SUMMARY
PRACTICE 1 : NEGERI SEMBILAN
Read the article and answer the question that follows.
Rubber is one of Malaysia’s main agricultural crops. Rubber trees are cultivated in plantations and estates all over Malaysia. Rubber is a valuable export commodity. Manual labour is still involved in the processing of rubber. Estate workers use traditional tapping knives or modern motorized ones to tap the rubber trees. The latex collected by the workers is sent to the factory in large containers. At the factory, formic acid is first added to the latex. This is a special chemical to coagulate the latex. The mixture is then poured into rectangular moulds.
When the latex hardens, it is poured out from the moulds. The latex now looks like thick blocks. The blocks are passed through roller machines to make sheets. the thin sheets even have designs and the name of the plantation on them.
When this is done, the rubber sheets are dried either in the sun or in a smoke house. The rubber sheets dried in the smoke house are of better quality. Finally, the smoked rubber sheets are tied into bales, ready for export. Some are sent to local manufacturers for further processing into other rubber products.
Write a summary on how rubber is processed in the factory.
Begin your summary as follows:
When the latex from the rubber trees reaches the factory ...
PRACTICE 2 : MELAKA
Read the passage and complete the following task.
Newspapers have become a daily necessity, especially in the city where people have to be aware of what is happening around them. Inspite of the television or Internet giving us information, most people still prefer the feel of the actual newsprint.
The newspaper is indeed important as it is a powerful tool to inform the public on various issues. It has a wide coverage as the estimated number of readers is about 10 million in Malaysia alone. Important and shocking news alike are quickly known in the nation through newspaper publications. Every day, the front page news captures the attention of the public and is almost always a topic in people’s conversations.
The business section of the newspaper leads a helping hand to the investors who are keen on knowing about the companies they have invested in. The comics are a delight to the young and old alike.
The journalists, the newspaper is a means through which they are given a chance to voice their opinions and make their stand on many issues.
For companies looking for an avenue to advertise their products, the newspaper is one of the best choices. Because of the large number of people who read the newspapers, their products will be known by many.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the newspaper is an important source of information.
Write a summary on the importance of the newspapers.
Begin your summary as follows:
Nowadays newspapers are important to the public as they give …
PRACTICE 3: KELANTAN
A tortoise was dissatisfied with his lowly life and with crawling about on the ground at a snail’s pace. He envied the birds, which could soar high into the clouds whenever they desire. He thought that, if he could but once get up in the sky, he would be able to fly with the rest of them.
So, one day he offered an eagle all the treasures in the ocean if he would only teach him how to fly. The eagle declined and assured him that the tortoise’s desire to fly was not only absurd but also impossible. However, the tortoise kept insisting and pleading to the eagle to fulfil his wish.
After looking at how serious the tortoise was about flying, the eagle did not have the heart to refuse him and he eventually agreed to teach the tortoise to fly. Therefore, he carried the tortoise high up in the air, and as he let go off him, he said, “Now spread your legs!” But before the tortoise could say anything to him in response, he plunged straight down, hit a rock, and was dashed to pieces.
The moral of the story is we should always be grateful of who or what we are no matter how unhappy we are with our lives.
Write a summary on the events that led to the tortoise’s death.
Begin your summary as follows:
It all began when the tortoise started feeling unhappy with …
PRACTICE 4 : PERAK
We all worry. Most of the time worrying is a normal human behaviour that helps us to think clearly and protect our loved ones. But sometimes worrying gets out of control and the sense of anxiety it creates can leave us feeling stressed. Here are a few tips to help you stop worrying.
An old saying says that “a problem shared is a problem halved”. So, never worry alone. The more you look at a problem on your own, the worse it can seem to be. One of the best treatments for worrying is having good friends that you can talk to openly.
Physical exercise is one of the best ways of reducing anxiety. Exercising your body releases chemicals in the brain that help calm you down. Exercise also helps you sleep better. And sleep is the very best tonic for overcoming worry.
The worst part of worrying is it can create negative thoughts. Learn to turn negative thoughts into a positive mind set. This technique teaches you to look at things in a different kind of way.
If worrying is becoming serious and affecting your quality of life, seek help from your doctor or a counsellor.
(Adapted from Just English, Vol 2 Issue 2, 2005)
Write a summary on ways to overcome worrying.
Begin your summary as follows:
There are several ways to help a person stop worrying …
PRACTICE 5 : KEDAH
Nowadays you do not care about your friends. You prefer to check your emails in the middle of the night as the internet has become the centre of your world. It looks like you are addicted to the Internet maybe because it provides a lot of information. You meet people without having to disclose real details about yourselves and you have a feeling of being in control of each situation.
The Internet is also a highly accessible tool. You do not have to leave home and it is usually installed in your room. Just as gripping movie or an exciting book is an escape from reality, so is the Internet. you are never alone, you can be any person you want to be and you will always find friends there.
The good news is that there is something you can do to overcome the addiction. You can set aside in advance one or two afternoons a week to do something away from home, for example, take a walk somewhere, go shopping or do anything else that you once enjoyed doing. Meeting friends at least once a week is also a good idea. To avoid spending too much time on the Internet, you can take up a hobby at home such as gardening or playing a musical instrument.
