KISI-KISI PSAS SASING (90 minutes)

PG = 65

 VOCABULARY
- Compound adjectives using parts of the body (Students’ Book Unit 8 page 96)
Examples: heart-warming, break-neck, soul-destroying, etc
- Metaphor → expressing happiness and sadness (Students’ Book page 104)
Examples: brightened up, feeling blue, on top of the world, etc

 GRAMMAR
- Making and modifying comparisons (Workbook page 70)

 READING
Text 1
Green roofs
A Rooftops covered with grass, vegetable gardens and lush foliage are now a common sight in
many cities around the world. More and more private companies and city authorities are
investing in green roofs, drawn to their wide-ranging benefits. Among the benefits are saving on
energy costs, mitigating the risk of floods, making habitats for urban wildlife, tackling air
pollution and even growing food. These increasingly radical urban designs can help cities adapt
to the monumental problems they face, such as access to resources and a lack of green space
due to development. But the involvement of city authorities, businesses and other institutions is
crucial to ensuring their success – as is research investigating different options to suit the variety
of rooftop spaces found in cities. The UK is relatively new to developing green roofs, and local
governments and institutions are playing a major role in spreading the practice. London is home
to much of the UK’s green roof market, mainly due to forward-thinking policies such as the
London Plan, which has paved the way to more than doubling the area of green roofs in the
capital.

B Ongoing research is showcasing how green roofs in cities can integrate with ‘living walls’:
environmentally friendly walls which are partially or completely covered with greenery,
including a growing medium, such as soil or water. Research also indicates that green roofs can
be integrated with drainage systems on the ground, such as street trees, so that the water is
managed better and the built environment is made more sustainable. There is also evidence to
demonstrate the social value of green roofs. Doctors are increasingly prescribing time spent
gardening outdoors for patients dealing with anxiety and depression. And research has found
that access to even the most basic green spaces can provide a better quality of life for dementia
sufferers and help people avoid obesity.

C In North America, green roofs have become mainstream, with a wide array of expansive,
accessible and food-producing roofs installed in buildings. Again, city leaders and authorities
have helped push the movement forward – only recently, San Francisco, USA, created a policy
requiring new buildings to have green roofs. Toronto, Canada, has policies dating from the
1990s, encouraging the development of urban farms on rooftops. These countries also benefit
 from having newer buildings than in many parts of the world, which makes it easier to install
green roofs. Being able to keep enough water at roof height and distribute it right across the
rooftop is crucial to maintaining the plants on any green roof – especially on ‘edible roofs’ where
fruit and vegetables are farmed. And it’s much easier to do this in newer buildings, which can
typically hold greater weight, than to retro-fit old ones. Having a stronger roof also makes it
easier to grow a greater variety of plants, since the soil can be deeper.

D For green roofs to become the norm for new developments, there needs to be support from
public authorities and private investors. Those responsible for maintaining buildings may have to
acquire new skills, such as landscaping, and in some cases, volunteers may be needed to help
out. Other considerations include installing drainage paths, meeting health and safety
requirements and perhaps allowing access for the public, as well as planning restrictions and
disruption from regular activities in and around the buildings during installation. To convince
investors and developers that installing green roofs is worthwhile, economic arguments are still
the most important. The term ‘natural capital’ has been developed to explain the economic
value of nature; for example, measuring the money saved by installing natural solutions to
protect against flood damage, adapt to climate change or help people lead healthier and
happier lives.

E As the expertise about green roofs grows, official standards have been developed to ensure
that they are designed, constructed and maintained properly, and function well. Improvements
in the science and technology underpinning green roof development have also led to new
variations in the concept. For example, ‘blue roofs’ enable buildings to hold water over longer
periods of time, rather than draining it away quickly – crucial in times of heavier rainfall. There
are also combinations of green roofs with solar panels, and ‘brown roofs’ which are wilder in
nature and maximise biodiversity. If the trend continues, it could create new jobs and a more
vibrant and sustainable
local food economy – alongside many other benefits. There are still barriers to overcome, but
the evidence so far indicates that green roofs have the potential to transform cities and help
them function sustainably long into the future. The success stories need to be studied and
replicated elsewhere, to make green, blue, brown and food-producing roofs the norm in cities
around the world.

