MODUL CEMERLANG

AMANJAYA

BAHASA INGGERIS

(JUNE)

1. Directed Writing (Speech)

2. Continuous Writing (Descriptive)

3. Comprehension

1

SPEECH / TALK

What is a speech?

1. Speeches are talks delivered in public on formal and informal occasions.

2. There are many types of speeches such as 'welcome speech', 'thank you

speech' and 'farewell speech'. Besides, there are also speeches on topics of

interest and social issues.

3. The PRESENT TENSE IS USUALLY USED when you write out a speech.

Sample Question, Answer and Framework of Speech Writing

SPM 2015

Your school is organising a ceremony for your favourite English teacher who is

retiring. You have been asked to give a farewell speech.

Use the notes below about your teacher to write your speech.

number of years teaching at your school

previous schools

achievements

- 100% passes English Language

- Innovative Teacher Award

contributions to the school

- Head of English Panel

- Teacher Advisor - debating team

- organiser - charity events

teacher’s plans after retirement

- Plan 1

- Plan 2

your opinion of the teacher

one good memory you have of your teacher

wish your teacher well for the future

When writing your speech, you should remember to:

greet the audience

state the purpose of your speech

use all the notes given

give your own ideas when needed

end your speech appropriately

2

Sample Answer Explanation

A very good morning to our Principal, teachers and

fellow students. Today with a heavy heart are going to bid

farewell to Mrs Nathan who will be retiring.

Paragraph 1

–INTRODUCTION

1) Greet the audience.

e.g: Good morning / afternoon /

evening to

boys and girls..

our principal, teachers and

fellow students… (at an

official school function)

Mr Chairman, ladies and

gentlemen… (at an official

function or society meeting

Guest of Honour

2) Introduce yourself to the

audience- (your name,

position held, department

attached to)

e.g: I am Shalini, the Head

Prefect of the school...

3) Introduce topic / Purpose

of speech

e.g: I am here to present a talk

‘Fitness.’

e.g: The purpose of my talk

today is to make you realize the

importance of looking after

your food intake and how your

health can be maintained

through exercising.

Mrs Nathan has been teaching English at our school

for the past fifteen years. Previously she taught at St. John’s

Institute and SMK Kampung Indah. During all those years,

Mrs Nathan has been a dedicated teacher. She has been

teaching English to the Form Four and Form Five classes.

For the past few years her students have achieved 100%

Paragraph 2,3,4,5 – BODY

Main points and their

elaboration (facts, figures,

examples)

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passes in the English Language. Mrs Nathan too has

contributed a lot to our school. She has been the Head of the

English Panel where she guided the junior teachers in setting

and grading the English papers. Furthermore Mrs Nathan has

been the debating team’s teacher advisor. I am a member of

the debating team and I for one have learned a lot from Mrs

Nathan. Mrs Nathan has also organised several charity events

and she did a marvellous job. Mrs Nathan has received an

Innovative Teacher Award from the headmaster because of

her passion and commitment in serving our school.

Once Mrs Nathan retires, she plans to travel. She has

told me that she would like to visit 'her parents’ hometown

of Kerala. She plans to visit the whole of Kerala and other

parts of India as well. She also plans to visit Europe and

Japan. Once Mrs Nathan tires of travelling she plans to give

tuition to the less fortunate students for free. . Mrs Nathan is

indeed a kind-hearted, loving and generous person. She was

firm with us but at the same time was always there to listen

to our problems. She was like a mother to all of us. There

was once when the debate team had gone to compete against

another school. Unfortunately we had lost badly. We were all

down in the dumps. Mrs Nathan advised us not to despair.

She said to learn from our mistake and to strive to do better

next time. We followed her advice and we managed to win

the next time.

Elaborate 1 point in 1

paragraph or combine a

few relevant points and

elaborate in 1 paragraph

I would like to take this opportunity to wish Mrs Nathan

all the best in her future endeavours and to never forget us.

Goodbye Mrs Nathan.

Thank you.

Paragraph 6: Conclusion

The speaker’s hope

Thank the audience.

e.g:Thank you very much

for your kind attention.

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Sample of Question

Your school is organising The Annual Prize Giving Ceremony. During the event, you

are requested to give a speech to introduce the recipient of the Best Student Award.

