SPM

BAHASA
INGGERIS
RATIONALE-CLOZE
NOTE:

The given passage on rational cloze consists of 7 blanks

The candidate is require to fill each blank with one suitable grammar item.
Given are 3 or 4 options (A, B and C or A, B, C and D) for each question. Candiddates

are to choose the best answer

Grammar items which are commonly tested in the examination are :
a) tenses
b) articles
c) subject verb agreement
d) conjunctions
e) prepositions
f) adjectives
g) adverbs
h) pronouns

GUIDELINES

Allocate only about 10 minutes for this section

First, read through the whole passage to get the gist.
While reading, look out for clues that may help you to identify the answers that may be

found in the passage.

Next, look at the context of the blank, that is, the words that come before and after the

blank. These words may act as clues to identify the correct answer.
Check the tenses, subject-verb agreement, parts of speech and vocabulary.
Eliminate those options that are clearly incorrect.
Finally, read through the whole text again to make sure that your answers are
grammatically correct and that the passage itself makes sense.

SOME TIPS TO REMEMBER :

1) do / does / did and to always followed by based form of verbs

2) Modal verbs
E.g will / would, shall / should, can / could, may / might, ought to, etc. always followed
by based form of verbs
3) before, while, when or after normally followed by present participles (verb + -ing)
4) a) a for singular countable nouns that begin with consonant sounds
b) 'an for singular countable nouns that begin with vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u) or (silent h).
c) the is used for unique words or words that have already been mentioned.
5) a) Plural forms they, we, them, us, theirs, etc
b) Singular forms he, she, it, his, hers, its, etc
6) Subject-verb agreement
a) singular subject takes singular verb
(i) add s, es, ies to verbs
(ii) use of has, is, does
b) plural subject takes plural verb (including I and You)
(i) takes plural verb no s to verbs
(ii) use of have, do, are, etc .
(iii) but for I use am, was

PRACTICE 1
Each question in the text below refers to a numbered blank. For each question, choosethe
best answer from the options A, B, C and D to fit the numbered blanks.
Future successes in school and in life depend very much on how you can think
creatively. You can ..(1) computers , calculators and other modern equipment but they do
not replace thinking. They are simply tools..(2) your mind, just like pencils and rubbers
are tools to help you to write. Thinking creatively is necessary if you..(3) to survive in a
fast changing world of the present and future.
We often think being creative..(4) producing work of art, literature and music.It is
true..(5) creative thinking also means a way of generating ideas that can be applied to
the world, anytime and anywhere. It means looking at problems..(6) a fresh angle. The
value of creative thinking is..(7) it bends the mind to new ideas and possibilities.
1. A. Has

C. had

B. have
2. A. from
B. by
3. A. Were
B. are
4. A. Meant
B. means
5. A. And
B. while
6. A. By
C. through
7 A. those

D. Having
C. with
D. for
C. was
D. Is
C. mean
D. Meaning
C. but
D. although
B. from
D of
B. which

C. that D These

PRACTICE 2
Each question in the text below refers to a numbered blank. For each question, choosethe
best answer from the options A, B, C and D to fit the numbered blanks.
An orchard owner went to his orchard as usual this morning. However, this time he ran
___1___ his life when he saw two tigers prowling about his orchard. He ran to the nearest
roadside and stopped a ___2___ motorist who brought him to the nearest police station. There,
he made a police ___3___ to the officer in-charge.
The next day, several policemen came to his house and accompanied him to his orchard
___4___ the footprints. But they were in for a surprise when they saw the tigers _____5____
durian fruits. According to the owner, that was the first time tigers were seen in the ___6___ .