Atap hijau

A. Atap rumah yang ditumbuhi rumput, kebun sayur, dan dedaunan yang rimbun kini menjadi
pemandangan umum di banyak kota di seluruh dunia. Semakin banyak perusahaan swasta dan
pemerintah kota yang berinvestasi pada atap ramah lingkungan (green roof), karena tertarik dengan
manfaatnya yang luas. Manfaatnya antara lain penghematan biaya energi, mitigasi risiko banjir,
penyediaan habitat bagi satwa liar perkotaan, penanggulangan polusi udara, dan bahkan penanaman
pangan. Desain perkotaan yang semakin radikal ini dapat membantu kota beradaptasi dengan
permasalahan besar yang mereka hadapi, seperti akses terhadap sumber daya dan kurangnya ruang
hijau akibat pembangunan. Namun keterlibatan pemerintah kota, dunia usaha, dan lembaga lainnya
sangat penting untuk memastikan keberhasilannya – begitu pula penelitian yang menyelidiki berbagai
opsi untuk menyesuaikan dengan variasi ruang atap yang terdapat di kota-kota. Inggris tergolong baru
dalam mengembangkan atap hijau, dan pemerintah serta lembaga setempat memainkan peran penting
dalam menyebarkan praktik ini. London adalah rumah bagi sebagian besar pasar atap hijau di Inggris,
terutama karena kebijakan-kebijakan yang berpikiran maju seperti Rencana London, yang telah
membuka jalan untuk menggandakan luas atap hijau di ibu kota.

B. Penelitian yang sedang berlangsung menunjukkan bagaimana atap hijau di perkotaan dapat
berintegrasi dengan ‘dinding hidup’: dinding ramah lingkungan yang sebagian atau seluruhnya ditutupi
tanaman hijau, termasuk media tanam, seperti tanah atau air. Penelitian juga menunjukkan bahwa atap
hijau dapat diintegrasikan dengan sistem drainase di dalam tanah, seperti pepohonan di jalan, sehingga air
dapat dikelola dengan lebih baik dan lingkungan binaan menjadi lebih berkelanjutan. Ada juga bukti yang
menunjukkan nilai sosial dari atap hijau. Dokter semakin banyak meresepkan waktu yang dihabiskan
untuk berkebun di luar ruangan bagi pasien yang mengalami kecemasan dan depresi. Dan penelitian
menemukan bahwa akses terhadap ruang hijau yang paling dasar sekalipun dapat memberikan kualitas
hidup yang lebih baik bagi penderita demensia dan membantu orang menghindari obesitas.

C Di Amerika Utara, atap hijau telah menjadi arus utama, dengan beragam atap yang luas, mudah
diakses, dan menghasilkan makanan dipasang di gedung-gedung. Sekali lagi, para pemimpin kota dan
pihak berwenang telah membantu mendorong gerakan ini – baru-baru ini, San Francisco, AS, membuat
kebijakan yang mengharuskan gedung-gedung baru memiliki atap ramah lingkungan. Toronto, Kanada,
mempunyai kebijakan sejak tahun 1990an, yang mendorong pengembangan pertanian perkotaan di atas
atap. Negara-negara ini juga mendapatkan keuntungan karena memiliki bangunan yang lebih baru
dibandingkan negara-negara lain di dunia, sehingga lebih mudah untuk memasang atap ramah
lingkungan. Mampu menjaga cukup air pada ketinggian atap dan mendistribusikannya ke seluruh atap
sangat penting untuk menjaga tanaman di atap hijau – terutama di ‘atap yang dapat dimakan’ di mana
buah dan sayuran ditanam. Dan jauh lebih mudah untuk melakukan hal ini pada bangunan baru, yang
biasanya dapat menahan beban lebih besar, dibandingkan dengan bangunan lama yang bergaya retro.
Memiliki atap yang lebih kuat juga memudahkan untuk menanam lebih banyak jenis tanaman, karena
tanahnya bisa lebih dalam.

D Agar atap hijau menjadi norma dalam pembangunan baru, diperlukan dukungan dari otoritas publik dan
investor swasta. Mereka yang bertanggung jawab memelihara bangunan mungkin harus memperoleh
keterampilan baru, seperti pertamanan, dan dalam beberapa kasus, sukarelawan mungkin diperlukan
untuk membantu. Pertimbangan lain termasuk memasang jalur drainase, memenuhi persyaratan kesehatan
dan keselamatan dan mungkin mengizinkan akses bagi masyarakat, serta merencanakan pembatasan dan
gangguan dari aktivitas rutin di dalam dan sekitar gedung selama pemasangan. Untuk meyakinkan
investor dan pengembang bahwa memasang atap ramah lingkungan (green roof) bermanfaat, argumen
ekonomi masih menjadi hal yang paling penting. Istilah ‘modal alam’ dikembangkan untuk menjelaskan
nilai ekonomi alam; misalnya, mengukur penghematan uang dengan memasang solusi alami untuk
melindungi dari kerusakan akibat banjir, beradaptasi terhadap perubahan iklim, atau membantu orang
menjalani hidup yang lebih sehat dan bahagia.
E Seiring dengan berkembangnya keahlian mengenai atap hijau, standar resmi telah dikembangkan untuk
memastikan bahwa atap tersebut dirancang, dibangun dan dipelihara dengan baik, serta berfungsi dengan
baik. Kemajuan ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi yang mendasari pengembangan atap hijau juga
memunculkan variasi baru dalam konsep tersebut. Misalnya, ‘atap biru’ memungkinkan bangunan
menahan air dalam jangka waktu yang lebih lama, dibandingkan mengalirkannya dengan cepat – hal ini
sangat penting pada saat curah hujan lebih deras. Ada juga kombinasi atap hijau dengan panel surya, dan
‘atap coklat’ yang sifatnya lebih liar dan memaksimalkan keanekaragaman hayati. Jika tren ini terus
berlanjut, maka bisa menciptakan lapangan kerja baru dan lebih bergairah serta berkelanjutan
perekonomian pangan lokal – dan banyak manfaat lainnya. Masih ada hambatan yang harus diatasi,
namun bukti sejauh ini menunjukkan bahwa atap hijau berpotensi mengubah kota dan membantu kota
berfungsi secara berkelanjutan di masa depan. Kisah sukses ini perlu dipelajari dan ditiru di tempat lain,
agar atap hijau, biru, coklat, dan penghasil pangan menjadi hal yang lumrah di kota-kota di seluruh dunia.

