Educational Opportunities
etc.
An ability, quality or record of experience that makes a
person suitable for a job
Payment for work or services
The most suitable person for the job, chosen from a
first list
An interview in which candidates come without having
to make any appointment
Advertisements
Common words/phrases
Special offer /discount up to promotion
Rebate / free gift
Promotion includes/excludes
While stocks last
One - years warranty / guarantee
O.n.o (or nearest offer) / negotiable
Sales / Promotion
A sale where goods are sold cheaply in order to get
rid of them fast
A final clearance sale before a company stops
operations
Deposit
Looking new and in perfect condition
Last or best offer
A written promise made by a company to replace or
fix a product it breaks down or is faulty
Advertisements
Call now for reservations/visit our website/apply
online
For more details/ information contact
Inclusive of / exclusive of
Enrol now / entry requirements
Advertisements
Course available / offered
Duration/intake/commence
Educational qualification / registration
Fees payable/requirements
2+1
3+0
Correspondence Course
Counselling
Course Preview
Entry qualification
Equivalent
Intake
Home-study
On-line learning
Prospectus
Twinning programme
Education opportunities
Two years of study will be done locally while the final
year will be done overseas
All three years of a programme can be done locally
A set of lessons received by mail
A service set up to give advice to potential students
A short description of a course or subject
The necessary qualifications to enrol into an institute
of education
The same or equal
The number of students allowed to enrol in a course
Studying one or more subjects at home and not in an
institute of education
Learning via electronic mail
A printed statement describing the advantages of an
institution
A joint academic programme between two institutions
of education
How do you answer questions based on advertisements?

Step 1: Read the question and try to understand what it requires you to do.
Step 2: Read the main headline which summarises what the advertisement is about.
Step 3: Then, read the information given in the advertisement carefully to find the answer.
Step 4: Familiarise yourself with commonly used words, phrases or expressions
How do you answer questions based on short texts?
Step 1: Read the whole text carefully and ask yourself what it is all about.
Step 2: Read the question to find out what you are required to do (You may be asked for
certain detail, meanings of words, etc)
Step 3: Sometimes the headline will give you a clue about the text.
Step 4: Before you decide on your answer, always refer to the context in which your
questions are based.
How do you answer questions based on tables/ graphs/ charts?
Step 1: Study the question and find out what is required
Step 2: Study the chart or graph by paying close attention to the title, subtitles and key
which provide useful information.
Step 3: Study the data carefully and recheck the question to focus on the particular
aspect of data that you need to analyse such as:
the percentage of certain items
the trend (a certain pattern fluctuating, decreasing over a period of time, etc)
the rate
Step 4: In analysing the data, observe some commonly used words/phrases such as
drastic increase /decrease/decline/drop
gradual rise/steady rise or decline/ unsteady/slight
fluctuating/insignificant or significant increase or decline
high percentage, majority of / minority of
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Always read the question first not the stimulus. When you read the question first, you
know what information to look for in the given stimulus.
Use key words in the question (or stem) to guide you. Highlight these key words so that
you know what to focus on.
Highlight or underline the evidence you find in the extract to make sure your answer is
correct.
Read all the options given. Do not jump at the first possibly correct answer you see.
Choose the option that best meets the needs of the question.
If you are unsure of the correct answer, use the elimination method, by crossing out
incorrect answers.
Make intelligent guesses only as a last resort and never ever leave a question
unanswered.
1.3 Practices
Read the letter below and answer the question that follows.
Dear Editor,
TV programmes shown during weekends are boring. Instead, better
movies are aired on weekdays. Unfortunately, working parents and
school-going children tend to miss them. This is because such movies are
shown rather late, that is from 10 p.m. to midnight.
Working Mum
Working mum is complaining about

A movies being shown before 10 p.m.
B poor scheduling of TV programmes
C children watching too much television
D boring movies being aired on weekdays
The extract below is the method of preparing hot bananas with cinnamon coconut
sauce.
Slice bananas into half and steam them for about 5 minutes. Combine
flour, sugar, cinnamon powder and coconut milk in a saucepan. Cook,
stirring over medium heat until the mixture thickens, then simmer for 2
minutes longer. Serve sauce over hot bananas.
Step 1
Slice
bananas
Step 2
Step 2 in the chart is

A serve with sauce
B steam the bananas
Step 3
Step 4
Mix all
ingredients
Cook the
mixture
C simmer the mixture

D add cinnamon powder
Hot bananas
with
cinnamon
coconut
sauce
Read the notice below and answer the question that follows.
CITI College is organising a revision workshop for Form Five students on

August 9 and 10 from 9a.m. to 1p.m.at its Bandar Baru campus. The
workshop will cover History, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry. The
session is limited to 100 participants. For more details, contact Ms Lee at
03-55336677.
From the notice above, we know that the workshop is

A aimed at Science subjects.
C held for one whole day.
B organised for fifth formers.
D conducted by Ms Lee.
Read the extract below and answer the question that follows.
Biggest Flower Bloom In The World

The rafflesia plant has the biggest flower bloom in the world
It is found in the forests of Malaysia. The flower looks like a
huge cabbage. It weighs about 10 kilogrammes and
measures about 90 centimetres across. It smells like rotten meat hence it is
also called the stinking corpse lily.
According to the extract, the rafflesia

A smells bad
C looks like a corpse
B looks like meat
D smells like cabbage
Read the article below and answer the question.

A former gymnast, sportswoman and athlete during her school days. Peggy
Chin has been judging international gymnastics competitions since 1992.
Upon graduation, Peggy Chin became a school teacher and helped coach the
gymnasts in her school.
From the article, we know that Peggy Chin has

A coached gymnasts during her school days.
B taught gymnastics in higher institutions.
C been a national gymnast since 1992.
D judged gymnastics competitions.
A poor boy needed money to pay for his school fees. So, he sold cakes
from house to house. One day, he felt very thirsty. He asked for a drink
from a young woman. She offered him a glass of milk. "How much
money do I owe you?" he asked. 'You don't owe me anything," she
replied. The boy thanked her. Years later that young woman became very
ill and had to see a specialist who recognized her. He tried his very best
to save her life. When she got her bill, she was shocked to read these
words ... "Paid in full with one glass of milk."
6
From the extract, we know that the poor boy

A sold cakes for a living
B paid for the glass of milk
C grew up to be a specialist
D owed the woman some money
As Rawang is growing fast, more efforts should be taken to beautify the

town with natural resources instead of plastic trees.Plastic trees do not
help improve the environment and are simply not attractive. So, please
do not spoil Rawang with fake palm trees. It is a waste of public funds .
Mr.Malaysia
Mr. Malaysia writes to the newspaper to express his

A concern
C sympathy
B curiosity
D suspicion
Study the graph below and answer the question that follows.
From the graph above, we can say that the profits of the company decline from
A 1999 to 2001
C 2001 to 2003
B 2000 to 2002
D 2002 to 2004
Read the newspaper report below and answer the question that follows.
KUALA LUMPUR, Tues - The demand for blood by public and private
hospitals is causing concern to the Health Ministry.
We can meet the increasing annual demand only through the support of
Malaysians who have always come forward to donate blood, said the Health
Minister. He added that about 98 percent of blood in the blood banks was
donated voluntarily and the rest supplied by patients relatives.
From the report, we know that most of the blood is donated by

A private hospitals.
B patients' relatives.
C blood banks.
D the public.
Well, it was raining

heavily when we arrived.
But then it stopped later
in the afternoon. We had
a wonderful picnic on the
beach. The weather was
cool and the sunset was
the best that I had ever
seen
Joe, did you

have a good
time in
Langkawi?
10
.
11
From the dialogue above, we know that Joe had

A a miserable time
C an enjoyable time
B an annoying time
D a comfortable time
MAKE COURTESY OUR LIFE

The slogan above tells us to be more
A efficient
B healthy
C punctual
D polite
Take Part In Scheme To Control Crime

The police are inviting Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to take part in
the Neighbourhood Police Scheme in order to reduce crime. The police would also
respond to the NGOs' request for meetings and talks on fighting crime.
(Adapted from The Star, January 2006)
12
From the newspaper report above, we know that NGOs can help to
A bring down the crime rate
B hold meetings with residents
C give talks on fighting crime
D patrol housing estates for safety
13
Based on the map above, the best place to study the habitat of animals would be
A Teluk Bendahara
C Teluk Demang
B Teluk Dayang
D Teluk Puteri
HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR SWIMMERS
14
From the caption above, we know that the swimmers had

A paid to swim
C hardly worked
B taken days off
D finally succeeded
15
From the comic strip above, the phrase I'm a grown man suggests that the character
A loves his family
B is not really sick
C does not need a wife
D can take care of himself
Rules and Regulations:

1. The contest is open to all secondary school Nature Club members.
2. There is no limit to the number of entries from each student. However, a student
is entitled to win one prize only.
3. Entries must be based on the theme Malaysian Beaches.
4. The closing date for all entries is November 8, 2007. Late entries will not be
entertained.
16
The notice above tells us that the participants can

A draw on any Malaysian theme
B register as Nature Club members
C send as many entries as they want
D submit entries after November 8, 2007
10
SMK Damai had organized a jogathon recently to raise funds to build a school
hall. A well-known local businessman was invited to flag off the event. As a
former student of SMK Damai, he was happy to help.
17
In the report above, flag off can best be replaced with

A watch
C mark
B start
D compete
The Malaysian contingent was in the running for five gold medals but, at the
end of the day, it had only one to show, thanks to 18 year-old sailor, Rufina Tan.
The karate team had high hopes when the four competitors made it to the final.
However, even our favourite, Khamiswaran, failed at the final hurdle.
18
Which of the following statements is true?

A The four karate exponents were better than their opponents
B Khamiswaran reperesented Malaysia in sailing
C Malaysia won five gold medals
D Rufina Tan won her event
BENTONG: An unemployed man was arrested for using counterfeit money in a

bid to cheat a supermarket. The man had told the cashier that he wanted to
change a RM50 note. Later the cashier realized that the note she had received
from the man was a fake. She alerted the manager who then lodged a police
report. An investigation was carried out and the man was later arrested.
(Adapted from The NST, March 2005)
19 In the report above, the unemployed man was
A caught for trying to cheat
C found at the supermarket
B cheated by the cashier
D arrested for using a RM50 note
11
Study the picture below and answer the questions that follow.
20
From the picture above, we know that Jimmy

A loses his job
B dreams of quitting his job
C receives an offer to write a novel
D needs plenty of time to finish his work
21
In this situation, we can say that the manager is

A anxious
C curious
B humble
D polite
22
From the flow chart above, which of the following statements is true?
A The sand filter purifies the water.
B The clean water tank removes the sand.
C The water reaches the service reservoir before it is cleaned.
D Pumping Station 1 pumps the water directly to the settling tank
12
NASI KANDAR RESTAURANT ON THE RIGHT TRACK

GEORGETOWN: Popular nasi kandar chain of restaurants, Payung Emas (M)
Sdn. Bhd. is setting an example that other restaurants should follow. It will not
raise the prices of food and drinks at its 20 outlets despite the increase in the price
of fuel. The management had decided to take in the additional cost incurred
following the fuel price hike.
(Adapted from The NST, March 2006)
23
From the newspaper report above, we know that Payung Emas (M) Sdn. Bhd. will
A decide on the food prices in other restaurants
B bear extra expenses due to the fuel hike
C increase the prices of food and drinks
D follow the fuel price hike
The Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur continues to draw local and foreign tourists.
Its colourful and unique blend of Chinese, Malay and Indian cultures sets it
apart from other Chinatowns in the world. What keeps people flooding in
through its winding and crowded streets is definitely the bargains.
24
From the extract above, the Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur keeps attracting tourists
because of its
A unique people
B winding streets
C cultural blends
D good bargains
25
The man in the cartoon strip above is asking the lady to

A learn English
C think in English
B teach English
D speak proper English
13
26
From the cartoon strip above, we can say that the woman was surprised because
A Malaysians are going to night classes
B the hawker was able to speak good English
C Malaysia has the lowest food prices in the region
D the price of a bowl of noodles had gone up by 30 sen
27
When you sign up at the advertisement website, you will be

A making a donation
B supporting a charity
C meeting other running mates
D paid 20 sen for every kilometre you jog
14
Sabah bills itself as Borneos Paradise, blessed with beautifully sandy beaches
and countless coral islands
28
The word bills in the description above can best be replaced with
A counts
C stresses
B explains
D proclaims
I am a disabled woman and a frequent user of parking

spaces as I have to do my own shopping and run household
errands.
Unfortunately, there are very few parking spaces for the
disabled around Utara Mall. Even these few are always
occupied by able-bodied people.
I suggest that people who occupy the parking spaces
meant for the disabled be fined heavily by the relevant
authorities.
29
In the letter above, Vannish wants the public to

A assist the relevant authorities
B consider the plight of the disabled
C use any parking spaces available
D help her manage her household tasks
30
From the letter, we know that Vannish is

A annoyed
C apologetic
B confused
D sympathetic
15
Answer Scheme for Texts and Graphics

1B
2B
3B
4A
5D
6C
7A
8C
9D
10 C
11 D
12 A
13 D
14 D
15 D
16 C
17 B
18 D
19 A
20 A
16
21 D
22 A
23 B
24 C
25 D
26 B
27 B
28 D
29 B
30 A
2. Reading Comprehension and Summary

2.1 Teachers Notes
Reading Comprehension:
2.1.1 Ask the students to read the summary question first (Question 31) before they read
the passage in Section C. The summary question normally allows them to get some
ideas of what the passage is all about. It is an advantage for weak students to know
the general idea of the passage before they read it. Teachers must remind the
students that they should not write the summary first but after reading the summary
question, they should read the passage and answer all the comprehension questions.
2.1.2 Advise the students to read the passage paragraph by paragraph. After reading each
paragraph, they should read and try to answer the question that is based on that
paragraph. By doing so, the students will be more focused in finding the correct
answer.
2.1.3 Students must be taught to differentiate a word and a phrase. So, if there is a
question asking for a word, they must only write a word for their answer. On the other
hand, if they are supposed to write a phrase, they must only write down a group of
words which is not a complete sentence such as uncomplicated delivery or
indispensable part of our lives. Similarly, if the question requires students to write
words as the answer, teachers should guide students to copy a part of a sentence.
2.1.4 Make sure they do not lift the whole sentence. In short, teachers must ensure
students are aware of the differences of these terms: word, words, phrase and
sentence.
Summary:
2.1.5 When students, especially weaker students, have picked a sentence as their content
point, they should copy the sentence completely to avoid any distortion of meaning.
2.1.6 Students must also copy the punctuations accurately as they appear in the passage.
2.1.7 They should try as far as possible to keep to the word limit. Exceeding it will just be a
waste of time and effort as anything written beyond it will not be considered at all.
However, no marks will be penalised for the extra words included.
2.2 Students Tips

Reading Comprehension:
2.2.1 Identify the keywords in each question. The keywords will be clues for you to find the
correct answer in the passage.
2.2.2 Only copy out the sentence from the text once you have identified the sentence
containing the answer. Of course, you must also remember that pronouns such as I,
me, mine, my, our, us and ours must be changed accordingly.
2.2.3 Attempt to check the accuracy of all answers.
17
Summary:
2.2.4
2.2.5
2.2.6
2.2.7
2.2.8
2.2.9
2.2.10
2.2.11
2.2.12
Understand the requirement/s of the summary.

Mark the lines where the summary starts and ends.
Know that the first 3 lines normally contain the first point or at least a content point.
Understand what the question asked for
Refer to the summary requirement/s before finally copying out any sentence as
content point. You are encouraged to question yourself accordingly based on the
summary requirements such as Is this a danger he faced? or Is this how they
solved their problems?. The questions are your guide in selecting the relevant and
accurate content points.
Select relevant points according to question
For better students, attempt to paraphrase and reorganize without changing the
meaning
Do not forget to write the number of words
Students are not encouraged to write more than the word limit given.
18
2.3 Practices
Practice 1
Questions 26 - 30 are based on the following passage.
1
Patricia Zahara Ariffin, 71, is a body painter. She paints pictures on people's faces
and hands at the National Zoo. Visitors will definitely notice her while waiting to take the train
ride at the starting point. She will be there, with her forearm stretched out to show off the
various animals she has painted on her skin. "Get your face painted," this sprightly lady will
say to persuade the children. "Won't it be cute to have a little dolphin on your hand?" she will 5
suggest to them. Sometimes, she would be mobbed, surrounded by those eager children to
have her "masterpiece" on their skins. Sometimes, she sits alone under her large umbrella
with her tubes of water-based paints and brushes.
Patricia is not a professional artist. Art critics describe her paintings of owls, eagles,
tigers and fishes as "cute". Nothing more. This is not a big deal to the English native who 10
came here after her marriage to a Malaysian in the 1950s. After all, she only started faceand-hand painting in March when the Malaysian Natures Society needed something novel to
attract the crowd to come to their Floral Exhibition in Tanjung Tuan, Melaka.
Patricia can always be seen at the train ride station, come rain or shine, on most
Saturdays, because painting has always been her passion. Besides that, it gives her 15
happiness to see that the fruits of her labour help the animals in the zoo. "It's not so much
the money," insisted the former headmistress who revealed that all proceeds are given to the
zoo for the animals' upkeep. .,I have seen some of the children jumping up and down after
getting their faces painted and that gives me the most satisfaction," she added.
Patricia never feels bored telling about the awkward moments she has experienced. 20
The challenges as a face-and-hand painting artist also thrill her. Some people have slippery
skin which makes it very hard for the paint to stick so you have to apply thicker layers.
Another problem is hairiness which makes it impossible for any work to be done," she said."
Unless they shave, there is no way the paint would stick. One guy proposed that I do a
25
painting on his neck which was about the only spot that didn't have hair," she laughed.
Listening to her stories, one may think Patricia has never experienced any sad
moment. On the contrary, she spent three years grieving. That was when her husband, the
late Jamil Ariffin, passed away due to bone cancer. She refused to meet people or take part
in social activities. Later, she came to her senses and realised that this was not the way to
live, Being old does not mean that you should give up an active life. Many old people lose 30
their flexibility when they are not active for a long period of time." she added, She later
joined the Malaysian Nature Society.
As a member of the Malaysian Nature Society, Patricia tries to take part in as many
activities as she can. She goes bird-watching, looks out for frogs, snakes and other reptiles
and follows the marine group for snorkelling trips in Pulau Tioman. She also supports the 35
World Wildlife Fund for Nature. Recently, she went to Terengganu and Melaka to patrol parts
of the beaches which have been declared turtle sanctuaries.
19
Patricia is asthmatic and uses an artificial hip. Despite that, she is an active volunteer
with the National Association of Strokes of Malaysia. According to her, "being old helps" as
the stroke patients at the physiotherapy class she attends, feel encouraged with her around. 40
This golden girl who goes line dancing to keep fit has visited many countries. In the near
future, she plans to visit lndia to see the Taj Mahal. "l want to see the monument of love
before it crumbles." she said.
(Adapted from Sunday Metro, December 2008)
26. From paragraph 1, what does Patricia Tahara Ariflin do at the National Zoo?
.[1 mark]
27. From paragraph 3,
(a) what does Patricia do with all the money she gets from her painting?
[1 mark]
(b) which word has the same meaning as a strong feeling to do something?
[1 mark]
28. From paragraph 4, describe two challenges that Patricia faces as a body painter.
i)
.. [1 mark]
ii)
[1 mark]
(a) State two activities that Patricia does with the Malaysian Nature Society members.
i)
...[1 mark]
ii)..
[1 mark]
(b) why is it necessary to guard parts of the beaches of Terengganu and Melaka?
[1 mark]
20
30. ln your own words, give two reasons why Patricia is considered active.
i).
..........................[1 mark]
ii)
[1 mark]
Question 31
Based on the passage given write a summary on
why Patricia enjoys face-painting and hand-painting, and,

her other activities after her husband's death.
Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the original
meaning.
Your summary must
be in continuous writing (not in note form)

use material from lines 17 - 50
not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below
Begin your summary as follows:

