MUET WRITING

Questions 38 to 45 are based on the following passage.

1 Parents who had few avenues for meaningful social involvements found it

very difficult to let go or give up control of their grown children. But parents

who had other friendships and interests or good marriages generally let go of

their children, since they did not rely on them to meet their social needs. This

sheds some light on why mothers in my sample held on and fathers became 5

remote. For many mothers, their family world was their only world, whereas

many fathers had an alternative, external world separate from their family

which meant that they could let go. This was also one reason why many

daughters had trouble letting go. The fact is that mothers and daughters had

fewer involvements outside the family than fathers and sons. It was the 10

socially isolated women who held on the most. Socially isolated fathers - a

much smaller group – were more likely to hold on than other fathers and

were more likely the mothers in general. My findings therefore are consistent
with Chodorow’s argument about social structure. She observes that in

Western Society: 15

A middle-class woman’s daily life is not centrally involved in relations

with other women. She is isolated with her children for most of the work day.

It is not surprising then that she ... looks to them for her own re-affirmation ...
Her life situation leads her to an over-involvement in her children’s lives.

(Chodorow 1978:212) 20

2 While not all women live this sort of solitary life it remains true that
relatively speaking women are more isolated in Western culture than in many
other cultures. In non-industrialised societies the smaller communities and
organisation of daily life means that women have close ongoing contact with
other people other than family members. This in turn enables women to 25
separate from their children. Chodorow argues that the structure of the
Western nuclear family produces a great need for relationships among
women but the isolation of the family and women makes it difficult for women
to satisfy this need and this, together with the small size of the family,
produces intense, over-involved relationships with children, particularly 30
daughters.

3 A key feature of the way modern society is organised is the separation of

work and home. This is fundamental in producing the isolation of women.

Industrialisation has had their lasting consequences: the separation of the

man from intimate, daily routines of domestic life; the economic dependence 35

of women and children on men; the isolation of housework and child-care

from other work. Hence, through the allocation to women of housework and

child-care, through modern definitions of the role of housewife and the role of

the mother, industrialisation has meant the restriction of the woman-

housewife to the home. (Oakley 1976:59) 40

196

4 Men have followed the work out of the home and mothers have been left
holding the baby. This means that children will develop much more intense
relationships with their mother than with their often absent father; and since
for many mothers child-rearing is their main task, those who remain at home
are driven to a greater dependence on their children for social contact and a 45
purpose in life. When combined with the way in which popular psychology
makes mothers feel totally responsible for their children’s happiness and
success it is hardly surprising that so many mothers continue to feel the
burden of responsibility for their children – even after the children have grown
up. 50

5 Even when women work outside the home, children and housework
occupy a great deal of their attention. We know that working women simply
add their work to their domestic and family responsibilities, thus leaving them
with very little energy, much less time, to take advantage of the social world
provided by the workplace or to keep up their social life and sustain leisure 55
interests. Working therefore may not reduce the social isolation of women as
much as expected.

(Adapted from David de Vaus, Letting Go, Oxford University Press,
Australia, 1994)

38 Why are mothers more likely to hold on to their children compared to fathers?

A. They are happy to stay at home.
B. They bond better with their children.
C. They are dependent on their children.
D. They are on their own most of the time.

39 The phrase sheds some light (line 5) means to

A. make it clearer
B. expose the source
C. reveal inner thoughts
D. give an alternative view

40 The writer quotes Chodorow’s work to

A. support his own research findings
B. restate the argument about social structure
C. present the situation of the middle-class woman
D. contrast his findings with those of other authorities

197

41 The following factors contributed to mothers’ over-involvement in their
children’s lives except
A. small family size
B. fear of neglecting the children
C. structure of the nuclear family
D. lack of contact with other adults

42 The idea in paragraph 4 contain
A. enumeration
B. exemplification
C. cause and effect
D. compare and contrast

43 Which of the following best summarises Oakley’s point?
A. Separation of work and home
B. Separation of men from domestic life
C. Impact of industrialisation on society
D. Modern definitions of the role of women

44 Which of the following is not a reason why mothers continue to feel
responsible for their children?
A. Women prefer a domestic to a public role.
B. Child-care has become the main purpose of their lives.
C. Women continue to exemplify the woman-housewife role.
D. Fathers work and are often removed from domestic affairs.

45 The main idea of the last paragraph is
A. working outside the home offers more leisure pursuits
B. working does not reduce the social isolation of women
C. women seldom participate in social activities at their workplace
D. women include their work outside the home as family responsibilities

198

PRACTICE 8 5

Questions 1 to 7 are based on the following passage.

1 When a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) arrives, most senior executives
worry about their jobs. Many worry that their history of successes and failures
may not count for much. Anecdotal stories of what happens to executive
teams during CEO transitions are hardly comforting. Firings, organisational
reshuffles and cancelled strategies result in abrupt and unwelcome career
change for a host of senior managers.

2 On average, turnover among all executive officers was only a little when
the new CEO came from within the company, but quite a lot when the CEO
came from outside. In the latter situation, more than 25 per cent of the
executives left within a year, and the odds of an involuntary departure more 10
than doubled.

3 What happens to executives who leave? Is losing their job, as the cliché
goes, “the best thing that ever happened to them”? Do they in fact land on

their feet, or do they suffer massive career setbacks?

4 An executive who has been doing a good job may assume that even if he 15
is asked to leave, he will find an equal or better job elsewhere and so many

tend to be relaxed about his fate under the new leader. Unfortunately, the

data of a study do not support this optimistic outlook. Of the approximately

400 senior executives who left following the arrival of a new CEO in 2002 or 20

2003, none moved to an equal job in any large firm.

Figure 1: Executives Turnover in Companies in the United States, 2002-2003

199

The broader group of exiting executives generally fared poorly, too (see
5 Figure 1). The researchers discovered this by comparing the executives’

previous companies and job titles with their new ones. They separated the
executives into four categories – winners, laterals, setbacks and dropouts –
based on the combination of changes in their title and their new company. For 25
example, a person who acquired a higher title at a slightly smaller firm might
be classified as a lateral, but someone who accepted a lesser title at a much
smaller firm would be classified as a setback. Winners are those who
accepted a better position at a similarly-sized company or kept the same title
but moved to a larger company; while dropouts are those who joined an 30
extremely small venture or completely disappeared from the corporate radar
screen.