Text 2
The growth mindset
Over the past century, a powerful idea has taken root in the educational landscape. The concept
of intelligence as something innate has been supplanted by the idea that intelligence is not
fixed, and that, with the right training, we can be the authors of our own cognitive capabilities.
Psychologist Alfred Binet, the developer of the first intelligence tests, was one of many 19th-
century scientists who held that earlier view and sought to quantify cognitive ability. Then, in
the early 20th century, progressive thinkers revolted against the notion that inherent ability is
destiny. Instead, educators such as John Dewey argued that every child’s intelligence could be
developed, given the right environment.

‘Growth mindset theory’ is a relatively new – and extremely popular – version of this idea. In
many schools today you will see hallways covered in motivational posters and hear speeches on
the mindset of great sporting heroes who simply believed their way to the top. A major focus of
the growth mindset in schools is coaxing students away from seeing failure as an indication of
their ability, and towards seeing it as a chance to improve that ability. As educationalist Jeff
Howard noted several decades ago: ‘Smart is not something that you just are, smart is
something that you can get.’

The idea of the growth mindset is based on the work of psychologist Carol Dweck in California in
the 1990s. In one key experiment, Dweck divided a group of 10- to 12-year-olds into two groups.
All were told that they had achieved a high score on a test but the first group were praised for
their intelligence in achieving this, while the others were praised for their effort. The second
group – those who had been instilled with a ‘growth mindset’ – were subsequently far more
likely to put effort into future tasks. Meanwhile, the former took on only those tasks that would
not risk their sense of worth. This group had inferred that success or failure is due to innate
ability, and this ‘fixed mindset’ had led them to fear of failure and lack of effort. Praising ability
actually made the students perform worse, while praising effort emphasised that change was
possible.

One of the greatest impediments to successfully implementing a growth mindset, however, is

the education system itself: in many parts of the world, the school climate is obsessed with
performance in the form of constant testing, analysing and ranking of students – a key
characteristic of the fixed mindset. Nor is it unusual for schools to create a certain cognitive
dissonance, when they applaud the benefits of a growth mindset but then hand out fixed target
grades in lessons based on performance.

Aside from the implementation problem, the original growth mindset research has also received
harsh criticism. The statistician Andrew Gelman claims that ‘their research designs have enough
degrees of freedom that they could take their data to support just about any theory at all’.
Professor of Psychology Timothy Bates, who has been trying to replicate Dweck’s work, is
finding that the results are repeatedly null. He notes that: ‘People with a growth mindset don’t
cope any better with failure … Kids with the growth mindset aren’t getting better grades, either
before or after our intervention study.’

Much of this criticism is not lost on Dweck, and she deserves great credit for responding to it
and adapting her work accordingly. In fact, she argues that her work has been misunderstood
and misapplied in a range of ways. She has also expressed concerns that her theories are being
misappropriated in schools by being conflated with the self-esteem movement: ‘For me the
growth mindset is a tool for learning and improvement. It’s not just a vehicle for making children
feel good.’

But there is another factor at work here. The failure to translate the growth mindset into the
classroom might reflect a misunderstanding of the nature of teaching and learning itself. Growth
mindset supporters David Yeager and Gregory Walton claim that interventions should be
delivered in a subtle way to maximise their effectiveness. They say that if adolescents perceive a
teacher’s intervention as conveying that they are in need of help, this could undo its intended
effects.

