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UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

COURSE ENGLISH FOR CRITICAL ACADEMIC READING

COURSE CODE ELC501
TEST APRIL 2019
TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

1. Thls question paper conslsts of one (1) passage with h{elve (12) questjons.

2- Answer ALL questions in the Question Paper.

3. Fiil in the delails below:

NO.
UiT]\,{ STUDENT CARD :

PROGRAMME / CODE :

PART :

ENGLISH LANGUAGE GROUP :

NAME OF LECTURER ;

4. You are allowed to refer to a pant English-English diciionary.

5. Please check io make sure that this test Dack conslsts of:

i) the Qlestion Paper

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

This test paper consists of 12 pinted pages

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TOTALT 35 MARKS

Read the following article and answer ALL the questions that follow'

Bursting the Antibacterial Bubble

grown
During the past few years, the use of household antibacterial products has
dramatically in the United States Today, Americans spend millions of dollarc on
everything from antibacterjal soaps and hand wipes to tissues, sponges'
shampoos, and even children's toys that have been treated with antibacterial
chemicals. The obsession with antjbacterial products stems from the notion thai
our body needs protection and without it, we are probably doomed and
defenceless. Just like the boy in the movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble'
n'rillions of Americans are trying to build a bubble around themselves
and their

families to keep out germs. Do antibacterial products really keep us disease-free

or do they actually create more problems than they solve? Perhaps, there is
a 10

need to reduce this dependency on antibacterial p'oducts

ll The dependency on antibacterial products has become overwhelming

you go to a
Antibacterial products are being sold evern/vhere The next tlme
store, iry to find a liquid soap that is not antibacierial According to the Alliance
per cent '15
fo. the Prudent use of Antibiotics, 75 per cent of all liqujd soaps and 33
of all bar soaps are antibacterial ln fact, there are rnore ihan 1'000 antjbacterial
household products in the market tn addition to all the soaps and cleaning
products, there are also antibacterial coiton swabs, antibacteial shampoos'
antibacierial adult and baby diapers, antibacterial garbage and plastic bags'
2A
aniibacterial chopsticks and even antibacterial cuttlng boards

t There are also othe. products which are antjbacierial You can get antjbacterjal
socks, mouthwash, toothpaste, and to protect you while away from home' there
is a travel toothbrush with antjbacterial bristles' Ihe Bastan Glabe repods that
s
larger items such as r.attresses, counter-tops' high chairs, and even children
yo'k lirtes calls
toys have been coated with antjbacterial chemicals lhe Nel'v
the antibacterial fad 'the biggest marketing coup since bottled water"

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IV
LG/APR 2019/ELC5O1

There is no doubt that antibacterial products are popular with consumers.

However, there are questions as to their effectiveness in stopping the spread ol
germs. Elaine Larson, Associaie Dean of the Columbia University School of
Nursing, studied 238 families who used antibacterial products and found that 30
they were just as likely to get fevers, sore throats, coughs, rashes, and stomach
problems as farnilies who used regular products. Larson's findings are echoed by
Eric Kupferberg, Associate Director of the Harvard School for Public Health, who
believes that antimicrobial products do not significantly eliminate the number of
germs you encounter on a daily basis.

Antibacierial prodlcts do not prevent the transmlssion of diseases and thus

buying them is a waste of money. This is because illnesses such as colds and flu
come from viruses, not fron'r bacteria. Antibacterial products do noi kill viruses.
As Dr. Larcon explains, "l\lost of the infections healthy people get are colds, flu,
and diarhoea caused by viruses" which cannot be prevented by the use of
antibacterial products. This goes to show that a lot of money spent on these so-
called remedies has been a sheer waste of resources.

VI Besides failing to deliver what they promise, antibacterial products also increase
your chances of getting sick. According to Stuad Levy, a professor of
rnicrobiology and medicine at Tulfs University, excessive use of antibactedal
products can make children more likely to develop allergies and asthma. ln
addition, people who use antibacterial products may become more susceptible
to infections. Dr. James Chin, a research scientist in New South Wales,
Australia, claims that the way people stay healthy is by having low-dose
exposure to bacteria and viruses. They need to exercise their irnmune system
the same way they need to exercise their muscles to develop them. lf they do not
do that, their imn'rune system does not have a chance to do battle when it
engages with an infection.

