Smart module 1 spm 1119

SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119

SMART

MODULE 1

2011

ENGLISH

LANGUAGE UNIT

KEDAH EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT

SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119

SMART MODULE 1 2011

Patron

En. Man sor bin Lat

Director of Kedah Education Department

Advisor

Tn. Hj. Asmee bin Haji Tajuddin

Head of the Academic Sector

Coordinator

Pn. Hjh. Zaliha bt Ahmad The Principal Assistant Director (English Language)

Committee Members

Pn. Wan Aisyah bt Haris (Assistant District Language Officer for Language, Kota Setar)

Pn. Hjh. Fadzillah bt Selamat (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Kubang Pasu)

En. Yong Kooi Hin (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Baling Sik)

En. Nordin bin Mohd. Noor (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Padang Terap)

En. Azmi bin Othman (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Kuala Muda Yan)

En. Nagaiah Velu (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Langkawi)

En. Md. Zahir bin Husin (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Kulim Bandar Baharu)

Pn. Nadia Normala Vimala bt Abdullah (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Pendang)

Cik Farha bt Sobry (Assistant District Language Officer for English (Secondary), Kuala Muda Yan

En. Oslan bin Yum (Assistant District Language Officer for English (Secondary), Kubang Pasu

Panel of Smart Module 1 2011 (SPM 1119)

1. En. Zanurin bin Mohamad Safar (SMK Kulim)

2. Pn. Uma Devi Menon (SMK Dato’ Bijaya Setia)

3. Pn. Rozita bt Abdul Razak (SMK Jitra)

4. Pn. Koh Mui Hoong (SM Sains Sultan Mohamad Jiwa)

5. Pn. Norazlina bt Ismail (SM Sultan Abdul Halim)

6. En. Asif Barkhiya b Muhammad Mustafa (SMK Sungai Karangan)

7. En. Suresh a/l Baskaran (SMK Tunku Panglima Besar)

8. Cik Nurul Hanani bt Abdul Rahman (SMK Ayer Hangat)

9. Pn. Razliza bt Abdul Razak (SM Vokasional Kulim)

TABLE OF CONTENT

CONTENT

PAGE

1. TEXT AND GRAPHICS 1 1.1 Teacher’s Notes 1 1.2 Student’s Tips 1 1.3 Practices 5 2. READING COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY 17 2.1 Teacher’s Notes 17 2.2 Student’s Tips 17 2.3 Practices 19 Practice 1 19 Practice 2 23 Practice 3 27 Practice 4 32 Practice 5 36 Practice 6 40 Practice 7 46 Practice 8 51 Practice 9 55 3. LITERATURE COMPONENT – POEMS 60 3.1 Teacher’s Notes 60 3.2 Student’s Tips 60 3.3 Practices 61 3.3.1 In The Midst of Hardship (Set A – Set E) 61 3.3.2 He Had Such Quiet Eyes (Set A – Set E) 64 3.3.3 Nature (Set A – Set E) 67 3.3.4 Are You Still Playing the Flute? (Set A – Set E) 70 4. LITERATURE COMPONENT – NOVEL 77 4.1 Teacher’s Notes 77 Synopsis 77 Plot Summary (Chapter 1 – Chapter 33) 77 Characters 82 Setting 83 Plot 85 Themes 86 Values 86 Band Descriptor 87 4.2 Student’s Tips 88 4.3 Practices 88 Practice 1 88 Practice 2 89 Practice 3 90 Practice 4 91 Practice 5 92 Practice 6 93

CONTENT

PAGE

Practice 7 93 Practice 8 94 Practice 9 95 Practice 10 96 Practice 11 96 Practice 12 97 Practice 13 98 Practice 14 98 Practice 15 99 5. CONTINUOUS WRITING 100 5.1 Accuracy in Language 100 5.1.1 Parts of Speech 100 5.1.2 Different Forms of Past Tense Verbs 102 5.1.3 Common Errors 103 5.2 Vocabulary Enrichment 107 5.2.1 Using Sophisticated Adjectives (Applying VENESSA) 107 Practice 1 113 Practice 2 114 Practice 3 115 Practice 4 116 Practice 5 117 5.3 Varied Sentence Structures 119 5.3.1 Different Sentence Types 119 5.3.2 Different Sentence Starters 120 5.4 Generation and Development of Ideas 121 5.4.1 Sentence Expansion 121 5.4.2 Developing Ideas 122 Practice 1 123 Practice 2 124 Practice 3 125 Practice 4 126 Enrichment Practices 126

1

1. Texts and Graphics

1.1 Teacher‟s Notes

The first part of Section A consists of eight questions on a variety of stimuli.

The stimuli are often referred to as graphic materials and short texts. These can be in the form of advertisements, notices or signs, memos, graphs or charts, short extracts (like news reports, book/movie reviews), instructions and even cartoon strips.

Remember, vocabulary is also tested here and not in the rational cloze.

Below is an analysis of the stimuli given for the past seven years:

TYPE OF STIMULUS 2001 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Advertisements 2 1 1

Notices/signs/slogans 1 1 1 3 1

Memos

Graphs/charts 1 1 1 2

Short extracts/letters/ book reviews/newspaper reports

2 4 6 2 4 5 5

Instructions 1 1

Cartoon strips 2 1 1 2

Diagrams/maps 1 1 1 1

1.2 Student‟s Tips

ADVERTISEMENT

Types of Advertisement Common Words/ Phrases

Job Vacancies Qualification / minimum experience

Ability to communicate/ proficient

Essential/ preferably male/female

SPM/Diploma or equivalent

Walk-in interview

Shortlisted candidates

Working experience/ability to work

Independently

Job Vacancies

Added Advantages

Commensurate with

experience

Essential

Fringe Benefit

Preferable

Proficient

Advantage over other candidates

Suited according to the experience

Required or important

An extra perk given to the right candidate such as

allowances, company car, insurance coverage, etc

A candidate will be seen as preferable if he or she has

extra qualifications or abilities over the others

Skilled in a particular area or field such as languages,

2

Qualification

Remuneration

Shortlisted candidates

Walk-in interview

etc.

An ability, quality or record of experience that makes a

person suitable for a job

Payment for work or services

The most suitable person for the job, chosen from a

first list

An interview in which candidates come without having

to make any appointment

Advertisements

Types of advertisements Common words/phrases

Sales / Promotions Special offer /discount up to promotion

Rebate / free gift

Promotion includes/excludes

While stocks last

One - years warranty / guarantee

O.n.o (or nearest offer) / negotiable

Sales / Promotion

Clearance Sale

A sale where goods are sold cheaply in order to get

rid of them fast

Closing Down Sale

A final clearance sale before a company stops

operations

Down Payment Deposit

Excellent/Tip-top / Mint

condition

Looking new and in perfect condition

On nearest offer Last or best offer

Warranty A written promise made by a company to replace or

fix a product it breaks down or is faulty

Advertisements

Announcements / Special

events

Call now for reservations/visit our website/apply

online

For more details/ information contact

Inclusive of / exclusive of

Enrol now / entry requirements

Advertisements

Educational Opportunities Course available / offered

Duration/intake/commence

Educational qualification / registration

Fees payable/requirements

3

Education opportunities

2 + 1

Two years of study will be done locally while the final

year will be done overseas

3 + 0 All three years of a programme can be done locally

Correspondence Course A set of lessons received by mail

Counselling A service set up to give advice to potential students

Course Preview A short description of a course or subject

Entry qualification

The necessary qualifications to enrol into an institute

of education

Equivalent The same or equal

Intake The number of students allowed to enrol in a course

Home-study

Studying one or more subjects at home and not in an

institute of education

On-line learning Learning via electronic mail

Prospectus

A printed statement describing the advantages of an

institution

Twinning programme A joint academic programme between two institutions

of education

How do you answer questions based on advertisements? Step 1: Read the question and try to understand what it requires you to do. Step 2: Read the main headline which summarises what the advertisement is about. Step 3: Then, read the information given in the advertisement carefully to find the answer. Step 4: Familiarise yourself with commonly used words, phrases or expressions How do you answer questions based on short texts? Step 1: Read the whole text carefully and ask yourself what it is all about. Step 2: Read the question to find out what you are required to do (You may be asked for certain detail, meanings of words, etc) Step 3: Sometimes the headline will give you a clue about the text. Step 4: Before you decide on your answer, always refer to the context in which your questions are based. How do you answer questions based on tables/ graphs/ charts? Step 1: Study the question and find out what is required Step 2: Study the chart or graph by paying close attention to the title, subtitles and key which provide useful information. Step 3: Study the data carefully and recheck the question to focus on the particular aspect of data that you need to analyse such as:

the percentage of certain items

the trend (a certain pattern – fluctuating, decreasing over a period of time, etc)

the rate Step 4: In analysing the data, observe some commonly used words/phrases such as

drastic increase /decrease/decline/drop

gradual rise/steady rise or decline/ unsteady/slight

fluctuating/insignificant or significant increase or decline

high percentage, majority of / minority of

4

GENERAL GUIDELINES

● Always read the question first not the stimulus. When you read the question first, you

know what information to look for in the given stimulus.

● Use key words in the question (or stem) to guide you. Highlight these key words so that

you know what to focus on.

● Highlight or underline the evidence you find in the extract to make sure your answer is

correct.

● Read all the options given. Do not jump at the first possibly correct answer you see.

Choose the option that best meets the needs of the question.

● If you are unsure of the correct answer, use the elimination method, by crossing out

incorrect answers.

● Make intelligent guesses only as a last resort and never ever leave a question

unanswered.

5

1.3 Practices Read the letter below and answer the question that follows.

Dear Editor, TV programmes shown during weekends are boring. Instead, better movies are aired on weekdays. Unfortunately, working parents and school-going children tend to miss them. This is because such movies are shown rather late, that is from 10 p.m. to midnight. Working Mum

1 Working mum is complaining about

A movies being shown before 10 p.m.

B poor scheduling of TV programmes

C children watching too much television

D boring movies being aired on weekdays

The extract below is the method of preparing hot bananas with cinnamon coconut sauce.

Slice bananas into half and steam them for about 5 minutes. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon powder and coconut milk in a saucepan. Cook, stirring over medium heat until the mixture thickens, then simmer for 2 minutes longer. Serve sauce over hot bananas.

2 Step 2 in the chart is

A serve with sauce C simmer the mixture

B steam the bananas D add cinnamon powder

Hot bananas

with

cinnamon

coconut

sauce

Step 4

Cook the

mixture

Step 3

Mix all

ingredients

Step 2

? Step 1

Slice

bananas

6

Read the notice below and answer the question that follows.

CITI College is organising a revision workshop for Form Five students on August 9 and 10 from 9a.m. to 1p.m.at its Bandar Baru campus. The workshop will cover History, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry. The session is limited to 100 participants. For more details, contact Ms Lee at 03-55336677.

3 From the notice above, we know that the workshop is

A aimed at Science subjects. C held for one whole day.

B organised for fifth formers. D conducted by Ms Lee.

Read the extract below and answer the question that follows.

Biggest Flower Bloom In The World

The rafflesia plant has the biggest flower bloom in the world

It is found in the forests of Malaysia. The flower looks like a

huge cabbage. It weighs about 10 kilogrammes and

measures about 90 centimetres across. It smells like rotten meat hence it is

also called the stinking corpse lily.

4 According to the extract, the rafflesia

A smells bad C looks like a corpse

B looks like meat D smells like cabbage

Read the article below and answer the question.

A former gymnast, sportswoman and athlete during her school days. Peggy Chin has been judging international gymnastics competitions since 1992. Upon graduation, Peggy Chin became a school teacher and helped coach the gymnasts in her school.

5 From the article, we know that Peggy Chin has

A coached gymnasts during her school days.

B taught gymnastics in higher institutions.

C been a national gymnast since 1992.

D judged gymnastics competitions.

7

A poor boy needed money to pay for his school fees. So, he sold cakes from house to house. One day, he felt very thirsty. He asked for a drink from a young woman. She offered him a glass of milk. "How much money do I owe you?" he asked. 'You don't owe me anything," she replied. The boy thanked her. Years later that young woman became very ill and had to see a specialist who recognized her. He tried his very best to save her life. When she got her bill, she was shocked to read these words ... "Paid in full with one glass of milk."

6 From the extract, we know that the poor boy

A sold cakes for a living

B paid for the glass of milk

C grew up to be a specialist

D owed the woman some money

7 Mr. Malaysia writes to the newspaper to express his

A concern C sympathy

B curiosity D suspicion

Study the graph below and answer the question that follows. 8 From the graph above, we can say that the profits of the company decline from

A 1999 to 2001 C 2001 to 2003

B 2000 to 2002 D 2002 to 2004

As Rawang is growing fast, more efforts should be taken to beautify the town with natural resources instead of plastic trees.Plastic trees do not help improve the environment and are simply not attractive. So, please do not spoil Rawang with fake palm trees. It is a waste of public funds .

Mr.Malaysia

8

Read the newspaper report below and answer the question that follows.

KUALA LUMPUR, Tues - The demand for blood by public and private hospitals is causing concern to the Health Ministry. “We can meet the increasing annual demand only through the support of Malaysians who have always come forward to donate blood,” said the Health Minister. He added that about 98 percent of blood in the blood banks was donated voluntarily and the rest supplied by patients‟ relatives.

9 From the report, we know that most of the blood is donated by

A private hospitals.

B patients' relatives.

C blood banks.

D the public.

10 From the dialogue above, we know that Joe had

A a miserable time C an enjoyable time

B an annoying time D a comfortable time

.

11 The slogan above tells us to be more

A efficient C punctual B healthy D polite

MAKE COURTESY OUR LIFE

Joe, did you

have a good

time in

Langkawi?

Well, it was raining

heavily when we arrived.

But then it stopped later

in the afternoon. We had

a wonderful picnic on the

beach. The weather was

cool and the sunset was

the best that I had ever

seen

9

12 From the newspaper report above, we know that NGOs can help to

A bring down the crime rate

B hold meetings with residents

C give talks on fighting crime

D patrol housing estates for safety

13 Based on the map above, the best place to study the habitat of animals would be

A Teluk Bendahara C Teluk Demang

B Teluk Dayang D Teluk Puteri

14 From the caption above, we know that the swimmers had

A paid to swim C hardly worked

B taken days off D finally succeeded

HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR SWIMMERS

Take Part In Scheme To Control Crime

The police are inviting Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to take part in the Neighbourhood Police Scheme in order to reduce crime. The police would also respond to the NGOs' request for meetings and talks on fighting crime.

(Adapted from The Star, January 2006)

10

15 From the comic strip above, the phrase I'm a grown man suggests that the character

A loves his family

B is not really sick

C does not need a wife

D can take care of himself

16 The notice above tells us that the participants can

A draw on any Malaysian theme

B register as Nature Club members

C send as many entries as they want

D submit entries after November 8, 2007

Rules and Regulations: 1. The contest is open to all secondary school Nature Club members. 2. There is no limit to the number of entries from each student. However, a student is entitled to win one prize only. 3. Entries must be based on the theme Malaysian Beaches. 4. The closing date for all entries is November 8, 2007. Late entries will not be entertained.

11

SMK Damai had organized a jogathon recently to raise funds to build a school

hall. A well-known local businessman was invited to flag off the event. As a

former student of SMK Damai, he was happy to help.

17 In the report above, flag off can best be replaced with

A watch C mark

B start D compete

18 Which of the following statements is true?

A The four karate exponents were better than their opponents

B Khamiswaran reperesented Malaysia in sailing

C Malaysia won five gold medals

D Rufina Tan won her event

19 In the report above, the unemployed man was

A caught for trying to cheat C found at the supermarket

B cheated by the cashier D arrested for using a RM50 note

The Malaysian contingent was in the running for five gold medals but, at the

end of the day, it had only one to show, thanks to 18 year-old sailor, Rufina Tan.

The karate team had high hopes when the four competitors made it to the final.

However, even our favourite, Khamiswaran, failed at the final hurdle.

BENTONG: An unemployed man was arrested for using counterfeit money in a

bid to cheat a supermarket. The man had told the cashier that he wanted to

change a RM50 note. Later the cashier realized that the note she had received

from the man was a fake. She alerted the manager who then lodged a police

report. An investigation was carried out and the man was later arrested.

(Adapted from The NST, March 2005)

12

Study the picture below and answer the questions that follow.

20 From the picture above, we know that Jimmy

A loses his job

B dreams of quitting his job

C receives an offer to write a novel

D needs plenty of time to finish his work

21 In this situation, we can say that the manager is

A anxious C curious

B humble D polite

22 From the flow chart above, which of the following statements is true?

A The sand filter purifies the water.

B The clean water tank removes the sand.

C The water reaches the service reservoir before it is cleaned.

D Pumping Station 1 pumps the water directly to the settling tank

13

23 From the newspaper report above, we know that Payung Emas (M) Sdn. Bhd. will

A decide on the food prices in other restaurants

B bear extra expenses due to the fuel hike

C increase the prices of food and drinks

D follow the fuel price hike

24 From the extract above, the Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur keeps attracting tourists

because of its

A unique people B winding streets

C cultural blends D good bargains

25 The man in the cartoon strip above is asking the lady to

A learn English C think in English

B teach English D speak proper English

NASI KANDAR RESTAURANT ON THE RIGHT TRACK

GEORGETOWN: Popular „nasi kandar‟ chain of restaurants, Payung Emas (M) Sdn. Bhd. is setting an example that other restaurants should follow. It will not raise the prices of food and drinks at its 20 outlets despite the increase in the price of fuel. The management had decided to take in the additional cost incurred following the fuel price hike.

(Adapted from The NST, March 2006)

The Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur continues to draw local and foreign tourists. Its colourful and unique blend of Chinese, Malay and Indian cultures sets it apart from other Chinatowns in the world. What keeps people flooding in through its winding and crowded streets is definitely the bargains.

14

26 From the cartoon strip above, we can say that the woman was surprised because

A Malaysians are going to night classes

B the hawker was able to speak good English

C Malaysia has the lowest food prices in the region

D the price of a bowl of noodles had gone up by 30 sen

27 When you sign up at the advertisement website, you will be

A making a donation

B supporting a charity

C meeting other running mates

D paid 20 sen for every kilometre you jog

15

28 The word bills in the description above can best be replaced with

A counts C stresses

B explains D proclaims

29 In the letter above, Vannish wants the public to

A assist the relevant authorities

B consider the plight of the disabled

C use any parking spaces available

D help her manage her household tasks

30 From the letter, we know that Vannish is

A annoyed C apologetic

B confused D sympathetic

Sabah bills itself as “Borneo‟s Paradise”, blessed with beautifully sandy beaches and countless coral islands

I am a disabled woman and a frequent user of parking spaces as I have to do my own shopping and run household errands.

Unfortunately, there are very few parking spaces for the disabled around Utara Mall. Even these few are always occupied by able-bodied people.

I suggest that people who occupy the parking spaces meant for the disabled be fined heavily by the relevant authorities.