Write a summary on the reasons for Internet addiction and ways to overcome it.
Begin your summary as follows:
You might be addicted to the Internet because it provides …
PRACTICE 6: PAHANG
Recycling is a means of processing used things to be used again as new products. We recycle old paper bags, bottles and plastic bags to reduce their production. Besides that, in recycling, we use things like newspapers, aluminium cans and garden refuse to make new things.
With the advancement of technology, natural materials are becoming scarce. Therefore, human beings have resorted to recycling to avoid the raw materials from perishing. It is also important to reduce the amount of waste in the environment. It is sad to say in a day, human beings discard many things. Some of these things can be recycled. Therefore, when we reuse things, we throw away fewer items.
Landfills and dumpsites are places where rubbish is disposed. These landfills are limited, so we must learn to save space. In order to do so, we must recycle the things we use in our daily lives. We can recycle glass containers, aluminium cans, paper and shopping bags.
In recycling, we save energy. During a production process a lot energy will be required to produce a new product. The by-products of these new products are toxic waste that can be harmful to mankind. hence, through recycling, pollution can be reduced.
We recycle materials to save money. It is a cheaper method of waste disposal than landfills. We can also make creative handicrafts and gifts from used items as decorations for the home and as presents to friends. Besides this, the recycled materials can be sold to gain some revenue for the family. Beautiful cards, gift wraps and decorative home items can be made from recycled materials thereby helping the cottage or home industries.
Write a summary on why we must practise recycling.
Begin your summary as follows:
People should not throw unwanted things which can be recycled …
PRACTICE 7: SABAH
More and more teenagers are logging on to the internet every day. Although the Internet is a great source for research projects and other information, there are also dangers involved with surfing the Web. The person you meet online may not be who or what he or she claims to be. Someone who says that he is a 15-year-old boy may actually be a 50-year-old man pretending to be a teen for inappropriate reasons, such as to send pornography materials or to lure teens into unsafe situations.
Never give out personal information, such as your name, home address or phone number, the name of your school, photographs, credit card numbers or the names of your parents without permission from your parents. Do not agree to meet the person without any adult accompanying you. Do not give out your password to anyone. In chat rooms, use a name that is not gender-specific so you are less likely to receive pornographic materials or other forms of harassment. If you do receive pornographic materials, report it to the local police department.
Write a summary on how to stay safe on the Internet.
Begin your summary as follows :
To ensure safety when going online, never give out personal …
PRACTICE 8: JOHOR
You are responsible for your own expenses. So, do not complain about them. Study your lifestyle and you can save money by readjusting your routine.
If you love shopping and visiting the supermarket four times a week, cut it down to once a week. Whenever you enter the supermarket, you tend to buy one or two more items which are not in your shopping list. If the unwanted items cost about RM10.00, you will save RM 120.00 per month. That does not include the cost of transportation.
You can save money too if you use the discount vouchers or redeem reward points. The items redeemed can be used personally or given away as gifts. You will save about RM200 per annum.
You can also save money if you check your handphone, internet and ASTRO bills. Ask the service provider to offer the best plans available. By doing so, you can save money, ranging from RM 100 to RN 200 per year.
Furthermore, electronic appliances at home use up electricity even when they are not in use. Switch off and unplug them when you do not use them so as to save some money on electric bills.
Cutting down on dining outside is another way to save money. You can save about RM 300 to RM 500 yearly. Instead of dining outside weekly, do it once a fortnight.
Stop complaining and start planning. You can save enough money for your future.
Adapted from Readers’ Digest, 2007
Write a summary on how to save money.
Begin your summary as follows:
Some money can saved on daily expenses if we …
Practice 1 :
1. Formic acid is added to coagulate / harden the latex.
2. The mixture then poured into moulds.
3. The hardened latex is passes through roller machines.
4. The sheets are dried in the sun or in a smoke house.
5. The sheets (they) are dried into bales, ready for export.
Practice 2 : Answers:
- cheap and affordable
- available within easy reach
- a powerful tool of communication
- contains information
- interesting articles that cater to different readers of different needs and taste.
- reach a wider range of buyers
- saves time, money and effort for the advertisers.
PRACTICE 3 : Answer
1. his (lowly)life (and crawling about on the ground at a snail’s pace)
2. he wanted to fly in the sky
3. he offered an eagle treasures if he taught him how to fly / he asked an eagle to help him
4. The tortoise kept on insisting and pleading
5. the eagle agreed and carried him in the air
6. when the eagle let go off him, he plunged down and hit a rock.
PRACTICE 4 : Answer:
1. never worry alone
2. having good friends to talk to (openly)
3. doing exercise to reduce anxiety
4. exercise helps you to sleep better
5. sleep is the best tonic to overcome worry
6. learn to turn negative thoughts into positive mindset
7. seek help from doctor or counsellor
(any 5 content points)
PRACTICE 7: Answer:
To ensure safety when going online never give out personal information without permission from your parents. Never agree to meet the person alone. Do not give out your password to anyone. Use a name that is not gender specific so that you are less likely to receive pornographic material or harassed. If you do receive pornographic material, make a police report.
