A very good afternoon to you, my beloved students,

I'm glad so many of you turned up for this afternoon's talk. At this moment, all your
thoughts and activities are geared towards doing well in your SPM examination. Once the
SPM exams are over, some of you may feel lost. The purpose of my talk is to explain the
options which are open to you after you have sat for your SPM exams.
What you do after your SPM exams depends very much on whether you want to further
your studies. For those who want to stop schooling after SPM, it is important for you to
pick up some skills that will enable you to get a job. Some of you may want to enrol
yourself for practical courses like tailoring and hairdressing. Others may want to become
apprentices in electrical shops and car repair shops. Some may choose to have a career in
the fast food line. As for those who prefer to work in offices, it is essential for you to be
computer literate. Many offices are computerised. You need to learn word processing
skills and perhaps, book keeping as well. When you have formal training, you can get
better pay for your services.
From an informal survey I did among the Form Five students in this school, I found that
the majority of you want to continue your studies after your SPM. Many options are open
to you. You can join a twinning program. This program enables you to complete one or
two years of tertiary education in Malaysia and the rest in a university overseas. Many
private colleges cater for this segment of the student population. For example, Inti,
Metropolitan, Stamford, and KDU. One of the selling points of twinning programs is that
you can get a degree of your choice in a shorter time. It is like a short cut which bypasses
STPM. Well, go ahead if your parents can support you.
What about the rest of you who do not want to get a degree overseas? If you want to get a
degree from a local university, you can either choose to do your STPM or apply for a
place in the Matriculation or Diploma programs. If you opt for Matriculation or Diploma
programs, you do not need to go through STPM. I know many of you feel that it is futile
to go through two years of STPM and later not qualify for a place in local universities.
I've heard groans that it is difficult to score in STPM. Well, a grown-up baby no longer
solely depends on milk. As you move from Form Five to Form Six, you cannot depend on
memorizing to score. In fact, STPM is a very well-coordinated pre-university education
program. It would stand you in good stead regardless of whether you get your tertiary
education in Malaysia or overseas.
For those of you who are not able to make it to a university, don't lose heart. STPM is
part of a foundational education for everyone. In these years, you develop critical
thinking skills which prepares you for working life. At the end of the two years, you get a
certificate which entitles you to a higher salary scale than an SPM-holder.
SPM is a stepping stone to other achievements in life. Ponder upon what I've said and be
clear about what you want to do after SPM. A clear goal is like a lighthouse in a storm.
Thank you.

Answer the following questions using complete sentences

1. Why would some students feel lost after the SPM exams are over ?
2. How do practical skills help SPM-leavers looking for jobs ?
3. How do most of the Form Five students feel about stopping their studies after their
SPM ?
4. Why do some students prefer twining programs to a tertiary education in a local
university ?
5. Give two ways in which students can get a degree without going through STPM.
6. Why do most students do badly in STPM ?
7. According to the passage, why is STPM worth taking ? Give two reasons to support
your answer.
Fill in the blanks with one correct word from the passage.
8. You are given four ______ to choose from : A, B, C and D.
9. The ______ of oil palm fruits must be done as soon as the fruits are harvested to
prevent them from turning bad.
10. The old man who was knocked down by a lorry is in a ______ condition, and may
die if he does not respond to the treatment given.
Answers
1. They do not have a clear goal to work towards.
2. Having practical skills makes it easier for them to find better paying jobs.
3. Most of them feel that they'd rather continue with their studies.
4. They can study for a degree as they like, and complete it in a shorter time.
5. The two ways are: (i) They can join a twinning program after SPM and get a degree
from a foreign university. (ii) They can join the Matriculation or Diploma program in
a local university after SPM.
6. They used the wrong method of studying for the STPM exams.
7. STPM equips a person with the necessary knowledge and skills for his future use. (i)
It gives one a comprehensive academic groundwork for tertiary education. (Ii) it
trains one to think critically and thus be better quipped for working life.
8. options
9. Processing
10.Critical