A lot of what drives students is their innate beliefs and how they perceive themselves. There is a
strong correlation between self-perception and achievement, but there is evidence to suggest
that the actual effect of achievement on self-perception is stronger than the other way round.
To stand up in a classroom and successfully deliver a good speech is a genuine achievement, and
that is likely to be more powerfully motivating than vague notions of ‘motivation’ itself.

Recent evidence would suggest that growth mindset interventions are not the elixir of student
learning that its proponents claim it to be. The growth mindset appears to be a viable construct
 in the lab, which, when administered in the classroom via targeted interventions, doesn’t seem
to work. It is hard to dispute that having faith in the capacity to change is a good attribute for
students. Paradoxically, however, that aspiration is not well served by direct interventions that
try to instill it.

Motivational posters and talks are often a waste of time, and might well give students a deluded
notion of what success actually means. Teaching concrete skills such as how to write an effective
introduction to an essay then praising students’ effort in getting there is probably a far better
way of improving confidence than telling them how unique they are, or indeed how capable
they are of changing their own brains. Perhaps growth mindset works best as a philosophy and
not an intervention.

Pola pikir berkembang

Selama satu abad terakhir, sebuah ide yang kuat telah mengakar dalam dunia pendidikan. Konsep
kecerdasan sebagai sesuatu yang bersifat bawaan telah digantikan oleh gagasan bahwa kecerdasan tidak
tetap, dan bahwa, dengan pelatihan yang tepat, kita dapat menjadi pencipta kemampuan kognitif kita
sendiri. Psikolog Alfred Binet, pengembang tes kecerdasan pertama, adalah salah satu dari banyak
ilmuwan abad ke-19 yang menganut pandangan sebelumnya dan berupaya mengukur kemampuan
kognitif. Kemudian, pada awal abad ke-20, para pemikir progresif memberontak terhadap anggapan
bahwa kemampuan bawaan adalah takdir. Sebaliknya, pendidik seperti John Dewey berpendapat bahwa
kecerdasan setiap anak dapat dikembangkan jika diberikan lingkungan yang tepat.

‘Teori pola pikir pertumbuhan’ adalah versi yang relatif baru – dan sangat populer – dari gagasan ini. Di
banyak sekolah saat ini, Anda akan melihat lorong-lorong dipenuhi poster motivasi dan mendengarkan
pidato tentang pola pikir para pahlawan olahraga hebat yang percaya akan jalan mereka menuju puncak.
Fokus utama dari pola pikir berkembang di sekolah adalah membujuk siswa untuk tidak melihat
kegagalan sebagai indikasi kemampuan mereka, dan memandang kegagalan sebagai peluang untuk
meningkatkan kemampuan tersebut. Seperti yang dikemukakan oleh ahli pendidikan Jeff Howard
beberapa dekade yang lalu: ‘Kecerdasan bukanlah sesuatu yang Anda miliki, kecerdasan adalah sesuatu
yang bisa Anda peroleh.’

Ide mengenai growth mindset ini didasarkan pada karya psikolog Carol Dweck di California pada tahun
1990-an. Dalam salah satu eksperimen penting, Dweck membagi sekelompok anak berusia 10 hingga 12
tahun menjadi dua kelompok. Semua diberitahu bahwa mereka telah mencapai nilai tinggi dalam sebuah
tes, namun kelompok pertama dipuji atas kecerdasan mereka dalam mencapai nilai tersebut, sementara
kelompok lainnya dipuji atas usaha mereka. Kelompok kedua – mereka yang telah ditanamkan dengan
‘pola pikir berkembang’ – memiliki kemungkinan lebih besar untuk melakukan upaya di masa depan.
Sementara itu, mereka hanya melakukan tugas-tugas yang tidak membahayakan rasa harga diri mereka.
Kelompok ini menyimpulkan bahwa keberhasilan atau kegagalan disebabkan oleh kemampuan bawaan,
dan ‘pola pikir tetap’ ini membuat mereka takut akan kegagalan dan kurangnya usaha. Kemampuan
memuji justru membuat kinerja siswa menjadi lebih buruk, sedangkan upaya memuji menekankan bahwa
perubahan adalah mungkin.
Namun, salah satu hambatan terbesar untuk berhasil menerapkan pola pikir berkembang adalah sistem
pendidikan itu sendiri: di banyak belahan dunia, iklim sekolah terobsesi dengan kinerja dalam bentuk
pengujian, analisis, dan pemeringkatan siswa secara terus-menerus – sebuah karakteristik utama dari pola
pikir tetap. Bukan hal yang aneh jika sekolah menciptakan disonansi kognitif tertentu, ketika mereka
memuji manfaat dari pola pikir berkembang namun kemudian memberikan target nilai yang tetap dalam
pelajaran berdasarkan kinerja.