16

Answer Scheme for Texts and Graphics

1 B 11 D 21 D

2 B 12 A 22 A

3 B 13 D 23 B

4 A 14 D 24 C

5 D 15 D 25 D

6 C 16 C 26 B

7 A 17 B 27 B

8 C 18 D 28 D

9 D 19 A 29 B

10 C 20 A 30 A

17

2. Reading Comprehension and Summary

2.1 Teacher‟s Notes

Reading Comprehension:

2.1.1 Ask the students to read the summary question first (Question 31) before they read

the passage in Section C. The summary question normally allows them to get some

ideas of what the passage is all about. It is an advantage for weak students to know

the general idea of the passage before they read it. Teachers must remind the

students that they should not write the summary first but after reading the summary

question, they should read the passage and answer all the comprehension questions.

2.1.2 Advise the students to read the passage paragraph by paragraph. After reading each

paragraph, they should read and try to answer the question that is based on that

paragraph. By doing so, the students will be more focused in finding the correct

answer.

2.1.3 Students must be taught to differentiate a word and a phrase. So, if there is a

question asking for a word, they must only write a word for their answer. On the other

hand, if they are supposed to write a phrase, they must only write down a group of

words which is not a complete sentence such as „uncomplicated delivery‟ or

„indispensable part of our lives‟. Similarly, if the question requires students to write

words as the answer, teachers should guide students to copy a part of a sentence.

2.1.4 Make sure they do not lift the whole sentence. In short, teachers must ensure

students are aware of the differences of these terms: word, words, phrase and

sentence.

Summary:

2.1.5 When students, especially weaker students, have picked a sentence as their content

point, they should copy the sentence completely to avoid any distortion of meaning.

2.1.6 Students must also copy the punctuations accurately as they appear in the passage.

2.1.7 They should try as far as possible to keep to the word limit. Exceeding it will just be a

waste of time and effort as anything written beyond it will not be considered at all.

However, no marks will be penalised for the extra words included.


Reading Comprehension:

2.2.1 Identify the keywords in each question. The keywords will be clues for you to find the

correct answer in the passage.

2.2.2 Only copy out the sentence from the text once you have identified the sentence

containing the answer. Of course, you must also remember that pronouns such as I,

me, mine, my, our, us and ours must be changed accordingly.

2.2.3 Attempt to check the accuracy of all answers.

18

Summary:

2.2.4 Understand the requirement/s of the summary.

2.2.5 Mark the lines where the summary starts and ends.

2.2.6 Know that the first 3 lines normally contain the first point or at least a content point.

2.2.7 Understand what the question asked for

2.2.8 Refer to the summary requirement/s before finally copying out any sentence as

content point. You are encouraged to question yourself accordingly based on the

summary requirements such as “Is this a danger he faced?” or “Is this how they

solved their problems?”. The questions are your guide in selecting the relevant and

accurate content points.

2.2.9 Select relevant points according to question

2.2.10 For better students, attempt to paraphrase and reorganize without changing the

meaning

2.2.11 Do not forget to write the number of words

2.2.12 Students are not encouraged to write more than the word limit given.

19

2.3 Practices

Practice 1

Questions 26 - 30 are based on the following passage.

Patricia Zahara Ariffin, 71, is a body painter. She paints pictures on people's faces

and hands at the National Zoo. Visitors will definitely notice her while waiting to take the train

ride at the starting point. She will be there, with her forearm stretched out to show off the

various animals she has painted on her skin. "Get your face painted," this sprightly lady will

say to persuade the children. "Won't it be cute to have a little dolphin on your hand?" she will

suggest to them. Sometimes, she would be mobbed, surrounded by those eager children to

have her "masterpiece" on their skins. Sometimes, she sits alone under her large umbrella

with her tubes of water-based paints and brushes.

Patricia is not a professional artist. Art critics describe her paintings of owls, eagles,

tigers and fishes as "cute". Nothing more. This is not a big deal to the English native who

came here after her marriage to a Malaysian in the 1950s. After all, she only started face-

and-hand painting in March when the Malaysian Nature‟s Society needed something novel to

attract the crowd to come to their Floral Exhibition in Tanjung Tuan, Melaka.

Patricia can always be seen at the train ride station, come rain or shine, on most

Saturdays, because painting has always been her passion. Besides that, it gives her

happiness to see that the fruits of her labour help the animals in the zoo. "It's not so much

the money," insisted the former headmistress who revealed that all proceeds are given to the

zoo for the animals' upkeep. .,I have seen some of the children jumping up and down after

getting their faces painted and that gives me the most satisfaction," she added.

Patricia never feels bored telling about the awkward moments she has experienced.

The challenges as a face-and-hand painting artist also thrill her. “Some people have slippery

skin which makes it very hard for the paint to stick so you have to apply thicker layers.

Another problem is hairiness which makes it impossible for any work to be done," she said."

Unless they shave, there is no way the paint would stick. One guy proposed that I do a

painting on his neck which was about the only spot that didn't have hair," she laughed.

Listening to her stories, one may think Patricia has never experienced any sad

moment. On the contrary, she spent three years grieving. That was when her husband, the

late Jamil Ariffin, passed away due to bone cancer. She refused to meet people or take part

in social activities. Later, she came to her senses and realised that this was not the way to

live, “Being old does not mean that you should give up an active life. Many old people lose

their flexibility when they are not active for a long period of time." she added,” She later

joined the Malaysian Nature Society.

As a member of the Malaysian Nature Society, Patricia tries to take part in as many

activities as she can. She goes bird-watching, looks out for frogs, snakes and other reptiles

and follows the marine group for snorkelling trips in Pulau Tioman. She also supports the

World Wildlife Fund for Nature. Recently, she went to Terengganu and Melaka to patrol parts

of the beaches which have been declared turtle sanctuaries.

1

2

3

4

5

6

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

20

Patricia is asthmatic and uses an artificial hip. Despite that, she is an active volunteer

with the National Association of Strokes of Malaysia. According to her, "being old helps" as

the stroke patients at the physiotherapy class she attends, feel encouraged with her around.

This golden girl who goes line dancing to keep fit has visited many countries. In the near

future, she plans to visit lndia to see the Taj Mahal. "l want to see the monument of love

before it crumbles." she said.

(Adapted from Sunday Metro, December 2008)

26. From paragraph 1, what does Patricia Tahara Ariflin do at the National Zoo?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………….[1 mark]

27. From paragraph 3,

(a) what does Patricia do with all the money she gets from her painting?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………[1 mark]

(b) which word has the same meaning as a strong feeling to do something?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………[1 mark]

28. From paragraph 4, describe two challenges that Patricia faces as a body painter.

i) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………….. [1 mark]

ii) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………[1 mark]


(a) State two activities that Patricia does with the Malaysian Nature Society members.

i) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………..….[1 mark]

ii)…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………[1 mark]

(b) why is it necessary to guard parts of the beaches of Terengganu and Melaka?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………[1 mark]

7

40

21

30. ln your own words, give two reasons why Patricia is considered active.

i)………………………………………………………………………………………………….

.…………………………………………………………………….........................[1 mark]

ii)…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………[1 mark]

Question 31

Based on the passage given write a summary on

why Patricia enjoys face-painting and hand-painting, and,

her other activities after her husband's death.

Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the original

meaning.

Your summary must

be in continuous writing (not in note form)

use material from lines 17 - 50

not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below

Begin your summary as follows:

Patricia enjoys doing face-and-hand painting at the zoo because painting ...

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Answers

26. She is a body painter./ She paints pictures on people‟s faces and hands.

27. (a) All proceeds are given to the zoo for the animals‟ upkeep

(b) passion

28. (i) some people have slippery skin

(ii) some people hairy skin./ hairiness

29. (a) (i) bird-watching

(ii) looks out for frogs/snakes/ (and other) reptiles

(iii) snorkelling

(b) they have been declared turtle sanctuaries

30. examples:

- she still paints on people‟s bodies

- she watches birds

- she studies frogs/snakes/ (and other) reptiles.

- she snorkels

- she is a member of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature

- She patrolled the beaches of Terengganu / Melaka which have been declared turtle

sanctuaries

31. SUMMARY

Content (maximum 10 marks even if all the points are given)

C: 10 marks

Style and Presentation L: 5 marks

-------------

Total 15 marks

-------------

Contents

1. is her love

2. all the proceeds are for the zoo animals‟ upkeep

3. is satisfied/ enjoys seeing children jumping up and down after getting their faces

painted

4. the challenges she faces as a hand-and-face artist thrill her

5. she is/became a member of the Malaysian nature society

6. goes bird watching

7. looks out for frogs/snakes/(and other) reptiles

8. goes snorkelling/snorkels

9. supports the world wildlife fund for nature

10. patrolled the beaches of Terengganu/Melaka which have been declared turtle

sanctuaries

11. is a volunteer with the National Association of Strokes Malaysia

12. goes line dancing

13. travelling

23

Practice 2

Question 26-30 are based on the following passage

Just like any other modern devices, the mobile phone has become an indispensable

part of our lives. These days, we trade our phones for newer units, with sharper colour

screens, digicams, as well as more polyphonic ringtones. We seem to be getting new phones

faster than we get new clothes. However, not all old mobile phones go back to the market to

be resold when the owner decides to get a new unit. Some are left at home to rot in the

drawer while others are sent to the garbage bin, a practice which, at the end of the day, adds

to the growing volume of toxic waste in our country‟s landfills. The fear by environmentalists

is that as millions of mobile phones are disposed of with other trash, the possibility exists for

their toxins to be released into the air and even ground water.

Mobile phones are full of pollutants such as lead (primarily from soldering), arsenic,

antimony, beryllium, copper, nickel, mercury and brominated flameretardants. Older phone

models use nickel-cadmium batteries which contain cadmium, a toxin and suspected

carcinogen. Therefore, the fear of the environmentalists is genuine.

Even if Malaysians want to do the „right thing‟, most are just too engrossed to figure

out the right way to get rid of their phones. A private college student, who likes to follow the

latest trends when it comes to mobile phones, disclosed that when she buys a new one, the

old one goes to her favourite charity.

The managing director of the Petaling Jaya Community Centre‟s Environment Centre,

said that unfortunately it is not often that his office gets unused or old mobile phones from the

public. The few times that it does receive mobile phones, the units are totally unusable and

irreparable and there‟s nothing that can be done apart from tossing them into the centre‟s

„scrap metal‟ bin to be sold for their weight. If there are any that can be used, they are sent to

the shop to be repaired.

Nokia Malaysia offers a wide range of electronic waste management services

including recycling, processing and refining. According to Nokia, a typical mobile phone

recycling process involves the material being shredded into scrap. Metal and plastic parts are

then separated. The metals are sold to metal refineries, where they are melted and purified

for reuse. However, the recycling rate of plastics is low, partly because recovered plastics

often contain impurities. Fortunately, most recycled plastics are suitable as a fuel

replacement for oil. In addition, the plastic scraps can also be turned into plastic benches and

fences.

Nokia encourages its mobile phone users to send mobile phones which are beyond

repair to them for proper disposal. If not stored in the correct conditions, old and unused

phone batteries may leak and toxic chemicals will be released into homes. Even if stored in

the best conditions, what happens to these phones eventually? One day, they will probably

be discarded with the trash and end up in landfills.

Mobile phone sales continue to climb, making it unlikely that the number of used

phones will decline. All too often the one you used to love and take everywhere with you, is

now left at home, in a drawer, unwanted and abandoned. However, attitudes are beginning

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to change as awareness and education grow. Ongoing campaigns by various governments

as well as by companies and organizations within the telecommunications industry can and

will help prevent old mobile phones from making their way to landfills. Hence, it is our social

responsibility as users to help protect the environment for future generations. Remember:

reclaim, reuse and recycle for a greener earth.

(Adapted from The Star, 8 July 2004)

Questions 26 – 30

Answer all questions. You are advised to answer them in the order set.

26 (a) In paragraph 1, why do people trade in their mobile phones for newer units?

…..……………………….…………………………………………………………... [1 mark]

(b) Not all mobile phones are traded for newer units. What happens to most of them

when owners get a new one?

..………………………….…………………………………………………………... [1 mark]

27 (a) From paragraph 2, give two reasons why mobile phones are considered

dangerous.

(i) …......................……………………………..…………………………………... [1 mark]

(ii)….................…………………………………..…………..……………..………. [1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 3, find a word which has the same meaning as preoccupied.

..……………………………………………………….……………….……………...[1 mark]

28 In paragraph 4, what happens when people donate their handphones to the Petaling Jaya

Community Centre‟s Environment Centre?

(i) ...……………………………………………..………………………………….… [1 mark]

(ii) ..……………………………………………..…………..…….…………………. [1 mark]

29 From paragraph 5, state one use of recycled plastics.

…………………………………………………….………………………………...….......... [1 mark]

30 In your own words, state how we can educate the public to recycle their mobile phones.

………………………………………………………………………..……...…………………………

………………………………………………………………………..……...…………………………

……….………………………………..…………..………………………………………… [2 marks]

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Question 31

This article describes the threats posed by mobile phones to the environment and the

solutions to the problems.

Based on the text, write a summary of:

the dangers posed by improper disposal of mobile phones

how they are recycled

Your summary must



draw material from lines 8 to 42


Unused mobile phones pose a threat to the environment by........................................

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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....................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

26

Answers

26. (a) They want sharper colour screens, digicams, and more polyphonic ringtones.

(b) They are left in drawers or sent to garbage bins.

27. (a) - full of pollutants.

- old phones use nickel cadmium batteries which contain a toxin and a

suspected carcinogen.

(b) engrossed

28. i) tossed into the centre‟s scrap metal bin.

ii) sent to a shop to be repaired if they can be used.

29. fuel replacement for oil /plastic benches / plastic fences

30. By running campaigns / advertisements / locate collection centres at Malls or public

places / Rewards for sending in old mobile phones, etc.

31. SUMMARY


C: 10 marks


-------------

Total 15 marks

-------------

Contents

Dangers posed by improper disposal of mobile phones

1. growing volume of toxic waste (in our country‟s landfills)

2. possibility exists for toxins to be released into the air

3. and ground water

4. full of pollutants

5. nickel-cadmium batteries contain cadmium, a toxin (and a suspected carcinogen)

6. if not stored in correct conditions, (old and unused phone) batteries may leak

7. and toxic chemicals will be released into homes

How they are recycled

1. the old one goes to charity

2. the material is shredded into scrap

3. metal and plastic parts are then separated

4. the metals are sold to metal refineries

5. where they are melted

6. and purified for reuse

7. recycled plastics are suitable as fuel replacement for oil

8. plastic scraps can be turned into plastic benches and fences

27

Practice 3

Questions 26 – 31 are based on the following passage.

1 Work-related stress is a common problem among employees. It can result in feelings

of depression, frustration and demotivation. Stress management therapist, Mahes

Karuppiah recommends laughter therapy to deal with this problem. Mahes says that

laughter helps to reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that weakens the

immune system.

2 Studies have found that a good laugh session can lead to a sense of

wellbeing and optimism. It can also reduce blood pressure, increase circulation and

relax the muscles. Mahes, who began using laughter as therapy four years ago says

laughter is the easiest and most practical way to manage stress. It is also inexpensive

as everyone possesses the natural ability to laugh. “You don‟t have to learn how to do

it or buy equipment to help you laugh; it is in you. If you look at children, they laugh at

the simplest things while adults are finding it difficult even to smile.”

3 Mahes says employees who are facing pressure and stress usually cannot

cope with their work. This drags down their productivity and may even compel them to

come up with excuses not to come to work. “If you start work at the age of 25 and

retire at 55, you would be spending 30 years of your life at the office. And you work

about nine hours or more there every day. So, if you are unhealthy and unhappy

during this period which is the prime time of your life, you have wasted the bulk of

your life with these emotions.”

4 To make the office a fun place, she suggests the establishment of a laughter

club at each company. “Get a few people together every morning and have a laughter

therapy session for about 15 minutes. All the laughter club members should try to

identify and remove negative feelings such as guilt, anger, fear, jealousy and ego,”

she says.

5 According to Mahes, there are a few types of laughter therapy. Among them

are putting a pen between your teeth to simulate a smile and the “Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha,”

which involves laughing while clapping your hands. You don‟t need to listen to a joke

or look at something funny. You can do it as a form of exercise just like aerobics. It is

said that laughter is like internal jogging. It keeps the mind and body fit.

6 “There should also be a laughter room in every office,” she says. “You‟ve heard

of people screaming to release their tension. Why not have a laughter room where

instead of screaming, they can laugh?” Employees can use the room to practise

laughter exercises, watch a funny video or sit there and just laugh their frustrations

away. The cost of having this room is small. And in return it will help boost morale

among the workers, reduce absenteeism and increase productivity.

7 Another suggestion is to have a Public Announcement or P.A. system in the

office so that someone can tell a joke of the day or just begin laughing. Laughter is

contagious. Once you get someone to laugh, soon everyone in the room will be

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laughing or smiling as well. Post funny jokes or cartoons on a bulletin board, as long

as they are not lewd or offensive. Employees can rotate the postings every week. The

best joke or cartoon should be declared the “Humour of the week”. This is the

cheapest way to bring fun into the office.

8 According to a study by David Abrams of California State University in the United

States, people who have fun on the job are more creative and productive, are better

decision-makers and get along better with co-workers. So, start the day with a laugh

and you‟ll find the saying “Laughter is the best medicine” is really true.

(Adapted from The New Straits Times, July 2003)

26. (a) From paragraph 1, what problem do most employees face?

……...………………………...……………………………………….…................[1 mark]


(a) find a word that means hopefulness.

……..…………………...……………………………………………………………..[1 mark]

(b) why is laughter therapy a cheap way to manage stress?

……..………………..………………...………………………………………………[1 mark]

28. (a) From paragraph 3, which period is considered as the prime time of one‟s life?

..….…………………………………………………………………………………….[1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 5, why is laughter referred to as „internal jogging‟?

.….……………………………...……………………………………………………..[1 mark]

29. (a) From paragraph 6, how can a laughter room benefit a company?

State two ways.

(i).……………………………...……………………..……………………………….[1 mark]

(ii)...…………………………...………………………………..…...………………. [1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 7, why is laughter contagious?

.……..…………………..…………………………………………………………….[1 mark]

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30. Do you think “Laughter is the best medicine” for students who are under stress? Give a

reason for your answer.

.………………………………………………………………….……………………………………….

………………………………………………………….………………………………………………..

…………..…………………………………………………………………………………….[2 marks]

Question 31

Based on the passage, write a summary on:

• the suggestions given by Mahes to promote laughter therapy at the office.


meaning.