The results are sobering. Winners were rarely – only 4 per cent of
6 executives fell into this category. Twenty-eight percent fell into the laterals

category. Three percent were designated setbacks. The majority, a sizeable 35
65 per cent dropouts, moved to sole proprietorship or to companies with sales
of less than US$10million, or disappeared altogether. It seems likely that this
last group either retired or moved quite far down the corporate ladder.

(Adapted from Harvard Business Review, September 2011)

1 The appointment of a new CEO may bring about career change for some
executives.

A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

2 More executives are fired when a new CEO is from within the organisation.

A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

3 Many senior executives leave their company because they do not share the
vision of the new CEO.

A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

200

4 Data from the study show that generally executives do not hold better
positions in their new jobs.
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

5 The criteria for categorising the types of executives turnover are job titles,
salary and size of the company.
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

6 Figure 1 presents a bleak picture of executive turnover.
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

7 A preference to retire from work was the main reason for the high dropout
percentage among executives.
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

201

Questions 8 to 14 are based on the following passage.

1 A man wakes up in a New York apartment, brews coffee and goes out into the
world, and everything that can appear on a smart phone or iPad appears
before his eyes instead – weather reports, calendar reminders, messages
from friends, walking maps of New York, his girlfriend’s smiling face.

2 This is the promise of Google’s Project, which released the video I have 5
just described earlier, as a preview of a still percolating project that aspires to
implant the equivalent of an iPhone into a pair of science-fiction spectacles.

3 Even if the project itself never comes to fruition, the idea deserves a life
of its own, as a window into what our era promises and what it threatens to
take away. If modernity’s mix of achievement and alienation was once 10
embodied by the Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, now it is embodied by the Man
in the Google Glasses.

4 On the one hand, the video is a testament to modern technology’s
extraordinary facts – not only instant communication across blocks or
continents, but also an almost god-like access to information about the world 15
around us. The Man in the Google Glasses can find his way effortlessly
through the mazes of Manhattan; he can photograph anything he sees; he
can make an impulse purchase from any corner of the world.

5 But the video also captures the sense of isolation that coexists with our
technological mastery. The Man in the Google Glasses lives alone, in a drab, 20
impersonal apartment. He meets a friend for coffee, but the video cuts away
from this live interaction, leaping ahead to the moment when he snaps a
photograph of some “cool” graffiti and shares it online. He has a significant
other, but she is far away. When sunset arrives, he climbs up on a roof and
shares the scenery with her via video, while she grins from a window at the 25
bottom of his field of vision.

6 He is, in other words, a characteristic twenty-first century American, more
electronically-networked but more personally isolated than ever before. There
are now more Americans living by themselves than there are Americans in
intact nuclear family households. Children are much more likely to grow up 30
with only a single parent in the home; adults marry less and divorce relatively
frequently; seniors are more likely to face old age alone.

7 The question hanging over the future of American social life then, is
whether all the possibilities of virtual community – the connections forged by
Facebook and Twitter and the hums of virtual conversations that are available 35
any hour of the day can make up for the weakening of flesh-and-blood ties

202

and the declined traditional communal institution.

8 The optimists say yes. The buzzing hive of the Internet is well on its way
to generating a kind of “cognitive surplus” which promises to make group
interactions even more effective and enriching than they were before the 40
Web. The pessimists, on the other hand, worry that online life offers only a
surreal community. As one author argues, the lure of Internet relationships,
constantly available but inherently superficial, might make both genuine
connection and genuine solitude impossible.

9 Today, social media are hailed for empowering dissidents and bringing 45
the downfall of tyrannies around the world. Yet it is hard not to watch the
Google video and agree with critics that such a technology could ultimately
accelerate the arrival of the persistent and pervasive citizen surveillance state
in which everything you see and do can be recorded, reported and
subpoenaed. In this kind of world, the Man in the Google Glass might feel like 50
a king of infinite space. But he could actually be inhabiting a comfortable, full-
serviced cage.

(Adapted from The New York Times, April 16, 2012)

8 Information found on a smartphone can also appear on the Google Glasses.

A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

9 The Google Glass project is nearing completion.

A. True
B. False
C. Not stated
10
While Google Glass provide instant access to information to its user, it also
alienates him from his community.

A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

11 The following statements are true about the Man in the Google Glass video
except

A. he often travels across continents
B. he can access information instantly
C. he can buy things from anywhere in the world

203

12 The focus in paragraph 7 is
A. the decline of traditional communities
B. virtual conversations that can take place anytime
C. virtual communities forged through Facebook and Twitter

13 surreal (line 42) means
A. strange
B. imagined
C. temporary

14 The writer develops the concluding paragraph through
A. cause and effect
B. problem and solution
C. comparison and contrast

204

Questions 15 to 21 are based on the following passage.

1 Across a patch of pineapples shrouded in smoke, Idris Hadrianyani battled a
menace that has left his family sleepless and sick. Against the advancing
flames, he waved a hose with a handmade nozzle crafted from a plastic soda
bottle. This lopsided struggle is part of a battle against one of the biggest,
and more over-looked causes of global climate change: a vast and often 5
smouldering layer of coal-black peat that has made Indonesia the world’s
third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the United States.

2 Unlike the noxious gases pumped into the atmosphere by petrol-guzzling
vehicles in the United States and smoke-belching factories in China, the
danger here in the heart of Borneo rises from the ground itself. Peat, formed 10
over thousands of years from decomposed trees, grass and scrub, contains
gigantic quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2), which used to stay locked in the
ground. It is now dying and disintegrating and when it burns, carbon dioxide
gushes into the atmosphere. For Agus Purnomo, head of Indonesia’s
National Council of Climate Change, dealing with peat requires that the world 15
answers a difficult duestion: How to make protection of the environment as
economically rewarding as its often lucrative destruction?

3 Carbon trading was meant to do just that, by allowing developing
countries that cut their emissions to sell carbon credits. Carbon credits are
tradeable equities in global market exchanges just as securities and 20
commodities in the stock markets. But this and other incentives for
conservation developed since a United Nations conference in Kyoto, Japan,
in 1977 has done nothing to protect Indonesia’s abused peatlands.

