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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 1

How to Study Language Subjects

1

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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30

35

40

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 2

Page 2 of 8

Amazing Black Holes

1

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. 5
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.

10

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 15
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.

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20

25

30

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 & IV
11. 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)

Page 4 of 8

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.
29.
30.
31.

A. At
A. early
A. wash
A. dry

B. In
B. earlier
B. washes
B. dries

C. On
C. earlier
C. washed
C. dried

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D. D. the earliest
D. washing
D. is drying

32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.

A. and
A. at
A. a
A. we
A. a
A. are spending

B. but
B. in
B. an
B. Were
B. an
B. is spending

C. because
C. on
C. the
C. they
C. the
C. spent

D. before
D. D. D. theyre
D. D. spend
(1 mark x 10 = 10 marks)
[25 marks]

VOCABULARY ( 20 MARKS)
Choose the meaning of each word and circle the correct answer.
38. analogy
A Comparison
B Working together

C
D

To tell in advance
topic

39. synonym
A To announce formally
B Word with a similar meaning

C
D

Advisor
talent

40. scroll
A To write down briefly
B A roll of paper with writing

C
D

clear
To absorb

41. frazzled
A friendly
B Tired

C
D

To keep
important

42. impartial
A great
B Fair

C
D

To confirm
A person who judges the value of
something

43. faculty
A To announce formally
B To permit

C
D

To handle
teachers

44. immerse
A The first step
B To surround

C
D

To place in order of importance

To give

45. correspond
A To complete
B effective

C
D

To communicate by letter
To postpone

46. exquisite
A Talent
B To permit

C
D

Beautifully made
To handle

47. loathe
A Hate

Love

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Task

tired

48. congenial
A Friendly
B Ability to control

C
D

To put off
Tired

49. memorabilia
A Things worth remembering
B To judge

C
D

Fair
To mirror

50. collaborative
A Working together
B The quality of being original

C
D

To escape
Arrange in order of time

52. orientation
A Thoughtfully
B Consider

C
D

To spread widely
Program intended to help people
adapt to a new environment

53. access
A To surround
B To enter

C
D

To keep
To make it important

C
D

To write briefly
To remember

55. allot
A To hate
B To keep

C
D

To give
To remember

56. pondered
A unavoidable

To request something for someone

else
friendly

57. antonyms
A Words with the opposite meaning
B Words with the same meaning

C
D

important
Things worth remembering

58. task
A amazing
B Tending to avoid

C
D

A job
uncommon

54. jot
A To spread widely
B To move up and down on a
computer screen

Thinking carefully

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.

Page 7 of 8

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.

THE END

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