Patricia enjoys doing face-and-hand painting at the zoo because painting ...
21
Answers
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
She is a body painter./ She paints pictures on peoples faces and hands.
(a) All proceeds are given to the zoo for the animals upkeep
(b) passion
(i) some people have slippery skin
(ii) some people hairy skin./ hairiness
(a) (i) bird-watching
(ii) looks out for frogs/snakes/ (and other) reptiles
(iii) snorkelling
(b) they have been declared turtle sanctuaries
examples:
- she still paints on peoples bodies
- she watches birds
- she studies frogs/snakes/ (and other) reptiles.
- she snorkels
- she is a member of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature
- She patrolled the beaches of Terengganu / Melaka which have been declared turtle
sanctuaries
SUMMARY
Content (maximum 10 marks even if all the points are given)

C: 10 marks
Style and Presentation L:
5 marks
------------Total
15 marks
-------------
Contents
1. is her love
2. all the proceeds are for the zoo animals upkeep
3. is satisfied/ enjoys seeing children jumping up and down after getting their faces
painted
4. the challenges she faces as a hand-and-face artist thrill her
5. she is/became a member of the Malaysian nature society
6. goes bird watching
7. looks out for frogs/snakes/(and other) reptiles
8. goes snorkelling/snorkels
9. supports the world wildlife fund for nature
10. patrolled the beaches of Terengganu/Melaka which have been declared turtle
sanctuaries
11. is a volunteer with the National Association of Strokes Malaysia
12. goes line dancing
13. travelling
22
Practice 2
Question 26-30 are based on the following passage
1
Just like any other modern devices, the mobile phone has become an indispensable
part of our lives. These days, we trade our phones for newer units, with sharper colour
screens, digicams, as well as more polyphonic ringtones. We seem to be getting new phones
faster than we get new clothes. However, not all old mobile phones go back to the market to
be resold when the owner decides to get a new unit. Some are left at home to rot in the 5
drawer while others are sent to the garbage bin, a practice which, at the end of the day, adds
to the growing volume of toxic waste in our countrys landfills. The fear by environmentalists
is that as millions of mobile phones are disposed of with other trash, the possibility exists for
their toxins to be released into the air and even ground water.
Mobile phones are full of pollutants such as lead (primarily from soldering), arsenic, 10
antimony, beryllium, copper, nickel, mercury and brominated flameretardants. Older phone
models use nickel-cadmium batteries which contain cadmium, a toxin and suspected
carcinogen. Therefore, the fear of the environmentalists is genuine.
Even if Malaysians want to do the right thing, most are just too engrossed to figure
out the right way to get rid of their phones. A private college student, who likes to follow the 15
latest trends when it comes to mobile phones, disclosed that when she buys a new one, the
old one goes to her favourite charity.
The managing director of the Petaling Jaya Community Centres Environment Centre,
said that unfortunately it is not often that his office gets unused or old mobile phones from the
public. The few times that it does receive mobile phones, the units are totally unusable and 20
irreparable and theres nothing that can be done apart from tossing them into the centres
scrap metal bin to be sold for their weight. If there are any that can be used, they are sent to
the shop to be repaired.
Nokia Malaysia offers a wide range of electronic waste management services

including recycling, processing and refining. According to Nokia, a typical mobile phone 25
recycling process involves the material being shredded into scrap. Metal and plastic parts are
then separated. The metals are sold to metal refineries, where they are melted and purified
for reuse. However, the recycling rate of plastics is low, partly because recovered plastics
often contain impurities. Fortunately, most recycled plastics are suitable as a fuel
replacement for oil. In addition, the plastic scraps can also be turned into plastic benches and 30
fences.
Nokia encourages its mobile phone users to send mobile phones which are beyond
repair to them for proper disposal. If not stored in the correct conditions, old and unused
phone batteries may leak and toxic chemicals will be released into homes. Even if stored in
the best conditions, what happens to these phones eventually? One day, they will probably 35
be discarded with the trash and end up in landfills.
Mobile phone sales continue to climb, making it unlikely that the number of used
phones will decline. All too often the one you used to love and take everywhere with you, is
now left at home, in a drawer, unwanted and abandoned. However, attitudes are beginning
23
to change as awareness and education grow. Ongoing campaigns by various governments 40

as well as by companies and organizations within the telecommunications industry can and
will help prevent old mobile phones from making their way to landfills. Hence, it is our social
responsibility as users to help protect the environment for future generations. Remember:
reclaim, reuse and recycle for a greener earth.
(Adapted from The Star, 8 July 2004)
Questions 26 30
Answer all questions. You are advised to answer them in the order set.
26
(a) In paragraph 1, why do people trade in their mobile phones for newer units?
...... [1 mark]
(b) Not all mobile phones are traded for newer units. What happens to most of them
when owners get a new one?
...... [1 mark]
27
(a) From paragraph 2, give two reasons why mobile phones are considered
dangerous.
(i) ........................... [1 mark]
(ii)........................ [1 mark]
(b) From paragraph 3, find a word which has the same meaning as preoccupied.
.......[1 mark]
28 In paragraph 4, what happens when people donate their handphones to the Petaling Jaya
Community Centres Environment Centre?
(i) ...... [1 mark]
(ii) ........ [1 mark]
29 From paragraph 5, state one use of recycled plastics.

.............. [1 mark]
30 In your own words, state how we can educate the public to recycle their mobile phones.
.....
.....
..... [2 marks]
24
Question 31
This article describes the threats posed by mobile phones to the environment and the
solutions to the problems.
Based on the text, write a summary of:
the dangers posed by improper disposal of mobile phones
how they are recycled
Your summary must
draw material from lines 8 to 42
Unused mobile phones pose a threat to the environment by........................................
........
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................
25
Answers
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
(a) They want sharper colour screens, digicams, and more polyphonic ringtones.
(b) They are left in drawers or sent to garbage bins.
(a)
- full of pollutants.
- old phones use nickel cadmium batteries which contain a toxin and a
suspected carcinogen.
(b) engrossed
i) tossed into the centres scrap metal bin.
ii) sent to a shop to be repaired if they can be used.
fuel replacement for oil /plastic benches / plastic fences
By running campaigns / advertisements / locate collection centres at Malls or public
places / Rewards for sending in old mobile phones, etc.
SUMMARY

C: 10 marks
5 marks
------------Total
15 marks
-------------
Contents
Dangers posed by improper disposal of mobile phones
1.
growing volume of toxic waste (in our countrys landfills)
2.
possibility exists for toxins to be released into the air
3.
and ground water
4.
full of pollutants
5.
nickel-cadmium batteries contain cadmium, a toxin (and a suspected carcinogen)
6.
if not stored in correct conditions, (old and unused phone) batteries may leak
7.
and toxic chemicals will be released into homes
How they are recycled
1.
the old one goes to charity
2.
the material is shredded into scrap
3.
metal and plastic parts are then separated
4.
the metals are sold to metal refineries
5.
where they are melted
6.
and purified for reuse
7.
recycled plastics are suitable as fuel replacement for oil
8.
plastic scraps can be turned into plastic benches and fences
26
Practice 3
Questions 26 31 are based on the following passage.
Work-related stress is a common problem among employees. It can result in feelings

of depression, frustration and demotivation. Stress management therapist, Mahes
Karuppiah recommends laughter therapy to deal with this problem. Mahes says that
laughter helps to reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that weakens the
immune system.
Studies have found that a good laugh session can lead to a sense of
wellbeing and optimism. It can also reduce blood pressure, increase circulation and
relax the muscles. Mahes, who began using laughter as therapy four years ago says
laughter is the easiest and most practical way to manage stress. It is also inexpensive
as everyone possesses the natural ability to laugh. You dont have to learn how to do 10
it or buy equipment to help you laugh; it is in you. If you look at children, they laugh at 0
the simplest things while adults are finding it difficult even to smile.
Mahes says employees who are facing pressure and stress usually cannot
cope with their work. This drags down their productivity and may even compel them to 15
0
come up with excuses not to come to work. If you start work at the age of 25 and
retire at 55, you would be spending 30 years of your life at the office. And you work
about nine hours or more there every day. So, if you are unhealthy and unhappy
during this period which is the prime time of your life, you have wasted the bulk of
20
your life with these emotions.
0
To make the office a fun place, she suggests the establishment of a laughter
club at each company. Get a few people together every morning and have a laughter
therapy session for about 15 minutes. All the laughter club members should try to
identify and remove negative feelings such as guilt, anger, fear, jealousy and ego,
25
she says.
0
According to Mahes, there are a few types of laughter therapy. Among them
are putting a pen between your teeth to simulate a smile and the Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha,
which involves laughing while clapping your hands. You dont need to listen to a joke
or look at something funny. You can do it as a form of exercise just like aerobics. It is
said that laughter is like internal jogging. It keeps the mind and body fit.
30
There should also be a laughter room in every office, she says. Youve heard
of people screaming to release their tension. Why not have a laughter room where
instead of screaming, they can laugh? Employees can use the room to practise
laughter exercises, watch a funny video or sit there and just laugh their frustrations
away. The cost of having this room is small. And in return it will help boost morale
among the workers, reduce absenteeism and increase productivity.
Another suggestion is to have a Public Announcement or P.A. system in the
office so that someone can tell a joke of the day or just begin laughing. Laughter is
contagious. Once you get someone to laugh, soon everyone in the room will be
27
35
laughing or smiling as well. Post funny jokes or cartoons on a bulletin board, as long
40
as they are not lewd or offensive. Employees can rotate the postings every week. The
best joke or cartoon should be declared the Humour of the week. This is the
cheapest way to bring fun into the office.
8
According to a study by David Abrams of California State University in the United

States, people who have fun on the job are more creative and productive, are better
decision-makers and get along better with co-workers. So, start the day with a laugh
and youll find the saying Laughter is the best medicine is really true.
(Adapted from The New Straits Times, July 2003)
26.
(a) From paragraph 1, what problem do most employees face?

.......................[1 mark]

(a) find a word that means hopefulness.
.......[1 mark]
(b) why is laughter therapy a cheap way to manage stress?
.......[1 mark]
28.
(a) From paragraph 3, which period is considered as the prime time of ones life?
....[1 mark]
(b) From paragraph 5, why is laughter referred to as internal jogging?
.......[1 mark]
29.
(a) From paragraph 6, how can a laughter room benefit a company?

State two ways.
(i).......[1 mark]
(ii)............ [1 mark]
(b) From paragraph 7, why is laughter contagious?
......[1 mark]
28
45
30. Do you think Laughter is the best medicine for students who are under stress? Give a
reason for your answer.
...
...
...[2 marks]
Question 31
Based on the passage, write a summary on:
the suggestions given by Mahes to promote laughter therapy at the office.
meaning.
Your summary must:
be in continuous writing form (not in note form)
use material from lines 21 to 49

Mahes suggests that laughter clubs are set up to make .
29
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
30
Answers
26. Work-related stress
27.
(a) optimism
(b) Everyone possesses the natural ability to laugh
28.
(a) The period between the ages of 25-55
(b) It keeps the mind and body fit
29.
(a) (i) Help boost morale among the workers
(a) (ii) Reduce absenteeism / increase productivity
(b) Laughter spreads or is passed on easily
30.
(Any acceptable answer)
31.
SUMMARY

C: 10 marks
5 marks
------------Total
15 marks
-------------
Content
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
xiii.
the office a fun place

(get a few people) and have a laughter therapy session for 15 minutes
members should try to identify and remove negative feelings
putting a pen between your teeth to simulate a smile
(the Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha, which involves) laughing while clapping your hands
you can laugh as a form of exercise (the word laugh is mandatory)
a laughter room in every office
employees can use the room to practise laughter exercises/ watch a funny video/ sit
there / just laugh their frustrations away
have a P.A. system so that someone can tell a joke of the day
just begin laughing as laughter is contagious) / ( P.A. system must be mentioned
before this point is accepted)
post funny jokes or cartoons on bulletin board
rotate postings
best joke declared Humour of the Week
31
Practice 4
1
Hurry up children, your ong ngoai must be hungry by now, Mother called
out from the front room of our family home in Tay Ninh, Vietnam. She had carefully
placed steamed rice, fried chicken and vegetables in each compartment ofthe
lunch rack, all set to be delivered to ong ngoai, our grandfather. My father, a staff
sergeant with the Philippine Air Force, worked as a surgical technician for eight
years and had married Mother, a local girl. Because of his work, he was away from
home for weeks at a time. Mother was a housewife who took great care of Trang
and me. She gave us the daily noontime job of taking lunch to our grandfather, who
lived alone in a small rented apartment.
Here, send the food to ong ngoai quickly. Be careful not to spill the food,
she added.
I was six years old. Trang, my sister, who was eight years older, was
helping me get dressed. I was excited at the thought of getting out of the house.
Mother, ever-concerned, recited her list of reminders as she always did

every day: Stay on the side of the road. Look both ways before crossing the street.
Dont stop to talk to strangers. Come back straight to the house after you have
delivered the food. Do not stop anywhere along the way. Run along now.
So hand in hand, with Trang carrying the lunch rack, we scurried one block
down the road to our grandfathers place. He was a retired judge and I was happy
to see him every day. It was he who gave me my first cac (the equivalent of cents
at that time).
10
15
20
It was 1974 and war was spreading all over Vietnam, but in Tay Ninh life
was peaceful and continued as usual. However, on that particular day, as Trang
and I made our way to grandfathers place, whizz!
Duck down! Trang cried as we walked along. Stay low and take cover!
Ratatatatat! Somewhere in the mountains just outside town, Vietcong

soldiers fired their flying bullets down our path. I bent so low that I actually dragged
my face along the ground as I ran.
As we squatted at the side of the road, covering our heads, I started to

worry about ong ngoai. He liked his food served hot. If we did not get there on time
and his lunch turned cold - oh, I did not like the thought of it! I refused to let this
outbreak of shooting slow us down. Lets just run for it! I said.
10
Trang suggested duckwalking down the road but it was not a good idea.
After a few paces, my short little legs began cramping. We tried all the manoeuvres
that could save our lives but nothing seemed to work. We were ready to sit things
out until the shooting was over. Then I suddenly remembered. If we ever came
32
25
30
35
under fire, our elders had told us time after time, we should run from side to side.
Bullets travel in a straight line, they said. Run in a zigzag.
11
12
26.
So taking a deep breath, we set off again, running wildly back and forth
across the road. After what seemed forever, the shooting ceased. God Almighty
be praised, the food is still warm, was all I could say after we arrived at our
grandfathers apartment, completely unaware of the danger from which we had just
escaped. Five cents awaited each of us!
As an adult, I sometimes look back on that eventful day. I now know what
my young mind could not understand then: it is impossible to go through life without
45
hardship and struggles being thrown at you. They come when you least think they
would, like when you are happily walking down a street and bullets start flying at
you. You can try to avoid them all you want, but as long as you are alive, they will
keep coming, from all directions. Sure, you might get wounded, but you just have to
bandage your wounds, pick yourself up and start walking again.
50
(Adapted from Readers Digest, May 2006)
(a) From paragraph 1, what did the writer and her sister have to do every day at
noon?
........................................................................... .. .. .. [1 mark]
(b) From paragraph 3, what made the writer feel happy and enthusiastic?
......................................................................................[1 mark]

(a) which word has the same meaning as the word hurried?
......................................................................................[1 mark]
(b) how did the writer feel when she met her grandfather each day?
........................................................................................................................ [1 mark]
(a) how was life in Tay Ninh different from the rest of Vietnam?
......................................................................................................................[1 mark]
(b) what do you think had made the whizz sound?
.........................................................................................................................[1 mark]
29.
40
(a) From paragraph 11, what did the grandfather give the writer as a reward?
..........................................................................................................................[1 mark]
33
(b) From paragraph 12, what does the word they in line 46 refer to?
..........................................................................................................................[1 mark]
30. Do you agree with the writer that when we are facing problems, we need to pick
ourselves up and walk again? Give a reason for your answer.
...................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................... [2 marks]
31. Based on the passage given, write a summary on:
the advice the writers mother gave her and her sister and
what the writer and her sister did during the shooting
Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the
original meaning.
Your summary must
use materials from lines 10 to 40

The writers mother reminded her and her sister not to.
............................................
34
Answer
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31
(a) take lunch to their grandfather (who lived alone in a rented apartment).
(b)The thought of getting out of the house
(a) scurried
(b) (She was) happy to see him.
(a) Life was peaceful (and continued as usual).
(b) (The Vietcong soldiers) bullets
(a) Five cents
(b) Hardship and struggles
Accept any reasonable answer.
Award either 0 mark or 2 marks. If answer is only Yes or No, award 0
mark
SUMMARY