Selain masalah implementasi, penelitian awal tentang growth mindset juga mendapat kritik keras. Ahli
statistik Andrew Gelman mengklaim bahwa ‘desain penelitian mereka memiliki tingkat kebebasan yang
cukup sehingga mereka dapat menggunakan datanya untuk mendukung teori apa pun’. Profesor Psikologi
Timothy Bates, yang telah mencoba meniru karya Dweck, menemukan bahwa hasilnya berulang kali
nihil. Ia mencatat bahwa: ‘Orang-orang dengan pola pikir berkembang tidak dapat mengatasi kegagalan
dengan lebih baik… Anak-anak dengan pola pikir berkembang tidak mendapatkan nilai yang lebih baik,
baik sebelum atau sesudah studi intervensi kami.’

Banyak dari kritik ini tidak luput dari perhatian Dweck, dan dia pantas mendapat pujian besar karena
menanggapinya dan mengadaptasi karyanya sesuai dengan itu. Faktanya, dia berpendapat bahwa
karyanya telah disalahpahami dan diterapkan dalam berbagai cara. Dia juga menyatakan kekhawatirannya
bahwa teorinya disalahgunakan di sekolah karena disalahartikan sebagai gerakan harga diri: ‘Bagi saya,
pola pikir berkembang adalah alat untuk pembelajaran dan perbaikan. Ini bukan sekadar sarana untuk
membuat anak-anak merasa nyaman.”
Namun ada faktor lain yang berperan di sini. Kegagalan untuk menerjemahkan pola pikir berkembang ke
dalam kelas mungkin mencerminkan kesalahpahaman tentang hakikat belajar mengajar itu sendiri.
Pendukung pola pikir pertumbuhan, David Yeager dan Gregory Walton, menyatakan bahwa intervensi
harus dilakukan dengan cara yang halus untuk memaksimalkan efektivitasnya. Mereka mengatakan
bahwa jika remaja menganggap intervensi guru sebagai bentuk penyampaian bahwa mereka
membutuhkan bantuan, hal ini dapat menghilangkan dampak yang diharapkan.

Banyak hal yang mendorong siswa adalah keyakinan bawaan mereka dan cara mereka memandang diri
mereka sendiri. Terdapat korelasi yang kuat antara persepsi diri dan prestasi, namun terdapat bukti yang
menunjukkan bahwa pengaruh prestasi terhadap persepsi diri lebih kuat dibandingkan sebaliknya. Berdiri
di ruang kelas dan berhasil menyampaikan pidato yang baik adalah sebuah pencapaian sejati, dan hal ini
kemungkinan besar akan memberikan motivasi yang lebih kuat dibandingkan gagasan samar tentang
‘motivasi’ itu sendiri.

Bukti terbaru menunjukkan bahwa intervensi pola pikir berkembang bukanlah obat mujarab bagi
pembelajaran siswa seperti yang diklaim oleh para pendukungnya. Pola pikir berkembang tampaknya
merupakan konstruksi yang dapat diterapkan di laboratorium, yang jika diterapkan di kelas melalui
intervensi yang ditargetkan, tampaknya tidak akan berhasil. Sulit untuk membantah bahwa memiliki
keyakinan terhadap kemampuan untuk berubah merupakan sifat baik bagi siswa. Namun paradoksnya,
aspirasi tersebut tidak terlaksana dengan baik melalui intervensi langsung yang mencoba
menanamkannya.

Poster dan ceramah motivasi sering kali hanya membuang-buang waktu, dan mungkin memberikan siswa
gambaran keliru tentang apa sebenarnya arti kesuksesan. Mengajarkan keterampilan konkrit seperti
bagaimana menulis pendahuluan esai yang efektif kemudian memuji upaya siswa dalam mencapai tujuan
mungkin merupakan cara yang jauh lebih baik untuk meningkatkan kepercayaan diri daripada memberi
tahu mereka betapa uniknya mereka, atau seberapa mampu mereka mengubah otak mereka sendiri. .
Mungkin pola pikir berkembang paling cocok digunakan sebagai filosofi dan bukan sebagai intervensi.