4 Less than a quarter of a century ago, 75 per cent of Kalimantan was
covered in thick forests. Cleared away since by loggers, oil palm plantations 25
and grandiose projects, the forests have shrunk by about half. Fires,
meanwhile, have grown more frequent and serious. For centuries,
Kalimantan locals burned forest land to create plots for farming. But what
used to be small, controlled fires have become fearsome conflagrations as
dry and degraded peat goes up in smoke. In 2006, according to Wetlands 30
International, Indonesia’s peatlands released roughly 1.9 billion tonnes of
CO2. This is equal to the combined emissions in that year of Germany,
Britain and Canada, and more than emissions from road and air travel of the
United States.

5 How dirt became so dangerous – and why reversing the damage is so 35
difficult – is on grim display here in Central Kalimantan, inhabited by about
two million people and a rapidly dwindling population of orang-utans.
Economic logic here is firmly on the side of those wrecking the environment.

205

For example, Hadrianyani, the fire-fighter in Taruna Jaya, also has another 40
job: he clears peatland of trees and scrub for cultivation – a task done most
easily by burning. That work earns him about US$8 (RM28) a day – twice

what he gets for putting out fires.

6 The uneven match of reality and good intentions have put Central
Kalimantan’s government in a bind. “The carbon here is huge. It should be
safeguarded,” said Humda Pontas, head of the economics department at the 45
regional planning board. “But palm plantations, though a serious threat to

carbon-rich peatland, are the only real investment opportunity. These
plantations employ people and pay taxes. The rest is just theory,” he said.

(Adapted from The Star, February 23, 2010)

15 In paragraph 1, the writer mentions Idris Hadrianyani to

A. emphasise the harmful effects of peat fire on health
B. contrast between the global problem of peat fire against the feeble

attempt at fire fighting
C. highlight the skills of the locals at fire fighting in spite of the lack of

sophisticated equipment

16 The word lopsided (line 4) can best be replaced by

A, unwieldy
B. unbalanced
C. unimaginable

How to make protection of the environment as economically rewarding as

17 its often lucrative destruction? (lines 16 to 17)

This means that

A. the money gained from destroying the environment should be spent on
conserving it

B. protecting the environment should be more profitable than destroying it
C. saving the environment and destroying it should be equally profitable

206

18 Which of the following are true of carbon trading (line 18)?
I. It serves as an incentive for conservation of the environment.
II. It has helped to reduce deforestation and burning in Indonesia.

III. Carbon credits are based on the quantity of CO2 reduced from
emissions.

A. I and II
B. I and III
C. II and III

19 For centuries, Kalimantan locals have burned forest land to create plots for
farming.
(lines 27 and 28)

This implies that this practice
A. was not harmful
B. could cause peat fires
C. released more carbon emission

20 The intention of the writer in mentioning emissions from road and air travel of
the United States (lines 33 and 34) is to
A. show that the United States ranks highest in CO2 emissions
B. highlight the huge quantity of CO2 emissions from Indonesia
C. compare it with CO2 emissions from Germany, Britain and Canada

21
The rest is just theory (line 48)

This implies that
A. the problem needs to be further investigated
B. clearing the land for plantations will continue
C. Central Kalimantan’s government cannot decide on a plan of action

207

Questions 22 to 29 are based on the following passage.

1 The ideal – as we are often reminded – is to go organic, to trade processed
foods for fresh food, and the supermarkets for the farmers’ market. Organic

foods currently represent only about 3 per cent of the total United States

(U.S.) market, and anywhere from around 1 per cent to 7 per cent in

European countries. Japan has traditionally been the largest organic market 5

in Asia, but those in China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and India are

growing as consumers are becoming more affluent. In India, the certified-

organic market has grown 200 per cent in the past two years. True, the

importance of going organic is less relevant in the developing world but those

who can afford it, so we are told, should support the movement. 10

2
That sounds like a great idea, but there is a price to be paid for it.

Organic fruits, vegetables, meat and milk usually cost more than ordinary
produce – and in some cases much more. What is more, while grass-fed
beef is lower in fat, and milk without chemicals is clearly a good idea, it is
less obvious that organic fruits and vegetables have a nutritional edge to 15
speak of. A 2009 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found no
difference between organic and conventional produce with regard to all but
three of the vitamins and other food components studied, and conventional
produce actually managed to be better than organic produce.

3 “We draw these bright lines between organic and conventional food,” 20
says McWilliams. “But science does not draw those lines. They criss-cross,

and you have people on both sides of the argument. What is needed are not
arguments but answers.”

4 Keeping the food flowing – the prices low – requires a lot of industrial-

engineering tricks, and those have secondary effects of their own. In the 25

U.S., up to 10 million tonnes of chemical fertilizer per year are poured onto

fields to cultivate corn alone, which has increased yields by 23 per cent from

1990 to 2009 but this has led to toxic run offs that are poisoning the Gulf of

Mexico. China, which uses more chemicals on its crops than any other

country, goes through over 47 million tonnes of fertilizer annually. 30

5 The battle over meat generates the most ferocious disagreement in the
food wars. The vast majority of people in developed nations are carnivores.
The U.S. produces 36 billion kilogrammes of meat per year. The European
Union (E.U.) produces roughly the same amount, and all Asia produces a
total of 103 billion kilogrammes. It is now common knowledge that animals 35
are raised in poor conditions, jammed together on factory farms and filled
with high-calorie feed that fattens them up and moves them to slaughter as
fast as possible. The idea of animals living such short, brutish lives

208

introduces an element of altruism into the organic versus commercial debate.

6 There are material advantages to humane treatment. Cattle that eat 40
more grass have higher ratios of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6, a balance
that is widely-believed to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and arthritis
and to improve cognitive function. Take the cows out of the pasture and stuff
them with corn-based feed, and omega-3 plummets. What is more, animals
not raised on feedlots have less chances of spreading E. coli bacteria 45
through contact with the manure of other animals.

7 Short of swearing off meat, there are no easy solutions. For one thing, if
we decided to switch to healthier meat, there would not be enough to go
around. What is more, the scarcity helps drive the prices higher still. Another
alternative is to eat more fish which is healthier because it is leaner, lower in 50
calories and higher in omega-3. But with fish stocks collapsing worldwide
because of over consumption, there is only so far that solution can take us. A
half-measure – but a very powerful one – is simply to cut back on whatever
meat we do eat, even if we cannot quit it altogether.

