HPE1013

WORKBOOK
A COMPILATION OF NOTES, TUTORIALS AND EXERCISES FOR

HPE1013 PROFICIENCY ENGLISH 1

(FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY)

STUDENT’S COPY
Preface

English language proficiency is vital in a students’ life. It is being used in education. It is used
for communication throughout the world. Being able to write and communicate using English
language is an added advantage to a student. It is for the reason; therefore, this simple but
compact workbook is produced in order to assist students learning English language
proficiency.

This workbook comprises sections of language practices and exercises that will help to
enhance the students’ ability to learn the language. It starts with certain reading components
which assist the students to comprehend the language in its literal meaning and technical
meaning. Meanwhile, some speaking practices along with listening practices also will help the
students to enrich their skills in using the language in their daily activities. Additionally, the
grammar components along with the writing components aim to improve the students’ writing
skills when writing essays in the target language.

The author would like to express her deepest thanks to all the contributors for the well-rounded
exercises for this subject. Sharing is caring. Thank you for your generosity.

Fourth Edition. July 2020

TOPIC: READING COMPONENT - SCANNING & SKIMMING FOR INFORMATION
Exercise 1: Scan the following text quickly and fill in the table. What do the numbers
given in the table refer to?
1%  
2%  
6%  
13%  
16%  
30%  
3/4  
86%  

Spoon-fed feel lost at the cutting edge

Before arriving at university students will have been powerfully influenced by their
school's approach to learning particular subjects. Yet this is only rarely taken into account by
teachers in higher education, according to new research carried out at Nottingham University,
which could explain why so many students experience problems making the transition.

About 30 per cent of respondents claimed to have made significant use of primary
sources (few felt very confident in handling them) and this had mostly been in connection with
project work. Only 16 per cent had used video/audio; 2 per cent had experienced field trips and
less than 1 per cent had engaged in role-play.

Dr Booth found students and teachers were frequently restricted by the assessment
style which remains dominated by exams. These put obstacles in the way of more adventurous
teaching and active learning, he said. Of the students in the survey just 13 per cent felt their A-
level course had prepared them very well for work at university. Three-quarters felt it had
prepared them fairly well.

One typical comment sums up the contrasting approach: "At A-level we tended to be
spoon-fed with dictated notes and if we were told to do any background reading (which was
rare) we were told exactly which pages to read out of the book".

To test this further the students were asked how well they were prepared in specific
skills central to degree level history study. The answers reveal that the students felt most
confident at taking notes from lectures and organising their notes. They were least able to give
an oral presentation and there was no great confidence in contributing to seminars, knowing
how much to read, using primary sources and searching for texts. Even reading and taking
notes from a book were often problematic. Just 6 per cent of the sample said they felt
competent at writing essays, the staple A level assessment activity.

The personal influence of the teacher was paramount. In fact, individual teachers were
the centre of students' learning at A level with some 86 per cent of respondents reporting that
their teachers had been more influential in their development as historians than the students'
own reading and thinking.

The ideal teacher turned out to be someone who was enthusiastic about the subject; a
good clear communicator who encouraged discussion. The ideal teacher was able to develop
student’s involvement and independence. He or she was approachable and willing to help. The
bad teacher, according to the survey, dictates notes and allows no room for discussion. He or
she makes students learn strings of facts; appears uninterested in the subject and fails to listen
to other points of view. (by: Alison Utley, Times Higher Education Supplement. February 6th,
1998.)

Exercise 2: Skim the following text quickly and write down the qualities of a teacher. How
many can you find from the text? Highlight them.

THE PERSONAL QUALITIES OF A TEACHER

What personal qualities are desirable in a teacher? Probably no two people would draw
up exactly similar lists, but I think the following would be generally accepted.

First, the teacher's personality should be pleasantly live and attractive. This does not
rule out people who are physically plain, or even ugly, because many such have great personal
charm. But it does rule out such types as the over-excitable, melancholy, frigid, sarcastic,
cynical, frustrated, and over-bearing: I would say too, that it excludes all of dull or purely
negative personality.

Secondly, it is not merely desirable but essential for a teacher to have a genuine
capacity for sympathy - in the literal meaning of that word; a capacity to tune in to the minds and
feelings of other people, especially, since most teachers are school teachers, to the minds and
feelings of children. Closely related with this is the capacity to be tolerant - not, indeed, of what
is wrong, but of the frailty and immaturity of human nature which induce people, and again
especially children, to make mistakes.

Thirdly, I hold it essential for a teacher to be both intellectually and morally honest.  It
means that he will be aware of his intellectual strengths, and limitations, and will have thought
about and decided upon the moral principles by which his life shall be guided. That is part of the
technique of teaching, which demands that every now and then a teacher should be able to put
on an act - to enliven a lesson, correct a fault, or award praise.

On the other hand, a teacher must be capable of infinite patience. He must be pretty
resilient; teaching makes great demands on nervous energy. And he should be able to take in
his stride the innumerable petty irritations any adult dealing with children has to endure.

Finally, I think a teacher should have the kind of mind which always wants to go on
learning. Teaching is a job at which one will never be perfect; there is always something more
to learn about it. There are three principal objects of study: the subject, or subjects, which the
teacher is teaching; the methods by which they can best be taught to the particular pupils in the
classes he is teaching; and - by far the most important - the children, young people, or adults to
whom they are to be taught. (From Teaching as a Career, by H. C. Dent, Batsford, 1961)
EXERCISE

Read the passage below using the techniques of skimming and scanning. Then answer
the following questions.

MALAYSIA MOVES ON ISLAMIC FASHION MARKET

Fashion that adheres to Islamic rules is a largely untapped market and Malaysia is trying to
position itself as the fashion capital for the Muslim world, says the BBC's Jennifer Pak in
Kuala Lumpur.

That modesty can be beautiful is the message that organisers of the Islamic fashion festival in
Kuala Lumpur want to send to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Malaysian designer Tom
Abang Saufi says many non-Muslims equate Islamic wear to draping yourself in black.

But one can be religious and fashionable at the same time, she says. Islamic wear by
definition should cover everything except the face and palms. The garment should not show
off one's figure so as to not attract unwanted attention.

But how that is interpreted in the Muslim world varies from designer to designer and country
to country.

Ms Tom's designs include a lot of bright coloured tunics made of silk chiffon.
"I don't just dress them in black," she says. Islamic wear can be "a thing of beauty rather than
something that is prohibitive," says Ms Tom.

Mainstream impulse

The Islamic fashion festival is part of Malaysia's international fashion week.

It will show Muslim women different ways of covering themselves, says the chairman and
founder Raja Rezza Shah.

The 48-year-old says he created the event in 2006 as a way to make Islamic fashion more
mainstream. Since then, more than 200 designers from all over the world have participated -
half of them non-Muslims says Mr Rezza.

"I am proud to say that at least we have proven that Islam, or Islamic activities, is not a
platform that will frighten non-Muslims away. Over the last three years, Mr Rezza has taken
their shows to Jakarta and Dubai. They hope to hold one in Monte Carlo next August.

Mr Rezza sees a lot of potential in the Islamic fashion market with Kuala Lumpur as the
centre. That is because Muslims make up over 50% of Malaysians. It is also next to
Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8346401.stm
Answer the True or False questions below.

1. Malaysia is trying to become the leading of Islamic fashion in the world. ( )

2. “Modesty can be beautiful” is the message of Islamic fashion festival in Kuala Lumpur. ( )

3. Islamic fashion promotes the wearing of black colour in all of its variety of clothings. ( )

4. Ms Tom Abang Saufi agrees that Islamic fashion should in black colour. ( )

5. Islamic fashion encourages Muslims to wear revealing and tight garments. ( )

6. The Islamic fashion festival was first organised in 2006. ( )

7. The Islamic fashion festival was only participated by Muslim designers. ( )

8. The next Islamic fashion festival will be held at Jakarta. ( )

TOPIC: READING COMPONENT - REFERENCE WORDS

EXERCISE
Read the short paragraphs below. Then, write down what the words in bold refer
to.
1. Hani and Murni are best friends. They have been together since they were in Standard One.
They refer to ___________________________

2. Listening is one of the most important skills in mastering a new language. It allows learners
to acquire new vocabulary and the right way to pronounce words.
It refers to __________________________

3. “Danny, who is one of my good friends, had betrayed me,” said Johnny to his mother.
who refers to __________________________
me refers to __________________________
his refers to _________________________

4. Secret Recipe is an international branding at the moment. It has opened outlets at

Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Australia and Brunei.
It refers to _________________________
outlets refer to ___________________________________

5. My family and I went to Pulau Perhentian last weekend. We visited a lot of exciting places. I
bought many souvenirs and I love all of them.
We refer to ________________________
them refers to ______________________
TOPIC: READING COMPONENT - READING & COMPREHENSION
Instructions: Read the passage. Then, answer the following questions.

THE FACEBOOK PHENOMENON

As everyone knows, Mark Zuckerberg, the 26-year-old originator of Facebook,

was chosen by Time magazine to be its 2010 Person of the Year. The reason is
obvious. In 2004, when he was a 19-year-old sophomore at Harvard, he created a
social network on the Internet to give college students a means of keeping in touch with
their friends. A simple, collegiate idea.

But what neither he nor anyone else suspected was that this electronic means of
keeping in touch with people would develop, in only seven years, into a single
worldwide social network embracing 500 million members, a twelfth of the entire human
race. Indeed, it is now being called a “social utility,” permitting people worldwide to post
an unlimited number of photos and information they wish to disseminate among friends
all over the world.