Text 3
The Creators of Grammar
No student of a foreign language needs to be told that grammar is complex. By changing word
sequences and by adding a range of auxiliary verbs and suffixes, we are able to communicate
tiny variations in meaning. We can turn a statement into a question, state whether an action
has taken place or is soon to take place, and perform many other word tricks to convey subtle
differences in meaning. Nor is this complexity inherent to the English language. All languages,
even those of so-called 'primitive' tribes have clever grammatical components. The Cherokee
pronoun system, for example, can distinguish between 'you and I', 'several other people and I'
and 'you, another person and I'. In English, all these meanings are summed up in the one, crude
pronoun 'we'. Grammar is universal and plays a part in every language, no matter how
widespread it is. So the question which has baffled many linguists is - who created grammar?
At first, it would appear that this question is impossible to answer. To find out how grammar is
created, someone needs to be present at the time of a language's creation, documenting its
emergence. Many historical linguists are able to trace modern complex languages back to
earlier languages, but in order to answer the question of how complex languages are actually
formed, the researcher needs to observe how languages are started from scratch. Amazingly,
however, this is possible.
Some of the most recent languages evolved due to the Atlantic slave trade. At that time, slaves
from a number of different ethnicities were forced to work together under colonizer's rule.
Since they had no opportunity to learn each other's languages, they developed a make-shift
language called a pidgin. Pidgins are strings of words copied from the language of the
landowner. They have little in the way of grammar, and in many cases it is difficult for a listener
to deduce when an event happened, and who did what to whom. [A] Speakers need to use
circumlocution in order to make their meaning understood. [B] Interestingly, however, all it
takes for a pidgin to become a complex language is for a group of children to be exposed to it at
the time when they learn their mother tongue. [C] Slave children did not simply copy the strings
of words uttered by their elders, they adapted their words to create a new, expressive language.
[D] Complex grammar systems which emerge from pidgins are termed creoles, and they are
invented by children.
Further evidence of this can be seen in studying sign languages for the deaf. Sign languages are
not simply a series of gestures; they utilise the same grammatical machinery that is found in
spoken languages. Moreover, there are many different languages used worldwide. The creation
of one such language was documented quite recently in Nicaragua. Previously, all deaf people
were isolated from each other, but in 1979 a new government introduced schools for the deaf.
Although children were taught speech and lip reading in the classroom, in the playgrounds they
began to invent their own sign system, using the gestures that they used at home. It was
basically a pidgin. Each child used the signs differently, and there was no consistent grammar.
However, children who joined the school later, when this inventive sign system was already
around, developed a quite different sign language. Although it was based on the signs of the
older children, the younger children's language was more fluid and compact, and it utilised a
large range of grammatical devices to clarify meaning. What is more, all the children used the
signs in the same way. A new creole was born.
Some linguists believe that many of the world's most established languages were creoles at first.
The English past tense –ed ending may have evolved from the verb 'do'. 'It ended' may once
have been 'It end-did'. Therefore it would appear that even the most widespread languages
were partly created by children. Children appear to have innate grammatical machinery in their
brains, which springs to life when they are first trying to make sense of the world around them.
Their minds can serve to create logical, complex structures, even when there is no grammar
present for them to copy.

1. In paragraph 1, why does the writer include information about the Cherokee language?
A To show how simple, traditional cultures can have complicated grammar structures
B To show how English grammar differs from Cherokee grammar
C To prove that complex grammar structures were invented by the Cherokees.
D To demonstrate how difficult it is to learn the Cherokee language

2. What can be inferred about the slaves' pidgin language?

A It contained complex grammar.
B It was based on many different languages.
C It was difficult to understand, even among slaves.
D It was created by the land-owners.

3. All the following sentences about Nicaraguan sign language are true EXCEPT:
A The language has been created since 1979.
B The language is based on speech and lip reading.
C The language incorporates signs which children used at home.
D The language was perfected by younger children.
4 In paragraph 3, where can the following sentence be placed?
It included standardised word orders and grammatical markers that existed in neither the pidgin
language, nor the language of the colonizers.
A
B
C
D

5 'From scratch' in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to:

A from the very beginning
B in simple cultures
C by copying something else
D by using written information

6 'Make-shift' in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to:

A complicated and expressive
B simple and temporary
C extensive and diverse
D private and personal

7 Which sentence is closest in meaning to the highlighted sentence?

Grammar is universal and plays a part in every language, no matter how widespread it is.
A All languages, whether they are spoken by a few people or a lot of people, contain grammar.
B Some languages include a lot of grammar, whereas other languages contain a little.
C Languages which contain a lot of grammar are more common that languages that contain a
little.
D The grammar of all languages is the same, no matter where the languages evolved.

8 All of the following are features of the new Nicaraguan sign language EXCEPT:
A All children used the same gestures to show meaning.
B The meaning was clearer than the previous sign language.
C The hand movements were smoother and smaller.
D New gestures were created for everyday objects and activities.

9 Which idea is presented in the final paragraph?

A English was probably once a creole.
B The English past tense system is inaccurate.
C Linguists have proven that English was created by children.
D Children say English past tenses differently from adults.