Your summary must:

• be in continuous writing form (not in note form)

• use material from lines 21 to 49

• not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below


Mahes suggests that laughter clubs are set up to make …………….……………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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30

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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31

Answers

26. Work-related stress

27. (a) optimism

(b) Everyone possesses the natural ability to laugh

28. (a) The period between the ages of 25-55

(b) It keeps the mind and body fit

29. (a) (i) Help boost morale among the workers

(a) (ii) Reduce absenteeism / increase productivity

(b) Laughter spreads or is passed on easily

30. (Any acceptable answer)

31. SUMMARY


C: 10 marks


-------------

Total 15 marks

-------------

Content

i. the office a fun place

ii. (get a few people) and have a laughter therapy session for 15 minutes

iii. members should try to identify and remove negative feelings

iv. putting a pen between your teeth to simulate a smile

v. (the “Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha,” which involves) laughing while clapping your hands

vi. you can laugh as a form of exercise (the word ‘laugh’ is mandatory)

vii. a laughter room in every office

viii. employees can use the room to practise laughter exercises/ watch a funny video/ sit

there / just laugh their frustrations away

ix. have a P.A. system so that someone can tell a joke of the day

x. just begin laughing as laughter is contagious) / (‘ P.A. system’ must be mentioned

before this point is accepted)

xi. post funny jokes or cartoons on bulletin board

xii. rotate postings

xiii. best joke declared “Humour of the Week”

32

Practice 4


“Hurry up children, your ong ngoai must be hungry by now,” Mother called

out from the front room of our family home in Tay Ninh, Vietnam. She had carefully

placed steamed rice, fried chicken and vegetables in each compartment ofthe

lunch rack, all set to be delivered to ong ngoai, our grandfather. My father, a staff

sergeant with the Philippine Air Force, worked as a surgical technician for eight

years and had married Mother, a local girl. Because of his work, he was away from

home for weeks at a time. Mother was a housewife who took great care of Trang

and me. She gave us the daily noontime job of taking lunch to our grandfather, who

lived alone in a small rented apartment.

“Here, send the food to ong ngoai quickly. Be careful not to spill the food,”

she added.

I was six years old. Trang, my sister, who was eight years older, was

helping me get dressed. I was excited at the thought of getting out of the house.

Mother, ever-concerned, recited her list of reminders as she always did

every day: “Stay on the side of the road. Look both ways before crossing the street.

Don‟t stop to talk to strangers. Come back straight to the house after you have

delivered the food. Do not stop anywhere along the way. Run along now.”

So hand in hand, with Trang carrying the lunch rack, we scurried one block

down the road to our grandfather‟s place. He was a retired judge and I was happy

to see him every day. It was he who gave me my first cac (the equivalent of cents

at that time).

It was 1974 and war was spreading all over Vietnam, but in Tay Ninh life

was peaceful and continued as usual. However, on that particular day, as Trang

and I made our way to grandfather‟s place, whizz!

“Duck down!” Trang cried as we walked along. “Stay low and take cover!”

Ratatatatat! Somewhere in the mountains just outside town, Vietcong

soldiers fired their flying bullets down our path. I bent so low that I actually dragged

my face along the ground as I ran.

As we squatted at the side of the road, covering our heads, I started to

worry about ong ngoai. He liked his food served hot. If we did not get there on time

and his lunch turned cold - oh, I did not like the thought of it! I refused to let this

outbreak of shooting slow us down. “Let‟s just run for it!” I said.

Trang suggested duckwalking down the road but it was not a good idea.

After a few paces, my short little legs began cramping. We tried all the manoeuvres

that could save our lives but nothing seemed to work. We were ready to sit things

out until the shooting was over. Then I suddenly remembered. If we ever came

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under fire, our elders had told us time after time, we should run from side to side.

“Bullets travel in a straight line,” they said. “Run in a zigzag.”

So taking a deep breath, we set off again, running wildly back and forth

across the road. After what seemed forever, the shooting ceased. “God Almighty

be praised, the food is still warm,” was all I could say after we arrived at our

grandfather‟s apartment, completely unaware of the danger from which we had just

escaped. Five cents awaited each of us!

As an adult, I sometimes look back on that eventful day. I now know what

my young mind could not understand then: it is impossible to go through life without

hardship and struggles being thrown at you. They come when you least think they

would, like when you are happily walking down a street and bullets start flying at

you. You can try to avoid them all you want, but as long as you are alive, they will

keep coming, from all directions. Sure, you might get wounded, but you just have to

bandage your wounds, pick yourself up and start walking again.

(Adapted from Reader‟s Digest, May 2006)

26. (a) From paragraph 1, what did the writer and her sister have to do every day at

noon?

........................................................................... .. ………………………….. .. [1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 3, what made the writer feel happy and enthusiastic?

.....................................................................................………………………….[1 mark]


(a) which word has the same meaning as the word “hurried‟?

.....................................................................................………………………….[1 mark]

(b) how did the writer feel when she met her grandfather each day?

........................................................................................................................ [1 mark]


(a) how was life in Tay Ninh different from the rest of Vietnam?

......................................................................................................................[1 mark]

(b) what do you think had made the “whizz” sound?

.........................................................................................................................[1 mark]

29. (a) From paragraph 11, what did the grandfather give the writer as a reward?

..........................................................................................................................[1 mark]

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(b) From paragraph 12, what does the word “they” in line 46 refer to?

..........................................................................................................................[1 mark]

30. Do you agree with the writer that when we are facing problems, we need to pick

ourselves up and walk again? Give a reason for your answer.

...................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................... [2 marks]

31. Based on the passage given, write a summary on:

the advice the writer‟s mother gave her and her sister and

what the writer and her sister did during the shooting

Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the

original meaning.

Your summary must


use materials from lines 10 to 40



The writer’s mother reminded her and her sister not to………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………... .........................................

35

Answer

26. (a) take lunch to their grandfather (who lived alone in a rented apartment).

(b)The thought of getting out of the house

27. (a) scurried

(b) (She was) happy to see him.

28. (a) Life was peaceful (and continued as usual).

(b) (The Vietcong soldiers‟) bullets

29. (a) Five cents

(b) Hardship and struggles

30. Accept any reasonable answer.

Award either 0 mark or 2 marks. If answer is only „Yes‟ or „No‟, award 0

mark

31 SUMMARY


C: 10 marks


-------------

Total 15 marks

-------------

Content points

1. spill the food

2. stay on the side of the road

3. look both ways before crossing the street.

4. do not stop to talk to strangers.

5. come back straight to the house after they have delivered the food.

6. do not stop anywhere along the way.

7. ducked down / stayed low and took cover

8. bent so low (that she actually dragged her face along the ground) as she ran

9. squatted at the side of the road

10. covered their heads

11. duckwalked down the road

12. tried all the manoeuvres that could save their lives

13. ran from side to side /ran in a zigzag / ran wildly back and forth across the road

36

Practice 5

Questions 26 -31 are based on the following passage.

As he struggled to keep his four-year-old daughter Jane above the surging water, Jet Li

shouted for someone to help his nanny, who was holding his one-year-old daughter, Jada.

This was no action movie. Like many people across Asia, Li was caught up in the real-life

horror of the devastating tsunami that hit us on 26December, 2004.

It all began when the Chinese kung fu movie star came to the Maldives for a holiday with

his wife Nina, two young daughters and nanny. Just after ten that Sunday morning, he had

been standing by the pool at the Four Seasons Hotel, ready to take his two excited little girls

into the sea.

Then he noticed the water rising with terrifying speed. By the time he and the nanny had

picked up Jane and Jada and turned to head back to the hotel, the water had reached their

feet. Within seconds it rose to his waist, then his chin. In the ensuing chaos, Li grabbed Jane

but lost his grip on Jada and the nanny. As they were all swept towards the hotel, he cried

out for help. Four bystanders jumped into the water and saved the little girl and the nanny.

When it was all over, his family and other hotel guests were forced to sleep in the lobby

due to electricity failure. It was then that Li sat up and reflected on what had happened. “Up

to then, I had spent the first 41 years of my life thinking of Jet Li: Jet Li number one. But now,

I thought, however powerful, however famous, in that moment it could not help you. I thought

about my life and what I wanted to do.”

In the time between the tsunami and the Sichuan earthquake back in China, Jet Li

transformed his life, dedicating much of his time to helping the victims of disaster and the

less fortunate. Rather than just donate money, he set out to create an organisation that

would make a genuine difference and draw upon the power of individuals around the world.

Following his ordeal, in the Maldives, Li returned home to Hong Kong and swung into

action. After the tsunami, Li told his wife, “I have to do something right away.” “That‟s how the

One Foundation was born,” he said. In January 2005, he donated a large amount of money

to the victims of the tsunami and used another large sum to start a foundation.

During his free time, he spoke with academics around the world and spent time at

philanthropic organisations, such as the Rockefeller Foundation, to learn what makes a

successful non-government organisation (NGO).

The idea behind One Foundation is simple: think big by thinking small. Starting in China,

Li has set out to raise one yuan (15 cents) from every person each month. He likens it to one

big family helping each other out. He said, “I believe helping each other starts with the

individuals. It is everybody‟s responsibility to give. If everyone gives one yuan every month, it

will add up to billions of dollars.” To make that idea a reality, One Foundation has also

teamed up with the corporate sector.

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In just 18 months, the foundation has raised nearly $16 million, proving the power of Li‟s

simple idea. It has helped a number of disaster relief efforts, including the Yunnan Puer

earthquake and the snowstorms that paralysed much of southern China in early 2008. One

Foundation has also been involved in long-term projects, such as „Sunshine In Your Heart‟ -

a programme that promotes mental health education and consultation centres in Chinese

schools, and organises seminars and courses in universities around China.

Li has big aspirations for One Foundation, and is already looking beyond China. It is

registered in Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Singapore, and more plans are underway to open

an office in Taiwan. At the same time, he remains realistic about how much the foundation

can achieve. “I think it will take at least two generations, maybe 30 years, to change people‟s

minds, for them to believe, „Yes, I have a responsibility‟.”

Even though some people have questioned why Li is doing this, he refuses to give in to

doubt or regret. He always replies, “I spent the first ten years of my life learning martial arts,

then 25 years making movies. Now I‟m starting my third career.”

(Adapted from Reader’s Digest, January 2009)

26. From paragraph 1, what was the real-life horror that Jet Li had to face?

.....................................................................................................................................[1mark]

27. (a) From paragraph 2, how many of the family members were on holiday?

...........................................................................................................................[1mark]

b) Which phrase in paragraph 3 gives the meaning of „very fast‟?

.....................................................................................................................................[1mark]

28. (a) From paragraph 4, what did Jet Li do while the rest of the hotel guests were

sleeping?

.....................................................................................................................................[1mark]

(b) From paragraph 5, give two reasons why Jet Li planned to set up an organisation.

(i)................................................................................................................................. [1mark]

(ii)................................................................................................................................ [1mark]

29. (a) From paragraph 6, when did Jet Li decide to create the One Foundation?

.....................................................................................................................................[1mark]

(b) From paragraph 8, how would the idea of raising one yuan help the foundation?

.....................................................................................................................................[1mark]

30. In your own words, suggest two ways you can help people after a natural disaster.

(i)................................................................................................................................. [1mark]

(ii)................................................................................................................................ [1mark]

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what Jet Li has done to help victims of disaster and

the organisation of One Foundation he has set up.


meaning.

Your summary must:

be in continuous writing form (not in note form)

use materials from lines 21 to 47



After the tsunami, Jet Li spent some of his time …

[15 marks]

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39

Answers

26. (the devastating) tsunami

27. (a) Four

(b) (with) terrifying speed

OR

Within seconds

28. (a) He (sat up and) reflected on what had happened

(b) (i )To make a genuine difference

(ii) To draw upon the power of individuals around the world

29. (a) After the tsunami / when he returned home to Hong Kong

(b) By giving one yuan every month, it will add up to billions of dollars

30. Possible answers:

- donate money /clothes/food to the victims

- donate blood to help the injured

- be part of the rescue team

- get involved in the voluntary service to help the victims

- offer medical aid/assistance

- organise fundraising/awareness campaigns

Note: Accept other relevant answers.

Summary

1. to help the victims

2. donated money/ donated money to the victims of tsunami in January 2005

3 set out to create an organisation

4 to make a genuine difference

5 to draw upon the power of individuals around the world

6 used a large sum to start a foundation

7 set up One Foundation

8 idea is : think big by thinking small

9 raise one yuan from every person each month

10 it will add up to billions of dollars

11 teamed up with the corporate sector

12 raised nearly $16 million in 18 months

13 has helped disaster relief efforts

14 is involved in long-term projects

15 programme that promotes mental health education and consultation centres (in

Chinese schools)

16 organises seminars and courses in universities around China

40

Practice 6


Hotels in Kuala Lumpur are selling them at about RM100 a piece and local Chinese

restaurants are cashing in on them as well. It is that time of the year again when

connoisseurs and common folks in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia go crazy

over a Shanghainese delicacy in the form of a small, hairy-legged, green crustacean. We are

talking about the seasonal Hairy Crabs which are widely available in Shanghai from October

to November. You can even get them in 7-Eleven stores there!

So what‟s so great about these crabs? In ancient China, it was regarded an elite

activity to enjoy the crab delicacies, watch the blooming chrysanthemums and compose

lyrical poems. The secret lies with the roe – a sinfully rich and creamy orange substance that

has melted the resistance of even the most cholesterol conscious.

Dragon-O Restaurant which serves Shanghainese cuisine has also jumped on the

bandwagon to bring these tiny delicacies to Malaysia. To make it more affordable, they

import the crabs direct from the source – Tai Lake in Jiangsu Province, China. The ecology

around Tai Lake is the reason why Hairy Crabs are reared there. Tai Lake‟s ideal depth of

two metres allows sunlight to reach the bottom of the lake, causing seaweed, the crabs‟ food,

to flourish.

According to Raymond Cheung, a Hairy Crab farm owner, wild crab fries are

purchased every March from local fishermen who catch them by the kilos from the mouth of

the Yangtze River. There would usually be about 160,000 fries in a kilo. These two-week-old

fries are then put into a small pond to mature. Come December when the crabs are nine

months old, they are relocated to an enclosed pen by the lake in preparation for the cold

winter months. During this time, the crabs will bury themselves in the mud at the bottom of

the lake to hibernate.

When they are more than a year old, the crabs are relocated again in May to bigger

pens in the middle of the lake. These are crucial months as the food and temperature during

this period determine the quality of the harvest in the fourth quarter of the year. The crabs

are considered mature after they have mounted 21 times. They usually moult when the

temperature drops to 20°C. During this time, they are fed small fishes, corn, spirulina and

garlic. Their shells are yellow during their growing months and will turn green once they

mature.

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Hairy crabs are best harvested in the months of October and November. They are

caught with nets placed at the bottom of the lake. The crabs are then taken to the factory for

packaging and exporting. At the factory, workers bind them so that they will not move and

pack them in Styrofoam boxes before placing them in a huge chiller for a day to hibernate.

CCTVs are installed all around the factory. The government is concerned about the quality of

China‟s exports and they conduct stringent monitoring through live feed CCTVs. The

cameras also allow them to keep track on the number of crabs being exported.

The boxes are then filled with ice before being exported to other countries. Each box

is individually tagged so customers can trace the source if any problems arise. It takes two

days for the live crabs to arrive in Malaysia and another day to the respective restaurants.

The crabs can survive for about a week.

The Dragon-O Restaurant is offering Malaysians a taste of this Shanghainese

delicacy at a reasonable price. The owner has this to say, “We have always kept in mind that

value for money is the way to go if we want our customers walking out of the restaurant to

come back someday soon.”

Adapted from The Star, November, 2008

26 From paragraph 1,

(a) What are being sold at about RM100 a piece?

…..………………………………………………………………………………………... [1 mark]

(b) Which sentence tells you that Hairy Crabs are widely available in Shanghai?

.....………………………………………………………………………………………….[1 mark]

27 From paragraph 2, which is the most delicious part of the crab?

……………….................……………….…….………………….....……....……………….[1 mark]

28 (a) From paragraph 3, what causes seaweed to flourish in Tai Lake?

...……………………….………………………….…..……..….…………………….[1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 4, which word means „sleep the whole winter‟?

................................................................................................................[1 mark]

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29 (a) From paragraph 5, what will influence the quality of the crabs?

….……...…………………………………………………...………………………….[1mark]

(b) From paragraph 6, how does the China government show its concern about

the export of Hairy Crabs?

.….……….…….……………………………………….……………...................... [1 mark]

(c) From paragraph 7, why is it important to tag the boxes?

..................................................................................................................... [1 mark]

30 From paragraph 8, explain in your words what the owner of the restaurant meant

when he said “ ...... that value for money is the way to go .....”?

……..……………………………..……………………………………….…..…..………..[2 marks]

31. Based on the passage given, write a summary of:

how Hairy Crabs are reared and

how they are packed for export

Your summary must


use materials from lines 19 – 44



meaning.


The wild crab fries caught by the local fishermen are

……………………………………..……………………………………………………………………

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44

Answers

26 (a) Hairy Crabs

(Hairy is mandatory)

Lower case is acceptable

(b) You can even get them in 7-Eleven stores there

27 (a) roe / eggs Permissible Lifting: [The secret lies……….…….conscious.]

(lines 10 -12)

28 (a) the ideal depth of two metres that allows sunlight to reach the bottom of the lake

Permissible Lifting: [Tai Lake‟s………….…. to flourish.]

(lines 17- 18)

(b) hibernate

29 (a) foods and temperature

(b) CCTVs are installed all around the factory / Government conducts

stringent monitoring through live feed CCTVs. (Either one)

Permissible Lifting: [CCTVs are …………….. live feed CCTVs.]

(lines 38 – 40)

(c) So customers can trace the source if any problems arise.

Permissible Lifting: [Each box is……….…….problems arise.]

(lines 43 – 44)

30 It is worthwhile spending money (on the delicacy)

Accept any logical answer

45

31 SUMMARY


C: 10 marks


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Total 15 marks

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CONTENT POINTS

1. purchased every March

2. the fries are put into a small pond to mature

3. in December / nine-month old crabs are relocated to an enclosed pen by

the lake

4. left to hibernate / hibernate

5. in May / the one-year old crabs are relocated again to bigger pens in the

middle of the lake

6. fed small fishes, corn, spirulina and garlic

7. crabs are harvested / caught in October and November

8. taken to factory (for packaging and exporting)

9. (factory workers) bind them

10. pack in styrofoam boxes

11. placed (boxes) in huge chilller for a day to hibernate

12. boxes are filled with ice

13. each box is individually tagged

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Practice 7

Section C (25 marks)


When doctors told Jane Wilson-Howarth her baby needed surgery, she feared his life

would not be worth living. So, she left behind the consultants, the needles, the tests and took

him far away to live among the „sane, baby-loving‟ people of Nepal. Here is her story.

David, my son was born by emergency caesarean section in a hospital in Cambridge,

England. I had returned from Nepal, where we had been living, for what I had hoped would

be quick, uncomplicated delivery. The first thing I noticed when they pulled him into the world

was a gaping black hole in the middle of his face. Strangely, I wasn‟t shocked by his

appearance. I was infatuated by the tiny life I held in my arms. We later told his brother

Alexander that elves could do the fine stitching to repair the harelip.

But things did not go well. David struggled to feed, he choked and slept a lot. I could

no longer hide my fear I knew that he was ill. We were back in hospital before he was a

month old. There we saw various specialists who meticulously catalogued a long list of

abnormalities. But they could not convince us that something could be done to improve

David‟s quality of life.

He had blood test after blood test. Food supplements were squirted into a tube that

passed up his nose and into his stomach. These made him vomit. It tore me apart watching

the terror in his eyes. After days of tests and consultations, the doctor told us among other

things that David had holes in the heart, only one kidney, spinal abnormalities and the fibres

connecting the two hemispheres of the brains were missing.

Before he left, and he seemed to be in a hurry to leave, he said, “The baby has to

have open-heart surgery – soon. We‟ll prepare for it immediately.”

