MUET 12 APRIL 2017
Listening for a purpose By PATRICIA WONG C.K. LISTENING is an input skill. As such, you need to build up a range of vocabulary as well as understand the pronunciation, structure, syntax and semantics of a language to know what the speaker is saying. This learning process begins early in infancy and is lifelong. The teacher needs to use the correct vocabulary, pronunciation, structure and syntax, so that the foundation of that language is laid firmly in the long-term memory of the learner. Every child has the innate ability to grasp the universal grammar. But if it is wrongly taught, it can become fossilised. When that happens, the learner needs to unlearn and then re-learn the correct form. Even though listening for meaning is much easier than reading, listening follows some of the same processes as reading. In active listening, the listener needs to guess and predict what the speaker will be saying next. What is left unspoken can be inferred by the active listener.
Answering the MUET Listening paper Students taking the MUET are expected to have a big store of information or schemata in their long-term memory. This comes in handy during listening. Keywords will prompt the listener to jot down the important information. Hence, in order to score in the Listening paper, read through the questions swiftly before the recording starts. This is to get your brain to retrieve the information connected with the topic. Listen for transition words such as “next”, “but” and “lastly” to predict what is coming. Knowledge of idioms, phrasal verbs and clichés helps in understanding the texts. Being familiar with the format of the question will also be an added advantage. There are three parts to the Listening paper. In Part I, the first three questions may require you to paraphrase information in three words. The next three may require you to interpret the sequence of a process, also in three words. These will be followed by the objective questions which you may find easier. Part II comprises multiple choice questions. Most of these questions require inference skills. You will need to have a good grasp of the language to tackle the questions. Part III tests your paraphrasing skills. It comprises three separate texts which would be repeated. Now, go to this Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/niebrats) to listen to five audio recordings. As you listen, answer the sample question paper below. Sample question paper Part I For Questions 1 to 3, write your answer in NOT MORE THAN THREE WORDS. 1. It is very common to read ...................................................................................................................... abuse in the news every now and then. 2. The Child (Amendment) Act 2016 would take ........................................................................... 3. The woman only escaped from the flat because the unemployed man ........................ ............................................................................... the door. For Questions 4 to 6, write your answer in NOT MORE THAN FIVE WORDS. The sequence of the Paya Nahu child abuse incident At 1.25am on Nov 24, the police received a call to report a child abuse case.
At 2am, the police (4) ............................................................................................... woman that her daughter was abused by her boyfriend.
The police was told that her two-year-old son had been beaten to death.
The body was (5) .....................................................................................................................................
For Questions 7 and 8, circle the correct answers. 7. The Child (Amendment) Act seeks to A. punish the perpetrators harshly. B. address the issues and aspects of child protection and welfare better. C. take care of parents who do not know the law. 8. In child abuse cases, who would be the most likely culprits? A. The mothers. B. The fathers. C. The parents. Part II For Questions 9 and 10, circle the correct answers. 9. Richard Huckle was jailed for A. sexually abusing children. B. kidnapping children. C. trafficking children. 10. The danger of parents posting pictures of their children on social media is that A. child sex predators may access the images for evil intentions. B. these pictures can be used to blackmail the parents. C. parents may become the victims of scams. For Questions 11 and 12, choose one letter A to F from the box below to complete each sentence. A. B. C. D. E. F.
paediatrician browse the messaging platforms taken from social media bring their children to the supermarket paediatric colleagues post their children’s images on Facebook
11. Websites accessed by paedophiles contain pictures of children – half of which are ................................................ 12. According to Dr Amar, parents who are professionals should know better than .......................................................... For Questions 13 and 14, circle the correct answers. 13. Datuk Dr Amar Singh is a A. doctor who treats children. B. hospice consultant. C. paedophile. 14. What is Dr Amar’s message? A. Don’t put pictures, selfies or wefies of your holidays with the family on Facebook. B. Be aware that perverts may download children’s images from their parents’ Facebook accounts for evil intentions. C. Don’t give mobile phones to your children to be used as communication gadgets. Part III For Questions 15 to 20, write your answer in NOT MORE THAN FIVE WORDS. 15. According to Dr Sundramoorthy, the likely cause of death of the two-year-old boy was ......................................................................................................................................................................... 16. Dr Sundramoorthy believed that policy makers should .............................................................. ............................................. to prevent domestic violence. 17. In the case of the death of the two children and their father, abuse ................................... ..................................................................... but nobody reported the matter to the authorities. 18. The woman could have phoned the police or ....................................................... but did not. 19. Child abuse in developing countries is widespread .......................................................................
At 6am, the police (6) ............................................................................................................................
20. The Convention on the Rights of the Child prioritised children’s ............................................
1. Stories of child / news of child 2. Perpetrators to task / abusers to task / criminals to task 3. Did not lock / forgot to lock 4. Was told by the 26-year-old 5. Wrapped in a blanket / inside a cooler box 6. Arrested both mother and companion 7. B ANSWERS:
8. C 9. A 10. A 11. C 12. F 13. A 14. B
15. Drug or alcohol abuse / substance abuse and violence 16. Address physical punishment on children / address vio lent punishment on children 17. Signs were clearly seen / was visible for years 18. Reported to relatives / neighbours 19. Due to high stress level / due to a stressful lifestyle. 20. Well-being and best interests.
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