MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITY ENGLISH TEST (MUET): TEACHER’S HANDBOOK
Greet examiners and Good morning examiners and fellow candidates.
candidates
Introduction Getting into road accidents can lead to several unwanted consequences, including
permanent injuries and loss of earnings. There are many factors that lead to road
State your opinion accidents.
Present main point I find that one very influential factor that can lead to road accidents is the driver. I have
Elaborate on main two reasons for this, one is sobriety and the other is lack of good driving habits.
point
Now, on to the first one. Drunk driving is illegal in most countries but it is still a
Provide example rampant problem in our society today. I think that it is very harmful to drivers and other
Explaining road users because alcohol intoxication compromises your mental faculties as a driver
consequences and what it does is that, as we all know, when you drink alcohol, you get reduced
concentration and slower reflexes. So when you are on the road and something
State second point unexpected happens, such as a tree falls down, or another driver suddenly swerves into
Elaborate on second your lane, how will you react? When you are intoxicated, you cannot react as fast. And
point accidents can happen in those split seconds, those milliseconds. In addition, when you’re
Provide examples intoxicated, you might become really drowsy and thus lose focus on the road.
Provide example Moving on, I also think that Malaysians lack of good driving habits and this could be
due to poor or lack of good education. The existing driving courses are too simplistic or
End speech simply not practical enough to inculcate good driving habits. Many drivers still practice
bad habits while driving. Some examples of bad habits are texting or talking on the
Thank the examiners phone, or even eating, These habits can distract you from the road. When you are
preoccupied, you lose attention and may not notice something that is happening on the
road, which compromises your ability to react to it.
Also, I find that another prevalent problem is road rage. A gentle person can change their
behaviour when they are behind the wheels. They may show lack of consideration for
other road users by tailgating vehicles, weaving, wrongfully overtaking, or simply
intimidating other vehicles just because they feel challenged by them. And I find that this
is really harmful.
In conclusion, I find that this is why the driver can often be a factor that leads to road
accidents. So it is important that drivers avoid driving if they have been drinking. Drivers
who practice bad driving habits could also lead to road accidents.
Thank you.
SPEAKING
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SAMPLE VIDEO FOR MUET SPEAKING:
https://youtu.be/Hs0YiO9yHKw
RECOMMENDED LEARNING SITES FOR SKILLS RELATING TO SPEAKING:
Pronunciation
1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/
3. https://www.youtube.com/user/bbclearningenglish
SPEAKING
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MUET 800/3
READING
COMPREHENSION
MUET TEST SPECIFICATIONS
Reading Students are assessed on their ability to comprehend various types of text of varying
length and level of complexity (content and language).
Assessment will cover the following:
(i) comprehension
• skimming and scanning
• extracting specific information
• identifying main ideas
• identifying supporting details
• deriving the meaning of words, phrases, sentences from the context
• understanding linear and non-linear texts
• understanding relationships
- within a sentence
- between sentences
• recognising a paraphrase
(ii) application
• predicting outcomes
• applying a concept to a new situation
(iii) analysis
• understanding language functions
• interpreting linear and non-linear texts
• distinguishing the relevant from the irrelevant
• distinguishing fact from opinion
• making inferences
(iv) synthesis
• relating ideas and concepts
− within a paragraph
− between paragraphs
• following the development of a point or an argument
• summarising information
(v) evaluation
• appraising information
• making judgements
• drawing conclusions
• recognising and interpreting writers’ views, attitudes or intentions
Possible genres:
Articles from journals, newspapers and magazines, academic texts, electronic texts
MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITY ENGLISH TEST (MUET): TEACHER’S HANDBOOK
READING SKILLS
What is Reading Comprehension?
Reading comprehension, an act of understanding what you are reading, is one of the four
components of MUET. For reading comprehension to be effective, it must be intentional, active
and interactive. A student who applies these skills will be able to fully comprehend and
construct meaning from the passages, making the reading process meaningful and enjoyable. A
student also applies certain strategies to enable him to be an effective reader. Some of these
strategies will be covered in this section.
UNIT 1 SKIMMING
Skimming is reading a text quickly to get a general idea of meaning. It is used to quickly gather
the most important information or ‘gist’. Skimming is a specific reading skill which is common
in reading newspapers, messages and e-mails. It is important to understand that there is no need
to read every word when skimming.
HOW TO SKIM
• Read the title if there is one
• Read the introduction or first paragraph which may have the main idea of the text
• Read the first sentence of each paragraph. Also called topic sentences, they often give
you the main idea of the paragraph.
• If you do not get the main idea from the topic sentence, then you may want to skim more.
Drop down through the rest of the paragraphs
• Read titles of picture, graphs and charts
• Notice italicised or bold phrases
• Read the summary or last paragraph.
• Don’t read everything as you only need to read what is important to your purpose.
EXAMPLE: SKIMMING FOR GIST - Read the first sentence of each paragraph in the
following text.
Here I want to try to give you an answer to the question: What personal Skim the READING
qualities are desirable in a teacher? Probably no two people would draw introductory
up exactly similar lists, but I think the following would be generally paragraph to
accepted. identify the
central thought
First, the teacher's personality should be pleasantly live and of the passage
attractive. This does not rule out people who are physically plain, or
even ugly, because many such have great personal charm. But it does The first
rule out such types as the over-excitable, melancholy, frigid, sarcastic, sentence or
cynical, frustrated, and over-bearing :I still stick to what I said in my topic sentence
earlier book: that school children probably 'suffer more from bores than of each
from brutes'.
Secondly, it is not merely desirable but essential for a teacher to have a
genuine capacity for sympathy -; a capacity to tune in to the minds and
feelings of other people, especially, since most teachers are school
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teachers, to the minds and feelings of children. Closely related with this paragraph
is the capacity to be tolerant - not, indeed, of what is wrong, but of the usually
frailty and immaturity of human nature which induce people, and again explains what
especially children, to make mistakes. the paragraph is
about
Thirdly, I hold it essential for a teacher to be both intellectually and
morally honest. This does not mean being a plaster saint. It means that
he will be aware of his intellectual strengths, and limitations, and will
have thought about and decided upon the moral principles by which his
life shall be guided.
(From Teaching as a Career, by H. C. Dent, Batsford, 1961)
Source: http://www.uefap.com/reading/exercise/skim/qualteac.htm
Notice how reading these sentences gives you a good idea about the meaning of the text. In this
example the text describes the main qualities needed in a teacher. By skimming, you were
able to get an overview of the topic
EXERCISE 1 - SKIMMING
The Royal Air Force base in Upper Heyford - once the heart of allied defence against
nuclear attack by the USSR - could become a Cold War 'museum'. Historians want parts of
the base to be preserved as a heritage centre that could show future generations the struggle
with Soviet communism 'in a way no document can'.
Details of the latest recommendations for Heyford - now being called Heyford Park - have
been put forward by English Heritage which has called for measures to prevent demolition
of the 'irreplaceable' military remains. Current thinking comes from a detailed assessment
of Cold War infrastructure across England by English Heritage experts. Keith Watson, the
chief executive of the North Oxfordshire Consortium who are to develop part of the site for
housing, said they were in full agreement with English Heritage's proposals.
He said: "We are quite content with what English Heritage is proposing. It has always been
part of our scheme to retain these structures in any event. "We are working with English
Heritage to agree a consistent plan for the buildings. The structures on the base can
illustrate, in a way no document can, the reality of the struggle with Soviet Communism,"
he said.
"In our view much of this character would be lost by future ill-thought-out change and
there stands an opportunity to ensure this does not happen. We recognize that preservation
of the whole base exactly as it stands today may not be a realistic option but a sustainable
future could be found which balances the need for preservation against other needs."
Source: http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/4r1-air-base.php READING
What is this article mainly about?
A The struggle against Soviet communism during the Cold War
B The clash between the housing developers and the historians
C The fight to preserve the historical air base used during the Cold War.
Answer: C
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Justification of answer: Preservation is mentioned in the opening and closing paragraphs.
When a student skims further, he can see that other paragraphs mention ‘prevent demolition’ and
‘retain these structures’ which have the same idea as preservation)
EXERCISE 2 - SKIMMING READING
Back in the twentieth century there was a British punk rock song that repeated over and
over again the claim that there were "no more heroes anymore". Calmer critics and social
commentators have agreed that the age of the hero is over. In the past people had heroes.
They were the most prominent figures in the public consciousness - people who had
achieved great things, people who had done great deeds - proud, noble leaders and bold
pioneers.
The myth of the hero, though, could not survive when public life came to be dominated
by the mass media. The mass media killed off the heroes and replaced them with
celebrities. To become a celebrity what matters is not so much the greatness of what you
have done but the exposure you are given in the media.
The mass media is not solely responsible for the death of the hero. A democratic
culture also undermines the idea that certain individuals carry a divine spark and are
therefore in a category superior to that of the rest of us. No one deserves to be worshipped
and there is a revulsion at the idea of bending the knee and kissing the hand of another
individual.
Having killed the hero we have replaced him with a distinctively modern public figure:
the celebrity. As one commentator put it: the celebrity is a person who is known for being
well-known. Any exposure in the media helps to increase someone's status as a celebrity.
Celebrities offer exclusive stories to increase their exposure, the media promote them to
increase their ratings. They have no reason to object to invasions of their private lives
because this just keeps their names on everyone's lips, which is all that really matters.
For many people, the heroes of the past were an inspiration, they broadened our
horizons by giving us an example of a course of action that could be considered noble.
Celebrities, on the other hand, with the string of stories about their hardships and their
lucky breaks, their affairs and their break-ups, prove to be nothing out of the ordinary.
Reading about their lives does not inspire us or fill us with purpose. If it isn't just an idle
diversion - a way of killing time - it may well help us to resign ourselves to our own sense
of purposelessness. It may be fun, but perhaps something that helped to raise the tone of
public life has been lost.