Use the notes below to write your speech.

background

personality traits

- ambitious

- easy-going

achievements

- Straight A’s in SPM

- Best Athlete during Sports Day

contributions to the school

- President of Nature Club

- House Captain

- Best Commander in National Level Police Cadet Camp

Tips of success

- Tip 1

- Tip 2

one of challenges he faced during study

wish him good luck for his future

When writing your speech, you should remember to:

greet the audience

state the purpose of your speech

use all the notes given

give your own ideas when needed

end your speech appropriately

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MARK SCHEME FOR

Section A: Directed Writing

ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES

To test the candidates’ ability to:

read and comprehend the rubric

use the information to fulfil the task

write with useful ideas within the framework of the question

use clear and accurate Standard English, using a style and tone appropriate to

the task

The objectives above are rewarded as follows:

FORMAT - 3 marks

CONTENT - 12 marks

LANGUAGE - 20 marks

TOTAL - 35 marks

1. AWARDING MARKS FOR CONTENT

Content marks should be identified by the letter ‘C’ followed by the content number

and circled.

a) FORMAT - 3 marks

F1 – greeting 1 mark

F2 - purpose 1 mark

F3 - ending 1 mark

b) CONTENT - 12 marks

CONTENT

POINT

POINTS MARKS

C1

C2

C3

C4

C5

C6

C7

C8

C9

C10

C11

C12

background

personality traits - ambitious

easy-going

Achievements - Straight A’s in SPM

Best Athlete during Sports Day

contributions to the school - President of Nature Club

House Captain

Best Commander in National Level Police Cadet Camp

Tips of success - Tip 1

Tip 2

one of challenges he faced during study

wish him good luck for his future

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

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2. AWARDING MARKS FOR LANGUAGE

Marks are awarded for:

(i) Accurate English

(ii) Style and Tone appropriate to the task

**Candidates need not use exact words given in the stimulus. However, own language

must convey the same meaning

CRITERIA FOR MARKING LANGUAGE

Question 1: Directed Writing

A

19 – 20

Excellent

Language is accurate except for first draft slips

No grammatical mistakes

Effective use of varied sentence structures

Vocabulary is sophisticated and precise

Spelling and punctuation are accurate and helpful

Paragraphs have unity and are well-linked

B

16 – 18

Good

Language is almost always accurate

Sentence structure is varied and interesting

Wide vocabulary

Spelling and punctuation are accurate

Paragraphs have unity

Appropriate tone and style

C

13 – 15

Satisfactory

Language is largely accurate

Simple structures are used without errors

Errors occur in complex sentences

Vocabulary is adequate

Spelling and punctuation are generally accurate

Written in paragraphs but ideas may not be linked

Appropriate tone and style

D

10 – 12

Fair

Language is sufficiently accurate

Patches of clarity when simple structures are used

Some variety in sentence structure

Adequate vocabulary but lacks precision

Spelling of simple words and punctuation are generally accurate

Paragraphs have some unity

Tone and style are sometimes appropriate

E

7 – 9

Unsatisfactory

Meaning is never in doubt

Errors are sufficiently frequent and serious

Some simple structures may be accurate

Vocabulary is limited and simple but not precise

Spelling errors in difficult words

Paragraphs lack planning

Tone and style inappropriate

U (i)

4 – 6

Poor

Meaning is fairly clear

Many serious errors – mainly SWE (single word error)

A few simple structures are used correctly

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Errors in spelling of simple words

Paragraphs may not be used

Tone and style hidden in density of errors

U (ii)

2 – 3 Meaning is blurred

Multiple word error (MWE)

U (iii)

0 – 1 Almost unrecognizable as pieces of English

Whole sections may make no sense.

1

DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY

2017 Describe the first time you went on a camping trip.

You should write about the activities at the camp and explain how you felt

about the experience.

2016 Write a story about a time in someone’s life when music played an

important role.

2015 Describe what makes you happy and explain why.

2014 Describe an important family celebration and how you felt about it.

2013 ‘ Truly Malaysian.’

Describe what this means to you.

2012 Describe an outing with your fiends.

2011 A famous person you admire.

2010 Describe the most popular student in your school.

2009 Describe an unforgettable incident that you saw on your way home from

school.

2008 Write about a person who has succeeded in life.

2007 Describe an embarrassing experience in your life.

2006 Describe an enjoyable weekend you have experienced.

2005 Describe the biggest challenge in your life

DESCRIPTIVE WRITING

GUIDELINES

To describe a place, person, scene or event, use adverbs and adjectives to make

your descriptions more interesting.

Make the description alive and vivid by describing what you see, hear, smell,

taste and touch (whichever is relevant). Use the five senses. Describe how you

feel too.

Your conclusion should leave readers with the dominant impression of what

you have described.

Use the right tense - the present to describe a person still living or a place and the

past tense to describe a past event or a person who is no longer around.

2

Read and observe how writing descriptively gives better impact on writing.

Set 1

a) When Mr Loh heard what Rebecca had done, he scolded her.

b) When Mr Loh heard what Rebecca had done, he was very angry. He scolded her

angrily.

c) When Mr Loh heard what Rebecca had done, he was so angry that he turned red.

