PROGRAM PERFECT SCORE SPM SEKOLAH MENENGAH NEGERI MELAKA LITERATURE COMPONENT - NOTES ON POEMS BAHASA INGGERIS 1119/2

IN THE MIDST OF HARDSHIP STANZA 1 1. Who does they refer to? (line 1) Answer: The parents of the boy / The couple / The husband and wife 2. 3. When/at what time do they return home? (line 1) Answer: At dawn What is the hardship / suffering the couple has to face? (lines 2, 4, 5) Answer: Their clothes are soaky and torn. Their limbs are scratched. Their legs are full of wounds. Why do they approach the stove? (line 3) Answer: To keep themselves warm. To prepare food as they are hungry. What does the line there was not a sign of despair tell you about the people? (line 7) Answer: In spite of their hardship, they do not complain. Which line tells us that they are used to hardship? Answer: There was not a sign of despair When faced with hard times, do you face it the same way the family does? What is your own attitude towards hard times? Answer: Yes, I will not give up. Yes, I will persevere.

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STANZA 2 8. How long was the couple out in the rain? (line 8) Answer: The whole day and night 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. What does the word horrendous mean / suggest / imply? Answer: awful / terrible / horrifying What are they doing in the flood water? (line 13) Answer: Looking for their sons albino buffalo What is different / special about the buffalo? Answer: It is an albino buffalo. What do you think has happened to the buffalo? Answer: It is dead / It has drowned / It is missing. What could there be in the flood water? (lines 11 & 12) Answer: Bloated carcasses / dead animals Tiny chips of tree barks 1

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Give two reasons why their clothes are soaky and torn. (lines 2, 9 & 12) Answer: They have to brave the horrendous flood. There are pieces of tree barks in the water. If you were the parent of the boy, would you go out in the floods to look for your sons albino buffalo? Give a reason to support your answer. Answer: Yes, because I love my son. Yes, because the buffalo is special. No, because it is too dangerous. If you were the boy in the poem, would you ask your parents to go out in the floods to look for your albino buffalo? Give a reason for your answer. Answer: Yes, because the albino buffalo is special. No, because it is dangerous for them to go out in the floods.

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STANZA 3 17. What do you think is the peoples attitude towards life? Answer: They never complain in spite of hardship. They are grateful for whatever they have. 18. 19. 20. 21. Which phrase tells you that they are used to hardship and do not consider it a problem? Answer: Without sigh or complaint What is the couple doing in the kitchen? Answer: They are making jokes while rolling cigarette leaves. What kind of life does the couple lead? Answer: Hard life / difficult life Why do they not complain about their situation? Answer: Because they are used to hardship. HE HAD SUCH QUIET EYES STANZA 1 1. How are the eyes of the man described? What does it mean? Answer: Described as quiet eyes. It means these eyes are deceiving and dangerous. 2. 3. 4. 5. How does the persona get so attracted to the man? Answer: She is attracted to his quiet eyes that seem captivating. What does the line two pools of lies (line 3) refer to? Answer: The deceiving eyes of the man What does those quiet eyes were breathing desolate sighs mean? (lines 5 & 6) Answer: Those deceiving eyes were seeking sympathy. What does imploring her to be nice mean? (line 7) Answer: It means she is obliged to be nice to him and do anything to keep him happy. 2

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What does the word paradise in line 8 suggest? Answer: Bliss

STANZA 2 7. If only shed been wise implies the girl is unwise. Why is she unwise? Answer: She is unwise because she did not listen to the advice given. 8. 9. 10. What is the advice given? Answer: Never to compromise with pleasure-seeking guys. Do you think the girl should have listened to the advice given? Give a reason for your answer. Answer: Yes. Then she would not be broken-hearted if she had listened to the advice. What does the expression the hows and whys mean? Answer: It means the reasons for the problems and how they happen.

STANZA 3 11. What advice does the poet give concerning falling in love? (line 15) Answer: One must make sure that being nice to a man does not mean giving in to him physically. 12. 13. Do you think it is good advice? Why? Answer: Yes. One many fall in love once or twice before one finds true love. What does the line youll never be losing at dice suggest? Answer: One will finally be successful in love although one may experience heartbreak once or twice before that. Explain what the experience of falling in love is being compared to. Answer: It is being compared to a game of dice. One may win or lose in the game.