C: 10 marks
5 marks
------------Total
15 marks
-------------
Content points
1. spill the food
2. stay on the side of the road
3. look both ways before crossing the street.
4. do not stop to talk to strangers.
5. come back straight to the house after they have delivered the food.
6. do not stop anywhere along the way.
7. ducked down / stayed low and took cover
8. bent so low (that she actually dragged her face along the ground) as she ran
9. squatted at the side of the road
10. covered their heads
11. duckwalked down the road
12. tried all the manoeuvres that could save their lives
13. ran from side to side /ran in a zigzag / ran wildly back and forth across the road
35
Practice 5
Questions 26 -31 are based on the following passage.
1
As he struggled to keep his four-year-old daughter Jane above the surging water, Jet Li
shouted for someone to help his nanny, who was holding his one-year-old daughter, Jada.
This was no action movie. Like many people across Asia, Li was caught up in the real-life
horror of the devastating tsunami that hit us on 26December, 2004.
It all began when the Chinese kung fu movie star came to the Maldives for a holiday with
his wife Nina, two young daughters and nanny. Just after ten that Sunday morning, he had
been standing by the pool at the Four Seasons Hotel, ready to take his two excited little girls
into the sea.
Then he noticed the water rising with terrifying speed. By the time he and the nanny had
picked up Jane and Jada and turned to head back to the hotel, the water had reached their
feet. Within seconds it rose to his waist, then his chin. In the ensuing chaos, Li grabbed Jane
but lost his grip on Jada and the nanny. As they were all swept towards the hotel, he cried
out for help. Four bystanders jumped into the water and saved the little girl and the nanny.
When it was all over, his family and other hotel guests were forced to sleep in the lobby
due to electricity failure. It was then that Li sat up and reflected on what had happened. Up
to then, I had spent the first 41 years of my life thinking of Jet Li: Jet Li number one. But now,
I thought, however powerful, however famous, in that moment it could not help you. I thought
about my life and what I wanted to do.
In the time between the tsunami and the Sichuan earthquake back in China, Jet Li
transformed his life, dedicating much of his time to helping the victims of disaster and the
less fortunate. Rather than just donate money, he set out to create an organisation that
would make a genuine difference and draw upon the power of individuals around the world.
Following his ordeal, in the Maldives, Li returned home to Hong Kong and swung into
action. After the tsunami, Li told his wife, I have to do something right away. Thats how the
One Foundation was born, he said. In January 2005, he donated a large amount of money
to the victims of the tsunami and used another large sum to start a foundation.
During his free time, he spoke with academics around the world and spent time at
philanthropic organisations, such as the Rockefeller Foundation, to learn what makes a
successful non-government organisation (NGO).
The idea behind One Foundation is simple: think big by thinking small. Starting in China,
Li has set out to raise one yuan (15 cents) from every person each month. He likens it to one
big family helping each other out. He said, I believe helping each other starts with the
individuals. It is everybodys responsibility to give. If everyone gives one yuan every month, it
will add up to billions of dollars. To make that idea a reality, One Foundation has also
teamed up with the corporate sector.
36
10
15
20
25
30
35
10
12
In just 18 months, the foundation has raised nearly $16 million, proving the power of Lis
simple idea. It has helped a number of disaster relief efforts, including the Yunnan Puer
earthquake and the snowstorms that paralysed much of southern China in early 2008. One
Foundation has also been involved in long-term projects, such as Sunshine In Your Heart a programme that promotes mental health education and consultation centres in Chinese
schools, and organises seminars and courses in universities around China.
Li has big aspirations for One Foundation, and is already looking beyond China. It is
registered in Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Singapore, and more plans are underway to open
an office in Taiwan. At the same time, he remains realistic about how much the foundation
can achieve. I think it will take at least two generations, maybe 30 years, to change peoples
minds, for them to believe, Yes, I have a responsibility.
Even though some people have questioned why Li is doing this, he refuses to give in to
doubt or regret. He always replies, I spent the first ten years of my life learning martial arts,
then 25 years making movies. Now Im starting my third career.
(Adapted from Readers Digest, January 2009)

26. From paragraph 1, what was the real-life horror that Jet Li had to face?
.....................................................................................................................................[1mark]
27.
(a) From paragraph 2, how many of the family members were on holiday?
...........................................................................................................................[1mark]
b) Which phrase in paragraph 3 gives the meaning of very fast?
.....................................................................................................................................[1mark]
28. (a) From paragraph 4, what did Jet Li do while the rest of the hotel guests were
sleeping?
.....................................................................................................................................[1mark]
(b) From paragraph 5, give two reasons why Jet Li planned to set up an organisation.
(i)................................................................................................................................. [1mark]
(ii)................................................................................................................................ [1mark]
29. (a) From paragraph 6, when did Jet Li decide to create the One Foundation?
.....................................................................................................................................[1mark]
(b) From paragraph 8, how would the idea of raising one yuan help the foundation?
.....................................................................................................................................[1mark]
30. In your own words, suggest two ways you can help people after a natural disaster.
(i)................................................................................................................................. [1mark]
(ii)................................................................................................................................ [1mark]
37
40
45
what Jet Li has done to help victims of disaster and
the organisation of One Foundation he has set up.
meaning.
Your summary must:
be in continuous writing form (not in note form)
use materials from lines 21 to 47

After the tsunami, Jet Li spent some of his time
[15 marks]
38
Answers
26. (the devastating) tsunami
27.
(a) Four
(b) (with) terrifying speed
OR
Within seconds
28.
(a) He (sat up and) reflected on what had happened
(b) (i )To make a genuine difference
(ii) To draw upon the power of individuals around the world
29.
(a) After the tsunami / when he returned home to Hong Kong
(b) By giving one yuan every month, it will add up to billions of dollars
30. Possible answers:
- donate money /clothes/food to the victims
- donate blood to help the injured
- be part of the rescue team
- get involved in the voluntary service to help the victims
- offer medical aid/assistance
- organise fundraising/awareness campaigns
Note: Accept other relevant answers.
Summary
1. to help the victims
2. donated money/ donated money to the victims of tsunami in January 2005
3 set out to create an organisation
4 to make a genuine difference
5 to draw upon the power of individuals around the world
6 used a large sum to start a foundation
7 set up One Foundation
8 idea is : think big by thinking small
9 raise one yuan from every person each month
10 it will add up to billions of dollars
11 teamed up with the corporate sector
12 raised nearly $16 million in 18 months
13 has helped disaster relief efforts
14 is involved in long-term projects
15 programme that promotes mental health education and consultation centres (in
Chinese schools)
16 organises seminars and courses in universities around China
39
Practice 6
1
Hotels in Kuala Lumpur are selling them at about RM100 a piece and local Chinese
restaurants are cashing in on them as well. It is that time of the year again when
connoisseurs and common folks in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia go crazy
over a Shanghainese delicacy in the form of a small, hairy-legged, green crustacean. We are
talking about the seasonal Hairy Crabs which are widely available in Shanghai from October
to November. You can even get them in 7-Eleven stores there!

2
So whats so great about these crabs? In ancient China, it was regarded an elite
activity to enjoy the crab delicacies, watch the blooming chrysanthemums and compose
lyrical poems. The secret lies with the roe a sinfully rich and creamy orange substance that
has melted the resistance of even the most cholesterol conscious.
10
Dragon-O Restaurant which serves Shanghainese cuisine has also jumped on the
bandwagon to bring these tiny delicacies to Malaysia. To make it more affordable, they
import the crabs direct from the source Tai Lake in Jiangsu Province, China. The ecology
around Tai Lake is the reason why Hairy Crabs are reared there. Tai Lakes ideal depth of
two metres allows sunlight to reach the bottom of the lake, causing seaweed, the crabs food,
15
to flourish.
4
According to Raymond Cheung, a Hairy Crab farm owner, wild crab fries are
purchased every March from local fishermen who catch them by the kilos from the mouth of
the Yangtze River. There would usually be about 160,000 fries in a kilo. These two-week-old
fries are then put into a small pond to mature. Come December when the crabs are nine
20
months old, they are relocated to an enclosed pen by the lake in preparation for the cold
winter months. During this time, the crabs will bury themselves in the mud at the bottom of
the lake to hibernate.
5
When they are more than a year old, the crabs are relocated again in May to bigger
pens in the middle of the lake. These are crucial months as the food and temperature during
25
this period determine the quality of the harvest in the fourth quarter of the year. The crabs
are considered mature after they have mounted 21 times. They usually moult when the
temperature drops to 20C. During this time, they are fed small fishes, corn, spirulina and
garlic. Their shells are yellow during their growing months and will turn green once they
30
mature.
40
Hairy crabs are best harvested in the months of October and November. They are
caught with nets placed at the bottom of the lake. The crabs are then taken to the factory for
packaging and exporting. At the factory, workers bind them so that they will not move and
pack them in Styrofoam boxes before placing them in a huge chiller for a day to hibernate.
CCTVs are installed all around the factory. The government is concerned about the quality of
35
Chinas exports and they conduct stringent monitoring through live feed CCTVs. The
cameras also allow them to keep track on the number of crabs being exported.
7
7
The boxes are then filled with ice before being exported to other countries. Each box
is individually tagged so customers can trace the source if any problems arise. It takes two
days for the live crabs to arrive in Malaysia and another day to the respective restaurants.
The crabs can survive for about a week.
The Dragon-O Restaurant is offering Malaysians a taste of this Shanghainese
delicacy at a reasonable price. The owner has this to say, We have always kept in mind that
value for money is the way to go if we want our customers walking out of the restaurant to
come back someday soon.
Adapted from The Star, November, 2008
26 From paragraph 1,
(a) What are being sold at about RM100 a piece?
..... [1 mark]
(b) Which sentence tells you that Hairy Crabs are widely available in Shanghai?
......[1 mark]
27 From paragraph 2, which is the most delicious part of the crab?
.............................[1 mark]
28
(a)
From paragraph 3, what causes seaweed to flourish in Tai Lake?
...........[1 mark]
(b) From paragraph 4, which word means sleep the whole winter?
................................................................................................................[1 mark]
41
40
29
(a) From paragraph 5, what will influence the quality of the crabs?
........[1mark]
(b) From paragraph 6, how does the China government show its concern about
the export of Hairy Crabs?
........................... [1 mark]
(c) From paragraph 7, why is it important to tag the boxes?
..................................................................................................................... [1 mark]
30
From paragraph 8, explain in your words what the owner of the restaurant meant
when he said ...... that value for money is the way to go .....?
...........[2 marks]
31. Based on the passage given, write a summary of:
how Hairy Crabs are reared and
how they are packed for export
Your summary must
use materials from lines 19 44
meaning.
The wild crab fries caught by the local fishermen are
..
42
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43
Answers
26 (a)
Hairy Crabs
(Hairy is mandatory)
Lower case is acceptable
(b)
You can even get them in 7-Eleven stores there
27 (a)
roe / eggs
Permissible Lifting: [The secret lies..conscious.]
(lines 10 -12)
28 (a) the ideal depth of two metres that allows sunlight to reach the
bottom of the lake
Permissible Lifting: [Tai Lakes.. to flourish.]
(lines 17- 18)
(b) hibernate
29 (a) foods and temperature
(b) CCTVs are installed all around the factory / Government conducts
stringent monitoring through live feed CCTVs. (Either one)
Permissible Lifting: [CCTVs are .. live feed CCTVs.]
(lines 38 40)
(c) So customers can trace the source if any problems arise.
Permissible Lifting: [Each box is..problems arise.]
(lines 43 44)
30
It is worthwhile spending money (on the delicacy)

Accept any logical answer
44
31
SUMMARY

C: 10 marks
5 marks
-------------
Total
15 marks
-------------
CONTENT POINTS
1. purchased every March
2. the fries are put into a small pond to mature
3. in December / nine-month old crabs are relocated to an enclosed pen by
the lake
4. left to hibernate / hibernate
5. in May / the one-year old crabs are relocated again to bigger pens in the
middle of the lake
6. fed small fishes, corn, spirulina and garlic
7. crabs are harvested / caught in October and November
8. taken to factory (for packaging and exporting)
9. (factory workers) bind them
10. pack in styrofoam boxes
11. placed (boxes) in huge chilller for a day to hibernate
12. boxes are filled with ice
13. each box is individually tagged
45
Practice 7
Section C (25 marks)
1
When doctors told Jane Wilson-Howarth her baby needed surgery, she feared his life
would not be worth living. So, she left behind the consultants, the needles, the tests and took
him far away to live among the sane, baby-loving people of Nepal. Here is her story.
David, my son was born by emergency caesarean section in a hospital in Cambridge,

England. I had returned from Nepal, where we had been living, for what I had hoped would
be quick, uncomplicated delivery. The first thing I noticed when they pulled him into the world
was a gaping black hole in the middle of his face. Strangely, I wasnt shocked by his
appearance. I was infatuated by the tiny life I held in my arms. We later told his brother
Alexander that elves could do the fine stitching to repair the harelip.
3
2
But things did not go well. David struggled to feed, he choked and slept a lot. I could
no longer hide my fear I knew that he was ill. We were back in hospital before he was a
month old. There we saw various specialists who meticulously catalogued a long list of
abnormalities. But they could not convince us that something could be done to improve
Davids quality of life.
10
00
00
00
0
He had blood test after blood test. Food supplements were squirted into a tube that
passed up his nose and into his stomach. These made him vomit. It tore me apart watching
the terror in his eyes. After days of tests and consultations, the doctor told us among other
things that David had holes in the heart, only one kidney, spinal abnormalities and the fibres
connecting the two hemispheres of the brains were missing.
15
00
00
00
0
Before he left, and he seemed to be in a hurry to leave, he said, The baby has to
have open-heart surgery soon. Well prepare for it immediately.
His words sank in, but I had already made the decision. David was all right. I screwed
up my courage and took a deep breath. But he is so much more at ease away from here.
We dont want any more investigations and long-winded reports. No more needles or tests
unless you can prove they will improve his quality of life.
20
00
00
00
0
7
8
10
00
00
00
0
He began to explain, but I interrupted. No. We fly to Nepal this Sunday.

On the day of our flight back to Nepal we must have looked haggard. David looked
beautiful despite the feeding tube in his nose, his harelip and his defects. The Nepalese saw
his soft-unblemished complexion and blue eyes. On the plane, we had already entered sane,
baby-loving Asia.
Back in Nepal, we ventured out every weekend and some evenings. One stroll took
us into a squatter settlement by the river where young mothers, surrounded us, giggling,
wanting to compare babies. How did you make such a beautiful baby? Can he speak
Nepali? I took him out of his pram to show him off and they said, He is so handsome, so
white, so clean! Their admiration was a forgotten delight of having a new baby. No one in
England dared talk about him or ask about him.
The peace and pace of Nepal was healing for all of us, and Davids tube stayed in
less and less. Sometimes I would slip it in when his appetite was poor, but I wasnt convinced
46
25
00
00
00
0
30
00
00
00
0
35
00
00
00
0
40
00
00
that it was necessary any more. He took a great liking to buffalo milk and yoghurt and by the
time he was three months old he was chubby. By the time he was three-and-a-half months
old he smiled. That was a milestone that severely handicapped children often never
achieved.
11
00
00
00
0
Things got better and better after this. His weight increased and he seemed to be
doing so well that we decided to take a break and head into the mountains. We flew to
Pokhara and, with two guides carrying all our luggage we walked north towards the grand
Annapura, through the deepest gorge in the world. Whilst I gasped for every breath, I could
hear David amusingly chatting softly to himself. At a height of 2807 m above sea level, we
were short of breath but the holes in Davids heart had stimulated him to produce more red
blood cells to cope in the thin mountain air.
12
00
00
00
0
When David was five months old, we took him back to the Cambridge hospital. The
clinical staffs were amazed at how well David had done. They were astonished that his
growing heart had repaired the holes. He no longer needed the medicines and he never
had that open heart surgery.
Adapted from an article Mountain Baby in the Guardian by Dr. Jane Wilson Howarth
(a) Before David was born, where were his parents living?
.... [1 mark]
(b) When David was born, what did the writer notice about the baby?
...
27
[1 mark]
(a) From paragraph 3, how did the parents know that David was ill?
. [1 mark]
(b) From paragraph 4, there were a lot of problems with Davids health.
Name 2 of them.
. [1 mark]
(a) What was the doctors decision after checking Davids condition?
.
47
[1 mark]
45
00
00
00
0
50
00
00
00
0
(b) What does it refer to?

