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READING COMPREHENSION (20 MARKS)

There are two TEXTS in this section. Each text is followed by a set of questions. Read both texts carefully and answer ALL the questions.

Text 1How to Study Language Subjects1

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Are you learning a new language? Struggling with your Chinese, German, or Russian? Heres a simple guideline to help you master a language. Hopefully youll become an excellent learner of your language subject.

Words are basic building blocks of communication, which grants us the access to a language. You need word power to understand properly what others are saying and writing. Otherwise you might encounter embarrassing moments, where you cant get the message even after someone repeated his sentence more than three times, just because you dont know some words spoken. Words are also important to express ideas and convey messages. If youre struggling to find the right words to write a birthday card for your Indonesian friend, you need to learn more words to express yourself better. Most likely you have to put your own effort in building your vocabulary, since most schools wont spoon feed you with every word. So get a writing block or use any document software to build a list of new words every day. Learning 5 to 10 new words per day is a good rule of thumb to improve your word power over a period of a few months. For each new word, write down its meaning clearly and put in one or more examples of that words application (phrase or sentence) so that you know exactly how to use that word. You can add extra information like pronunciation, gender etc.

Grammar is what you learn a lot at language classes. Its important to construct sentences in a standardised way in a language so that everyone can communicate with the same rule. Cover all aspects in this area and leave no grammatical rules out. If you are blurred or weak in certain rules, put effort in it and you will be rewarded with clear communication. I used to be weak in German grammar, and that makes my speaking a bit awkward to my listeners due to flaws in word order. You might not want that to happen. Do exercises to make sure you improve and master your grammar. However, I dont think doing exercises at class alone is sufficient, so read more to observe how the language rules are applied. With the help of internet, I think you should be able to find tons of good articles to learn grammar and new words.

Writing is a way to express in the language you are learning, by combining ideas and massages with your word power and grammar skills. To express yourself well, you need to have solid foundation in the basic mentioned above (vocabulary and grammar). Go slowly and master the basic if you are struggling with it. We have to learn to walk before we run. I notice that reading a lot helps in our writing. Read books and magazines frequently, observe how the words are played around, and absorb some of the writing styles. It helps you greatly later on in your writing. Read works by different authors because every author has his own unique way of writing. Possibly you might learn how to write so well that readers laugh and cry after reading your articles!

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Question 1-8: Answer all the question below.1. What is the importance of knowing some vocabulary words?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(1 mark)

2. List down three ways to expand your knowledge in vocabulary?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(3 marks)

3. What do you think can happen to a person who have insufficient knowledge of vocabulary?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(1 mark)

4. Predict what would happen if you could write effectively?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(1 mark)

5. What are the importance of learning vocabulary and grammar before writing?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(1 mark)

6. Do you think it is important to have study skills? Why?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(3 marks)

Total = 10 marks

Text 2Amazing Black Holes1

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How many things can you see in the night sky? A lot! On a clear night you might see the Moon, some planets, and thousands of sparkling stars.You can see even more with a telescope. You might see stars where before you only saw dark space. You might see that many stars look larger than others. You might see that some stars that look white are really red or blue. With bigger and bigger telescopes you can see more and more objects in the sky. And you can see those objects in more and more detail.

But scientists believe there are some things in the sky that we will never see. We won't see them with the biggest telescope in the world, on the clearest night of the year. That's because they're invisible. They're the mysterious dead stars called black holes.

You might find it hard to imagine that stars die. After all, our Sun is a star. Year after year we see it up in the sky, burning brightly, giving us heat and light. The Sun certainly doesn't seem to be getting old or weak. But stars do burn out and die after billions of years. As a star's gases burn, they give off light and heat. But when the gas runs out, the star stops burning and begins to die.

As the star cools, the outer layers of the star pull in toward the center. The star squashes into a smaller and smaller ball. If the star was very small, the star ends up as a cold, dark ball called a black dwarf. If the star was very big, it keeps squashing inward until it's packed together tighter than anything in the universe.

Imagine if the Earth were crushed until it was the size of a tiny marble. That's how tightly this dead star, a black hole, is packed. What pulls the star in toward its center with such power? It's the same force that pulls you down when you jump the force called gravity. A black hole is so tightly packed that its gravity sucks in everything even light. The light from a black hole can never come back to your eyes. That's why you see nothing but blackness.So the next time you stare up at the night sky, remember: there's more in the sky than meets the eye! Scattered in the silent darkness are black holes the great mystery of space.5

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I. Question 16-21: Circle the correct answer.

7. According to the article, what causes a star to die?

A. As its gases run out, it cools down.

B. It collides with other stars.

C. It can only live for about a million years.

D. As it gets hotter, it explodes.

8. Theyre the mysterious black stars called black holes (paragraph 3). What is the

synonym for the word for the word mysterious?

A. ordinary

B. bright

C. strange

D. common

9. From the text, group the characteristics of the sun. Which of the statements

below best describe the sun?