His words sank in, but I had already made the decision. David was all right. I screwed

up my courage and took a deep breath. “But he is so much more at ease away from here.

We don‟t want any more investigations and long-winded reports. No more needles or tests

unless you can prove they will improve his quality of life.”

He began to explain, but I interrupted. “No. We fly to Nepal this Sunday.”

On the day of our flight back to Nepal we must have looked haggard. David looked

beautiful despite the feeding tube in his nose, his harelip and his „defects‟. The Nepalese saw

his soft-unblemished complexion and blue eyes. On the plane, we had already entered sane,

baby-loving Asia.

Back in Nepal, we ventured out every weekend and some evenings. One stroll took

us into a squatter settlement by the river where young mothers, surrounded us, giggling,

wanting to compare babies. “How did you make such a beautiful baby?” “Can he speak

Nepali?” I took him out of his pram to show him off and they said, “He is so handsome, so

white, so clean!” Their admiration was a forgotten delight of having a new baby. No one in

England dared talk about him or ask about him.

The peace and pace of Nepal was healing for all of us, and David‟s tube stayed in

less and less. Sometimes I would slip it in when his appetite was poor, but I wasn‟t convinced

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that it was necessary any more. He took a great liking to buffalo milk and yoghurt and by the

time he was three months old he was chubby. By the time he was three-and-a-half months

old he smiled. That was a milestone that severely handicapped children often never

achieved.

Things got better and better after this. His weight increased and he seemed to be

doing so well that we decided to take a break and head into the mountains. We flew to

Pokhara and, with two guides carrying all our luggage we walked north towards the grand

Annapura, through the deepest gorge in the world. Whilst I gasped for every breath, I could

hear David amusingly chatting softly to himself. At a height of 2807 m above sea level, we

were short of breath but the holes in David‟s heart had stimulated him to produce more red

blood cells to cope in the thin mountain air.

When David was five months old, we took him back to the Cambridge hospital. The

clinical staffs were amazed at how well David had done. They were astonished that his

growing heart had repaired the holes. He no longer needed the medicines – and he never

had that open heart surgery.

Adapted from an article “Mountain Baby” in the Guardian by Dr. Jane Wilson Howarth


(a) Before David was born, where were his parents living?

………..…………………………………………………………………………….. [1 mark]

(b) When David was born, what did the writer notice about the baby?

…..…………………………………………………………………………………. [1 mark]

27 (a) From paragraph 3, how did the parents know that David was ill?

… ……………………………………………………………………………………. [1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 4, there were a lot of problems with David‟s health.

Name 2 of them.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

….…………………………………………………………………………………… [1 mark]


(a) What was the doctor‟s decision after checking David‟s condition?

……………………………………………………………………………………. [1 mark]

48

(b) What does it refer to?

……………………………………………………………………………………… [1 mark]


(a) What did David love to eat?

…………………………………………………………………………………………[1 mark]

(b) What had David done to be considered a milestone?

…………………………………………………………………………..………………………

………………………………………………………………………..……………... [1 mark]

30 Do you think it was wise for the family to take David up the mountains? Why?

……………….………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………. [2 marks]


what happened at the time of David‟s birth

his development until he was five months old


meaning.

Your summary must be:

in continuous writing (not in note form)

use only the material from lines 12 to 56

not longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below


Jane knew things did not go well for David when

………………..............................................................................................................................

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50

Answers

26. (a) Nepal

(b) There was a gaping black hole in the middle of his face.

27. (a) He struggled to feed, choked and slept a lot.

(b) Holes in the heart and only one kidney

28. (a) He had to have open-heart surgery soon.

(b) Surgery/open-heart surgery

29. (a) Buffalo milk and yoghurt

(b) He smiled

30. Yes, because his heart had improved.

31 SUMMARY


C: 10 marks


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Total 15 marks

-------------

1. he struggled to feed

2. he choked (and)

3. slept a lot

4. had a list of abnormalities

5. had to have open-heart surgery

6. David‟s tube stayed in less and less

7. by the time he was three months old he was chubby

8. by the time he was three and half months old he smiled

9. his weight increased

10. he seemed to be doing so well that his parents took him up the mountains

11. David amusingly chatted softly to himself

12. When he was five months old his growing heart had repaired the holes

13. he no longer needed the medicines and the surgery

51

Practice 8

Section C (25 marks)


When will I be released? I have another three months to serve until I am freed. I have

messed up my life and true enough, my mother‟s curse really worked. That must have been

because I have hurt her feelings a lot.

My father had left my mother when she was pregnant with me. She played the role of

a single parent very well until I started mixing with some notorious boys in school. She

warned me to keep away from them but I insisted that they were part of my life. I idolized

them because they always had the money to spend and used expensive handsets.

My mother worked as an operator in a small industry and earned very little. We lived

from hand to mouth. I was never given any luxury and I always blamed her for it. I felt that

she did not work hard enough to give me the luxury. At that time, I despised her so much that

I even told her that I hated the sight of her. Then, she found a second job as a washerwoman

in the neighbourhood.

I started stealing money from her savings and once I even pawned her only wedding

ring to get extra pocket money to impress my rich friends. I spent it at expensive „Nasi

Kandar‟ restaurants. At school, I became famous among friends and started missing classes

to join my friends at shopping complexes. Slowly, I stopped going to school and when mother

found out, she scolded and even begged me to go back to school. I told her to get lost and

packed my bags to leave home. She cried and promised to provide me with all the luxuries I

needed. I went near her and slapped her on the face. That was when she cursed me that I

would regret one day when the whole world would turn its back on me.

I left home and found myself a job as a foreman. The boss sacked me when I started

laying hands on his earnings. Then I became a contract worker and stayed with the other

contract workers. The workload was too heavy for me and I started playing truant from work.

I got myself fired again and had no home to stay. I went back to my so-called friends for

money and shelter but they turned me down and some did not even acknowledge me. They

stared at me as if I was a filthy thing. I was hungry and became desperate. I needed food,

money and shelter but I didn‟t want to return to my mother because I was ashamed of

myself.

I had to do something. I walked up to the wet market in town, hoping to get myself a

job there. I saw an Indian lady with things in both hands walking alone towards her car. An

evil idea stroked my mind. She had her purse under her armpit. I walked slowly towards her,

snatched her purse and fled on foot. I could hear her shouting for help and some even

chased after me but I managed to escape. I hid myself at a construction site and I rummaged

through the contents of the purse. She had almost RM200.00 and that kept me alive for

another twelve days.

I became excited because that was easy money and I felt like doing it again. This

time I went to the Mega Mall and tried my luck. I snatched a Chinese lady‟s handbag and

tried to flee but this time I was unlucky. Some passersby and the security guard managed to

get me. I got myself behind bars, sentenced for a year.

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I truly regret now. Once I am out, I want to go back to my mother. I have been really

cruel to her. I need to take care of her. I will go back to school and at the same time I will

work to cope with our expenditure. I will do well in school and further my education. I want to

be an engineer and make my mother proud. I will get her everything, everything that she

needs. I need to get out of this place. Mother, please forgive me.

26 (a) From paragraph 1, what has the writer done to himself?

..……………………………………………………………………………………... [1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 2, what did the mother do when the writer started mixing with

some notorious boys?

..……………………………………………………………………………………….[1 mark]

27 From paragraph 3, give ONE reason why the writer despised his mother so much.

………………………………………………………………………………………………….[1 mark]

28 From paragraph 4, which word has the same meaning as the word „pleaded‟?

………………………………………………………………………………………………….[1 mark]


(a) Why did the writer lose his job as a foreman?

…………………………………………………………………………………………[1 mark]

(b) How did the writer‟s friends treat him when he went back to them to get some

help?

State two ways.

(i)………………………………………………………………………………………[1 mark]

(ii)..…………………………………………………………………………………... [1 mark]

30 (a) From paragraph 7, why is the writer behind bars?

..……………………………………………………………………………………….[1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 8, the writer says that he wants to go back to his mother. Do you

agree with him? Give a reason using your own words.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………… [2 marks]

8 40

53

31 Based on the passage given, write a summary on:

how the writer has messed up his life

what he is planning to do for his mother when he is out of prison


meaning.

Your summary must


use materials from lines 14 – 46

not be longer than 130 words including the 10 words given below


The writer has messed up his life when he started …………………………………………

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54

Answers

26. (a) He has messed up his life.

(b) She warned him to keep away from them.

27. His mother earned very little/ They lived from hand to mouth/ He felt that she did not

work hard enough to give him the luxury.

28. begged

29. (a) The boss sacked him when he started laying hands on his income.

(b)(i) They turned him down.

(b)(ii) They did not acknowledge him.

(b)(iii) They stared at him as if he was a filthy thing.

30. (a) He snatched a Chinese lady‟s handbag and was caught.

(b) Yes, he should go back to her and apologise.

31 SUMMARY


C: 10 marks


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Total 15 marks

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1. stealing money from his mother

2. started missing classes

3. stopped going to school

4. when his mother scolded him, he slapped her on the face

5. left home

6. found himself a job as foreman but was sacked when he started stealing

money

7. became contract worker but played truant and was fired

8. went back to his friends but they turned him down

9. needed food, money and shelter

10. snatched a Chinese lady‟s handbag but was caught

11. got himself behind bars

12. when he is out, he wants to go back to his mother

13. wants to be an engineer and make his mother proud

14. will get her everything that she needs

55

PRACTICE 9


It was November 30, 2006, and Super Typhoon Reming was raging around our

house. Roofs were flying and trees were being uprooted. Outside our front window I

could see a nearby ixora shrub swaying wildly. The storm soon gathered in force, Rain

was falling heavily, and water was pouring into the house around the edges of the

closed windows.

I looked out of the back door and watched in amazement as the slope behind

my Aunt Maura's house turned into a waterfall. Then I heard people shouting, "The river

has burst its bank and is corning down on us!” It was impossible! The riverbed that ran

through the back of our neighbourhood was approximately 20 metres wide and 20

metres deep, and was never more than one-third full.

There was no time to think. As the water came rushing in, my sisters, Enille and

Lala and I picked up our three dogs and rushed out of our house with our parents. We

didn't get far when I saw our neighbours‟ running back and crying out that the bridge was

already under water. We were trapped because the bridge was our only way to higher

ground.

We all gathered at a neighbour‟s house and desperately tried to think of away out.

Several men secured a rope between the trees on either side of the swollen creek.

The plan was to hold onto this rope as we made the dangerous crossing. The water

had risen to chest level and I feared I wouldn't be able to hold on to the dogs as we

crossed. I decided to leave them at another neighbour's house, where I hoped they

would be safe.

Several people had gathered on the other side of the creek to watch our progress.

However, by the time we were ready to cross, it was too late. The water was rising quickly

and coming in full force, Huge pieces of lumber, posts and animals were being

carried along at a frightening speed - anyone in the creek would have been swept

away. The only option left for us was to climb to the roof of Aunt Maura‟s house.

Altogether, 29 people, including several men who had bravely crossed the

creek to help us, were trapped on the roof, huddling close against the cold wind. As

the hours passed, we grew numb with cold and fear and stared helplessly as the rising

water licked menacingly at the edge of the roof. At one point, I looked over at the

house where I had left my dogs. Half of it was gone. So was our old house next to it.

Despair surrounded us.

As night fell, all we could do was pray. A municipal rescue team came, but left

again when they realised they were ill-equipped to handle the situation. Our villagers did

what they could, sending food, water and clothing on a makeshift pulley stroke between a

tree and a house beam. Others left to appeal to the mayor, the military and anyone else who

might be of help.

2

3

4

5

6

5

10

15

20

25

7

30

35

1

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Finally, a group of police officers, soldiers and civilians decided to attempt a rescue.

A villager tied another rope around a big tree while a police officer bravely swam

through the strong current and tied the other end around the main beam of the roof.

one by one we climbed into a harness attached to a pulley, and were pulled across the

15-metre raging waterway to dry land. There, neighbours were waiting with coffee and dry

clothes. Ten hours later, everyone was finally off the roof. At a nearby house, we were given

food, shelter and medical attention.

(Adapted from The Reader‟s Digest, November 2007.

26 From paragraph 1, where was the writer?

……………………………………………………………………………………… [1 mark]


(a) What had happened to the river?

...……………………………………………………………………………… [1 mark]

(b) Which word conveys the meaning of, ”shock”?

……………………………………………………………………………........ [1 mark]

28 (a) From paragraph 4, 'I decide to leave them at another neighbours‟ house...,

What does them refer to?

….……………………………………………………………………………… [1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 5, why couldn't the writer and her family cross the creek?

…………………..……………………………………………………………………………

……………………..………………………………………………………… [1 mark]

29 (a) From paragraph 7, state two ways how the villagers helped the victims.

(i)........................................................................................................... [1 mark]

(ii).......................................................................................................... [1 mark]

(b) From paragaph 8, who swam across the river?

…………………………………………………………………………………… [1 mark]

8

40

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30 In your opinion, how did the writer feel when he was rescued from the roof?

Using your own words, give a reason to support your answer.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………… [2 marks]

31 Imagine you are the writer, Based on the passage given, write a summary on:

- how you and your family made your way to safety during the typhoon

- the problems you faced in doing so.

Credit will be given for the use of own words but care must be taken not to change

the original meaning.

Your summary must:

- be in continuous writing form (not in note form)

- use materials from lines 12 to 47

- not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below.


As the water came rushing in, my sisters and I ……………………………….

[15 marks]

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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………………………………………………………………………………………….......................

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Answers

26. at home / in the writer's house / in her(his) house / in the house. (Preposition

in & at is mandatory).

27. (a) it had burst its banks (allow lifting of line with a change in pronoun)

(b) amazement

28. (a) the dogs / her dogs / his dogs

(Dogs must be in the plural form)

(b) the water was coming in full force /the water was rising quickly

29. (a) (i) sending food/ water / clothing (any one option)

(ii) appeal to the mayor/ the military/ anyone else who might be of help

(any one option)

(b) a police officer

30. idea of being relieved and with a reason given.

Both idea and reason must be stated to be awarded 2 marks

(Accept any suitable answer)

31 SUMMARY


C: 10 marks


-------------

Total 15 marks

-------------

1) rushed out of the house with our parents.

2) the bridge was under water

3) gathered at a neighbour‟s house.

4) desperately (mandatory) tried to think of a way out.

5) Water had risen to chest level.

6) left the dogs (mandatory) at neighbour‟s house

7) climbed to the roof of Aunt Maura's house

8) grew numb with cold and fear

9) stared helplessly at the rising water

10) a municipal rescue team came but (mandatory) left again.

11) villagers sent food, water and clothing (all three must be mentioned to merit a mark)

12) others left to appeal to the mayor

13) soldiers and civilians decided to attempt a rescue

14) climbed into the harness attached to a pulley

15) were pulled across the 5 -metre raging waterway

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3. Literature Component - Poem 3.1 Teacher‟s Notes

Section D of the 1119 English paper focuses on the literature component and carries 20

marks. The literature component is not as difficult as it seems. By now, students should be

familiar with the four poems. Students need to know and understand all of them well. Do not

focus on a few selected ones as it is difficult to pinpoint which poem will be tested.

Students are required to answer structured questions on one poem. They will be tested on

their understanding of the poem and they are also required to give their opinion to issues

raised. One way to prepare them for the exam for poems is to paraphrase the poem, making

sure they understand all the difficult words.


Read and understand all the poems

Pay close attention to the language used by the writer to convey his ideas and thoughts.

With the poems, make sure you understand the literal/denotative meaning as well as the

figurative/connotative meaning. The former is the dictionary meaning, while the latter is

the inferred or implied meaning.

There is no harm in knowing some of the common literary devices (metaphors, similes,

personification, onomatopoeia) employed in the poems.

Remember, the answers to the first three questions on the poem can be found in the

extract given. The fourth question is usually a personal response question and the answer

must be logical. This means you need to know the poem to tackle this

question. (This is where engaging with the texts is important). You must engage with them

on a personal level. If you are able to respond to the texts by bringing in your own

knowledge and experiences, you will be able to have a better understanding of them.

Do discuss the texts with your teacher and friends. Do not be upset if your interpretation is

different from someone else‟s. Remember, no two people will have exactly the same

interpretations. What is important is that you should be able to prove your interpretations

with textual evidence

61

In The Midst of Hardship

At dawn they returned home their soaky clothes torn and approached the stove their limbs marked by scratches their legs full of wounds but on their brows there was not a sign of despair The whole day and night just passed they had to brave the horrendous flood

in the water all the time between bloated carcasses and tiny chips of tree barks desperately looking for their son‟s albino buffalo that was never found They were born amidst hardship and grew up without a sigh or a complaint now they are in the kitchen, making jokes while rolling their cigarette leaves

3.3 PRACTICES

3.3.1 Practice 1

SET A

1. Why were the clothes soaky when the family reached home?

……………………………………………………………………..……………………...(1 mark) 2. Why did they approach the stove?

……………………………………………………………………………………………...(1mark) 3. Which word in Stanza 2 shows the flood was horrible?

………………………………….………………………………………………………....(1 mark) 4. In your opinion what would you do if there is a flood?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....(2 marks)

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SET B 1. What does the flood signify?

……………………………………………………………………………………………..(1 mark) 2. What is the colour of the buffalo?

………………………………………………………….………………………………….(1 mark) 3. What does the phrase „without a sigh‟ in stanza 3 means?

……………………………………………….……………………………………………..(1 mark) 4. What should you do and not do during a flood? Should do……………………….……………………………………………………….. (1 mark) Should not do……………………………………………..…………………………......(1 mark)

SET C

1. How long were they away from their house?

……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark)

2. What do you think happened to the albino buffalo?

……………………………………………………….…………………………………….(1 mark)

3 What does the phrase „bloated carcasses‟ in Stanza 2 refer to?

…………………………………………………………………………………………….(1 mark)

4 Name two activities/projects the government should do to avoid floods?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………….……………………………. (2 marks)

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SET D

1. Why did the family wade through the flood waters?

…………………………………………………………………………………………… (1 mark)

2. If the albino buffalo had died in your opinion, how did it die?

…………………………………………………………………………..………………..(1 mark)

3. What does „there was not a sign of despair” in Stanza 1 mean?

……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark)

4. If your house is flooded , name one important document you would save

and give one reason for your answer.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………… (2 marks)

SET E

1. What is the main idea in Stanza 2?

………………………………………………………………………………………….. (1 mark)

2. What is the evidence to show that they are staying in a village?

………………………………………..………………………………………………… ( 1 mark)

3. Despite the flood, they were still happy. Give one line from the poem to show

their happiness.

………………………………………………..…………………………………………… (1 mark)

4. If you are the Prime Minister, name two things that you would do to curb the floods in the

village?

…………………………………………………….……………………………………(2 marks)

64

He Had Such Quiet Eyes

He had such quiet eyes She did not realise They were two pools of lies Layered with thinnest ice To her, those quiet eyes Were breathing desolate sighs Imploring her to be nice And to render him paradise If only she‟d been wise And had listened to the advice Never to compromise With pleasure-seeking guys She‟d be free from “the hows and whys” Now here‟s a bit of advice Be sure that nice really means nice Then you‟ll never be losing at dice Though you may lose your heart once or twice

3.3.2 Practice 2 SET A 1. Who is “he” in line 1 in stanza 1?

………………………………………………..………………………………………….( 1 mark) 2. What does the phrase „two pools of lies‟ as found in line 3 stanza 1 refer to?