Before this, he had never seen any of them. No wonder, the durians ___7___ earlier were all
open. The policemen said that they did not realize that tigers liked the fruit.
1. A off
B for

C of
D in

2. A passes
B passed

C passing
D had passed

3. A notes
B letter

C A article
D report

4. A check
B checks

C checked
D to check

5. A. eat
B eats

C eating
D ate

6. A. park
B town

C jungle
D vicinity

7. A gather
B gathers

C gathered
D gathering

PRACTICE 3
Each question in the text below refers to a numbered blank. For each question, choosethe
best answer from the options A, B, C and D to fit the numbered blanks.
From the Romans to the Renaissance, Tuscany is possibly the greatest source of art
in the world,

extraordinary paintings and sculpture to architectural

masterpieces.
Visitors to Tuscany come for many reasons. Many come in search of fine art, others
to explore the

countryside. Gourmet and wine enthusiasts come down to

Tuscany to enjoy the simple

wonderful cuisine and wine. Walkers enjoy the

mountain paths, cyclists the rolling hills, summer

the sea coast and islands.

Students come to learn the beautiful Italian language and culture.

There is a lot to see and do in Tuscany, the difficulty is really

Certainly most people would start with Florence,
Pisa. The charms of citt di arte, cities of art,
San Gimignano and Lucca are all striking.

A
B
C
D

on
off
from
such as

A sombre
B magical
C dazzling
D extraordinary

A
B
C
D

or
yet
with
either

A
B
C
D

vacation
vacationers
vacationing
vacationed

A
B
C
D

where
when
what
how

A
B
C
D

so
but
than
then

A
B
C
D

is
was
are
were

6
7

to start.

continue on to Siena and

irresistible: Arezzo, Cortona,

PRACTICE 4
Questions 1 7 are based on the following passage.
Ever since scientists successfully cloned Dolly, the sheep, the debate on cloning
has not stopped. What is cloning? Cloning .. 1 ..a method of making exact copies or
replicating a living animal.
Should cloning be allowed ..... 2 outlawed? Public opinion is .. 3 .. on this
issue. On the one hand, there are some people who think that the .. 4 .. of animals
should be allowed but not the cloning of human beings. On the .. 5 .. hand, there are
those who feel that cloning should be outlawed completely. This group .. 6 .. religious
leaders and environmentalists. A third group believes that genetic engineering should go
on as it will be a .. 7 .. leap for mankind, especially in the field of medicine. However,
we should not throw caution to the wind when dealing with nature.

1. A
B

is
are

C was
D were

2. A to
B or

C then
D than

3. A devide
B devides

C devided
D deviding

4. A
B

C cloned
D cloning

5.

clone
clones

A one
B same

C other
D another

6. A include
B includes

C included
D including

7. A big
B. great

C giant
D awesome

PRACTICE 5
Each question in the text below refers to a numbered blank. For each question, choose the
best answer from the options A, B, C and D to fit the numbered blank.

There are many ways a teenager who has problems can _________(1) help. He or she can
see the school counselor and _________(2) him or her the problems. They can also talk to their
friends, who may not be able to give much _________(3) but will help _________(4) listening to
the problems. This helps a lot especially if the emotions are kept for a long time.
Another way is to talk to their family members. They can either talk to their parents, brothers,sisters or
relatives. Teenagers usually do not like to talk to their family members because they are either
_________(5) or afraid. They would rather keep their problems all to themselves. They do not
know that these are the _________(6)people who will be able to help them. Whatever the
problem, teenagers should understand that there is always a _________(7) and a person is willing to
help.
1. A fine
B find
2. A tell
B tells
3. A worry
B advice
4.

C found
D finding
C told
D telling
C advices
D problems

A to

C for

B by

D With

5. A shy

C brave

B deaf
6. A best

D Humble
C worse

B worst

D better

7. A problem

C reason

B solution

D confession

ANSWERS
PRACTICE 1
1. B

2. D

3.B

4. C

5. C

6. B

7. C

PRACTICE 2
1. B

2. C

3. D

4. D

5. C

6. D

7. C

PRACTICE 3
1. C

2. D

3. B

4. B

5. A

6. D

7. C

PRACTICE 4
1.A

2. B

3. C

2. A

3. B

4. D

5. C

6. B

7. C

PRACTICE 5
1. B

4. B

5. A

6. A

7. B