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23 Jalan Damai , Taman Damai, 86200 Simpang Rengam, Johor, 2 August 2012 Dear Sharopova, How are you? I was very happy when I received your letter this morning. I had so much 1) ______ reading about how you celebrate Christmas in Moscow. In Malaysia, I celebrate Hari Raya which falls on the first of Syawal, the tenth month of the Muslim Calendar. Hari Raya is celebrated after fasting for a month in Ramadhan, which is the ninth month of the Muslim Calendar. During Ramadhan, as a Muslim, I have to 2) myself from eating, drinking and from committing any ill-doings from 3) __________ until sunset. It is hoped after Ramadhan, the Muslims will continue to do good and avoid any wrong-doings. So, the Hari Raya marks the Muslims success in fasting for a whole month. Of course, Hari Raya is a 4) ___________ occasion for Muslims from all walks of life. On this 5) ______________ day, everyone puts on their 6)___________ clothes and go to the mosque to perform obligatory Hari Raya prayer. Usually each family brings a plate of traditional cakes and cookies to be shared together after the prayer. Before we leave the mosque, we ask for forgiveness from each other. Then, we go home to have a 7) ___________ meal with our family. We often have ketupat, which is actually rice cooked in a case made of woven coconut leave. This ketupat is eaten with rendang, meat cooked in 8)____________ spicy gravy and peanut sauce. We can only savour these dishes on Hari Raya. Every year we never miss to visit our grandparents 9) _____________ are staying in a village located about 40 kilometres away from our house. My cousins often arrive at my grandparents house a day earlier 10) _________they live far away in Kuala Lumpur. Can you guess what usually happen when cousins get together? Well, we will have a long 11) _____________ about everything under the sky. When we were younger, we used to play fireworks. However since playing fireworks have been 12) _____________ in our country, we choose to stay13) _____________ watching special Hari Raya programmes on television.
Last year, since all my cousins were able to be present at our grandparents place, we 14)_____________to have a football match competing against the local team. As expected, we lost the game as most of us had not 15) ___________ football for quite some times. Yet, we had 16) ___________ ourselves tremendously. Hari Raya is a day where everybody has a chance to meet. It is a day to tie the bond. Most importantly, it is a day where old wounds are 17) _______________ and love to grow between family members, between friends and neighbours. Ramadhan is coming soon. I am looking forward to it because it is a month full of Gods blessings. I hope you have enjoyed reading about Hari Raya. It would be 18) _______________ to have you here to celebrate the day. Bye. Your pen-pal, Ilhan

QUESTION: Write a story with the ending, "If only I had been more careful, that wouldn't have happened". Your story should not be less than 350 words. Tonight was a cold and stormy night. The doors slammed shut as the rustling sound of the leaves could be heared. The storm had been like this for the past three days. I sat on my bed thinking if I had upset the Gods above in heaven. As I lay my head down soft and gently on my comfy pillow, I wondered if mom and dad were ok. They had gone for a vacation to the bahamas and I had to stay back because of my exams. I wasn't worried about it as I've stayed alone many times. Suddenly, the lights went out. My heart raced in agony as the storm got worse. I could see lightning lashing onto my gate and the roaring sound of thunder that came along. I pulled myself together and realised I needed to light some candles. So I headed downstairs with my trusty torchlight and worked my way to the storage room. I found the candles and begun to light them all over the house. I couldn't stand the fact that the darkness was playing games with my mind.

An hour had passed till I realised something wasn't right. I felt as if something else besides me was in the house. I panicked. My mind filled with fear but I had to be sure I was right. So, I searched all the rooms on the same floor and found nothing. So I carefully walked down staircase. As I was walking, I realised all the candles that I had lit were put out. I was surprised but aware that there could be someone else in the house. My mind pondered as to how i was going to sneak around without alerting the possibly dangerous stranger. Then, it happened. As I hid behind one of the room's doors. I saw someone walk by me. He was a huge muscular guy who wore a beard and had hair that was so curly a fly could get stuck if it went through it. I was puzzled. Why would someone want to break into my house, I asked myself. I noticed the man had a huge revolver on his belt. The same one the cops used. I didn't want to stick around and aak questions. I had to call the cops. So I crept towards the phone and thank God it was still working. I made a distressed call and the cops said they would be at my house in five minutes. As I crept back upstairs, I accidently knocked over a small lamp and it broke. By this time I knew the stranger had been alerted. I was scared and feared for my life. My fears turned into my worst nightmare as I heard a loud noise. I was shot in the chest. I could feel blood oozing all over my shirt. The stranger walked towards me while mumbling words I just couln't understand. I thought I was a dead man. Then a miracle happened just as the stranger was about to finish me off. I heard a second gunshot and the stranger was down. It was the cops who had arrived. I was rushed to the hospital and the doctors commenced emergency surgery on me to remove the bullet. I was then transferred to the Intensive Care Unit(ICU) as the bullet had hit my lungs and I was unable to breathe properly. My parents rushed back as soon as they got the news. I was lucky to be alive. The doctor had explained that if the bullet had hit me a bit more to the left , it would have hit my heart and I would be dead. Nobody knew who the stranger was or what he wanted. If only I had been more careful, that wouldn't have happene

