MUET 17MAY 2017
MUET 17MAY 2017
Reading for information By ANN THOMAS
IN the MUET reading comprehension test, you need to answer 45 multiple choice questions in 90 minutes. The maximum score for this paper is 120 marks. It makes up 40% of your total marks for the MUET. To prepare for the test, here are a few things you should bear in mind: ● It is important to develop a reading habit as it can help improve your vocabulary and general knowledge. ● The passages for the reading comprehension paper may be sourced from academic and electronic texts, journals, magazines and newspapers. ● Read the newspapers as you will learn about current issues, as well as news related to your age group.
When attempting questions that require the answer TRUE, FALSE or NOT STATED, remember: ● TRUE: The statement is supported by information in the passage. ● FALSE: The statement contradicts or does not support the information in the passage. ● NOT STATED: No information related to the statement can be found in the passage.
THE accident that killed eight teenage boys who were riding modified bikes in Johor Baru on Saturday has led to a reactive approach from various parties. Some quarters have pressed for the victims’ families to be charged with negligence under the Child Act 2001. I believe we should have a holistic solution to tackle this issue, apart from enforcing the existing law at all levels. We should not ban teenagers from cycling, as it is a healthy activity that could also prevent them from becoming involved in social ills such as drug addiction. However, their cycling activities must be strictly supervised and they must be made to comply with safety requirements. Therefore, to prevent the recurrence of such a tragic bicycle incident, I would like to make the following suggestions: 1. The authorities should improve the road safety aspect for cyclists by making it compulsory for them to wear a safety helmet and install beacon lights on their bicycles. 2. Proper signage should be installed on streets that have designated bicycle lanes, and safety barriers must be used to mark bicycle zones. 3. Federal and state governments should build special venues for bicycle enthusiasts and more cycling competitions should be held. 4. Enforce the rule of road safety hierarchy where the most vulnerable road users should be cared for and protected. This will ensure that drivers of bigger vehicles will be more considerate towards pedestrians and also those who ride a motorcycle or bicycle. 5. A safety system should be installed to create a warning system for road users. For example, sensors can be installed at highrisk zones to warn motorists of other road users, especially cyclists and pedestrians As for enforcement, I hope the police and local authorities could monitor the areas frequented by the young cyclists and arrest those who stay there late into the night. Repeat offenders should be sentenced to do community work and their bicycles should be confiscated. I hope the authorities will take a holistic approach to prevent such incidents from happening again. We cannot lose more innocent lives due to our slow reactive approach. We must inculcate a preventive culture rather than a reactive approach, where those responsible will only take action when a mishap has occurred. By that time, it would already be too late as innocent lives would have been lost.
Tips to tackle reading comprehension questions ● Skim through the passage and note the important points. ● Read the questions before reading the passage. It will help you when you do scanning. ● Reading the questions prepares your mind to look out for specific information when reading the passage. ● As you read the passage or questions, highlight the main ideas and supporting details. ● Do not dwell on a particular question for too long. Make a note and move on. ● Derive the meaning of words and phrases from the context of the passage. ● Making inferences or making an intelligent guess of what the writer is saying is also important. Here are some skills or strategies you should pay attention to. Skimming and scanning
Skimming: reading the passage very quickly. It is okay if you do not understand all of it. Pay attention to the topic sentence in each paragraph. Scanning: looking for a specific piece of information in a text.
Extracting specific information
Similar to scanning. This also involves looking through the passage very quickly while focusing on key words, phrases or ideas linked to the comprehension question.
Identifying main ideas and supporting details
The main idea in a paragraph is the most important idea in that paragraph and the supporting details provide the descriptions. The main idea is often the first or last sentence of a paragraph.
Deriving the meaning of words, phrases and sentences from the context
Remember, the meaning must be what it means in the context of the text. This is where your vocabulary power comes in handy. Try to make an intelligent guess.
Making inferences
Making inferences: students need to find the meaning behind the words used by the writer. You can draw the conclusion from the evidence or clues in the passage. You actually need to make an educated guess when making an inference.
TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE Kuala Lumpur (Adapted from Adopt proactive approach to protect our young cyclists, The Star, Feb 22, 2017) Write your answers – TRUE, FALSE or NOT STATED – in the box provided. 1. The families of the victims will be charged in court. 2. The writer believes that cycling is a healthy activity.
Activity 1 Now, read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
7. All offenders who are caught should do community service. 7. FALSE
Improving your vocabulary matters! Do you know that you cannot understand what you read without knowing what most of the words mean. Improving your vocabulary will help you understand the questions and choose the best answer. So, work on it! Read and learn the meaning of words and build your vocabulary power! Challenge yourself to see if you can ace the following activity... without peeping at the answers.