Zuckerberg’s genius is not in some original grandiose vision to change the world.
His genius is in his technical ability to use the computer to make all of this benign
electronic networking possible. He is, in short, a programming genius. Born in 1984 and
brought up in Dobbs Ferry, New York, in a family of professionals (father a dentist,
mother a psychologist), he began writing computer programs before he was even a
teenager. At the age of 12 he created a program for the family home called ZuckNet. He
also wrote computer games. He attended the local high school and then went on to
Phillips Exeter Academy, the prestigious prep school in New Hampshire. There he
became interested in fencing and classical literature.

He then entered Harvard, where he majored in psychology and computer

science. Being gregarious, highly social, and a practical joker, he created a website
called Facemash where Harvard students could compare the relative attractiveness of
their peers. He started Facebook with a more practical purpose in mind: a friendly place
on the web where old school chums could keep track of one another over the years.

The Facebook phenomenon is one of the technological wonders of the computer

age, which seems to have no boundaries to its development. YouTube was started by
two computer geeks who wanted an easy way to exchange videos on the Internet so
that their friends could see them. Now the whole world is on YouTube and it has
become the world’s new media of record.

Facebook started as a website for students. And now the universe is climbing on
board. Why? Because it’s easy, it’s free, and can be economically useful and a lot of
fun. In fact, Facebook can be a liberating force where anyone can state their case and
get a hearing. Which is why governments may want to crack down on it. In any case,
the future looks bright for Facebook and Zuckerberg. And, as Time comments, “he’s just
getting started.”

But now an amazing new phenomenon has arisen involving the social networks.
They are being used to help organize revolution in authoritarian countries. They have
become dynamic vehicles of communication, expanding the concept of freedom across
the globe. But we have yet to see how all of this will develop. Facebook, Twitter, and
YouTube were created for a free people. But the world is now using them, hopefully to
advance the benign ideals of the West.

By Sam Blumenfeld
http://thenewamerican.com/opinion/sam-blumenfeld/6114-the-facebook-phenomenon

What do the following words refer to?

i. he (para. 1) _________________

ii. it (para. 2) _________________

iii. they (para. 2) _________________

iv. them (para. 5) ___________________

v. they (para. 7) __________________

Answer all questions in a complete sentence. Your answers must be based on the
passage.

1. Who is the creator of Facebook?

__________________________________________________________________

2. Why Facebook is called ‘social utility’?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

3. When was Mark Zuckerberg first started showing off his talent in electronic
networking? How?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. What is the reason behind the creation of Facemash?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

5. How does Facemash differ from Facebook?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

6. Why Facebook is very popular and become a phenomenon?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

7. The sentence “In fact, Facebook can be a liberating force where anyone can state
their case and get a hearing. Which is why governments may want to crack down on
it” means

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

8. What is the personal hope of the author in his article?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

9. What is the closest meaning for the following words according to the text?

i. sophomore _____________________________________________________

ii. disseminate ____________________________________________________

iii. grandiose ______________________________________________________

iv. chums _________________________________________________________

v. benign _________________________________________________________
Instructions: Read the passage. Then, answer the following questions.

SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT, EVERY LITTLE STEPS COUNT

Saving energy and the overall environment is a topic that has gained public attention
more recently. People are realizing that at the rate we are using earth's valuable resources, we
will face serious shortage in a near future.
Water is the first resource we have been wasting in the past. We have to be aware that
everyday, people worldwide are dying from lack of drinkable water. Yet, in our "civilized"
countries, we let purified water go to waste in many ways daily.
Small steps a person can take to limit her consumption of water is: only wash the dishes
or do the laundry when there is a full load to be done, do not let tap water run for long periods
while brushing one's teeth. Other obvious drinkable water savings would be not to use
sprinklers on rainy days or using a broom to sweep one's carport instead of the garden hose.
Another valuable earth's resource we have been wasting is electricity. Again, in many
developing countries, electricity could save hundreds of lives. Yet, we are openly wasting this
valuable resource in western countries. Small steps that can be taken to limit the quantity of
electricity consumed daily are: close all lights that are not being used, do not put the air
conditioning on (or a heating system) if windows are opened, wash clothes that do not require
special care with cold water instead of hot water.
Forests and trees have also been overused by man and wasted in more ways than can
be counted. Recycling paper is the very first step in limiting paper (and trees) waste. I have
personally contacted all the magazines with which I am not subscribed and asked them to take
back all those hundreds of paper I did not read and wasted. It took time and patience but
eventually, I evaluate I must have saved an entire small forest by that little step alone. Writing
on both sides of paper is also a very good way to diminish one's consumption of paper and thus
limiting deforestation.
Quality air is also a resource we have wasted to the worst degree. By overusing cars
and toxic emissions which affected the ozone layers, we have wasted our most valuable
resource: the air we breathe. Small steps that can be taken are exactly this: taking small steps
instead of using the car for any small trip to the corner store. In taking such action as walking to
get to near places, a person will also gain physical benefits and enjoy a better health condition.
Saving oxygen and the quality of the air that we breathe also means taking a strong
stand and pressuring governments in place to adopt and apply strict rules and regulations to
limit pollution and toxic gas emissions.
Another valuable resource that we have been shamefully wasting is the wildlife. Many
animals are now on the endangered species list or, worst, have disappeared because of man's
careless actions. Reading and keeping up to date on the most recent developments and again
taking action to limit the damages caused to animals are small steps a person can take to start
making a difference.
By Jean Simmer
http://www.bestglobalwarmingarticles.com
What do the following words refer to?
i. we (para 1) ________________
ii. her (para 3) _______________
iii. this (para 4) _______________
iv. I (para 5) ________________

Answer all questions in a complete sentence. Your answers must be based on the passage.
1. Why nowadays the topic of saving energy and environment has gained public attention?
_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

2. What do you understand from the sentence, “. Yet, in our "civilized" countries, we let purified
water go to waste in many ways daily”?
_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

3. List two ways of water consumption at home.

i ________________________________________________________________________
ii _______________________________________________________________________

4. What are the three ways that we can do to save the electricity?
_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

5. What is the personal effort done by the author to save the environment?
________________________________________________________________________

6. What government can do to protect our environment?

_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

7. What is the closest meaning for the following words according to the text?

i. shortage _______________________________________________________
ii. purified _______________________________________________________
iii. consumption _____________________________________________________
iv. carport _______________________________________________________
v. diminish _______________________________________________________
vi. deforestation ____________________________________________________
vii. endangered ______________________________________________________
TOPIC: READING COMPONENT - INFORMATION TRANSFER
Instructions: Based on the information given in the text fill in the blanks below:

Authentic Northern Chinese Take away service

Catering forCuisine
all functions up to Special banquet available
Live Seafood persons
180 Tanks (10 tanks) Live band performance every
Good Food Award night
American Express Award
BUSINESS HOURS
Sun – Thurs 9.00am – 11.00pm Fri 10.00am – 12.00pm, 3.00pm –
11.00pm

Closed Wed Open Public Holidays

OPEN
New Years Eve New Years Day Christmas Eve Christmas Day

 Banquet receives free performance of Lion Dance and Lucky Draw

No. 16, Jln Murni, Tmn Mewah, 59200 Bangsar
03-2286895
www.imperialpeking.com
 IMPERIAL PEKING RESTAURANT

Services :
i. Take away service
ii. ___________________________
iii. ___________________________

Live Shows :
i. ______________________
ii. Live band performances

Awards :
i. ___________________________
ii. ___________________________

Business Hours :

Closed: ______________________________

Open: _______________________________

Promotions :
i. _________________________
ii. _________________________
 LANGKAWI

Langkawi is known as the Jewel of Kedah. It is a place where beautiful beaches lie and
attractive tourism spots to visit to. Langkawi is a perfect gateway for families, friends and
even newly married couples to spend their time together. It is also an ideal place to
discover the great outdoors. Play golf, go snorkeling, visit the marine park, charter a boat
or take a cable car to the top of the mountain.

Where to stay?
The western beaches of Pantai Cenang, Pantai Tengah and Pantai Kok - are the most
popular beaches on Langkawi,with wide choice of accommodation, restaurants and
eateries. Datai and Burau bay surrounded by stunning tropical rainforest provide the
location for luxury resorts. There are a lot to choose from such as Sheraton Langkawi
Resort, The Andaman Langkawi and Meritus Pelangi Resort.

What to experience at Langkawi?

Place to visit
 Gunung Raya is the tallest mountain on the island, at 881m. Spectacular views
from the lookout point on the top. There is a resort hotel serving meals and coffee
at the summit.
 Crocodile Adventureland is opened daily, 9am to 6pm. The entrance ticket is
priced RM15 for adults and RM10 for children (below 12 yrs).
 Eagle Square is a square, featuring a giant eagle statue it is beautifully
landscaped with scenic ponds and bridges.
Tours
 Birdwatching Tours. There are over 200 species of birds on the islands. The best
times to watch them are the early mornings or early evenings. RM200 Adult,
RM120 child.
 Jungle Trekking in the Rainforest. It is a 4-hour tour. It is suitable for families and
even advanced hikers. RM200 per group of four.
 Scuba Diving & Snorkeling. Best around Pulau Payar Marine Park (20km south of
Langkawi). There is a viewing platform for relaxation between underwater
adventures. RM120-200 per person.

Langkawi Island Travel & Tour Sdn Bhd

Tel: 604 955 1746
info@langkawiisland.com

Instructions: Based on the information given in the text fill in the blanks below:
LANGKAWI Langkawi is a perfect vacation spot for

___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
________

Langkawi has many beautiful beaches such as

___________________________________________
___________________________________________
__________________________________

Langkawi provides many hotels and resorts for

visitors such as
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
______________________________

Activities Crocodile Adventureland

Ticket price:
________________________________

Ticket price:

RM120-200 per person

Instructions: Based on the information given in the text fill in the blanks below:

In Malaysia we celebrate different kinds of festivals. As there are 3 main races in

Malaysia ; the Malays, Chinese and Indians, the three major festivals are Hari Raya Puasa,
Chinese New Year and Deepavali. Hari Raya Puasa is celebrated by the Malays. It is to mark
the end of fasting month. On this day, the Malays perform prayers at the mosques and visit their
relatives. They normally prepare dishes such as ketupat, rendang and lemang. Chinese New
Year is celebrated by the Chinese to welcome the coming of their Lunar New Year. The
Chinese will wear red attire and give out angpows and oranges. Deepavali is also known as the
festival of lights. The Indians start their day with an oil bath. Later they will seek forgiveness and
blessings from their elders. They will also attend religious ceremonies at the temple. The most
famous dish served on this day is tosei and muruku.