FORMAL LETTER Read the sample question below You are the Secretary of the Residents Association in your housing estate. Write a letter to the director of the local municipal council to complain about the problems you and the other residents are facing. In your letter, include the details below: rubbish not collected causes terrible stench stray cats and dogs scatter rubbish clogged drains breeding ground for mosquitoes increase in cases of dengue fever street lights not working cause accidents at night increase in crime playground not well- maintained overgrown grass playground equipment damaged When writing your letter, you should remember to: set it out in the correct format include all the points given address the letter to the director of the local municipal council ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rajvind Gill, 10, Jalan Jujur, Taman Jayadiri, 68000 Ampang, Selangor ____________________________________________________________________________________ The Director, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council, Bangunan Mentari, Ampang Jaya, 68000 SELANGOR. 15 SEPTEMBER 2009 Dear Sir, Poor Maintenance of Taman Jayadiri I am writing this letter on behalf of the residents of Taman Jayadiri to complain about the dismal conditions we have been putting up with for the past three months. 2. One of the main grouses of the residents concerns uncollected rubbish (point 1). Initially, rubbish was collected three times a week. However, since June this year the garbage collectors have only been coming once a week. Our litter bins are always filled to the brim and we have no choice but to leave our bags of rubbish next to the bins. The rotting waste causes a terrible stench (point 2). Worse still, stray cats and dogs scatter the rubbish (point 3) while looking for food. This is not only unpleasant but also unhealthy. 3. Most of the drains in Taman Jayadiri are clogged (point 4) with rubbish resulting in the water becoming stagnant. It is not uncommon to see plastic bags, bottles and dry leaves in these drains. There is an urgent need to clear these drains as the stagnant water is an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes (point 5). The residents are worried as there has been a sharp increase in dengue cases (point 6) in the last two months. 4. The street lights along several roads are also not working (point 7). This has caused several accidents at night (point 8), mostly involving motorcyclists as they are unable to see in the dark. Unfortunately, the dark streets have also led to another problem an increase in crime (point 9). Several residents, especially women, have fallen victim to snatch thieves.

5. The one and only playground in our area is also not well-maintained (point 10). The grass is overgrown (point 11) as it has not been cut for almost three months. Besides, the playground equipment is damaged (point 12). Many of the see-saws and swings have been spoiled by vandals. I hope the council will look into our complaints and take prompt action to solve our problems. Thank you. Yours faithfully, RajvindGill (RAJVIND GILL).

SINGLE WORD TITLE ESSAY - ADMIRE Lady Gaga, stage name for Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta is a recording artist in New York, United State America (USA). She developed interest in the music industry at an early age as demonstrated by her interest and ability to play the piano while she was 4 years old of age. Later, she joined New York University where she studied music opened up her song writing skills. She composed analytical papers and essays that focused mainly on social issues, politics, religion and arts. Then, she withdrew from school to concentrate more on her career. Anyhow, there are three quotes from her that I think it is really meaningful to me. "You have to be unique, different and shine in your own way", "Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinded. Tell them to put on some sunglasses" and "Whether life's disabilities, left you outcast, bullied or teased rejoice and love yourself." It is no wonder this lady from a good Italian New York, turned into the exhibitionist, multi-talented singer songwriter with a talent or flair for theatrics that she is today, Lady Gaga. She is openly unique, creative, does not follow stereotypes and more surprisingly she does not care what others think about her and she is doing what she loves to do. She also takes frequent political standings to support her ideals. She is a driving force in today's society and I admire her because she is easy for me to relate to. I find a deep connection to her, in the sense that she shares my personality. The major reason I admire her is the way she expresses herself. She is openly quirky and thrives off the fact that people think so. I relate this because I also like to express myself in a way that most people consider odd. Despite she receives constant criticism, she maintains her pride wisely. The other reason I admire her is the way she takes a stance. She is frequently seen promoting her ideas and supporting various national movements. To be quite frank, I have never been one to openly admit that I love this lady who wears scandalous clothing and basically acts like a diva a lot of the time. However, she is different for some reasons. She seems genuine and strong in her quaint dresses. I believe she does it all for herself and also her fans. This lady has done so many performances on so many different shows. Besides, every time I see an interview with Lady Gaga, she really inspires me. She has a straightforward way of communicating that I love. You can say she is annoyed with or in love with the interviewer because she does not hold anything back. I love that type of honesty. Despite her big personality and quirky dresses, I would have never paid attention to her if it were not for the fact that I love her music. It makes me want to sing along and dance every time. Whenever it gets stuck in my head, it puts me in a good mood. It is because the rhythm of the sound is really catchy and the lyrics are overwhelming and passionate. Plus, with her voice of an angel that soothes to my soul.

SECTION B: CONTINUOUS WRITING: 50 MARKS CONTINOUS: ARTICLE: Description on a Person A Prominent Malaysian Leader By: Nadia binti Zainal As the fourth and most dynamic Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad will indelible impression on the sands of Malaysia for many years to come. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest-serving Prime Minister, and one of the longest-serving leaders in Asia. Born on 20th December, 1925 in Alor Setar, Dr. Mahathir is the son of a teacher. He is the youngest of nine children of a school teacher and a housewife. His father, Mohamad Iskandar, was of Indian descent, being the son of a Muslim and a Malay mother, while Mahathir's own mother, Datin Wan Tempawan Wan Hanafi, was Malay . He is married to Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah binti Haji Mohamad Ali, they have seven children, four sons and three daughters. From an early age, Tun Mahathir had the importance of education drummed into him by his father, who was also a strict disciplinarian. After his early education at the Maktab Sultan Abdul Hamid in Alor Setar, he enrolled at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in the University of Singapore. Armed with a MBBS degree in medicine, he set up his own clinic, the Maha Clinic in Alor Setar. As a doctor, Tun Mahathir came into close contact with people from variety of social strata and enjoyed a close rapport with them. He understood their problems. Thus, when he was thrust into the politic limelight, he strove to fulfil the needs of the people. He was first catapulted into the world of politics when he became the Member of Parliement for Alor Setar in 1964. After holding a number of portfolios, including Minister of Education, Minister of Trade and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister, he finally became the Prime Minister on 16th July, 1981. The country flourished with Dr. Mahathir at the helm of the government. His contributions to the nation are so immense and par excellence. He has left his mark in every aspect in politics, economy or education. Realizing that government-owned enterprises are neither efficient nor profitable, he initiated the privation policy in 1983. This had immediate effect of cutting down bureaucratic ineptitude and operational cost while at the same time generating more revenue. With collapse of the prices of agricultural commodities in the eighties, Tun Mahathir decided that it was time to shift the nations focus to more profitable areas. Thus, he started the industrialization programme. Reputed as the countrys top salesman, he showcased Malaysia to investors abroad in a bid to woo them. As a result of the heavy industrialization drive, major projects like national car project or PROTON and the steel company, PERWAJA, together with other mega project were launched one after another. Next, realizing that industrialization would require a good infrastructure, he set about improving it. The Mahathir era saw a successful completion of the North-South Highway, the East-West Highway, the Multimedia Super Corridor, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang and many more. An astute politician, he charted the growth of the countrys progress from the day he took office. He envisages that Malaysia can only attain the status of a fully developed country if it becomes an industrialization one and this ambition has been his main agenda during his tenure. With this in mind, he announced Vision 2020, his most ambitious vision. Frank and outspoken by nature, Tun Mahathir speak without fear nor favour. This has been the hallmark of thus much respected statesman. The inefficiency of local and international organizations has always come under his scrutiny and critism. It has been almost two decades since Tun Mahathir took over reins of the government. It has undoubtedly been the golden era for Malaysia with many notable achievements. 630 words Your task: Find the meaning of the 16 bold words

