4-option Multiple Choice

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Paper 1 - Pemahaman
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Questions 19 to 26

You are going to read an extract.from a nouel. For questions lg to 26, choose the correct answer (A, B, C
orD).

It was a hot sunny afternoon. As expected, the field was packed with students practising for the
school sports that was to be held the next day. They were all tense. The strong spirit of competition
and the desire to be the champions got to everyone. Sarah was no exception. She too felt she
had to win.
Her old grandfather was the one who had instilled in her a strong love for sports. He had been
an athlete and a high jumper but had failed to make it to the national level. So he had pinned
all his hopes on his granddaughter. He was the one who had been with her when she practised
her long jump for months. Sarah's favourite activity was browsing through the old photos of her
grandfather taking part in sports competitions.
Sweat was trickling dourn her face and messing it up as she completed her last practice. Her
T-shirt was soaked through and she changed into dry clothes before leaving the field. When she
reached home that evening, the house was very quiet. Her mother greeted her with a worried
look, "Grandpa's illness got worse today. Go and talk to him."
Sarah's grandfatherwas old and had been sick for the past three months. His illness had taken
a healy toll on him so much so he even found it difficult to sit up. When he saw her, he smiled
weakly and asked, "So, Sarah, how was your practice today?"
They talked for a while and suddenly she asked him. "Grandpa, how tall are you?" The old
man rubbed his nose and said, "Oh, I used to be a towering 1.90 metres tall. Now I've shrunk.
lVhy are you asking about my height?" She nodded, "Someday, Grandpa, I'll make a jump as high
as that. I promise you that." The old man touched her hand and said, "That's a very big leap for
a girl but I'm sure you'll be able to do it. I cant wait for the day when you frrlfil your promise."
The next morning, she woke up early. It was that very important day. Before she left, she
peeped into her grandfather's room. He was still sleeping. So she tiptoed to his bed and kissed
him on his forehead. \Mhen she got to the field, it was already crowded with participants. They
Iooked confident and every inch a winner. Sarah jogged a bit and did some warm-up exercises.
Thinking of her grandfather's encouraging words, her confidence returned. Iust before her event,
she saw her mother walking towards her. There was something in her mother's expression that
disturbed her. "Is anything wrong?" she asked. "Your grandfather is very ill and is in hospital. But
he would want you to do your event. We'll come and fetch you later."
Sarah felt tears welling in her eyes when she thought of how ill her grandfather was. But she
knew she should not get upset for she had to do her best to make her grandfather proud of her.
It was then when she heard her name being called out. The high jump event was about to begin.
When it was her turn, she looked at the crossbar and thought that it looked higher than usual.
Feeling a sense of panic, she despaired. "I wont be able to do it."

t23
 to gainrnomentum for the lump'
But when she heard the whistle blow she ran up the runway
As she did so, she was filledwith a strong determinition
to succeed for the sake of her grandfather
I'11make a jump as high as that'"
and for the promise she had made to him: "Someday, Grandpa,
So she leaped in a way that she had never done befbre.
It was a well-performed high jump, and
she landed steadilY on the ground.
applauded loudly' tn the midst
The spectators ana luales noticed her skill and grace. They
of all that, she couta oniy #.t her grandfather's words,
"I'm sure you'll jump higher.than that' I
whispered "Yes, I did it, Grandpa'
cant wait for the day whe' you fu1EI your promise." And she
For you."