FESTIVALS IN MALAYSIA

Hari Raya Puasa Chinese New Year

Go to the mosque
Visit relatives

Tosei
Muruku
 Instructions: Read the announcement below carefully. Then complete the diagram
that follows

Complete the diagram:

Post: 1) ____________________________________________

VACANCY Closing date: 2) ______________________________________

INFORMATION Location: 3) _________________________________________
Email: 4) ___________________________________________

6) Bachelor in ___________________________________

7) Excellent in ___________________________________
5) ______________
and
8) _______________________________________ skills.

Instructions: Read the following information and answer the questions that follow.
 TASIK KENYIR
WATERFALLS
There are many spectacular waterfalls here.
Among them:
Saok – 15-minute boat ride from Pengkalan
Gawi. Cascading waters over its rocky
terraces and boulders and a flat sandy area at
ground level, making it perfect picnic spot for
a whole family.
Tembat – Unlike Saok and Lasir, Tembat
Waterfall is actually composed of five rapids
with first flowing cascades. With a large
camping area, it is a popular destination for
campers.
LAKES AND RIVERS
Tasik Kenyir is known as an angler’s haven
where fishing is concerned. Hundreds of
species of fish like the Kelisa, Kelah, Toman
and Lampan, just to name a few, are found in
abundance.
Good fishing spots are at Cacing and Leban.
Please be informed that a fishing permit is
required from the Wildlife Department.
HILLY REGIONS
The hilly regions of Tasik Kenyir are a world
of virgin tropical jungle estimated to be
millions of years old. Outdoor activities like
jungle trekking are highly recommended.
One of the most popular trals is Mount
Gagau. Trekkers are advised to engage a
jungle guide.
Among the other peaks in Kenyir are the
Bongsu, Tembat and Gajah Terom. At
present there are no facilities on the other
peaks except for Mount Gagau where base
camps and hiking trails have been set up.
CAVES
The Tok Bidan cave which is now under
water is the site where archeologists and
historians have uncovered artifacts such as
kitchen utensils, axes and tools dating back
to the Neolithic era.
Inside the Taat and Bewah caves,
extraordinary stalactotes and stalagmites
await the explorer. It is advisable to bring
torchlight when you go exploring.
Questions 1-7

Complete the table below for a quick and easy reference to Tasik Kenyir by choosing one
activity and the location in the place of interest.

Places of Interest Activity Location

Waterfalls 1. 2.
Hilly Regions 3. 4.
Caves 5. 6.
Lakes and Rivers Fishing 7.

Questions 8-10

The following foreign tourists would like to visit some of the places described in the brochure of
Tasik Kenyir. However, there are certain things they must do or take with them before they can
visit these locations.

Based only on information given in the text, write down the thing each of them needs in the
boxes provided.

8. Mr Osaho from Japan would like to go

fishing.

9. Ms Richards from Canada loves history

and enjoys exploring.

10. Mr Oakly from New Zealand enjoys

mountain climbing. However, he is not
very adventurous and prefers organised
activities.
TOPIC: READING COMPONENT – REFERENCE WORD

Exercise: Read the text below and decide what the underlined reference words refer to.

1. New Zealand is becoming an increasingly popular destination for overseas visitors. It attracts

tourists and people on business, but the vast majority come as students. Mostly from Asian
countries, they  stay for anything from a few weeks to a few years or more, studying at
language schools, colleges and universities. New Zealand can offer good homestay
accommodation, a clean and beautiful environment and a reasonable cost of tuition. These
factors attract an ever-increasing number of overseas students, accounting for millions of
dollars in revenue for New Zealand.

Answers: _________________________________________________________________

2. I read in the newspapers that there are about 200 fires in American schools each year and
more than half of  them are started by boys under the age of 16.

Answer:
___________________________________________________________________

3. A mother and her two children were among those who died in Alabama, officials said.
The trio had been sheltering inside their double-wide trailer when it was thrown about 500 ft
by the winds, landing on its roof.

Answers: _________________________________________________________________

4. Every organization, as soon as it gets to any size (perhaps 1,000 people), begins to feel a
need to systematize its management of human assets. Perhaps individuals have complained
that they don't know where they stand or what their future is; perhaps the unions have
requested standardized benefits and procedures.

Answer: ___________________________________________________________________

5. The human memory system is remarkably efficient, but it is of course extremely fallible. That
being so, it makes sense to take full advantage of memory aids to minimize the disruption
caused by such lapses. If external aids are used, it is sensible to use them consistently and
systematically - always put appointments in your diary, always add wanted items to a
shopping list, and so on. If you use internal aids such as mnemonics, you must be prepared
to invest a reasonable amount of time in mastering them and practicing them.

Answers: _________________________________________________________________
TOPIC: READING COMPONENT – COMPREHENSION EXERCISE

Exercise: Read the following text and answer the questions that follow.

Bullies Target Obese Kids

I For kids, a few extra pounds may invite trouble from the schoolyard bully. New
research suggests that just being overweight increases the risk of being
bullied. And factors that usually play a role in the risk of being bullied, such as
gender, race and family income levels do not seem to matter if you are
overweight -- being overweight or obese trumps all those other factors when it 5
comes to aggressive behavior from other children.

II The study found that being overweight increased the risk of being the target of
bullying by 63 percent. "One of the reasons we started this study is that obesity
is so much more common today. Now that about half of kids are overweight or
obese, it does not make you such an outlier anymore, so we thought maybe 10
kids would not be bullied for being overweight anymore," said study author Dr.
Julie Lumeng, an assistant research scientist at the Center for Human Growth
and Development at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She added that
the researchers also hoped they might be able to find some protective factors
against being bullied, such as doing well in school. 15

III "What we found, much to our dismay, was that nothing seemed to matter. If
you were obese, you were more likely to be bullied, no matter what," she said.
Results of the study will be published in the June issue of Pediatrics, but were
released online May 3.

IV The study included 821 boys and girls from a nationally representative sample 20
of children selected from 10 sites around the United States. Bullying behaviors
were assessed in third, fifth and sixth grades. The youngsters were mostly
white, half of them were male and 15 percent were overweight in the third
grade.

V By sixth grade, teachers reported that 34 percent of the study children had
been bullied, and mothers reported that 45 percent of the children had been 25
bullied, while 25 percent of the children themselves said they had been bullied.

VI Previous research has shown that boys, minorities and children from low-
income groups are more likely to be bullied, so the researchers took these
factors into account to see if they made a difference. The study authors also
considered a child's social skills and academic achievement in their analysis. 30
"No matter how much we retested, the findings were very robust. Obese kids
are more likely to be bullied," said Lumeng.

Answer all questions.

 1. What do the following words from the text refer to?
i. ‘she’ in line 13 refers to __________________________
ii. ‘they’ in line 14 refers to __________________________
iii. ‘them’ in line 23 refers to __________________________
iv. ‘themselves’ in line 26 refers to __________________________
v. ‘their’ in line 30 refers to __________________________

2. Read the statements carefully. Circle whether they are TRUE or FALSE.
i. The research shows kids normally are being bullied just TRUE / FALSE
because they are obese.
ii. Dr. Julie Lumeng is a research scientist at the Centre for TRUE / FALSE
Human Growth and Development at the University of
Michigan in Ann Arbor.
iii. If the obese children are doing well in school, they will not be TRUE / FALSE
bullied.
iv. From the study conducted, only children from fifth and sixth TRUE / FALSE
grades are being bullied.
v. Boys, minorities and poor children are normally being TRUE / FALSE
bullied.

3. Answer the following questions

i. What are the factors that usually play a role in the risk of being bullied?

___________________________________________________________________

ii. Who is the person handling the research?

___________________________________________________________________

iii. When will the results of the study will be published?

___________________________________________________________________

iv. What are other factors besides obesity that have been analyzed by the researchers
in order to find the cause of bully?

___________________________________________________________________

v. According to the previous research, who are more likely to be bullied?

___________________________________________________________________

A NEW CIGARETTE HAZARD: ‘THIRD-HAND SMOKE’

Parents who smoke often open a window or turn on a fan to clear the air for their children,
but experts now have identified a related threat to children‘s health that is not as easy to
get rid of: third-hand smoke.
That is the term being used to describe the invisible yet toxic brew of gasses and
particles clinging to smokers ‘hair and clothing, cushions and carpeting, that lingers long
after second-hand smoke has cleared from a room. The residue includes heavy metals,
carcinogens and even radioactive materials that young children can get on their hands and
ingest, especially if they are crawling or playing on the floor.

Everyone knows that second-hand smoke is bad, but they don’t know about
this, said Dr. Jonathan P. Winickoff, the lead author of the study and an Assistant
Professor of Paediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

When their kids are out of the house, they might smoke. Or they smoke in the car.
Or they strap the kid in the car seat in the back and crack the window and smoke, and they
think it‘s okay because the second-hand smoke isn‘t getting to their kids, Dr. Winickoff
continued. We needed a term to describe these tobacco toxins that aren‘t visible.

Third-hand smoke is what one smells when a smoker gets in an elevator after going
outside for a cigarette, he said, or in a hotel room where people were smoking. Your
nose isn‘t lying, he said. The stuff is so toxic that your brain is telling you: Get away ‘.