He shouted at her, calling her all sorts of names.

d) When Mr Loh heard what Rebecca had done, he was so angry that his face turned

dark red. He stepped out of his office and yelled for Rebecca to come in. When

she came in, he started shouting at her, calling her all sorts of terrible names.

e) When Mr Loh heard what Rebecca had done, he was so angry that his face turned

dark red. He then strode out of his office. He shouted, “Rebecca! Rebecca! Come

in here at once!” Rebecca walked into Mr Loh’s office timidly. As soon as he saw

her, he started screaming terrible names at her. He called her a trouble-maker, a

busybody and a liar and other names that are too awful to repeat.

Set 2

a) Sheng started to cry.

b) Sheng sat down. Then tears began to flow down her cheeks.

c) Sheng sat down on the wooden bench. She looked down. Then tears began to

flow down her cheeks. She wiped them away.

d) Sheng sat down quietly on the old wooden bench in the shed. She looked down at

her hands. Tears began to form in her eyes and then roll down her wrinkled

cheeks. She wiped them away hastily.

e) Sheng could not argue any more. She walked slowly to the old wooden bench in

the corner of the shed and sat down quietly. She looked down at the rough palms

of her hands. Tears slowly began to form in her eyes and then roll down her

wrinkled cheeks. She wiped them away hastily with the back of her left hand.

Set 3

a) He walked away.

b) He walked away slowly.

c) He walked away slowly, without turning back.

d) He walked away slowly. his head bowed. He did not turn back to look at her. He

smiled sadly and sighed. Then he turned around and walked away slowly, his

grey head bowed. He did not turn back to look at her. He walked straight on

without hesitating or stopping, even when he stumbled on some stones that were

in his path.

Set 4

a) He ate his dinner.

b) He gobbled up his dinner quickly.

c) He gobbled up his dinner so quickly that he hardly seemed to have chewed the

food at all.

d) He gobbled up his dinner. He swallowed the huge chunks of meat so quickly that

he hardly seemed to have chewed them at all. He shoved spoonful after spoonful

of rice and vegetables into his mouth. We were sure that he would soon choke.

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Sample of introductions when describing people

1. Mr Joginder Singh is very tall and wellbuilt with broad shoulders and muscular

arms and legs. He is very fair for a Punjabi man. He always wears a turban and has a

big, bushy beard. His nose is long and hooked and rather aristocratic-looking but he

has the warmest and dreamiest eyes I have ever seen. He is always smiling rather

sweetly in a dreamy sort of way.

2. Close friends are hard to come by these days. In an ever-changing world with

people striving to achieve their interpretation of preordained success, it is hard to

know who your true friends are. Fortunately, I found my best pal early at the tender

age of seven. We were both enrolled at the same school and were at wit’s ends as we

searched tirelessly for our designated classes.

3. My mother is without doubt the most important person in my life and the most

complete individual I know.

4. My father is a man like no other. He believes in me, protects me, shouts at me,

strengthens me, but most of all he loves me unconditionally. There aren’t enough

words to describe what my father means to me and what an influence he still has on

my life. It takes a special man to be a Father.

5. Blessed are those who have good neighbours. I am lucky to have Pakcik Jamal as

my next door neighbour. He is every inch a gentle man. He is very helpful to all.

Describing physical appearance

1. My siblings and I have always taken pride in the appearance of our mother,

especially her lovely long hair. I remember whenever my mother came to visit us at

school, other pupils would urge us to ask our mother to remove the pins from her hair

so they could see the long well-kept hair. Even though I have seen very many

beautiful people, very few ladies match the beauty of my mother.

Describing personal traits

1. One of the reasons my siblings and I were especially fond of my mother is the way

she used to take great care of us, especially when we were ill. She is a very

knowledgeable lady who made a variety of home remedies to help take care of the

minor illnesses that we had as children. Her motherly love also extended to the

animals in the farm, especially the chickens. My mother would always check on the

chickens and give them medicine whenever she determined that they had some

ailment.

2. My mother not only loved those around her, but was also compassionate. We often

observed her compassion towards our neighbours, especially when a new neighbour

moved in or when one of the neighbours was going through a hard time. My mother

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would sacrifice her time to go to a needy neighbour with a hot bowl of a soup that

would instantly make the neighbour feel appreciated.

3. My mother was a good cook who always left us looking forward to the next meal.

She knew how to mix the right ingredients to end up with a meal that often left us

licking our fingers. Just the memory of the foods that my mother prepared for us

makes me salivate to this present day.

Sample of Describing Places

l. ROOMS

(i) Ti Mui’s room was very small and dark. Heng smelt cockroaches and urine. All the

windows were closed but some of the shutters were missing. The little baby was

sleeping semi-naked on the cold, bare concrete floor. Loud Chinese opera music was

coming from the next room.