Source:http://fullspate.digitalcounterrevolution.co.uk/english-articles-advanced/
Which of the following best expresses the central idea of the passage?
A Celebrities have replaced heroes in inspiring the public
B The public no longer has heroes to inspire them
C Both heroes and celebrities play prominent roles in society
Answer: B
Justification of answer: By skimming through the topic sentences of each paragraph, the
student can see references to how the idea of heroes has become unpopular, why heroes are no
longer relevant and how society no longer has a source of inspiration like a hero to look up to)
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NIT 2 SCANNING/EXTRACTING SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Scanning is a skill we use when we want to find specific information quickly. In scanning, we
have a question in our minds and we read to find the answer, ignoring unrelated information. For
scanning to be successful, you need to understand how your material is structured as well as
comprehend what you read so you can locate the specific information you need.
HOW TO SCAN/EXTRACT SPECIFIC INFORMATION
• Identify the specific information you are looking for
• Keep the concept of key words in mind while scanning. Your purpose will determine the
key words.
• Try to anticipate how the answer will appear, for example in the form of a number or a
date or a Proper Noun
• Use headings and any other aids
• Selectively read and skip through sections of the passage
EXAMPLE: SCANNING/EXTRACTING SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Scan this advertisement and answer the questions that follow.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/worksheet/en05skim-l1-w-scanning-a-job-advert READING
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Questions ____________
1. When do these jobs start? ____________
2. The work will last for about a month. True or false? ____________
3. What type of work is on offer? ____________
4. What kind of people is Skillswise Delivery Services looking for? ____________
5. What shift patterns are available? ____________
6. Where is the job based? _____________
7. The work involves travel around the UK. True or false? _____________
8. How much will you earn per hour if you are aged 18? _____________
9. You will be paid extra for working on Saturday. True or false? _____________
10. Whom should you contact at Skillswise for an application form?
ANSWERS READING
1. In late November
2. True
3. Sorting and delivering parcels
4. Enthusiastic and reliable people
5. Early, late and night shifts
6. Reading
7. False
8. $6.10 per our
9. False – Saturday is paid at the weekday rate
10. Elaine Grey
EXERCISE 1: SCANNING/EXTRACTING SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Read this extract and answer the question that follows.
Meenakshi Raman of the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) said Dr. Robertson was
being spot on. "It is already happening. Many varieties of fish are being wiped out. The
situation is exacerbated by the lack of concern for fish habitat such as mangrove swamps,"
she said. Since the 1970s, she said, CAP had raised the alarm on depleting fish resources
largely due to encroachment of trawlers on inshore areas. "We have been calling for a
complete ban on trawling but the Government would only impose a three-mile limit for
trawlers."
Figures released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) showed that less
than one per cent of the oceans and seas had been given protection as compared to ten per
cent of the earth's land surface. UNEP executive director, Klaus Toepfer, said unlike land,
where issues of ownership, title deeds, customary rights and management were well
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established, the oceans had been viewed as wilderness areas owned by no one and free for
all. "This was fine in a world of plenty, when explorers like John Cabot encountered so
much cod off the east coast of North America, his vessels were slowed by the sheer density
of the shoals."
Today, the ability to hunt faster and further for ever greater quantities of marine resources,
and the growth in global population means the oceans can no longer be treated as an
unmanaged free-for-all.
Source: MUET Reading March 2012
Which of the following is not a reason for the insufficient supply of fish in Malaysia?
A The destruction of fish habitat
B Overfishing
C Pollution
Answer: C
Justification of answer: The student should be looking for the reasons for the insufficient
supply of fish. Therefore, he should scan for the reasons, looking out for discourse markers that
introduce reasons. Having located the reasons given in the text (habitat and overfishing) he can
eliminate those choices.
EXERCISE 2: SCANNING/EXTRACTING SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Study the graph below and answer the question that follows.
According to Figure 1, the test programme resulted in an increase in the percentage of READING
managers who felt tired at the end of the day.
A True
B False
C Not stated
Source: MUET Reading November 2012
Answer: B
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Justification of answer: By scanning the legend for ‘Tired at day’s end’, the student can
identify which bars to compare. Next, by scanning for the percentages on the relevant bars,
‘Before’ and ‘After’, the student can compare the numbers (83% and 59%) to see that there was
actually a decrease and not an increase.
UNIT 3 IDENTIFYING MAIN IDEAS
The main idea is the most important or central thought of a paragraph or larger section of text.
Identifying main ideas and working out the relationship between main ideas and supporting
details is really the essence of reading comprehension. If we cannot understand what an author is
trying to say or why an author has chosen to provide us with certain details, then we are not
understanding the text.
HOW TO IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA
Be familiar with the difference in meaning between the topic and the main idea. The topic is
the subject of the text - usually a phrase of two or three words. The main idea is the point that the
text is making or what all the sentences are trying to say. Knowing the topic of the text will help
you to locate the main idea. You can identify the main idea by asking yourself some important
questions:
(a) What is the topic of the text? Who or what is this text about?
(b) What does the author want you to know about the topic? What is the author trying to
get across about the subject?
Look at the following examples that show the differences between the topic and the main idea.
Technology lends itself to exploration. But before technology can be used effectively,
exploration must be valued as important to both teaching and learning. In a technology-rich
classroom, students might search the Web for information, analyse river water, chart the
results, and record what they've learned on the computer. In such an environment,
acquiring content changes from a static process to one of defining goals the learners wish
to pursue. Students are active, rather than passive -- producing knowledge and presenting
that knowledge in a variety of formats.
(http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech004.shtml)
The topic of the paragraph is
A technology in exploration
C technology-rich environments
B teaching and learning
D technology in education
Answer: D
(Justification of answer: The text links technology with education. It describes how technology
may be used in the classroom and how it has changed learning)
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DIRECTLY STATED MAIN IDEAS AND IMPLIED MAIN IDEAS
Note that there is a difference between directly stated main ideas and implied main ideas.
Remember that a text may have a main idea:
(a) that is directly stated OR
(b) that is implied or expressed indirectly
HOW TO LOCATE DIRECTLY STATED MAIN IDEAS
• Read the text carefully and identify the subject matter
• Ask yourself these crucial questions:
-What is this text about?
-What aspect of this topic is the author talking about?
-What does the author want me to understand about the topic?
• Look out for the topic sentence. See if there is a single sentence in the text that answers
the questions above and states what this entire paragraph is about. The answers to these
questions will lead you to the main idea.
• Check for likely locations for a main idea sentence.
- First check the opening sentence.
- Check the last sentence in the text.
- If neither of these states the main idea, check the middle
• Make sure that the main idea sentence you selected covers all the important information
EXAMPLE 1 - IDENTIFYING STATED MAIN IDEAS
It is a myth that nice people finish last. In today’s society, being nice is still very much
appreciated and nice people do prosper in the corporate world. Being nice means speaking
respectfully to all, never putting people down or acting in rude and discourteous ways.
One must remember that nice people are forgiving individuals who do not hold grudges.
Jan Yager, a management consultant and the author of Business Protocol: How to survive
and succeed in business, points out that a considerate and friendly employee who listens,
and empathizes helps to create a good mood that can spread through the office. Nice people
help build trust and are loyal to those who are not present. They do not criticise, complain
or talk negatively about others when they are not around. By being nice, one encourages
co-workers to build team spirit. It is interesting that many people willingly go all out to
help an employee who is nice person.
Source: MUET Reading November 2012
What is the topic?
Nice people
What is the main idea (what the writer wants you to know about it)? READING
Main idea in topic sentence: (In today’s society, being nice is still very much appreciated and
nice people do prosper in the corporate world)
(Justification for answer: The other sentences in the paragraph describe nice people, how they
affect others in the organisation and why others willingly help them.)
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EXAMPLE 2 -IDENTIFYING STATED MAIN IDEAS
Like many people, you may be wondering how to choose the right career. There are several
steps you can take before you choose a career. Your first order of business is to learn as
much as you can about yourself. If you think you know all there is to know, you will
definitely be surprised by what you will discover by doing a thorough self-assessment.
While you can find online resources to help you with this, the most efficient and effective
way to do it—although often not the cheapest—is to hire a career development
professional, for example, a career counsellor or career development facilitator. If you
attended college, you should also check with that institution. Many career services offices provide help to
alumni. Before you do anything else, read descriptions of the occupations and learn about
the job duties for each one. Try to ignore your preconceived notions.
(Source: https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-choose-a-career-524776)
What is the topic?
Choosing a career
What is the main idea (what the writer wants you to know about it)? There are several steps
you can take before you choose a career.
Main idea in topic sentence:
Justification for answer: The rest of the text has details of the steps to take in making a career
choice.
HOW TO LOCATE IMPLIED MAIN IDEAS
• Read carefully. If you cannot find a topic sentence which expresses the main idea in the
text, read the text carefully to infer the main idea that the author wants you to understand.
• To infer or to make an inference means that you need to make a judgement or a
conclusion, using the author's facts, examples, descriptions or explanations that add up to
what the author wants you to understand
• Remember that when a text has no topic sentence, it means that the author has simply
decided to let the supporting ideas suggest the main idea.
• Ask yourself ‘What point is the writer trying to make in this paragraph or What is the
writer saying about the topic?
EXAMPLE 1 – IDENTIFYING IMPLIED MAIN IDEAS
In June this year, 18-year old T. Nhaveen from Penang was brutally attacked physically READING
and sexually by five young men because he was perceived as being too “effeminate”.
According to a news report, the assailants were his former classmates who had also bullied
him in school to get him to “man up”. Nhaveen died from the injuries he sustained from
that vicious hate crime. Every time we explain away boys’ aggressive behaviour by saying
“boys will be boys”, we reinforce the false notion that it is natural for boys to be violent.