The earth is losing its forests. Presently, trees cover about 30 percent of the earth's
surface, but they are being destroyed at an alarming rate, especially in the tropics. Timber
harvesting is a major reason for the destruction of the forests. Trees are used for building
houses, making furniture, and providing pulp for paper products, such as newspapers and
magazines. At least 40 hectares of rainforest are being felled every minute, mostly in
order to extract the valuable timber.
Another way that man is destroying the world's forests is by burning them down. In the
Amazon, for example, rainforests are being burnt down at a rate of 20 hectares a minutes.
The main reason for this is to clear the land for farming. Farmers in rainforest countries
are often poor and cannot afford to buy land. Instead, these farmers clear rainforest h land
to raise their animals or grow their crops. Because tropical rainforest soil is so poor in
nutrients, framers cannot reuse the same land year after year. In the following years,
farmers just clear more land, destroying the forest piece by piece. Already more than 30
tropical countries have reached a critical level of forest destruction and one-time
exporters of timber such as Nigeria and Thailand now have to import timber for their
domestic needs.
Should we get all excited and worried about the loss of the forests ? Yes, we should.
Healthy trees are a vital part of the environment, and keep the entire balance of the
atmosphere agreeable to all life forms. Forests are catchment areas for rainwater, holding
the rainwater in the leaves of the trees, so that it will not sink so quickly into the earth's
crust. Furthermore, the forests help maintain the water cycles in the area. The masses of
cloud that provide the rain are formed over the moist forests. Thus, the destruction of
forests may also lead to a reduction in rainfall over the area, resulting in drought.
Forests also protect and feed the earth's fragile mantle of soil. Tees curb soil erosion.
Without the tree cover, the land is totally exposed to the agents of erosion, such as strong
winds and heavy rainfall. The strong winds blow away the top layers of the soil and he
flowing water carries it away into the rivers, lakes or sea. Consequently, the once fertile
land is converted into a barren wasteland. In addition, denuded hill slopesare vulnerable
to landslides, which can be catastrophic disasters, resulting in the loss of homes and lives.
Apart from preventing soil erosion and landslides, forests, with their abundant supply of
leaves, give compost back to the land, thus helping it to remain fertile. the leaves of the
trees and the droppings of the birds, animals and insects which live in them, fall to the
ground, where they decay and replenish the soil with mulch, minerals and manure.
Forests are rich in flora and fauna. The rainforests are home to over half of the entire
species of the world, which are being destroyed with the rainforests; and some of those
species that are killed will never return again. Plants and creatures are god's gift to us and
they serve mankind, each in its own way. For example, plants are the source of our
clothes; and the rubber used for tyres comes from trees. Plants are also the source of
sugar, coffee, tea, rice, wheat and many delicious and nutritious fruit.
In addition, most of the medicines that have been used by men are derived from plants

and animals. Most of the Chinese medicines, for example, such as ginseng and ginkgo,
are herb-based. An example from the realm of modern Western medicine is the drug
'vincristine'. This drug, which is derived from a jungle plant, is used in the treatment of
leukemia. Many of those species that have not yet been discovered may very likely cure
cancer, AIDS, and many of the other diseases and virus-based illnesses of today. In fact,
one research scientist in the field of botany has concluded that in Costa Rica's forests
alone, 15 percent of the plant species may have the potential as a treatment for cancer.
What potential life-saving medicines are we losing each day as the forests are being
destroyed ?
Apart from all this, let us keep in mind the most basic function of trees, which is that they
provide oxygen. All living creatures need to breathe oxygen in order to stay alive. A
treeless planet will be an airless and, therefore, a dead one.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

From paragraph 1-2 :

(a) State two main ways that forests are being destroyed.
(b) What is the main purpose for the burning of the trees in the forests of the
Amazon ?
From paragraph 2 :
What point is the writer trying to show in mentioning the fact that Nigeria and
Thailand have to import timber ?
From paragraph 3 :
(a) Explain why the destruction of forests may lead to drought.
(b) Find a word in this paragraph which means "very important".
From paragraph 4 :
(a) Why is soil erosion a greater problem in areas that have been cleared of forests ?
(b) Explain the meaning of "... denuded hill slopes ..." without using the italicised
word.
From paragraph 7 :
What is 'vincristine' ?