(ii) When Mrs Wong opened the door and they entered the room. It was much smaller

than Lai’s room. There was a single bed on one side of the room and a small cupboard

on the other side. These took up nearly all the space in the room. The walls were bare

except for a cracked mirror hanging near the window. The mattress in the bed looked

soiled and worn out.

(iii) Mariam walked into the empty classroom. There was a small, broken blackboard

with some sums chalked on it. There were about fifty desks and chairs crammed so

closely into the tiny room that it was almost impossible for an adult to walk in

between them. About half of the chairs and desks were broken. She wondered how the

children could still use them. The teacher’s table was not broken but both its drawers

were missing.

(iv) Cecil pushed open the beautifully carved, heavy door. It opened smoothly. Ida

walked into the room. It was the most beautiful room Ida had ever seen. The floors

were made of shining white marble and the walls were covered with wood panelling.

There were little glass tables with huge bowls of red and white roses on them all along

the walls. And, in the centre of the room, hanging from the ceiling right down to the

floor, was the biggest and most beautiful crystal chandelier.

2. BUILDINGS

(i) Hisham stood at the gate, looking at Chung’ 3 huge house. It had many sliding

glass doors and a long verandah with Spanish arches and lots of hanging plants. The

well-cut lawns were shaded by huge rain trees.

(ii) It was a terraced house that was almost identical with the others in its row except

that there was a gilt-painted swing in the small verandah. There were many pairs of

shoes and slippers on the doorstep men’s, ladies’ and children’s. In the small patch of

garden, grew a little half-dead mango tree.

(iii) We knocked at the door and noticed that its paint was peeling. There was no

answer. We walked to the back of the house. There was a rusty child’s tricycle with

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one of its wheels missing. It was lying among some piles of yellowed newspapers,

rusty tins and one discarded Japanese slipper. Dirt and dead leaves were everywhere.

The drains were so choked up with rubbish that the water in it was dark and rather

smelly.

(iv) Encik Ahmad’s house was a typical Malacca type Malay kampung house set on

stilts and with carved eaves. Its woodwork had been freshly painted for the Hari Raya.

We stood in the clean compound. The ground was sandy and completely bare of

grass. There were some spiky plants growing along the edges of the compound.

Someone had collected eggshells and stuck them on the plants, one on top of each

blade. There must have been fifty eggshells at least. The ground under the house was

also very clean. Some chicks were scratching there.

3. A DOCTOR’S WAITING-ROOM

The floor was rather dirty because of the muddy shoes of people coming in from the

rain that morning. There was a slightly musty smell as well as the smell of medicine.

The walls were all bare except for a small clock on one wall and a little sign saying

‘Closed on Deepavali, 15 November’.

4. A TRAFFIC JAM

We hardly seemed to move at all in front of us, behind us and to the left and right of

us were cars, taxis and buses. Once in a while. the traffic to the right or left of us

would inch a little forward. People with sweaty, red faces would press on their horns

angrily, as if they felt that the vehicles in front of them were not moving on purpose.

5. A COFFEE HOUSE

The place was so dimly lit that I could only make out the shapes of the people at the

tables in the centre.There were booths on either side, offering some privacy to the

people occupying them. I leaned back on the very well-padded seat and relaxed,

listening to the soft country and western music and the occasional clink of someone’ s

fork and knife on his plate.

6. A CHINESE RESTAURANT

It was rather hot and very noisy. People seemed to be shouting rather than talking.

The waitresses kept pushing past us, carrying huge, steaming dishes of food. One

waitress came over and poured tea so hastily into our glasses that she spilt most of

mine on the tablecloth. Another waitress came over and started laying out, at top

speed, dishes that would be needed for our next course.

7. BY A MOUNTAIN STREAM

It is very cool up there. The air is crisp and smells of ferns. All around us are tall,

straight jungle trees, blocking out most of the sun. I lie back on one of the huge rocks,

and squinting my eyes, I see narrow shafts of the sun’s rays piercing through the gaps

in the foliage of the trees. The icy cold stream glides past the black rocks and over my

feet. Little bits of grass floating near my feet are whisked away downstream and are

soon out of sight.

8. A DEPARTMENT STORE DURING A CHEAP SALE

There were signs everywhere saying ‘Sale’, ‘RM19 only’ or ‘30% discount’. People

were grabbing things as if the items were being given away free. There were people

6

leaning over huge boxes of jumbled up clothing; pulling out blouses and shirts,

examining them;throwing them back; and pulling out some more clothes. There were

people searching through the racks; going from one rack to another; clacking the

hangers together as they looked at each dress. There were lines of people waiting

outside the change rooms with armsful of clothing. And, there were children, running

around.

Sample of Descriptive Essay

My Best Pal

Close friendships are hard to come by these days. In an ever-changing world with

people striving to achieve their interpretation of preordained success, it is hard to

know who your true friends are. Fortunately, I found my best pal early at the tender

age of seven. We were both enrolled at the same school and were at wits’ ends as we

searched tirelessly for our designated classes.