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NATURE STANZA 1 1. To whom is the poet referring when he uses We? Answer: The people of Jamaica / The Jamaicans 2. 3. 4. The country portrayed in the poem enjoys two seasons. What are they? Answer: The hot and rainy seasons Name one plantation crop mentioned in the poem. Answer: Sugar cane What sounds are heard on rainy days? Answer: Rain beating like bullets on the roof Swish of water in the gullies What does the phrase high Jamaica winds signify? Answer: Strong Jamaica winds / Strong power of the winds in Jamaica Quote a line to show that the wind is destructive. Answer: And trees struggling in high Jamaican winds

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Quote a line to show that the wind is gentle. Answer: When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air Which word suggests that harvesting is over? Answer: reaped Which phrase suggests that harvesting is over? Answer: lie bare and fallow What can be heard and smelt when one walks near the bushes? Answer: The sound of bees The scent of honey Explain what evidence shows that nature is rich and bountiful. Answer: The mango and logwood blossom The bushes are full of the sound of bees The buttercups cover the earth What is meant by the word paved as used in the poem? (line 14) Answer: Covered What do the yellow stars refer to? Answer: Yellow buttercup flowers / Yellow buttercups Explain how the persona feels about the weather conditions in Jamaica? Answer: The persona feels happy about the weather conditions in Jamaica as he describes its beauty. Would you like to visit a country with four seasons or a country with two seasons? Why? Answer: I would like to visit a country with four seasons because I can see different scenes at difference seasons. I would like to visit a country with two seasons because the wet season and dry season each has its own beauty.

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ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE? STANZA 1 1. At whom is the question Are you still playing your flute? directed? Answer: The poets beloved / The man playing the flute / The flutist 2. 3. 4. 5. What do you know about the poets beloved? Answer: He plays the flute in the village. What is the problem in the relationship between the persona and the flutist? (line 2) Answer: There is hardly time for their love. How does the melody affect the persona? Answer: She feels guilty longing for his melody / song. What is meant by the phrase to the depth of my heart? (line 10) Answer: To the centre of her being / To the bottom of her heart 4

STANZA 2 6. What has happened to the village? (lines 12 & 13) Answer: The village has become quiet and deserted. The rice fields are not fertile anymore. 7. 8. Why is the flutists village deserted and its rice field sick? Answer: People have moved to the city so, very few people work in the rice fields. What are the pleasurable pastimes in the village? Answer: Watching the rain Gazing at the evening rays Collecting dew drops Enjoying the fragrance of flowers Why do you think the flutist is not leaving his village? Answer: He loves the peaceful countryside. He does not like the hustle and bustle of the city. Where do you think the persona probably is? Answer: In the city Would you like to be in the same place as the persona? Why? Answer: No, I would rather be in the village and enjoy the beauty of nature. Yes, because I love the modern lifestyle in the city.

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STANZA 3 12. Why do you think the persona repeats the question, Are you still playing your flute? Answer: To emphasize her feeling of disappointment or frustration with the flutist. 13. Do you think she should be repeating the question? Why? Answer: Yes, she should because the other person does not seem to be affected by all her problems. No, because it is rude to do so. What are the problems the personas brothers face? Answer: They are unemployed and desperate. What problems do you think the personas country is facing? Answer: Her people are disunited politically. There is bloodshed. / Her friend was killed mercilessly. There is unrest. There is unemployment. / People are jobless. / People have no work. How would you react if you were in the position of the persona? Answer: I would keep myself busy to forget the past. I would give everything up and follow my heart. I would think rationally and not be emotional. 5

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WRITING TIPS BAHASA INGGERIS 1119/1 DIRECTED & CONTINUOUS WRITING BAHASA INGGERIS 1119/2 SUMMARY & LITERATURE COMPONENT (NOVEL) 2 1 Forgetting to add 's s means belonging to. e.g. We travelled in my uncles car. the same as In level the SPM is same with O level in the UK. (x) The ball is same like the official Football Association ball. (x) Your bicycle is same than my little brothers. (x) etc. Most zoos keep the same kinds of animals: lions, elephants, monkeys, etc. (x) Too many youngsters get involved in drugs, etc. (x) These days, women work as teachers, doctors, police officers, etc. (x) there are and they are (a) there are means we can find In my school there are (Bahasa Malaysia: ada) eight hundred pupils. There are some tall durian trees behind Yusufs house. (b) 5 they are the people (or things) we were talking about are Do you know Rafidah and Selvi? They are the brightest girls in Form Five. Some new stamps have been issued. They are on sale in all the post offices.

Superlatives without the Superlative adjectives (with -est or most) always follow the: the dirtiest child, the most economical car, the worst mistake. Bad writing: Best idea was Simons. That building is tallest in Singapore. Good writing: The best idea was Simons. That building is the tallest in Singapore.