CONTINOUS: ARTICLE: Description on Places The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) By: Siti Hamidah bt Wahab Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is one of Asia's major aviation hubs and is a destination in itself. It is located at the top of the southern corridor of Peninsular Malaysia, bordering the states of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. It is situated in the Sepang district, approximately 50 km from the capital city, Kuala Lumpur. This RM 9 billion airport was opened by his majesty, the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Jaafar on June 27, 1998. The airport which covers 10 000 hectares of land took less than 5 years to build. It has a capacity to handle 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo annually. Despite its mammoth size, it is user-friendly and as our former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad pointed out, it is not just an airport but a piece of art delicates to beauty as well as the environment. It is often described as the airport in the forest, forest in the airport because it is a futuristic structure set in rainforest landscaping. Lush tropical forests, with its diverse and exotic flora, skirt the entire airport structure. The control tower, standing at 130 metres, is one the tallest in the world. The colourful flora and the cascading waterfalls are part of spectacular and breathtaking sight which can be viewed from the Super View Corridor. Moving through the airport complex provides the visitor with glimpses of different forest highlands, swamp, bamboo and multicoloured flora. The five-level Main Terminal building which is 241 000 squares metres, is located right at the heart of the airport complex. The building with its futuristic design of glass and steel is both the entry and exit point of passengers. On the top of the building is the departure concourse, and other facilities such as foreign exchange counters and international telephone facilities. The Satellite Building where passengers make connections to other international flights is linked to the Main International Building by an automated train shuttle. The Satellite Building houses lounges, prayers rooms, duty free shops and a 80-room hotel for transit passengers. The KLIA will be the countrys nucleus that will spearhead business and trade. It is expected to provide 30 000 jobs and reap economic benefits for the country. The successful completion of the airport well ahead of schedule reflects the ability of Malaysians to build a world-class airport that has become the pride of the country. 397 words

CONTINOUS: Descriptive - Description of a Scene A Road Accident Road accidents are reported in newspaper and on television every day. There are more frequently caused by reckless drivers rather than faulty vehicles. Last Saturday, while I was travelling from Ipoh, I witnessed a serious accident. The scene of the accidents was vivid in my mind. A motorcyclist was following behind was taxi very closely. He was so impatient that he was trying to overtake my taxi even near a sharp bend. At that critical moment, there was an oncoming car. The taxi driver swerved to the roadside and I got a terrible jolt. It was too late for the motorcyclist to avoid the car. His motorcycle ran against the bumper of the car and smashed its windscreen. The motorcyclist somersaulted over the car and was found lying in a pool of blood. It was a scene to chill the flesh! The car driver, who was cut by the flying glass, was in a state of shock. All that happened in split second and fear overwhelmed us. The taxi driver stopped his taxi and I quickly ran to the nearest to the nearest telephone booth to inform the police and the hospital. From a distance I could see some people trying to help the injured motorcyclist and the car driver. They carried them into one of the onlookers car and sent them to the hospital for treatment. Meanwhile the taxi driver tried to control and directs the traffic. Soon the police arrived and they promptly took some measurements and evidence. After that they moved the damaged car and the motorcycle to the roadside to ease the traffic congestion. They also took down the evidence provided by witnesses and onlookers. Some sweepers were clearing the debris and the blood stains on the road. When the taxi finally continued the journey, I silently thanked God for my narrow escape. I learned a good lesson that impatience and recklessness would bring harm and danger. I was happy to see that Malaysians are public-spirited and they render help to others readily. Since then I remember and follow the saying more haste less speed and prevention is better than cure. I believe good road manners and roads safety campaigns can help to reduce the number of road accidents which cause injuries, loss and lives and properties. 381 words