Answers
1. (a) They are felled and burnt down.
(b) The land is cleared for cattle grazing.
2. They have lost too much of their forests.
3. (a) Forests are catchment areas for rainwater, preventing rainwater from sinking so
quickly into the ground. Masses of rain-bearing clouds form over the moist forests.
Thus the destruction of the forests may cause a reduction of rain in the area.
(b) Vital
4. (a) Without the tree cover, the land is totally exposed to the agents of erosion, such as
strong winds and heavy rainfall.
(b) Hills that have been cleared of all vegetation.
5. It is a drug used in the treatment of cancer.

03
The day started out hot and humid, just like any other typical day in Hong Kong.
Everyone seemed to be in a rush to go somewhere, elbowing and jostling around. Ai Ling
was standing around with a small metal tin in her hand. Every few minutes, she would be
walking around and shaking the tin to rattle the few coins that were already inside.
Everyone avoided her like the plague.
No, Ai Ling was not a beggar. She was one of the many pupils dotted all around Hong
Kong today, selling flags for a charitable cause. It depressed her to see how miserly Hong
Kongers were. From afar, people would spot her with the foreboding tin and veer away
from her direction. Others would walk past, avoiding eye contact. It made her wonder,
"Since when did Hong Kongers become such self-absorbed people ?" With a sign, she
continued her task.
By mid-day, Ai Ling was drained. Her stomach was also starting to growl. The sweltering
heat only made things worse. She decided to take a break and have her lunch. There was
a fast food restaurant nearby. The cool blast of air as she entered was a welcoming treat.
She quickly bought her food and sat down to enjoy both the food and the airconditioning. She wished she could just sit in there for the rest of the day. However, she
knew that it would not be right. She had a duty to perform. After finishing her lunch, Ai
Ling continued sitting for just a little longer before reluctantly dragging herself out into
the streets again.
For the next three hours, Ai Ling trawled the streets hoping to meet people who might be
willing to part with a few coins. Ironically, Ai Ling realized that she had actually
collected more money from tourists than from the locals themselves. What a shame !
Thankfully, she still managed to fill up most of her metal tin. She felt rather pleased with
her achievement, considering what a tough crowd she had faced the whole day. Ai Ling
then told herself that the next time she saw someone else selling flags in the streets, she
would make it a point to donate something, even if it was only a token amount. After all,
she knew exactly what they were going through.

Answer the following questions using complete sentences

1. Which word in paragraph one tells us that the weather that day was expected ?
2. Quote the sentence in paragraph one which shows that no one wanted to go near Ai
Ling .
3. How did Ai Ling feel about the reaction of the public towards her ?
4. What were the two actions of the people who saw Ai Ling ?
5. What does the 'task' in paragraph two refer to ?
6. How was Ai Ling feeling by mid-day ?
7. Explain clearly what 'it' in paragraph three refers to.
8. What did Ai Ling feel was a 'shame' (paragraph four)?
9. What exactly does the 'achievement' in paragraph four refer to ?
10. What did Ai Ling decide to do after her experience ?

04
Answers
1. The word is 'typical'.
2. The sentence is 'Everyone avoided her like the plague'.
3. She was upset/disappointed.
4. They avoided walking towards her or did not make eye contact with her when they
walked past.
5. It refers to selling flags and collecting donations for a charitable cause.
6. She was feeling tired and hungry.
7. It refers to staying in the fast food restaurant to enjoy the air-conditioning.
8. The tourists were more generous than Ai Ling's fellow countrymen.
9. It refers to collecting enough donations to fill her tin.
10.She decided to make a donation to people selling flags in future as she realized what
a difficult task it was.