Samantha and I got acquainted as both of us were in the same class and sat next to

each other. Samantha was a happy-go-lucky girl who always managed to breathe

fresh air into the sometimes arid classroom. She always knew what to say and would

voice them at the best possible moments. Both pupils and teachers alike enjoyed her

company and liveliness. There was hardly ever a dull moment when she was around

with her funny quips and expressions.

Samantha was born with a silver spoon. Her father was a businessman and her mother

owned and ran a boutique. Both her parents were very caring towards her as she, just

like I, was the only child of the family. Samantha came to school each day with a

perpetual smile. She was a very nice person to be around with. She and I used to go

everywhere together and both of us were rarely seen apart. We used to talk about so

many things as we walked, thoroughly enjoying our time together.

One day, I went to school and forgot to ask my parents for lunch money. At first, I

was not hungry and thought I could bear going without a meal but soon, my stomach

began to growl. Without asking, Samantha generously paid for my meal and drinks

during recess. The incident revealed to me how lucky I was to have such a caring and

compassionate friend.

As time went on, people started teasing us as we were spending more and more time

together. We seemed to know what each other thought and we cared for each other

deeply. Was I in love with her? I did not know then and we both knew we were too

young for all that emotional roller coaster.

Currently, Samantha and I are studying at different schools. It was hard to be apart at

first, but technology in the form of instant messaging and e-mails have helped to

bridge the gap in our friendship. I sincerely wish our friendship will never end as it

would be equivalent to waking up from a beautiful dream.

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SECTION B : Continuous Writing

MARKING SCHEME FOR QUESTION 2

ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES

To test candidates’ ability to:

Write a piece of continuous prose in accurate Standard English.

Respond with relevance and creatively to a task chosen.

MARKING METHOD

The whole composition should be read slowly, indicating all errors and placing ticks

for good use of language or subject matter. Examiners must judge which level best

fits the grade descriptions.

BAND DESCRIPTIONS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF CONTINUOUS

WRITING

Section B: Continuous Writing

A

44 – 50

Excellent

Language is accurate except for first draft slips

No grammatical mistakes

Effective use of varied sentence structures

Vocabulary is sophisticated and precise

Spelling and punctuation are accurate and helpful

Paragraphs have unity and are well-linked

B

38 – 43

Good

Language is almost always accurate

Sentence structure is varied and interesting

Wide vocabulary

Spelling and punctuation are accurate

Paragraphs have unity

Appropriate tone and style

C

32 – 37

Satisfactory

Language is largely accurate

Simple structures are used without error

Errors occur in more complex structures

Vocabulary is adequate

Spelling and punctuation are generally accurate

Written in paragraphs but ideas may not be linked

Appropriate tone and style

D

26 – 31

Fair

Language is sufficiently accurate

Patches of clarity when simple structures are used

Some variety in sentence structures

Adequate vocabulary but lacks precision

Spelling of simple words and punctuation generally accurate

Paragraphs have some unity

Tone and style are sometimes appropriate

E

20 – 25

Unsatisfactory

Meaning is never in doubt

Errors are sufficiently frequent and serious

Some simple structures may be accurate

Vocabulary is simple and limited but lacks precision

8

Paragraphs may not be used

Tone and style inappropriate

U (i)

14 – 19

Poor

Meaning is fairly clear

Many serious errors – mainly SWE

A few simple structures are used correctly

Simple words are spelt correctly

Paragraphs lack planning

Tone and style hidden in density of errors

U (ii)

8 – 13 Meaning is usually blurred but reader is able to get some sense.

Multiple word errors (MWE)

U (iii)

0 – 7 Almost unrecognizable as pieces of English

Where occasional patched of clarity occur, marks should be

awarded.

1

COMPREHENSION & SUMMARY

Must-Know Techniques

1. In this section, you are given a passage, and you are required to answer six

questions based on the passage.

2. Before you start answering the reading comprehension part, skim the passage

once to get the general idea of the passage. Then, read the questions.

3. Read the passage again carefully and find keywords that fulfil the needs of the

questions.

4. Write the answers with the relevant information. Avoid lifting unnecessarily.

5. State a word or a phrase depending on the needs of the question. 10 marks are

allocated for this part.

6. Summary part requires you to summarise the passage. The summary must not be

longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given.

7. Read the question and understand what it requires. You may need to focus on a

certain aspect of the text.

8. Include all the points needed. It is also important to rewrite the sentences so

that they have a smooth continuation. 15 marks is allocated for this part.