A. shinning, hot and bright

B. non-renewable energy

C. may cause pollution

D. cheap and limited

10. Which events could happen if the sun dies?

I. We will live in darkness.

II. The temperature on Earth will increase.

III. All the plants will die.

IV. We may have skin cancer.

A. I&II

B. I&III

C. I, II, III

D. III & IV11. What is the underlying theme of the text?

A. The importance of telescope.

B. The difference between stars and sun.

C. There are a lot of stars which could not be seen by our eyes.

D. The use of gravity in pulling the star towards its centre.

12. Below are the correct statements about the passage EXCEPT

A. Sun is one of the stars.

B. Stars are not eternal.

C. We can see most of the things in the sky by using telescope.

D. Gravity can only pull down certain things.

(2 marks x 5 = 10 marks)LANGUAGE AND STRUCTURE (25 MARKS)

I. Question 13- 22: Underline the correct words.

13. The girls (work/ works) in shifts at the canning factory.

14. My father and his workmen (is renovating/ are renovating) the house this week.

15. The accounts clerk (arent/ isnt) in his office so we have to wait for our receipts.

16. My friend (dont, doesnt) need my help this week.

17. Aunt Penny (dont/ doesnt) want us to disturb her when she is cooking.

18. You (dont, doesnt) understand her problem so you cant advise her.

19. (Are, Is) the apple-pie in the fridge?

20. (Do/Does) your sister have a microwave oven?

21. (Do/Does) your parents know about the accident?

22. (Are/Is) there enough detergent to wash all the clothes?

(1 mark x 10 = 10 marks)

II. Question 23-27: Rearrange the words to form correct sentences.

23. car-Dads-dented-is-motorist-that-the-who. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

24. because-came-heavy-home-Jenny-late-of-rain-the. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

25. but-can-cook-eat-he-John-out-prefers-to. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

26. are-here-Larry-misplaced-notes-the-which. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

27. arguing-because-ended-late-meeting-members-some-the-were. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(1 mark x 5 = 5 marks)

III. Questions 28-37: For each of the following question below, circle the correct answer to complete the blank.(28)_________________Sundays my family gets up (29)______________ unlike some other families. After breakfast, Mum (30)________________the dishes, Dad (31)____________________them (32)______________________I place them (33)_____________the crockery cupboard. Then we tidy (34)_____________house, feed the cats, shower and (35)_____________off. Sometimes we watch (36)__________________________movie before lunch or (37)________________a few hours at Park Lane where a flea market is held every Sunday.

28.A. AtB. InC. OnD. -

29.A. earlyB. earlierC. earlierD. the earliest

30.A. washB. washesC. washedD. washing

31.A. dryB. driesC. driedD. is drying

32.A. andB. butC. becauseD. before

33.A. atB. inC. onD. -

34.A. aB. anC. theD. -

35.A. weB. WereC. theyD. theyre

36.A. aB. anC. theD. -

37.A. are spendingB. is spendingC. spentD. spend

(1 mark x 10 = 10 marks) [25 marks]

VOCABULARY ( 20 MARKS)

Choose the meaning of each word and circle the correct answer.

38. analogyAComparisonCTo tell in advance

BWorking togetherDtopic

39. synonymATo announce formallyCAdvisor

BWord with a similar meaningDtalent

40. scrollATo write down brieflyCclear

BA roll of paper with writingDTo absorb

41. frazzledAfriendlyCTo keep

BTiredDimportant

42. impartialAgreatCTo confirm

BFairDA person who judges the value of something

43. facultyATo announce formallyCTo handle

BTo permitDteachers

44. immerseAThe first stepCTo place in order of importance

BTo surroundDTo give

45. correspondATo completeCTo communicate by letter

BeffectiveDTo postpone

46. exquisiteATalentCBeautifully made

BTo permitDTo handle

47. loatheAHateCLove

BTaskDtired

48. congenialAFriendlyCTo put off

BAbility to controlDTired

49. memorabiliaAThings worth rememberingCFair

BTo judgeDTo mirror

50. collaborativeAWorking togetherCTo escape

BThe quality of being originalDArrange in order of time

52. orientationAThoughtfullyCTo spread widely

BConsider DProgram intended to help people adapt to a new environment

53. accessATo surroundCTo keep

BTo enterDTo make it important

54. jotATo spread widelyCTo write briefly

BTo move up and down on a computer screenDTo remember

55. allotATo hateCTo give

BTo keepDTo remember

56. ponderedAunavoidableCTo request something for someone else

BThinking carefullyDfriendly

57. antonymsAWords with the opposite meaningCimportant

BWords with the same meaningDThings worth remembering

58. taskAamazingCA job

BTending to avoidDuncommon

WRITING (35 MARKS)

Write an essay of ABOUT 150 to 200 words on ONE of the following topics. Indicate the question number on the answer sheet.

59. Study skills, generally critical to success in school, are considered essential for acquiring good grades, and are useful for lifelong learning. Write about the types of study skills that you use in your studies.60. Most people tend to neglect the consequences of excessive drinking. Discuss the various consequences caused by excessive drinking.61. Write a story ending with I will never be late again.

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