05
It was the trail drive season again. Billy had been looking forward to it for months. The
trail drive was one of the biggest events in a cowboy's life; Billy loved being on the road
even though he was aware of the dangers he would face in the following months.
Before the drive began, Billy went around various cattle ranches to collect the cattle. He
was joined by a cook and ten other cowboys who had been hired to handle the large herd
during the long drive. As the leader of the group, Billy was in charge of the entire
operation and had to ensure the cattle's safe arrival at the railway station. There, the herd
would await shipment to the eastern markets. It was indeed a heavy responsibility to bear,
but Billy knew that he would be well paid if the trail drive proceeded smoothly.
The day of the drive arrived. The cattle were rounded up and all the cowboys got into a
large covered wagon. The wagon was very sturdy and Billy made sure that it carried
enough food and water to last everyone for the next three months.
During the drive, they had to keep the cattle together and head in the right direction.
There had to be two or three cowboys behind, in front and on each side of the herd to
keep them manageable. Sometimes, the cattle panicked as they crossed a river and they
would swim in all directions. Also, they were frightened by loud noises like thunder.
There were many occasions when a stampede occurred, and Billy and his men had to ride
in front of the herd and fire their guns to stop the lead cattle.
The long nights on the roads were spent singing. The men also took turns guarding the
herd through the nights. At the end of the drive, they arrived at the station and loaded the
herd onto a train. Their work was finally done. After a good meal, Billy and his friends
headed for the nearest saloon. It was time for a celebration.
Answer the following questions using complete sentences
1. Why was Billy looking forward to the trail drive ?
2. What did Billy do before the drive began ?
3. Who else were involved in the trail drive ?
4. What were Billy's duties ?
5. Where was the cattle's final destination ?
6. Which two-word phrase in paragraph 3 tells us that the cattle were gathered
together ?
7. Why must the wagon be loaded with food and water ?
8. How was the cattle kept manageable during the drive ?
9. What did Billy and his men do during a cattle stampede ?
10. What did Billy and his men do after dispatching the cattle ?

Answers
1. It was one of the biggest events in a cowboy's life, and he loved being on the road.
2. He went around the various ranches to collect the cattle.
3. A cook and ten other cowboys were involved.
4. He was in charge of the whole operation and had to make sure that the cattle reached
the railway station safely.
5. The final destination was the eastern markets.
6. The phrase is 'rounded up'.
7. The cowboys managing the cattle needed a lot of food and water as they would be on
the road (or traveling) for a few months.
8. Two or three cowboys rode behind, in front and on each side of the herd to keep them
together.
9. They rode to the front of the herd and fired their guns to stop the lead cattle.
10.They had a good meal and then headed for the nearest saloon for a celebration.

06
After the death of Jo, and the escape of two of his companions with their recovered
bombs, the Ricop commander ordered an intensified search of the plain. The searchers
worked in twos, not threes, to maximise the number of patrols. The leader of the first
patrol knew that the aliens were cunning and desperate, and it was surprised when they
found the two of them almost immediately. Perhaps tiredness was making them careless.
The two, both young and small, wre standing in the middle of the track that led to the
plain, almost as if they wanted to be seen. When the Ricops spotted them, they turned and
ran off between the rocks. They moved slowly, as if every tired, and the patrol was soon
right behind them. "Pursue and exterminate," ordered the patrol leader. "The commander
advise no prisoners to be taken. They must be exterminated !"
The aliens disappeared once they were among the rocks and the Ricops were forced to
hunt for them. Although there were only two of the, they moved confidently forward,
quite sure of their ability to deal with the escapees.
Zip and Parot collapsed panting behind a rock. "Are you all right, Parot ?" gasped Zip.
"Just about. Never run so fast in my life !"
Zip peered from behind the rock. "They're coming. Ready ?" Parot nodded. They sprang
from the rock and sprinted off with the pursues hot on their heels.
They reached the giant boulder they had carefully chosen. The path was narrow here, and
the Ricops would have to move in single file. They waited. When the two pursuers came
in sight, Zip stepped from hiding, then instantly ducked back. even so, he moved only