Eye-opening embarrased the town Horror earth

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My Most Embarrassing Situation Everyone has been embarrassed at one time or another. It is that moment in time when you wish the________ would open up and _______ you. The anxiety and _________felt during that time which may only last a few seconds feels like time has stood still. I remember so well when I had my most embarrassing moment. I was in Form 4 and it was during the school __________. The minute the bell rang for recess, I rushed to the toilet because I had been controlling my ________ since class started. I didnt want to miss class because the lesson taught that morning was to include tips for the forthcoming examination. Without realising, I had rushed to the girls toilet. The __________ control and an upset stomach made worse by two glasses of cold ________ in the morning made me grunt and ______ in what I thought was the privacy of the cubicle. I thought I heard _________ outside and wondered why the giggles sounded unusually near. A few minutes later I came out the cubicle and discovered my _________ that I had entered the girls toilet. To make matters worse, the few girls standing outside didnt even turn away when I came out. Instead they looked down at me, then only they turned quickly away. Horror of horrors, I had forgotten to ____________! No beetroot could have matched the ________ of my face at this point in time! The news of my ________ spread like _______ throughout school. I was truly the talk of _________. I felt like I could either walk around feeling perpetually self-conscious and ______ or I could turn the situation round, perhaps even to my advantage. I remembered my mothers words that if you cant beat them, join them. So I decided to make ______ of myself, to ______ at myself too. It works. Everyone got bored after a while and nobody ________me after that. It was indeed an ________ experience for me. I have learnt that when people laugh at you, you should laugh along. You must not take yourself _________. Learn to look at yourself through other peoples eyes and you will realise that most of the time when they laugh at you, they just want to have some fun. They mean no harm. If you can make people laugh, its like bringing ____________ into their lives and as someone said, those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. 421 words

CONTINUOUS: NARRATIVE WRITING With a starting phrase Write a story starting with: The widow had to work hard to bring up her little son alone... The widow had to work hard to bring up her little son alone. This was after her husbands early death. She and her son lived in a wooden house. It was a small house with only one bedroom and a kitchen. Mariam wanted Sam to study hard to get good result. So she would not let Sam help her do any household chores or wash his own clothes. The years flew by. Sam sat for his SPM examination and pass with flying colours. His mother was very happy. She went round telling her friends, My Sam will be leaving for the city to study in a college. He will become a Manager one day. Ill move to liv e with him in the city. Then, my struggle is worth it. So Mariam continued to work hard to send money to Sam who was studying a business degree. For Mariam, it was a tough life. Meanwhile, Sam kept on phoning home to ask for more money. Mariam even had to borrow from her neighbours and friends to send her son the money. Three years Sam stopped calling home. He did not even let his mother where he was. When she phoned the faculty, they told her that he had graduated and left for job. However, they could not her more. Mariam was baffled. Where was Sam? She was so sure he would come back and fetch her for city. So, she started to pack some of her bags and boxes. Three months later, there was still no news or call from Sam. One day, Mariams niece, Kate, came to talk to her about Sam. She told her aunt, Auntie, a friend of mine met Sam in a bank. Hes the branch manager. This is his address. Early in the morning, Mariam took the first bus to the city. At the bus station, she took a taxi and showed the taxi driver the bank address. On the way there, she told the driver about Sam and what a filial son he was. The driver stopped his taxi in front of a tall building. She got out of the taxi and smiled at him happily. This was the moment she was going to meet Sam. She imagined him showing surprise and delight at meeting his mother. Inside the building, a security guard asked her who she was looking for. She told the guard Sams name. The bank staff saw an old lady holding a worn-out handbag. They were wondering, Who is this woman? Why is she asking for our manager? Meanwhile, Sam pretended he did not know his mother. Feeling disgusted and ashamed, he asked the security guard to ask her to leave. Mariam was shocked to hear that! She looked Sam in a disappointed feeling ever, and ran out of the bank. Back in her house, Mariam cried the whole night. She cried and cried till she had no more tears. The next morning, she was sitting by the window with Sams photo on her lap. She saw

him walking towards their house. Soon she was shouting and crying, My Sam is back! My Sam is back! Sam ran towards her and hugged Mariam as he never let go. He was so sorry and regretted the way he behaved. His colleagues were the one who made him realized his big mistakes neglected his mother. The neighbours heard her. They too shouted and cheered, feeling happy for her. 574 words.

CONTINUOUS: NARRATIVE WRITING: With an ending Write a story ending with ... En. Nizam was grateful he had such good neighbours. Not even in his wildest dream did En. Nizam think he would lose so much in such a short time. It had been a trying period. When he got word that his father was on his death bed, En. Nizams family rushed to his hometown. Even before the funeral rites were over, he received a call from his immediate neighbour that his house was partly destroyed by fire and that the cause of the fire was believed to be arson. Members of En. Nizams immediate family and his relatives were in state of disarray. First, it was the death of an elder member of a family, then this misfortune. Although En. Nizam was worried, deep in his heart he knew that he had very good neighbours, friends who would stand by him in good times and bad. Sure enough, the minute he set foot in the compound of his house, he knew he was right. His neighbours, Mr. Subra and En. Majid, were there taking a close watch on the house. He learnt from them that the neighbours had been taking turns to keep an all-day vigil on the house. He thanked them from the bottom of his heart. After inspecting the damage caused by the fire, En. Majid handed donations collected by the residents living in the area. His neighbours had passed the hat around and the donations came up to a significant amount. Although, the donations was still short of the amount required to repair the damages, en. Nazim was grateful. The next day, En. Nazim was even more overwhelmed by the care and concern shown by his neighbours. They were there to extend their condolences and to show their support. Donations came pouring in. The women folk were busy preparing all the meals for the family. With the help of his neighbours, En. Nizam got a building contractor to repair the damaged sections of the house. The repair and renovations took almost a week to complete. When the house was ready, the neighbour turned up in full force to congratulate him. Tears welled up in E. Nizams eyes. He was at a loss for words. En. Nizam was grateful he had such good neighbours. 367 words