10 Look at the word 'consistent' in paragraph 4. This word could best be replaced by which of
the following?
A natural
 B predictable
C imaginable
D uniform

Text 4

Smart Energy

The next few decades will see great changes in the way energy is supplied and used. In some
major oil producing nations, 'peak oil' has already been reached, and there are increasing fears
of global warming. Consequently, many countries are focusing on the switch to a low carbon
economy. This transition will lead to major changes in the supply and use of electricity. [A]
Firstly, there will be an increase in overall demand, as consumers switch from oil and gas to
electricity to power their homes and vehicles. [B] Secondly, there will be an increase in power
generation, not only in terms of how much is generated, but also how it is generated, as there is
growing electricity generation from renewable sources. [C] There is also likely more electricity
generation centres, as households and communities take up the opportunity to install
photovoltaic cells and small scale wind turbines. To meet these challenges, countries are
investing in Smart Grid technology. [D] This system aims to provide the electricity industry with
a better understanding of power generation and demand, and to use this information to create
a more efficient power network.
Smart Grid technology basically involves the application of a computer system to the electricity
network. The computer system can be used to collect information about supply and demand
and improve engineer's ability to manage the system. With better information about electricity
demand, the network will be able to increase the amount of electricity delivered per unit
generated, leading to potential reductions in fuel needs and carbon emissions. Moreover, the
computer system will assist in reducing operational and maintenance costs.
Smart Grid technology offers benefits to the consumer too. They will be able to collect real-time
information on their energy use for each appliance. Varying tariffs throughout the day will give
customers the incentive to use appliances at times when supply greatly exceeds demand,
leading to great reductions in bills. For example, they may use their washing machines at night.
Smart meters can also be connected to the internet or telephone system, allowing customers to
switch appliances on or off remotely. Furthermore, if houses are fitted with the apparatus to
generate their own power, appliances can be set to run directly from the on-site power source,
and any excess can be sold to the grid.
With these changes comes a range of challenges. The first involves managing the supply and
demand. Sources of renewable energy, such as wind, wave and solar, are notoriously
unpredictable, and nuclear power, which is also set to increase as nations switch to alternative
energy sources, is inflexible. With oil and gas, it is relatively simple to increase the supply of
energy to match the increasing demand during peak times of the day or year. With alternative
sources, this is far more difficult, and may lead to blackouts or system collapse. Potential
solutions include investigating new and efficient ways to store energy and encouraging
consumers to use electricity at off-peak times.
 A second problem is the fact that many renewable power generation sources are located in
remote areas, such as windy uplands and coastal regions, where there is currently a lack of
electrical infrastructure. New infrastructures therefore must be built. Thankfully, with
improved smart technology, this can be done more efficiently by reducing the reinforcement or
construction costs.
Although Smart Technology is still in its infancy, pilot schemes to promote and test it are already
underway. Consumers are currently testing the new smart meters which can be used in their
homes to manage electricity use. There are also a number of demonstrations being planned to
show how the smart technology could practically work, and trials are in place to test the new
electrical infrastructure. It is likely that technology will be added in 'layers', starting with 'quick
win' methods which will provide initial carbon savings, to be followed by more advanced
systems at a later date. Cities are prime candidates for investment into smart energy, due to the
high population density and high energy use. It is here where Smart Technology is likely to be
promoted first, utilizing a range of sustainable power sources, transport solutions and an
infrastructure for charging electrically powered vehicles. The infrastructure is already changing
fast. By the year 2050, changes in the energy supply will have transformed our homes, our
roads and our behavior.