[1 mark]
(a) What did David love to eat?
[1 mark]
(b) What had David done to be considered a milestone?
..
..... [1 mark]
30 Do you think it was wise for the family to take David up the mountains? Why?
.
.
[2 marks]
what happened at the time of Davids birth
his development until he was five months old
meaning.
Your summary must be:
in continuous writing (not in note form)
use only the material from lines 12 to 56
not longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below

Jane knew things did not go well for David when
..............................................................................................................................
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....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
48
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....................................................................................................................................................
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....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
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....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
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....................................................................................................................................................
49
Answers
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31
(a) Nepal
(b) There was a gaping black hole in the middle of his face.
(a) He struggled to feed, choked and slept a lot.
(b) Holes in the heart and only one kidney
(a) He had to have open-heart surgery soon.
(b) Surgery/open-heart surgery
(a) Buffalo milk and yoghurt
(b) He smiled
Yes, because his heart had improved.
SUMMARY

C: 10 marks
5 marks
-------------
Total
15 marks
-------------
1. he struggled to feed
2. he choked (and)
3. slept a lot
4. had a list of abnormalities
5. had to have open-heart surgery
6. Davids tube stayed in less and less
7. by the time he was three months old he was chubby
8. by the time he was three and half months old he smiled
9. his weight increased
10. he seemed to be doing so well that his parents took him up the mountains
11. David amusingly chatted softly to himself
12. When he was five months old his growing heart had repaired the holes
13. he no longer needed the medicines and the surgery
50
Practice 8
Section C (25 marks)
1
When will I be released? I have another three months to serve until I am freed. I have
messed up my life and true enough, my mothers curse really worked. That must have been
because I have hurt her feelings a lot.
My father had left my mother when she was pregnant with me. She played the role of
a single parent very well until I started mixing with some notorious boys in school. She
warned me to keep away from them but I insisted that they were part of my life. I idolized
them because they always had the money to spend and used expensive handsets.
My mother worked as an operator in a small industry and earned very little. We lived
from hand to mouth. I was never given any luxury and I always blamed her for it. I felt that
she did not work hard enough to give me the luxury. At that time, I despised her so much that 10
I even told her that I hated the sight of her. Then, she found a second job as a washerwoman
in the neighbourhood.
I started stealing money from her savings and once I even pawned her only wedding
ring to get extra pocket money to impress my rich friends. I spent it at expensive Nasi
Kandar restaurants. At school, I became famous among friends and started missing classes 15
to join my friends at shopping complexes. Slowly, I stopped going to school and when mother
found out, she scolded and even begged me to go back to school. I told her to get lost and
packed my bags to leave home. She cried and promised to provide me with all the luxuries I
needed. I went near her and slapped her on the face. That was when she cursed me that I
would regret one day when the whole world would turn its back on me.
20
I left home and found myself a job as a foreman. The boss sacked me when I started
laying hands on his earnings. Then I became a contract worker and stayed with the other
contract workers. The workload was too heavy for me and I started playing truant from work.
I got myself fired again and had no home to stay. I went back to my so-called friends for
money and shelter but they turned me down and some did not even acknowledge me. They 25
stared at me as if I was a filthy thing. I was hungry and became desperate. I needed food,
money and shelter but I didnt want to return to my mother because I was ashamed of
myself.
I had to do something. I walked up to the wet market in town, hoping to get myself a
job there. I saw an Indian lady with things in both hands walking alone towards her car. An 30
evil idea stroked my mind. She had her purse under her armpit. I walked slowly towards her,
snatched her purse and fled on foot. I could hear her shouting for help and some even
chased after me but I managed to escape. I hid myself at a construction site and I rummaged
through the contents of the purse. She had almost RM200.00 and that kept me alive for
another twelve days.
35
I became excited because that was easy money and I felt like doing it again. This
time I went to the Mega Mall and tried my luck. I snatched a Chinese ladys handbag and
tried to flee but this time I was unlucky. Some passersby and the security guard managed to
get me. I got myself behind bars, sentenced for a year.
51
I truly regret now. Once I am out, I want to go back to my mother. I have been really
cruel to her. I need to take care of her. I will go back to school and at the same time I will
work to cope with our expenditure. I will do well in school and further my education. I want to
be an engineer and make my mother proud. I will get her everything, everything that she
needs. I need to get out of this place. Mother, please forgive me.
26
(a) From paragraph 1, what has the writer done to himself?

..... [1 mark]
(b) From paragraph 2, what did the mother do when the writer started mixing with
some notorious boys?
...[1 mark]
27 From paragraph 3, give ONE reason why the writer despised his mother so much.
.[1 mark]
28 From paragraph 4, which word has the same meaning as the word pleaded?
.[1 mark]
(a) Why did the writer lose his job as a foreman?
[1 mark]
(b) How did the writers friends treat him when he went back to them to get some
help?
State two ways.
(i)[1 mark]
(ii)..... [1 mark]
30
(a) From paragraph 7, why is the writer behind bars?

...[1 mark]
(b) From paragraph 8, the writer says that he wants to go back to his mother. Do you
agree with him? Give a reason using your own words.
[2 marks]
52
40
31 Based on the passage given, write a summary on:
how the writer has messed up his life

what he is planning to do for his mother when he is out of prison
meaning.
Your summary must

use materials from lines 14 46
not be longer than 130 words including the 10 words given below

The writer has messed up his life when he started
53
Answers
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31
(a) He has messed up his life.

(b) She warned him to keep away from them.
His mother earned very little/ They lived from hand to mouth/ He felt that she did not
work hard enough to give him the luxury.
begged
(a) The boss sacked him when he started laying hands on his income.
(b)(i) They turned him down.
(b)(ii) They did not acknowledge him.
(b)(iii) They stared at him as if he was a filthy thing.
(a) He snatched a Chinese ladys handbag and was caught.
(b) Yes, he should go back to her and apologise.
SUMMARY

C: 10 marks
Style and Presentation L: 5 marks
------------Total
15 marks
------------1. stealing money from his mother
2. started missing classes
3. stopped going to school
4. when his mother scolded him, he slapped her on the face
5. left home
6. found himself a job as foreman but was sacked when he started stealing
money
7. became contract worker but played truant and was fired
8. went back to his friends but they turned him down
9. needed food, money and shelter
10. snatched a Chinese ladys handbag but was caught
11. got himself behind bars
12. when he is out, he wants to go back to his mother
13. wants to be an engineer and make his mother proud
14. will get her everything that she needs
54
PRACTICE 9
It was November 30, 2006, and Super Typhoon Reming was raging around our
house. Roofs were flying and trees were being uprooted. Outside our front window I
could see a nearby ixora shrub swaying wildly. The storm soon gathered in force, Rain
was falling heavily, and water was pouring into the house around the edges of the
5
closed windows.
I looked out of the back door and watched in amazement as the slope behind
my Aunt Maura's house turned into a waterfall. Then I heard people shouting, "The river
has burst its bank and is corning down on us! It was impossible! The riverbed that ran
through the back of our neighbourhood was approximately 20 metres wide and 20
10
metres deep, and was never more than one-third full.
There was no time to think. As the water came rushing in, my sisters, Enille and
Lala and I picked up our three dogs and rushed out of our house with our parents. We
didn't get far when I saw our neighbours running back and crying out that the bridge was
already under water. We were trapped because the bridge was our only way to higher
ground.
15
We all gathered at a neighbours house and desperately tried to think of away out.
Several men secured a rope between the trees on either side of the swollen creek.
The plan was to hold onto this rope as we made the dangerous crossing. The water
had risen to chest level and I feared I wouldn't be able to hold on to the dogs as we
crossed. I decided to leave them at another neighbour's house, where I hoped they 20
would be safe.
Several people had gathered on the other side of the creek to watch our progress.
However, by the time we were ready to cross, it was too late. The water was rising quickly
and coming in full force, Huge pieces of lumber, posts and animals were being
carried along at a frightening speed - anyone in the creek would have been swept 25
away. The only option left for us was to climb to the roof of Aunt Mauras house.
Altogether, 29 people, including several men who had bravely crossed the
creek to help us, were trapped on the roof, huddling close against the cold wind. As
the hours passed, we grew numb with cold and fear and stared helplessly as the rising
water licked menacingly at the edge of the roof. At one point, I looked over at the 30
house where I had left my dogs. Half of it was gone. So was our old house next to it.
Despair surrounded us.
As night fell, all we could do was pray. A municipal rescue team came, but left
again when they realised they were ill-equipped to handle the situation. Our villagers did
what they could, sending food, water and clothing on a makeshift pulley stroke between a 35
tree and a house beam. Others left to appeal to the mayor, the military and anyone else who
might be of help.
55
Finally, a group of police officers, soldiers and civilians decided to attempt a rescue.
A villager tied another rope around a big tree while a police officer bravely swam
through the strong current and tied the other end around the main beam of the roof. 40
one by one we climbed into a harness attached to a pulley, and were pulled across the
15-metre raging waterway to dry land. There, neighbours were waiting with coffee and dry
clothes. Ten hours later, everyone was finally off the roof. At a nearby house, we were given
food, shelter and medical attention.
(Adapted from The Readers Digest, November 2007.
26
From paragraph 1, where was the writer?
27
[1 mark]
From paragraph 2,
(a) What had happened to the river?
...
[1 mark]
(b) Which word conveys the meaning of, shock?

........
28
[1 mark]
(a) From paragraph 4, 'I decide to leave them at another neighbours house...,
What does them refer to?
.
[1 mark]
(b) From paragraph 5, why couldn't the writer and her family cross the creek?
..
..
29
[1 mark]
(a) From paragraph 7, state two ways how the villagers helped the victims.
(i)...........................................................................................................
(ii)..........................................................................................................
[1 mark]
[1 mark]
(b) From paragaph 8, who swam across the river?
56
[1 mark]
30
In your opinion, how did the writer feel when he was rescued from the roof?
Using your own words, give a reason to support your answer.
.
[2 marks]
31 Imagine you are the writer, Based on the passage given, write a summary on:
- how you and your family made your way to safety during the typhoon
- the problems you faced in doing so.
Credit will be given for the use of own words but care must be taken not to change
the original meaning.
Your summary must:
- be in continuous writing form (not in note form)
- use materials from lines 12 to 47
- not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below.
As the water came rushing in, my sisters and I .
[15 marks]
57
.......................
58
Answers
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31
at home / in the writer's house / in her(his) house / in the house. (Preposition

in & at is mandatory).
(a) it had burst its banks (allow lifting of line with a change in pronoun)
(b) amazement
(a) the dogs / her dogs / his dogs
(Dogs must be in the plural form)
(b) the water was coming in full force /the water was rising quickly
(a) (i) sending food/ water / clothing (any one option)
(ii) appeal to the mayor/ the military/ anyone else who might be of help
(any one option)
(b) a police officer
idea of being relieved and with a reason given.
Both idea and reason must be stated to be awarded 2 marks
(Accept any suitable answer)
SUMMARY

C: 10 marks
5 marks
-------------
Total
15 marks
-------------
1) rushed out of the house with our parents.

2) the bridge was under water
3) gathered at a neighbours house.
4) desperately (mandatory) tried to think of a way out.
5) Water had risen to chest level.
6) left the dogs (mandatory) at neighbours house
7) climbed to the roof of Aunt Maura's house
8) grew numb with cold and fear
9) stared helplessly at the rising water
10) a municipal rescue team came but (mandatory) left again.
11) villagers sent food, water and clothing (all three must be mentioned to merit a mark)
12) others left to appeal to the mayor
13) soldiers and civilians decided to attempt a rescue
14) climbed into the harness attached to a pulley
15) were pulled across the 5 -metre raging waterway
59
3. Literature Component - Poem

3.1 Teachers Notes
Section D of the 1119 English paper focuses on the literature component and carries 20
marks. The literature component is not as difficult as it seems. By now, students should be
familiar with the four poems. Students need to know and understand all of them well. Do not
focus on a few selected ones as it is difficult to pinpoint which poem will be tested.
Students are required to answer structured questions on one poem. They will be tested on
their understanding of the poem and they are also required to give their opinion to issues
raised. One way to prepare them for the exam for poems is to paraphrase the poem, making
sure they understand all the difficult words.
3.2 Students Tips
Read and understand all the poems
Pay close attention to the language used by the writer to convey his ideas and thoughts.
With the poems, make sure you understand the literal/denotative meaning as well as the
figurative/connotative meaning. The former is the dictionary meaning, while the latter is
the inferred or implied meaning.
There is no harm in knowing some of the common literary devices (metaphors, similes,
personification, onomatopoeia) employed in the poems.

Remember, the answers to the first three questions on the poem can be found in the
extract given. The fourth question is usually a personal response question and the answer
must be logical. This means you need to know the poem to tackle this
question. (This is where engaging with the texts is important). You must engage with them
on a personal level. If you are able to respond to the texts by bringing in your own
knowledge and experiences, you will be able to have a better understanding of them.
Do discuss the texts with your teacher and friends. Do not be upset if your interpretation is
different from someone elses. Remember, no two people will have exactly the same
interpretations. What is important is that you should be able to prove your interpretations
with textual evidence
60
In The Midst of Hardship
At dawn they returned home

their soaky clothes torn
and approached the stove
their limbs marked by scratches
their legs full of wounds
but on their brows
there was not a sign of despair
The whole day and night just passed
they had to brave the horrendous flood
in the water all the time
between bloated carcasses
and tiny chips of tree barks
desperately looking for their sons
albino buffalo that was never found
They were born amidst hardship
and grew up without a sigh or a complaint
now they are in the kitchen, making
jokes while rolling their cigarette leaves
3.3 PRACTICES
3.3.1 Practice 1
SET A
1.
Why were the clothes soaky when the family reached home?
.....(1 mark)
2.
Why did they approach the stove?

...(1mark)
3.
Which word in Stanza 2 shows the flood was horrible?

.....(1 mark)
4.
In your opinion what would you do if there is a flood?

....(2 marks)
61
SET B
1.
What does the flood signify?

..(1 mark)
2.
What is the colour of the buffalo?

..(1 mark)
3.
What does the phrase without a sigh in stanza 3 means?

...(1 mark)
4.
What should you do and not do during a flood?

Should do... (1 mark)
Should not do........(1 mark)
SET C
1.
How long were they away from their house?

(1 mark)
2.
What do you think happened to the albino buffalo?

..(1 mark)
What does the phrase bloated carcasses in Stanza 2 refer to?

.(1 mark)
Name two activities/projects the government should do to avoid floods?

.
.. (2 marks)
62
SET D
1.
Why did the family wade through the flood waters?

(1 mark)
2.
If the albino buffalo had died in your opinion, how did it die?
....(1 mark)
3.
What does there was not a sign of despair in Stanza 1 mean?

(1 mark)
4.
If your house is flooded , name one important document you would save
and give one reason for your answer.
(2 marks)
SET E
1.
What is the main idea in Stanza 2?

.. (1 mark)
2.
What is the evidence to show that they are staying in a village?

.. ( 1 mark)
3.
Despite the flood, they were still happy. Give one line from the poem to show
their happiness.
.. (1 mark)
4.
If you are the Prime Minister, name two things that you would do to curb the floods in the
village?
.(2 marks)
63
He Had Such Quiet Eyes

He had such quiet eyes
She did not realise
They were two pools of lies
Layered with thinnest ice
To her, those quiet eyes
Were breathing desolate sighs
Imploring her to be nice
And to render him paradise
If only shed been wise
And had listened to the advice
Never to compromise
With pleasure-seeking guys
Shed be free from the hows and whys
Now heres a bit of advice
Be sure that nice really means nice
Then youll never be losing at dice
Though you may lose your heart once or twice
3.3.2 Practice 2
SET A
1.
Who is he in line 1 in stanza 1?

...( 1 mark)
2.
What does the phrase two pools of lies as found in line 3 stanza 1 refer to?
.(1 mark)
3.
Why was the man in Stanza 1 pleading to the woman to be nice?

....(1 mark)
4.
If you were the woman, what would you do to the man who had cheated you? Give one
reason for your answer
.
(2 marks)
64
SET B
1.
Why did the poet label the mans eyes as two pools of lies?
...(1mark)
2.
What did the man do to the woman?

.(1 mark)
3.
What is the theme of this poem?

.(1 mark)
4.
Name two things that you would do to avoid from seeing somebody that you do not wish
to meet.
..
.....( 2 marks)
SET C
1.
What does the phrase layered with thinnest ice in 4 Stanza 1) mean?
... (1 mark)
2.
What did the woman not realise?

.(1 mark)
3.
What is the message of this poem ?

.( 1 mark)
4.
Do you think the woman was foolish for not seeing through
the mans motive? Give one reason for your answer.
... (1 mark)
...(1 mark)
65
SET D
1.
What type of eyes does the man have?

....(1 mark)
2. Which line suggests that the woman was unaware of the mans
intention?
..(1 mark)
3. What was the mans intention?
(1 mark)
4. Name two lessons that can be learnt from this poem
...
.... (2 marks)
SET E
1.
What advice was given to the woman in Stanza 2?

( 1 mark)
2.
Why do you think the woman fell for the man?

.. ( 1 mark)
3.
What does And to render him paradise in Stanza 1 mean?

.... (1 mark)
4. What kind of life partner do you want and why?
. ( 2 marks)
66
NATURE
We have neither Summer nor Winter
Neither Autumn nor Spring
We have instead the days
When the gold sun shines on the lush green canefieldsGuango tree
Magnificently
Buttercups
The days when the rain beats like bullets on the roofs
And there is no sound but the swish of water in the gullies
And trees struggling in the high Jamaica winds
Also there are the days when leaves fade from off guango trees
And the reaped canefields lie bare and fallow to the sun
But best of all there are the days when the mango and the logwood blossom
When bushes are full of the sound of bees and scent of honey
When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air,
When the buttercups have paved the earth with yellow stars
And beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone
3.3.3 Practice 3
Set A
1
Which line indicates that there are bright sunny days?

........(1 mark)
When it rains, where does the rain water usually flow into?
..(1 mark)
What is meant by the word paved used in the poem?

..(1 mark)
Would you like to visit Jamaica? Give a reason for you answer.
...(2 marks)
67
Set B
1
What does the line reaped canefields lie bare and fallow indicate?
(1 mark)
Name one plantation crop mentioned in the poem.

(1 mark)
What does the phrase high Jamaican winds signify / mean?

{1 mark}
Would you tell about your country to your foreign friends? Why?
{2 marks}
Set C
1
How do you know that the rain comes down in torrential showers?
.(1 mark)
Which word or phrase suggests that harvesting is over?

.....(1 mark)
What does the phrase yellow stars refer to?

..(1 mark)
What is the best thing you can recommend to your friends about your country and
why?
.(2 marks)
68
Set D
1
To whom is the poet referring when he uses We?

(1 mark)
What does the movement of struggling of trees suggests the wind is doing?
(1 mark)
What covered the ground after the rains have gone?

(1 mark)
Will you migrate to Jamaica if you are offered and why?

...(2 marks)
Set E
1
What are the weather conditions in Jamaica?

(1 mark)
Which phrase suggests a crop-free land?

.(1 mark)
What does the phrase And there is no sound indicate?

..(1 mark)
Do you agree that sunny days are better compared to rainy days?
..(1 mark)
69
ARE YOU STILL PLAYING THE FLUTE?
Are you still playing the flute?

When there is hardly time for our love
I am feeling guilty
To be longing for your song
The melody concealed in the slim hollow of the bamboo
Uncovered by the breath of an artist
Composed by his fingers
Blown by the wind
To the depth of my heart,
Are you still playing your flute?
In the village so quiet and deserted
Amidst the sick rice fields
While here it has become a luxury
To spend time watching the rain
Gazing at the evening rays
Collecting dew drops
Or enjoying the fragrance of flowers,
Are you still playing your flute?
The more it disturbs my conscience
to be thinking of you
in the hazard of you
my younger brothers unemployed and desperate
my people disunited by politics
my friend slaughtered mercilessly
this world is too old and bleeding
3.3.4 Practice 4
Set A
1
To whom is the question Are you still playing the flute directed to?
..(1 mark )
What is meant by the phrase to the depth of my heart in stanza 1?