The study reported on attitudes toward smoking in 1,500 households across the
United States. It found that the vast majority of both smokers and non-smokers were
aware that second-hand smoke is harmful to children. 95 percent of non-smokers and 84
percent of smokers agreed with the statement that inhaling smoke from a parent‘s
cigarette can harm the health of infants and children‖.

But far fewer of those surveyed were aware of the risks of third-hand smoke. Since
the term is so new, the researchers asked people if they agreed with the statement that
breathing air in a room today where people smoked yesterday can harm the health of
infants and children. Only 65 percent of non-smokers and 43 percent of smokers agreed
with that statement, which researchers interpreted as acknowledgement of the risks of
third-hand smoke.

The belief that second-hand smoke harms children‘s health was not independently
associated with strict smoking bans at homes and in cars, the researchers found. On the
other hand, the belief that third-hand smoke was harmful greatly increased the likelihood
the respondent also would enforce a strict smoking ban at home.

The central message here is that simply closing the kitchen door to take a smoke
does not protect the kids from the effects of that smoke, he said. There are carcinogens
in this third-hand smoke, and they are a cancer risk for anybody of any age who comes
into contact with them.
(Adapted from http://www.azasthma.org/resources/library-articles.aspx)

Instructions: Answer the questions below.

1. What is third-hand smoke?

___________________________________________________________________________
2. How does it threaten children?

___________________________________________________________________________

3. How many percent of non-smokers agreed that inhaling smoke from a parent‘s cigarette
could
harm the health of infants and children?

___________________________________________________________________________

4. How do you protect yourself and your children from third-hand smoke? Explain.

___________________________________________________________________________

7. What can we do to promote an environment that is free from third-hand smoke?

___________________________________________________________________________

8. If you are a smoker, do you wish to stop smoking? Give your reason.

___________________________________________________________________________

What is the closest meaning for the following words according to the text?

1. threat - ____________________________________________________________

2. brew - ____________________________________________________________

3. particles - ____________________________________________________________

4. ingest - ____________________________________________________________

5. harm - ____________________________________________________________

6. enforce - ____________________________________________________________

7. strict - ____________________________________________________________

8. ban - ____________________________________________________________

TOPIC: READING COMPONENT - CRITICAL READING: IDENTIFYING MAIN IDEAS

Exercise: Read the text. Can you identify the main idea(s) of the text? Highlight it.
1. Online shopping is the process of buying goods and services from merchants who sell on
the Internet. Since the emergence of the World Wide Web, merchants have sought to sell
their products to people who surf the Internet. Shoppers can visit web stores from the
comfort of their homes and shop as they sit in front of the computer. Convenience, Internet
access and a variety of products sold online are factors why people prefer to shop online
nowadays.

2. How your food is grown or raised can have a major impact on your mental and emotional
health as well as the environment. Organic foods often have more beneficial nutrients, such
as antioxidants, than their conventionally-grown counterparts and people with allergies to
foods, chemicals, or preservatives often find their symptoms lessen or go away when they
eat only organic foods. Consumption of organic food should be encouraged for the various
health benefits that they provide.

3. Bicycles are traditionally thought of as the transport of choice for students and people who
cannot afford a car. However, bicycles are fast becoming “the new golf” for the wealthy.
Instead of playing a round of golf at an exclusive country club, many executives are
choosing to do a few laps of cycling or are commuting to work on their expensive road
bikes. Cycling should be in day to day life because it is inexpensive, because it will make
day-to-day life happier, and because it is a proven fact that people who cycle are typically
healthier than people who do not partake in cycling.

4. The environment forms a very important aspect of human life because that is where we find
the essentials of life e.g., air, water and food. Due to global industrialization and
modernization, there has been environmental pollution. The environmental pollution has
greatly affected the quality of life for animals, plants and humans. Hazardous effects
including diseases that have emerged as a result of environmental pollution. Environmental
pollution is basically the contamination of environment’s nature in both physical and
biological systems which affects the normal functioning of the environment.
TOPIC: READING COMPONENT - CRITICAL READING: IDENTIFYING TOPIC
SENTENCES & SUPPORTING DETAILS

Instructions: Identify the topic sentence and the supporting details in the following
paragraphs.

Exercise is really good for one’s physical and mental health. It is proven that aerobic exercise is
good for the heart, which is very important to overall health.  Strength training is important for
maintaining muscle mass and improving bone density. Both muscle mass and bone density can
decrease as we age, so improving them through strength training is important. All kinds of
exercise have been shown to relieve depression, anxiety, and stress.

Topic Sentence:
___________________________________________________________________________

Supporting details #1:

___________________________________________________________________________

Supporting details #2:

___________________________________________________________________________

Supporting details #3:

___________________________________________________________________________

Supporting details #4
___________________________________________________________________________

Instructions: Identify the topic sentence and the supporting details in the following
paragraphs.
Traveling opens your mind because you begin to see how people do things differently than you
and still get by. We become so accustomed to how we do things that we believe it is the only
way, and that anyone who acts differently is inferior but traveling changes this. From big things
such as religious practices to small things such as how you order your food, traveling opens you
up to all types of changes.
Exercise : Write at least three supporting details for each topic sentence given.

1. Alice is a kind lady.

a. _____________________________________________________________________
b. _____________________________________________________________________
c. _____________________________________________________________________
d. _____________________________________________________________________

2. Healthy eating is the best way to stay in shape.

a. _____________________________________________________________________
b. _____________________________________________________________________
c. _____________________________________________________________________
d. _____________________________________________________________________

3. A positive attitude will lead to successful and happy life.

a. ____________________________________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________________________________
c. ____________________________________________________________________
d. ____________________________________________________________________

4. Social media is important in today’s communication.

a. ____________________________________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________________________________
c. ____________________________________________________________________
d. ____________________________________________________________________

5. Money is the root to all evil.

a. ____________________________________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________________________________
c. ____________________________________________________________________
d. ____________________________________________________________________
Exercise 2: Write a topic sentence for the following topics. The main ideas (topic
sentence) are given to assist you.

Television is a tool for entertainment.

1.
______________________________________
Televisions ______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________

2. Vandalism is a serious attitude problem.

______________________________________
Vandalism
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________

3.
Bullying can cause depression to the victim.

Bullying ______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
_____________________________________

4.
Deforestation leads to pollution.

Deforestation ______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
 TOPIC: INFORMATION TRANSFER

Exercise 1: Read the following information and complete the diagram given.

PUTRAJAYA BOTANICAL GARDEN

Located at the northern section of Precinct 1, this park is designed as an arcadia or a

national sanctuary for Malaysian plant taxonomy as well as a centre for education and
research. The first phase of the park is now open to the public.

Among the many attractions available is the Main Building which consists of an interactive
Exhibition, Restaurant and Gift Shop.

Other features of the park include the Explorer's Trail, Canopy Bridge, Heliconea Trail and
Vine Garden, Plam Hill, Sun Garden (Orchid Path), Floral Garden (Floral Steps, African
Collection, Tropical African Collection, Bougainvillea Tunnel, Asia Pacific Collection, Ficus
Shace, Rain shelter) and Lakeside (Hibiscus Walk), Lakeside café, Pandanus Walk,
Canna Walk and Fern Garden.

Taman Botani is opened to the public from 9.00 am - 7.00pm daily while the interactive
exhibition in the main building is open from Tuesdays to Sundays; 10.00 am - 6.30 pm.

PUTRAJAYA BOTANICAL GARDEN

OPERATION TIME:
LOCATION:

ATTRACTIONS:
OTHER FEATURES:
Exercise 2
Read the text about Meredith Hart and complete the text on the opposite page.

Meredith Hart celebrated

her 16th birthday on 18th May and is now looking for a part time job. She responds to the above
advertisement posted in the New York Times to work by Little Chefs Ltd during her summer
holidays
Meredith was born in 1996. She has completed her IGCSEs and now lives with her parents,
Paula Hart and William Hart in 33 Jackson Avenue Syosset, New York. Their telephone number
is 0333668802.
She enjoys working with little children and has worked as a volunteer at Ryer Avenues
Elementary School at New York, teaching sports activities to children aged to 6 to 11 and
sometimes helping out as a teacher’s assistant. Meredith has also successfully organized
several events for children on Children’s Day and on Sports Days. For which she has been
awarded ‘The Best Event Planner’ by the Head of the institute. She spent a total of 40 days at
Ryer Avenues and taught swimming on Sunday and Thursday mornings when she didn’t have
classes. She also spent her evenings on Friday with the young children, playing games,
watching videos, and singing and sometimes made snacks for them.
Meredith can also play the guitar very well and loves to play during the day were after
dinner when the whole staff went to the beach and chatted and sang. She is also very keen in
cooking and had taken an Advance Cooking Course last year at the Food and Health Centre.
Hence, she is very much interested in working at the Little Chefs Ltd as a Teachers’ Assistant,
for her previous experience has made her think more seriously about teaching as a job in the
future and would like to gain more experience by joining the Little Chef Ltd. She is willing to
work at any hours offered by the Centre and is available during the whole of November and
September.
Meredith can be contacted at Meredith@gmail.com or her mobile number 0888 888887.
Imagine that you are Meredith and complete the form on the opposite page.

Application Form
SECTION 1 – PERSONAL DETAIL (COMPLETE THIS SECTION IN BLOCK CAPITALS)

Surname: …………………………………..…… First Name:

…………………………………….
Date of birth: ……………………………………………………………..
…………………………..
Address: …………………...
…………………………………………………………………………..
Telephone number: ………….
………………………………………………………………………
Male/Female (please DELETE)

SECTION 2 – APPLICATION DETAIL

Post applied for: …………………………………………….