15 Activity 3 Read the article below and complete the exercise that follows.
No more bicycles for him, says dad of crash survivor
JOHOR BARU: Muhamad Fatoni Musrap will not allow his second son to ride his modified bicycle again after the lad survived a fatal incident. The 46-year-old said his son Muhammad Fitri, 17, was among eight cyclists who survived the fatal incident that claimed the lives of another eight teenagers on Feb 18. “He is lucky that God gave him a second chance in life and hopefully he has learnt his lesson from the incident after spending a month in hospital. Muhammad Fitri is receiving counselling after being traumatised by the incident. “My son is coping well. Now, I try to occupy him with activities so he can forget the incident,” he said. Asked if he would allow his son to ride such a bicycle again, Muhamad Fatoni replied with a stern no. Housewife Aisah Poli, 65, said her grandson Mohammad Arasshat Abdullah, 14, another one of the cyclists who survived the accident, was still on medical leave. He was hospitalised for four days as his left leg was injured. Later that month, he underwent surgery at Sultanah Aminah Hospital to set his fractured bones, she said. Her grandson has been unable to take part in any sporting activities as he is still depending on a walking stick. “As a result, my grandson barely leaves the house. He says it is difficult for him to walk. “For those Mat Lajak or whatever the name is, I hope they will learn that riding such bicycles on major roads and so late at night is a stupid thing to do,” she said. Saleswoman Sam Ke Ting claimed trial in a traffic magistrate’s court to a charge of ramming into the group of cyclists, on March 28. She faces a jail term of two to 10 years, and a fine of between RM5,000 and RM20,000 if convicted.
(Adapted from an article published in The Star, Apr 3, 2017)
Circle the correct meaning for each of the following words.
ANSWERS
Word
Meaning
Word
Meaning
1 lad
guy / fellow / boy
6. stern
serious / tough / cruel
2. fatal
destructive / incurable / disastrous
7. underwent
suffered / had / yielded
3. claimed
insisted / took / believed
8. barely
almost / just / hardly
4. traumatised
troubled / offended / outraged
9. ramming
striking / digging / crashing
5. coping
enduring / managing / confronting
10. convicted
doomed / found guilty / condemned
1. boy 2. disastrous 3. took 4. troubled 5. managing 6. serious 7. had 8. hardly 9. crashing 10. found guilty
20
6. TRUE
10
5. FALSE
ANSWERS
4. TRUE
5. “We do not think such cycling is harmful.” The word “We” in line 17 refers to A. the writer and the authorities B. Saiful and his cyclist friends C. teen cyclists involved in racing
6. A preventive culture rather than a reactive approach could help save innocent lives.
3. FALSE
4. The word “loiter” in line 15 means A. to meet in public places B. to gather in public places C. to linger around public places
5
2. TRUE
3. The cyclists aim to keep their bodies as low as possible to A. keep themselves from falling B. impress their friends C. gain more speed
5. Youths who stay out late at night risk being arrested.
Activity 2 1. NOT STATED
2. The phrase “thrive on the adrenaline rush” in line 1 means A. to feel intense excitement B. to feel like “Superman” C. to feel great about themselves
4. Vulnerable road users include motorbike riders, cyclists and pedestrians.
5. B
1. What is the news article mainly about? A. Discipline problems of teenagers B. Reasons why teenagers indulge in bicycle racing C. Advantages and disadvantages of bicycle racing
1
4. C
(Adapted from ‘Mat Lajak love the adrenaline rush’, published in The Star, Feb 22, 2017)
3. Wearing safety helmets and installing beacon lights on bicycles will prevent all accidents.
3. C
JOHOR BARU: Teenage cyclists or Mat Lajak thrive on the adrenaline rush from riding along the city’s highways or main roads. Student Saiful Amran, 16, who has been part of such a teenage cycling group since he was nine, said slopes and winding roads were the best spots. He said to “main lajak” meant that the cyclists would keep their bodies as low as possible to the ground, with some even lying on their seats and facing downwards like “Superman” to gain more speed. “It feels like you are flying because you pedal, then let go, keeping your body as low as possible and riding downhill at a high speed. “The experience is even more exciting at night when there is a cool breeze and there are fewer cars on the road,” he said in an interview here yesterday. The cyclists, said Saiful, would gather at a public area, such as Dataran Bandaraya Johor Baru or at the parks before riding together to a more suitable spot. “This is also why many of us spend hundreds of ringgit to modify and lower our bicycles or to position the handles lower,” he said. The group, he said, would often gather during weekends to loiter, besides racing each other until sunrise. “We do not think that such cycling is harmful as we are merely gathering among friends and do not bother motorists or other road users. “It is unfair to say that all of us are riding dangerously in the middle of the road because some, including my group, take precautions by riding in a row and sticking to the side,” he said.
Activity 2 Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Activity 1 1. B 2. A
6
7