.(1 mark)
Name at least two pleasurable pastimes in the countryside as mentioned in the poem.
.(1 mark)
Would you be happy living in the countryside? Give a reason for your answer.
.(2 marks)
70
Set B
1
What has happened to the village?

..(1 mark)
Describe two activities that the persona misses in her present surroundings.
(1 mark)
What does the evening rays in the second stanza refer to?
(1 mark)
Do you enjoy watching the sunset? Why?

...(2 marks)
Set C
What problems her brothers are facing?

(1 mark)
What does the word hazard in the third stanza mean?

(1 mark)
Activities such as watching the rain are said to be a luxury. What is the reason for this?
(1 mark)
Would you play the flute to express your love to your beloved? Why?
...(2 marks)
Set D
What is the atmosphere in the village?

(1 mark)
What does the word sick in stanza 2 indicate?

(1 mark)
Why are her people falling apart?

(1 mark)
71
What would you do if you failed to get a good job?

(1 mark)
Set E
Where does here refer to in stanza 2?

(1 mark)
The word my is repeated three times in stanza 3. What does this show?
(1 mark)
Give one line from stanza 3 which explains the existence of violence.
(1 mark)
Do you enjoy listening to music and why?

...(2 marks
72
Answer scheme
In The Midst of Hardship
SET A
1 due to the flood waters
.
2 To cook a meal/ warm drink /to keep themselves warm
3 horrendous
4 Alert the authorities./ Help to carry things.
(Accept any other reasonable answer)
SET B
1
It signifies danger/hardship.
2 White
3 Without complaining/Accepting destiny
4 Should do Follow authorities orders
Should not do Do not Panic
(Accept any reasonable answer
SET C
1 One whole day and night.
2 It was missing.
3 Dead animals / swollen bodies of dead animals
4 Deepen rivers/Built dams
SET D
1 To look for the albino buffalo
2
It was drowned.
3 There was no sign of disappointment/regret/misery
4 My birth certificate because with that I can prove my citizenship.
SET E
1
Looking for a buffalo.
2 Having an albino buffalo
3 Jokes while rolling their cigarette leaves
4 Deepen rivers/ Have a good drainage system
(Accept any other reasonable answers)
He Had Such Quiet Eyes
SET A
1 The (dishonest) man
2
The mans eyes
3
to satisfy him/to give him happiness
4 Ill make a police report so that he can be arrested.
(Any other acceptable answer)
73
SET B
1 Because he used them to charm/cheat the woman.
2 He had compromised her/She had given in to him physically.
3 Appearance can deceive/Maintain your dignity/Take advice
4 I would not answer any of his/her telephone call.
I would tell him/her straight on the face that I do not wish to see him/her again.
SET C
1 The evil eyes hidden under a thin ice so people cannot see that he is evil.
2 The man was deceitful/dishonest/seeking paradise.
3 We must not be deluded by looks or appearance./ Do not judge a book by its cover.
4
Yes, she was foolish and fell for the mans praises/flattery.
No, the man was a very good actor/put on a very good act.
SET D
1 Quiet eyes/Deceitful eyes
2 She did not realize.
3 To have sexual pleasure/fun with the woman/to cheat her of her virtue
4 We should always be alert against any men who try to be nice.
We should not trust people too easily.
We should listen to advice given by people.
SET E
1 Never to compromise with pleasure-seeking guys
2 his quiet eyes were breathing desolate sighs.
3 She rendered him paradise/ She gave in to him physically
4
Honest. Because a very stable and long relationship can be established if we are
honest
NATURE
Set
1
2
3
4
A
The gold sun shines on lush green canefields
Gullies
covered
Yes, it has a weather like Malaysia
No, I dont like to travel
74
Set B
1 Waiting to be ploughed
2 Sugar cane
3 The strength / power of winds
4 Yes, we have beautiful beaches
No, our weather is too hot
Set C
1 The rain beat like bullets
2 Reaped/ lie bare and fallow
3 Buttercups
4 The food because we have a wide variety to choose from.
Set D
1 The people of Jamaica
2 Shake violently
3 Buttercups
4 Yes, because the weather is similar to Malaysia
No because I will miss my family in Malaysia
Set
1
2
3
4
E
lie bare and fallow
Sunny and rainy days
There is no activity and everyone is indoors
Yes I prefer rainy days because it will be much cooler
No, I dont prefer rainy days because my place is a flood-prone area
ARE YOU STILL PLAYING THE FLUTE

Set
1
2
3
A
Beloved / the man playing the flute
touches he soul
One can watch the sun setting / the rain coming down / collecting dewdrops / smell the
fragrance of flowers
(Accept any two)
Yes because I would be away from the rat-race and I love nature
No because life will be boring and nothing much to do
Set B
1 The village is deserted and the paddy fields are not futile anymore
2 One can watch the sun setting / the rain coming down / collecting dewdrops / smell the
fragrance of flowers (Accept two)
3 sunset
4 Yes because I get mesmerised by it
No because it is a waste of time
Set C
1 Unemployed / jobless and desperate
2 endanger
3 Staying in town and no time to indulge in nature
4 Yes because playing the flute is very romantic
No because playing the flute is rather old-fashioned
75
Set D
1 It is desolate, quiet and deserted. The paddy fields are empty and almost abandoned
2 the rice field is barren
3 due to politics
4 I would not give up and try applying for a job outside the country
Set E
1 Town / Urban area
2 The persona cares for the people who are close to her
3 My friend slaughtered mercilessly / This world is too old and bleeding
4 Yes because it gives me peace of mind
No because I find it rather irritating and disturbing
76
4. Literature Component Novel

4.1 Teachers Notes
This novel section consists of 15 practices.

Drill students on how to identify the keywords in the questions.
Remind students to write their answers in paragraphs. They should present their
answers in three parts - introduction, content and closing.
The following notes could help the students to understand Catch Us If You Can by
Catherine MacPhail better.
The Synopsis
Rory and his grandfather, Granda, have looked after each other since Rorys dad
walked out on them. Granda has lapses in memory (putting Rorys homework down
the rubbish chute and the rubbish in Rorys school bag) and completely irresponsible
behaviour (setting fire to his coat at a Parents Evening), but he has a generous heart
and plenty of charm. Rory acts as his carer until there is a fire in the flat and the
authorities decide to separate them. However, Rory is determined that they will stay
together and they embark on an escape but with their faces on every television
screen and in every newspaper, this is not so easy. Their journey is full of surprises,
betrayals and unexpected friends as they attempt to evade the authorities and
eventually track down the man who walked out on them.
Plot Summary
Chapter 1
Readers are introduced to Rory and his Granda as they wait for Dr Nicol in the
waiting room. The doctor is concerned that Rory is too young to take care of his
grandfather. However, Rory is aware that there are only two of them in the family.
Chapter 2
Granda has a failing memory; always misplacing things. Rory has the sole
responsibility of taking care of Granda like buying him his lunch every day.
Chapter 3
Rory sacrifices some of the things he likes for Granda. He gives up football so that he
can be at home with his Granda. Rorys worry is that if Granda is put into Rachnadar,
they would be separated. Rorys dad had left them many years ago and Granda is
very disappointed with his son, not wanting to see him again.
77
Chapter 4
Granda is very popular with Rorys friends and meets Mrs. Foley for the first time.
Granda accidentally sets fire to his and Mrs. Foleys coats at the schools Parents
Night.
Chapter 5
Val Jessup, a social worker is assigned to take care of Granda and Rory. Darrens
mum and Mrs. Foley are both worried for Rory and are glad of the extra help they are
going to receive. However, Granda has a little accident in the flat and is taken to the
hospital.
Chapter 6
Granda has suffered from smoke inhalation and has to be hospitalised. Rory pleads
to the Big Man to make Granda wake up. Val Jessup is nervous to let Rory live in the
flat alone and drives him to the childrens home at Castle Street.
Chapter 7
Rory goes to the home because he has no choice and he thinks that it will be for only
one night till his granda is out of the hospital. Tess, a young inmate of the home,
terrifies Rory with her bad behaviour.
Chapter 8
Granda admits that he had forgotten that the chip pan was on the stove, hence the
fire in the flat. He tries to appease Rory by saying that he would get better soon.
However, he is upset that his grandson is in the Castle Street home.
Chapter 9
Although Rory loves his grandfather, he is slightly annoyed with him as well because
of the accident; he had landed himself in the hospital because of that and now Rory is
in a childrens home. Rory goes back to the flat with Val and collects Grandas
medication. There, Rory realises that he wants to return home. Granda feels the
same too.
Chapter 10
Rory is given the idea that Mrs Foley might foster Rory. Rory goes to the hospital to
find that Granda is not there anymore.
Chapter 11
Granda has been shifted to Rachnadar. Val Jessup tells Rory that he is just a boy
and that he cannot take care of Granda anymore.
78
Chapter 12
Granda is very upset to be sent to the home and it breaks Rorys heart to see him cry.
At Castle Street, Rory fights with Tess. Rory becomes exasperated when Granda
retreats further and further into a shell while at Rachnadar and at school, the idea of
being fostered by Mrs Foley worries him. Life is certainly unpleasant in Castle Street
when Tess becomes increasingly uncontrollable. Rory decides that the only way is to
run away with Granda.
Chapter 13
The Great Escape. Darren offers the use of his moms caravan and Rory plans the
escape with great detail. Granda relies on Rory to get out of Rachnadar.
Chapter 14
Granda is like a little boy, allowing him to be led; safe in the knowledge that Rory
would look after him. He is happy to be in the caravan and decides that he is indeed a
lucky man to deserve a boy like Rory. Rory has done all of these so that they could
be together. He realises that he would never let anyone separate them.
Chapter 15
Happy in the caravan, Granda recovers his old self.
Chapter 16
While fishing, they meet strangers and Granda is prejudiced when he calls them
tinkers. As Grandas health improves and both of them are happy, Darren sends
Rory a text message saying that the authorities are after them.
Chapter 17
Rory prepares Granda for another move away from the police but as they are moving
through the woods, the strangers whom they had met the day before, reach out and
help them.
Chapter 18
Rory has no choice and allows them to lead. They are taken to an older caravan
camp and Rory meets Tyrone and his family. Tyrones mom responds that they have
helped them because it is Rory that they want to help.
Chapter 19
They are taken care of in Sammys camp. There, they realise that they are the top
story on the Scottish news as a boy and his grandfather on the run. Apparently, the
authorities are worried about Granda whose health is a real concern. Granda decides
that he would rather die of cold and hunger as long as he is free.
79
Chapter 20
Granda and Rory are worried that Sammy would get into trouble by helping them. But
Sammy insists that he did not kidnap them and that they are not escaped convicts.
Rory learns never to be judgemental of people.
Chapter 21
The runaways enjoy the birthday party in Sammys brothers place. Ruby reads
Rorys future and predicts that he would meet people who would help him; some of
whom he would not be able to trust. He would certainly find what he is looking for but
would face terrible sadness before that.
Chapter 22
The public has mixed responses over Rory and Grandas running away. Ruby
indicates that people are taking sides about them, arguing about the rights and
wrongs of their case. Rory realises that they would have to be on the move again.
Sammy suggests that he drives them to Dundee so that they can take a train to
Glasgow to be with family friends who would provide them with shelter and time to
think.
Chapter 23
In the train, Rory realises that they have been recognised and they alight at an earlier
station. When Granda goes to the toilet, Rory is bullied by a youngster who
recognises him. Granda beats the latter with a bottle and decides that he will steal a
car to escape.
Chapter 24
Granda seems an expert at stealing cars and his driving scares Rory. They stop at
the lay by to have some rest.
Chapter 25
The runaways meet Rab when they stop to buy petrol. He offers them help.
Chapter 26
Rab says that he wants to help them because Rory and Granda are not criminals. He
allows them the use of his flat and seems kind and concerned. Though pale and tired,
Granda says that he is alright as long as he is with Rory. Rory prays for help because
he realises he needs someone to help him. Again TV newsflashes show that the
public is very much on their side and Rory gets to know that his Grandas son, his
father, has been traced to Liverpool.
80
Chapter 27
The television news states that neither Rory nor his grandfather has attempted to
contact Jeff McIntosh in Liverpool. Rab encourages Rory to take his grandfather to
his son.
Chapter 28
Rab has a grand idea to make sure that they get to Liverpool. A whole line of people
are going to take them to Rorys dad and Granda comments that the world is indeed
wonderful after having experienced so much kindness.
Chapter 29
Annie drives them into England and leaves them with Norma and Nicola. The latter
admires Rory for what he has done. Granda agrees but his mood changes when he
finds out that they are going to his son in Liverpool.
Chapter 30
Granda refuses to go and for the first time Rory is frustrated. He had hoped that his
father would take over the responsibility of Granda but Granda thinks that it would
hurt Rory too much if his father would leave them again. Rory begins to hate his
father and Granda consoles him by saying that they have never needed him and that
they do not need him now. Nicola rings up to tell Rory that the police are coming and
that they would have to move on.
Chapter 31
It is the second escape; both of them run out into the dark. Granda is tired and they
both stop to rest and eventually sleep off at a stone bus shelter. Prior to that Granda
says that if he dies, he would die a happy man. On awakening, Rory is not able to
awaken his grandfather and is afraid that he may be dead.
Chapter 32
Rory runs for help and remembers Rubys prophecy about the terrible sadness. Help
comes immediately and the police introduce him to his father.
Chapter 33
Granda is not dead. He is hospitalised and recovers eventually. Rory is reunited with
his dad and his family. He has two little sisters who endear themselves to Granda. His
dad asks to be given another chance to prove that he can be a good dad and a good
son again. Rory has found what he was looking for and realises that if anything
happens to his Granda he will not be alone again. He is thankful to all who have
helped them on their journey. He is very happy that he, Granda and his family are
together again.
81
Characters
Granda
Rorys grandfather, also known as Mister McIntosh. Elderly, partially senile and never
quite well, with a tendency to forget what he is doing (never puts off his pipe properly
till it smoulders into flames). Loves his grandson dearly and cannot bear the thought
of being separated from him. Rises to the occasion when least expected to. Hurt by
his sons departure from the family and after his daughter-in-laws death, is dedicated
to taking care of Rory.
Rory
A young boy, still in school who is dedicated to taking care of his aging grandfather.
Shows determination and courage even in desperate situations (when the
grandfather is admitted in Rachnadar). Mature, he understands why his grandfather
refuses to meet his own father.
Val Jessup
A young and eager social worker who is responsible for Rorys well being.
Responsible, she is anxious that Granda receives his full pension benefits and
arranges for Rory to stay at the childrens home in Castle Street.
Mrs Foley
Rorys teacher who is keenly aware of his inability to pass up his homework because
of his duty to care for his grandfather. She is very concerned when Granda is
admitted into the hospital and realises that Rory should not be in the childrens home.
Darren
Rorys best friend in school who helps him to stay in the mothers caravan when
Granda is taken away from Rachnadar.
Jeff McIntosh
Rorys father. Reconciliates with his father and son when he sees them on television.
82
Sammy, Ruby and Tyrone

The family that offers comfort and security knowing that if they did not, the police
would have taken Rory and his grandfather away.
Rab and his friends

Offer security and are keen for Rory and Granda to go to Liverpool to meet with
Rorys father.
Setting
Physical setting
Dr Nicols clinic
Social setting
Atmosphere
Comfortable with the

care and concern of
Dr Nicol
Public school
Relaxed
Granda and Rorys flat
Flat owned by the

Building Society
Despite Grandas forgetful antics,

there is much love and
understanding between the two.
Hospital
The nurses and a

policewoman are kind
to Rory but do not tell
him Grandas real
condition.
Rory is worried for his grandfathers

health the constant fear of death
nags at him; he begs Big Man to
wake Granda up from his sleep.
Childrens home at
Castle Street.
Temporary home for

abandoned children
who may be up for
foster care.
grey , dead stone, crow step

gables and even a turret
..an eerie silver light was cast
against the building. Like something
out of a ghost story.
Contrast between amiable boys and
girls as well as aggressive Tess.
Rory is miserable.
Rachnadar
This is where they put

old folk that nobody
wants.
Granda is upset being there and it

hurts Rory.
..the shuffling old people with
dead eyes pass up and down
Rorys school
83
Rory is terrified of Mrs. Foley.

Helpful classmates try to help
Rory with his homework.
Parents Night.
Darrens mums
caravan
The caravan provided

them with the comfort
they had missed in
the past few days.
dead secluded but filled with

basic necessities.
Tyrones caravan
Similar to many other

caravans in the
campsite.
Warm and friendly.

Smelling of spices; domestic and
happy atmosphere.
Perth railway station
Rory is threatened and Granda

attacks the young nasty boy;
Granda is galvanised into action
decides that he will steal a car.
Gas station
It is comforting to
know that Rory and
Granda are among
people who trust them
and are willing to help.
Rab has recognised Rory and his

Granda and is keen to help
The trip to Liverpool
The public, though

worried for the
responsibility that
Rory has undertaken
with the care of his
grandfather, is very
helpful in attempting
to get Jeff McIntosh to
meet his father and
son.
The bond between the
two generations.
Normas house provided temporary

relief.
Granda is hurt and angry that he is
actually being taken to Liverpool to
meet his son / Rorys father.
The family is united

Id find what I was
looking for.
Granda may accept his son

eventually (despite the years of
misunderstanding).
Rory had found a family and would
not be alone when Granda finally
goes.
Bus shelter
Liverpool
84
Granda is cold when he rests at the

shelter after the escape from
Normas house, but tells Rory that
he is willing to be anywhere as long
as they are together.
Rory is extremely afraid and
shocked that he may be alone when
he thinks his grandfather is dead.
Plot
Climax
Rory is convinced that his Granda is dead when they
escape and rest at the stone bus shelter.
Running away from the

authorities with the help of
caring individuals
Rory runs for help.
Intervention of the
authorities.
Meets his father.
The Great Escape.
Granda is admitted to the

hospital when he inhales
smoke during the
fire in the flat. Rory is sent
to the Childrens home in
Castle Street.
Granda recovers in the

hospital and meets his son
and family.
Exposition :
Resolution:
Readers are given a view of

Grandas and Rorys life.
Rory is reunited with his father.