2

TEXT 1

Section C [25 marks]

Questions 26 – 31 are based on the following passage.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

There is a photograph in my house that shows that I have four siblings. Actually, I

have another sister whose picture isn’t part of the family gallery. Her name is Irene, a

name which my grandmother had chosen, for she looked as pretty and as fragile as a

flower.

Irene lived with us for almost four years, and all that time she never spoke. I only

remembered the way she grunted and cooed. She cried most of the time and rocked for

hours as if in a trance. Finally, the doctor diagnosed her as mentally retarded. Father

managed to get a maid who came in every day to help look after Irene. The maid would

bathe her and put her in front of the television while she ironed our clothes. Irene loved

to sit on the tricycle and the maid would push her around while we sang funny songs to

amuse her.

At ten, I could tell that Irene strained my parents’ marriage. They would argue

about her all the time. They were desperate to find a suitable place for her. One day,

Father told us that Irene would be going to a better home. I could tell that Mother was

greatly relieved that Irene was going away. I could still remember the day Irene left. She

had no idea what was going on.

Initially, we used to visit Irene every weekend. The trips were very upsetting to all

of us. The place where she lived was full of kids with funny eyes. They were uglier than

Irene but as before, she had nothing to say to us. There was no way of telling what

difference our presence made. Eventually, the trips stopped and we went only during

Chinese New Year.

Over the years, Irene faded out of our lives. It happened with unexpected ease as we

were all growing up. I was surprised that Mother was so indifferent. It was as if Irene

had been a bad omen in her life and she was desperate to be rid of her.

Twenty years later, Irene came to haunt me once again. I had always remembered

her but since nobody wanted to talk about her, we learned to push her to the back of our

minds. One day, while shopping with my girlfriend, a bus stopped in front of us.

Suddenly, a line of retarded people boarded the bus. The memories came rushing back

and I went home the day and searched for a photo of Irene. It was as if I had come to a

door and I had to make a decision.

Finally, I went to see my sister, Irene, for the first time after twenty years. The

home was run by a non-profit organization for the retarded. After a few enquiries, I

managed to locate her room. I felt nervous but I was determined to go through with it.

The volunteer at the home stopped me before I could do anything. She told me that

Irene was waiting for me in the canteen. “That’s her,” she said to me. A girl turned to

stare at me. There was something in her eyes which was very familiar. I shook her hand.

I was amazed to see how much she looked like Ivy, my younger sister. She mumbled

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10

15

20

25

30

35

3

8

9

something and wandered off. The volunteer filled me in as Irene stitched some

handicraft. Irene was very talented but she had a tendency to bite people when she was

upset. I was also shown her writing and paintings. I asked if she understood what family

was. I was told that Irene would be very sad each time Chinese New Year arrived as all

the other inmates had visitors. Here, she was loved and people dwelt on her talents

instead of her shortcomings. I was relieved and glad I came.

I called on my parents the next day to tell them about Irene. I even showed them

some pictures which I had taken. My father immediately said that he would like to bring

her home for Chinese New Year but Mother was against the idea. She described Irene as

a terrible mistake. I felt sorry for her because I knew that Irene would forever be a thorn

in her side even if she accepted her.

Over the next few years, I made sure that Irene was not alone during Chinese New

Year. It was clear to me that there was a bond between my other siblings and her. We

also took her for picnics and shopping but we were careful not to overload her. Some

days, she would respond to us but other days, she would see us as strangers and our

presence meant nothing to her. The social worker said that it was her way of protecting

herself and we had to let her be. Yet, I was glad that I had opened that door and taken

that step. I could tell that she was happy in her own little world, making some money

from her handicraft and living life to the fullest, doing what she wanted. I do not think

my parents were wrong in sending her away at that time for I understood my parents’

anguish and concern for the rest of us. I just want them to remember that Irene is still a

member of our family.

40

45

50

55

26 (a) From paragraph 1, how many siblings does the writer have?

………………………………………………………………………………………

[1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 3, what does ‘a better home’ refer to?

……….……………………………..………………………………………………

[1 mark]

27 From paragraph 5;

(a) “ It was as if Irene had been a bad omen in her life.” (Line 20)

Why did Mother consider Irene as the bad omen in the family?

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

[1 mark]

4

(b) Which word has the same meaning with having no particular interest or

sympathy?

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

[1 mark]

28 (a) From paragraph 6, what event led Irene back into the writer’s life?

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

[1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 7, why did the writer feel relieved?

………….……………………………..……………………………………………

[1 mark]

29 (a) From paragraph 8, state one evidence that implies the writer’s Father tried to

rectify his mistakes towards Irene.

…………….……………………..…………………………………………………

[1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 9, how did the writer know that Irene was happy in her own

little world?

…………….……………………..…………………………………………………

[1 mark]

30 In your opinion, why do think the writer did not blame her parents for sending

Irene to the home?