CONTINUOUS: ARGUMENTATIVE Which do you prefer, living in the countryside or living in the city? Countryside I think living in the countryside is far better than living in the city. There are numerous of reasons why living in countryside is the better than the city. The scenery, the streets, the people and the paced are totally different compare to the city. The first outstanding characteristic about the countryside is that it is beautiful and peaceful. The air is fresh and the surroundings green. This is because the countryside is free from pollution, be it air, land or noise pollution. There no such perfect peaceful view that you can see other than in the countryside. There are no crowded streets and heavy traffic in the countryside. Thus there are no fumes from cars and smoke from factories buildings to pollute the air. The trees surrounded the countryside help the people from inhaling the polluted air. The freshness smell of plant somehow helps the people of the countryside to have a healthy life. Furthermore, people in the countryside are more conscious of keeping their surroundings clean and so there is little throwing of rubbish everywhere, only at designated places. This is unlike the cities where if the garbage trucks do not collect the rubbish disposed by household or restaurants, the city will be overflowing with rubbish! This will attract the mosquitoes, fly, rats and wild dogs to pollute their surrounding that will cause them to have diseases like dengue and cholera. Thirdly, heavy traffic and crowded streets increase the level of noise pollution. The honking of cars in the streets is continuous and the crowds on the roads increase the hub of activity. There are also sound of the machine used in manufacturing factories, loud radio in and out the mall. These add to the noise of the city. Even if one lives in residential areas, one is never far from busy streets. However, in the countryside, life is slow-paced. There is no need to rush around because there are not too many places to go. Most places are close by and people can walk or cycle. Less vehicle used, so less fumes is released. The most heart-warming thing about the countryside is the attitude of people. People are friendly and helpful. If there are any happy or festive occasions, everyone pitches in to help. This feeling of cooperation and neighbourliness is what separates the countryside from the city. In the city, people are too busy to take note of the people around. Some hardly even know their neighbours. So they would not even be bothered about what happens to people around. This is why the crime rate is increasing in the city because bystanders do not rush in to help if a crime is committed on the streets. The pace of life in the countryside is slow so people have more time to enjoy life as the day goes on. Thus, for me to enjoy the quality of life, I prefer to live in the countryside.

489 words

City In my opinion, one has not experienced life until one has lived in the city. There is so much to see and experience in the bright lights of the city that you cannot get in the countryside. Here in the city, you can learn about how to get along with people of different types, encounter varied situations and solve problems. All these help a person to grow in maturity. After all, experience is the best teacher. In the countryside, however, you only move around people you are used to. So, you seldom encounter strangers or new and demanding situations. Life is more mundane and routinelike. Staying in a secure, safe place does not allow for one to gain new experiences and grow in maturity. Furthermore, young people need a life that is exciting and pleasurable. It is the city that offers you entertainment- cinemas, parks and eating places. Here you can hang out with friends and family members. Life as fast-paced and this keeps you active and alert all times. And when it comes to educational opportunities, the city abounds in this. There are good school and libraries that are necessary for your mental development. Furthermore, there are places like museums and educational centres where you can go, to increase your knowledge. Such places that offer you entertainment or learning opportunities are of course not available in the countryside. For entertainment, there is only the occasional festive celebration or marriage feast or fishing outing. Some may find this appealing but not me. Moreover, opportunities to widen your knowledge are limited in the countryside. Another point in support of living in the city is the available of jobs. In the city, you can find a job that suits your qualification or interest. If you find a job unsuitable, you can always move to another. This, naturally, increases your earning power and you have better chances of a more comfortable life. Of course, one may argue that one can live in the countryside and work in the city but this will only incur extra expenses and unnecessary inconveniences. Thus, for all the reasons mentioned above, I think that life in the city is better than living in the countryside. After all, you are young only once. 374 words

CONTINUOUS: ONE-WORD ESSAY Pollution Pollution is an issue of concern in the modern world that we live in today. There are many types of pollution, namely air, water and noise. Pollution in our environment will undoubtedly affect our quality of life. Our naturally beautiful world becoming ugly because it is suffering from the effects of environmental pollution. Pollution can also cause various health problems and other negative effects. Air pollution is caused by the emission of toxic gases from vehicles, factories and open burning. Nowadays, there are more and more vehicles on the road as society gets more affluent. More and more people strive to have a better quality of life by having the convenience of driving to their destinations instead of taking public transportation. Automobiles provides transport to millions people around the world to enable them to travel to their workplace, school and other places, therefore, the air around us is getting more polluted by the carbon dioxide that is emitted. Carbon monoxide is another type of gas which harmful to the environment as it can cause the reduction of oxygen in the bloodstream. Another example of contributor to the air pollution is the manufacturing factories. The manufacturing of products in factories to meet the growing demand of society is also causing air pollution. Factories release toxic gases to the environment. Some factories also use coal to generate heat and energy. As a result from the burning of coal, carbon dioxide is released into the environment. Besides factories, many people are still practising open burning as a way of disposing their household wastes. Although burning our household wastes is a convenient way of getting rid of our rubbish, it is harmful to the environment as it contributes to the worsening of the air quality. As a result, air pollution causes people to suffer from health problems such as chest pain and asthma. In extreme cases, people can contract lung cancer. Water pollution is also a problem that we are currently facing. The marine life is the first to suffer from water pollution as they depend on the nutrients in the water to survive. As a result, we are robbed of beautiful sea corals and unique species of fishes. Besides ruining our marine heritage, the disappearance of marine life will affect the livelihood of fishermen, not to mention our source of food. Water pollution is caused by harmful waster from industries, farms and sewerage systems which are dumped into our sources of water such as rivers and lakes. This irresponsible act contaminates our drinking water and can cause serious health problems and can even culminate in death. Noise pollution is another form of pollution. Noise from heavy machinery and vehicles can cause hearing problems and in extreme cases, deafness. As there is growing number of