He is happy that he now has a
family.
85
Themes
Family and relationships
A journey of love and protection between a grandfather and his grandson.
Growing up/ Adolescence
Explores key issues that young boys of this age may confront as their characters are
shaped by relationships around them.
Bridging the generation gap
A young boys love for his aging grandfather; it shows a young boy realizing that
someone he loves deeply may die.
Happiness
A grandfather and a grandson searching for happiness, defending their rights to stay
together
Nothing matters as long as they are happy because life is a quest for happiness.
Social and civic responsibilities
How society tries to intervene and help those who they think are unfairly treated or
who they think deserve a better treatment.
Social bias
How society is quick to decide what the aged and ailing as well as the young should
be treated.
Values
Family relationships and bonds must be appreciated and maintained.

Family relationships should be nurtured and not taken for granted.
Communication is an important feature among friends and family members.
Trust is a vital component in bridging generations.
Appearances may not be what they seem.
86
Band Descriptor for Marking

RESPONSE (10 marks)
Score
9 10
Band Descriptors
Response is relevant to the task specified and is well-supported with evidence
from the text. Main and supporting ideas are relevant to the task specified. Ideas
presented clearly, well-organized and easily understood.
78
Response is relevant to the task specified and is usually supported with evidence
from the text. Main and supporting ideas are mostly relevant to the task
specified. Ideas presented fairly clear, and easily understood.
56
Response is likely to be intermittently relevant to the task specified. The

response is supported with some evidence from the text. Writing contains some
ideas that are relevant to the task specified. ideas presented generally clear and
can be understood.
34
Response may be barely relevant to the task specified. The response is unlikely
to have textual support. Writing barely contains ideas that may be relevant to the
task specified. Ideas presented may be difficult to understand.
02
Has barely understanding of the requirements of the task. Writes in a

disorganized way. No coherence. Has no understanding of the task. Response
provided in language other than English or no response.
LANGUAGE (5 marks)
Score
5
Band Descriptors
Apart from occasional slips, language is always accurate. Sentence structure is
varied. Punctuation is accurate. Spelling is secure.
Language is almost always secure. Unnoticeable serious errors may occur.

Punctuation is accurate. Spelling is nearly always secure.
Language largely accurate. Simple structures tend to dominate. Noticeable

serious errors may occur when complex structures are attempted. Punctuation is
largely accurate. Spelling is mostly secure.
Meaning is not in doubt. Serious errors become more frequent. Very simple
structures used but accuracy not sustained. Simple punctuation is usually
correct. Spelling of simple words accurate. Irrelevant or distorted details destroy
the sequence.
Heavy frequency of serious errors impedes reading. Fractured syntax is
rampant. Punctuation falters. Spelling mostly inaccurate.
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4.2 Students Tips

Identify keywords in the question.
For introduction, state the title of the novel AND the author.
For content,
o state ideas/ opinions with examples/ evidences from the novel
o state as many ideas as possible
For closing, conclude by stating personal responses/ opinions.
Students may answer the question using present tense OR past tense. But, bear in
mind they have to be consistent in using one form of tense throughout their
responses.
4.3 PRACTICES
4.3.1 PRACTICE 1
Using details from the novel you have studied,
describe a close relationship between two characters
explain why you would consider them to be very close
Support your answer with close reference to the text.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen
Choose and write the names of two characters from the story
Describe their close relationship
Explain why you would consider them to be very close
SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, Rory McIntosh and his
grandfather share an inseparable bond.
According to Rory, they are like a double act. His father abandoned his mother and
him, so when his mother died, he was taken care of by his grandparents. The death of his
grandmother had left him with his grandfather. He called him Granda and Granda had
looked after him all his life and now it was his turn to look after Granda. However both of
them were incapable of looking after themselves because Granda was too old and sick while
his grandson was too young to shoulder the responsibility of looking after himself and his
forgetful and sometimes disorientated grandfather. Whatever the difficulties, Rory and
Granda refused to be separated. Rory argued that sending Granda to a home would kill his
grandfather and forcing him to stay in a childrens home would be unbearable. That showed
how close they were and how emotionally dependent they were on each other.
Rory loved Granda so much that he was prepared to make a lot of sacrifices for the
old man. He let go the chance to be in the school football team because he needed to look
after Granda. He had to run home from school during lunch break to bring Granda lunch. On
several occasions, Granda had unwittingly lost or misplaced Rorys homework and that
had earned him the wrath of his teacher, Mrs Foley. Besides all these, he had to think of the
little precautions to take to keep Granda out of harm. Still, he did not want to part with his
Granda who would have been better off in an old folks home. Granda felt the same also. The
bond between the two was a special one.
However, events took a decisive turn when Granda accidentally caused a fire in the
kitchen of their flat. Granda was taken to hospital and then to Rachnadar, a home for the
elderly. Rory ended up in Castle Street where he met the troubled Tess and fought with her.
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He was miserable there. Granda fared no better at the home. Rory felt that they had been
cheated by his social worker, Val Jessup. He plotted on the run while the police launched a
hunt for them. The news of the runway pair was everywhere on television but they managed
to evade the police with the help from sympathizers along the way. They suffered a lot of
discomfort while on the run and the old mans condition worsened but they seemed happy.
Being together has become a source of strength to them. They were finally persuaded to go
and see Rorys long-lost father, Jeff McIntosh, who had been traced to Liverpool as a result
of the publicity. But before they could do this, Jeff came for them. They ended up together
again, and this time in a flat near where Jeff and his new family lived. Jeff was finally ready to
assume responsibility for his father and his son.
Rory and Granda were inseparable. It looked as if only death could separate them.
Nothing mattered as long as they were together.
4.3.2 PRACTICE 2
Using details from the novel you have studied, write on the theme of happiness. Use
evidence from the text to support your answer.
GUIDELINES
Choose evidence from the novel which relate to the theme of happiness
State the characters
Explain what the characters do to be happy
SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us If You Can, Rory McIntosh has been living with his grandfather
since he was a young boy. On the surface, this arrangement such as theirs cannot be a
happy one because Granda is old and sick while he is too young to be able to look after
himself, let alone his forgetful and sometimes disorientated grandfather. Granda would have
been better off at Rachnadar, a home for the aged where his needs will be taken care of by
professionals and Rory would have been able to lead a more normal life at Castle Street
Childrens Home. But they refuse to be separated. Despite the difficulties, they are happy
together. In their own obstinate way, they are guarding their right to be together and be
happy.
However, when Granda causes a fire in their flat, the social worker assigned to them
takes Granda to Rachnadar while Rory goes to the Castle Street home. Rory is upset and so
is Granda. Rory believes the home is killing his Granda. Then, Rory decides to run away
from the home, rescue his Granda from Rachnadar and they would run away from all these
meddling people.
They are on the run for several weeks and the television is full of news about them. A
massive search is launched for them. Ironically, while on the run, they experience some of
the happiest moments of their lives, with the help of sympathizers like Darren, his best friend
who steals his mothers caravan key to let them hide temporarily, Sammy and Ruby who
shelter them when the police close in on them. Then, there are the sympathetic petrol station
operator, Rab and his girlfriend, Annie. Their run comes to an end when Granda becomes ill
and causes concern to Norma, Annies cousin who is helping them to get to Liverpool to find
Rorys father. She calls the police. Alls well that ends well when McIntoshs long-lost son,
Jeff, who is also Rorys father comes for them. He is ready to assume his responsibility as a
son and father.
Rory and Granda are basically searching for happiness whether as a stubborn pair
fiercely defending their rights to stay together in the flat in the face of insurmountable
problems or whether as runaways, oblivious to the frenzy they are causing through their
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actions. They sincerely believe that they are looking for happiness. After all, nothing matters
as long as they are happy because life is a quest for happiness.
4.3.3 PRACTICE 3
The title suits the story perfectly
Using details from the novel you have studied, discuss whether you agree with the statement
above. Give reasons for your answer. Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
GUIDELINES
Read and understand the statement given
Explain how the title suits the story
Use evidence from the novel to support your answer
SAMPLE ANSWER
The title of the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail is simple and
catchy that suits the novel perfectly because it captures the actions of a grandfather and a
grandson who cause a frenzy when the police launch a massive search for them. The
grandfather has run away from an old folks home he hates and the grandson has escaped
from a horrible childrens home.
The title has the semblance of a challenge to the people tracking down the pair. It
sounds cheeky, insolent and child-like and it reflects the character of the runaway pair. The
grandfather, suffering from age-related ailments can be childish and does not realize the
implications of what he has done. In his pursuit, he has caused bodily harm to a youngster
who recognizes his grandson, Rory, from the news on television and wants to turn them in.
Then, he steals a car to get away. All these can be considered criminal but he is happily
nonchalant or ignorant of all the legal implications. His grandson and accomplice, Rory, is a
child who knows no better.
The expression If You Can is not only tongue-in-cheek, but also suggests that
tracking them down can be difficult. One would think it would be easy to catch them but it is
not. Although what they are doing is unbelievably crazy, they have earned the sympathy of
many people along the way and this has helped them to evade the police for so long. First,
Darren, Rorys best friend, plans the first lap for them when he steals his mothers caravan
key for them to hide out while they think of a better plan after they leave the homes.
Then, they meet Sammy and Ruby who offer them help as the police are closing in on
them. Next, there is Rab at the petrol station who gives them a respite and convinces them
that they should go and find Jeff McIntosh, Rorys father, in Liverpool because it is time for
him to do something in his whole useless life. After that, there is Annie, Rabs girlfriend, who
hands them over to her cousin, Norma. Norma finally brings the whole saga to an end when
she decides to call the police because she can see that the old man really needs medical
help.
The title suits the story perfectly because it is a story about a grandfather and a
grandson on the run. It is also a reflection of what the story is the police are not looking for
regular criminals but just two ordinary people whom the police do not want to apprehend but
to protect and keep out of harm.
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4.3.4 PRACTICE 4
Using the details of the novel you have studied.
describe a decision made by any one character in the novel
do you think the decision was a wise one?
Support your answer with evidence from the novel.
GUIDELINES
Choose a character from the story
State the decision made by the character you have chosen
Give your opinion whether the decision made by the character you have chosen was
a wise one
SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, I would choose the
decision made by Rory, when he decided to get Granda out of Rachnadar and run away.
After the death of his mother, Rory lived with his grandparents. When his
grandmother died, his grandfather, whom he called Granda, looked after him. Rory and
Granda were very close to each other that they had become inseparable. When Granda
became sick and his memory began to fail, it was Rorys turn to look after Granda. One day,
Granda accidentally set fire to their flat. This brought the authorities to step in. Finding
Granda and Rory incapable of taking care of each other, they sent Granda to an old folks
home, while Rory was sent to a childrens home in Castle Street. The authorities had no
choice but to do this for the safety of both Granda and Rory. Granda might pose a danger not
only to himself and Rory but to those around him.
Rory felt he was wrongly torn away from his Granda. Furthermore, Rory knew that
Granda hated being in Rachnadar, the old folks home, and Rory himself hated it in Castle
Street. So he made the decision to run away with Granda so they could be together.
I can understand Rorys position but I do not see it as a wise decision. In the first
place, he was too young to make a huge decision like this. At his age, he should have
thought about school. He should realize that he was incapable of taking care of his old and
sick grandfather. Granda was too old and frail to go on such a challenging and demanding
journey. Moreover, Granda needed his pills to sustain him. Besides, Rory did not know
where he was going to. Where could they go when they had no place and no one to care for
them? Rory, too, asked himself the question whether it was a wise decision. People may say
that those who love each other must stay together but this is based only on emotion. I think
Rory made the decision because he had no one else in his life. It was not only because he
loved Granda so much, but also because he did not know how to live without his Granda
because all this while, Granda was always there for him.
To make decisions, we must be objective. We must think rationally. Seeing the
unpredictability of things and the health condition of Granda, and Rorys immaturity, I strongly
feel that Rory made an unwise decision in running away.
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4.3.5 PRACTICE 5
Using details from the novel you have studied, write on the theme of forgiveness OR
reconciliation.
GUIDELINES
State the characters
Choose the events from the novel which highlight the theme of forgiveness or
reconciliation
Explain what the characters do to show forgiveness
Support your answer with evidence from the novel
SAMPLE ANSWER
In Catherine MacPhails Catch Us If You Can, Rory has been cared for by his
grandfather whom he calls Granda for as long as he remembers. According to Granda, his
own father was a spoilt brat of a boy; just mentioning him would make Granda angry. He
grew up to be someone who did not appreciate what he got and left Rorys mother who later
died of heartbreak. And that was when the senior McIntosh decided to cut all ties with his
son. He is adamant that the only son he had is Rory and he can very well take care of the
boy.
The irony of the situation is, Rory has been looking after his Granda who is not well
and needs medications for all sorts of ailments. As a result, Rory has to look after him, take
him to the doctor, prepare his lunch and make sure he takes his medicines all too big a
responsibility for a young boy like him. Despite the difficulties, both Rory and Granda refuse
to be separated, as any solution would entail sending the old man to a nursing home and the
boy, a childrens home.
However, after Granda accidentally sets fire in their flat, he is sent to Rachnadar, an
old folks home and Rory to the childrens home in Castle Street. They cannot bear being
separated. Rory takes Granda out from the home and both go on a run. Soon, the police is
looking for them. News about them appears on the media. Rory and Granda manage to
evade the police because they get help from people who sympathize with them along their
journey.
Investigations reveal that Rorys father, Jeff Mcintosh is in Liverpool and they are
advised to go and see him. While on their way to Liverpool, Granda becomes too sick. The
police is informed by one of the people who helps them, Norma, who feels that the old man
needs immediate help. Jeff, with the help of the authorities, arrives to take his father and his
son with him. Both father and son are reconciled and Rory finds his long-lost father. Jeff is
ready to take on his responsibilities as a son to his father, Granda, and as a father to his son,
Rory.
The story ends with a reconciliation between the ageing and ailing father and the son
he has vowed to disown, Jeff. As for Rory, it is a happy reunion with the father he has never
known.
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4.3.6 PRACTICE 6
From the novel you have studied, what is the most important lesson you have learnt?
GUIDELINES
Think of a lesson you have learnt after reading the novel
State the characters and the hardships they go through that have an impact on you
Explain how the story affects you
SAMPLE ANSWER
From the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, an important lesson I
learnt is to be persistent and determined when facing challenges. Often, persistence leads to
better results than losing hope easily.
Two characters in the novel, Rory and Granda, handled challenges with
determination. Rory knew that he must be strong and determined in order to withstand the
rigours of the escape. There was never a time he felt like giving up and turning in to the
police. It was the strong sense of perseverance that helped him bear all the hardships.
It was the same with Granda. When things got difficult, he was even more
persevering even though it was hard for a man his age to be on the run. He knew he needed
to be strong so that he could be together with Rory.
The escape got very arduous and tough at times. The police were always after Rory
and Granda. There was a wide TV coverage on them. But Rory and Granda were
determined to pull through. They knew they would be together and not be separated as long
as they continued to run.
From the way they went through their escape, I learn that challenges should be dealt
with determination. One must not easily give up hope and accept defeat. As long as one has
the chance, one must keep on going till success is met.
4.3.7 PRACTICE 7
The characters in novels often face problems. Some solve their problems but some do not.
Using information from the novel you have studied, show how
one character solves his/ her problems
one who does not solve his/ her problems
GUIDELINES
Choose a character, state his/her problems
Explain how the character solves his/ her problems
Choose another character and state his/ her problems
Explain why the character fails to solve his/her problems
Suggest what the character should do to solve his/ her problems
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SAMPLE ANSWER
It is true that characters in novels often face problems. Some manage to solve their
problems but some do not.
In Catherine MacPhails Catch Us If You Can, a character who manages to solve his
problem is Rory. His apartment is burnt down due to Grandas carelessness. He is then
forced to part with his Granda. He is sent to stay at the childrens home in Castle Street, and
Granda is sent to the old folks home in Rachnadar. Being very close to Granda, Rory can
see that Granda is miserable at the home. Rory can sense that Granda has lost interest in
everything and it breaks Rorys heart to see Granda like that.
So, Rory comes up with a plan to run away with Granda. He knows, by doing so, he
can always be together with Granda. As long as they are on the run, they will be together. It
can only be for a few days or a couple of weeks, but to Rory and Granda, their time together
is precious.
On the other hand, Tess, a girl whom Rory meets at the childrens home, fails to solve
her problems. She has a sad life. Her mother is in prison and all her relatives reject her.
Being homeless and unwanted, she is sent to Castle Street. Instead of making the best of
her life there, she worsens it by becoming a bitter, angry and violent person.
Her violent outbursts become so bad that she loses control of herself and her actions.
She injures others, making them keep away from her. She fails to make friends and so,
remains lonely and friendless. She cannot overcome her loneliness and sense of rejection. If
she had chosen to be more positive, she would probably have made some friends who can
help her instead of feeling rejected and unloved.
4.3.8 PRACTICE 8
From the novel you have studied, write about an important moral value you have learnt.
GUIDELINES
State an important moral value you have learnt after reading the novel
State the characters and the events where the moral value you have learnt is
emphasized
SAMPLE ANSWER
From the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, an important moral
value I have learnt is that family relationships should be nurtured and not taken for granted.
Granda looked after Rory after Rorys father walked out on them. Since Granda was
old and forgetful, Rory took it upon himself to look after Granda. Nobody forced or told him to
do it but Rory felt it was the right thing to do. He was willing to forego things that teenage
boys should be doing. He did all the household chores, made sure Granda took his
medication and had his meals. He even kept Grandas pipe to make sure there wasnt any
untoward incidents.
Granda and Rory did not take their relationship for granted. Granda, on several
occasions, had expressed appreciation to Rory for always being there for him while Rory felt
proud to have Granda as his grandfather. Rory was protective and defensive of Granda.
They nurtured their relationship right up to the end even when they had a family, Jeff and
Karen.
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Sammy, Ruby and Tyrone also showed a strong family relationship. Sammy and
Ruby were free and easy but respectful with each other. Ruby would tease Sammy and vice
versa. But, when it came to making decisions, Ruby left it to Sammy, showing him respect as
the head of the family. Tyrone was respectful and obedient to his parents, Sammy and Ruby.
All in all, I have learnt from the novel that family relationship should be nurtured and
not taken for granted as family happiness and stability depend on this positive attitude.
4.3.9 PRACTICE 9
From the novel you have studied, write about the plot of the story and state what you think of
the plot.
GUIDELINES
State the main characters and the important events in the story
Give a brief summary of the story
Give your opinion of the plot of the story
SAMPLE ANSWER
Catherine MacPhails novel Catch Us If You Can revolves around a teenager, Rory,
and his grandfather whom he calls Granda. Rory and Granda are on an escape adventure
from their hometown to Liverpool because they do not want to be separated from each other.
They have cared for and looked after each other for a long time and with Granda getting on
in years and becoming forgetful, Rory takes over the responsibility of looking after Granda on
his own initiatives.
One day, when their flat caught fire due to Grandas carelessness, both Rory and
Granda are placed in a childrens home and an old folks home respectively. Granda is badly
affected as he becomes withdrawn and lost. Rory knows that Granda is slowly dying in
Rachnadar, so he decides to run away with Granda. Rory and Granda make the great
escape but with no destination in mind. They only want to be free and to be together. They
spend a few happy carefree days at the caravan site. When the police catch up with them,
Rory and Granda are helped by Sammy who gives them shelter.
Their journey is a struggle to stay free. Strangers help them all the way, giving them
shelter and making safe plans for them. Rory has doubts about whether he is doing the right
thing. All doubts are dispelled as Granda looks happy even when he is exhausted.
Eventually, Rory decides they would travel south to Liverpool and look for his father, Jeff
McIntosh. Granda objects and rages about this when he realizes what Rorys plans are. The
climax of the story is when Granda almost loses his life in the cold bus shelter. After that,
they end up in Liverpool. It is a happy ending as they meet up with Jeff and become a family
again.
The plot runs in chronological order. The reader can follow Rory and Grandas
interesting and sometimes heartbreaking journey from their hometown to their final
destination. Rory as the narrator projects a solid account of their thoughts, feelings and gives
good descriptions of the setting. The approach makes it easy for the reader to understand
and appreciate the story. I think the plot is simple and relevant to our society where young
people tend to forget their obligations to the old.
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4.3.10 PRACTICE 10
Who is the most interesting character in the novel that you have studied? Give reasons to
support your answer.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen.
Name the character that you consider interesting.
Explain the role of the character in the novel.
Give evidence from the novel to support your comments.
State your opinion again.
SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, I think Granda is the most
interesting character in the book.
Reading through the novel, I found out that he was a caring and kind grandfather to
Rory. The fact that Rory was to return the favours implies that Granda must have been a
good man and good grandfather. His love for Rory is absolute. Also, Granda finds it hard to
bear that Rory has to be in a home and wants to get out of hospital to take Rory home. This
shows how much he cares for Rory.
Granda is also a charmer. It is because he easily compliments others especially
women not only for the looks but also for their talents as he praises Ruby for her cooking. All
the times he remains the perfect gentleman, like opening the door for the young mother at
the clinic.
Other than that, he is quite a fascinating character. He knows a lot about films and
film stars. His love for movie stars makes him even name his son and grandson after some
film heroes of his time. Also, he loves singing and has no inhibitions about singing some old
songs, however badly, in front of others.
With all the above, I believe that Granda must be an interesting and remarkable man.
4.3.11 PRACTICE 11
Based on the novel that you have read, write about an incident that changes the life of a
character in the story. Give evidence from the novel that you have studied.
GUIDELINES
Name of the novel and the author you have chosen.
State the incident you have chosen.
Give reasons why you think this incident changes the life of the character.
State your opinion again on the importance of the incident to the life of the character.
SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, an incident that changes
the life of the character is the great escape that Rory and Granda undertake. Rory decided to
run away from the town he lived in after taking his Granda out of the local old folks home.
The escape took them to many places and they met many different people who
helped them on their journey. Rory learnt valuable life lessons from meeting all the different
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people. From the travelers, he learnt about compassion and kindness. From Rab, Annie and
Norma, he learnt about people who offered help sincerely and treated them kindly.
Also, Rorys life would never be the same again. It was because, his father turned up
to help him and Granda. Finally he had a father, a stepmother and two adorable stepsisters.
He had a family and that was a life-changing moment from him.
Rory was worried about his Granda earlier but then he didnt have to. It was because
things started to fall into places for him. Certain services provided for the elderly made life
better for him and Granda. The escape exposed some of the problems that the elderly and
their caretakers faced in the course of their daily life.
With all the above, I believe that all those changes would not have taken place if not
for the great escape.
4.3.12 PRACTICE 12
Using the details of the novel you have studied,
Write about the moral value that has impressed you the most.
Give evidence from the text to support your answer.
GUIDELINES
Name the moral value that you have learnt.
Give examples from the novel to support your answer.
State your opinion again
SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, I learn about compassion
for fellow human beings. Many characters exhibit compassion for each other and act in a
kind manner because of their compassionate nature.
Rory and Granda care for each other and there is compassion in their actions. For
example, Rory cares for his grandfathers well-being. For instance, he makes sure his
Granda takes his medicine. Moreover, he always rushes home from school to ensure Granda
takes his lunch. Moreover, Rory protects his Granda from anything he considers bad,
offensive or dangerous. Rory even keeps Grandas pipe to make sure there isnt any
untoward incidents. Granda tries his best to help Rory and unfortunately makes mistakes, but
there is still compassion. He strongly says that no grandson of his is going to a home for as
long as he is around.
In addition, Dr Nicol insists that Granda and Rory get a home help. This is because
he believes that Granda and Rory are not capable of taking care of each other. Val Jessup,
the social worker, also shows compassion. She shows enthusiasm to help Rory and Granda.
When they are on the run, Val Jessup pleads on television for Rory and Granda to come
home. The police and the nurse also act compassionately towards Granda and Rory. They
are affected by the dilemma of an ageing man who is so dependent on a young boy and
therefore do what they think is the best.
Besides, Darren, Rorys close friend offers his mums caravan to them because he
cares for Rory and Granda. He warns them about the arrival of the police.
With all the above, I believe that we must be compassionate to people. This quality
keeps us humane and make the world appear kinder and the troubles bearable.
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4.3.13 PRACTICE 13
In the novel you have studied
Pick any one decision in the novel made by someone or some party that you disagree
Explain why you disagree.
Support your answer with evidence from the novel.
GUIDELINES
State the decision.
Give reasons why you disagree with the decision.
State your opinion again.
SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, there is one decision in the
novel that I disagree with. It is the one taken by the government to separate both Rory and
his grandfather.
Rory and Granda are very close and each depends on the other for love and comfort.
They are family, a double act and one cannot survive without the other. When Granda
accidently starts a fire in the flat, the State makes a decision to put him in a home because
he may endanger himself and others. I was so mad with the State.
I can understand that the State has the interest of Rory and Granda at heart when it
makes this decision. But, what makes me disagree is that it regards them as only a case on
which it needs to act, not as people with feelings. It is because each citizen has a right to run
his or her life the way he or she wants to without outside interference. Unfortunately, it did
not happen that way.
In addition, no discussion has been held with Rory and Granda how best to solve the
problem. When the two run away, however, the police go after them as if they are criminals.
As a person interviewed on a television rightly said, the police are wasting their time hunting
down an old man and a young boy instead of chasing criminals and fighting the gun culture.
The way the State tackled the situation pissed me off.
As a conclusion, people should be treated with greater respect and compassion and
not like cases to be solved.
4.3.14 PRACTICE 14
Faith in the God is essential.
Using the evidence from the novel, explain how this is shown in the novel you have studied.
GUIDELINES
State the character who conveys this message.
Give examples from the story to support your answer.
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SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, Faith in God is Essential
is one of the messages in the story.
Rorys prayers are in the form of warm and friendly conversations with God, which he
addresses as The Big Man. Rory is a character who has faith in God. Rory promises to be
good and do good things if The Big Man would make Granda wake up when he sees his
grandfathers face pale, his mouth open and he is hardly breathing.
In addition, Rory believes that The Big Man wanted him to escape as things go
smoothly. Rory promises to collect money for the Salvation Army if The Big Man keeps
Granda safe. Rory tells The Big Man that they both are having great time and Granda is no
trouble at all.
The other evidence that resembles Rory as a person who has faith in God is when he
and his grandfather did not crash since Granda cannot drive well. Due to that, he believes
that The Big Man is looking after him.
As a conclusion, prayers play a vital role in keeping Rorys spirit up and prove that
faith is essential in life.
4.3.15 PRACTICE 15
Love, compassion and family relationship are important in ones life.
Using the evidence from the text, explain how this is true. Support your answer with close
reference from the text.
GUIDELINES
Discuss the different aspects of love.
Give your views with examples from the text.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Catherine MacPhail put the elements of love, compassion and family relationship in
her novel, Catch Us if You Can. From the beginning to the end of the story, those three
elements hold the story together.
The love between generations shows that love is continuous and never ending. For
example, Rorys love for his Granda is unconditional and vice versa. He is ready to sacrifice
anything so that he remains united with his grandfather. The grandfather, in turn, has
devoted his life to bring up the child from birth and his whole life revolves around him.
Love in a family and the power of love among family members are also portrayed in
this story. For example, Sammy, his wife, Ruby and son Tyrone portray a warm and loving
family. Besides that, Bernie, his wife and daughter are equally warm-hearted and helpful.
Rab and Annie are loving and caring too.
Love and respect among Rorys friends also keep him from troubles. They look upon
Granda with great affection. Darren, the one who is the weakest in the class, shows much
compassion for Rory and helps him as much as he can. Mrs. Foley also shows sincere, love
and care for Rory. She shows her concern towards Rory when Granda is admitted into the
hospital. She realizes that Rory should not be in the childrens home.
As a conclusion, the concept of the elements of love, compassion and family
relationship bring beauty to the story.
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5. Continuous Writing
This section should offer some tips for teachers to guide their students to produce better
essays. Students are to revise on the areas mentioned and work on the practices provided in
each area to help them to write essays of superb quality.
Areas of Focus:
Developing students writing skills is a challenging task. There are many aspects that should
be developed and enhanced. However, more emphasis should be given to develop students
language accuracy. This module suggests their language quality could be improved through
sufficient practices of sentence construction, error identification and vocabulary enrichment.
It is also recommended that students are given practices that would develop their ideas
smoothly and convincingly. All these practices are presented under the following subheadings:
5.1. Accuracy in Language