When boys get into fights, we shake our head and say, “boys will be boys.” When boys
bully in school, we look the other way and say, “boys will be boys.” Are we saying that
violent behaviour is an innate trait in boys? Boys are not by nature violent or aggressive.
(Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2017/06/17/stop-saying-boys-will-be-
boys)
What is the text about?
Topic: Male violence
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What is the main idea (what the writer wants you to know about it)?
You can clearly see that there is no one sentence in the directly states the main idea. The
paragraph begins with an example of extreme male violence which had led to a senseless
tragedy. The writer then questions justifying male violence through the expression “boys will be
boys”. Next he/she questions the idea that aggressive behaviour is an inherent in males. From
this, we can infer that the author's implied main idea is: “The idea that aggressive behaviour is
innate in males has led to the normalisation of male violence in our society.”
EXAMPLE 2 - IDENTIFYING IMPLIED MAIN IDEAS
Statistically, 800,000 people lose their lives to suicide each year and 25 more make an
attempt for each death. Suicide being under-reported, these numbers only represent the tip
of the iceberg. Each day, an accident and emergency department receives someone who
has self-harmed. Suicidal behaviour is prevalent in the community even though it is rarely
discussed. Suicide happens when a person is alone. It is not just physical loneliness but
psychological isolation too that a person finds himself in situations of suicidal behaviour.
The individual sinks into a state of helplessness and finds it hard to get help. Talking to
those who survived the experience, one would realise the role of friends and family who
were around them. Change in behaviour sometimes occurs months before the act.
(Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2017/09/11/breaking-the-silence-on-
suicide)
What is the text about?
Topic: Suicide
What is the main idea (what the writer wants you to know about it)?
There is no one sentence that expresses the topic sentence. The paragraph begins with statistics
on suicide and an assertion that suicide exists in society although it is not often discussed. The
next part addresses the need to talk about suicide and to talk to depressed people. Therefore we
can safely conclude that the unstated or implied main idea is: ‘There is a need to discuss
suicide openly in order to help suicidal people and to prevent suicide’
EXERCISE 1- IDENTIFYING MAIN IDEAS
Last year the skyrocketing cost of food was a wake-up call for the planet. Between 2005
and 2008, the price of wheat and corn tripled, and the price of rice climbed five-fold,
spurring food riots in nearly two dozen countries and pushing 75 million more people into
poverty. But unlike previous shocks driven by short-term shortages, this time, the high
prices were a symptom of a larger problem. Simply put: For most of the past decade, the
world has been consuming more food than it has been producing. After years of drawing
stockpiles, in 2007, the world saw global stocks fall to 61 days of global consumption, the
second lowest on record.
(Source: MUET Reading Nov 2012)
The main point of this paragraph is READING
A. the reasons for a global food crisis
B. shortage of food leads to high prices
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C. the effects of long-term food shortages
D. consumption of food exceeds production
Answer: D
Justification for answer: The first two sentences described rising food price and the third
introduces the underlying problem. Therefore, the main idea can be found in the topic sentence:
Simply put: For most of the past decade, the world has been consuming more food than it has
been producing. The last sentence describes the dwindling food stockpiles and this supports the
idea that the consumption is exceeding production.
EXERCISE 2- IDENTIFYING MAIN IDEAS
Ariel Lugo is one of a small but growing number of researchers who think much of
what we have been told about non-native species is wrong. Alien species, they argue, are
rarely as monstrous a threat as they have been painted. In fact, in a world that has been
dramatically altered by human activity, many could be important allies in rebuilding
healthy ecosystems. Given the chance, alien species may just save us from the worst
consequences of our own destructive actions.
(Source: MUET Reading Nov 2012)
The main idea of this paragraph is that
A. non-native species could be allies in the fight to save the ecosystems
B. it is a popular belief that alien species are a threat to the environment
C. the effects of human activity can be more disastrous than that of alien species
Answer: A
Justification for answer: The topic sentence is found in the middle of the paragraph: In fact, in
a world that has been dramatically altered by human activity, many could be important allies in
rebuilding healthy ecosystems. The first 2 sentences refer to false beliefs about alien species. The
final sentence supports the idea of alien species as important allies.
EXERCISE 3 - IDENTIFYING MAIN IDEAS
The most deservedly happy place on the planet is the South Pacific island nation of
Vanuatu, according to an index published recently. Vanuatu comes top because its people
are happy with their lot, live to nearly 70 and do little damage to the planet. Said Marke
Lowen of Vanuatu Online, the country's online newspaper, 'People are generally happy
here because they get by on very little. This is not a consumer-driven society. Life here is
about community and family and goodwill to other people. It's a place where you don't
worry too much.'
(Source: cae_sample-tests_uebungen-advanced_2_www.LearningInstitute.ch.pdf)
What is the point that the writer is making in this paragraph about the people of Vanuatu? READING
A. They are contented because everyone has a good income.
B. They are happy because they live in a small community.
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C. They are glad to be isolated from the rest of the world.
D. They are satisfied that they have everything they need.
Answer: D
Justification for answer: The main idea here is implied and is not found in a topic sentence.
The first sentence identifies them as the happiest people. The second describes their outlook with
words like ‘happy with their lot’. Subsequent sentences mention that they ‘they get by on very
little’, ‘don't worry too much’ and are not ‘consumer-driven’ implying that they are happy
because they have few needs and are contented with what they have.
UNIT 4 IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC DETAILS
Reading and identifying specific details involves understanding what information, or what kind
of information, you’re looking for, locating it and then reading the relevant part carefully to get a
full and detailed understanding. Sometimes, reading for specific details also involves reading to
see if the information is contained in the text at all.
HOW TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC DETAILS
• Read the questions so that you know what to look for in the text.
• Determine which part of the text it is in. Headings and key words can help with this.
• Look at the particular wording of questions, since these are intended to lead the student
to specific information, and to disregard irrelevant information.
• Underline key words in the questions as this helps when trying to find the information in
the text which provides the answers. Move your eye very quickly over the text, ignoring
unknown vocabulary and focusing solely on key words, phrases and ideas.
• Don’t select an answer solely on the basis of matching a word in the question with a
word in the text. Find an accurate match in terms of meaning.
• Once you find the specific information but then read that part more carefully to get a full
understanding
EXAMPLE
LEADERSHIP AT WORK READING
Section A
What makes a good leader? A leader is one who inspires, an agent of change, a developer who
shows the way forward. Leadership is not about breeding or height - taller being better, as the
early theorists believed. It's not simply about intelligence, either. Leadership is about making
things happen through people who are as enthusiastic and interested as you are. Enthusiasm is a
key element and, to convey it and encourage it in others, a good leader should be able to speak
out articulately and with conviction .
Section B
Most people have a far greater potential for leadership than they realise . The process of
becoming a leader is recognising those latent talents, developing them and using them. In one
sense, we are all born leaders – we just need the right circumstances in which to flourish. While
it's quite easy to recognise leadership in the grand sense - be it in the form of figures like
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Mahatma Gandhi or even Richard Branson - it may be more difficult to relate it to our own
workplace. And yet this quality is now regarded as the cornerstone of effective management.
Section C
Consider the best and worst boss you've ever had. They may have been equally good at setting
objectives, meeting deadlines and budgets. But what about how they achieved them? The best
leader will have motivated you, and may have driven you hard. But he would have also given
you support. The worst leader would have made you feel like a small cog in the corporate
machinery and kept information from you, and then when things went wrong would have reacted
as if it were your fault. The first led (very well); the second simply managed (very badly).
Section D
Leaders and managers can be seen as different animals. Managers tend to enjoy working
according to set boundaries. Leaders create their own horizons. A good manager can keep even
an inefficient company running relatively smoothly. But a good leader can transform a
demoralised organisation - whether it's a company, a football team or a nation.'
Section E
Whether you're the boss or a middle manager, you can benefit from improving your leadership
skills. There are definite lessons to be learnt: Leadership is something we do best when we
choose to do it. So find out where your passions and convictions lie. Next time you feel inspired
to lead, harness the energy it gives you and act on it. Start thinking of yourself as a leader. Your
ability to lead is a powerful part of you. Recognise it. Collaboration can be fine, but there will be
times when firm leadership is required. Experiment with your style. If you are a natural
transactor, try being the negotiator. If you always ask for the views of others, try taking the lead.
Watch how the outcome is changed by this change in you. You have to set goals, then beat them.
Look at the demands of your job and define those where being a leader will greatly enhance your
effectiveness and career prospects.
(Source: cae_sample-tests_uebungen-advanced_4_www.LearningInstitute.ch.pdf)
Indicate your answers in the blanks provided.
In which section of the article are the following mentioned?
1 sounding as if you mean what you say
2 not feeling valued in your place of work
3 knowing when it is best not to consult others
4 having the same positive feelings as others
5 considering your professional future
6 wanting to work within certain limits
7 being unaware of your capabilities
8 realising how leadership may apply to your situation
9 being unfairly blamed
10 being able to turn failure into success
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Answers:
1 A speak out articulately and with conviction
2 C feel like a small cog in the corporate machinery
3 E Collaboration can be fine, but there will be times when firm leadership is required.
4 A people who are as enthusiastic and interested as you are.
5 E being a leader will greatly enhance your effectiveness and career prospects.
6 D Managers tend to enjoy working according to set boundaries.
7 B Most people have a far greater potential for leadership than they realise
8 B it may be more difficult to relate it to our own workplace
9 C reacted as if it were your fault
10 D transform a demoralised organisation
EXERCISE 1
Read this extract and answer the questions that follows.
Emily Howell is not yet ten. But that did not stop her from composing six musical
scores and releasing two classical albums. Some say her style resembles that of the great
composers Bach and Mozart. No wonder her father, Professor David Cope, is a proud man.