…………………………………………………………………………………………….(1 mark)

3. Why was the man in Stanza 1 pleading to the woman to be nice?

…………………………………………………………..………………………………..(1 mark)

4. If you were the woman, what would you do to the man who had cheated you? Give one reason for your answer

………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………(2 marks)

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SET B

1. Why did the poet label the man‟s eyes as two pools of lies?

……………………………………………………………………….……………………..(1mark)

2. What did the man do to the woman? …………………………………………………………………………….………………(1 mark)

3. What is the theme of this poem? ………………………………………………………………………….…………………(1 mark)

4. Name two things that you would do to avoid from seeing somebody that you do not wish

to meet.

………………………………………………..…………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………….....( 2 marks)

SET C

1. What does the phrase „layered with thinnest ice‟ in 4 Stanza 1) mean? …………………………………………………………………………….…………….. (1 mark)

2. What did the woman not realise? ………………………………………………………………………….…………………(1 mark)

3. What is the message of this poem ? …………………………………………………………………………………………….( 1 mark)

4. Do you think the woman was foolish for not seeing through the man‟s motive? Give one reason for your answer. ……………………………………………………………………….………………….. (1 mark) …………………………………………………………………….………………………..(1 mark)

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SET D

1. What type of eyes does the man have?

…………………………..…..……………………………………………………………(1 mark) 2. Which line suggests that the woman was unaware of the man‟s intention? ………………………………………………………………….………………………….(1 mark) 3. What was the man‟s intention?

……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark)

4. Name two lessons that can be learnt from this poem

…………………………………….……………………………………………………………….. ………………………………………..………………………………………………….. (2 marks)

SET E

1. What advice was given to the woman in Stanza 2?

………………………………………………………………………………………… ( 1 mark)

2. Why do you think the woman fell for the man?

…………………………………………………….……………………………………. ( 1 mark)

3. What does „And to render him paradise” in Stanza 1 mean?

…………………………………………..……………………………………………….. (1 mark) 4. What kind of life partner do you want and why? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………….………… ( 2 marks)

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NATURE

We have neither Summer nor Winter

Neither Autumn nor Spring

We have instead the days

When the gold sun shines on the lush green canefields-

Magnificently

The days when the rain beats like bullets on the roofs

And there is no sound but the swish of water in the gullies

And trees struggling in the high Jamaica winds

Also there are the days when leaves fade from off guango trees

And the reaped canefields lie bare and fallow to the sun

But best of all there are the days when the mango and the logwood blossom

When bushes are full of the sound of bees and scent of honey

When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air,

When the buttercups have paved the earth with yellow stars

And beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone

3.3.3 Practice 3 Set A 1 Which line indicates that there are bright sunny days?

………………………………………………………………………..………………......(1 mark)

2 When it rains, where does the rain water usually flow into? ……………………………………………………………………………………………..(1 mark) 3 What is meant by the word „paved‟ used in the poem? ……………………………………………………………………………………………..(1 mark)

4 Would you like to visit Jamaica? Give a reason for you answer. …………………………………………………………………………………………...(2 marks)

Guango tree Buttercups

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Set B 1 What does the line „ reaped canefields lie bare and fallow‟ indicate? ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 2 Name one plantation crop mentioned in the poem. ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 3 What does the phrase „high Jamaican winds‟ signify / mean? ……………………………………………………………………………………………{1 mark}

4 Would you tell about your country to your foreign friends? Why? ……………………………………………………………………………………………{2 marks}

Set C

1 How do you know that the rain comes down in torrential showers?

…………………………………………………………………………………………….(1 mark)

2 Which word or phrase suggests that harvesting is over? ………………………………………………………………………………………….....(1 mark) 3 What does the phrase „yellow stars‟ refer to? ……………………………………………………………………………………………..(1 mark) 4 What is the best thing you can recommend to your friends about your country and why? …………………………………………………………………………………………….(2 marks)

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Set D 1 To whom is the poet referring when he uses „We‟? …………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 2 What does the movement of „struggling‟ of trees suggests the wind is doing? ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 3 What covered the ground after the rains have gone? ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 4 Will you migrate to Jamaica if you are offered and why? …………………………………………………………………………………………...(2 marks)

Set E 1 What are the weather conditions in Jamaica? ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 2 Which phrase suggests a „crop-free‟ land? …………………………………………………………………………………………….(1 mark) 3 What does the phrase And there is no sound…… indicate? ……………………………………………………………………………………………..(1 mark)

4 Do you agree that sunny days are better compared to rainy days? ……………………………………………………………………………………………..(1 mark)

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ARE YOU STILL PLAYING THE FLUTE?

Are you still playing the flute? When there is hardly time for our love I am feeling guilty To be longing for your song The melody concealed in the slim hollow of the bamboo Uncovered by the breath of an artist Composed by his fingers Blown by the wind To the depth of my heart, Are you still playing your flute? In the village so quiet and deserted Amidst the sick rice fields While here it has become a luxury To spend time watching the rain Gazing at the evening rays Collecting dew drops Or enjoying the fragrance of flowers, Are you still playing your flute? The more it disturbs my conscience to be thinking of you in the hazard of you my younger brothers unemployed and desperate my people disunited by politics my friend slaughtered mercilessly this world is too old and bleeding

3.3.4 Practice 4

Set A

1 To whom is the question „Are you still playing the flute‟ directed to? ……………………………………………………………………………………..……(1 mark ) 2 What is meant by the phrase „to the depth of my heart‟ in stanza 1? ……………………………………………………………………………………….……(1 mark) 3 Name at least two pleasurable pastimes in the countryside as mentioned in the poem. ………………………………………………………………………………………….…(1 mark)

4 Would you be happy living in the countryside? Give a reason for your answer. ……………………………………………………………………………………….…(2 marks)

http://zahuren.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/flute.jpg

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Set B

1 What has happened to the village? ……………………………………………………………………………………..……(1 mark)

2 Describe two activities that the persona misses in her present surroundings. ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 3 What does the „evening rays‟ in the second stanza refer to? ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 4 Do you enjoy watching the sunset? Why? …………………………………………………………………………………………...(2 marks)

Set C

1 What problems her brothers are facing? ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 2 What does the word „hazard‟ in the third stanza mean? ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 3 Activities such as watching the rain are said to be a luxury. What is the reason for this? ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 4 Would you play the flute to express your love to your beloved? Why? …………………………………………………………………………………………...(2 marks)

Set D 1 What is the atmosphere in the village? ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 2 What does the word „sick‟ in stanza 2 indicate? ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 3 Why are her people falling apart?

……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark)

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4 What would you do if you failed to get a good job? ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark)

Set E

1 Where does “here” refer to in stanza 2?

……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 2 The word „my‟ is repeated three times in stanza 3. What does this show? ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 3 Give one line from stanza 3 which explains the existence of violence. ……………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark) 4 Do you enjoy listening to music and why? …………………………………………………………………………………………...(2 marks

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Answer scheme In The Midst of Hardship SET A 1 due to the flood waters . 2 To cook a meal/ warm drink /to keep themselves warm 3 horrendous 4 Alert the authorities./ Help to carry things. (Accept any other reasonable answer) SET B 1 It signifies danger/hardship. 2 White 3 Without complaining/Accepting destiny 4 Should do – Follow authorities‟ orders Should not do – Do not Panic (Accept any reasonable answer SET C 1 One whole day and night. 2 It was missing. 3 Dead animals / swollen bodies of dead animals 4 Deepen rivers/Built dams (Accept any other reasonable answer) SET D 1 To look for the albino buffalo 2 It was drowned. 3 There was no sign of disappointment/regret/misery 4 My birth certificate because with that I can prove my citizenship. (Accept any other reasonable answer) SET E 1 Looking for a buffalo. 2 Having an albino buffalo 3 Jokes while rolling their cigarette leaves 4 Deepen rivers/ Have a good drainage system (Accept any other reasonable answers)

He Had Such Quiet Eyes

SET A 1 The (dishonest) man 2 The man‟s eyes 3 to satisfy him/to give him happiness 4 I”ll make a police report so that he can be arrested. (Any other acceptable answer)

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SET B 1 Because he used them to charm/cheat the woman. 2 He had compromised her/She had given in to him physically. 3 Appearance can deceive/Maintain your dignity/Take advice 4 I would not answer any of his/her telephone call. I would tell him/her straight on the face that I do not wish to see him/her again. (Accept any other reasonable answer) SET C 1 The evil eyes hidden under a thin ice so people cannot see that he is evil. 2 The man was deceitful/dishonest/seeking paradise. 3 We must not be deluded by looks or appearance./ Do not judge a book by its cover. 4 Yes, she was foolish and fell for the man‟s praises/flattery. No, the man was a very good actor/put on a very good act. (Accept any other reasonable answer) SET D 1 Quiet eyes/Deceitful eyes 2 She did not realize. 3 To have sexual pleasure/fun with the woman/to cheat her of her virtue 4 We should always be alert against any men who try to be nice. We should not trust people too easily. We should listen to advice given by people. (Accept any other reasonable answer) SET E 1 Never to compromise with pleasure-seeking guys 2 his quiet eyes were breathing desolate sighs. 3 She rendered him paradise/ She gave in to him physically 4 Honest. Because a very stable and long relationship can be established if we are

honest (Accept any other reasonable answer)

NATURE

Set A 1 The gold sun shines on lush green canefields 2 Gullies 3 covered 4 Yes, it has a weather like Malaysia

No, I don‟t like to travel

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Set B 1 Waiting to be ploughed 2 Sugar cane 3 The strength / power of winds 4 Yes, we have beautiful beaches

No, our weather is too hot Set C 1 The rain beat like bullets 2 Reaped/ lie bare and fallow 3 Buttercups 4 The food because we have a wide variety to choose from. Set D 1 The people of Jamaica 2 Shake violently 3 Buttercups 4 Yes, because the weather is similar to Malaysia

No because I will miss my family in Malaysia

Set E 1 lie bare and fallow 2 Sunny and rainy days 3 There is no activity and everyone is indoors 4 Yes I prefer rainy days because it will be much cooler

No, I don‟t prefer rainy days because my place is a flood-prone area ARE YOU STILL PLAYING THE FLUTE Set A 1 Beloved / the man playing the flute 2 touches he soul 3 One can watch the sun setting / the rain coming down / collecting dewdrops / smell the

fragrance of flowers (Accept any two)

4 Yes because I would be away from the rat-race and I love nature No because life will be boring and nothing much to do

Set B 1 The village is deserted and the paddy fields are not futile anymore 2 One can watch the sun setting / the rain coming down / collecting dewdrops / smell the

fragrance of flowers (Accept two) 3 sunset 4 Yes because I get mesmerised by it No because it is a waste of time Set C 1 Unemployed / jobless and desperate 2 endanger 3 Staying in town and no time to indulge in nature 4 Yes because playing the flute is very romantic No because playing the flute is rather old-fashioned

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Set D 1 It is desolate, quiet and deserted. The paddy fields are empty and almost abandoned 2 the rice field is barren 3 due to politics 4 I would not give up and try applying for a job outside the country

Set E 1 Town / Urban area 2 The persona cares for the people who are close to her 3 My friend slaughtered mercilessly / This world is too old and bleeding 4 Yes because it gives me peace of mind No because I find it rather irritating and disturbing

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4. Literature Component – Novel 4.1 Teacher‟s Notes

This novel section consists of 15 practices.

Drill students on how to identify the keywords in the questions.

Remind students to write their answers in paragraphs. They should present their answers in three parts - introduction, content and closing.

The following notes could help the students to understand „Catch Us If You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail better.

The Synopsis

Rory and his grandfather, Granda, have looked after each other since Rory‟s dad

walked out on them. Granda has lapses in memory (putting Rory‟s homework down

the rubbish chute and the rubbish in Rory‟s school bag) and completely irresponsible

behaviour (setting fire to his coat at a Parents‟ Evening), but he has a generous heart

and plenty of charm. Rory acts as his carer until there is a fire in the flat and the

authorities decide to separate them. However, Rory is determined that they will stay

together and they embark on an escape but with their faces on every television

screen and in every newspaper, this is not so easy. Their journey is full of surprises,

betrayals and unexpected friends as they attempt to evade the authorities and

eventually track down the man who walked out on them.

Plot Summary

Chapter 1

Readers are introduced to Rory and his Granda as they wait for Dr Nicol in the

waiting room. The doctor is concerned that Rory is too young to take care of his

grandfather. However, Rory is aware that there are only two of them in the family.

Chapter 2

Granda has a failing memory; always misplacing things. Rory has the sole

responsibility of taking care of Granda like buying him his lunch every day.

Chapter 3

Rory sacrifices some of the things he likes for Granda. He gives up football so that he

can be at home with his Granda. Rory‟s worry is that if Granda is put into Rachnadar,

they would be separated. Rory‟s dad had left them many years ago and Granda is

very disappointed with his son, not wanting to see him again.

78

Chapter 4

Granda is very popular with Rory‟s friends and meets Mrs. Foley for the first time.

Granda accidentally sets fire to his and Mrs. Foley‟s coats at the school‟s Parents‟

Night.

Chapter 5

Val Jessup, a social worker is assigned to take care of Granda and Rory. Darren‟s

mum and Mrs. Foley are both worried for Rory and are glad of the extra help they are

going to receive. However, Granda has a little accident in the flat and is taken to the

hospital.

Chapter 6

Granda has suffered from smoke inhalation and has to be hospitalised. Rory pleads

to the Big Man to make Granda wake up. Val Jessup is nervous to let Rory live in the

flat alone and drives him to the children‟s home at Castle Street.

Chapter 7

Rory goes to the home because he has no choice and he thinks that it will be for only

one night – till his granda is out of the hospital. Tess, a young inmate of the home,

terrifies Rory with her bad behaviour.

Chapter 8

Granda admits that he had forgotten that the chip pan was on the stove, hence the

fire in the flat. He tries to appease Rory by saying that he would get better soon.

However, he is upset that his grandson is in the Castle Street home.

Chapter 9

Although Rory loves his grandfather, he is slightly annoyed with him as well because

of the accident; he had landed himself in the hospital because of that and now Rory is

in a children‟s home. Rory goes back to the flat with Val and collects Granda‟s

medication. There, Rory realises that he wants to return home. Granda feels the

same too.

Chapter 10

Rory is given the idea that Mrs Foley might foster Rory. Rory goes to the hospital to

find that Granda is not there anymore.

Chapter 11

Granda has been shifted to Rachnadar. Val Jessup tells Rory that he is just a boy

and that he cannot take care of Granda anymore.

79

Chapter 12

Granda is very upset to be sent to the home and it breaks Rory‟s heart to see him cry.

At Castle Street, Rory fights with Tess. Rory becomes exasperated when Granda

retreats further and further into a shell while at Rachnadar and at school, the idea of

being fostered by Mrs Foley worries him. Life is certainly unpleasant in Castle Street

when Tess becomes increasingly uncontrollable. Rory decides that the only way is to

run away with Granda.

Chapter 13

The Great Escape. Darren offers the use of his mom‟s caravan and Rory plans the

escape with great detail. Granda relies on Rory to get out of Rachnadar.

Chapter 14

Granda is like a little boy, allowing him to be led; safe in the knowledge that Rory

would look after him. He is happy to be in the caravan and decides that he is indeed a

lucky man to deserve a boy like Rory. Rory has done all of these so that they could

be together. He realises that he would never let anyone separate them.

Chapter 15

Happy in the caravan, Granda recovers his old self.

Chapter 16

While fishing, they meet strangers and Granda is prejudiced when he calls them

“tinkers”. As Granda‟s health improves and both of them are happy, Darren sends

Rory a text message saying that the authorities are after them.

Chapter 17

Rory prepares Granda for another move away from the police but as they are moving

through the woods, the strangers whom they had met the day before, reach out and

help them.

Chapter 18

Rory has no choice and allows them to lead. They are taken to an older caravan

camp and Rory meets Tyrone and his family. Tyrone‟s mom responds that they have

helped them because it is Rory that they want to help.

Chapter 19

They are taken care of in Sammy‟s camp. There, they realise that they are the top

story on the Scottish news as a boy and his grandfather on the run. Apparently, the

authorities are worried about Granda whose health is a real concern. Granda decides

that he would rather die of cold and hunger as long as he is free.

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Chapter 20

Granda and Rory are worried that Sammy would get into trouble by helping them. But

Sammy insists that he did not kidnap them and that they are not escaped convicts.

Rory learns never to be judgemental of people.

Chapter 21

The runaways enjoy the birthday party in Sammy‟s brother‟s place. Ruby reads

Rory‟s future and predicts that he would meet people who would help him; some of

whom he would not be able to trust. He would certainly find what he is looking for but

would face terrible sadness before that.

Chapter 22

The public has mixed responses over Rory and Granda‟s running away. Ruby

indicates that people are taking sides about them, arguing about the rights and

wrongs of their case. Rory realises that they would have to be on the move again.

Sammy suggests that he drives them to Dundee so that they can take a train to

Glasgow to be with family friends who would provide them with shelter and time to

think.

Chapter 23

In the train, Rory realises that they have been recognised and they alight at an earlier

station. When Granda goes to the toilet, Rory is bullied by a youngster who

recognises him. Granda beats the latter with a bottle and decides that he will steal a

car to escape.

Chapter 24

Granda seems an expert at stealing cars and his driving scares Rory. They stop at

the lay by to have some rest.

Chapter 25

The runaways meet Rab when they stop to buy petrol. He offers them help.

Chapter 26

Rab says that he wants to help them because Rory and Granda are not criminals. He

allows them the use of his flat and seems kind and concerned. Though pale and tired,

Granda says that he is alright as long as he is with Rory. Rory prays for help because

he realises he needs someone to help him. Again TV newsflashes show that the

public is very much on their side and Rory gets to know that his Granda‟s son, his

father, has been traced to Liverpool.

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Chapter 27

The television news states that neither Rory nor his grandfather has attempted to

contact Jeff McIntosh in Liverpool. Rab encourages Rory to take his grandfather to

his son.

Chapter 28

Rab has a grand idea to make sure that they get to Liverpool. A whole line of people

are going to take them to Rory‟s dad and Granda comments that the world is indeed

wonderful after having experienced so much kindness.

Chapter 29

Annie drives them into England and leaves them with Norma and Nicola. The latter

admires Rory for what he has done. Granda agrees but his mood changes when he

finds out that they are going to his son in Liverpool.

Chapter 30

Granda refuses to go and for the first time Rory is frustrated. He had hoped that his

father would take over the responsibility of Granda but Granda thinks that it would

hurt Rory too much if his father would leave them again. Rory begins to hate his

father and Granda consoles him by saying that they have never needed him and that

they do not need him now. Nicola rings up to tell Rory that the police are coming and

that they would have to move on.

Chapter 31

It is the second escape; both of them run out into the dark. Granda is tired and they

both stop to rest and eventually sleep off at a stone bus shelter. Prior to that Granda

says that if he dies, he would die a happy man. On awakening, Rory is not able to

awaken his grandfather and is afraid that he may be dead.