………………………………………..
HOURS available for work: (please TICK)
Full time  Part time  Seasonal 
Your AVAILABILITY: (please CIRCLE)
FEBRUARY - MARCH APRIL – JUNE JULY - OCT NOVEMBER –
SEPTEMBER
Have you done any cookery course? (Please TICK)  No  Yes
If ‘YES’ Give details below ………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………..

SECTION C – FURTHER CONTACT INFORMATION

Parent(S) Name(S): ………………………………………….………………………….

……………
Mobile / Cell phone number: …...………………………..….
……………………………………..
INSTRUCTIONS: READ THE PASSAGE AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW

It started 20 years ago. One day, Jane Smith, a busy mom and a loving wife, went shopping for
new clothes. After a few hours of searching, she came home exhausted and disappointed. In
the mid-80s, few manufacturers made clothes for women over thirty. “Thousands of women in
England have the same problem, and I will help them,” – thought Mrs. Smith. With very little
money, no connections in the fashion world and a husband who thought that her idea was
crazy, the ambitious woman decided to start up her own business.

Jane designed her first collection of twenty clothing items, bought suitable material and sewing
machines, and hired experienced tailors. The Smiths’ balcony turned into a workshop. When
the collection was ready, Jane offered it to a famous chain of stores. To her surprise, they
bought the whole collection at once. When they asked her about the name of her company,
Jane looked at her husband, smiled and said: “Crazy Mom”. The collection was sold in a very
short time – women liked Jane’s models. In a month, the manager of the chain ordered more
clothes from “Crazy Mom” and Jane had to hire more people and find a bigger place for the
workshop. The next step was opening her own shop at the central train station in Manchester.

Now “Crazy Mom” has 50 boutiques all over the world. Mr. Smith left his job as an engineer and
became head of the company. Their four children also work in the company and, according to
Jane, this is what makes the business so successful.

1. Why didn’t Jane manage to buy any clothes?

_______________________________________________________________________

2. What difficulties did Jane face when starting up her business?

________________________________________________________________________

3. What special trait helped Jane succeed in her new career? (par. 1)
______________________________________________________________________

4. What did Mrs. Smith do in order to start her business? (par. 2)

_______________________________________________________________________

5. Where did Jane sew her first collection?

______________________________________________________________________

6. Why did Jane decide to call her collection “Crazy Mom”?

______________________________________________________________________

7. What did Jane do when the manager ordered more clothes?

______________________________________________________________________
 8. What fact proves that that “Crazy Mom” is a successful company?
______________________________________________________________________

Sleep for Your Health

You may eat properly and do exercise, but if you don't get enough sleep, you threaten your
health. Lack of sleep not only affects concentration and alertness, it also increases the risk of
getting different diseases. Millions of people don't sleep well. But many of them think that sleep
problems are natural. They suffer for many years before they finally ask for help.

Here are some tips to improve sleep:

 Go to bed only when you really feel tired.

 Don't read, watch television or use your computer in bed. These are waking activities.
 Try not to take a nap during the day, even if you feel tired.
 Try to avoid any physical work or activity late in the evening.
 If you don't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and relax in another room. Do
something calming until you're tired enough to go back to bed.
 If you are still thinking about daytime problems, listening to quiet music for a while may
be helpful.
 Take a warm bath to calm down.
 Drink hot milk before going to bed.
 Practice relaxation exercises before you go to bed. Breathe in slowly and deeply for four
seconds, and then breathe out for another four seconds. Tense and then relax your
muscles a few times.
If none of these helps, going to a doctor is the best way to get your sleep regular again.

Fill in the blank spaces in the sentences, according to what you read.
A lot of people suffer from lack of sleep, but most of them think it is ____________________
and do not look for help. They do not realize that not sleeping well ____________________
their risk of getting diseases and decreases ____________________ and alertness.
The article offers several ____________________ that may help people to improve their
sleep. Doctors recommend not to watch ____________________ or use a computer in bed.
Reading is also a waking ____________________. Those, who want to sleep well at night,
should not take a nap in the daytime and should ____________________ physical work in the
evening. On the contrary, specialists advise you to relax: listen to ____________________,
take a warm bath, or drink hot milk before going to bed. ____________________ exercises are
also good. But if these tips don’t ____________________, it is better to visit a doctor.
 Read the text and answer the questions.
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

Different students like or dislike different subjects. However, there is one thing in common for all
of them: the role of the teacher in these ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’. It’s very hard for a student to
succeed in learning a subject if he or she doesn’t like the person who teaches it.

To be sure that students are going to like a teacher the school wants to hire, the principal of one
high school decided to try a new way of choosing teachers. In order to be accepted, the
candidate has to be interviewed twice – first by the principal and then by the students’
committee.

Gabi Levy explains the reason for this double interview: “We, the students, want to know what
kind of person our future teacher is because he or she will teach us and not the principal.”
Another student adds: “It is great that our school allows us to make important decisions and
influence our school life.”

The principal, Ronen Dan, agrees with his students: “The students want to know whether the
candidate answers their criteria, and the administration has its own requirements. We discuss
the results of each interview together and decide who can be accepted. I hope that now there
will be fewer conflicts and more understanding between students and teachers in our school.
This experiment teaches kids to take responsibility for their choice. If they approve of a teacher,
they can’t complain that his or her requirements are unfair.”

Answer the questions.

1. What is the connection between the teacher’s personality and

a student’s success?
__________________________________________________________________________

2. What made the school principal try a different approach in finding

new teachers?
__________________________________________________________________________

3. Who interviews potential teachers?

__________________________________________________________________________

4. What is the purpose of the double interview, according to students?

_________________________________________________________________________

5. How do students feel about their school because of this experiment?

_________________________________________________________________________

6. How do the principal and the students cooperate when choosing the right teacher for
their school?
_________________________________________________________________________

7. What goal does the principal want to achieve by letting students

take part in a job interview?
________________________________________________________________________
 Read the story and complete the letter below with one or more words in each space.

THE WEDDING GOWN

My name is Debra Cohen and I live in Miami. My fiancé, Aaron, and I are getting married on June
14th, 2008. We have just 6 months to plan our wedding. It isn't much time, but Aaron is going to
take care of the wedding hall and our parents will help with the invitations. My main concern is
how I will look on the most important day of my life.
While looking through ads for wedding gowns in the “Bridal Monthly” magazine, I saw a
beautiful dress advertised by “The Bridal Chalet” salon. The ad explained that the gown was
made from the highest quality fabric and the decorations were hand-made. I am a busy person,
so what really interested me was that all dress fittings could be done at the client’s house for an
extra NIS 300. And then, if the client is not totally satisfied with the original gown, changes can be
made to it at no extra cost.
I am going to answer this ad by writing a letter to “The Bridal Chalet” to verify all the
details and make an appointment to visit the salon.
_____________________________________________________________________________

Miss Debra Cohen

204, David Elazar Road,
The Sales Manager Miami
“The Bridal Chalet” Salon
12 Dizengoff St., Washington

Dear Madam,
I am getting married on ___________________________. Our parents and my
_______________________, Aaron, promised to take care of the wedding hall and the
_______________________, but I want to make sure that I look perfect on my wedding day.
I saw your ad in the _____________________________ magazine and want to order a
_________________________ at your salon. You say that you use the highest quality material,
and the ___________________________ are made by hand. I live in
__________________________ and I am a very busy person, so can I have the dress fittings at
my house? I am willing to pay ________________________ for this. And will I really be able to
order changes to the ________________________ at no extra cost?
I would like to make an __________________________ to visit your salon within the next two
weeks.

Yours Sincerely,
Debra Cohen
 Complete the dialogue. Copy the question words from the box below.
NOTE: Choose 5 out of the 10 words given.

THE ACCIDENT

Freda Hi Lena. Have you heard what happened to Kate?

Lena No! ____________________ it anything bad?
Freda Actually, yes! She fell and broke her leg.
Lena That's terrible! ____________________ did it happen?
She was cleaning her windows and slipped. They sent her home from
Freda
hospital only yesterday.
Lena ____________________ you going to visit her?
Yes! I'll call her to find out if it's okay to come. ____________________ you
Freda
want to come with me?
Lena Yes, of course. _________________ time would you like to go?
Freda About 8:00 o'clock. Come to my house first because I live nearer to her.
Lena That's fine. I'll see you this evening if Kate wants us to come.

Are Was

Can What

How When

Is Where

Do Will

TOPIC: GRAMMAR COMPONENTS: PARTS OF SPEECH

Exercise 1: Write whether the word in bold is a preposition, conjunction, or interjection:
1. _______________ Wow! I never thought your team would win!
2. _______________ I play the piano, and she loves to sing along.
3. _______________ He likes oatmeal for breakfast, but I prefer dry cereal and an orange.
4. _______________ Walk toward the sound of my voice, and I’ll guide you out.
5. _______________ She exclaimed, “Oh! I forgot you were there.”
6. _______________ Our cat loves to sleep underneath the warm radiator.
7. _______________ He hardly studied at all, yet he managed to pass the test.
8. _______________ She stood out among all the members of the science club.
9. _______________ I like reading books and taking the dog for a walk.
10. _______________ Bears tend to hibernate during the cold winter

Exercise 2: Circle each pronoun, and underline the noun(s) it refers to:

1. Susan found the missing bike, and rode it all the way home.
2. The teacher brought her video to school, and played it for the students.
3. Jim, our neighbor, says he likes to wash his car on weekends.
4. The computer is mine, but the whole family uses it.
5. Those walnuts need to be saved for when I bake cookies.

Exercise 3: Identify and circle the adverb in each sentence.

1. She certainly drives slowly in that old Buick of hers.

2. I really don't believe him.
3. He literally wrecked his mother's car.
4. She simply ignored me.
5. The teacher completely rejected her proposal.
6. I absolutely refuse to attend any more faculty meetings.
7. They heartily endorsed the new restaurant.
8. I so wanted to go with them.
9. We know this city well.
10. His mother mildly disapproved his actions.