Oh yes, by the way, Emily Howell is a computer programme.
If you ever thought that creativity was that secluded corner where humans are safe from
machine invasion, well, you need to find a new corner. Most people are oblivious to the
creative adventurers of computer algorithms - a set of rules that are used to solve problems.
So how can computer algorithms be creative? Yet, music and computer science professor,
Cope built a highly sophisticated and refined algorithm to create music based on the works
of great artistes but in his own style. Emily Howell, the algorithm, solves the problem of
creating great symphonies.
Algorithms are slowly replacing writers too. Professor Phil Parker, a marketing
professor at Insead Graduate Business school in France, has published on Amazon more
than a million business reports. And he did all that in just a couple of years. According to
Professor Parker, the number of released reports changes by the hour. How can one man
execute this monstrous task on his own? It turns out Professor Parker has developed an
algorithm that produces a report in 10 to 20 minutes instead of about four weeks, which it
typically takes one to do manually.
(Adapted from The Straits Times, May 3, 2012)
(Source: MUET Reading July 2015)
1. Emily Howell was designed specifically for composing music.
A True
B False
C Not stated
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Answer: A
Justification for answer: Using the key words ‘designed specifically’ and ‘composing music’,
the students can identify the paraphrase ‘Cope built ….. to create music’. Also ‘Emily Howell
……. solves the problem of creating great symphonies’ confirms the answer)
2. Algorithms can produce better quality business reports.
A True
B False
C Not stated
Answer: C
Justification for answer: Students have to find the key words ‘algorithm’, ‘better quality’ for
‘business reports’. They appear in the third paragraph but there is no equivalent for the words
‘better quality’. There are only references to quantity and speed.)
EXERCISE 2
Read this extract and answer the questions 1 and 2
Caffeine Myths
Through the years, the public has been buffeted by much misguided information about
caffeine and its most common source, coffee. In March, the Centre for Science in the
Public Interest published a comprehensive appraisal of scientific reports in its Nutrition
Action Health newsletter. Its findings and those of other research reports follow.
Hydration. It was long thought that caffeinated beverages were diuretics, but studies
reviewed last year found that people who consumed drinks containing up to 550 milligrams
of caffeine produced no more urine than when drinking fluids free of caffeine. Above 575
milligrams, the drug was a diuretic.
So, even Starbucks Grande, with 330 milligrams of caffeine, will not send you to a
bathroom any sooner than if you drank 16 ounces of pure water. Drinks containing usual
doses of caffeine are hydrating and, like water, contribute to the body’s daily water needs.
Cancer. Panic swept this coffee-dependent nation in 1981 when a Harvard study tied
the drink to a higher risk of pancreatic cancer. Coffee consumption temporarily
plummeted, and the researchers later concluded that perhaps smoking, not coffee, was the
culprit. In an international review of 66 studies last year, scientists found coffee drinking
had little if any effect on the risk of developing kidney cancer. In fact, another review
suggested that compared with people who do not drink coffee, those who do, have half the
risk of developing liver cancer. And a study of 59000 women in Sweden found no
connection between coffee, tea or caffeine consumption and breast cancer.
(Source: MUET Reading Nov 2012)
READING
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1. Scientists say that coffee hydrates our body better than water.
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated
Answer: B
Justification for answer: The key words ‘coffee’, ‘better’ and ‘water’ means that students
need to find a comparison between coffee and water and this can be found in the sentence
which says that ‘Drinks containing….caffeine (coffee) are hydrating and, like water,
contribute to the body’s daily water needs.’ The word ‘like’ indicates that they are equally
hydrating.
2. Findings of the Swedish study on coffee and cancer concluded that
A. there is no clear link between coffee drinking and cancer
B. there is a clear link between pancreatic cancer and caffeine
C. more research is needed to draw the connection between caffeine and
breast cancer
Answer: A
Justification for answer: The key word ‘Swedish’ can be linked to the sentence ‘a study of
59000 women in Sweden’. Students can find a paraphrase of the words ‘found no connection’ in
the text in answer (A) ‘no clear link’.
UNIT 5 DERIVE MEANING OF WORDS, PHRASES, SENTENCES FROM
THE CONTEXT
Derive the meaning of the unknown words in the text using their context : contextual clues and
word parts.
HOW TO IDENTIFY THE CONTEXTUAL CLUES
1. Punctuation clues : Keywords are identified, regrouped and recombined. Punctuation
marks like dashes (-); commas (, ); brackets ( )
e.g : The deluge, a flood of rain, threatened to drown the little town
(sd67.bc.ca/teachers/srichert/communication11/.../02Punctuation%20Clues.doc)
2. Definition clues : The unknown word is joined with the words that tell its meaning such
as or, refer to, meaning
e.g : His emaciation, that is, his skeleton-like appearance, was frightening to see.
“Skeleton-like appearance” is the definition of “emaciation.”
(www.mdc.edu/kendall/collegeprep/documents2/context%20cluesrev8192.pdf)
3. Control / contrast clues : The unknown word is joined with another word that is opposite.
Look out for words which indicate contrast such as but, however, yet, nevertheless,
while, rather than, although, whereas, and despite
e.g : When the light brightens, the pupils of the eyes contract; however, when it grows
darker, they dilate. “Dilate” means the opposite of “contract.”
(www.mdc.edu/kendall/collegeprep/documents2/context%20cluesrev8192.pdf)
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4. Restatement : The meaning of an unfamiliar word can sometimes be explained by the
next part of the sentence, or another sentence which restates the information.
Restatements are sometimes indicated by words like that is, in other words, or this
means that
e.g : My father is a podiatrist, or foot doctor. The restatement clue, “or foot doctor,” tells
you the meaning of podiatrist.
(www.coshoctonredskins.com/Downloads/Lesson%202%20-%20Student.P)
5. Example clues : The examples in the text are shown to have common criteria with the
unknown word. The clues are introduced by for example, for instance, such as, to
illustrate, including
e.g : Large corporations like General Foods, Shell Oil, Nortel and Canadian Pacific are
often less innovative than smaller ones.
(sd67.bc.ca/teachers/srichert/communication11/.../04Example%20Clues.doc)
6. Framework-based / Logical Reasoning clues : The meaning of the new words is
determined by the background information of the text
e.g : A crying little girl can usually be pacified (calmed) by giving her a doll
(adapted from Study Skills for the Malaysian University English test). Revised Edition.
Federal Publication 2000)
7. Anaphoric reference : The word or phrases or expression used before the word
e.g : ‘I went out with Jo on Sunday. She looked awful.' ´She` clearly refers to Jo, there is
no need to repeat her name.
(https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/anaphoric-reference}
8. Cataphoric reference : The word or phrases or expression used after the word
e.g : When he arrived, John noticed that the door was open'.
(https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/cataphoric-reference)
Note: Contextual clues includes synonyms, antonyms, examples, definitions, affixes and
restatement
HOW TO IDENTIFY THE WORD PARTS
Use root word, prefixes and suffixes to identify the meaning of the unknown word
Prefixes are added to the beginning of an existing word in order to create a new word with a
different meaning.
Prefix Meaning Example
ante- before antenatal
dis- opposite of not disagree
fore- before forecast
Suffixes are added to the end of an existing word
Suffix Meaning Example
freedom
-dom place or state of being friendship
argument
-ship position held READING
-ment condition
(https://www.myenglishteacher.eu/blog/prefixes-suffixes-list/)
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GUIDELINES
1. Notify the unknown word and its usage in the passage
2. Choose the best word that can replaced the word in the context
3. Figure out the meaning of the unknown words using the clues or information given in the
passage
Sample Questions
(Nov 2016)
“She should have diabetes. Given her body mass index, she must have diabetes. But
she doesn’t.” Even to a non-medical eye, Robles appeared obese. Like so many little
people, however, she remained free of diabetes. “I realised this in 1994,” Guevara
said, “but no one would believe me.”
This refers to the connection made between
a. body mass index and diabetes
b. obesity and environment
c. little people and diabetes
The answer is C. The answer is found in the sentence (Like so many little people, however, she
remained free of diabetes.) using example clue Like
(July 2015)
To figure out what most appeals to our ear, Lindstrom wired up his volunteers, then played them
recordings of dozens of familiar sounds, from McDonald’s ubiquitous “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle to
birds chirping and cigarettes being lit. The sound that blew the doors off all the rest – both in
terms of interest and positive feelings – was a baby giggling.
1. blew the doors off all the rest means that
a. the most special
b. the most popular
c. the most effective
d. the most interesting
The answer is C. The answer is found using the dash ( - ) as in the punctuation clues
READING
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UNIT 6 UNDERSTANDING AND INTERPRETING LINEAR TEXT AND
NON-LINEAR TEXT
A linear text is a written text where the student makes sense of the text according to the
arrangement of the words, both grammatically and syntactically. In such a reading path, there is
a sequential time to the text.
A non-linear text may include graphics such as pictures, graphs, table, charts, diagrams,
pictures, photographs, sketches, schedules and timelines.
In order to understand both linear and non-linear text, students need to do some interpretation in
terms of understanding the author’s purpose and the information in both the texts. Students has
to apply all other reading skill necessary to interpret the text to answer certain questions given.
Reading Graphic / Non-linear Text
• Keep in mind the question to direct your attention to the purpose of studying and
interpreting the visuals
• Determine the text type and the elements used.
• Examine the titles, headings, captions and images.
• Read all the labels and examine how they are related to the graphics
• Follow the arrows or lines.
• Look for colours or symbols and the legend or key that explains them.
• Study the image carefully and use the figure number or title and key words to find the
related information in the text.