5.1 Accuracy in Language

5.1.1 Parts of Speech
Purpose: To enrich students language and vocabulary by exposing them to different parts of
speech namely noun, verb, adjective and adverb.
Instructions:
1. Revise subject-verb agreement and parts of speech with your teacher. Focus on how
each part of speech should be used.
2. Construct a sentence based on each of the words below.
Teachers notes:
1. Suggestion: No. 1-7 done in groups, No. 8-14 done in pairs and No. 15-21 done
individually.
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2. Error identification and correction activities should be done either through class
discussion, peer correction or self-correction.
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Activity
Activate
Active
Actively
Arrangement
Arrange
Arranged
Beauty
Beautify
Beautiful
Beautifully
Bravery
Brave
Brave
Bravely
Care
Care
Careful
Carefully
Collection
Collect
Collective
Collectively
Colour
Colour
Colourful
Colourfully
Comfort
Comfort
Comfortable
Comfortably
Confusion
Confuse
Confused
10
Creation
Create
Creative
Creatively
11
Development
Develop
Developed
12
Diligence
Diligent
Diligently
13
Generosity
Generous
Generously
14
Goodness
Good
Well
15
Peace
Peaceful
Peacefully
16
Persuasion
Persuade
Persuasive
Persuasively
17
Protection
Protect
Protective
Protectively
18
Respect
Respect
Respected
Respectfully
19
Success
Succeed
Successful
Successfully
20
Sympathy
Sympathise
Sympathetic
Symphathetically
21
Width
Widen
Wide
Widely
No.
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5.1.2 Different Forms of Past Tense Verbs
Purpose: To use different past tense verbs accurately and promote better language accuracy
in narrative essays.
Instructions:
1. Revise subject-verb- agreement, simple past tense, past perfect tense, past
continuous tense and passive verbs (past) with your teacher.
2. Ensure you get the correct meaning of the verbs below before you construct
sentences.
Teachers note:
1. Suggestion: Practices 1-7 done in groups, Practices 8-14 done in pairs and Practices
15-21 done individually.
2. Identifying and correcting errors can be done either individually, in pairs, in groups or
even as a class discussion.
3. Extra practices should be given to consolidate students mastery of past tense verbs.
Practice 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
was taken
had taken
took
were taking
Practice 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
Practice 4
1.
2.
3.
4.
wrote
were writing
was written
had written
were planning
had planned
was planned
planned
1.
2.
3.
4.
sang
were singing
was sung
had sung
was bought
had bought
bought
were buying
1.
2.
3.
4.
sent
were sending
had sent
were sent
1.
2.
3.
4.
had helped
was helped
were helping
helped
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ate
was eaten
were eating
had eaten
Practice 9
1.
2.
3.
4.
Practice 11
1.
2.
3.
4.
were calling
was called
had called
called
Practice 6
Practice 8
Practice 10
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Practice 5
Practice 7
1.
2.
3.
4.
changed
was changing
were changed
had changed
Practice 3
was visiting
visited
were visited
had visited
Practice 12
1.
2.
3.
4.
was showing
were shown
had shown
showed
Practice 13
1.
2.
3.
4.
cooked
had cooked
was cooked
were cooking
Practice 14
1.
2.
3.
4.
Practice 16
1.
2.
3.
4.
read
had read
were reading
was read
announced
had announced
were announced
was announcing
1.
2.
3.
4.
Practice 17
1.
2.
3.
4.
Practice 19
1.
2.
3.
4.
punished
were punished
had punished
was punishing
Practice 15
prepared
were prepared
was preparing
had prepared
Practice 18
1.
2.
3.
4.
Practice 20
1.
2.
3.
4.
were giving
was given
had given
gave
was driven
was driving
drove
had driven
donated
was donated
were donating
had donated
Practice 21
1.
2.
3.
4.
were cut
had cut
cut
was cutting
5.1.3 Common Errors
Purpose: To ensure that students do not make common errors in their writing and
to enable students to get a better score in their essays by making zero % of these errors.
Instructions:
Revise the six types of common errors most students make and try to avoid making these
types of errors each time you write.
Teachers notes:
Students should be trained to spot these six types of common errors in their own essays as
well as in their friends essays. Good students can be trained to be facilitators in a workshop
to help other students to eliminate these six types of errors from their essays (by using EE)
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EE Programme (Eliminating Errors)
1. TYPE 1 - Subject-Verb Agreement (sv)

Correct Examples
Common Mistakes
Corrected Version
He goes.
She do.X
She does
It makes..
It take.X
It takes.
The man speaks.
The girl sayX
The girl says
The activity is
The activities is X
The activities are..
The programme has.
The campaign have..X
The campaign has
The students are.
The boys plays.X
The boys play
The girls sing.
The flowers bloomsX
The flowers bloom.
2. TYPE 2 Root Word (rw)

Correct Examples for Infinitives
Common Mistakes
Corrected Version
to go
to gone.X
to go
to speak
to went.X
to go
to swim
to speaking.X
to speak
to run.
to played.X
to play
to jump
to sees.X
to see
Common Mistakes
Corrected Version
..can saw.X
can see
(Root Word is used after to )
Correct Examples for Modals

(Root Word is used after will, may,
would, might, shall, should, can,
could..)
can run
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may carry
..will leftX
will leave
could see.
..may takenX
may take
will leave.
..should done.X
should do..
3. TYPE 3 Spelling (sp)

Common Mistakes
Corrected version
goverment.X
government
suprisedX
surprised
...futhermoreX
furthermore
dissappointmentX
disappointment
enviromentX
environment
4. TYPE 4 Past participle (pp)

Use pp in Perfect Tense ( has,have., had.)
Common Mistakes
Corrected Version
has tookX
have threwX
had thinkX
has wentX
has taken
have thrown
had thought
has gone
Use pp in Passive Form (is., are., was, were., will be., . has been.)
Common Mistakes
Corrected Version
The book is took..X

The ball was kick..X
His friends were punish.X
The food has been ate..X
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The book is taken to the class.

The ball was kicked into the goal.
His friends were punished
The food has been eaten
5. TYPE 5 Tenses (T)
Common Mistakes
Corrected Version
He walks along the

road and saw his
friend. X
He walks along the road and sees his friend.