(Adapted from TIME, September 6, 2010)

22 In paragraph 1, the writer mentions that the Indian organic market has grown
200 per cent in the past two years. This is to

A. illustrate the rapid growth of the organic market in Asia
B. compare the growth of the organic markets in Europe and Asia
C. highlight the fact that India’s organic market is larger than in the U.S.

23 ...but those who can afford it, so we are told, should support the
movement. (lines 9 and 10)

This implies that the writer is of the opinion that

A. only the rich can afford organic food
B. we should be cautious about going organic
C. since organic food is now more available, we should buy it

24 Paragraph 4 is mainly about the

A. attempts at lowering food prices
B. effects of the heavy use of fertilizers
C. adverse effects of industrial-engineering on farming

209

25 The main reason for supporting organic beef is that
A. the cows are better treated
B. this increases the supply of chemical-free milk
C. the chemicals in commercially-reared beef are harmful

26 The following are advantages of grass-fed cattle except
A. its meat has more fatty acids
B. it may reduce the risk of various cancers
C. there is less possibility of E. coli transmission

27 The word plummets (line 44) means
A. to fall sharply
B. to remain constant
C. to increase gradually

28 According to the writer, which of the following is the preferred solution?
A. Eat more fish
B. Eat less meat of any kind
C. Eat only chemical-free meat

29 The purpose of this passage is to
A. evaluate the reasons for advocating organic products
B. help consumers choose between organic and conventional products
C. compare the advantages and disadvantages of organic and non-organic
products

210

Questions 30 to 37 are based on the following passage.

1 Nnaemeka, for his own part, was very deeply-affected by his father’s grief.
But he kept hoping that it would pass away. If it had occured to him that
never in the history of his people had a man married a woman with a different
tongue, he might have been less optimistic. “It has never been heard,” was
the verdict of an old man speak a few weeks later. In that short sentence he 5
spoke for all of his people. This man had come with others to commiserate
with Okeke when news went round about his son’s behaviour. By that time
the son had gone back to Lagos.

2 “It has never been heard,” said the old man again with a sad shake of his
head. “What did our Lord say?” asked another gentleman. “Sons shall rise 10
against their Fathers; it is there in the Holy Book.”
“It is the beginning of the end.” said another.

The discussion thus tending to become theological, Madubogwu, a

highly practical man, brought it down once to the ordinary level.
“Have you thought of consulting a native doctor about your son?” he 15

asked Nnaemeka’s father.
“He isn’t sick,” was the reply.
“What is he then? The boy’s mind is diseased and only a good herbalist

can bring him back to his right senses. The medicine he requires is Amalile,
the same that women apply with success to recapture their husbands’ 20
straying affections.”

“Modubogwu is right,” said another gentleman. “This thing calls for
medicine.”

“I shall not call in a native doctor.” Nnaemeka’s father was known to be
obstinately ahead of his more superstitious neighbours in these matters. “If 25

my son were to kill himself, let him do it with his own hands. It is not for me to
help him.”

3 Six months later, Nnaemeka was showing his young wife a short letter

from his father:

It amazes me that you could be so unfeeling as to send me your 30

wedding picture. I would have sent it back. But on further thought I decided to

cut off your wife and send it back to you because I have nothing to do with

her. How I wish I have nothing to do with you either.

When Nene read through the letter and looked at the mutilated picture,

her eyes filled with tears, and she began to sob. 35

“Don’t cry my darling,” said her husband. “He is essentially good-natured

and will one day look more kindly on our marriage.” But years passed and

that one day did not come.

For eight years, Okeke would have nothing to do with his son,

Nnaemeka. Only three times when Nnaemeka asked to come home and 40

211

spend his leave did his father write to him.
“I can’t have you in my house,” he replied in one occasion. “It can be of

no interest to me where and how you spend your leave – or your life, for that
matter.”

4 The story eventually got to the village in the heart of the Ibo country that 45
Nnaemeka and his young wife were the most happy couple. But his father
was one of the few people in the village who knew nothing about this. He
always displayed so much temper whenever his son’s name was mentioned
that everyone avoided it in his presence. By tremendous effort of will, he had
succeeded in pushing his son to the back of his mind. The strain had nearly 50
killed him but he had persevered, and won.

5 The prejudice against Nnaemeka’s marriage was not confined to his little
village. In Lagos especially among his people who worked there, it showed
itself in a different way. Their women when they meet at their village meeting
were not hostile to Nene. Rather, they paid her such excessive deference as 55
to make her feel she was not one of them. But as time went on, Nene
gradually broke through some of this prejudice and began to make friends
among them. Slowly and grudgingly, they began to admit that she kept her
home much better than most of them.

6 Then, one day he received a letter from Nene, and in spite of himself he 60
began to glance through it perfunctorily until out of a sudden the expression
of his face changed and he began to read more carefully.
...Our two sons from the day they learnt that they had a grandfather,
have insisted on being taken to him. I find it impossible to tell them that you
will not see them. I implore you to allow Nnameka to bring them home for a 65
short time during his leave next month. I shall remain here in Lagos...

(Adapted from Smalzer, W. and Lim,P.L (1994). United States. Heinle &
Heinle Publishers)

30 The first paragraph tells us that the people from Nnaemeka’s village were
A. close knit
B. hospitable
C. interfering
D. conservative

212

31 Why did Okeke not want to call in a native doctor?

A. He was stubborn.
B. He disliked the use of herbal medicine.
C. He was less religious than the other villagers.
D. He was less supersitious than the other villagers.