Chapter 32

Rory runs for help and remembers Ruby‟s prophecy about the terrible sadness. Help

comes immediately and the police introduce him to his father.

Chapter 33

Granda is not dead. He is hospitalised and recovers eventually. Rory is reunited with

his dad and his family. He has two little sisters who endear themselves to Granda. His

dad asks to be given another chance to prove that he can be a good dad and a good

son again. Rory has found what he was looking for and realises that if anything

happens to his Granda he will not be alone again. He is thankful to all who have

helped them on their journey. He is very happy that he, Granda and his family are

together again.

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Characters

Granda

Rory‟s grandfather, also known as Mister McIntosh. Elderly, partially senile and never

quite well, with a tendency to forget what he is doing (never puts off his pipe properly

till it smoulders into flames). Loves his grandson dearly and cannot bear the thought

of being separated from him. Rises to the occasion when least expected to. Hurt by

his son‟s departure from the family and after his daughter-in-law‟s death, is dedicated

to taking care of Rory.

Rory

A young boy, still in school who is dedicated to taking care of his aging grandfather.

Shows determination and courage even in desperate situations (when the

grandfather is admitted in Rachnadar). Mature, he understands why his grandfather

refuses to meet his own father.

Val Jessup

A young and eager social worker who is responsible for Rory‟s well being.

Responsible, she is anxious that Granda receives his full pension benefits and

arranges for Rory to stay at the children‟s home in Castle Street.

Mrs Foley

Rory‟s teacher who is keenly aware of his inability to pass up his homework because

of his duty to care for his grandfather. She is very concerned when Granda is

admitted into the hospital and realises that Rory should not be in the children‟s home.

Darren

Rory‟s best friend in school who helps him to stay in the mother‟s caravan when

Granda is taken away from Rachnadar.

Jeff McIntosh

Rory‟s father. Reconciliates with his father and son when he sees them on television.

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Sammy, Ruby and Tyrone

The family that offers comfort and security knowing that if they did not, the police

would have taken Rory and his grandfather away.

Rab and his friends

Offer security and are keen for Rory and Granda to go to Liverpool to meet with

Rory‟s father.

Setting

Physical setting Social setting Atmosphere

Dr Nicol‟s clinic

Comfortable with the care and concern of Dr Nicol

Relaxed

Rory‟s school

Public school

Rory is terrified of Mrs. Foley. Helpful classmates – try to help Rory with his homework. Parents‟ Night.

Granda and Rory‟s flat

Flat owned by the Building Society

Despite Granda‟s forgetful antics, there is much love and understanding between the two.

Hospital

The nurses and a policewoman are kind to Rory but do not tell him Granda‟s real condition.

Rory is worried for his grandfather‟s health – the constant fear of death nags at him; he begs „Big Man‟ to „wake‟ Granda up from his sleep.

Children‟s home at Castle Street.

Temporary home for abandoned children who may be up for foster care.

„ grey , dead stone, crow step gables and even a turret …..an eerie silver light was cast against the building. Like something out of a ghost story.‟ Contrast between amiable boys and girls as well as aggressive Tess. Rory is miserable.

Rachnadar

„This is where they put old folk that nobody wants.‟

Granda is upset being there and it hurts Rory. „…..the shuffling old people with dead eyes pass up and down…‟

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Darren‟s mum‟s caravan

The caravan provided them with the comfort they had missed in the past few days.

„…dead secluded‟ but filled with basic necessities.

Tyrone‟s caravan

Similar to many other caravans in the campsite.

Warm and friendly. Smelling of spices; domestic and happy atmosphere.

Perth railway station

Rory is threatened and Granda attacks the young nasty boy; Granda is galvanised into action – decides that he will steal a car.

Gas station

It is comforting to know that Rory and Granda are among people who trust them and are willing to help.

Rab has recognised Rory and his Granda and is keen to help

The trip to Liverpool

The public, though worried for the responsibility that Rory has undertaken with the care of his grandfather, is very helpful in attempting to get Jeff McIntosh to meet his father and son.

Norma‟s house provided temporary relief. Granda is hurt and angry that he is actually being taken to Liverpool to meet his son / Rory‟s father.

Bus shelter

The bond between the two generations.

Granda is cold when he rests at the shelter after the escape from Norma‟s house, but tells Rory that he is willing to be anywhere as long as „they are together.‟ Rory is extremely afraid and shocked that he may be alone when he thinks his grandfather is dead.

Liverpool

The family is united „I‟d find what I was looking for.‟

Granda may accept his son eventually (despite the years of misunderstanding). Rory had found a family and would not be alone when Granda finally goes.

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Plot

Climax Rory is convinced that his Granda is dead when they

escape and rest at the stone bus shelter.

Exposition :

Readers are given a view of

Granda‟s and Rory‟s life.

Resolution:

Rory is reunited with his father.

He is happy that he now has a

family.

Granda is admitted to the hospital when he inhales

smoke during the fire in the flat. Rory is sent to the Children‟s home in

Castle Street.

Granda recovers in the hospital and meets his son

and family.

The Great Escape. Meets his father.

Running away from the authorities with the help of

caring individuals Rory runs for help. Intervention of the

authorities.

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Themes

Family and relationships

A journey of love and protection between a grandfather and his grandson.

Growing up/ Adolescence

Explores key issues that young boys of this age may confront as their characters are

shaped by relationships around them.

Bridging the generation gap

A young boy‟s love for his aging grandfather; it shows a young boy realizing that

someone he loves deeply may die.

Happiness

A grandfather and a grandson searching for happiness, defending their rights to stay

together

Nothing matters as long as they are happy because life is a quest for happiness.

Social and civic responsibilities

How society tries to intervene and help those who they think are unfairly treated or

who they think deserve a better treatment.

Social bias

How society is quick to decide what the aged and ailing as well as the young should

be treated.

Values

Family relationships and bonds must be appreciated and maintained.

Family relationships should be nurtured and not taken for granted.

Communication is an important feature among friends and family members.

Trust is a vital component in bridging generations.

Appearances may not be what they seem.

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Band Descriptor for Marking

RESPONSE (10 marks)

Score Band Descriptors

9 – 10

Response is relevant to the task specified and is well-supported with evidence from the text. Main and supporting ideas are relevant to the task specified. Ideas presented clearly, well-organized and easily understood.

7 – 8

Response is relevant to the task specified and is usually supported with evidence from the text. Main and supporting ideas are mostly relevant to the task specified. Ideas presented fairly clear, and easily understood.

5 – 6

Response is likely to be intermittently relevant to the task specified. The response is supported with some evidence from the text. Writing contains some ideas that are relevant to the task specified. ideas presented generally clear and can be understood.

3 – 4

Response may be barely relevant to the task specified. The response is unlikely to have textual support. Writing barely contains ideas that may be relevant to the task specified. Ideas presented may be difficult to understand.

0 – 2

Has barely understanding of the requirements of the task. Writes in a disorganized way. No coherence. Has no understanding of the task. Response provided in language other than English or no response.

LANGUAGE (5 marks)

Score Band Descriptors

5 Apart from occasional slips, language is always accurate. Sentence structure is varied. Punctuation is accurate. Spelling is secure.

4 Language is almost always secure. Unnoticeable serious errors may occur. Punctuation is accurate. Spelling is nearly always secure.

3

Language largely accurate. Simple structures tend to dominate. Noticeable serious errors may occur when complex structures are attempted. Punctuation is largely accurate. Spelling is mostly secure.

2

Meaning is not in doubt. Serious errors become more frequent. Very simple structures used but accuracy not sustained. Simple punctuation is usually correct. Spelling of simple words accurate. Irrelevant or distorted details destroy the sequence.

1 Heavy frequency of serious errors impedes reading. Fractured syntax is rampant. Punctuation falters. Spelling mostly inaccurate.

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Identify keywords in the question.

For introduction, state the title of the novel AND the author.

For content, o state ideas/ opinions with examples/ evidences from the novel o state as many ideas as possible

For closing, conclude by stating personal responses/ opinions.

Students may answer the question using present tense OR past tense. But, bear in mind they have to be consistent in using one form of tense throughout their responses.

4.3 PRACTICES 4.3.1 PRACTICE 1 Using details from the novel you have studied,

describe a close relationship between two characters

explain why you would consider them to be very close Support your answer with close reference to the text. GUIDELINES

Name the novel and the author that you have chosen

Choose and write the names of two characters from the story

Describe their close relationship

Explain why you would consider them to be very close SAMPLE ANSWER

In the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Catherine MacPhail, Rory McIntosh and his grandfather share an inseparable bond. According to Rory, they are “like a double act”. His father abandoned his mother and him, so when his mother died, he was taken care of by his grandparents. The death of his grandmother had left him with his grandfather. He called him „Granda‟ and Granda had looked after him all his life and now it was his turn to look after Granda. However both of them were incapable of looking after themselves because Granda was too old and sick while his grandson was too young to shoulder the responsibility of looking after himself and his forgetful and sometimes disorientated grandfather. Whatever the difficulties, Rory and Granda refused to be separated. Rory argued that sending Granda to a home would kill his grandfather and forcing him to stay in a children‟s home would be unbearable. That showed how close they were and how emotionally dependent they were on each other. Rory loved Granda so much that he was prepared to make a lot of sacrifices for the old man. He let go the chance to be in the school football team because he needed to look after Granda. He had to run home from school during lunch break to bring Granda lunch. On several occasions, Granda had unwittingly „lost‟ or „misplaced‟ Rory‟s homework and that had earned him the wrath of his teacher, Mrs Foley. Besides all these, he had to think of the little precautions to take to keep Granda out of harm. Still, he did not want to part with his Granda who would have been better off in an old folks‟ home. Granda felt the same also. The bond between the two was a special one. However, events took a decisive turn when Granda accidentally caused a fire in the kitchen of their flat. Granda was taken to hospital and then to Rachnadar, a home for the elderly. Rory ended up in Castle Street where he met the troubled Tess and fought with her.

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He was miserable there. Granda fared no better at the home. Rory felt that they had been cheated by his social worker, Val Jessup. He plotted on the run while the police launched a hunt for them. The news of the runway pair was everywhere on television but they managed to evade the police with the help from sympathizers along the way. They suffered a lot of discomfort while on the run and the old man‟s condition worsened but they seemed happy. Being together has become a source of strength to them. They were finally persuaded to go and see Rory‟s long-lost father, Jeff McIntosh, who had been traced to Liverpool as a result of the publicity. But before they could do this, Jeff came for them. They ended up together again, and this time in a flat near where Jeff and his new family lived. Jeff was finally ready to assume responsibility for his father and his son. Rory and Granda were inseparable. It looked as if only death could separate them. Nothing mattered as long as they were together. 4.3.2 PRACTICE 2 Using details from the novel you have studied, write on the theme of happiness. Use evidence from the text to support your answer. GUIDELINES


Choose evidence from the novel which relate to the theme of happiness

State the characters

Explain what the characters do to be happy SAMPLE ANSWER In the novel „Catch Us If You Can‟, Rory McIntosh has been living with his grandfather since he was a young boy. On the surface, this arrangement such as theirs cannot be a happy one because Granda is old and sick while he is too young to be able to look after himself, let alone his forgetful and sometimes disorientated grandfather. Granda would have been better off at Rachnadar, a home for the aged where his needs will be taken care of by professionals and Rory would have been able to lead a more normal life at Castle Street Children‟s Home. But they refuse to be separated. Despite the difficulties, they are happy together. In their own obstinate way, they are guarding their right to be together and be happy. However, when Granda causes a fire in their flat, the social worker assigned to them takes Granda to Rachnadar while Rory goes to the Castle Street home. Rory is upset and so is Granda. Rory believes the home is killing his Granda. Then, Rory decides to run away from the home, „rescue‟ his Granda from Rachnadar and they would run away from all these meddling people. They are on the run for several weeks and the television is full of news about them. A massive search is launched for them. Ironically, while on the run, they experience some of the happiest moments of their lives, with the help of sympathizers like Darren, his best friend who steals his mother‟s caravan key to let them hide temporarily, Sammy and Ruby who shelter them when the police close in on them. Then, there are the sympathetic petrol station operator, Rab and his girlfriend, Annie. Their run comes to an end when Granda becomes ill and causes concern to Norma, Annie‟s cousin who is helping them to get to Liverpool to find Rory‟s father. She calls the police. All‟s well that ends well when McIntosh‟s long-lost son, Jeff, who is also Rory‟s father comes for them. He is ready to assume his responsibility as a son and father. Rory and Granda are basically searching for happiness whether as a stubborn pair fiercely defending their rights to stay together in the flat in the face of insurmountable problems or whether as runaways, oblivious to the frenzy they are causing through their

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actions. They sincerely believe that they are looking for happiness. After all, nothing matters as long as they are happy because life is a quest for happiness. 4.3.3 PRACTICE 3

Using details from the novel you have studied, discuss whether you agree with the statement above. Give reasons for your answer. Use evidence from the text to support your answer. GUIDELINES

Read and understand the statement given


Explain how the title suits the story

Use evidence from the novel to support your answer SAMPLE ANSWER The title of the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Catherine MacPhail is simple and catchy that suits the novel perfectly because it captures the actions of a grandfather and a grandson who cause a frenzy when the police launch a massive search for them. The grandfather has run away from an old folks‟ home he hates and the grandson has escaped from a horrible children‟s home. The title has the semblance of a challenge to the people tracking down the pair. It sounds cheeky, insolent and child-like and it reflects the character of the runaway pair. The grandfather, suffering from age-related ailments can be childish and does not realize the implications of what he has done. In his pursuit, he has caused bodily harm to a youngster who recognizes his grandson, Rory, from the news on television and wants to turn them in. Then, he steals a car to get away. All these can be considered criminal but he is happily nonchalant or ignorant of all the legal implications. His grandson and accomplice, Rory, is a child who knows no better. The expression „If You Can‟ is not only tongue-in-cheek, but also suggests that tracking them down can be difficult. One would think it would be easy to catch them but it is not. Although what they are doing is unbelievably crazy, they have earned the sympathy of many people along the way and this has helped them to evade the police for so long. First, Darren, Rory‟s best friend, plans the first lap for them when he steals his mother‟s caravan key for them to hide out while they think of a better plan after they leave the homes. Then, they meet Sammy and Ruby who offer them help as the police are closing in on them. Next, there is Rab at the petrol station who gives them a respite and convinces them that they should go and find Jeff McIntosh, Rory‟s father, in Liverpool because it is time for him to do something „in his whole useless life‟. After that, there is Annie, Rab‟s girlfriend, who hands them over to her cousin, Norma. Norma finally brings the whole saga to an end when she decides to call the police because she can see that the old man really needs medical help. The title suits the story perfectly because it is a story about a grandfather and a grandson on the run. It is also a reflection of what the story is – the police are not looking for regular criminals but just two ordinary people whom the police do not want to apprehend but to protect and keep out of harm.

“The title suits the story perfectly”

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4.3.4 PRACTICE 4 Using the details of the novel you have studied.

describe a decision made by any one character in the novel

do you think the decision was a wise one? Support your answer with evidence from the novel. GUIDELINES


Choose a character from the story

State the decision made by the character you have chosen

Give your opinion whether the decision made by the character you have chosen was a wise one

Use evidence from the novel to support your answer SAMPLE ANSWER In the novel „Catch Us If You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, I would choose the decision made by Rory, when he decided to get Granda out of Rachnadar and run away. After the death of his mother, Rory lived with his grandparents. When his grandmother died, his grandfather, whom he called Granda, looked after him. Rory and Granda were very close to each other that they had become inseparable. When Granda became sick and his memory began to fail, it was Rory‟s turn to look after Granda. One day, Granda accidentally set fire to their flat. This brought the authorities to step in. Finding Granda and Rory incapable of taking care of each other, they sent Granda to an old folks‟ home, while Rory was sent to a children‟s home in Castle Street. The authorities had no choice but to do this for the safety of both Granda and Rory. Granda might pose a danger not only to himself and Rory but to those around him. Rory felt he was wrongly torn away from his Granda. Furthermore, Rory knew that Granda hated being in Rachnadar, the old folks‟ home, and Rory himself hated it in Castle Street. So he made the decision to run away with Granda so they could be together. I can understand Rory‟s position but I do not see it as a wise decision. In the first place, he was too young to make a huge decision like this. At his age, he should have thought about school. He should realize that he was incapable of taking care of his old and sick grandfather. Granda was too old and frail to go on such a challenging and demanding journey. Moreover, Granda needed his pills to sustain him. Besides, Rory did not know where he was going to. Where could they go when they had no place and no one to care for them? Rory, too, asked himself the question whether it was a wise decision. People may say that those who love each other must stay together but this is based only on emotion. I think Rory made the decision because he had no one else in his life. It was not only because he loved Granda so much, but also because he did not know how to live without his Granda because all this while, Granda was always there for him.

To make decisions, we must be objective. We must think rationally. Seeing the unpredictability of things and the health condition of Granda, and Rory‟s immaturity, I strongly feel that Rory made an unwise decision in running away.

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4.3.5 PRACTICE 5 Using details from the novel you have studied, write on the theme of forgiveness OR reconciliation. Support your answer with close reference to the text. GUIDELINES


State the characters

Choose the events from the novel which highlight the theme of forgiveness or reconciliation

Explain what the characters do to show forgiveness

Support your answer with evidence from the novel SAMPLE ANSWER In Catherine MacPhail‟s „Catch Us If You Can‟, Rory has been cared for by his grandfather whom he calls Granda for as long as he remembers. According to Granda, his own father was a spoilt brat of a boy; just mentioning him would make Granda angry. He grew up to be someone who did not appreciate what he got and left Rory‟s mother who later died of heartbreak. And that was when the senior McIntosh decided to cut all ties with his son. He is adamant that the only son he had is Rory and he can very well take care of the boy. The irony of the situation is, Rory has been looking after his Granda who is not well and needs medications for all sorts of ailments. As a result, Rory has to look after him, take him to the doctor, prepare his lunch and make sure he takes his medicines – all too big a responsibility for a young boy like him. Despite the difficulties, both Rory and Granda refuse to be separated, as any solution would entail sending the old man to a nursing home and the boy, a children‟s home. However, after Granda accidentally sets fire in their flat, he is sent to Rachnadar, an old folks‟ home and Rory to the children‟s home in Castle Street. They cannot bear being separated. Rory takes Granda out from the home and both go on a run. Soon, the police is looking for them. News about them appears on the media. Rory and Granda manage to evade the police because they get help from people who sympathize with them along their journey. Investigations reveal that Rory‟s father, Jeff Mcintosh is in Liverpool and they are advised to go and see him. While on their way to Liverpool, Granda becomes too sick. The police is informed by one of the people who helps them, Norma, who feels that the old man needs immediate help. Jeff, with the help of the authorities, arrives to take his father and his son with him. Both father and son are reconciled and Rory finds his long-lost father. Jeff is ready to take on his responsibilities as a son to his father, Granda, and as a father to his son, Rory.

The story ends with a reconciliation between the ageing and ailing father and the son he has vowed to disown, Jeff. As for Rory, it is a happy reunion with the father he has never known.