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v Problems caused by antibacterial products are so serjous that Dr' Myron Genel'
Chairman of the American Medical Association's Council on Scientific Affairs'
states that one result may be the creation of antibiotic-resistant bacieria that are
unireatable because they are resistant to existing drugs Besides being
inefiective at preventjng diseases and being potentially dangerous to health'
antibacterial household products also appear to harm the environment Rolf
Halden of Johns Hopkins Universiiy School of Public Health reports that each
year the United States releases into the water suppiy mole than 2 million pounds
of active chemicals from antibacterial soaps. The u S. Geological Survey reporls
that chemicals from antibacterial products are contaminating streams and
groundwater from the Denver area to remote locations in the Rocky l\lountains
These chemicals are known to pollute ihe water and disrupt fjsh reproduction
and groMh. This is because they do not decompose quickly but ren]ain active
for years.

vl [,4oreover, there is no doubi that the hurnan body, no matter how well-groomed'
is a breeding ground ior bacteria. Dr' Peter Katona, Chairman oi the lniection
Control Committee at the Universjty of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) lMedical
7A

Center and UCLA assistant professor of rnedicine, states that bacteria are ell
over our skin and mucous membranes There are cedain places bacteria ljke to
hang out; nice warm areas like the armpits and mouth The hands are also
terrific thriving ground for microo.ganisms because they come in contaci with
many objects and people ihroughout the day Thus' the dependency on 75
antibacterial soaps does not guarantee total protectjon for the body from
bacieria. Even so, antibacterial soaps are overly used by most people'

products
lX As consurners, we can reduc-a our dependence on these antibacterial
by exercising some simple sieps' such as washing our hands thoroughly
for 10

to 15 seconds with plain soap and water. ln fact' a study at the University of 80
at
Carolina found thai washing your hands with soap and water is more efJective
getting rjd of germs than using antibactedal hand wipes Emily Slckbert Bennet'
a public epidemiologist and co-author of the study, explains that when we use
soap and water, the germs go down the drain, but with waterless antibacterlal

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hand wipes, we never dnse our hands. We are just rubbing a chemical onto our
hand and letting it dry.

ln conclusjon, Americans spend milljons of doilars every year on products that

promise to "kill gerras on contact"_ However, as we have seen today, the
antibacteriai fad is a coup rather than a proven way of stopping e;iher the sp.ead
ot germs o. the inc;dence of colds, flu or other virus-borne illnesses. What s
more worrying, these products appear to contribute to health problems, and they
are creating environmental problems in the U.S. water supply. The governmenl
needs to stad regulating these products. As consumers, we need to resist the
false notion that we can use these products to create a bubble around ourselves
to keep out germs and diseases. lnstead, we can burst the bubble of the s5
n'rarkete.s who are selling us a false bill of goods and then we can thoroughly
wash our hands ofthe whole mess.

Adapted from: Lucas, S. (2009). "Burstjng the Antibacterial Bubble," The Atl of
Public Speaking (pp. Al l-A'13). New york, Ny, t\tccraw Hitl

QUESTION 'I

For each of the following items in this question, indicate youT answer by circling
appropriate option.

a) The word 'overwhelming' in line 12 can best be replaced by the word

shocking
staggering
overpowering
overenthusiastic

b) ln line 47, the word 'susceptible' can best be defined as

L inc lned
ii. amenable
iii. vulnerable
iv hypersensitive

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c) Based on the coniext, the most suitable meaning of the word 'decompose' in line 66 is
i. decay
ii. dissipate
jii. degenerate
iv. disintegrate

d) The word 'exe.cising' in line 79 can contextually mean

i. instilling
ii. operating
iii. praciising
iv. implementing

e) The most suitable meaning for the word 'resist' in line 93 is

i. avoid
ii. reject
iii. abandon
iv. discontinue
(5 marks)

OUESTION 2
ldentify the stated main idea of paragraph V and provide ONE MAJOR and oNE NillNoR
supporting deiail.

a) Stated main idea:

(1 mark)

b) Major suppoding detail:

('1 mark)

c) Mlnor supporting detail:

(1 malk)

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QUESTION 3
LG/APR 2O1SlELC50I

lndicate the topic thai is most suitable for the content of paragraph VII by clrcling ihe
appropr'are optiol from the rollow:ng I'st:

a) The creaiion of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

b) The adverse effects of antibacterjal producis
c) The eifects of antibacterial products on health
d) The impact of antibacterial products on the environment
(1 mark)

QUESTION 4
The obsession with antibacterial products stems from the notion that our body needs
protection and without it, we are probably doomed and defenceless (lines 5-7).

Make an inference based on rhe above statement.

(2 marks)

QUESTION 5
Formulate the implied main idea of paragraph IV.

(2 marks)

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OUESTION 6
List two (2) types of suppori given by ihe author in paragraph lX to sirengthen ihe opinion on
the ineffectiveness of antibacterial products in killing germs.
Provide one (1) example for each type of support

a) Type of support:

Example:

b) Type of support:

Example:

(4 marks)

OUESTION 7
Dr. Jarnes Chin, a research scieniist in New South Wales, Ausiralia, claims that ihe way
people stay healthy is by having low-dose exposure to bacteria and viruses They need to
exercise their immune system the same way they need to exercise their muscles to develop
them (lines 48-51).