32 The first letter written to his son shows that Okeke felt

A. betrayed by his son
B. rejected by Nnaemeka’s wife
C. unable to stand up to his peers
D. insulted for not being invited to the wedding

33 mutilated (line 34) means

A. rejected
B. damaged
C. discarded
D. disfigured

34 The subsequent letters written by Okeke revealed that he was

A. distant
B. distrustful
C. indifferent
D. unforgiving

35 By tremendous effort ... and won. (lines 49 and 51)

This description of Okeke shows his

A. lack of judgement
B. need to be independent
C. anguish over his decision
D. inability to stand up to his beliefs

213

36 ... they paid her such excessive deference as to make her feel she was not
one of them.
(lines 55 and 56)

The quote above can best be paraphrased as
A. Nene felt overwhelmed by their politeness
B. the womenfolk made Nene feel very unhappy
C. the womenfolk were so polite that Nene felt like a misfit
D. Nene was unable to integrate because she was different from them.
37 Nene’s letter can most aptly be described as
A. an appeal
B. an inquiry
C. a complaint
D. a negotiation

214

Questions 38 to 45 are based on the following passage.

1 The World Health Organization (WHO) says the world is in the grip of a
“crisis” of non-infectious disease. Salt is one of the main culprits because of
its effect on blood pressure. Only one substance gives the WHO greater
cause for concern, and that is tobacco. For the past 40 years, doctors around
the world have been waging a war on salt. In some places they have been 5
very successful. And yet in recent months something has shifted. Headlines
have appeared questioning the benefits of eating less salt. Some have
claimed salt reduction is positively harmful; even Scientific American
declared: “It is time to end the war on salt.”

2 The food available to our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have been 10
low in salt so we have evolved an exquisite system detecting in our diet.
Unlike energy, our bodies cannot readily store salt and so we are experts at
hanging on to it, largely through a recycling unit in the kidneys. It is possible
to survive perfectly well on very little salt. But most people eat much more
salt than they need. While US dietary guidelines set an adequate intake of 15
3.75 grammes a day, the average Westerner eats about eight grammes; in
some parts of Asia, 12 grammes is the norm.

3 This effortless consumption of salt horrifies doctors. Our kidneys can
excrete some excess salt but to keep fluid concentrations stable, our bodies
retain extra water. An inevitable consequence of this excess fluid is a rise in 20
blood pressure. Exactly how is not clear. Nor is the reason why some people
are more sensitive than others. But the fact that it does is uncontroversial. It
is the effect on blood pressure that causes problems. High blood pressure is
one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease; even small increases
raise your risk of having a stroke. For this reason, salt reduction has become 25
one of the most important public health targets in the West. Dietary
guidelines vary, but generally recommend no more than five to six grammes
of salt a day.

4 In the United Kingdom, this kind of salt reduction was mooted in 1994
but hastily shelved after protests from food manufacturers. In the intervening 30
years, lobbying by scientists, public health groups gradually turned the tide –
not least by raising public awareness – and how the industry is broadly
reconciled to modest salt reductions. The most vigorous defender of the
status quo is the Salt Institute, a trade body representing 48 producers and
sellers of sodium chloride. This institute has a long history of trumpeting any 35
research that goes against the orthodoxy and picking holes in the evidence
against salt. So what is the evidence? Over the years dozens of studies have
been done and the findings are far from uniform.

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5 One approach is to look for a link between how much salt people eat
when left to their own devices and their rates of heart attacks and strokes. In 40
2009, cardiologist, Francesco Cappuccio pooled all the data and found a
strong relationship between a salt diet and cardiovascular disease (British
Medical Journal (BMJ, vol. 339, p. 4567). Another way is to intervene directly
in people’s diets – take two groups of people, get one of them to eat less salt
for a while and see what the outcome is. These trials take more work than 45
observational studies but several have been done. The biggest managed to
get thousands of people to cut down on salt by about two grammes a day for
up to four years and saw a 25 per cent fall in cardiovascular disease (BMJ,
vol. 334, p. 885). Or you can look at whole countries, taking the before-and-
after approach. Fifteen years ago, northern Japan had one of the world’s 50
biggest appetites for salt – an average of 18 grammes a day, a person – and
shockingly high numbers of strokes. The government implemented a salt
reduction programme and by the late 1960s, an average salt consumption
had fallen by four grammes a day and stroke deaths were down by 80 per
cent. Finland, another salt-guzzling nation, achieved similar gains in the 55
1970s.

6 However, the evidence is not always so clear. In July, Cochrane
Collaboration, an international body dedicated to assessing medical
evidence, published a study on salt and cardiovascular disease. The study
was a “meta-analysis”, pooling the results of all the best-designed 60
randomised controlled trials that have been done. Seven trials met the quality
criteria, with over 6000 subjects in total. The analysis did show that people
who cut back on salt have slightly lower blood pressure and are less likely to
die from heart attacks. But crucially, the effect on deaths was not big enough
to be statistically significant. The research was published simultaneously by 65
Cochrane and the American Journal of Hypertension (vol. 24, p. 834), whose
editor Michael Alderson is a long-time critic of salt reduction. Alderson claims
that the Cochrane study is flawed. When he re-analysed the same data in a
slightly different way, he found a reduction that was statistically significant.
Far from casting doubt on salt reduction, some argued that the findings 70
supported it.

7 The Cochrane report was not the end of it. Last month, Alderson’s
journal published further meta-analysis purporting to show salt reduction
could actually be harmful. It concluded that while cutting salt lowered blood 75
pressure, blood levels of certain hormones were increased, which could raise
cardiovascular risk. But many of the studies included in the analysis lasted
just a few days and involved big salt reductions. Sudden and steep salt
reduction can lead to counter-productive hormonal changes but modest
reductions do not.
(Adapted from New Scientist, December 2011)

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38 Which of the following questions best addresses the issue in paragraph 1?

A. Is salt a health hazard?
B. Is salt as bad as tobacco?
C. Is the war on salt ever going to end?
D. Is salt to be blamed for high blood pressure?

39 Which of the following is true of paragraph 2?

A. Our ancestors avoided salt in their food.
B. Asians’ consumption of salt is the highest.
C. Salt in our bodies is recycled in the kidneys.
D. Eating eight grammes of salt a day is about the right amount.

40 Based on paragraph 3, which of the following statements are accurate?

I. We know that there is a consensus on a safe limit of salt intake.
II. We know how excess liquid in the kidney increases blood pressure.
III. We know that excess fluid in the body causes a rise in blood pressure.
IV. We know why some people are more sensitive to excess fluid in the body.