just in time. The blast from its gun charred the rock above his head.
The patrol leader ordered, "Give protective fire," and moved off alone. The second Ricop
followed more slowly, its gun swiveling suspiciously all around. The patrol leader
rounded the boulder and moved cautiously along the trail that bordered the ice pool.
Suddenly Zip appeared from behind one of the rocks, disappearing again almost
immediately. The Ricop moved forward. Another blast from its gun seared the rocks very
close to Zip. It was near to the edge of the pool now. Suddenly Parot appeared from
hiding. He charged the pursuer gripping it from behind so that the gun could not be aimed
at him. He shoved the Ricop by force towards the ice pool.
Slowly he edged it towards the pool. The Ricop resisted with all its strength. All the time
it was calling, "Assist ! Assist ! I am being attacked !"
Further down the trail, Zip saw the second Ricop speed forward to answer the call, and
realized that he had to delay it. He dashed across the trail and the pursuer swung round in
pursuit. Zip's foot turned on a small rock and he crashed to the ground, sprawled
helplessly on the path as his pursuer bore down on him.
As his enemy was bout to fire, Parot jumped on it from the top of a near-by boulder. He
had a piece of cloth in his hands which he threw over the Ricop, covering the eye-stalk
completely. The Ricop spun around helplessly, shrieking, "Vision circuits impaired. I am
losing control."
Somehow Parot stayed perched on top of the Ricop, holding the cloth firmly in place. Zip
recovered and ran to grab the Ricop's gun and jammed it upwards, so that the blast of its
firing exploded harmlessly into the air. Between them, they shoved the helpless Ricop
along the path taken by the patrol leader. As they rounded the boulder, they gave it a
mighty shove that sent it splashing into the ice pool. The water bubbled and hissed, and
its cries ended abruptly as it shared the fate of its leader.
Answer the following questions using complete sentences
1. Why was there an urgent and intensified search of Jo's escaped companions ?
2. How did the Ricop commander ensure that the two escapees were located quickly ?
3. Why were the two aliens found so quickly ?
4. What were the Ricops supposed to do when they find the aliens ?
5. The patrol leader described the aliens as cunning. How was it correct in its
assessment ?
6. List two reasons why the two escapees chose the giant boulder to carry out their
plan.
7. What did the patrol leader do when it was attacked ?
8. What did Zip hope to achieve by dashing across the path of the second Ricop ?
9. How did Parot destroy the patrol leader ?

10. What are Ricops ?

Answers
1. There was an urgent and intensified search because they escaped with some bombs.
2. The Ricop commander divided the searchers into smaller groups to form more
patrols.
3. They chose to be found as part of their plan.
4. They were supposed to destroy the aliens.
5. The aliens were so cunning they managed to plan and destroy the Ricops.
6. The giant boulder was chosen for the narrow path that led to it and for the icy pool
that was near it.
7. The patrol leader called for help.
8. Zip hoped to delay the second Ricop in its bid to help the patrol leader.
9. Parot pushed the patrol leader into the icy pool.
10. Ricops are robots.

07
Most of us have only experienced war through books or the media. However, war is a
lot more than that, especially for the people who had experienced war personally. The
memories of the hardship and difficulty they experienced are firmly imprinted in their
minds for the rest of their lives.
It is indeed sad that leaders of certain countries quickly declare war whenever there is
conflict between two countries. In the past, leaders of countries were seldom concerned
with maintaining good relationships with their neighbors but were more interested in
gaining more power by conquering other cities. This is why there have been two world
wars in the first fifty years of the twentieth century.
War may occur because of various reasons, but more often than not, the reason of war is
quickly forgotten amidst the tragedy of it. The amount of destruction that takes place
during war is massive and once started, war spreads like a disease and rarely achieves
anything.
Many have questioned the necessity of war, especially because of the huge number of
towns and cities that are destroyed and people who are killed. The people who call for
war are usually the leaders of the country. Ironically, they are also the ones who are safely
and comfortably protected in their homes when war happens. The people who come
forward and are prepared to sacrifice their lives are the common people, who are also the
ones to suffer from the shortage of food and water that is inevitablein any war.
During the Japanese Occupation that occurred in Singapore during the Second World
War, many Singaporeans experienced great hardship and countless others lost their lives.
It was only until atomic bombs were dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki did
the Japanese surrender. Where previous methods had failed, the bombs were successful in
ending the war. What was sad, however, was the fact that so many Japanese people had to
10

die because their leaders had been so thirsty for power. Itcould have been avoided if they
had chosen to surrender earlier.