vehicles on the road, we are exposed to noise pollution every day. The government in advanced countries encourage their citizens to take the public buses and trains by providing an affordable and efficient transportation system. This effort discourages people from driving their private vehicles and consequently reduces the number of vehicles on the road. We must work together to reduce pollution so that the future generations can live in a healthy, unpolluted environment. As the saying goes, precaution is better than cure. Lets hands on hands together by recycle and conserve the world for the better future. 558 words
TECHNIQUES FOR ANSWERING THE SPM ENGLISH PAPER (PAPER 2)

a. DIRECTED WRITING In the first section of the SPM English Paper 2, students are expected to spend about thirty minutes, expanding on given notes. For this section, imagination and creativity do come into play because even though certain facts are given, they serve as a mere guide. You are required to do at least three major things: 1. Use the right format for your writing 2. Include all the facts given in the question 3. Elaborate or provide your OWN but relevant details) on these given facts. From the total of 30 marks awarded here, 15 are for CONTENT and the other 15 is for LANGUAGE USE. As a student, you can easily get full marks for content provided you follow the ensuing good advice. CONTENT There are three important aspects to awarding of marks for content. a) Format Marks awarded are usually in the range of 2-3. Make sure you read the instructions carefully. You may be required to write an informal letter, a formal letter, a speech, an article or a report. In each case, you must thoroughly realize how important it is that you suit the right format to the questions. b) Inclusion of Given Facts Certain facts are given in the question itself. Usually 6-7 marks are awarded if you include ALL the given facts in your writing do not leave even a single one. Couch each fact in a complete sentence. If you just use phrases or if the sentence you make is meaningless, no marks will be given.

c) Elaboration Finally about 6-7 marks are awarded if you add details of your own to make your writing more intresting. No details - no marks ! Remember, one extra sentence or two is usually enough. You dont have to write and write. Also, the details must be relevant, suitable and interesting too. You need to invest a little time and imagination here so that your writing wont come across as "dry and dull".

LANGUAGE Finally, the remainder 15 marks are allocated for language use. You must try and make sure that grammar, spelling and punctuation are as error-free as possible. Do take a little trouble to check through your writing. Write shorter sentences if you are not too sure about grammar. Avoid words that you do not know how to spell. But do begin from now to revise the spelling of simple words like "sincerely", "faithfully", "fine", "thank you", and other such frequently used words

b. SUMMARY WRITING Section B of the SPM English Paper 2 presents a question on summary writing. You are advised to spend forty-five minutes on this section. For this section, a total of 3 marks are allocated. Of these, 20 are awarded for content and another 10 for language accuracy and style. Read the instructions carefully. By doing this, you ought to know very clearly: 1. Which part of the passage is supposed to be summarized (you may to be required to summarize the WHOLE passage) 2. What aspect of the content of the passage is to be summarized. (For instance, you may be asked to summarize only the advantages or disadvantages, or certain reactions of people or even the causes/outcomes of certain incident. 3. The length of your summary i.e the number of words that you are allowed in your final summary. If it is stated that your summary MUST not be longer than 160 words, please adhere to this word limit. If you write more than 160 words, all the extra facts contained there are NOT taken into account by the examiner. 4. Take note of any starting words or phrases given and use them as instructed to begin your summary. Dont forget the number of words in the starting line are included in counting the total number of words in your summary. Once you have understood the question clearly, only ten should you begin to read the passage. Try to understand what the passage is all about what its message/theme is or what the story is about. During the second reading, begin to underline the important ideas and relevant tails. Pick these out and list them down. Do ensure that the points you are picking out are meeting the requirements of the question given. Read the passage once more to ensure that you have not left out any pertinent points.

Now, begin summarizing. Ignore irrelevant explanations and superfluous examples. Focus on the main ideas and those that support the theme of the passage. Generalize and convert lengthy sentences into shorter ones. Use one, or shorter words that can substitute the meaning of a long phrase in the passage. For example, "my mother, my father, my brother, and sister" can be rephrased as my family. Group similar points together - for example the feelings of a person or the advantages of a certain procedure/machine. Rather than use three or four sentences to convey all of it, you ca put it all in one or two sentences. Use commas they help. You will need skill for this, and that is why you should practice writing a lot of summaries before the real examination. Many students grapple with summary writing because they get caught up with the words used in the passage. They want to use all of them. The reason? They feel that the authors words are best and that almost all that is contained within the original passage is important and necessary to be included in their summary. As such, most students tend to copy the authors words as much as possible and try to include almost everything from the original passage into the summary. The result is a chop cut-and-paste version of the original. It has little meaning and relevance. It is NOT even a summary and you get a few marks when you write a chopped summary like this. Remember, you get more marks if you use your OWN WORDS. I know this is not easy, but you must try. Dont be afraid to rearrange, reorganize and compound facts. The main issue here is whether you have understood the meaning of the passage and whether you can faithfully translate it into a passage that is made up mainly of your own words. So, begin practicing writing a lot of summaries now. Every time you read a report in a newspaper or an article in a magazine, ask yourself what is this repot/article all about? What is its message? Try to summarize it in your mind. Imagine that someone younger is asking you what is it that you are reading, and try to visualize the simplified answer/version that you are going to tell him/her. That is a summary. Where marks are concerned, try to get as many as you can for CONTENT. Stick to the meaning of the passage as much as possible but do it using your own words. Do not be lazy. Secure as many points as you can by reading and scanning the passage carefully for relevant facts and details. Jot all of these down diligently and try to incorporate them all in a simplified, summarized form. Try not to leave out important fact. Each fact left out means one less mark for you. As for language, do take the trouble to read through your final draft and make sure that your grammar, punctuation and spelling are as accurate as you can possibly make them. Your error must be minimal and the language you use must not make it difficult for the examiner to understand what you are trying to say. c) CONTINUOUS WRITING

Section C of the SPM English Paper 2 presents a question on Continuous Writing. Students are advised to spend about one hour on this section. 5 topics will be given and choose only ONE.