FORMS OF NON LINEAR TEXT
Photographs Graphs Charts
Forms of non-linear text
Maps Diagrams Tables
READING
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GENERAL AND SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS IF NON-LINEAR TEXT
Show comparisons Show process Show statistics
and contrast
General and specific Show
Summarize functions distributions
figures
Show Show changes
Show trends and relationships
patterns
1. Function of non-linear text : Compare and contrast
The title of this graph tells Number of Car Accidents
about the number of car
accidents in the two cities
70 NO. OF ACCIDENTSJANFEB MARCH APRIL The key tells you
60 MONTHS which cities
50 READINGrepresented by
40 the lines
30
20 BANGKOK
10 SINGAPORE
0 The y axis
represents the
The x axis month
represents the
number of
accidents
hs
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2. Function of non-linear text : Show relationship
ABC Organisation Chart
Director Title tells you the name
of company and what
Each box shows the type of chart it is
position or rank
The lines show how
Coordinator each position is liked
Supervisor Team Leader Service Assistant
3. Function of non-linear text : Show distribution
The x-axis Rainfall in 2015 Title tells you the no. days of
represents the no. rainfalls according to month
days of rainfalls
Each bar represents
12 the no. days
10
8No. of days
READING
6
4
2
0 Feb March April
Jan
The y axis represents
the months
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4. Function of non-linear text : Show figures / statistics
Percentage of land Area for Agriculture
Title
7 Information given
6 in actual figures
Percentage 5
4 6.8 5.97 Percent
3
4.5 4.5
2
1
0 2002 2003 2004
2001
Years
5. Function of non-linear text : Summarize figures
** Chart and graphs are very useful in summarising information obtained from a
survey. When summarised, the information is usually, but not always, in percentage
Title Exports of ABC Company
Each segments represent the figures
10.75% 26.20% Bananas
15.50% Furniture
Metal components
Coconut
20.00%
READING
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6. Function of non-linear text : Show trend and changes
Generally, you will get an idea of the trend from the shape of a graph
250000 Workforce in ABC Company Title
200000
150000 Workers
100000
The line moves upwards and so,
50000 we can see that there is an
0 1990 2000 2010 2020 upward trend in working
7. Function of non-linear text : Show process
The arrows indicate which stage comes next
READING
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Sample Question
July 2014
Count your consumers
Population forecasts, billions
Asia
Africa 2010
Europe 2030
Latin America 2050
North America
0123456
Source : United Nations Population Division
In Figure 1, Africa’s population is projected to double by 2050
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated
The answer is A. It is a correct statement.
In general, illustrations (i.e. non-linear texts) function to summarize figures, show comparisons,
highlight relationships and eventually help make predictions
LINEAR TEXT
When interpreting linear text, students must make text to text connection, text to self connection,
text to author connection.
Reading Graphic Text
• Keep in mind the question to direct your attention to the purpose of studying and READING
interpreting the visuals
• Determine the text type and the elements used.
• Examine the titles, headings, captions and images.
• Read all the labels and examine how they are related to the graphics
• Follow the arrows or lines.
• Look for colours or symbols and the legend or key that explains them.
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• Study the image carefully and use the figure number or title and key words to find the
related information in the text.
• Identify the relationships among the visuals and information presented.
• Interpret and make connection to answer questions related to the graphic text.
EXERCISE
Questions 1 to 7 are based on the following passage. Read the passage and answer the questions.
The hotel business is relentless. The management has to provide twenty-four hour service, READING
365 days a year, and every single day is just as important as any other day. Not surprisingly,
M&M Hotel, which prides itself on providing excellent customer service, has had for many
years, a deeply-ingrained culture of ‘face time’ – the more hours you put in, the better. That
philosophy of ‘see and be seen’ was effective for serving customers, but it had a price: In one
year, the management found it extremely tough to recruit talented people and existing
managers were leaving, often because they wanted to spend more time with their families.
In the following year, M&M Hotel implemented a test programme to help managers strike
a better balance between the professional and personal lives, while maintaining the quality of
its customer service and the bottom line of its financial results. They found a lot of quick
fixes by eliminating redundant meetings and other inefficient procedures. For instance, they
learnt that managers could file certain business reports less frequently and that many of the
regular scheduled meetings were unnecessary. They also re-examined certain hotel
procedures they had followed traditionally. For instance, the scheduled overlap of time
between the front desk manager’s shift and the person on the next shift was reduced from one
hour to only fifteen minutes. Additionally, managers were given better Information
Technology (IT) support so that they could communicate with customers through email and
get connected to relevant sections within minutes to get assistance.
At the end of the test programme, managers reported working an average of five hours
less each week. Perhaps more important was the change in attitudes (Figure 1).
Before the test programme, 77% of managers felt that their jobs were so demanding that
they could not take adequate care of their personal and family responsibilities. At the end of
the programme, that percentage had plummeted to 43%. In addition, the percentage of
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managers who felt that the emphasis was on hours worked plunged from 43% to 15%. One of
the most important things shown was that people could be just as productive when they
worked fewer hours. This is so because they are more motivated to get things done and they
do not waste time in doing what they need to do.
(Adapted from Harvard Business Review, November 2001)
1. In the ‘face time’ work culture, the 5. From Figure 1, it can be inferred that the
longer a manager spends time at work, managers were happy with the changes
the better it is. made.
A True A True
B False B False
C Not stated C Not stated
2. The main objective of the test 6. Productivity declined with fewer hours at
programme was to change the work.
employees’ attitudes towards their jobs.
A True
A True B False
B False C Not stated
C Not stated
3. The test programme that was 7. It can be concluded from the passage that
working in a hotel industry is rewarding.
implemented reviewed work
A True
procedures. B False
C Not stated
A True
B False
C Not stated
4. According to Figure 1, the test
programme resulted in an increase in the
percentage of managers who felt tired at
the end of the day.
A True
B False
C Not stated
READING
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Question Answer Explanation
1 A
Student has to interpret the idea and concept within the sentence (Line
2 B 3-5) and has to pay attention to specific word and phrase where the
author gives information that the “face time” culture practiced by
3 A M&M Hotel has helped the hotel to give a better service to the
4 B customers. A face time culture is one where time spent at work is
5 A seen as a signal of or a social cue of an individual's level of
6 B productivity and organizational commitment
Student has to skim the text to identify the reasons for M&M Hotel to
implement a test programme and it is clearly stated that the purpose of
test programme is to strike a better balance between managers’
professional and personal lives while maintaining the quality of the
customer service and not to change the managers’ attitude towards
their job.
Student has to interpret how the management reviewed the work
procedure through the examples given from (Line 12- Line 20). Some
keywords or phrases such as ‘quick fixes’ and ‘re-examined’ in the
paragraph 2 could help the students to interpret information
Student has to skim the data of before and after the test programme.
The bar graph showed that there is a decrease from 89% (before) to
59% (after)
Student has to interpret how the managers feel before and after the test
programme (relate the percentage before and after the test)
Student has to skim the line 28 – 31 mentioning people could be just
be productive when they worked fewer hours
READING
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UNIT 7 RECOGNISING A PARAPHRASE
Paraphrasing means to retell or restate the meaning of an idea, a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph
in a text in one’s own words. The original meaning is maintained. There are certain words that
cannot be changed. These are words that have no synonyms and specialised or technical
vocabulary. Paraphrasing is done in order to make the text easier to understand. It is also used to
help the students to recall the main ideas and specific facts and materials they read.
HOW TO IDENTIFY A PARAPHRASE:
Identify the item that is paraphrased such as:
- a word (noun/adjective/verb/adverb) or phrase
- a main idea or supporting idea
- a fact or an opinion
- a topic or subject matter
- the paragraph
- the whole passage
Examples of paraphrasing:
1. Original : Millions of sleep-deprived Americans depend on caffeine to help
them make it through their day and drive safely.
Paraphrase : Caffeine helps sleep-deprived Americans with their daily life
activities.
2. Original : These findings and observations do not undermine the potential of
traditional medicine.
Paraphrase : Traditional medicine potential is not weaken by the findings and
observations.
Examples of questions on paraphrasing that you need to be familiarized with:
EXAMPLE 1
But vilification of fat, argues Ms Teicholz, does not stand up to closer examination. She pokes
holes in famous pieces of research – the Framingham heart study, the Seven Countries study, the
Los Angeles Veterans Trial, to name a few – describing methodological problems or overlooked
results, until the foundations of this nutritional advice look increasingly shaky.
MUET READING NOV 2015
The phrase pokes holes (line 27) means
A to reject
B to ridicule
C to discredit
Answer: C
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Justification of answer: The phrase ‘pokes holes’ is an idiom meaning ‘to find mistakes or
problems in a plan or something that has been said’. Answer C (discredit) means ‘to cause an
idea to seem false or unreliable’. Therefore, it is the most valid answer.
EXAMPLE 2
On the supply side; soil erosion, aquifer depletion, the loss of cropland to nonfarm uses, the
diversion of irrigation water to cities, the plateauing of crop yields in agriculturally advanced
countries …
MUET READING JULY 2017
.....the plateauing of crop yields means that crop yields have
A declined
B increased
C started fluctuating
D remained constant
Answer: D
Justification of answer: The word plateau itself means ‘a state of little or no change following a
period of activity’. Therefore the answer D (remained constant) is the clear choice.
EXERCISE 1
Factor in the demand for halal vaccines, and a plant-based production system immediately
becomes attractive. This is also the reason why the plant-based production platform has attracted
strong corporate interest from companies involved in pharmaceuticals as well as agrotechnology.
MUET READING MARCH 2015
1. The phrase ‘factor in’ can be replaced by
A add
B review
C evaluate
Answer: A
Justification of answer: ‘factor in’ is a phrasal verb which means ‘to include something when
doing a calculation or trying to understand something’. As such answer A (add) would be the
most appropriate as it is a paraphrase of ‘include’.
