Passage 2

Questions 26-30 are based on the following passage.

Read the passage about a 10-day course at the Outward Bound School in Lumut.
1 When put together under circumstances that are physically, emotionally and
spiritually taxing, a close bonding among people can occur. What I am going to relate to
you is the experience of a group who started out with fear, anxiety and distrust but felt a
special bond of love and understanding at the end of the period. Yes, a group of
strangers can become closer than a family. 5
2 I will never forget the 10-day course at the Outward Bound School in Lumut.
The term outward bound is used to refer to a ship leaving port to venture out into the
open sea. And that was exactly what we, the participants, were doing. We were leaving
the safe haven of our homes to have a changed self-concept, an increased
understanding of others and to accept physical, mental and social challenges. What we 10
did not realise was how tough it was going to be and more so, the changes that were
going to take place within us.
3 All participants were put in groups called watches, which were named after
famous Malaysian mountains such as Kinabalu, Tahan and Jerai. Each watch
consisted of fifteen participants, headed by one instructor and one assistant. This was 15
to help organize the large group into smaller, more manageable groups. Moreover,
people feel great to be associated with mountains—big, tall, majestic and inspiring! The
instructors guided and encouraged us, especially through the rough times. We did not
quite expect them to encourage us as we came with the preconceived idea that the
instructors were going to be mean and push us to physical and emotional despair. This 20
was far from true. Our instructors and the other administrative staff proved to be a
source of comfort, solace, encouragement, inspiration and friendship. This was least
expected and it goes to show that life is a store of surprises!
4 I was in the Kinabalu watch with fourteen other participants, all of whom were
young professionals sponsored by their companies. Most of the first day was spent
doing tedious administrative work and getting to know one another. Introductions were
particularly awkward at first between the girls and the boys but with a bit of teasing, 25
giggles and jokes, we soon got to know one another. On the second day, we were
awakened at 6 a.m. for a 2-kilometre run. Many of us were lethargic because we did not
have a good night’s sleep. Our large, comfortable dormitories had one flaw — rats. The
detested pests did a fine job of ruining our sleep!
5 After the run came the 12-kilometre hike. The hike up the hill was treacherous 30
and long. The watches started leaving at 7.30 in the morning and trickled back to the
school only by 6 a.m. the next day. All except one. My watch, Kinabalu, had been the
first to leave but had not returned. We got lost! It was a terrifying experience as the day
wore on and it grew dark. At night, we lighted a fire and huddled together to keep warm.
As our compass had gone bust, we had to depend on our instinct to find our way back 35
the next morning.
6 Several instructors went out to look for our group but with no success. It was
only 24 hours later that the Kinabalu watch made it back to the school. The next ten
minutes was chaotic for everyone was yelling, screaming and hugging one another.
This misadventure was an unexpected inclusion in the programme but it certainly 40
bonded the group strongly.
7 All too soon the course came to an end. I felt sad to leave because the friends
I had made there were special. I did achieve my personal goal, that is, to meet as many
people as I could. The OBS is not only about learning jungle survival skills or climbing
across ropes 200 metres above the ground. It teaches us to be tolerant, to care and to 45
be concerned for one another. All of us had been thrown together into an unfamiliar
environment and —through trust and cooperation —became a team. More importantly, we
became friends.
31. Read the passage about a 10-day course at the Outward Bound School in Lumut.
Write a summary of:
 the training
 the experience of the author and the other participants at the Outward Bound School
(OBS) in Lumut.

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 line 12 to line 36
 not be longer than 130 words including the 10 words given below

Begin your summary with:

It was indeed an unforgettable experience for all the participants …