1. Recognise the type of essay you are going to attempt i.e. whether its a narrative, descriptive, expository, argumentative or reflective. 2. Understand the chosen topic so that you do not write out of point. 3. Plan what you are going to write about. 4. Include enough good and relevant points. 5. Organize your points well and present each new or main point in a separate paragraph. 6. Show coherence in paragraphs. 7. Use idiomatic expression and include the active voice for narrative essays. 8. Vary the length and structure of sentences 9. Introduce your essay impressively and conclude it in a meaningful or original way. 10. Check for spelling, punctuation, grammatical correctness, especially the usage of tenses and pronouns. 11. Factual topics should as far as possible be avoided. This is because the material you use must be based on facts and not "guess work".

DIRECTED: ARTICLE / REPORT: Newspaper Article / Report There has been an attempted robbery in your area. As a newspaper reporter, you have been assigned to write a report of the incident for publication in a local newspaper. Using the notes below, write out your report.

couple taking a walk two men approached them ordered couple to give jewellery a struggle husband injured one neighbour taking a dog for a walk heard shouts went to investigate robbers saw dog fled couple made police report Couple Foils Robbery Attempt

PULAU PINANG, Thu An elderly businessman and his wife foiled a robbery attempt by two men armed with a screwdriver and a knife. The victims were reported safe from any bad injury. Tan Ah Wok, 60 and his wife were taking a morning walk near their home in Helen Heights yesterday when two men on a motorcycle stopped them under the pretext of asking for directions. As Mr. Tan was giving directions, one of the robbers pointed a knife at him and ordered them to keep quiet. He then relieved Mrs. Tan of her jewellery and instructed Mr. Tan to hand over his ring and watch. When he refused, a struggle ensued. Meanwhile, his accomplice grabbed a helmet and hit Mr. Tan on the head with it. On seeing this, his wife started screaming. One of their neighbours, R. Subramaniam, who was taking his dog for a walk, heard the screams and when to investigate. On seeing Subramaniam and his dog, the robbers fled. I was taking my dog for a walk when I heard someone shouting for help. Knowing that something was wrong, I ran there as fast as I could. Before I reached the scene, the robbers fled on a motorbike. They were probably afraid of my Rottweiler. Mr. Tan, who suffered a small cut on his head, was given outpatient treatment at a private clinic. He said that it was a horrified experience as he never expected the two men would attack his wife and him. He thought that they were lost and needed help. He also mentioned that the guard who in charge nowadays easily allowed the strangers to enter their residents. State CID

Chief Supt Harun Din advised him and the people to be more careful in giving help to strangers. The guard also must be stricter in letting people from entering any residents without proper permission. He added that the suspects, aged between 25 and 30, were believed to be illegal immigrants. He said there had been similar incident last week when two men approached a factory worker who was on her way home after work. The duo then relieved her gold chain and cash. He advised the residents to be alert and reports to police any suspicious-looking characters lurking in their area. 380 words
DIRECTED: REPORT Report to Principal You are very disappointed by the conditions and services provided by your school canteen. You decide to write a report to inform your school principal about the poor conditions and services of the canteen. These would include: insufficient table and benches food and drinks not covered too little food counters dirty and clogged drains smelly food expensive and lacks variety inadequate food late comers have nothing to buy, to eat cold food not fresh rude canteen workers

To

Mr. Hasnan bin Jalal, The Principal, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Permata Malik bin Abdul 24 March 2011 Report about the School Canteen

From : Date :

I am writing this report is to draw your attention regarding the school canteen. Many of the students of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Permata are unhappy about the conditions at the school canteen. There were lots of complaints regarding this issue. In the first place, there are insufficient tables and benches. Our school has a student population of over 1 000. There is only one period of recess time for all forms. More than 80 per cent of the students go to the canteen during recess to buy food and drinks. Unfortunately, there are only about twenty-five tables and fifty benches which can accommodate less than half the number of students. As a result, many students have to stand while eating. The food sold at the canteen not only expensive but lacks of variety. The menu is the same every day. For the past five years, ever since the present canteen management took over, students go back to the same food. The hygiene and preparation of food leave a lot to be desired. The food and drinks are not covered. They way canteen attendants dress speak volume about hygiene. With their lackadaisical attitude, the food they sell would one way or the other become contaminated. My fourth complaint about the canteen pertains to the etiquette of the canteen workers. They are rude and arrogant. They often shout at students. The students are always on the receiving end of their bad moods. We hope that conditions at the canteen will improve. The canteen should provide better amenities. There should also be a different menu everyday so that students will not have to taste the same food day in and day out. Cleanliness should be given top priority.

We hope that you will look into our complaints and take steps to remedy the situation. The students are prepared to boycott the canteen if their complaints go unheeded. Reported by: Malik Malik bin. Mohd Jalil 314 words