READING
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EXERCISE 2
Other than being an ingredient of salads, herbal tea or wine, dandelions are pretty useless plants.
Or at least, they were. But one species, a Russian variety called Taraxacum kok-saghyz (TKZ),
may yet make the big time.
MUET READING NOVEMBER 2016
...may yet make the big time means
A to become more profitable
B to have potential for research
C to be recognised for its usefulness
Answer: C
Justification for answer: The informal expression ‘the big time’ means ‘the state of being
famous or successful’. Therefore answer C (to be recognised for its usefulness) would be the
closest paraphrase to ‘being famous or successful’.
EXERCISE 3
Moreover, emissions from Arctic wetlands – they do exist – were increasing fastest of all, up
more than 30% between 2003 and 2007. That could be due to overall warming. “Most climate
models say the surface is going to warm at higher latitudes, and this is going to have serious
implications for emissions from wetlands,” says Palmer. Indeed, many scientists worry that
we could reach a tipping point at which warming could begin to melt the Arctic permafrost
and unleash masses of buried methane – which would then further warm the atmosphere,
releasing more methane and continuing in a dangerous feedback cycle.
MUET READING YEAR END 2011
... a tipping point means
A a crucial moment that will trigger a serious reaction
B a position that is considered to be uncertain
C a stage at which conditions start to improve
Answer: A
Justification of answer: ‘a tipping point’ means ‘the point at which a series of small changes
becomes significant enough to cause a larger and more important change’. As such answer A (a
crucial moment that will trigger a serious reaction) would be the closest paraphrase as ‘trigger a
serious reaction’ is closest to ‘cause a larger and more important change’
READING
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UNIT 8 PREDICTING OUTCOMES
Predicting outcomes is a skill that allows a student to make an educated guess or prediction
about what the writer is trying to say or a certain action, effect, consequence, result or natural
phenomenon which will happen in the future. We rely on certain cues in the passage to make
predictions.
HOW TO PREDICT OUTCOMES
• Read the passage carefully.
• Ask yourself some questions after reading the text to help you to forecast the result or
effect of an action or event mentioned.
For example: “What will happen as a result of these actions?”
“What will happen a consequence of these events?”
Directions: Read the following passages. Determine what event is likely to occur next. Explain
your answer using textual evidence.
Example 1
Jarod leaned back on the inflatable raft. It was too hot to paddle and he needed to conserve his
energy. He had been lost at sea for the last three days. He was out of food and water, and he
only had one emergency flare left. Yesterday he saw a plane pass overhead. He lit two flares,
hoping to attract the attention of the pilot. The plane did not turn around. Jarod used the map he
had salvaged from the wreck as a makeshift visor. He knew that continued exposure to the sun
would kill him sooner than anything else. Then he saw a small blob on the horizon. He could
do nothing but wait. Twenty minutes later, the blob had grown to the shape of a yacht. It
appeared to be a cruise ship of some sort. It was about five hundred yards away. While Jarod
could see the yacht, it was unlikely that anyone on the cruise ship could see Jarod's tiny raft from
that distance. Jarod knew he had to try anyway. He tied his sweater to his oar and began waving
it in the air. He was exhausted, but he mustered the strength. As the yacht appeared to be
sailing away, Jarod made one last-ditch effort and fired the emergency flare. The small flare
shot up about twenty feet in the air and popped. Jarod lowered his head in dismay. Then he
heard a loud toot. The ship appeared to be turning. He heard the ship toot its horn again as it
continued turning toward Jarod. He jumped up and down in the life raft and continued waving
the makeshift flag he had constructed...
1. What event is most likely to occur next?
The ship is probably going to save Jarod.
2. What evidence from the text supports your prediction?
I believe this because the ship tooted its horn and turned toward Jarod right after he
shot his flare
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Example 2
"Remember to study for the test tomorrow!" Ms. Claire said before dismissing her class. Lisa
wrote the assignment in her notebook but when she got home she just wanted a break from
school, so she watched TV. A couple of hours later, Lisa knew that it was time to get to work,
but first she would check her email. After another hour on the Internet, Lisa noticed that it
was getting late. She opened up the textbook and began looking for the chapter. Then her
friend Jenna called. Bobby and Suzy had broken up! Lisa couldn't believe it. She and Jenna
talked about it for another hour. Now it was really late and Lisa was tired. She hung up with
Jenna and turned to the chapter on rock formations in her science book. She began reading it.
Her head felt a little woozy, wobbly and then…
1. What event is most likely to occur next?
Lisa is probably going to fall asleep.
2. What evidence from the text supports your prediction?
I believe this because it is late and Lisa is tired. Also, she appears to be reading some pretty dry
stuff. This is probably going to cause her to doze off.
(Source : https://www.ereadingworksheets.com)
EXERCISE 1
Of course many of the rights the girls are fighting for are those that have been taken for
granted, at least for a century, in most countries. We have moved from an old world where, if
you were a girl, your rights were what others decreed, your status what others ascribed to you
and if your mother was poor, so too would you always be. But today's movement is not just
for emancipation - a twentieth century demand for freedom from injustices - but for
empowerment, a twenty-first century demand for freedom to make the most of your talents.
Next week, the United Nations secretary general. Ban Ki-moon, and the president of the
World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, will meet with countries that are off-track to discuss the
legislation, incentives, reforms - and money - needed to speed up the enrolment of girls in
schools.
I will share with them the testimonies of two girls, Kainat Riaz and Shazia Ramzan. I have
talked twice to the girls, and, as they repeated to a foreign television crew only a few weeks
ago, they are being persecuted but will never again be cowed.
Four years ago, Kainat says, girls were hiding books under their burqas. Now, she says,
the oppressors "can't stop us from going to school. I want to study. I am not afraid." Now,
Shazia says, "We are strong."
MUET READING MARCH 2015
Kainat’s and Shazia’s testimonies will help
A to convince the World Bank to finance female education
B to motivate people to support the rights of girls to education
C to get more news coverage about the problems with education
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Answer: B
Justification of answer: We know that the United Nations secretary general. Ban Ki-moon will
be discussing with countries what is needed to speed up the enrolment of girls in schools and that
he will be sharing the testimonies of the two girls. Based on the words of the girls like can't stop
us, I am not afraid, and We are strong, we can predict the outcome that is greater support for
girls’ education.
EXERCISE 2
There are many scary things about today’s world, but what is thrilling is that the means of
spreading both knowledge and inspiration have never been greater. Five years ago, a teacher
or professor who is able to change the lives of his or her students, could realistically hope to
reach maybe a hundred of them a year. Today, the same teacher can communicate through
video to millions of eager students. The cost of distributing a recorded lecture anywhere in
the world via the Internet has effectively dropped to zero. This has happened with
breathtaking speed and its implications are not yet widely understood. But it is surely capable
of transforming global education.
For one thing, the realization that today’s best teachers can become global celebrities will
boost the calibre of those who teach. For the first time, it is possible to imagine ambitious,
brilliant eighteen-year-olds putting ‘teacher’ at the top of their career choice list. Indeed, the
very definition of ‘great teacher’ will expand, as numerous people outside the profession who
can communicate important ideas find new incentive to make that talent available to the
world.
MUET READING NOVEMBER 2012
The main outcome of making great teachers accessible to the masses through the Web is
A that they will become celebrities
B people will learn to communicate better
C the teaching profession would attractive more talent
Answer: C
Justification of answer: From the text we learn that through the Web, teachers can distribute a
recorded lecture anywhere in the world and that it can make them global celebrities. This is
linked to the idea that talented people will choose teaching as a profession. (For the first time, it
is possible to imagine ambitious, brilliant eighteen-year-olds putting ‘teacher’ at the top of their
career choice list)
READING
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UNIT 9 APPLYING A CONCEPT TO A NEW SITUATION
Concepts are broad principles or classifications. They are mental categories for facts, objects,
events, people or ideas that have a common set of features across multiple situations and
contexts. This skill requires the learner to organise and categorise information, focusing on
understanding principles that can be applied to a variety of specific examples.
HOW TO APPLY A CONCEPT TO A NEW SITUATION:
1. Preview the text to make predictions about its content ( before reading)
2. Return to any predictions they have made before reading to see if they are confirmed
by the text.
3. Integrate new ideas with existing background knowledge. (during reading)
4. Apply and extend these ideas to other texts and real life situations. ( after reading)
5. Relate the information (the concept) to prior knowledge and experience.
EXERCISE 1
Hydration. It was long thought that caffeinated beverages were diuretics, but studies
reviewed last year found that people who consumed drinks containing up to 550 milligrams of
caffeine produced no more urine than when drinking fluids free of caffeine. Above 575
milligrams, the drug was a diuretic. So, even Starbucks Grande, with 330 milligrams of
caffeine, will not send you to a bathroom any sooner than if you drank 16 ounces of pure
water. Drinks containing usual doses of caffeine are hydrating and, like water, contribute to
the body’s daily water needs.
MUET READING NOV 2012
A person who drinks 700 milligrams of coffee will pass more urine than someone who drinks the
same amount of a caffeine-free drink
A True
B False
C Not stated
Answer: A
Justification of answer: Applying the fact ‘Above 575 milligrams, the drug was a diuretic.’ to
this situation, we can conclude that someone who drinks 700 milligrams of coffee will pass more
urine than someone who drinks a caffeine-free drink.
READING
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EXERICSE 2
Avoiding messages that sound parental or preachy is often a matter of tone. Saying "Please" is
a nice touch, especially to people on your level or outside the organisation. Tone will also be
better when you give reasons for your request or reasons to act promptly.
MUET READING NOV 2012
Which of the messages below is likely to be labelled as parental or preachy?