EXERCISE: List down the verbs and adverbs in the column provided.

Verb Adverb
Heidi speaks softly.
Hailme drives carefully to work.
 Thalia came late to class this morning.
The children quickly ran towards the playground.
They solved the problem easily.
The workers worked hard to earn some money.
The girls dance gracefully on that competition.
Please speak clearly. I cannot understand you.
My sister is terribly injured in the accident.

Fill in the blanks with a suitable adverb from the boxes.

easily quickly patiently loudly hard

angrily suddenly greedily carefully madly

1. The teacher shouted _____________ at the students for making noise in the
class.

2. Romeo is ________________ in love with Juliet.

3. You have to study ______________ for your examinations.

4. The man _________________ stopped the car in the middle of the road.

5. You have to read the article _______________ in order to understand it.

6. My mother ______________ came down when she heard my voice.

7. The hungry boy ate his food ____________________.

8. The parents waited ______________ for their children to get down from the bus.

9. Our neighbours may not like it if we play music _________________.

10. You can _______________ find the meaning in the dictionary.

EXERCISE: Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

Fishermen go ___________________ sea __________________ night

_________________ catch fish. They usually go out to sea late _________________
night. They spend a lot of time ________________ sea. ______________ the morning,
they will return _________________ shore _______________ their catch. Customers
will usually be waiting _____________________ them to buy the fresh seafood. The
fishermen also will store some of the catches to be distributed _________________ the
local wholesale seafood distributors. Later, the seafood will be sold _______________
the markets ________________ Malaysia.

Last December, my family and I went _____________a vacation

______________ boat _______________ Pulau Redang. We went there
_____________ my aunt, Fatimah. There were eight of us _____________ the boat. I
sat ______________ my father and mother. Our family had not visited the island
_______________ nearly 3 years. We really had a wonderful time swimming
_____________ the crystal clear sea and walking ______________ the white sandy
beach. _________________ the vacation, we also went to jungle trekking. We spent 4
days ______________ the island. That was a memorable experience that I will never
forget _________________ the rest of my life.

EXERCISE: Join these sentences using suitable conjunctions.

1. The lecture asked me to see him. I did not attend class today.

2. The child drinks milk every morning. The child drinks juice every evening.

3. People can watch movies on CDs. People can watch movies at cinemas.

4. Haniff passed the examinations. He is hardworking and persistent.

5. You can choose to buy a pair of shoes. You can choose to buy a blouse.

6. Her mother just passed away. She is very sad.

7. My sister scolded me. I lost her favourite bracelet.

8. I live in the city. My parents live in the village.

9. Kamal likes to eat rambutan. Dania likes to eat durian.

10. My mother won the cooking competition. Her chicken curry was scrumptious.

TOPIC: TENSES - THE SIMPLE TENSES

1. THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

Singular

He verb (be) = is
She verb (have) = has
It action verb = walks
 Plural

We verb (be) = are

They verb (have) = have
You action verb = walk

I verb (be) = am

2. THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

Singular

I
He verb (be) = was
She verb (have) = had
It action verb = walked

Plural

We verb (be) = were

They verb (have) = had
You action verb = walked

3. THE SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE

Singular / Plural

I
He verb (be) = will
She verb (have) = will have
It action verb = will walk
We
They
You

TOPIC: TENSES - THE CONTINUOUS TENSES

Rule: verb to (be) + present participle

1. THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

Singular

He verb (be) = is + present participle

She Example: is walking
 It She is walking towards me.

Plural

We verb (be) = are + present participle

They Example: are walking
You They are walking towards me.

I verb (be) = am + present participle

Example: I am walking towards you.

2. THE PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

Singular

I
He verb (be) = was + present participle
She Example: was walking
It She was walking towards me yesterday.

Plural

We verb (be) = were + present participle

They Example: were walking
You They were walking towards me yesterday.

3. THE FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE

Singular / Plural

I
He verb (be) = will + be + present participle
She Example: will be walking
It You will be walking towards me tomorrow.
We
They
You

Tenses: Present Simple vs. Present Continuous

Exercise 1: Put the verb into the correct tense form:

1. Julia is very good at languages. She ............................................ (speak) 4 languages

fluently.
2. Hurry up! Everybody ............................................ (wait) for you.
3. Ali: ............................................ (you/listen) to the radio?
Abu: No, you can turn it off.
4. Ali. ............................................ (you/listen) to the radio every day?
Abu: No, just occasionally.
5. The River Nile ............................................ (flow) into the Mediterranean.
6. Ali: How’s your English?
Abu: Not bad. It ............................................ (improve) slowly.
7. Ali: Can you drive?
Abu: I ............................................ (learn). My father ............................................ (teach)
me.
8. My parents ............................................ (live) in Bristol. Where ............................................
(your parents / live)?
9. Sonia ............................................ (look) for a place to live. She ......................................
(stay) with her sister until she finds a flat.
10. Usually I ............................................ (enjoy) parties, but I ................................... (not/enjoy)
this one very much.
11. I must go now. It ............................................ (get) late.
12. 12. Can you hear those people? What ............................................ (they/talk) about?

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate verb.

1. Mr Ramlan usually _____________ (stay) at my house when he goes to Penang.

2. My sisters ____________ (watch) their favourite cartoons every evening.
3. At the moment, the workers _____________ (cut) grass along Jalan Kiambang.
4. I did not ___________ (know) that you were going to London.
5. He ____________ (go) to his friend’s house tomorrow.
6. When I arrived, Daud ___________ (play) with his scrabble.
7. The water ____________ (boil) when I went to the kitchen.
8. Were you ___________ (work) at 9 o’clock last night?
9. ________ (Do) Tara call you last night?
10. As soon as I _________ (get) home, it started to rain heavily.
Exercise 3: Fill in the appropriate verb form in the following sentences:

1. When Carol ___________ (call) last night, I ___________ (watch) my favorite show on
television.

2. Sharon ___________ (love) to travel. She ___________ (visit) a different country every
summer. Next year, she plans to go to Peru.

3. Thomas is a writer. He ___________ (write) mystery novels and travel memoirs. Last year,
he ___________ (write) one novel, three short stories and a book of poetry.

4. We _______ (be) late because we had some car problems. By the time we ___________
(get) to the train station, Susan had been waiting for us for more than two hours.

5. Sam ___________ (try) to change a light bulb when he ___________ (slip) and
___________ (fall).
6. Everyday I ___________ (wake up) at 6 o’clock, ___________ (eat) breakfast at 7 o’clock
and ___________ (leave) for work at 8 o’clock.

7. This morning I ___________ (get up) at 6:30, ___________ (skip) breakfast and
___________ (leave) for work late because I ___________ (forget) to set my alarm.

8. Right now, Jim ___________ (read) the newspaper and Kathy ___________ (make) dinner.
Last night at this time, they ___________ (do) the same thing. She ___________ (prepare)
dinner and he ___________ (read) the paper. They are very predictable people!

9. Everybody is so excited because tomorrow, we ___________ (have) our end of the term
party!

Underline the correct answer.

1. My father (stop, stopped) smoking a few years ago.

2. Amran (was, were) absent yesterday.
3. The meeting (finished, finish) at 3.00 pm yesterday.
4. Last Sunday, my family and I (went, go) to Pantai Morib.
5. My sister (forgot, forget) where she had put the car key.
6. We (were, was) in the same class last semester.
7. We (watch, watched) Armageddon last night.
8. We (won, win) a dance competition last month.
9. Jamie (write, wrote) a letter to her mother last night.
10. When I (was, were) a child, I (loved, love) to eat ice-cream.

Correct the mistakes in the sentences below.

1. My mother wear glasses.

2. Elephant are large animals.
3. Your heart beat faster when you exercise.
4. Every child in the class know the alphabet.
5. A number of my students in my class is from Mexico.
6. There is many kind of insect in the world.
7. The United States have a population of more than 250 million.
8. Healthy hearts needs regular exercise.
9. One of my favourite subject in school are Mathematics.
10. Amin kick the ball through the window.
11. Each of the houses are in ruins.
12. A lot of movies is full of violence.
13. The chairs in those room is comfortable.
14. Eating vegetables are good for your health.
15. My family went to Pulau Perhentian every year.

Complete the paragraph using the Simple Present Tense or the Present Progressive
Tense.

Ramu (1) _____________ (not take) a vacation this holiday, because he (2) _____________

(think)

that he (3) _____________ (have) other more important things to do. He (4) _____________

(teach) English to secondary school students, so he (5) _______________ (get) two months of

holiday, but he (6) _______________ (feel) that teachers (7) _______________ (have) a

special responsibility. So he (8) _______________ (look) for a temporary volunteer position for

the period of his school break. He (9) _______________ (try) to find work as an English teacher

in relief centres for underpriveleged communities around the world. He (10) _______________

(get) excited at the prospects of making a real difference in the lives of other people.

Underline the most suitable word from those in brackets.

Walt Disney (1901 – 1966)

Walt Disney was a well known film producer and an innovator in animation design. He ( create /
creating / created ) a number of the world's most famous animation heroes, like Mickey Mouse,
Donald Duck, Felix the Cat and ( many / any / much ) others.

In his childhood, Walt moved with ( him / his / their ) family all around the United States. When
young Walt arrived in Los Angeles, he ( has / have / had) only $40 and ( a / an / this ) unfinished
cartoon in his suitcase.
Disney's first wish ( be / is / was ) to become a film director. Since he ( didn't / don't / doesn't )
succeed in live-action films, Disney turned back to animation. His first Hollywood cartoon
“studio” was a garage in his ( uncle / uncle’s / uncles ) house. Walt ( go / going / went ) to his
brother Roy and asked for his help with opening the studio. Roy agreed and this was the
beginning of the Disney Brothers’ Studio.