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

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

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

[2 marks]

5

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

his feelings when he met her

what the writer did during and after he met Irene

how the writer and his family members treated her

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 line 31 to 58

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

Imagine that you are the writer. Begin your summary as follows:

When the writer saw his sister for the first time, .....

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7

(15 marks)

TEXT 2

Section C

[25 marks]

Questions 26 – 31 are based on the following passage.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

It was a Sunday afternoon. Our cargo ship, M/V Danau Toba, was anchored about 16

kilometres from the Indonesian island of Tarakan, off the east coast of Borneo to pick up

a shipment of plywood. I was a Deck Cadet, at 23, the youngest member of a crew of 24.

As Sunday was our day off, most of the crew had gone ashore while others stayed in their

cabins. I was practising shooting basketball on the deck of the ship when all of a sudden

the ball bounced off the net and went over the starboard railing. I rushed to the railing

and spotted it bobbing in the water 40 feet below. Seeing a ladder on the side of the ship

down to the waterline, I thought I could rescue my ball and easily climb back on deck.

Without thinking, I took off my shirt and dived into the sea.

I reached the ball after a few strokes, but when I turned back towards the ship, I

realized I was being carried away by the current. I let go of the ball and began swimming

hard towards the ladder but quickly gave up – the current was too strong. Feeling

exhausted, I turned with the current and swam back to the ball, which I grabbed onto as a

life raft. As I drifted away into the Celebes Sea, I noticed that the anchor chain at the

ship’s starboard was pulled very tightly, a sign of how strong the current was.

I kept my spirits up. With the help of the basketball, I had little trouble keeping

afloat, and I was confident that I would be rescued. Almost two hours had passed and it

was getting dark. I saw a fishing boat passing nearby and started shouting. “Help!! Help

me!!!’ But no one heard, perhaps because the boat’s motor was too loud.

Now it was completely dark. I could still see the lights of the vessels, including my

own, in the anchorage area, waiting to take on cargo. I guessed they were about 2.5

nautical miles (4.6 kilometres) away. Despite my situation, I remained calm and

confident that I would soon be rescued. Then my legs started to cramp. When I was in

college, I was once overcome by agonizing cramps while swimming and had to be

rescued by a friend. Even though the pain wasn’t too bad now, I knew I could be in

trouble.

I thought about my fiancée Rochelle Rexes back in Mandaluyong. We had met

almost three years earlier, and I had spent a lot of time since then working at sea so that

we could have a good start in life. I started to pray to God to help me stay alive as I was

too young to die and I was getting married in a few months’ time.

I looked at one of the anchored ships, which was busy taking on cargo from a barge

on her portside. I knew that the crew on the barge and the small tugboat that

accompanied it would be Indonesian. I took a deep breath and shouted, “TULUONG!”

I’m not sure why, at that moment, I used the word for help from my native tongue,

Tagalog. What I didn’t know was that Indonesians used a similar word for help.

Fortunately, a stevedore named Manding, who was working on the tugboat, heard

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15

20

25

30

35

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my shouts. He quickly approached his Captain and switched on the searchlight. When

they saw me waving in the water, they manoeuvred the boat towards me. As it came up

beside me, they threw me a life ring attached to a rope. When I grabbed hold of it, they

pulled me on the board. By that time, I had been in the water for around four hours.

I told my rescuers what had happened and how stupid I had been to have jumped into

the water. I was surprised to learn that half of their bargo’s cargo would soon be loaded

onto my own ship. Less than an hour later, I returned to the M/V Danau Toba.

Amazingly, no one on the ship even knew I was gone.

( Adapted from Reader’s Digest, March 2010 )

40

26 (a) From paragraph 1, where was the writer?

.……………………………………………………………………………….……

[1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 2, why did the writer let go of the ball?

.……………………………………………………………………………………

[1 mark]

27 From paragraph 4,

(a) what does the word they in line 21 refer to?

.……………………………………………………………………………………

[1 mark]

(b) How could the agonizing cramps made the writer in trouble?

.……………………………………………………………………………………

[1 mark]

28 From paragraph 5, state two reasons why he needed to stay alive?

(i) …………………………………………………………………………………

(ii) …………………………………………………………………………………

[2 marks]

29 From paragraph 6,

(a) why do you think the Indonesian crew could hear the writer shouting?

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.……………………………………………………………………………………

[1 mark]

(b) what does the phrase anchored ships suggest?

.……………………………………………………………………………………

[1 mark]

30 In your opinion, why do you think no one on the ship realised his absence? Give

your reasons.

(i) …………………………………………………………………………………

(ii) …………………………………………………………………………………

[2 marks]

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

the problems the writer encountered when he was swept out to the sea and

how he managed to get to safety

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 form (not in note form)

use materials from lines 10 to 40

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

Begins your summary as follows:

When the writer turned back towards the ship, he realised …..