A. I and III
B. I and IV
C. II and III
D. II and IV

41 What is the writer’s main intention in paragraph 5?

A. To create awareness of the importance of salt reduction
B. To evaluate the findings of some studies on salt reduction
C. To highlight studies that clearly show a relationship between salt intake

and heart disease
D. To explain the approaches adopted in studies on the relationship

between salt intake and heart disease

42 Which of the following is an observational study?

A. The study conducted in Japan. (line 50)
B. The study carried out in Finland. (line 55 and 56)
C. The study published in BMJ, vol. 339, p. 4567. (line 43)
D. The study reported in BMJ, vol. 334, p. 885. (lines 48 and 49)

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43 The most significant finding of the Cochrane Collaboration study is
A. the higher the salt intake, the more likely death will strike
B. there is a direct link between salt intake and level of blood pressure
C. when blood pressure is lowered, death through heart attacks is reduced
D. the relationship between salt reduction and death rate is not statistically
significant

44 Alderson claims that the Cochrane study is flawed. What is his reason?
A. The sample size was small.
B. The data was wrongly analysed.
C. The meta-analysis approach was not suitable.
D. Only seven trials were included in the analysis.

45 The main purpose of this article is to
A. encourage research
B. resolve controversies
C. promote healthy living
D. present a balanced view

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800/4
WRITING

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QUESTION 1

 Candidates are suggested to use 40 minutes to complete this question.
 Transferring information from specific stimuli to a linear text.
 The stimuli / visuals may take the form of linear and/or non-linear texts.
 Link the information given in the two visuals.
 Write between 150 - 200 words.

DO’S AND DON’TS

DO DON’T

 Spend about 5 minutes to analyse  Copy the question or instruction
the stimuli  Write more than 200 words
 Make own assumption
 Focus on the key features or  Bring in information outside of the
important trends
visual given
 Write a title  Only use data from one stimulus
 Write introduction (what does the  List and describe the information

chart show)
 Write overall trend
 Use proper paragraphing
 Use appropriate tenses and time

frame

LANGUAGE

 Accurate – describe what is seen
 Meaning – idea and language come through
 Sentence structure:

 Avoid repetitive pattern.
 Avoid long sentences that may confuse reader.
 Use variety of sentences – simple, compound and complex
 Vocabulary – suitable choice of words used
 Grammar – correct and consistent use of tenses.
 Link of ideas – synthesis and analysis
 Organization – intro, body, conclusion & able to visualize the figures with the writing
 Use suitable paragraphing.
 Discourse marker - use suitable linkers
Eg: furthermore, but, in addition, in contrast, in comparison

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DESCRIBING GRAPHS

Be familiar with vocabulary that is commonly associated with interpreting non-linear texts.
The following table gives you useful vocabulary to describe the graphic aids.

Chart movements

boomed maintained
climbed plateau
escalated remained steady
increased remained unchanged
rose stayed constant
surged
went up

declined fluctuated peak
decreased peaked at
dipped rose and fell
dropped
fell
plunged
reduced
slumped
went down

Degree and speed of change

Use adjectives or adverbs to describe the changes.

Describing the degree of change Describing the speed of change

Adjectives Adverbs Adjectives Adverbs

1. abrupt 1. abruptly 11. rapid 11. rapidly
12. sharp 12. sharply
2. considerable 2. considerably 13. significant 13. significantly
14. slight 14. slightly
3. dramatic 3. dramatically 15. slow 15. slowly
16. steady 16. steadily
4. enormous 4. enormously 17. steep 17. steeply
18. substantial 18. substantially
5. gradual 5. gradually 19. sudden 19. suddenly
20. swift 20. swiftly
6. immediate 6. immediately

7. instant 7. instantly

8. minimal 8. minimally

9. moderate 9. moderately

10. quick 10. quickly

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DESCRIBING RANK/ RANKING/ RATE/ RATING

You may also be asked to describe the rank, rate or position of certain data.

Example
the most important ...
the least important ...
the second/third/fourth important ...
rank/rate higher/lower than ...

Describing part of the chart/graph percentage/
proportion/
the highest number
the lowest
the most significant
the smallest
the largest

QUESTION 1 GUIDELINE

TITLE
Give title of the essay

INTRODUCTION
 A good intro will show what is shown.
 Cover both visuals, correctly stated.
 Use the title of the visuals as a guide.
 Note the time frame in the visuals presented.

OVERALL TREND

 Shows connection between the two visuals or the general trend.
(the pattern – increasing or decreasing)

BODY / CONTENT:

 Analyse and synthesise the data

 5 elements to consider when analysing and synthesising data:
 Object (item) / point of reference / key features
 Duration / time frame
 Data – must accurate
 Comparison
 Trend / movement

 There is no need to analyse every single data
 Synthesise – link figure 1 with figure 2. Look for relationships between them.

CONCLUSION:

 A rewording of the overall trend

 A summary of the analysis

 You may begin your conclusion by writing:
 In conclusion ....................
 It can be seen that ...........

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SAMPLE QUESTION 1
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TITLE SAMPLE ANSWER QUESTION 1
Consumers' choice of venue for grocery shopping

INTRODUCTION Figure 1 shows places where consumers buy their groceries in 1985

 Info from the and 2010 and Table 1 shows the characteristics of the shopping

graph/table/chart outlets in 2010.

 Overall trend  Supermarket was the most preferred shopping outlet based on
certain characteristics in 2010.

 Consumers show a clear preference for shopping for groceries
at supermarket due to certain characteristics in 2010.

BODY  In 1985, wet market and grocery store were the two most
popular outlets for grocery shopping at 45% and 37%
 analysis (A) respectively. (A)
 synthesis (S)
 In 1985, the two least frequented venues were the supermarket
(5%) and 24-hour store (2%). (A)

 However in 2010, supermarket became the most popular
shopping outlet at 60% because it offered big discounts,
comfort, variety and convenience. (S)

 In 2010, 35% of the shoppers still patronised wet market, night
market and grocery store as prices were negotiable at these
venues. (S)

 The 24 hour store was the least frequented outlet in 2010 as
convenience was the only pull factor. (S)

 The percentage of shoppers frequenting the night markets
remained the same at 11% in both 1985 and 2010. (A)

 Convenience, negotiable price and variety were the main
attractions for night market in 2010. (S)

 In 2010, the grocery store and wet market experienced a
market drop in popularity, 27% and 31% respectively. (A)

CONCLUSION In conclusion, it is clear that supermarket has overcome other
shopping outlets as the most popular venue for grocery shopping in
2010 in terms of what it offers consumers.