A. If necessary, please call us at this number.
B. Can't you leave the gym shoes in the basket?
C. Everyone is expected to comply with these regulations.
D. Even on casual days, visitors expect us to dress professionally
Answer: B
Justification of answer: We can apply the description of parental or preachy messages to assess
the options A to D. The most important criterion is tone. As such we have to determine the tone
of each option. The first (A) has Please so it cannot be judged as preachy. Option (C) has a
formal /polite tone and the justification is that everyone has to comply with the regulations.
Option D sounds like a complaint but it is not as parental/ preachy as Option (B) which has a
really frustrated and exasperated tone. Therefore option (B) is the best choice.
READING
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UNIT 10 DISTINGUISHING FACTS FROM OPINIONS
Being able to distinguish fact from opinion is an important reading skill. It helps in the
development of critical reading ability.
A fact is something that is correct or accurate and true. It can be proved, ascertained or verified
with evidence. A statement of fact expresses only what actually happened, or what could be
proven by objective data. It can be checked to be true by experiments or observations.
A statement of opinion conveys an outlook or attitude toward something. It is based on belief
and viewpoints. Opinions are often personal interpretations and cannot be verified with
evidence. Opinions are often (though not always) preceded with terms such as 'I think', or with
adjectives, comparatives and superlatives. Statements that are opinions often contain key words
such as most, best, nicest, never, all, none, most, least and greatest.
Writers use both facts and opinions to support their statements. When evaluating an argument,
idea or view, it is useful to recognize how writers use facts and opinions. Very often, facts offer
strong support for something that is stated. Opinion often represents personal interpretation and
may not provide adequate support for an idea or statement.
How do we need to distinguish fact from opinion?
Questions which show facts:
• According to the study………
• It was reported that ….
• In 1511, it was discovered that …….
• All of the following are facts except …..
• A fact about the mosque is that ……
• Which of the following is a fact about rainfall in the desert?
Questions which show opinions:
• In my opinion ………….
• The writer feels that …….
• Jessie thinks that ……………….
• Which sentence is an opinion?
• Which of the following is an opinion about the Jacks?
Strategy for distinguishing between fact and opinion:
• When you are looking for a fact ask yourself, “Is this true?” “Can it be proved?”
• When you are looking for an opinion, ask yourself, “Does this tell how someone feels?”
Source: http://www.esmonline.org/webpages/tdonahue/index.cfm?subpage=1873380
(Mrs. Donahue’s Site)
http://aeo.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/Files/CriticalThinking/fact%20or%20opinion.pdf
READING
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Example:
Read the following report.
Eighty people ran for their lives when a fire broke out at the restaurant of a hotel
building in London. One of the cooks fainted when she went back to get a car key at
the restaurant. It seems that she was overcome by smoke. At the height of the fire,
several explosions, believed to have been triggered by gas cylinders were heard.
a. The following are facts contained in the report:
i. Eighty people ran out of a hotel building
ii. A fire had broken out at the restaurant of a hotel building in London.
iii. One cook fainted when she went back to the restaurant
iv. Several explosion was heard
b. The following are opinions contained in the above report:
i. The cook who fainted was overcome by smoke.
ii. The explosion was triggered by gas cylinders.
Comment:
The words it seem that and believed are clues to indicate the writer is expressing opinions, which
have not been verified by further investigation. Other words and expressions used to express
opinions are think, feel, allege, presume, assume, perceive and maintain.
Reading Lesson Idea: Fact or Opinion?
Description
Part of critical thinking involves the skill to differentiate between fact and opinion. Before
understanding information from any source, students must know how to sort between
information that is provable from that which is based on a person’s feelings or belief.
(Adapted from ideas in Teaching Reading and Writing Together by Carl B. Smith and Karin L. Dahl).
Materials
▪ Try to collect one of each for use in a series of lessons: Newspaper article, advertisement,
magazine article, tabloid article, editorial, letter to the editor.
Suggestions
▪ After reading an article together, help your student find and list the facts presented. (What
happened?)
▪ Ask your student to write an opinion about these events. (What does s/he think about
them?
▪ Discuss the differences between the two kinds of statements.
▪ Read together a news article and an editorial on the same subject. Find examples of
specific facts and opinions in each.
▪ Discuss how the qualifications of an author can affect the credibility of information.
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▪ Have your student look for examples of newspaper articles that contain a mixture of fact
and opinion.
▪ Look together at advertisements to determine what information is true and what part is
promoting the purchase of the product. Talk about why the opinions of famous people are
used in ads.
▪ Write a letter to the editor in response to an article, editorial or issue. Submit it. Perhaps
the letter will be published!
▪ Read and discuss an article from a magazine or newspaper tabloid. Find examples of fact
and opinion. Discuss the credibility of the article.
Source: http://www.eastsideliteracy.org/tutorsupport/RW/RW_FactOpinion.htm
Example 1
Read the following report and answer the questions that follow.
The inquiry into the collapse of Highland Tower condominiums in 1993
continued yesterday. A consulting geotechnical engineer, Mr. George Lucas told
the Kuala Lumpur High Court that this calculation revealed that the cause of
. collapse was attributed to a landslide that occurred due to pipes that burst. When
asked by counsel what might have happened after the pipes burst, he said he
believed that the burst had allowed for the barren ground near the site to wash
away. The soil had no protection against erosion due to the trees that had been
previously cleared from that hill for a separate housing development project. He
felt that the combination of monsoon rains and loose soil led to a landslide were the
critical factors that brought Block One of the Highland Towers with it.
1. Write out three facts contained in the report. READING
a. ____________________________________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________________________________
c. ____________________________________________________________________
2. Write out two opinions expressed in the report.
a. ____________________________________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________________________________
3. What words helped you to identify the opinions?
_______________________________________________________________________
Answers:
Facts:
a. inquiry into the collapse of Highland Tower condominiums (Can be proven in
newspaper report on in court case)
b. calculation revealed that the cause of collapse was attributed to a landslide that
occurred due to pipes that burst, allowing for the barren ground near the site to
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wash away. (Can be proven because research has been conducted to finalize the
cause of the collapse)
c. landslides in 1993 (Can be verified with evidence in news report)
Opinions:
a. He believed that the burst had allowed for the barren ground near the site to wash
away.
b. He felt that the combination of monsoon rains and loose soil led to a landslide
were the critical factors that brought Block One of the Highland Towers with it.
Words to identify opinions
Felt and believed
Examples of MUET questions testing the analysis skill of distinguishing fact from opinion.
MUET March 2014 (Question 30-37)
…….. The Starrs are a typical American family, with their share of everyday family issues.
David is a software engineer; his wife, Eleanor, takes care of their four children, ages 10 to 15.
One of the children as Asperger syndrome, another Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder
(ADHD); one tutors mathematics on the near side of town; one practices tennis on the far side.
“We were living in complete chaos,” Eleanor said.
We were living in complete chaos (line 7) Eleanor expressed her opinion that READING
A. her house was in a complete mess
B. a total change was needed for her family
C. her family situation was beyond control
D. various issues disrupted her family meeting
The expression in line 7 is an opinion stated by Eleanor to tell the students the state of total
confusion with no order in her home. Therefore the circumstances in the house are madness or
cannot be controlled. Thus, the answer need to be chosen is C
MUET November 2014 (Question 38-45)
The progress made in recent years shows that mankind is not doomed to strip the planet of its
forest cover. But the transition from tree-chopper to tree-hugger is not happening fast enough.
Over the past decade, according to UN figures, around 13 million hectares of forestland – an
area the size of England – was converted each year to other uses, mostly agriculture. If the
world is to keep the protective covering that helps it breathe, water its crops, keeps it cool and
nurtures its biodiversity, it is going to have the move fast.
In paragraph 2, the writer cites UN figures to support the fact that
A. the world will gradually lose its forest cover
B. man does not destroy the forest unnecessarily
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C. there has been a significant reduction in deforestation
D. mankind is not working quickly enough to conserve forests
Option ‘D’ supports the fact that 13 million hectares of forestland was converted each year to
other uses because mankind is not putting enough effort to converse the forest as (transition
from tree-chopper to tree-hugger is not happening fast enough)
MUET March 2016 (Question 1)
People everywhere are living longer, according to the World Health Statistics 2014 published
by World Health Organisation (WHO). Based on global averages, a girl who was born in 2012
can expect to live around 73 years, and a boy to the age of 68. This is six years longer than the
average global life expectancy for a child born in 1990.
According to WHO, a boy born in 1990 can expect to live until the age of 62.
A. True
B. False
C. Not Stated
Option A support the facts based on WHO publication where details on life expectancy of boys
born in 2012 was 68 and in 1990 was 62, proven in line ‘This is six years longer than the
average global life expectancy for a child born in 1990’.
Exercise 1
Distinguish whether the statements below are facts or opinion
a) "On Tuesday, Suseela Menon, completed a remarkable personal odyssey when she was
named as the next CEO of Toyota Malaysia, and the first woman to ascend to the top job
at a major auto company in Malaysia."
Fact ___________ Opinion __________
b) "Cowbirds are brood parasites, meaning they lay their eggs in the nests of other bird
species, thus unloading the messy and demanding business of chick-rearing."
Fact ___________ Opinion __________
c) "Instead of striving to make work fun, managers should concentrate on creating the
conditions in which a variety of personality types, from the excitable to the naturally
downbeat, can flourish."
Fact ___________ Opinion __________
d) "A big reason America is falling behind other countries in science and math is that we
have effectively written off a huge chunk of our population as uninterested in those fields
or incapable of succeeding in them.
Fact ___________ Opinion __________ READING
Answers: a) F b) F c) O d) O
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Exercise 2
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow
The Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of
Africa. It has a very long coast along both the Atlantic and Indian oceans. The Cape of Good
Hope, at the southernmost point of South Africa, has been an important place in sailing history.