Energi Cerdas

Beberapa dekade mendatang akan terjadi perubahan besar dalam cara penyediaan dan penggunaan energi.
Di beberapa negara penghasil minyak utama, 'puncak minyak' telah tercapai, dan kekhawatiran terhadap
pemanasan global semakin meningkat. Oleh karena itu, banyak negara yang fokus pada peralihan ke
perekonomian rendah karbon. Transisi ini akan menyebabkan perubahan besar dalam pasokan dan
penggunaan listrik. [A] Pertama, akan ada peningkatan permintaan secara keseluruhan, karena konsumen
beralih dari minyak dan gas ke listrik untuk menggerakkan rumah dan kendaraan mereka. [B] Kedua,
akan terjadi peningkatan pembangkitan tenaga listrik, tidak hanya dari segi jumlah yang dihasilkan,
namun juga cara pembangkitannya, seiring dengan meningkatnya pembangkit listrik dari sumber
terbarukan. [C] Kemungkinan terdapat lebih banyak pusat pembangkit listrik, karena rumah tangga dan
masyarakat memanfaatkan kesempatan ini untuk memasang sel fotovoltaik dan turbin angin skala kecil.
Untuk menghadapi tantangan ini, banyak negara berinvestasi pada teknologi Smart Grid. [D] Sistem ini
bertujuan untuk memberikan industri listrik pemahaman yang lebih baik tentang pembangkitan dan
permintaan listrik, dan menggunakan informasi ini untuk menciptakan jaringan listrik yang lebih efisien.
Teknologi Smart Grid pada dasarnya melibatkan penerapan sistem komputer pada jaringan listrik. Sistem
komputer dapat digunakan untuk mengumpulkan informasi tentang penawaran dan permintaan serta
meningkatkan kemampuan insinyur dalam mengelola sistem. Dengan informasi yang lebih baik mengenai
kebutuhan listrik, jaringan akan dapat meningkatkan jumlah listrik yang disalurkan per unit yang
dihasilkan, sehingga berpotensi mengurangi kebutuhan bahan bakar dan emisi karbon. Selain itu, sistem
komputer akan membantu mengurangi biaya operasional dan pemeliharaan.
Teknologi Smart Grid juga menawarkan manfaat bagi konsumen. Mereka akan dapat mengumpulkan
informasi real-time mengenai penggunaan energi untuk setiap peralatan. Memvariasikan tarif sepanjang
hari akan memberikan pelanggan insentif untuk menggunakan peralatan pada saat pasokan jauh melebihi
permintaan, sehingga menghasilkan pengurangan tagihan yang besar. Misalnya, mereka mungkin
menggunakan mesin cuci di malam hari. Smart meter juga dapat dihubungkan ke internet atau sistem
telepon, sehingga pelanggan dapat menghidupkan atau mematikan peralatan dari jarak jauh. Selain itu,
jika rumah-rumah dilengkapi dengan peralatan untuk menghasilkan listrik sendiri, peralatan dapat diatur
untuk dijalankan langsung dari sumber listrik di lokasi, dan kelebihannya dapat dijual ke jaringan listrik.
Perubahan ini menimbulkan berbagai tantangan. Yang pertama melibatkan pengelolaan penawaran dan
permintaan. Sumber energi terbarukan, seperti angin, gelombang, dan matahari, sangat terkenal
tidak dapat diprediksi, dan tenaga nuklir, yang juga akan meningkat seiring dengan beralihnya negara-
negara ke sumber energi alternatif, sangatlah tidak fleksibel. Dengan minyak dan gas, relatif mudah untuk
meningkatkan pasokan energi untuk mengimbangi peningkatan permintaan pada saat-saat puncak dalam
satu hari atau tahun. Dengan sumber-sumber alternatif, hal ini jauh lebih sulit, dan dapat menyebabkan
pemadaman listrik atau kehancuran sistem. Solusi potensial termasuk menyelidiki cara-cara baru dan
efisien untuk menyimpan energi dan mendorong konsumen untuk menggunakan listrik pada waktu-waktu
di luar jam sibuk.
Permasalahan kedua adalah kenyataan bahwa banyak sumber pembangkit listrik terbarukan berlokasi di
daerah terpencil, seperti dataran tinggi yang berangin dan daerah pesisir, dimana saat ini infrastruktur
ketenagalistrikan masih kurang. Oleh karena itu, infrastruktur baru harus dibangun. Untungnya, dengan
peningkatan teknologi pintar, hal ini dapat dilakukan secara lebih efisien dengan mengurangi biaya
perkuatan atau konstruksi.
Meskipun Teknologi Cerdas masih dalam tahap awal, skema percontohan untuk mempromosikan dan
mengujinya sudah berjalan. Konsumen saat ini sedang menguji meteran pintar baru yang dapat digunakan
di rumah mereka untuk mengatur penggunaan listrik. Ada juga sejumlah demonstrasi yang direncanakan
untuk menunjukkan bagaimana teknologi pintar dapat bekerja secara praktis, dan uji coba juga dilakukan
untuk menguji infrastruktur kelistrikan baru. Kemungkinan besar teknologi akan ditambahkan dalam
'lapisan', dimulai dengan metode 'quick win' yang akan memberikan penghematan karbon awal, yang
akan diikuti oleh sistem yang lebih maju di kemudian hari. Kota merupakan kandidat utama untuk
investasi energi cerdas, karena kepadatan penduduk yang tinggi dan penggunaan energi yang tinggi. Di
sinilah Teknologi Cerdas kemungkinan besar akan dipromosikan pertama kali, dengan memanfaatkan
berbagai sumber daya berkelanjutan, solusi transportasi, dan infrastruktur untuk mengisi daya kendaraan
bertenaga listrik. Infrastruktur sudah berubah dengan cepat. Pada tahun 2050, perubahan pasokan energi
akan mengubah rumah, jalan, dan perilaku kita.

Essay

Write an opinion essay based on the following topic. Write in 150 – 200 words.
“What is happiness, anyway?”
You should:
• introduce the topic and give your personal opinion.
• give your main argument, with reasons.
• give one or two other arguments, with reasons OR give opposing arguments and say why you
don’t agree with them.
• summarize your argument in a conclusion. Use some of these phrases:
• In my opinion, ...
• I believe that ...
• Secondly, ... / Lastly, ...
• In addition, ... / What’s more, ...
• Nevertheless, ...
• In conclusion, ...