Mdke an lfere*ce based oa the above statement

(2 marks)

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OUESTION 8
ldentify ihe type of suppoft for each of the supporting details based on the following options
Use each option only ONcE.

Observation Exampie Hisiorical Data

Exped Opinion Research Fjnding Explanation

Items Supporting Detail Type of

Support

a) The Bosfor G/obe repofts that larger items such as mattresses,

counter-tops, high chairs, and even children's toys have been
coated with antibacterial chemicals. (Paragraph lll)

b) Elalne Larson, Associate Dean of the Columbia University School

of Nursing, studied 238 families who used antibacterial products
and found that they were just as likely to get fevers, sore throats,
coughs, rashes and stomach problems as families who used
regLrLar products. (Paragraph lV)

c) Problems caused by antibacterja products are so serious that Dr.

l\,4yron Genel, Chairrnan of the American Medical Association's
Council on Scientific Affairs, states ihat one resut may be the
creation of antibiotic-reslstant bacteda that are untreaiable
because they are resistant to existing drugs. (Paragraph Vll)

d) This is because they do not decompose quickly but remain active

for years. (Paragraph Vll)

(4 marks)

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OUESTION 9
Write T for a statement thai is TRUE and F for a statement that is FALSE

a) our immFne
systen wll improve wl-en we exercise

b) We do not waste money when we spend it on antibactedal products.

c) fne overuse ot antibaciedai producis may encourage bacteria to

become adaptable to medicines.

d) nCutts n-arre nrore cnances of developing allergies than children with

the overuse of antibacterial products.

(4 marks)

AUESTION 1O

Do you think anubacterial products will help improve your health? Provide t\ /o (2) reasons to
suppod your oPinion.

(3 marks)

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QUESTION 11
Study the statements below. Wdte I for inductjve reasoning and D for deductive reasoning in
the boxes provided.

Items Statements Types of

Reasoninq
a) The dependency on antibacterial procuiG h-i beconre
oveMhelming. Antjbacterial products are being sold
everywhere. The next tinte you go to a store, try io find a liquid
soap ihat is noi antibacterial. Accordjng to the Alliance for the
Pr!deni Use of Antibiotics T5 per ceft of a liquid soaps and 33
per cent of all bar soaps are antibacierial. ln fact, there are
more than 1,000 antibacierial househoJd products in the market.
ln addition to alJthe soaps and cleaning products, there are also
antibacterial cotton swabs, tons of antibacterial shampoos,
antibacterial adult and baby diapers, antibacterial garbage and
plastic bags- antibacteriai chopsticks and even antjbacterial
cutting boards.
(Paragraph ll)

o) rjesroes tatttng to deliver what they promise, antibacterial

products also incTease youT chances of getting sick_ According
to Stuart Levy, a professor of microbiology and medicine at
Tufls Unive.sity. excessive use of anilbacterial products can
make children more likely to develop alergies and asihma. ln
addition people who use anijbactedal products may become
more susceptible to infections. Dr. James Chin, a research
scientisi in New South Wales, Australia, claims that the way
people stay healthy is by having low-dose exposure to bacterja
and viruses. They need to exercise thelr immune system the
same way they need to exercise their muscles to develop them
ll they do not do that, their immune system does not have a
chance to do batUe when it engages with an inlection.
(Paragraph Vl)

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c) Moreover, there is no doubt ihat the human body, no matter

how well-groomed, is a breeding ground for bacteria. Dr' Peter
Kaiona, Chairman of the Infeciion Conirol Commitiee at UCLA
Medical Center and UCLA assistant professor of medicine,
states that bacteria are all over our skin and mucous
membranes. There are certain places bacteria like to hang out;
nice warm areas like the armpits and rnouth The hands are
also terrific thriving ground for mjcroorganisms because they
come in contact with many objects and people throughout the
day. Thus, the dependency on antibacierial soaps does not
guarantee total p.otection for the body from bacteria.

(Paragraph Vlll)

(3 ma*s)

OUESTION 12
ldentify tlvo (2) underlying assumptjons that can be made in paragraph X by circling the
appropriate options.

a) Regulating antibaciedal products can prevent health and environmental problems

b) Creating an expensive bubble around ourselves does not guarantee a good health
c) Marketers are the culprits for instilling ihe false belief that antibacterial products can
actually protect people from germs.
d) Unlike Americans, people Jrom other pafts of the world do not spend millions of
dollars every year on antibacterial products.

(2 marks)

END OF OUESTION PAPER

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