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

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

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

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

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[15 marks]

1

ANSWER SCHEME

TEXT 1

26 (a) five

(b) a home for the retarded people

27 (a) because Irene had caused a lot of difficulties to the family

(b) indifferent

28 (a) he saw a line of retarded people boarded a bus

(b) because he knew that his sister was loved and people dwelt on her talents

instead of her shortcomings in the home

29 (a) he would like to bring Irene home for Chinese New Year

(b) she made some money from her handicraft and lived life to the fullest, doing

what she wanted

30 he knew how hard his family had to endure with Irene’s presence besides they had

to think of growing up the other children in the house at that time.

31 Summary Points

his feelings when he met her

what the writer did during and after he met Irene

how the writer and his family members treated her

1. he felt nervous

2. determined to go through with it

3. he was amazed to see how much she looked like his younger sister

4. she was loved

5. people dwelt on her talents (instead of her shortcoming)s

6. he was relieved and glad that he came

7. Told his parents about Irene

8. showed them some pictures

9. His father would like to bring Irene home for Chinese New Year

10. mother was against the idea

11. I felt sorry for her

12. took her for picnics and shopping

13. he was glad that he had taken that step

14. he did not think his parents were wrong

15. he understood his parents’ anguish

16. concern for the rest of them

2

TEXT 2

26 (a) on a cargo ship

(b) because the ball had drifted him away from the ship

27 (a) the lights of the vessels

(b) because he would have trouble swimming with his cramped legs

28 (i) he was too young to die

(ii) he was getting married in a few months’ time

29 (a) because the Indonesians used a similar word for help

(b) the ships were not moving / stationary

30 (i) he was disappeared only for a few hours

(ii) he was the youngest, maybe not many recognised him

(Accept any plausible answer)

31. Summary Points

the problems the writer encountered when he was swept out to the sea and

how he managed to get to safety

1. he was being carried away by the current

2. he let go of the ball

3. began swimming hard towards the ladder

4. the current was too strong

5. He turned with the current and swam back to the ball

6. He started shouting but no one heard

7. because the boat’s motor was too loud

8. it was completely dark

9. could still see the lights of the vessels

10. His legs started to cramp

11. looked at one of the anchored ships

12. Shouted for help

13. they manoeuvred the boat towards him

14. they threw him a life ring attached to a rope

15. he grabbed hold of it

16. they pulled him on the board

3

Style and Presentation 05 marks

MARK PARAPHRASE MARK USE OF ENGLISH

5 Sustained rephrasing

Phrases that are too difficult

to extract can be taken from

the text.

The expression used by the

candidate is secure.

5 The language is accurate.

There are some slips or minor

errors.

Language is very well

organized and coherent

throughout the piece of

writing.

Ability to use original

sentences and write complex

structures.

4 There is noticeable

rephrasing.

It is free from stretches of

sentences being lifted from

the text.

The expressions used are

generally sound.

4 The language is largely

accurate.

There are isolated serious

errors.

Text is well organized and

coherent in most parts.

There is some ability to use

original and complex

structures.

4

3 There is limited rephrasing.

There is intelligent and

selected lifting.

The expression is not always

secure.

3 The language is sufficiently

accurate.

There are noticeable serious

errors.

It is fairly well organized and

coherent in some parts.

2 There is evidence of copying

some relevant sentences

from the text or wholesale

copying.

There are attempts to

substitute with their own

language and this is limited

to single words only.

2 The meaning of the summary

is not in doubt.

There are frequent serious

errors.

The text is poorly organized

and it lacks coherence.

1 There is more or less a

complete transcript of the

original text.

There is word for word

copying.

The originality of the

candidate’s writing is barely

noticeable.

There is mindless lifting,

which includes the irrelevant

sentences as well.

1 There is a high incidence of

serious errors.

The syntax is fractured.

The text is incoherent.

NOTE:

If the summary is outside the given text which is considered totally irrelevant,

then the mark of “0” is awarded.

If the candidate copies more or less the text, the MAXIMUM marks awarded

for the section on USE OF ENGLISH is “3”.

If a candidate writes in note form throughout the answer, a mark of “0” is

given for STYLE and PRESENTATION. The candidate will not get any

marks for sections on PARAPHRASE and USE OF ENGLISH.

The length for the summary is 130 words, including the 10 given words. If a

candidate does not make use of the 10 given words, he / she is allowed to

write a total of 120 words.

Draw 2 slanting lines // after the 10th and another 2 slanting lines // after the

120th word. Content points and language marks will not be considered after the

stipulated number of words. The candidate cannot be penalized if the total

number of words exceeds the total number.

Contractions are counted as 2 words except for can’t which is a word (cannot).

Proper nouns are not counted as one.