MUET - March 2017 - Reading - Exercise 1 (questions)

Questions 1 to 7 are based on the following passage.

Youth travel is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic markets of the global tourism sector. The
United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) estimates that approximately 20 per cent of all
international tourist arrivals in 2010 were young people. In that particular year, young travellers generate
USD165 billion towards global tourism receipts, affirming their financial value to the global tourism
industry and local economies. Likewise, the World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC)
identified that the young traveller market is worth about USD136 billion (Simpson, 2010). In addition,
young travellers have a higher lifetime value compared to other travel segments such as senior travellers.

Despite an increasing interest in the market size of young travellers, economic potential and their desire
to travel, relatively little is however known about the youth traveller. As such, understanding the behavior
and expenditure patterns of Malaysian young travellers in tourism and hospitality is a matter of utmost
importance for improving the sustainability of the Malaysian tourism industry.

Malaysian young travellers are raised in an environment with a wide and increasing range of travel
opportunities. As low-cost carriers become an increasingly common and affordable mode of
transportation, coupled with the ease of information searching and access to tourism products, and
purchasing via the World Wide Web, travelling today is far easier than before.

To understand the Malaysian youth travellers, a study has been conducted among Malaysian higher
education students, who reported having their own income from various sources to fund their travel
activities.

From the survey (see Tables I and 2), it was found that most of the young travellers preferred to stay in
hotels. Other than staying in hotels, many also stayed at friends' or relatives' houses. In addition, an
almost equal percentage of respondents were found to have stayed for one night during each travel.
As expected, since respondents for this study are mainly students, the travelling time is during semester
breaks, weekends and public holidays. The finding provides an insight to the tourism marketers about
when to promote their travel packages, especially those tailored to the young traveller.

(Adapted from Examining Young Malaysians Travel Behaviour and Expenditure Patterns in Domestic
Tourism, Asian Social Science; Vol. 1 1, No. 9; 2015)

Questions: 

8. The UNWTO report highlights that the number of youth travellers exceeds that of adult travellers.

A True

B False

C Not stated

9. Young travellers prefer to travel on low-cost carriers.

A True

B False

C Not stated

10. The study is on the sustainability of the Malaysian tourism industry.

A True

B False
C Not stated

11. Many youth travellers stay with friends and relatives because it is convenient.

A True

B False

C Not stated

  

12. Tables I and 2 reveal the travel behaviour patterns among youth travellers.

A True

B False

C Not stated

13. The survey provides information about the peak and low seasons of youth travel. 

A True

B False

C Not stated

14. Most Malaysian youth travellers spend between RM 101 and RM 400. 

A True

B False

C Not stated

March 2017 MUET READING - Exercise 2 (Questions)

Today over two billion greeting cards are sold annually in the United Kingdom (UK.) covering all manner
of occasions from birthdays to anniversaries, new home to new job, good luck to graduation and many
more. It is estimated that the size of the UK market is around GBP1.7 billion per annum. People in the UK
send more cards per capita than any other nation.

The tradition of sending good wishes goes back many centuries, probably beginning with the Chinese and
Egyptians who exchanged goodwill messages at the start of a new year to ward oft' evil spirits. However,
these tokens were not sent at other times of the year and did not bear any resemblance to cards we
recognise today. There is evidence of printed cards from the 14th century in Germany where images were
carved onto wood blocks, which then were covered in ink and used to print onto paper. These forms of
cards were very expensive since they were handmade so were only accessible to well-to-do and wealthy
individuals.
Sir Henry Cole has been credited with establishing the first printed cards that has developed into the
mass-production industry we know today. Cole asked his friend and artist John Calcott Horsely to create
a painting that could be printed in quantity tbr him to give to all his friends. He however quickly recognised
the opportunity this printed greeting card could offer, even selling off the remaining stock of cards from
this first print run in central London.

The introduction of the Penny Post service combined with improvements to print technologies and paper
production quickly increased the popularity, availability and affordability of printed cards. By the early
1900s the Royal Mail was dealing with an extra 1 1 million cards during the festive season. Card
manufacturers began to recognise other events and occasions for which cards could be given, moving
from Christmas cards to Valentine cards. The oldest example of a printed Valentine card is held in the
British Museum.

Today cards are sent to celebrate all kinds of events, such as a child's first day at school, birthdays,
congratulations, good luck, well done and even t acknowledge divorce. There are a large number of major
card publishers producing cards to suit all tastes and pockets, including irreverent funny cards, traditional
cards and detailed handmade cards.

However, the advancement of digital technology has seen the invention of e-cards. In Australia, it was
reported that consumers sent around 18 million more e-cards last festive season with retirees and older
professionals leading the change towards electronic greetings. An Australia Post spokesperson said that
there was a 45 per cent decrease in the number of Christmas cards sent across the country over the past
five years and this figure is expected to increase even further.

However, e-mail expert Chee Wong says while e-cards are convenient they do not always make the
hoped-for impression on colleagues and clients. In addition, Wong warns e-cards can be plagued by
viruses. "More and more so, the virus writers are getting really clever and they find more and more
different ways to infiltrate our social defences so they will be exploiting the opportunity that arises when
someone clicks on a link," he says. \(Adapted from The History of Greetings Cards, November 2015)

Questions: 
8 The practice of sending greeting cards for all occasions began in the UK. 
A True
B False
C Not stated

9 The origin of sending greetings as a message is associated with a superstition. 

A True
B False
C Not stated

10 Sir Henry Cole made his fortune from selling printed greeting cards.
A True
B False
C Not stated

11 Paragraph 4 is mainly about

A the advancement in print technologies in the production of printed cards
B the role of the postal service in promoting the printed card business 
C the rapid growth of the printed card business

12 suit all tastes and packets (line 31) means 

A benefitting every printed card user
B appropriate for every occasion
C catering to every need
13 Which of the following is true of paragraph 6? 
A E-cards are gaining popularity.
B E-cards were invented in Australia. 
C E-cards have replaced printed cards.

14 The passage ends with 

A a warning
B a prediction
C a recommendation

8. B (China & Egypt)

9. A
10. C (no info)
11. C
12. C
13. A
14. A