Imaginary verb forms: is go and was go, is went and was went I am going. / He is going. () I go. / He goes. () I was going. / He was going. () I went. / He went. () You cannot mix these to make am go, is go, was go or even is went.

Apostrophe in negative verbs like dont, shant or oughtnt. Put the apostrophe between the n and the final t. - shouldnt - hasnt - wont Unwanted about Do not use the word about after these verbs: discuss, consider, describe, study, explain e.g. Mr. Peng and I were discussing about the salary. (x) Mr. Peng and I were discussing the salary. () 6

too and very Students often write too where they should write very. Too does not mean very,very. It means enough to cause a problem. e.g. I am too happy. (x) I am very happy. () (There is no problem about being happy.) e.g. The sum is very easy, but it is too difficult for Francis. (Francis has problems with his sum)

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too not used after the words a or the e.g. Mustafa is a too fat boy. (x) Mustafa is too fat. () so is used together with that e.g. I felt so tired that I lay down and fell asleep at once. () The story was so sad that it made my grandmother cry. () a cheap price a low price a high price a cheap dress cheap houses cheap phone calls an expensive car expensive cinema tickets an expensive trip to Indonesia e.g. We are offering these pianos at a cheap price. (x) We are offering these pianos at a low price. () although.but cannot be used together e.g. Although I was very busy, but I managed to finish my homework. (x) Although I was very busy, I managed to finish my homework. () I was very busy, but I managed to finish my homework. () used to not used with is or was e.g. As a young man, Gopi was used to visit India. (x) As a young man, Gopi used to visit India. () (Meaning: Gopi regularly did that) e.g. Vietnam was used to be a colony of France. (x) Vietnam used to be a colony of France. () (Meaning: it was so for a long time)

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been and gone gone been He has gone to the shops. (He went to the shops, and he is still there.) He has been to the shops. (He went to the shops, and he has come back.)

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Use a variety of simple and complex sentences e.g. The woman was selling flowers. She stood at the corner of the street. The old haggard woman who was selling flowers stood at the corner of the street. 7

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. and I e.g. I, Sheila and Majid went for a picnic. (x) Sheila, Majid and I went for a picnic. () at there e.g. We arrived early and saw many hawkers at there. (x) We arrived early and saw many hawkers there. () Numbers one to ten No. 1-10 Spell (one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten) No. 11 and above Write figures Invented/Misused words I had a lot of homeworks to do. (x) My mother was borned in Muar. (x) She is a good cooker. homework () was born () cook ()

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Score A Tips A script for Directed Writing (1119/1) Language - accurate with only occasional first draft slips Sentence structures - varied Vocabulary - wide and precise Punctuation - accurate Spelling - accurate Paragraphs - have unity and are well-linked Style - relevant Tone appropriate A script for Continuous Writing (1119/1) Language - entirely accurate, with occasional first draft slips Sentence structures - varied Vocabulary - wide and precise Punctuation - accurate and helpful Spelling - entirely accurate Paragraphs - well-planned, unified and linked Topic - consistently relevant Interest - aroused and sustained throughout writing A script for Summary A sustained attempt to rephrase the text Expression is secure Difficult phrases from the text may be substituted Language accurate Errors occasional Sentence structure varied Marked ability to use original complex syntax Punctuation accurate Spelling correct throughout A script for Literature Component (Novel) (1119/2) 8

Consistently relevant and convincing Textual evidence detailed and well-developed Language accurate Very well-organised

SPM 2006 Your friend, who lives in another town, wants to know whether he/she could run for the post of Head Prefect. Write a letter to your friend giving reasons why he/she would make a good Head Prefect. Use the notes given below to write your letter. Personal Qualities: friendly responsible helpful Academic Performance: intelligent student hard-working problem solver Co-curricular Involvement: Blue House Captain secretary of English Language Society school debater Other points: lives near school able to sacrifice time good study habits academic performance will not be affected popular with students and teachers

When writing your letter, you should remember to include the following: address salutation/greeting close all the notes given SPM 2007 You have been asked by your teacher to give a talk on a reference book that is useful to secondary students. You have decided to talk about a science book. Use the following notes about the book to write your talk. Details of the book - Title: Science Made Simple - Author: Sharifah Shazana - Publisher: Bunga Publications Reasons why the book is useful attractive presentation clear explanations helpful diagrams variety of exercises sample answers practice question papers useful tips

When writing the talk, you should remember: - to use an appropriate greeting and closing - to state the purpose of the talk - to use all the notes given - to give two other reasons of your own - that the talk is for students Mdm. Lim Ai Ling SMK(P) Methodist, Melaka

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