DIRECTED: FORMAL LETTER: Letter of Complaint Raju a/l Lingam, 123 A, Lorong Bahagia, Taman Sentosa, 07231 Bandar Baru Sentol, Kelantan _________________________________________________________________________ The President, Bandar Baru Sentol Council, Kompleks Utama, 07200 Bandar Baru Sentol Dear Sir, Uncollected Rubbish and Clogged Drains I am writing this letter is to attract your attention to the above title. As the representative of the community, I am calling to tell you that the 300 odd residents living in Taman Sentosa are extremely unhappy about the lackadaisical attitude of the local town council towards the uncollected rubbish and clogged drains in our area. 2. The rubbish in our area has not been collected for more than a week. The rubbish is supposed to be collected on alternate days but this has not been the case. The town council workers collect the rubbish according to their own whims and fancies. The uncollected garbage has attracted not only flies and mosquitoes but also wild dogs which had attacked the residents on several occasions. These stray animals also scatter the rubbish and make the roads dirty and smelly. As a result, residents have to bear the discomfort of stench from the garbage and risk their health. 3. We are also disappointed with the town council workers for not clearing the clogged drains which are filled with rubbish. The drains would usually overflow when there is heavy rain and the rubbish would then flow into the compounds of our houses. Besides, putting up with the unbearable stench emitted from them, the residents have to spend hours cleaning their compounds of rotten vegetables, food leftovers and other rubbish. 4. Due to dengue outbreak recently, we are really concerned about the residents health especially the children. Fogging service also was not done accordingly to the schedule. The fogging authority only did their job whenever a case of dengue aroused. They even fogging the neighbourhood late at night that caused us to leave the residents. They need to consider the residents who have babies and also to those who need to wake up early in the morning for work. The fogging also caused the people to have breathing problem when we were not told the exact time of fogging. 5. We have made numerous appeals to the Municipal Council to look into our complaints but to no avail. We have been putting up with this predicament for more than a week. We hope the health authorities would do something to check these health hazards.

16 JUNE 2011

Thank you. Yours faithfully, Raju (RAJU a/l MANIAM) 380 words

DIRECTED: SPEECH Your school is having a month-long A Healthy Body Campaign. As President of the Health Club of your school, you decide to give a speech on the Tak nak Campaign recently launched by the government. Tak Nak Campaign A very good morning to our dear Principal, Mr. Hasnan bin Jaafar, teachers and students. Recently, our former Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi launched an antismoking campaign called Tak Nak. You can now see this short and rhyming catch phrase Tak Nak everywhere on billboards, posters, TV ads, and sometimes I even hear it on the radio. Though some people have criticised our government for setting aside a staggering sum of RM100 million over 6 years for the campaign, it is nothing compared to the huge amounts that tobacco companies spend to promote smoking. But in this war against smoking, money definitely talks; it is necessary for the Tak Nak Campaign to constanly remind us of the hazard of smoking because about 50 Malaysian teenagers light up for the first time every day. In fact, some of these youth progress steadily from this to regular use, with addiction raking hold within a few years. And this is despite the warning on every pack of cigarettes that states unequivocally Smoking is dangerous to your health. What can the Tak Nak Campaign do to combat this? Their aggressive advertising creates media awareness among the public, especially among the fashionable young crowd, that smokers have yellowed teeth and suffer from shortness of breath and tells them that it is not cool to smoke. It is also not responsible of them to affect non-smokers with second-hand smoke. Also, there is a succession of infomercials on TV and in the papers showing the debilitating effects of tobacco addiction on the body and gruesome statistics of smoke-related deaths. We are now familiar with the graphic pictures of damaged lungs on billboards which should scare people into not smoking. This works, as I know some of my friends are quitting now, or trying to reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke per week. However, I feel any anti-smoking campaign is more effective if other people and organisations are actively involved too. Yes, the first step has been taken by the top, but sad to say, many of our politicians smoke themselves. Nearer to home, so do some of our parents and teachers. These adults have to be good role models by not smoking themselves. If they do smoke, they should tell their children and students that they regret that they ever started, and then take steps to quit smoking as soon as possible. They must practise what they preach.

On a more positive note, I commend the Malaysia Amateur Athletic Union for its zerotolerance of smoking because they know that smoking and health just do not mix. How can our sportsmen excel if they cannot stop smoking. Dear teachers and students, thank you for your attention. Let me end my speech by reiterating that smoking is a bad habit, so make Tak Nak your mantra. If you have started smoking, say Tak Nak and quit! And if you havent started smoking, say know that smoking not only damages your health but you are also literally burning your money. 502 words
Your friend in Singapore has written to you to inform you that his cousin in Penang was down with dengue fever. He would like to know the situation in Malaysia as he plans to bring his family over for the holidays in June. Write a letter to brief him about the current situation. In your letter, include the following: express concern over the health of your friends cousin news about the situation steps taken authorities present situation

Do remember to: use the informal letter format use all the points given expand each of the points given write in paragraph No. 34, Street of Fame, Taman Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 67500 Ipoh, Perak 14 January 2011 Dear John, How are you? Im sorry to hear that your cousin had dengue fever. This problem seems to have become very serious all of sudden. We always feel that the problem is not our concern until someone close to us is affected. My neighbours daughter who was in Standard 6 last year could not sit for UPSR examination because she was down with dengue fever on the eve of the exam. Fortunately, the authorities gave her an exemption so she is now in Form One. There were also a few students taking the examination in the hospital. According to the news, students made up nearly 30 per cent of the 1 500 suspected cases over the first three weeks of the year. About 53 per cent of 621 confirmed cases last year comprised children and youth under the age of 24. These statistics are quite worrying. This has prompted the health ministry to increase checks on aedes breeding grounds in school and public areas. The construction sites are largely to blamed. The problem is made worse by the rainy season. The stagnating water attract the mosquitoes to lay egg and breeding on the areas. The authorities have taken various steps to control the situation. Fogging has been carried out in many public areas and most of the housing estates. Contractors at the construction sites have been instructed to take appropriate actions and warned to clean up. They could be fined up to RM 3 000 for breeding aedes mosquitoes. Lot of

campaigns through the television, radio and newspapers were taken to make people aware of the issue and take precaution rather than cure them. Before the long holidays for the Chinese New Year, schools all over Malaysia carried out a clean-up campaign of the school compound. The residents association in my housing are also organised a family day clean up of the housing estate. There were huge piles of rubbish especially old tyres and containers littered by the hawkers near the might market site. The situation in Malaysia has improved since the end of January. There have been no reports of new cases of dengue. So, dont worry. You can bring your family for a holiday here in June. Im looking forward to seeing them again. Send my regard to your mom and dad. Do take care. Yours sincerely, Harun Din