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4.3.6 PRACTICE 6 From the novel you have studied, what is the most important lesson you have learnt? Support your answer with close reference to the text. GUIDELINES


Think of a lesson you have learnt after reading the novel

State the characters and the hardships they go through that have an impact on you

Explain how the story affects you

Use evidence from the novel to support your answer SAMPLE ANSWER

From the novel „Catch Us If You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, an important lesson I learnt is to be persistent and determined when facing challenges. Often, persistence leads to better results than losing hope easily. Two characters in the novel, Rory and Granda, handled challenges with determination. Rory knew that he must be strong and determined in order to withstand the rigours of the escape. There was never a time he felt like giving up and turning in to the police. It was the strong sense of perseverance that helped him bear all the hardships. It was the same with Granda. When things got difficult, he was even more persevering even though it was hard for a man his age to be on the run. He knew he needed to be strong so that he could be together with Rory. The escape got very arduous and tough at times. The police were always after Rory and Granda. There was a wide TV coverage on them. But Rory and Granda were determined to pull through. They knew they would be together and not be separated as long as they continued to run. From the way they went through their escape, I learn that challenges should be dealt with determination. One must not easily give up hope and accept defeat. As long as one has the chance, one must keep on going till success is met. 4.3.7 PRACTICE 7 The characters in novels often face problems. Some solve their problems but some do not. Using information from the novel you have studied, show how

one character solves his/ her problems

one who does not solve his/ her problems Support your answer with close reference to the text. GUIDELINES


Choose a character, state his/her problems

Explain how the character solves his/ her problems

Choose another character and state his/ her problems

Explain why the character fails to solve his/her problems

Suggest what the character should do to solve his/ her problems

Use evidence from the novel to support your answer

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SAMPLE ANSWER It is true that characters in novels often face problems. Some manage to solve their problems but some do not. In Catherine MacPhail‟s „Catch Us If You Can‟, a character who manages to solve his problem is Rory. His apartment is burnt down due to Granda‟s carelessness. He is then forced to part with his Granda. He is sent to stay at the children‟s home in Castle Street, and Granda is sent to the old folks‟ home in Rachnadar. Being very close to Granda, Rory can see that Granda is miserable at the home. Rory can sense that Granda has lost interest in everything and it breaks Rory‟s heart to see Granda like that. So, Rory comes up with a plan to run away with Granda. He knows, by doing so, he can always be together with Granda. As long as they are on the run, they will be together. It can only be for a few days or a couple of weeks, but to Rory and Granda, their time together is precious. On the other hand, Tess, a girl whom Rory meets at the children‟s home, fails to solve her problems. She has a sad life. Her mother is in prison and all her relatives reject her. Being homeless and unwanted, she is sent to Castle Street. Instead of making the best of her life there, she worsens it by becoming a bitter, angry and violent person. Her violent outbursts become so bad that she loses control of herself and her actions. She injures others, making them keep away from her. She fails to make friends and so, remains lonely and friendless. She cannot overcome her loneliness and sense of rejection. If she had chosen to be more positive, she would probably have made some friends who can help her instead of feeling rejected and unloved. 4.3.8 PRACTICE 8 From the novel you have studied, write about an important moral value you have learnt. Support your answer with close reference to the text. GUIDELINES


State an important moral value you have learnt after reading the novel

State the characters and the events where the moral value you have learnt is emphasized

Use evidence from the novel to support your answer SAMPLE ANSWER From the novel „Catch Us If You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, an important moral value I have learnt is that family relationships should be nurtured and not taken for granted. Granda looked after Rory after Rory‟s father walked out on them. Since Granda was old and forgetful, Rory took it upon himself to look after Granda. Nobody forced or told him to do it but Rory felt it was the right thing to do. He was willing to forego things that teenage boys should be doing. He did all the household chores, made sure Granda took his medication and had his meals. He even kept Granda‟s pipe to make sure there wasn‟t any untoward incidents. Granda and Rory did not take their relationship for granted. Granda, on several occasions, had expressed appreciation to Rory for always being there for him while Rory felt proud to have Granda as his grandfather. Rory was protective and defensive of Granda. They nurtured their relationship right up to the end even when they had a family, Jeff and Karen.

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Sammy, Ruby and Tyrone also showed a strong family relationship. Sammy and Ruby were free and easy but respectful with each other. Ruby would tease Sammy and vice versa. But, when it came to making decisions, Ruby left it to Sammy, showing him respect as the head of the family. Tyrone was respectful and obedient to his parents, Sammy and Ruby. All in all, I have learnt from the novel that family relationship should be nurtured and not taken for granted as family happiness and stability depend on this positive attitude. 4.3.9 PRACTICE 9 From the novel you have studied, write about the plot of the story and state what you think of the plot. Support your answer with close reference to the text. GUIDELINES


State the main characters and the important events in the story

Give a brief summary of the story

Give your opinion of the plot of the story SAMPLE ANSWER Catherine MacPhail‟s novel „Catch Us If You Can‟ revolves around a teenager, Rory, and his grandfather whom he calls Granda. Rory and Granda are on an escape adventure from their hometown to Liverpool because they do not want to be separated from each other. They have cared for and looked after each other for a long time and with Granda getting on in years and becoming forgetful, Rory takes over the responsibility of looking after Granda on his own initiatives. One day, when their flat caught fire due to Granda‟s carelessness, both Rory and Granda are placed in a children‟s home and an old folks‟ home respectively. Granda is badly affected as he becomes withdrawn and lost. Rory knows that Granda is slowly dying in Rachnadar, so he decides to run away with Granda. Rory and Granda make the great escape but with no destination in mind. They only want to be free and to be together. They spend a few happy carefree days at the caravan site. When the police catch up with them, Rory and Granda are helped by Sammy who gives them shelter. Their journey is a struggle to stay free. Strangers help them all the way, giving them shelter and making safe plans for them. Rory has doubts about whether he is doing the right thing. All doubts are dispelled as Granda looks happy even when he is exhausted. Eventually, Rory decides they would travel south to Liverpool and look for his father, Jeff McIntosh. Granda objects and rages about this when he realizes what Rory‟s plans are. The climax of the story is when Granda almost loses his life in the cold bus shelter. After that, they end up in Liverpool. It is a happy ending as they meet up with Jeff and become a family again. The plot runs in chronological order. The reader can follow Rory and Granda‟s interesting and sometimes heartbreaking journey from their hometown to their final destination. Rory as the narrator projects a solid account of their thoughts, feelings and gives good descriptions of the setting. The approach makes it easy for the reader to understand and appreciate the story. I think the plot is simple and relevant to our society where young people tend to forget their obligations to the old.

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4.3.10 PRACTICE 10 Who is the most interesting character in the novel that you have studied? Give reasons to support your answer. GUIDELINES

Name the novel and the author that you have chosen.

Name the character that you consider interesting.

Explain the role of the character in the novel.

Give evidence from the novel to support your comments.

State your opinion again. SAMPLE ANSWER

In the novel „Catch Us if You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, I think Granda is the most interesting character in the book. Reading through the novel, I found out that he was a caring and kind grandfather to Rory. The fact that Rory was to return the favours implies that Granda must have been a good man and good grandfather. His love for Rory is absolute. Also, Granda finds it hard to bear that Rory has to be in a home and wants to get out of hospital to take Rory home. This shows how much he cares for Rory.

Granda is also a charmer. It is because he easily compliments others especially women not only for the looks but also for their talents as he praises Ruby for her cooking. All the times he remains the perfect gentleman, like opening the door for the young mother at the clinic.

Other than that, he is quite a fascinating character. He knows a lot about films and film stars. His love for movie stars makes him even name his son and grandson after some film heroes of his time. Also, he loves singing and has no inhibitions about singing some old songs, however badly, in front of others. With all the above, I believe that Granda must be an interesting and remarkable man. 4.3.11 PRACTICE 11 Based on the novel that you have read, write about an incident that changes the life of a character in the story. Give evidence from the novel that you have studied. GUIDELINES

Name of the novel and the author you have chosen.

State the incident you have chosen.

Give reasons why you think this incident changes the life of the character.

State your opinion again on the importance of the incident to the life of the character. SAMPLE ANSWER

In the novel „Catch Us if You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, an incident that changes the life of the character is the great escape that Rory and Granda undertake. Rory decided to run away from the town he lived in after taking his Granda out of the local old folks‟ home. The escape took them to many places and they met many different people who helped them on their journey. Rory learnt valuable life lessons from meeting all the different

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people. From the travelers, he learnt about compassion and kindness. From Rab, Annie and Norma, he learnt about people who offered help sincerely and treated them kindly.

Also, Rory‟s life would never be the same again. It was because, his father turned up to help him and Granda. Finally he had a father, a stepmother and two adorable stepsisters. He had a family and that was a life-changing moment from him.

Rory was worried about his Granda earlier but then he didn‟t have to. It was because things started to fall into places for him. Certain services provided for the elderly made life better for him and Granda. The escape exposed some of the problems that the elderly and their caretakers faced in the course of their daily life.

With all the above, I believe that all those changes would not have taken place if not for the great escape. 4.3.12 PRACTICE 12 Using the details of the novel you have studied,

Write about the moral value that has impressed you the most.

Give evidence from the text to support your answer. GUIDELINES


Name the moral value that you have learnt.

Give examples from the novel to support your answer.

State your opinion again SAMPLE ANSWER In the novel „Catch Us if You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, I learn about compassion for fellow human beings. Many characters exhibit compassion for each other and act in a kind manner because of their compassionate nature. Rory and Granda care for each other and there is compassion in their actions. For example, Rory cares for his grandfather‟s well-being. For instance, he makes sure his Granda takes his medicine. Moreover, he always rushes home from school to ensure Granda takes his lunch. Moreover, Rory protects his Granda from anything he considers bad, offensive or dangerous. Rory even keeps Granda‟s pipe to make sure there isn‟t any untoward incidents. Granda tries his best to help Rory and unfortunately makes mistakes, but there is still compassion. He strongly says that no grandson of his is going to a home for as long as he is around.

In addition, Dr Nicol insists that Granda and Rory get a home help. This is because he believes that Granda and Rory are not capable of taking care of each other. Val Jessup, the social worker, also shows compassion. She shows enthusiasm to help Rory and Granda. When they are on the run, Val Jessup pleads on television for Rory and Granda to come home. The police and the nurse also act compassionately towards Granda and Rory. They are affected by the dilemma of an ageing man who is so dependent on a young boy and therefore do what they think is the best.

Besides, Darren, Rory‟s close friend offers his mum‟s caravan to them because he cares for Rory and Granda. He warns them about the arrival of the police. With all the above, I believe that we must be compassionate to people. This quality keeps us humane and make the world appear kinder and the troubles bearable.

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4.3.13 PRACTICE 13 In the novel you have studied

Pick any one decision in the novel made by someone or some party that you disagree

Explain why you disagree. Support your answer with evidence from the novel. GUIDELINES


State the decision.

Give reasons why you disagree with the decision.

State your opinion again. SAMPLE ANSWER

In the novel „Catch Us if You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, there is one decision in the novel that I disagree with. It is the one taken by the government to separate both Rory and his grandfather. Rory and Granda are very close and each depends on the other for love and comfort. They are family, a “double act” and one cannot survive without the other. When Granda accidently starts a fire in the flat, the State makes a decision to put him in a home because he may endanger himself and others. I was so mad with the State.

I can understand that the State has the interest of Rory and Granda at heart when it makes this decision. But, what makes me disagree is that it regards them as only a “case” on which it needs to act, not as people with feelings. It is because each citizen has a right to run his or her life the way he or she wants to without outside interference. Unfortunately, it did not happen that way.

In addition, no discussion has been held with Rory and Granda how best to solve the problem. When the two run away, however, the police go after them as if they are criminals. As a person interviewed on a television rightly said, the police are wasting their time hunting down an old man and a young boy instead of chasing criminals and fighting the gun culture. The way the State tackled the situation pissed me off. As a conclusion, people should be treated with greater respect and compassion and not like “cases” to be solved. 4.3.14 PRACTICE 14 “Faith in the God is essential”. Using the evidence from the novel, explain how this is shown in the novel you have studied. Support your answer with close reference to the text. GUIDELINES


State the character who conveys this message.

Give examples from the story to support your answer.

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SAMPLE ANSWER In the novel „Catch Us if You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, “Faith in God is Essential” is one of the messages in the story. Rory‟s prayers are in the form of warm and friendly conversations with God, which he addresses as „The Big Man‟. Rory is a character who has faith in God. Rory promises to be good and do good things if „The Big Man‟ would make Granda wake up when he sees his grandfather‟s face pale, his mouth open and he is hardly breathing.

In addition, Rory believes that „The Big Man‟ wanted him to escape as things go smoothly. Rory promises to collect money for the Salvation Army if „The Big Man‟ keeps Granda safe. Rory tells „The Big Man‟ that they both are having great time and Granda is no trouble at all.

The other evidence that resembles Rory as a person who has faith in God is when he and his grandfather did not crash since Granda cannot drive well. Due to that, he believes that „The Big Man‟ is looking after him. As a conclusion, prayers play a vital role in keeping Rory‟s spirit up and prove that faith is essential in life. 4.3.15 PRACTICE 15 “Love, compassion and family relationship are important in one‟s life.” Using the evidence from the text, explain how this is true. Support your answer with close reference from the text. GUIDELINES


Discuss the different aspects of love.

Give your views with examples from the text. SAMPLE ANSWER Catherine MacPhail put the elements of love, compassion and family relationship in her novel, „Catch Us if You Can‟. From the beginning to the end of the story, those three elements hold the story together. The love between generations shows that love is continuous and never ending. For example, Rory‟s love for his Granda is unconditional and vice versa. He is ready to sacrifice anything so that he remains united with his grandfather. The grandfather, in turn, has devoted his life to bring up the child from birth and his whole life revolves around him.

Love in a family and the power of love among family members are also portrayed in this story. For example, Sammy, his wife, Ruby and son Tyrone portray a warm and loving family. Besides that, Bernie, his wife and daughter are equally warm-hearted and helpful. Rab and Annie are loving and caring too.

Love and respect among Rory‟s friends also keep him from troubles. They look upon Granda with great affection. Darren, the one who is the weakest in the class, shows much compassion for Rory and helps him as much as he can. Mrs. Foley also shows sincere, love and care for Rory. She shows her concern towards Rory when Granda is admitted into the hospital. She realizes that Rory should not be in the children‟s home.

As a conclusion, the concept of the elements of love, compassion and family relationship bring beauty to the story.

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5. Continuous Writing

This section should offer some tips for teachers to guide their students to produce better

essays. Students are to revise on the areas mentioned and work on the practices provided in

each area to help them to write essays of superb quality.

Areas of Focus:

Developing students‟ writing skills is a challenging task. There are many aspects that should

be developed and enhanced. However, more emphasis should be given to develop students‟

language accuracy. This module suggests their language quality could be improved through

sufficient practices of sentence construction, error identification and vocabulary enrichment.

It is also recommended that students are given practices that would develop their ideas

smoothly and convincingly. All these practices are presented under the following sub-

headings:

5.1. Accuracy in Language

5.2 Vocabulary Enrichment

5.3 Varied Sentence Structures

5.4 Generation and Development of Ideas

5.1 Accuracy in Language

5.1.1 Parts of Speech

Purpose: To enrich students‟ language and vocabulary by exposing them to different parts of

speech namely noun, verb, adjective and adverb.

Instructions:

1. Revise subject-verb agreement and parts of speech with your teacher. Focus on how each part of speech should be used.

2. Construct a sentence based on each of the words below.

Teacher‟s notes:

1. Suggestion: No. 1-7 done in groups, No. 8-14 done in pairs and No. 15-21 done individually.

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2. Error identification and correction activities should be done either through class discussion, peer correction or self-correction.

No. Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

1 Activity Activate Active Actively

2 Arrangement Arrange Arranged -

3 Beauty Beautify Beautiful Beautifully

4 Bravery Brave Brave Bravely

5 Care Care Careful Carefully

6 Collection Collect Collective Collectively

7 Colour Colour Colourful Colourfully

8 Comfort Comfort Comfortable Comfortably

9 Confusion Confuse Confused -

10 Creation Create Creative Creatively

11 Development Develop Developed -

12 Diligence - Diligent Diligently

13 Generosity - Generous Generously

14 Goodness - Good Well

15 Peace - Peaceful Peacefully

16 Persuasion Persuade Persuasive Persuasively

17 Protection Protect Protective Protectively

18 Respect Respect Respected Respectfully

19 Success Succeed Successful Successfully

20 Sympathy Sympathise Sympathetic Symphathetically

21 Width Widen Wide Widely

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5.1.2 Different Forms of Past Tense Verbs

Purpose: To use different past tense verbs accurately and promote better language accuracy

in narrative essays.

Instructions:

1. Revise subject-verb- agreement, simple past tense, past perfect tense, past continuous tense and passive verbs (past) with your teacher.

2. Ensure you get the correct meaning of the verbs below before you construct sentences.

Teacher‟s note:

1. Suggestion: Practices 1-7 done in groups, Practices 8-14 done in pairs and Practices 15-21 done individually.

2. Identifying and correcting errors can be done either individually, in pairs, in groups or even as a class discussion.

3. Extra practices should be given to consolidate students‟ mastery of past tense verbs.

Practice 1

1. was taken 2. had taken 3. took 4. were taking

Practice 2

1. changed 2. was changing 3. were changed 4. had changed

Practice 3

1. were calling 2. was called 3. had called 4. called

Practice 4

1. wrote 2. were writing 3. was written 4. had written

Practice 5

1. was bought 2. had bought 3. bought 4. were buying

Practice 6

1. ate 2. was eaten 3. were eating 4. had eaten

Practice 7

1. were planning 2. had planned 3. was planned 4. planned

Practice 8

1. sent 2. were sending 3. had sent 4. were sent

Practice 9

1. was visiting 2. visited 3. were visited 4. had visited

Practice 10

1. sang 2. were singing 3. was sung 4. had sung

Practice 11

1. had helped 2. was helped 3. were helping 4. helped

Practice 12

1. was showing 2. were shown 3. had shown 4. showed

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Practice 13

1. cooked 2. had cooked 3. was cooked 4. were cooking

Practice 14

1. punished 2. were punished 3. had punished 4. was punishing

Practice 15

1. was driven 2. was driving 3. drove 4. had driven

Practice 16

1. read 2. had read 3. were reading 4. was read

Practice 17

1. prepared 2. were prepared 3. was preparing 4. had prepared

Practice 18

1. donated 2. was donated 3. were donating 4. had donated

Practice 19

1. announced 2. had announced 3. were announced 4. was announcing

Practice 20

1. were giving 2. was given 3. had given 4. gave

Practice 21

1. were cut 2. had cut 3. cut 4. was cutting

5.1.3 Common Errors

Purpose: To ensure that students do not make common errors in their writing and

to enable students to get a better score in their essays by making zero % of these errors.

Instructions:

Revise the six types of common errors most students make and try to avoid making these

types of errors each time you write.

Teacher‟s notes:

Students should be trained to spot these six types of common errors in their own essays as

well as in their friends‟ essays. Good students can be trained to be facilitators in a workshop

to help other students to eliminate these six types of errors from their essays (by using EE)

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EE Programme (Eliminating Errors)

1. TYPE 1 - Subject-Verb Agreement (sv)

Correct Examples Common Mistakes Corrected Version

He goes……. She do….X She does…

It makes….. It take….X It takes….

