Unit THEME: People and Culture

1 Music and Dance

RE AD ING SoW Lessons 18–23

Bala : Hey, where are you going all dressed up?

Sunita : I’m going to a concert.
Bala : I’ve never been to a concert. I don’t think I have the patience to sit down for so long.
Sunita : You should try going to one. Choose a performance you’d enjoy. I like cultural dances
because I took Indian classical dance lessons when I was younger. I find them so full
of life and there’s always a story behind each dance.
Bala : Well, I prefer modern-day music, which I can find on YouTube anyway.
Sunita : Not all concerts are the classical kind. There are way more modern-day concerts these
days.
Bala : It feels so troublesome, though. Going to a concert doesn’t mean I’ll have a good view
of the stage.
Sunita : It’s the atmosphere that makes a performance great. It’s very different from watching
something on YouTube.
Bala : Well, I could give it a try. I know my grandmother loves seeing old Malay dances like the
joget.
Sunita : Me too! It’s a shame that they’re becoming so rare. The next time there’s a traditional
performance, I’ll let you know and we can go together.
Bala : Sounds good.

A Read the dialogue above. Then, answer the following questions. LS 3.1.2, 3.1.5

1 Why does Sunita like cultural dances?

2 What type of music does Bala prefer?

3 Why isn’t Bala interested in attending concerts?

4 What does Sunita think is happening to traditional music and cultural dances? How does
she feel about that?

LS 3.1.5 Recognise with support the attitude or opinion of the writer in simple longer texts
LS 3.1.2 Understand specific details and information in simple longer texts on a range of familiar topics

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T) 2018 1 Drill in KSSM English Form 2 (Unit 1)
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L ANG U AG E AWA R E N E SS
Present Simple Tense and Present Continuous Tense
Examples:

Present Simple • I don’t think I have the patience to sit down for so long.
Tense • I find them so full of life and there is always a story behind each dance.
Present • I am going to a concert.
Continuous Tense • They are becoming so rare.

A Complete the following sentences with the present simple or present continuous form of
the word in brackets.

1 Jenny (go) to singing classes because she (want) to take

part in the school Talent Competition.
2 I (love) listening to classical music while I (relax).
I (feel) less stressed when I (listen) to music.
3 The boys (take) part in the silat competition. So, they
(practise) every day.
4 The kompang (be) widely used in a variety of social occasions, such as the
National Day parade, official functions and weddings. I (learn) the kompang
so that I can play it at my sister’s wedding.
5 The indigenous people of Sarawak in Malaysia (use) a nose flute called
silingut in certain ceremonies.
6 Kite flying and top spinning (be) traditional games in Malaysia. However,
they (become) less popular as children nowadays (prefer)
video games.
7 Chef Wan (be) a famous chef in Malaysia. He (host) his own
TV show on famous Malaysian dishes.
8 Janice (read) a lot. Right now, she (read) the biography of
the late Sudirman Arshad, a famous Malaysian singer. Janice (love) reading
books about people who (achieve) their dreams. Janice
(intend) to be a singer when she (grow) up.
9 There (be) many traditional Chinese dances. One of the most famous
(be) the fan dance. Both tourists and the younger Chinese generation
(learn) about many traditional stories through this dance. You can
(see) it performed at festivals and theatres. Nowadays, some people
(learn) fan dancing as a form of exercise.

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T) 2018 2 Drill in KSSM English Form 2 (Unit 1)
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WR IT I NG
A Complete the text with sentences from the box. LS 4.1.5

• Religious music is an important part of local music, as it is particularly enjoyed by the

older generation.
• In rural areas, folk music and lullabies are more popular.
• Malaysia’s multicultural and multiracial background is best seen in its variety of music.

1
Malaysian music reflects the country’s various ethnic groups, which includes the
indigenous people, Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sabahans, Sarawakians and Eurasians.
2
On the other hand, younger Malaysians seem to prefer pan-Asian pop music. 3 

Due to the increasing influence of Western culture, major cities like Kuala Lumpur offer a wide
range of popular Western music like rock, hip hop and trance.