 Your answer must be written in paragraphs.

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PRACTICE 1
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PRACTICE 2
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PRACTICE 3
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PRACTICE 4
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PRACTICE 5
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PRACTICE 6
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PRACTICE 7
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PRACTICE 8
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QUESTION 2

Extended writing based on a given topic.

 Give your stand on the question/issue given.
 Agree, disagree, neutral / discursive

 Support points with relevant reasons and examples – at least 2 very well developed or
3 well developed points.

 Have at least 5 paragraphs.

Introduction  Introduce the topic
 It can be a definition or an explanation of the topic

based on the question
 It should capture the interest of the reader.
 Have a strong thesis statement

- Thesis statement is a sentence that conveys the
writer’s main points in the essay

Body (3 points)  Write your ideas which should consist of:
 Topic sentence (main point of the paragraph)
 Specific /supporting details / elaboration

Conclusion  Sum up your discussion / summary of points
 Restate your thesis statement / opinion / stand

 Avoid sweeping statements and generalisations that you have no proof about. Stay away
from words like:
all, never, always, every, everyone, everything etc.

 You need to think in various styles when coming up with the 3 crucial points:
eg.
1. Short term, Mid term and Long term
(smoking: S=bad breath, M=wasting money, L=health problems like lung cancer)

2. Individual, Society and Government
(recycling: I=3Rs, S= community collection/fund raising, G=recycling campaigns)

3. Social, Economic & Political/Spiritual

 Use suitable cohesive devices / transition signals to link sentences, paragraphs and

ideas:

 Addition : also, in addition, moreover, besides, furthermore

 Contrast : but, however, nevertheless, in contrast, in spite f, on the contrary

 Comparison : similarly, likewise, in the same way

 Conclusion : in conclusion, finally, to conclude, to summarize

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 Example : for example, for instance, namely, to illustrate

 Use correct and consistent grammar.

QUESTION 2 WRITING TEMPLATE

 INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, /In this era of ...
In my opinion, I strongly agree/disagree that...
In this essay, I will discuss three solid strategies for _____ which include
____________________, _____________________ and _________________.
(THESIS STATEMENT)

 BODY

 1st POINT (TOPIC SENTENCE)
Firstly, /First and foremost, ...
This is because...
Moreover,
For example, and so on.
Therefore, ...

 2nd POINT

Secondly, ... (TOPIC SENTENCE)

This means that...

Furthermore, in addition...

For instance, take for example... and many more.

Thus, hence...

 3rd POINT (TOPIC SENTENCE)

Finally, /Last but not least, ...

 CONCLUSION

In a nutshell, the three strategies I have suggested are _______________,
______________ and _______________.
In my opinion, I still agree/disagree that...
(summary of main points, restate your opinion on the topic or overview of solution)

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SAMPLE OF A GOOD ESSAY

Information and communication technology (ICT) is the cause of today’s many social ills.

What is your opinion? Support your answer with examples. You should write at least 350

words. (60 marks)

ANGLE OF DISCUSSION

1. Agree - ICT is the cause and why
2. Disagree - ICT is not the cause but due to other factors
3. Discursive - ICT is the cause but up to a certain extent.
4. Disagree - ICT is not the cause, in fact it has contributed to society, benefitted society.

SAMPLE ESSAY

Information and communication technology (ICT) is a result of Introduction
mankind’s need to constantly improve our world. Most people are
familiar with the word ICT and to many, ICT has become deeply Opinion /
intertwined with our daily lives. It is impossible to deny that ICT has had thesis statement

a profound impact on society, however has this preoccupation with ICT
helped or damaged us? In my opinion, ICT may be the cause of today’s
many social ills, but only to a certain extent.

Through ICT, information, videos, stories, data and such are 1st point
practically available to everyone. As such, illegal activities such as the (topic sentence)
passing of copyrighted songs and videos between internet users often
occur. Dubbed as a form of piracy, companies and publishers find that
their revenues may not be as high as it should be. Piracy is deemed as
illegal, and yet governments find themselves helpless in stopping the
illegal transferring of such information as the number of internet users
doing this is innumerable. Artists and producers constantly voice their
frustrations against such situation, but the problem only seems to
worsen as more people are ICT savvy these days. Clearly the use of
ICT has brought losses to producers, publishers, singers and the like.
Has ICT brought about a world that has no respect for copyrights?

Another dark side to ICT is the dangers in the sheer amount of 2nd point
information that people are exposed to. There is a lot of misinformation (topic sentence)
and undesirable elements like pornography floating around the Internet.
Excessive information without any control or filter is just as detrimental
to the psyche as complete ignorance. For example, people may try to
self-medicate based on information that may be incomplete or skewed.
Children today are exposed to much more information than children of
yesterday. Some of the computer games that they play are violent
which in turn tends to promote violence among children. Children are
easily influenced by what they see and do on the Internet and are not
mature enough to weigh what is right and what is wrong. This
unfortunately, may lead them to practise harmful behaviour in real life.

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Despite the fact that ICT has caused some of today’s many 3rd point
social ills, one cannot deny that ICT has brought about many positive (topic sentence)
developments in today’s world. For instance, with the internet, a whole
ocean of knowledge is a mere click away. People need not spend
hours poring over heavy encyclopaedias in libraries anymore in a bid to
learn more about a topic of interest. Instead, search engines such as
‘Google’ and ‘Ask Jeeves’ are available to one’s whim and fancy. On
top of that, the internet caters knowledge to all ages, from toddlers to
senior citizens. Parents these days know that they must expose their
children to the internet world in order to give their children the best.
Through ICT, this modern generation is knowledgeable about
happenings throughout the world, and has a wider view of the world
outside one’s upbringing, culture and country.

In addition, ICT has helped save time in a world that is 4th point
constantly advancing. E-mails can be sent within seconds across the (topic sentence)
world, as compared to snail-mail, which takes a good few weeks if one
was to post a letter from Malaysia to America. Besides that, multi-
national companies need not waste time and money in meeting
together physically to hold meetings. Instead, most companies resort to
video conferencing these days. This method is efficient and is as
effective as a physical meeting. Besides that, many newspapers now
have online newspapers, updating the latest news about events that
are used to read only the following day. As such, it is unequivocal that
ICT saves one time, and plenty of it.