Walt Disney died ( at / on / in ) December 15, 1966, several years before the opening of his
"Walt Disney World" dream project in Orlando, Florida. The famous Disneyland and Walt Disney
World resort parks in the United States, France, Japan and China were named in his memory.

Write a complex sentence using the following conjunctions.

1. as a result
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____

2. during
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

3. until
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

4. otherwise
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

5. whereas
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
COMPLEX SENTENCES – FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH SUITABLE MARKERS

1. That's the woman I spoke about the job.

2. The house they live is opposite a big park.

3. All of the exam papers are collected and given to the examiners, job it is to
mark them.

4. This is the title of the book I need for my course.

5. Next to the hotel there's a great gym you can work out.
6. My mother, , has decided to learn Chinese.

7. My car, I can't get to work, has broken down.

8. We waited for nearly an hour to be served, but our meal, , was

awful.

Exercise 1: Which of the following sentences are compound and which are complex?

1. The house was destroyed in the fire, but the whole family was saved.
2. Walking through the wood, he saw a fox that was following him.
3. If I do not get this job, I will start a business.
4. He said that he was so disappointed that he would not try again.
5. The men who rule the world with their pens are mightier than those who rule the
world with their swords.
6. The evil that men do lives after them.
7. All that glitters is not gold.
8. Neither the color nor the design of this cloth appeals to me.

Exercise 1: Write a paragraph on a topic “An Embarrassing Incident”

 What is the incident?
 Where did it occur?
 Who were involved?
 When did it happen?
 Who helped you?
 Why was it so embarrassing?

Exercise 1: Write a thesis statement for one of the following topic. Then write a
paragraph in not more than 80 words.

1. Money can buy happiness

2. Facebook brings more harm than good
3. Exercising is important to stay healthy

Write a paragraph on the topic given below in about 80-100 words.

“The advantages of using public transport.”

Choose only ONE TOPIC SENTENCE. For that topic sentence, develop a paragraph
with suitable supporting details. Your paragraph SHOULD NOT be more than 80
words.

i. Video games can give bad effects to teenagers.

OR

ii. Consuming too much sugar is bad for health.

FINAL EXAM REVISIONS

PART A: READING COMPREHENSION

QUESTION 1
Read the following text and answer the following questions.
 PENANG FESTIVAL

I Pesta Pulau Pinang is the annual Penang Festival. Although it is intended

as a tourist attraction, it provides a great deal of enjoyment for the people
of Penang themselves. They look forward to it eagerly each year. Though
not everyone can take part, everyone can watch the entertainment, and
most people do so. Even though the festival lasts for a whole month. 5

II The aim of the festival is to provide a happy and enjoyable presentation of

many different kinds of activities of the people of Penang in both work and
leisure. The biggest attraction is the variety- from customs to industrial
displays and fashion shows, from beauty competitions to shadow plays.

III One of the biggest attractions is the procession of ‘floats’. Although these 10
are lorries, you would never think so! They are decorated in all kinds of
colorful and attractive ways. Each one is supplied by a society or a firm.
Most of them carry lovely girls dressed in Malaysian costumes. At night
the floats are brightly lighted. A prize is given for the best.

IV Another colorful presentation is the ‘Chingay’. Huge triangular flags are 15

carried on long poles, thirty or forty feet high. Sometimes they are
balanced on the foreheads or even the jaws of the people who carry them,
even though some of these may be young boys. The poles are heavy, and
the wind pulls at the silk, flags but in spite of this they are never dropped.

V Though Dragon Boat Races are not so common today as they were at one 20
time they are brought back for the Pesta, and they are greatly enjoyed by
both spectators and competitors. There are twenty-four men in each boat
and they train for many weeks to prepare themselves. The race takes
place in the sea off Gurney Drive a two-mile long road by the sea.

VII There are other sea sports and many other different kinds of sports, old 25
and new. There are displays of bersilat, koon-tow and karate. Modern
sports such as motor racing and go-kart racing are also included in the
month’s programme. Shadow plays, wayang kulit, are also performed and
there are Malay dances and performances of Malay music, although
sometimes modern electric guitars are used. Another old custom, which is 30
brought back, is the Dondang Sayang- the singing of pantuns with
performers competing with each other. There is no room to tell you of all
the other displays and exhibitions. Perhaps one day you will go to Penang
during the month of the pesta.

1. What do the following words from the text refer to?

vi. ‘It’ in line 1 refers to ___________________
vii. ‘them’ in line 13 refers to ___________________
viii. ‘them’ in line 17 refers to ___________________
ix. ‘they’ in line 21 refers to ___________________
x. ‘themselves’ in line 23 refers to ___________________
(5 marks)
2. Read the statements carefully. Circle whether they are TRUE or FALSE.
i. Everyone can take part in Pesta Pulau Pinang True / False
 ii. The biggest attractions is not “Chingay” True / False
iii. Floats are one of the biggest attractions True / False
iv. There are twenty-two men in dragon boat True / False
v. The race takes place in the sea off Gurney Drive True / False
(5 marks)
3. Answer the following questions
i. Why do the people of Penang look forward to the Festival?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)
ii. What is the aim of the festival?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
iii. What are the biggest attraction in the festival?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
iv. How long is the Dragon Boat race?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)
v. How long do the twenty-four men prepare themselves for the Dragon Boat Races?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)
vi. List down 3 sport activities held during the Penang Festival.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(3 marks)
(TOTAL: 20 marks)

QUESTION 2
Read the announcement below carefully. Then complete the diagram that follows
Complete the following diagram:

Post: 1) ____________________________________________

Closing date: 2) ______________________________________

VACANCY
INFORMATION Location: 3) _________________________________________

Email: 4) ___________________________________________

6) Bachelor in ___________________________________

7) Excellent in ___________________________________
5) ______________ and
8) _______________________________________ skills

9) ____________________________________________
ITEMS TO BE
INCLUDED IN
10) ___________________________________________
APPLICATION

(10 marks)

(TOTAL: 30 MARKS)

PART B: GRAMMAR
QUESTION 1
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of verb tenses.

1. Dennis usually ________________ (drink) coffee every morning before he goes to

work.
2. Mike was so cold that his whole body ____________ (shake).
3. Yesterday, David was crossing a street when a truck ___________ (turn) the corner
very fast.
4. She ________________ (study) in the library at the moment.
5. Mrs Faust ______________ (plant) many different kinds of flower in her garden.
6 Zulhilmi and Sabri ____________ (go) to a camping expedition last semester break.
7. When I was young, I _____________ (wear) mini-skirts and bright colors dress.
8. Sally_________________ (lose) her job, which was not surprising after all.
9. He can travel whenever he _________________ (want).
10. I ________________ (try) to be home early tonight.
(10 marks)
QUESTION 2
Underline the correct answer.

1. The soldiers who __________ (are, is, was) in the camp come from many countries.

2. Which is the _______________ (most dangerous, more dangerous, danger) animal

in the world?

3. The passenger who sits behind me __________ (is, was, were) from London

4. He stared at the men who ____________ (were, was, are) sitting near the lady.

5. The cats belong to Lisa and Sheila. The cats were _____________ (theirs/ them/
her).

6. All the poems you selected are good, but only the ___________ (good, better, best)
one will get the prize.

7. A large number of people _______________ (have, has, is) applied for the job.

8. The man that __________ (was, were, are) sitting in front of my sister at the hall was
wearing a big watch.

9. Be sure that everyone brings ____________ own book. (his or her / their/ it).

10. Some people like ghost stories but I hate _____________ (it, them, us)

(10 marks)

PART A: READING COMPREHENSION

QUESTION 1

Read the following text and answer the questions that follow.
 THE KOREAN WAVE

I Korean wave or known as Hallyu began in Southeast Asia in early 1990 and
continued recently to America, Europe and the Middle East. The music video
Gangnam Style by Psy reached 3.2 Billion becoming the sixth most viewed
music video on YouTube as of November 2018. This shows that Korean Wave or
Kpop Industry has spread around the world. Compared to Japan and China, 5
South Korea is a small country, how did the Korean wave storm the global
market?

II Did you know that the South Korea government plays an important role in
promoting Kpop idol bands globally? The Korean wave had contributed more
than $3 billion towards South Korea economy in 2011.  The South Korea 10
government is focusing on tourism and it wants to attract more tourists by
sponsoring entertainment companies to market their idol bands internationally
across the world.

III The majority of Kpop fans are from the younger generations. Rather than
listening to the song, they get to watch the videos related to their idols and get to 15
promote their Kpop idols online. Kpop fans outside South Korea interact with
each other in online fan clubs and they will also organize a gathering event and
do fun activities together. This makes people around them aware of Kpop bands
and learns about the industry.

V Korean wave is not only about the Kpop music culture as it also includes 20
Korean dramas, movies, fashion and more. Korean dramas attracted a lot
of viewers because of their unique story line and romantic love stories that
every woman dreamt of. Despite of the language barrier, Kpop songs are
addictive with the catchy lyrics. Moreover, people are often captivated
25
with their choreography as each of their songs has different dance moves.
Their fashion style is also on top of the game where they even look good
dancing in shorts.

V Individuals alone cannot survive on their own in the Korea entertainment industry
I as they need to be a part of an entertainment company in order to be successful
as an idol, actor, comedian or model. Before they can make their debut, the
companies will provide training to prepare them. Some of them even train for 30
more than 5 years to become a top-class entertainer. As soon as the trainees
make a debut, the company will put them on a tight schedule so they can start
making profits for the company.