why did Sarah feel'she had
19 In paragraph 1,
to win'?
A She liked to win.
B Students wanted her to win.
C She was tense and felt she had enough
practice.
D the sense of competition and winning
was infectious.
2O In paragraph 2, what can you say about the
grandfather's character?
n He was responsible for making Sarah love
sports.
B He was determined to make Sarah
successful athlete.
C He was discouraged when he could not
make it to the national level.
D He enioyed being photographed while
taking part in sports competitions'
did the writer describe
2L Inparagraph 3, how
her last practice?
A Itwas enjoYable.
B Itwas hardwork.
C It was discouraging.
D Itwas disaPPointing.
22 In paragraph 4, what was the proof that
Sarah's grandfather was very ill?
A He had been sick for some time now.
B He could not sit uP on his ourn.
C He could onlY smile weaklY.
D He lay in bed.
C She loved him and wanted to jump his
height.
D She wanted to please him as he was very
ill.
24 \Mhy did Sarah recall her grandfather's words
while warming uP?
A She had lost confidence when she sar'v
the other ParticiPants.
B The other participants looked confident
of winning.
C She almost did not want to take part in
the event.
a D She missed her grandfather very much'
25 How did Sarah feel when she was taking part
in her high jumP event?
A Confident that she will udn
B Determined to jumP well and win
C Nervous that she may not be able to fulfil
the promise made
D Dis-ouraged that she would not be able
to clear the crossbar
is the purpose of Sarah's story?
26 \l/hat
A To look back on her schooldaYs
B To recall the difficulties of succeeding as
a sportswoman
C To share Precious memories of her
mother and grandfather
D To show how love can be a driving force
when succeeding in something

23 ln paragraph 5, what effect did Sarah's

grandfather have on her?
n She wanted to make him haPPY bY
makingpromises.
B She was curious to know everything
abouthim.

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Pnaetice
You are gotng to read an extract from a magazine. For questions 19 to 26, choose the correct answer
(A,B,C orD).

Have you heard of the Hungry Ghost Festival? It is the most important festival of the year besides
Chinese NewYear. Held in the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar, the Chinese believe
that during the seventh month, the Gates of Hell are opened and ghosts are free to wander in
search of food.
It is important to understand the reason why such a festival is held. It is believed that when
the Gates of Hell are opened, all ghosts and spirits are given the opportunity for a one-month
vacation to return to Earth. And everyyear inAugust, on the fifteenth day of the seventh moon in
the Chinese Lunar calendar, the Chinese believe the Gates of Hell are opened. So the spirits of the
dead are let loose to wander among the living. The festival, in actual fact, celebrates a connection
between the living and the dead, Earth and Heaven as well as body and soul. The build-up to this
festival begins a week earlier. Chinese operas and puppet shows are put together at temples and
at certain Chinese Associations.
The Hungry Ghost Festival has roots in the Buddhist festival, Ullambana, and Taoist culture.
The Buddhist origins can be traced back to a story originally from India. It is that of a wealthy
merchant, Mu-lien, who after attaining enlightenment, sought out his parents. He found his father
in heaven and his mother a hungry ghost in Hell. She was sent there because of her greed. When
he asked Buddha for help, Mu-lien was asked to offer robes and food to Buddhist monks who
came his way. Eventually, his mother was freed. Buddha declared a day of prayer and offering in
which people prayed and made sacrifices to their dead ancestors or to hungry ghosts.
rrA/hy then is the festival named Hungry Ghost? Taoists believe that the soul contains elements
of both yin and yang. The yin of the soul is called kui (demon) and the yang is named shen (spirit) .
At death, the kuireturns to Earth and the shenremains in the grave. If the dead soul is neglected
by the family, it will persist as kui, eventually bringing problems to the living family. The kui are
therefore categorised as hungry ghosts and ancestors are categorised as shen.
As the Chinese 'spirit world' is believed to be in parallel with the living world, spirits have
the same basic needs as the living such as food, clothing and even material comforts that were
once enjoyed in the living world. So the festival not only pays homage to ancestors but also to
all other neglected souls roaming in between worlds. Iust as most would not invite a beggar
into their homes, it is the same for spiritual beggars. Food for these homeless souls is placed
outside the house at night accompanied by a tall lighted candle. Sometimes prayer sessions are
conducted. The feast usually consists of a variety of meat and delicacies. Some believers even lay
out cigarettes and alcohol.
The basic belief of the people is that the 'Hungry Ghosts' must be appeased in order to get
good fortune and luck in their lives. So an array of food is offered, and puppet shows and street
operas are performed on makeshift stages. Prayers are offered to the dead and offerings of food
such as chicken, vegetables, fruits, bean curd, white rice, bowls of noodles, sweetmeats, cakes
and other treats are placed at street corners and along roadsides to appease the spirits. During
the Hungry Ghost Month, children and young toddlers are kept inside, for fear of them being led
away by the 'Hungry Ghosts'. Having a wedding or moving house is considered bad luck.
In addition, there are certain things that you should not do during the Hungry Ghost Festival.
You should not step, kick or even pick up the offerings you see on the roadsides. You should also
avoid talking about the burning of paper money as it is the Chinese' way of showing love to their
loved ones who have passed away and their ancestors.