In conclusion, I reiterate that ICT may be the cause of today’s Conclusion
many social ills, but only to a certain extent, depending on the hand
that uses it. One cannot deny that ICT has brought along many positive
developments in this world. As the saying goes, ‘Nothing is perfect’. As
a society that wishes to improve this world and to eradicate social ills,
let us unite and ensure that the world of ICT contributes to our society
the way it should. Citizens, young and old alike should work hand-in
hand with governments to obliterate immoral activities that occur in the
online world. Governments should realize that by doing so, a whole
new generation worthy of bringing their countries to greater heights yet
to be achieved will become a reality.

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PRACTICE QUESTION 2

You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this task.

PRACTICE 1
Many tragedies can be avoided if people take preventive actions. Discuss. You should write
at least 350 words.

PRACTICE 2
In an arranged marriage, the choice of a husband or wife is made by parents or elders. What
do you think of this practice in today's society? Discuss. You should write at least 350
words.

PRACTICE 3
The most valuable thing in life is friendship. Do you agree? Discuss. You should write at
least 350 words.

PRACTICE 4
A person's career choice should be determined by his or her interest. Discuss. You should
write at least 350 words.

PRACTICE 5
Students’ participation in co-curriculum activities has been made one of the criteria for entry
into universities. What do you think of this requirement? Give your opinion and support it with
reasons. You should write at least 350 words.

PRACTICE 6
“Women make better leaders than men.” Do you agree? You should write at least 350
words

PRACTICE 7
Man's careless attitude is the main cause for the destruction of the environment. Discuss.
You should write at least 350 words.

PRACTICE 8
“Everyone should aim to become a millionaire by the age of 35.” Discuss. You should write
at least 350 words.

PRACTICE 9
The trend today among youths is to own the latest technological gadgets such as mobile
phones and other devices. Is this a healthy development among young people? Give your
opinion. You should write at least 350 words

PRACTICE 10
“There is a strong link between reading and academic success.” Discuss. You should write
at least 350 words.

237

PRACTICE 11
“The imbalance between the number of boys and girls pursuing university education creates
social problems.” To what extent is this statement true? Discuss. You should write at least
350 words.

PRACTICE 12
“Parents know best as far as careers are concerned.” Do you agree? Discuss. You should
write at least 350 words.

PRACTICE 13
“The most important factor which contributes towards a person’s success is himself.” Do
you agree with the statement? Justify your stand, giving relevant examples where
appropriate. You should write at least 350 words.

PRACTICE 14
“The media is an educational tool.” Do you agree with the statement? Justify your stand by
giving relevant examples where appropriate. You should write at least 350 words.

PRACTICE 15
“Playing computer games is beneficial to everyone”. Discuss. You should write at least 350
words.

PRACTICE 16
“Education comes not from books, but from practical experience”. Do you agree with the
statement? Justify your stand by giving relevant examples where appropriate. You should
write at least 350 words.

PRACTICE 17
“Failure is the first step to success”. Discuss. You should write at least 350 words.

PRACTICE 18
“Holding a part-time job while studying disrupts a student’s studies”. Do you agree with the
statement? Justify your stand by giving relevant examples where appropriate. You should
write at least 350 words.

PRACTICE 19
The rising fuel price has pushed up the price of other consumer products. How will this affect
the society? Give your opinion. You should write at least 350 words.

PRACTICE 20
“Peer pressure can help mould a student’s life”. Discuss. You should write at least 350
words.

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References
Ang Y.T., Francis A., Chew P.C., Lee S.K., Lee Y.L., Ng K.S. (2010). MUET Skills, Preparation

& Practice. Selangor: Federal Marshall Cavendish Education
Choo W.Y., Yeoh W. T., Stanley Nyanaprakasan, Yee S.F. (2013). Ace Ahead Text MUET. 5th

ed. Selangor: Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd.
Collection of MUET papers November 2012. (2013). Johor: Penerbit Pelangi Sdn Bhd.
Collection of MUET papers July 2013. (2013). Johor: Penerbit Pelangi Sdn Bhd.
Collection of MUET papers July 2014. (2014). Johor: Penerbit Pelangi Sdn Bhd.
Collection of MUET papers November 2013. (2014). Johor: Penerbit Pelangi Sdn Bhd.
Majlis Peperiksaan Malaysia. (2011). End-2011 MUET Paper 3 Reading.
Majlis Peperiksaan Malaysia. (2016). March 2016 MUET Paper 3 Reading.
Wiles, A. (2011). MUET My Way. Retrieved from http://muetmyway.blogspot.my

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PANEL WRITERS

NAMA KELAYAKAN
1. Raja Zaida bt Raja Ahmad Kamar
 M.A. (English)
[email protected] Universiti Putra Malaysia

 B.A. (HONS)
Universiti Putra Malaysia

 Diploma in ESL, University Malaya
 Teaching Certificate (TESL)

Maktab Perguruan Pulau Pinang
 Postgraduate Certificate

(Trainer Development – English
Language Teaching)
University of St Mark & St John,
Plymouth,UK.

2. Pn. Hjh. Akmar bt Aminuddin  M. Ed. (TESL)
[email protected] Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

 B.Ed (Hons)
University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK.

 Postgraduate Certificate
(Trainer Development – English
Language Teaching)
University of St Mark & St John,
Plymouth,UK.

3. Pn. Noraida bt Mustafa  M.Ed. (TESL)
[email protected] Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

 B.Ed.(Hons)TESL
Universiti Malaya

4. Pn. Veronica Cristobel a/p  M.Ed (Education Management)
Anthonysamy Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

[email protected]  B.Ed.English (Hons)
Universiti Putra Malaysia

5. Pn. Lailatur Suraya Bt Jalaluddin  MA English Literature
[email protected] Universiti Putra Malaysia

 B.A (ELT)
University of Surrey

6. En. Malek bin Baseri  MEd. TESL
[email protected] Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris

 BEd. TESL
University Canterbury Christ Church, UK

7. Amrien Hamila binti Ma’arop  B. Ed (TESOL)
[email protected] Macquarie University, Sydney.

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