(Adapted from: https://thread.zalora.com.my)

Answer ALL questions.

a. Read the statements carefully. Circle whether they are TRUE or FALSE.
 i. The music video Gangnam Style by Psy reached 3.2 Billion True / False
becoming the 16th most viewed music video on YouTube as of
November 2018.

ii. South Korea is a big country compared to Japan and China. True / False

iii. South Korea government plays an important role in promoting True / False
Kpop idol bands internationally.

iv. Korean wave only includes the Kpop music, TV dramas and True / False
movies.

v. Entertainment company helps individuals to become successful True / False

idol, actor, comedian or model.

(5 marks)

b. What do the following words refer to?

i. “ it ” (line 11) :__________________________

ii. “ it ” (line 20) :__________________________

iii. “ they ” (line 28) :__________________________

(3 marks)

c. What is the closest meaning for the following words according to the text?

i. storm (line 6) :__________________________

ii. interact (line 16) :__________________________

iii. catchy (line 24) :__________________________

(3 marks)

Answer the following questions.

i. What was the biggest impact of the Korean wave towards South Korea economy?
 _________________________________________________________________

ii. How does the South Korea government attract more tourists?

_________________________________________________________________

iii. What is the topic sentence of paragraph III?

_________________________________________________________________

iv. List FOUR (4) examples of Korean wave.

_________________________________________________________________

v. Why did Korean dramas attract a lot of viewers?

_________________________________________________________________

vi. In your opinion, what can Malaysian entertainers learn from the success of the
Korean Wave?

_________________________________________________________________

(TOTAL: 20 MARKS)

QUESTION 2

Read the following information carefully. Answer the questions in the table provided.

Batu Caves Mini Malaysia

A popular tourist attraction, particularly The traditional houses at Mini Malaysia

during the Hindu festival of Thaipusam represent the architectural styles of all the
which falls in late January each year. The states of Malaysia. They display various
Hindu shrine is located in the Main Cave,
272 steps up. At the foothills is a smaller
cave with interesting artwork of Hindu
legends on its walls.
Kenyir Dam
Malaysia’s largest rock-filled hydro-electric
dam has a water catchment area of 260
000 hectares. The area around the dam is
ideal for jungle trekking and nature walks.
The lake is a popular fishing spot.
Kuala Gula Sanctuary
Bird lovers’ paradise! Over 100 species of
birds come to this area, particularly
between the months of August and
December. We can also see beautiful
butterflies and insects. This place is
managed by the Department of Wildlife and
National Parks.
Complete the table below.
Place Of Interest
(a)______________________ Formerly known as the Majestic Hotel.
Paintings exhibition by (b) _____________________
works of art and craft from each state.
Attractions include weekly cultural shows
and traditional games.
Kek Lok Si
The largest and one of the most beautiful
Buddhist temples in South-East Asia. The
temple has a seven-tier pagoda, the Ban Po
Thar which rises 30 meters high. Work on
this temple began in 1890 and took more
than two decades to complete.
National Art Gallery
The National Art Gallery is housed in a
colonial-style building run by the National
Heritage Trust. It was formerly known as
the Majestic Hotel. The art gallery exhibits a
wide range of paintings by local and foreign
artists.
Description
Kek Lok Si (c)__________________________ to complete the
temple.

Batu Caves Particularly popular during

(d)_____________________________________

( e) ______________________ (f) _______________________ and traditional games

are some of the attractions.

(g)______________________ A water catchment area of

(h)__________________________

Kuala Gula Sanctuary More than (i) ________________________come to

this area, particularly between the months of August
and December.

(j) _____________________________ manages the

place of interest.

PART B: GRAMMAR

QUESTION 1

Fill in the blanks with appropriate forms of the verb given in the bracket.
a. Sarah ________________ (drive) for six hours before she finally arrived at the
village.

b. When was the last time you _______________ (cry)?

c. She ________________ (work) as a part-time waitress in a Chinese Restaurant at

the moment.

d. They ________________ (have) dinner at the famous K Fry restaurant when

suddenly they heard someone screamed.

e. The kids __________________ (play) in the park every evening.

f. Jasmine __________________ (live) in Penang since her retirement and she does
not want to move house ever again.

g. She __________________ (do) her revision for her test tonight.

h. _______ you ________ (watch) the news? You won’t believe your eyes.

i. My mother, who is a lecturer ________________ (teach) English at the university.

j. The secretary ________________ (send) the proposal tomorrow.

(TOTAL: 10 MARKS)

QUESTION 2

Underline the correct answer.

a The Eid Adha celebration falls (on, in, at) August this year.
.

b The food served at the café is really tasty, no wonder the café (is, am, are) always
. crowded during peak hour.

c. (They, I, He) are happy to know about the good news.

d Neither the serving bowl nor the plates (go, goes, went) on that shelf.
.

e I accidentally dropped the glass, I did it (myself, herself, themselves).

.

f. The students love Mr Aliff’s class, they (hardly, like, occasionally) skip his class.

g This song is (more better, better, best) than that song.

.

h I sat (in, between, above) the coffee shop.

.

i. (Herself, She, Her) is coming to the concert.

j. Ten ringgit (is, are, were) enough for her.

(TOTAL: 10 MARKS)

PART A: READING COMPREHENSION

QUESTION 1
Read the passage below. Answer all of the questions.
 RUSSIAN BRIDES

I Many countries have started a new trade, exporting brides. Russia,

for example, has been deeply involved in this trade for several
reasons. This is because; Russian brides are highly prized
by foreigners. Russian mothers like their daughters to marry foreign
citizens and even the Russian women, themselves, register at the 5
international marriage agency.

Foreigners praise Russian brides because they are homely

II andlove children. Australian and British men find the local women
very spoilt, selfish and career minded. They find their women are
more likely to have extra marital affairs and be less attached to 10
home and family.

III Another contributing factor would be the Russian mothers. They

prefer their daughters to have advantageous marriages with
foreigners. It is believed that foreigners are wealthier and are able
to provide security for their darling daughters. Russian mothers 15
are also elevated in status in their society when their daughters
start their married life in a foreign land.

Finally, the women, themselves, are not shy about going to

IV marriage agencies which arrange dating appointments. Usually
professionals, who know a foreign language, are sought after by 20
foreigners. Apart from that, physically the girls must have standard
‘European looks’- blond hair, blue eyes: pencil-thin bodies with long
legs – in other words they must be cat-walk-model material.

In conclusion, Russian girls are as eager to leave their nation to

become brides in foreign lands as the foreigners are eager to 25
V marry them. Sadly, many of these foreign marriages end in divorce
and the women come back to their homeland.

(Adapted: www.212articles.com)

a. What do these words refer to?

i. this (line 2) : _________________________________

ii. they (line 7) : _________________________________
iii. They (line 9) : _________________________________
iv. their (line 16) : _________________________________
v. their (line 25) : _________________________________

(5 marks)

b. Circle whether the statements are TRUE or FALSE

i. Many countries have started to export brides. True / False

ii. Foreigners prefer Russian brides because they love nature. True / False

iii. Russian mothers are another contributing factor to this business. True / False

iv. Russian women are usually shy to go to dating agencies. True / False

v. Russian girls are not excited to marry foreigners. True / False

(5 marks)
c. Answer these questions in complete sentences.
i. State TWO (2) reasons why Russia is involved in exporting brides?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

ii. Give THREE (3) characteristics of local women that Australian and British men do not
like.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
(3 marks)

iii. Why do foreigners praise Russian brides?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

iv. What is the topic sentence of Paragraph THREE (III)?

____________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)
v. Are the Russian women embarrassed about going to marriage agencies?

_____________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

vi. Why do Russian mothers prefer their daughter to marry foreigners?

_____________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

vii. What can foreigners provide the Russian brides?

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

viii. Where do foreign wives go if the marriages end in divorce?

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
QUESTION 2
Read the passage below and complete the following diagram.

Like many other developing nations, Malaysia has to grapple with certain problems in its
educational system. Despite the fact that 20 per cent of the country’s budget is allocated to
education, there is still the problem of an unfavorable student-teacher ratio. Class numbers
are huge - often forty or more. It is, therefore, impossible to pay individual attention to each
child in the class. In addition, there is a lack of teachers in rural schools. A problem with far
reaching effects is that of an over-emphasis on examinations. This has led to the prevalence
of rote learning with its resultant restriction on thinking and creativity. Students rarely read
beyond their prescribed textbooks, partly because of excessive homework, and partly due to
the fact that they are busy at tuition centers after school.

a. _______________________________

b. ______________ budget c. Unfavorable number of

allocated. ______________________

e. Lack of ____________ in rural d. Impossible to pay ___________

schools. attention to each child.

(5 marks)
PART B: GRAMMAR

QUESTION 1: Underline the correct answer.

Salimah tore the letter and (threw/throws) it into the dustbin yesterday.

The dirty cat (runs/ran) into its cage.

The government (is/are) not responsible for any mistakes done by the contractor.

Ismail ate his dinner (after/above) his wife came home from work.

Kam Siew Coffee Shop is right between Menara Optics (and/or) Jaya Workshop.

The kid cried when her mother refused (to/into) buy the ice cream.

Ali keeps some rambutans for (her/his) mother.

He drove (carefully/careful) because he did not want to meet with an accident.

The pretty girl (walked/walks) down the dark street last night.

He killed them after completed his martial (arts/art) learning.

QUESTION 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct verb forms.

I __________ (feel) hungry because I have not taken my breakfast.

The stars ___________ (shine) brightly in the sky at night.

The Dean of the faculty _____________(advise) the students to study hard.

The baby falls asleep after she ____________(finish) drinking the milk.

None of the girls _____________(keep) pets.

The horses ____________(race) round the field every evening.

The bird ____________(chirp) outside my bedroom every morning.

Each one of those bottles __________(have) a hundred ringgit note.

Young people __________(be) sometimes very cruel.

An angry person __________ (be) likely to behave aggressively.