B Based on the text above, answer the following questions. LS 4.1.1

1 Which two words tell us that Malaysia is made up of many different types of people?

2 What music is mainly enjoyed by the older generation?

3 Where is folk music enjoyed?

4 Why is Western music becoming more popular in major cities?

C Write a summary of the text in Exercise A. Check your spelling and punctuation.
LS 4.1.1, 4.2.2

LS 4.1.1 Explain simple content from what they have read

LS 4.1.5 Organise and sequence ideas within short texts on familiar topics
LS 4.2.2 Spell written work with moderate accuracy

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T) 2018 3 Drill in KSSM English Form 2 (Unit 1)
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L IS T ENI NG
A Listen to the story and complete the following sentences. LS 1.1.6

1 My cousins live in .

2 There are types of drums.

3 The performance consists of shadow puppets projected onto a

with a coconut-oil lamp.

4 The narrator hears a , also known as serunai, being played.

5 The performance has three parts—the introduction, and the

conclusion.

B Listen to the story again and answer the following questions. LS 1.1.5

1 What is the basic element in traditional Malaysian music?

2 Where is the narrator?

3 What is the nobat and when do they perform?

4 What type of performance is the narrator attending and when does it start?

5 How do the narrator’s cousins feel about the performance and what do they take home with
them?

6 Do you think that the narrator’s cousins would like to attend another similar performance?
Why? HOTS

LS 1.1.6 Understand with little or no support longer simple narratives on a wide range of familiar topics
LS 1.1.5 Understand with little or no support more complex questions

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T) 2018 4 Drill in KSSM English Form 2 (Unit 1)
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S PEAKING

Dear Lara,
After the wayang kulit performance, I took my cousins to see a performance by Datuk
Ramli Ibrahim. For over 30 years, this local dance hero has helped to promote both
Indian classical dance and contemporary dance all across the globe. It is not surprising
that he has received numerous awards worldwide.
Ramli is an amazing dancer. When he performs, he takes on the role of mystical
heroes and tells their tales through the rhythm of dance. He dances as if he is floating
on air. He is able to bring the past, present and future to life on the beautifully lit stage.
I will admit that I wasn’t interested in local music and culture until I watched these
performances with my cousins. They were so excited that they posted their experiences
on social media and received many likes and responses! I’ll show you some of their
photos when you come over next week.
Liz

A Read the email above and complete the dialogue by writing suitable questions for the
answers given below. Then, read out the completed dialogue with a friend. LS 2.1.1

Tyler : 1
Lara : She took them to see a performance by Datuk Ramli Ibrahim.

Tyler : 2
Lara : He is a local dance hero who has helped to promote both Indian classical dance
and contemporary dance all across the globe.

Tyler : 3
Lara : He takes on the role of mystical heroes and tells their tales through the rhythm of
dance.

Tyler : 4
Lara : No, she only became interested after watching a few local performances with her
cousins.

B Work in pairs. Carry out a similar conversation about your favourite performer. LS 2.1.5
HOTS

C Tell your friend what you think about Datuk Ramli Ibrahim. LS 2.1.5
HOTS

LS 2.1.1 Ask about and explain key information from simple texts
LS 2.1.5 Express opinions or feelings about character and personality

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T) 2018 5 Drill in KSSM English Form 2 (Unit 1)
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L IT ERAT U R E I N A C T I O N
A Read the poem ‘What Is Red?’ by Mary O’Neill. Then, answer the following questions.
LS 5.1.1

1 What is this poem about?

2 Which lines in the poem refer to blood?

3 What do the red ‘signal’ and ‘shout’ have in common?

4 What feelings are mentioned in this poem?

5 Name four things in the poem that produce sound.

6 State one theme of the poem.

7 What does ‘it’ in the last line of the poem refer to?

B Work in pairs. Ask and answer the following questions. LS 5.1.1

HOTS

1 What does the colour red mean to you? Give reasons for your answer.

2 Do you like this poem? Why?

3 What can you tell about the poet by reading the poem?

4 What is your favourite colour? Why?

LS 5.1.1 Explain in simple language connections between characters, places or events in texts and their own lives

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T) 2018 6 Drill in KSSM English Form 2 (Unit 1)