It has a long history that includes many challenges. About 50 million people live in South Africa
today. It is 79.5% Black, 9.2% White, 8.9% coloured, and 2.5% Asian. Coloured is a term used
formally in South Africa for mixed race. It is spelled with a u because that is how the people in
England spell it, and it was England that labeled these groups. Race has been a very important
part of its history. For many years, Black and coloured South Africans had few rights. Today, the
situation is much better. The problems for South Africa probably got started about 150 years
ago. That was when gold and diamonds were discovered in inland South Africa. Many people
moved to the country, to work in the mines and to own them. There were two groups of
Europeans in the country: people from Holland and people from England. They fought for
control of this land. The trouble continued. The native peoples had a very difficult time. The
Natives' Land Act of 1913 severely restricted the ownership of land by 'Blacks' to the small
percentage of 7%. In 1948, the National Party was elected and intensified the implementation of
the program of racial segregation that had begun with European settlers, and subsequently
continued by the South African governments. The Nationalist Government set up a system of
segregationist laws, which meant that only whites could own most property and that Blacks and
coloured people had very few rights. That terrible system became known as apartheid. People
struggled to end apartheid. It was so very unfair. Their fight went on for years. One great leader,
Nelson Mandela, was put into prison in 1964 and kept there for 27 years. Even though he was in
prison, he still was a great leader. His writings helped inspire others. Other nations recognized
the injustice of apartheid and argued against it. Those good countries were protesting this
ongoing situation. But the government of South Africa did not change for many years. It took a
long time and an international boycott, but finally there was progress. A boycott is when a group
refuses to do business with another group. In 1990, the old government allowed Nelson
Mandela’s political party, the African National Congress, to have a voice. Finally, it released this
persistent hero from prison. The first multi-racial elections were held in 1994, and Nelson
Mandela’s party won. He became the President and served as president until 1999. In 1993 he
won the Nobel Peace Prize. That is an international prize given each year to someone who helps
the world have more peace. Many people believe there would have been more progress if South
Africa’s government had freed Nelson Mandela much sooner. But Nelson Mandela does not
believe in looking back at problems. He wants people to look forward, to work together to plan
and make progress. He is a very great leader for Africa. He is a leader for the whole world.
Center for Urban Education at DePaul University © 2008
Questions developed by Center for Urban Education for use by Chicago Public Schools 2008-2009.
Directions: Choose the best answer for each question. READING
1. Which of these statements is factual?
A. He is a very great leader for Africa.
B. But the government of South Africa did not change for many years.
C. Today, the situation is much better.
D. That terrible system became known as apartheid.
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2. Which words make this statement an opinion?
“Those honorable countries were protesting this ongoing situation.”
A. honorable
B. protesting
C. ongoing
D. situation
3. Which of these sentences is an opinion?
A. They fought for control of this land.
B. He is a leader for the whole world.
C. The trouble continued.
D. About 50 million people live in South Africa today.
4. Why do you think the writer wrote this sentence?
“Finally they released this persistent hero from prison.”
A. to tell you information
B. to finish a history
C. to help you value Mandela
D. to answer a question
5. Write your own answer to this question. Choose a sentence that is a statement of opinion.
______________________________________________________________________
Why do you think it is an opinion?
______________________________________________________________________
Answers: 1. b 2. a 3. c 4. c
Question 5 is open-ended. Here is a suggested response.
5. Students should identify an opinion and explain the basis for that identification.
READING
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Exercise 3
Contrast and Evaluate Fact and Opinion
Changing the Ecosystem
A food chain is a series of links between plants and animals. It starts with a plant. The next part
of the link is a plant eater. When the prairie plants started to die or be replaced with houses and
roads, the animals that depended on them lost their food source. So while the farmers produced
more food for people, they broke the animals’ food chain and the animals died or had to move.
This was a great mistake. We are paying for that mistake today. And, unfortunately, people still
keep making that mistake. They keep breaking the food chains. A food chain is part of a bigger
system called a food web. That web links the living things in an ecosystem. The herbivores in
that system depend on the plants. If the plants are removed, the herbivores cannot survive. Then
the carnivores, the animals that eat other animals, lose their food, too. Remove just one kind of
plant from an environment and you disrupt the food web. Plow up the land and you destroy the
whole system. The problem was there were more and more people and less and less natural
habitats.
The timeline shows how the population of Chicago people changed.
1880 Population of the city is 503,185; farms continue to expand
1890 Population of the city is 1,099,850
1900 Population is 1,698,676
1910 Factories expand in the city; population is 2,185,283
1920 City population has grown to 2,701,705
1930 City population is 3,376,438
By 1900, Illinois and other Midwestern states were becoming known as the nation’s
breadbasket. This was because millions of acres of land had been turned from prairie into farms.
Those farms could grow corn and wheat and other grains. Those grains were used to make bread
and other food for people. This was not progress for everyone.
That agricultural progress benefited many people. The farmers and businesses that processed the
grains prospered. Chicago became a transportation center. It became an industrial center, too.
More and more homes, businesses, and roads were built. But many of the animals and plants that
were native to this area were destroyed. So was the natural system called the prairie.
Today, people are trying to restore the prairie, but it’s a great challenge. Suburban housing is
expanding. Pollution is increasing. What’s next? People need to decide which is more important.
Should we keep building roads and homes or should we fix the housing we have and leave land
free of construction so that what’s left of the natural habitat can survive?
Questions developed by Center for Urban Education for use by Chicago Public Schools 2008-2009.
READING
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MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITY ENGLISH TEST (MUET): TEACHER’S HANDBOOK
Choose the best answer for each question.
1. Which word in the first paragraph tells you it is the writer’s opinion?
A. lost
B. broke
C. unfortunately
D. replaced
2. Which of these is an opinion?
A. By 1900, Illinois and other Midwestern states were becoming known as the nation’s
breadbasket.
B. This was not progress for everyone.
C. Chicago became a transportation center.
D. More and more homes, businesses, and roads were built.
3. How do you know if a statement is an opinion?
A. It includes information.
B. It uses adjectives.
C. It tells what someone feels.
D. It asks you a question.
4. How do you know if a statement is a fact?
A. It tells you information you can check.
B. It gives you a new idea about a topic.
C. It makes you feel differently about the topic.
D. It includes historical information.
5. Write your own answer to this question.
Choose a sentence from the passage that is a statement of fact.
Change it so it is an opinion.
Rewrite it here as an opinion.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
http://teacher.depaul.edu/Skill-Focused-Readings/Grade%208%20Fact%20and%20Opinion.pdf
Answers:
Item 1 2 3 4 Answer c b c a
Question 5 is open-ended.
Here is a suggested response.
5. Students should identify a statement of opinion and explain that it is not a fact.
READING
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MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITY ENGLISH TEST (MUET): TEACHER’S HANDBOOK READING
UNIT 11 DISTINGUISHING THE RELEVANT FROM THE IRRELEVANT
Relevant information is information related to what was being discussed or asked. For example,
if you are asked to look for the causes of earthquakes, you leave out information not related to it.
In examination the relevant information that you need to look for depends on the type of
instructions given on question.
Why do we need to distinguish the relevant from the irrelevant?
• To determine relevant verses irrelevant details when reading informational texts.
• To avoid students from lumping all details into the same together with each carrying the
same importance and, therefore, all attended to with the same level of comprehension.
• To sort important facts from the less important ones is a critical skill in developing
deeper understanding of content area reading.
How do we need to distinguish the relevant from the irrelevant?
Ask questions such as
• What is the author’s purpose in presenting the argument?
• What information is given in support of the author’s purpose?
• Is the information given relevant to the author’s purpose?
• Is the reason given relevant?
To distinguish relevant from irrelevant information one could follow these steps:
• Identify the main topic of the material.
• Determine which supporting ideas are directly related to the topic.
• Identify sentences or ideas that do not seem to be related to the main topic.
• Sort through the information you think might not be relevant. Try to connect it to the
main topic.
• If you cannot make a connection, then it is probably irrelevant.
What are some of the ways to identify relevant reasoning?
• By logical evidence
• By referring to facts/statistic
• By definition
• By comparison and contrast
• By referring to authority
• By showing the cause
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MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITY ENGLISH TEST (MUET): TEACHER’S HANDBOOK READING
Example
In the following choice, which description is relevant to the purpose of the writer?
1. Ashwini is a seafood lover.
A. There are pictures of fish on her walls.
B. She keeps a fish aquarium clean always.
C. She cooks fantastic fish and crab dishes,
D. She has a book titled ‘The Big Whale”.
Justification of answer: C is relevant because ‘Ashwini is a seafood lover’ means she likes to
eat seafood and that is why she cooks fantastic fish and crab dishes
2. The courtyard is the most pleasant place outside En. Rahman’s house to chill out.
A. The tinted sunroof makes it lovely and cool.
B. The sofa set is cozy and comfy.
C. The flowers in the garden give off a sweet scent
D. His neighbours like to admire his courtyard.
Justification of answer: D is not relevant because the information does not help to establish the
writer’s aim of informing students that the courtyard is a pleasant place to chill out. In fact his
neighbour’s admiration has nothing to do with pleasantness of the courtyard.
Being able to distinguish relevant information from the irrelevant information helps students to:
• Keep the writer’s purpose firmly in mind
• Be wary of irrelevant sidetracks no matter how exciting and true or important they may
be in other contexts
• Focus only on the information that is given in support of the writer’s purpose
Practice 1
1. List down the relevant points about how we can keep our school clean.
How can we keep our school clean? First and foremost, we should not litter the school. Make
use of all the dustbins provided by school management. Although there are workers in the
school, this does not mean that students can throw rubbish especially packet drinks and food
anywhere they like. Watch for the notices and reminders around the school. Follow them
strictly.
a. _______________________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________________
c. _______________________________________________________________________
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