The man speaks…. The girl say…X The girl says…

The activity is… The activities is…… X The activities are…..

The programme has……. The campaign have…..X The campaign has…

The students are…. The boys plays….X The boys play…

The girls sing…. The flowers blooms…X The flowers bloom….

2. TYPE 2 – Root Word (rw)

Correct Examples for Infinitives

(Root Word is used after “to” )

Common Mistakes Corrected Version

…to go… …to gone….X …to go…

…to speak… …to went….X …to go…

…to swim… …to speaking….X …to speak…

…to run…. …to played.…X …to play…

…to jump… …to sees….X …to see…

Correct Examples for Modals

(Root Word is used after “will, may,

would, might, shall, should, can,

could..)


…can run… ..can saw….X …can see…

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…may carry… ..will left…X …will leave…

…could see…. ..may taken…X …may take…

…will leave…. ..should done….X …should do…..

3. TYPE 3 – Spelling (sp)

Common Mistakes Corrected version

…goverment….X …government…

…suprised…X …surprised

...futhermore…X …furthermore

…dissappointment…X …disappointment

…enviroment…X …environment

4. TYPE 4– Past participle (pp)

Use pp in Perfect Tense ( has…,have…., had….)


…has took…X …has taken…

…have threw…X …have thrown…

…had think…X …had thought…

…has went…X …has gone…

Use pp in Passive Form (is…., are…., was…, were…., will be…., …. has been….)


The book is took…..X The book is taken to the class.

The ball was kick…..X The ball was kicked into the goal.

His friends were punish….X His friends were punished…

The food has been ate…..X The food has been eaten…

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5. TYPE 5 – Tenses (T)


He walks along the road and saw his friend. X

He walks along the road and sees his friend. (-if you intend to write using the Present tense) Or

He walked along the road and saw his friend. (-if you are using the Past tense)

The activities were interesting . They enjoy themselves.

The activities are interesting . They enjoy themselves. (-if you intend to write using the Present tense) Or

The activities were interesting . They enjoyed themselves. (-if you are using the Past tense)

Note* - Decide on whether you wish to write on a past event or a present situation.

Remember the tense you use each time you write and be consistent with it.

6. TYPE 6 – Plural/ Singular Nouns (pl/s)


….an activities…X …an activity…..

….a students….X ….a student……

….many incident….X …many incidents…..

….a lot of homeworks…X …a lot of homework….

….many works….X ….much work…..

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5.2 Vocabulary Enrichment

The use of a wide range of vocabulary is essential to give the essay some added

flavour - the “oomph” effect.

5.2.1 Using Sophisticated Adjectives (Applying VENESSA)

Purpose: To widen students‟ vocabulary in narrative essays especially the sophisticated

adjectives.

Instructions:

1. Read and understand the VENESSA word-list below (1.1 – 1.6) 2. Attempt to memorise as many sophisticated adjectives as possible. 3. Complete all the practices given to help you apply VENESSA in your essays.

Teacher‟s notes:

1. Teachers play a crucial role in ensuring students‟ understanding of the sophisticated adjectives.

2. Some students may not be committed in memorising the sophisticated adjectives. So, teachers‟ monitoring and motivational words are essential.

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VOCABULARY ENRICHMENT IN NARRATIVE ESSAYS (VENESSA)

To describe places

No. Common

adjective

Sample sentence Sophisticated

adjective

1 Attractive The interior design of her bedroom was

attractive.

stunning

2 Beautiful The scenery was beautiful. spectacular

3 Big We spent six hours at the big shopping mall. colossal

4 Busy We left the busy town after lunch. bustling

5 Clean The beach was clean. pristine

6 Clear The sea was clear. crystalline

7 Cloudy The sky was cloudy. sunless

8 Colourful The buildings were colourful. resplendent

9 Cool The wind from the mountain was cool. breezy

10 Crowded The stadium was crowded on Sunday. jam-packed

11 Dangerous The road to the apartment was dangerous. perilous

12 Dark It was dark outside. pitch-black

13 Dirty The public toilet was dirty. filthy

14 Famous We stayed at a famous resort. renowned

15 Fresh The air was fresh. invigorating

16 Grand The hotel lobby was grand. majestic

17 Great The waterfalls were great. magnificent

18 High We took photos of the high tower. soaring

19 Hot We ran under the hot sun. scorching

20 Isolated The camping site was isolated. secluded

21 Noisy Our school canteen was noisy during recess. deafening

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22 Peaceful The village was peaceful. serene

23 Polluted The air in the city centre was polluted. impure

24 Rough The countryside was rough. rugged

25 Special The chalet‟s architecture was special. distinguished

26 Strange The man-made park was strange. peculiar

27 Strong The wooden bridge was strong. indestructible

28 Wonderful The Disneyland was wonderful. fantastic

To describe people (Positive Personalities)

No. Common

adjective


adjective

1 Active She was an active student. agile

2 Adventurous He was an adventurous person. bold

3 Beautiful His bride was very beautiful. appealing

4 Brave My father was very brave. bold

5 Careful We were careful in making decisions. meticulous

6 Clever The clever boy smiled at me. brainy

7 Committed He was a committed employee. devoted

8 Confident I was confident we would win. optimistic

9 Cooperative Everyone was cooperative accommodating

10 Famous She was a famous singer. celebrated

11 Friendly The receptionist was friendly. amiable

12 Funny My granduncle was funny. hilarious

13 Generous The manager was generous. philanthropic

14 Glamorous He led a glamorous life. dazzling

15 Good His son had good personalities. virtuous

16 Great His mother was a great lawyer. eminent

17 Hardworking The workers were hardworking. industrious

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18 Helpful My best friend was helpful. obliging

19 Honest I admired the honest tour guide. trustworthy

20 Kind The district officer was kind. benevolent

21 Special We had a special guest. notable

22 Strict Her husband was a strict man. rigid

23 Strong He fought with a strong man. mighty

24 Successful The successful team was great. triumphant

25 Tidy Her tidy look impressed us. well-groomed

To describe people (Negative Personalities)

No. Common adj. Sample sentence Sophisticated

adjective

1 Arrogant I hated his arrogant attitude. snobbish

2 Bad I could not stand my bad neighbour. dreadful

3 Careless She was a careless driver. reckless

4 Crazy Were they crazy? lunatic

5 Cruel The cruel criminal was arrested. ruthless

6 Dishonest The dishonest clerk was fired. fraudulent

7 Evil We stayed away from the evil killer. devilish

8 Forgetful He was young but very forgetful. scatterbrained

9 Fussy Her fussy mother-in-law was dying. picky

10 Greedy The village headman was greedy. avaricious

11 Lazy The lazy students were sleeping. indolent

12 Rude The rude boy was her cousin. boorish

13 Selfish Their selfish attitude was bad. self-seeking

14 Strange Her strange acts scared us. creepy

15 Stupid Her stupid act made everybody angry. half-witted

16 Garrulous She was a talkative neighbour. garrulous

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17 Troublesome He was punished for his troublesome act. irksome

18 Ugly His face was ugly after the accident. hideous

19 Useless A drunkard was a useless person. worthless

20 Weak A weak leader made no progress. Futile

To describe feelings

No. Common

adjective


adjective

1 Angry She was angry when her husband left her. Fuming

2 Bad I felt bad when I lied to you. Awful

3 Bored We were bored. bored stiff

4 Confident We felt confident to be with him. Secure

5 Confused Everybody was confused when he suddenly ran away. baffled

6 Disappointed He was disappointed when he got his result. disenchanted

7 Happy We were happy to be there. Elated

8 Lonely The lonely wife cried in her room. lonesome

9 Nervous She looked nervous during the contest. Edgy

10 Proud They were proud to be able to help us. swollen with pride

11 Sad They were sad to lose the game. cheerless

12 Scared She was scared to stay alone at night. petrified

13 Surprised She was surprised to see me. stunned

14 Unsure My mother was unsure to make her own decision. hesitant

15 Worried He looked worried. apprehensive

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Others (favourable)

No. Common

adjective


adjective

1 Accurate The answers given were accurate. Precise

2 Bright He used a bright colour to paint his room. Gaudy

3 Cheap The items were cheap. inexpensive

4 Clear My explanation was clear. Lucid

5 Comfortable The new sofa was comfortable. Comfy

6 Delicious We tasted the delicious food. delectable

7 Easy Frying egg was easy. effortless

8 Important It was an important day to me. momentous

9 Interesting The story was interesting. engrossing

10 Lasting I hoped to have a lasting marriage. long-standing

12 Perfect The essay was perfect. flawless

13 Strong Her evidence was strong. undisputed

14 Successful Our plans were successful. fruitful

15 Valuable He took all the valuable items. treasured

Others (unfavourable)

No. Common adj Sample sentence Sophisticated

adjective

1 Accidental The mistake was accidental. unintentional

2 Bad The plane crash was bad. Appalling

3 Boring We left early as the movie was boring. Dreary

4 Complex The problem was complex. Multifaceted

5 Difficult Climbing Mount Tahan was difficult. Arduous

6 Expensive I bought an expensive house. Pricey

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7 Haunted The house was haunted. Ghostly

8 Heavy The responsibility was heavy. Hefty

9 Ill His grandmother was very ill. Bedridden

10 Illogical Her reason was illogical. Absurd

11 Tasteless The food was tasteless. Insipid

12 Tired We were tired. Exhausted

13 Unclear His unclear idea was rejected. Hazy

14 Unlucky We were unlucky that day. luckless

15 Wrong It was wrong to cheat others. Sinful

Practice 1

1. Read and understand the text below. 2. Individually, replace the common adjectives with apt sophisticated adjectives in the

blanks.

We went to the opening ceremony of the new and [1] big ....................................

hypermarket. There were a lot of people. The area was [2] busy..................................... We

had to park our car far from the hypermarket. We had to walk under the [3] hot

..............................................sun for about twenty minutes. We felt a bit [4] tired

.......................................... but we did not mind because we really wanted to meet our [5]

special .............................................idol, Dato‟ Siti Nurhaliza. She was invited to perform at

the ceremony. Many activities were carried out and they were [6]

interesting.................................................................. The hypermarket was very [7]

clean............................................................................ The items were also not [8]

expensive.......................................... We loved shopping there.

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Practice 2

1. Choose any 10 of your classmates. 2. In pairs, construct a sentence about each of them. The description could either be

positive or negative. 3. Make sure each of your sentences has at least one sophisticated adjective. Underline

the word(s). 4. Use past tense verbs to describe your classmates.

Description of classmates

Sample 1 Azim was a cheerless boy in class.

Sample 2 Beng Hee tried to be industrious after he failed his Physics.

Classmate 1

Classmate 2

Classmate 3

Classmate 4

Classmate 5

Classmate 6

Classmate 7

Classmate 8

Classmate 9

Classmate 10

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Practice 3

1. In groups, imagine that you and your friends visited 2 interesting places recently. 2. Write a paragraph of about 40-60 words to describe each place. 3. Make sure there are at least 3 underlined sophisticated adjectives in each paragraph.

Note: Examples of places – night market, Kuala Lumpur, five-star hotel, waterfall, Paris,

college, bookstore, orchard, etc.

Sample paragraph:

Last week, my friends and I went to Cameron Highlands. The air was so invigorating. We

went jungle trekking and climbed a hill. At first I was apprehensive whether I could climb

the hill but I told myself to be optimistic. No doubt it was arduous but my friends and I

loved the experience very much. [57 words]

Place 1:

....................................................................................................................................................

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Practice 4

1. Individually or in pairs, describe each of the individuals below in not less than 60 words.

2. Include at least 5 sophisticated adjectives in each paragraph. Underline them.

Individual 1: Pak Mat was a respected leader in my residential area......................................

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Individual 2: Some people liked Rose but some others hated her......................................

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Practice 5

1. Individually, write two paragraphs based on the starting line given. 2. Include at least 3 sophisticated adjectives in each paragraph. Underline all the

sophisticated adjectives.

Teacher‟s note:

1. When all students have finished writing their paragraphs, ask them to walk around the class and exchange paragraphs with their friends. They must take turn to read each others‟ paragraphs.

2. The best paragraphs should be reproduced for the whole class.

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Kim was so nervous when the door opened..................(SPM 2007)

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5.3 Varied Sentence Structures

Students should use sentences of different types and with different starters to make writing

more interesting and lively.

5.3.1 Different Sentence Types

Purpose: To enable students to write sentences of different types.

Instructions:

Revise the three sentence types with your teacher. Practise constructing sentences of all the

three types.

1. simple sentences 2. compound sentences 3. complex sentences

Teacher‟s notes:

1. Students may work individually or in pairs to write the sentences. 2. To avoid making too many errors, students can do parallel writing using examples

given. 3. Error correction should be done either through EE or peer correction.

A simple sentence, also called an independent clause, usually contains a subject and a verb, and it expresses a complete thought. Sometimes simple sentences can contain more than one subject or verb.

a. Ramu went to the store. b. Ramu and Suzi went to the store. c. Bob went to the store and post office.

A compound sentence is usually made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinator or connector. Examples of coordinators are: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

a. Ramu went to the store. b. Ramu and Suzi went to the store. c. Lily went to the store, and Mary went to the office d. The negotiations were successful, so the diplomats returned to their homes. e. Sarah studied hard so she passed the test.

A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, although, or when or a relative pronoun such as that, who, or which.

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a. The doctor who treated us is his friend. b. The issue which we thought we had solved, came back to haunt us. c. The proposal that we wrote was accepted. d. Although it was pouring, he insisted on going back. e. He has been bedridden since 2009.

5.3.2 Different Sentence Starters

Purpose: To enable students to use different sentence starters to give their essays the

extra edge.

Instructions:

Study the examples and practise writing at least 5 more sentences for each sentence

starters.

Teacher‟s notes:

Students can work in groups to look out for such sentence starters from newspaper articles

or stories from books. Each group may be assigned to look for sentences with a certain

sentence starters.

1 Start with a gerund a. Running down the stairs, she tripped. b. Swimming in the pool, he almost drowned himself. c. Anticipating a peaceful evening, Sam and I relaxed in

the shade.

2 Start with a prepositions

a. Outside the house stood a menacing figure. b. On Monday, the shops are closed. c. For the large crowd attending the party, we should

prepare more food.

3 Start with an adjective

a. Fearful, he approached…. b. Surprised of the warm welcome he received, he

blushed. c. Cold and hungry, they could do anything to get out of the

situation they were in).

4 Start with a past participle a. Asked to comment, he found that he was tongue-tied. b. Taken aback by the sound, he hid behind the door. c. Thrown carelessly out of the house, the rubbish scattered

and dirtied the road.

5 Start with an adverb a. Slowly, he turned his head. b. Quickly, they scrambled out of the hole. c. Exhaustedly, they continued without a word of complaint.

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5.4 Generation and Development of Ideas

Students need to learn how to generate ideas and develop ideas at sentence level

and in paragraphs before writing the full essay.

5.4.1 Sentence Expansion

Purpose: To enable students to improve sentences by adding ideas to a simple sentence to make them sound better.

Instructions:

Students can start with simple sentences and slowly add on ideas to make the sentences more informative and interesting to read

Teacher‟s notes:

By taking a simple sentence and expanding it step by step, students are able to create sentences that are impressive and informative. In sentence expansion, a simple sentence (one noun and a verb) can gradually be expanded until you have a beautiful sentence.

Students can add descriptive words on phrases to these sentences. Sentences can be shown on an LCD/an overhead projector or typed and handed out to each student.

Examples:

I like cakes

I like yellow cakes with white frosting

The sun rises slowly.

The sun rises slowly, lighting up the world.

He walked away.

He walked away dejectedly.

He walked away dejectedly and without turning back.

He ate his dinner.

He gobbled up his dinner quickly.

He gobbled up his dinner so quickly that he almost choked himself.

She started to cry.

She sat down and tears began to flow down her cheeks.

She sat down on the wooden chair with tears rolling down her wrinkled cheeks.

She left the room.

She stormed out of the room.

She stormed out of the room, knocking over a chair in her haste.

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Practice:

Expand the following simple sentences gradually to give a more vivid picture

1. We watched an exciting show 2. Robert turned around. 3. Jenny went home. 4. Puan Rosnah was angry. 5. Selva smiled at him. 6. She heard Amy calling her.

5.4.2 Developing Ideas

Purposes:

1. To train students to develop ideas fluently so that writing a 350-word essay is a manageable task for them.

2. To use wh-questions effectively in generating details. 3. To encourage students to develop each idea well and systematically.

Sample paragraph:

My birthday party was very great. [How many attended?] It was attended by more than

200 people. [Who were they?] All my classmates, teachers and relatives came. [Where was

it held?] My parents organised the party at a five-star hotel. In fact, the party was beside a

huge swimming pool. [What was special?] My classmates conducted a few fun and

interesting games. There was also a karaoke singing session. My father sang his favourite

evergreen song to all the guests. [How many presents?] Before the party ended, I thanked all

my guests for their presence and kindness. I received 88 wonderful gifts. [When did it end?]

By 6.50 p.m., the party came to an end. [How was my feeling?] Though I felt a bit tired, I was

extremely happy.

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Practice 1:

Develop the main idea given by answering the following wh-questions.

Main idea: Jay‟s first day in his new school was not bad at all.

When did he arrive in

school?

Where was his class?

How many students

were there in his class?

Who was his first friend?

Who were his other new

friends?

What did Jay feel?

What was the first

lesson?

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Practice 2:

1. Divide the class into two groups. Based on the main idea given below, Group 1 will ask wh-questions and Group 2 will answer those questions.

2. Record all the questions and their answers on a piece of paper. 3. Select only 7 questions and arrange them in an appropriate order in the table below.

Main idea: My holiday in Penang was memorable.

Wh-questions Answers / Details

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Practice 3:

1. Students stay in the same group (as in Practice 1). Based on the main idea given below, Group 2 will ask wh-questions and Group 1 will answer them.

2. Record all the questions and their answers on a piece of paper. 3. Select only 7 questions and arrange them in an appropriate order in the table below.

Main idea: Pak Mat was a person that I really admired.

Wh-questions Answers / Details

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Practice 4:

Either in small groups or pairs, develop the main idea below. Write a paragraph of not less

than 60 words. You must use suitable wh-questions but you do not have to write them down.

Main idea: My friends and I had a hard time during our camping in the forest.

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Enrichment Practices:

Individually, write a 60 to 100-word paragraph based on each of the following main ideas.

Focus on the accurate use of past tense verbs and the application of the sophisticated

adjectives in each paragraph.

1. Lina was really a true friend. 2. A short stay at my grandfather‟s house was a great experience. 3. I lived in the city for ten years and I had a horrible life. 4. My classmates had made my life colourful. 5. Our gotong royong project to clean Sungai Batu was a success. 6. Kamal, the youngest in his family, had been giving problems to his parents lately. 7. Mega Shopping Mall was the best mall that we visited in Jakarta. 8. Lisa was a very busy businesswoman. 9. My wife and I had a romantic honeymoon in Langkawi Island. 10. On her way home from school, Nur saw a tragic accident.

Smart module 1 spm 1119

Technology

Transcript of Smart module 1 spm 1119