(-if you intend to write using the Present tense) Or
He walked along the road and saw his friend.
(-if you are using the Past tense)
The activities were

interesting . They
enjoy themselves.
The activities are interesting . They enjoy

themselves.
(-if you intend to write using the Present tense) Or
The activities were interesting . They enjoyed
themselves.
(-if you are using the Past tense)
Note* - Decide on whether you wish to write on a past event or a present situation.
Remember the tense you use each time you write and be consistent with it.
6. TYPE 6 Plural/ Singular Nouns (pl/s)

Common Mistakes
Corrected Version
.an activitiesX
.a students.X
.many incident.X
.a lot of homeworksX
.many works.X
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an activity..
.a student
many incidents..
a lot of homework.
.much work..
The use of a wide range of vocabulary is essential to give the essay some added
flavour - the oomph effect.
5.2.1 Using Sophisticated Adjectives (Applying VENESSA)
Purpose: To widen students vocabulary in narrative essays especially the sophisticated

adjectives.
Instructions:
1. Read and understand the VENESSA word-list below (1.1 1.6)

2. Attempt to memorise as many sophisticated adjectives as possible.
3. Complete all the practices given to help you apply VENESSA in your essays.
Teachers notes:
1. Teachers play a crucial role in ensuring students understanding of the sophisticated
adjectives.
2. Some students may not be committed in memorising the sophisticated adjectives. So,
teachers monitoring and motivational words are essential.
107
VOCABULARY ENRICHMENT IN NARRATIVE ESSAYS (VENESSA)
To describe places
No.
Common
adjective
Sample sentence
Sophisticated
adjective
Attractive
The interior design of her bedroom was

attractive.
stunning
Beautiful
The scenery was beautiful.
spectacular
Big
We spent six hours at the big shopping mall.
colossal
Busy
We left the busy town after lunch.
bustling
Clean
The beach was clean.
pristine
Clear
The sea was clear.
crystalline
Cloudy
The sky was cloudy.
sunless
Colourful
The buildings were colourful.
resplendent
Cool
The wind from the mountain was cool.
breezy
10
Crowded
The stadium was crowded on Sunday.
jam-packed
11
Dangerous
The road to the apartment was dangerous.
perilous
12
Dark
It was dark outside.
pitch-black
13
Dirty
The public toilet was dirty.
filthy
14
Famous
We stayed at a famous resort.
renowned
15
Fresh
The air was fresh.
invigorating
16
Grand
The hotel lobby was grand.
majestic
17
Great
The waterfalls were great.
magnificent
18
High
We took photos of the high tower.
soaring
19
Hot
We ran under the hot sun.
scorching
20
Isolated
The camping site was isolated.
secluded
21
Noisy
Our school canteen was noisy during recess.
deafening
108
22
Peaceful
The village was peaceful.
serene
23
Polluted
The air in the city centre was polluted.
impure
24
Rough
The countryside was rough.
rugged
25
Special
The chalets architecture was special.
distinguished
26
Strange
The man-made park was strange.
peculiar
27
Strong
The wooden bridge was strong.
indestructible
28
Wonderful
The Disneyland was wonderful.
fantastic
To describe people (Positive Personalities)

No.
Common
adjective
Sample sentence
Sophisticated
adjective
Active
She was an active student.
agile
Adventurous
He was an adventurous person.
bold
Beautiful
His bride was very beautiful.
appealing
Brave
My father was very brave.
bold
Careful
We were careful in making decisions.
meticulous
Clever
The clever boy smiled at me.
brainy
Committed
He was a committed employee.
devoted
Confident
I was confident we would win.
optimistic
Cooperative
Everyone was cooperative
accommodating
10
Famous
She was a famous singer.
celebrated
11
Friendly
The receptionist was friendly.
amiable
12
Funny
My granduncle was funny.
hilarious
13
Generous
The manager was generous.
philanthropic
14
Glamorous
He led a glamorous life.
dazzling
15
Good
His son had good personalities.
virtuous
16
Great
His mother was a great lawyer.
eminent
17
Hardworking
The workers were hardworking.
industrious
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18
Helpful
My best friend was helpful.
obliging
19
Honest
I admired the honest tour guide.
trustworthy
20
Kind
The district officer was kind.
benevolent
21
Special
We had a special guest.
notable
22
Strict
Her husband was a strict man.
rigid
23
Strong
He fought with a strong man.
mighty
24
Successful
The successful team was great.
triumphant
25
Tidy
Her tidy look impressed us.
well-groomed
To describe people (Negative Personalities)

No. Common adj.
Sample sentence
Sophisticated
adjective
Arrogant
I hated his arrogant attitude.
snobbish
Bad
I could not stand my bad neighbour.
dreadful
Careless
She was a careless driver.
reckless
Crazy
Were they crazy?
lunatic
Cruel
The cruel criminal was arrested.
ruthless
Dishonest
The dishonest clerk was fired.
fraudulent
Evil
We stayed away from the evil killer.
devilish
Forgetful
He was young but very forgetful.
scatterbrained
Fussy
Her fussy mother-in-law was dying.
picky
10
Greedy
The village headman was greedy.
avaricious
11
Lazy
The lazy students were sleeping.
indolent
12
Rude
The rude boy was her cousin.
boorish
13
Selfish
Their selfish attitude was bad.
self-seeking
14
Strange
Her strange acts scared us.
creepy
15
Stupid
Her stupid act made everybody angry.
half-witted
16
Garrulous
She was a talkative neighbour.
garrulous
110
17
Troublesome
He was punished for his troublesome act.
irksome
18
Ugly
His face was ugly after the accident.
hideous
19
Useless
A drunkard was a useless person.
worthless
20
Weak
A weak leader made no progress.
Futile
To describe feelings
No. Common
adjective
Sample sentence
Sophisticated
adjective
Angry
She was angry when her husband left her.
Fuming
Bad
I felt bad when I lied to you.
Awful
Bored
We were bored.
bored stiff
Confident
We felt confident to be with him.
Secure
Confused
Everybody was confused when he suddenly ran away.
baffled
Disappointed
He was disappointed when he got his result.
disenchanted
Happy
We were happy to be there.
Elated
Lonely
The lonely wife cried in her room.
lonesome
Nervous
She looked nervous during the contest.
Edgy
10
Proud
They were proud to be able to help us.
swollen with pride
11
Sad
They were sad to lose the game.
cheerless
12
Scared
She was scared to stay alone at night.
petrified
13
Surprised
She was surprised to see me.
stunned
14
Unsure
My mother was unsure to make her own decision.
hesitant
15
Worried
He looked worried.
apprehensive
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Others (favourable)
No.
Common
adjective
Sample sentence
Sophisticated
adjective
Accurate
The answers given were accurate.
Precise
Bright
He used a bright colour to paint his room.
Gaudy
Cheap
The items were cheap.
inexpensive
Clear
My explanation was clear.
Lucid
Comfortable
The new sofa was comfortable.
Comfy
Delicious
We tasted the delicious food.
delectable
Easy
Frying egg was easy.
effortless
Important
It was an important day to me.
momentous
Interesting
The story was interesting.
engrossing
10
Lasting
I hoped to have a lasting marriage.
long-standing
12
Perfect
The essay was perfect.
flawless
13
Strong
Her evidence was strong.
undisputed
14
Successful
Our plans were successful.
fruitful
15
Valuable
He took all the valuable items.
treasured
Others (unfavourable)
No.
Common adj
Sample sentence
Sophisticated
adjective
Accidental
The mistake was accidental.
unintentional
Bad
The plane crash was bad.
Appalling
Boring
We left early as the movie was boring.
Dreary
Complex
The problem was complex.
Multifaceted
Difficult
Climbing Mount Tahan was difficult.
Arduous
Expensive
I bought an expensive house.
Pricey
112
Haunted
The house was haunted.
Ghostly
Heavy
The responsibility was heavy.
Hefty
Ill
His grandmother was very ill.
Bedridden
10
Illogical
Her reason was illogical.
Absurd
11
Tasteless
The food was tasteless.
Insipid
12
Tired
We were tired.
Exhausted
13
Unclear
His unclear idea was rejected.
Hazy
14
Unlucky
We were unlucky that day.
luckless
15
Wrong
It was wrong to cheat others.
Sinful
Practice 1
1. Read and understand the text below.
2. Individually, replace the common adjectives with apt sophisticated adjectives in the
blanks.
We went to the opening ceremony of the new and [1] big ....................................
hypermarket. There were a lot of people. The area was [2] busy..................................... We
had to park our car far from the hypermarket. We had to walk under the [3] hot
..............................................sun for about twenty minutes. We felt a bit [4] tired
.......................................... but we did not mind because we really wanted to meet our [5]
special .............................................idol, Dato Siti Nurhaliza. She was invited to perform at
the
ceremony.
Many
activities
were
carried
out
and
they
interesting..................................................................
The
hypermarket
clean............................................................................
The
items
expensive.......................................... We loved shopping there.
113
were
were
was
also
[6]
very
[7]
not
[8]
Practice 2
1. Choose any 10 of your classmates.

2. In pairs, construct a sentence about each of them. The description could either be
positive or negative.
3. Make sure each of your sentences has at least one sophisticated adjective. Underline
the word(s).
4. Use past tense verbs to describe your classmates.
Description of classmates
Sample 1
Azim was a cheerless boy in class.
Sample 2
Beng Hee tried to be industrious after he failed his Physics.
Classmate 1
Classmate 2
Classmate 3
Classmate 4
Classmate 5
Classmate 6
Classmate 7
Classmate 8
Classmate 9
Classmate 10
114
Practice 3
1. In groups, imagine that you and your friends visited 2 interesting places recently.
2. Write a paragraph of about 40-60 words to describe each place.
3. Make sure there are at least 3 underlined sophisticated adjectives in each paragraph.
Note: Examples of places night market, Kuala Lumpur, five-star hotel, waterfall, Paris,
college, bookstore, orchard, etc.
Sample paragraph:
Last week, my friends and I went to Cameron Highlands. The air was so invigorating. We
went jungle trekking and climbed a hill. At first I was apprehensive whether I could climb
the hill but I told myself to be optimistic. No doubt it was arduous but my friends and I
loved the experience very much.
[57 words]
Place 1:
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Place 2:
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Practice 4
1. Individually or in pairs, describe each of the individuals below in not less than 60
words.
2. Include at least 5 sophisticated adjectives in each paragraph. Underline them.
Individual 1: Pak Mat was a respected leader in my residential area......................................

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116
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Individual 2: Some people liked Rose but some others hated her......................................
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Practice 5
1. Individually, write two paragraphs based on the starting line given.
2. Include at least 3 sophisticated adjectives in each paragraph. Underline all the
sophisticated adjectives.
Teachers note:
1. When all students have finished writing their paragraphs, ask them to walk around the
class and exchange paragraphs with their friends. They must take turn to read each
others paragraphs.
2. The best paragraphs should be reproduced for the whole class.
117
Kim was so nervous when the door opened..................(SPM 2007)
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118
Students should use sentences of different types and with different starters to make writing
more interesting and lively.
5.3.1 Different Sentence Types
Purpose: To enable students to write sentences of different types.

Instructions:
Revise the three sentence types with your teacher. Practise constructing sentences of all the
three types.
1. simple sentences
2. compound sentences
3. complex sentences
Teachers notes:
1. Students may work individually or in pairs to write the sentences.

2. To avoid making too many errors, students can do parallel writing using examples
given.
3. Error correction should be done either through EE or peer correction.
A simple sentence, also called an independent clause, usually contains a subject and a
verb, and it expresses a complete thought. Sometimes simple sentences can contain more
than one subject or verb.
a. Ramu went to the store.
b. Ramu and Suzi went to the store.
c. Bob went to the store and post office.
A compound sentence is usually made up of two independent clauses joined by a
coordinator or connector. Examples of coordinators are: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Ramu went to the store.

Ramu and Suzi went to the store.
Lily went to the store, and Mary went to the office
The negotiations were successful, so the diplomats returned to their homes.
Sarah studied hard so she passed the test.
A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses.
A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, although, or
when or a relative pronoun such as that, who, or which.
119
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
The doctor who treated us is his friend.

The issue which we thought we had solved, came back to haunt us.
The proposal that we wrote was accepted.
Although it was pouring, he insisted on going back.
He has been bedridden since 2009.
5.3.2 Different Sentence Starters
Purpose: To enable students to use different sentence starters to give their essays the
extra edge.
Instructions:
Study the examples and practise writing at least 5 more sentences for each sentence
starters.
Teachers notes:
Students can work in groups to look out for such sentence starters from newspaper articles
or stories from books. Each group may be assigned to look for sentences with a certain
sentence starters.
1 Start with a gerund
2 Start with a prepositions
3 Start with an adjective
4 Start with a past participle
5 Start with an adverb
a. Running down the stairs, she tripped.

b. Swimming in the pool, he almost drowned himself.
c. Anticipating a peaceful evening, Sam and I relaxed in
the shade.
a. Outside the house stood a menacing figure.
b. On Monday, the shops are closed.
c. For the large crowd attending the party, we should
prepare more food.
a. Fearful, he approached.
b. Surprised of the warm welcome he received, he
blushed.
c. Cold and hungry, they could do anything to get out of the
situation they were in).
a. Asked to comment, he found that he was tongue-tied.
b. Taken aback by the sound, he hid behind the door.
c. Thrown carelessly out of the house, the rubbish scattered
and dirtied the road.
a. Slowly, he turned his head.
b. Quickly, they scrambled out of the hole.
c. Exhaustedly, they continued without a word of complaint.
120

Students need to learn how to generate ideas and develop ideas at sentence level
and in paragraphs before writing the full essay.
5.4.1 Sentence Expansion
Purpose: To enable students to improve sentences by adding ideas to a simple sentence to

make them sound better.
Instructions:
Students can start with simple sentences and slowly add on ideas to make the sentences
more informative and interesting to read
Teachers notes:
By taking a simple sentence and expanding it step by step, students are able to create
sentences that are impressive and informative. In sentence expansion, a simple sentence
(one noun and a verb) can gradually be expanded until you have a beautiful sentence.
Students can add descriptive words on phrases to these sentences. Sentences can be
shown on an LCD/an overhead projector or typed and handed out to each student.
Examples:
I like cakes
The sun rises slowly.
I like yellow cakes with white frosting

He walked away.
The sun rises slowly, lighting up the world.

He ate his dinner.
He walked away dejectedly.
He gobbled up his dinner quickly.
He walked away dejectedly and without

turning back.
She started to cry.
He gobbled up his dinner so quickly that

he almost choked himself.
She left the room.
She sat down and tears began to flow

down her cheeks.
She stormed out of the room.
She sat down on the wooden chair with

tears rolling down her wrinkled cheeks.
She stormed out of the room, knocking

over a chair in her haste.
121
Practice:
Expand the following simple sentences gradually to give a more vivid picture
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
We watched an exciting show

Robert turned around.
Jenny went home.
Puan Rosnah was angry.
Selva smiled at him.
She heard Amy calling her.
5.4.2 Developing Ideas

Purposes:
1. To train students to develop ideas fluently so that writing a 350-word essay is a
manageable task for them.
2. To use wh-questions effectively in generating details.
3. To encourage students to develop each idea well and systematically.
Sample paragraph:
My birthday party was very great. [How many attended?] It was attended by more than
200 people. [Who were they?] All my classmates, teachers and relatives came. [Where was
it held?] My parents organised the party at a five-star hotel. In fact, the party was beside a
huge swimming pool. [What was special?] My classmates conducted a few fun and
interesting games. There was also a karaoke singing session. My father sang his favourite
evergreen song to all the guests. [How many presents?] Before the party ended, I thanked all
my guests for their presence and kindness. I received 88 wonderful gifts. [When did it end?]
By 6.50 p.m., the party came to an end. [How was my feeling?] Though I felt a bit tired, I was
extremely happy.
122
Practice 1:
Develop the main idea given by answering the following wh-questions.

Main idea: Jays first day in his new school was not bad at all.
When did he arrive in

school?
Where was his class?
How many students

were there in his class?
Who was his first friend?
Who were his other new

friends?
What did Jay feel?
What was the first

lesson?
123
Practice 2:
1. Divide the class into two groups. Based on the main idea given below, Group 1 will
ask wh-questions and Group 2 will answer those questions.
2. Record all the questions and their answers on a piece of paper.
3. Select only 7 questions and arrange them in an appropriate order in the table below.
Main idea: My holiday in Penang was memorable.
Wh-questions
Answers / Details
124
Practice 3:
1. Students stay in the same group (as in Practice 1). Based on the main idea given
below, Group 2 will ask wh-questions and Group 1 will answer them.
2. Record all the questions and their answers on a piece of paper.
3. Select only 7 questions and arrange them in an appropriate order in the table below.
Main idea: Pak Mat was a person that I really admired.
Wh-questions
Answers / Details
125
Practice 4:
Either in small groups or pairs, develop the main idea below. Write a paragraph of not less
than 60 words. You must use suitable wh-questions but you do not have to write them down.
Main idea: My friends and I had a hard time during our camping in the forest.
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
Enrichment Practices:
Individually, write a 60 to 100-word paragraph based on each of the following main ideas.
Focus on the accurate use of past tense verbs and the application of the sophisticated
adjectives in each paragraph.
1. Lina was really a true friend.
2. A short stay at my grandfathers house was a great experience.
3. I lived in the city for ten years and I had a horrible life.
4. My classmates had made my life colourful.
5. Our gotong royong project to clean Sungai Batu was a success.
6. Kamal, the youngest in his family, had been giving problems to his parents lately.
7. Mega Shopping Mall was the best mall that we visited in Jakarta.
8. Lisa was a very busy businesswoman.
9. My wife and I had a romantic honeymoon in Langkawi Island.
10. On her way home from school, Nur saw a tragic accident.
126
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SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119

SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119

En. Zanurin bin Mohamad Safar (SMK Kulim)

1. TEXT AND GRAPHICS

2. READING COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY

3. LITERATURE COMPONENT POEMS

4. LITERATURE COMPONENT NOVEL

4.2 Students Tips

5.2 Vocabulary Enrichment

5.3 Varied Sentence Structures

5.4 Generation and Development of Ideas

1. Texts and Graphics

1.2 Students Tips

How do you answer questions based on advertisements?

Working mum is complaining about

Step 2 in the chart is

C simmer the mixture

CITI College is organising a revision workshop for Form Five students on

From the notice above, we know that the workshop is

Biggest Flower Bloom In The World

According to the extract, the rafflesia

Read the article below and answer the question.

From the article, we know that Peggy Chin has

From the extract, we know that the poor boy

As Rawang is growing fast, more efforts should be taken to beautify the

Mr. Malaysia writes to the newspaper to express his

From the report, we know that most of the blood is donated by

Well, it was raining

Joe, did you

From the dialogue above, we know that Joe had

MAKE COURTESY OUR LIFE

Take Part In Scheme To Control Crime

HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR SWIMMERS

From the caption above, we know that the swimmers had

Rules and Regulations:

The notice above tells us that the participants can

In the report above, flag off can best be replaced with

Which of the following statements is true?

BENTONG: An unemployed man was arrested for using counterfeit money in a

From the picture above, we know that Jimmy

In this situation, we can say that the manager is

NASI KANDAR RESTAURANT ON THE RIGHT TRACK

The man in the cartoon strip above is asking the lady to

When you sign up at the advertisement website, you will be

I am a disabled woman and a frequent user of parking

In the letter above, Vannish wants the public to

From the letter, we know that Vannish is

Answer Scheme for Texts and Graphics

2. Reading Comprehension and Summary

2.2 Students Tips

Understand the requirement/s of the summary.

why Patricia enjoys face-painting and hand-painting, and,

be in continuous writing (not in note form)

Begin your summary as follows:

Content (maximum 10 marks even if all the points are given)

Nokia Malaysia offers a wide range of electronic waste management services

to change as awareness and education grow. Ongoing campaigns by various governments 40

29 From paragraph 5, state one use of recycled plastics.

Content (maximum 10 marks even if all the points are given)

Work-related stress is a common problem among employees. It can result in feelings

According to a study by David Abrams of California State University in the United

(a) From paragraph 1, what problem do most employees face?

27. From paragraph 2,