(Adapted from http /lwww.j ourneymalaysia. coml MCUL-ghost.htm)

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19 In paragraph 2, why did the writer use the
phrase 'a one-month vacatiort'?
A It implies that ghosts and spirits have
duties from which they are released.
B It implies that ghosts and spirits always
enjoy material things on Earth.
C It implies that ghosts and spirits are now
given a chance to visit hotels.
D It implies that ghosts and spirits can visit
their ancestors on Earth.
20 In paragraph 3, lvhat can you say about Mu-
lien's character?
A He loved his mother more than his father.
B He didn't care much about his parents.
C He loved both his parents very much.
D He only cared about himself.
2l \.\Ihat is described in paragraph 4?
A lVhathappensatdeath
B \Mhat happens in the grave
C The components of the soul
D The Festival oftheHungryGhost
22 In paragraph 5, what is the proof that the
Hungry Ghost Festival is being celebrated?
A Spirits want food, clothing and even
material comforts.
B The spirit world is parallel with the world
of the living.
C The festival celebrates other ghosts too.
D Food is placed along roadsides.
23 In paragraph 5, what is the effect of offering
food and drink?
A It soothes and appeases the dead souls.
B It provides nourishment for the dead
souls.
C It gives a chance for dead souls to eat,
drink and be merry.
D It allows dead souls to meet up and
exchange information.
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24 \Vh-v do you think a tall lighted candle is
placed with the food?
A To light up the food served.
B To'guide' ghosts to the food.
C To make the food decorative and inviting.
D To let human beings know of the food
there.
25 \.\4ry is it advised not to have a wedding
or move house during the Hungry Ghost
Festival?
A You may have unexpected guests and
visitors at the wedding or in your new
house.
B It is believed to bring bad luck to the
newl),rrueds or homeor.r,ners.
C Ghosts and spirits may be annoyed to see
human beings happy.
D Ghosts are everpvhere and they want
attention.
26 \.&hat is the purpose of this article?
A To inform readers what they should do
and not do during the Hungry Ghost
Festival.
B To inform readers that ghosts and spirits
have a place in Chinese culture.
C To inform people that thev should not be
afraid of ghosts and spirits.
D To let readers know what the Hungry
Ghost Festival is all about.
Pradice
You are going to read an extract from a magazine. For questions 19 to 26, choose the correct answer
(A,B,C orD).

Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This national park is
named after Gunung Mulu, the second highest mountain in Sarawak. The mountain encompasses
incredible caves and limestone formations in a mountainous equatodal rainforest setting. The
528.6 square km park contains seventeen vegetation zones, exhibiting some 3,500 species of
vascular plants.
Hidden underneath the forested slopes of these mountains is one of the largest limestone
cave systems in the world. This system, a breath-taking natural wonder, contains a number of
record-breaking caves. They include the world's largest cave passage (Deer Cave), the world's
largest natural chamber (Sarawak Chamber) and the longest cave in Southeast Asia (Clearwater
Cave). So it is not surprising that the tor,rrn of Mulu is now world famous.
The caves besides providing a spectacular sight are home to millions of cave swiftlets and
bats. The Sarawak Chamber, 600 m by 415 m and B0 m high, is the largest knovrn cave chamber
in the world. It is big enough to fit St. Peter's Basilica or several jumbo jets inside.
The caves are also important for their classic features of underground geomorphology
demonstrating an evolutionary history of more than 1.5 million years. With its deeply-incised
canyons, wild rivers, rainforest-covered mountains, spectacular limestone pinnacles, cave passages
and stalactites and stalagmites, Gunung Mulu has outstanding scenic values.
Millions of years of heavy rain and the action of rivers and running water carved out the vast
subterranean system that exists today. The weathering process still continues as dripping water
creates new rock features. Limestone is slowly worn away and underground rivers re-sculpt caves,
transporting limestone debris to the cave mouth or redistributing it within the system.
Besides caves, Gunung MuIu National Park contains a large number of plant species, including
flowering plants, trees and fungi. Geology, soil types and topography have given rise to a rich
tapestry of plant zones and types. On Gunung Mulu itself there are lowland mixed forests, mossy
forests as well as summit zone vegetation on the highest peaks. Other plant communities dominate
the alluvial plains, including kerangas (tropical heath forest) and peat swamp forest.
Up till today, Gunung Mulu continues to retain the sense of adventure associated with its
original exploration through the provision of adventure caving and other adventure activities. The
primary focus however has shifted to the promotion of an awareness of the significance of the
park and its environment through the provision of ecotourism activities. These activities foster
understanding and appreciation of the allure and uniqueness of the park.
Gunung Mulu is a very inaccessible area. The practical way of getting to and from it is by air,
mainly from Miri airport. It is possible to travel to the area by riverboat, but it requires a chartered
longboat for the last part. The whole trip byriverwould take around twelve hours to complete from
Miri, while the flight takes only thirty minutes. Excursions to Mulu continue to retain the sense
of adventure associated with its original exploration through the provision of adventure caving
and other adventure activities. Accommodation is available onsite at Gunung Mulu National Park
headquarters, as well as at the Royal Mulu Resort and across the Melinau River at Benarat Inn
also knor,rrn as Benarat Lodge. Homestays offered by locals and other typically cheaper lodgings
are also available across the river.
The'Mulu experience'is not limited to underground attractions but also above-the-ground
activities. There is plenty to see and do. As the park is covered in rich primary rainforest, it offers
a whole range of nature-based activities. There are some excellent jungle treks and mountain
hikes, including the challenging trek to view the pinnacles that are 45-metre-high razor sharp
limestone spikes that sit majestically on the slopes of the mountain.

(Adapted fr om wwtu. mulup ark. c om /1

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19 In paragraph 1, what fact informs the reader
ttrat ttre Gunung Mulu National Park is
recognised all over the world?
A Ii is named after the second highest
mountain in Sarawak, Gunung Mulu'
B It has incredible caves and limestone
formations.
C It is aUNESCOWorIdHeritage Site'
D Ithas lTvegetationzones.
20 lvhat is paragraph 2 mostly about?
A ThetownofMulu.
B The limestone cave system.
C The forested slopes of the mountain'
D All the natural wonders found there.
2L Inparagraph 3, which phrase illustrates the
huge size of the Sarawak Chamber?
A Aspectacularsight
B Largest knor'rrn cave chamber
C 600mbY415mandB0mhigh
D Big enough to fit St. Peter's Basilica or
several jumbo jets
22 In paragraph 4, what scenic features of
Gunung Mulu can You see from the air?
A Stalactites
B Stalagmites
C Cave Passages
D Limestone Pinnacles
| 28,',."
23 What is the main idea in paragraph 5?
A The beautYof newrockfeatures
B The action ofwateronlimestone
C How limestone debris is transported out
D The length of time taken to carve out the
' caves
24 In paragraph 6, what is the contributing
factbr for the rich variety in plant species?
A Plant zones and tYPes
B Lowland areas and t5,Pe of soil
C The summit, Plains and tYPe of rock
D Landscape, type of soil and tlpe of rock
25 In paragraph 7, what is the shift of the
primary focus?
A To get tourists to appreciate nature
B to get visitors to know of the location of
the park
C To get tourists to appreciate how large
the Park is
D To inform visitors that caving and other
adventure activities are still carried out'
26 \A/hat is the purpose of writing this article?
A To inform readers that this is a protected
park
B to advertise the different parts of the
country
C To promote adventure and thrill-seeking
activities
D To inform readers about the natural
beauty of the Park