Answer the following questions using complete sentences

1. What does the writer mean by 'Most of us have only experienced war through books
or the media' (paragraph 1)?
2. What does the phrase 'firmly imprinted' (paragraph 1) suggest about the memories
of those who have experienced war ?
3. Why were there two world wars in the first half of the twentieth century ?
4. What does the writer mean by 'the reason of war is quickly forgotten' (paragraph
3) ?
5. Explain why the writer compares war to a 'disease' (paragraph 3).
6. Why have people 'questioned the necessity of war' (paragraph 4)?
7. Why do you think people went forward to fight despite the obvious risks of war ?
8. Explain clearly the irony the writer talks about in paragraph 4.
9. What does the writer mean by using the word 'inevitable' (paragraph 4)?
10. What does 'it' in paragraph 5 refer to ?

Answers
1. He means that most people have only read about war or seen films about war but
have not personally experienced war.
2. They will not be able to forget the events that happened during the war.
3. Leaders of countries attacked one another as they wanted to increase their power.
4. He means that once war begins, people will be too caught up with its effects to
remember why they were fighting in the first place.
5. War spreads quickly and its effects are usually fatal.
6. War leads to the mass destruction of cities and a loss of lives, as well as a shortage of
resources, which seem too big a sacrifice for the objective of starting a war.
7. They do so because of their loyalty to their leaders/country.

11

8. He means that it is contradictory that those who called for war are safe from the
effects while those who suffer are those who had no say in the decision.
9. He means that shortage of food and water cannot be avoided during a war.
10.It refers to the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

08
Deserts are usually hot and barren places; yet, they are also beautiful. A few plants, rocks
and dusty red-brown soil make up the ingredients of most North American deserts where
there is sufficient food and water for certain animals to survive.
One famous dry and hot place in the world with no visible rock or plant and barely any
water is the Sahara Desert. It is the largest desert in the world and is located in Northern
Africa. It gives the impression of an ocean of pure white sand. Surprisingly, the Sahara is
home to many strange animals.
These animals have survived over many generations because they were able to adapt to
their particular conditions. However, a certain number of species were unable to adapt
fast enough to their environment and so died out. One of the most interesting animals in
the Sahara is the sand stink which in French means 'fish of the desert'. The sand stink
behaves just like a fish except that instead of in water, it 'swims' through the sand. Its legs
act as fins and the hard scales on its skin act as an armor helping it move through the
sand. A piece of transparent skin protects its eyes as it swims through the sand. Its eggs
are covered with skin to prevent dehydration.
Another desert animal that hides from the sun is the desert shrimp. The lifespan of these
tiny animals is only about two weeks because that is about when puddles of water from
desert rainstorms dry up. They are able to survive in the hot conditions, but without their
main source of survival, they dehydrate and are virtually roasted to death.
One of the rare animals able to bask in the desert sun is the camel. For many hundreds of
years, the camel has been the 'horse of the desert', helping travelers across the desert. This
'horse' is slow-moving, yet it is big and strong enough to carry extremely heavy loads.
The camel has large feet almost like snowshoes. This characteristic prevents it from
sinking into the sand.
A camel is able to drink up to one hundred and eighteen liters of water in a day. Once it is
full, it can move for five to seven days without water, carrying its own portable 'water
tank'. Its humps help to store fats which serve as a storage of strength, removing the need
for food, sometimes for a week. In fact, the humps become smaller as the camel
consumes the fats stored. They also help to regulate the camel's temperature.
Answer the following questions using complete sentences
1. Explain the term 'barren places' (paragraph 1).
2. Why are plants not found in the Sahara Desert while there are some in the deserts in
North America ?

12

3. Why is it surprising that the Sahara Desert is 'home to many strange animals'
(paragraph 2) ?
4. According to paragraph 3, why did some species in the Sahara Desert become extinct
?
5. In what way is a sand stink like s fish ?
6. Explain how a sand stink moves around without getting sand in its eyes.
7. What is the 'main source of survival' (paragraph 4) for the desert shrimp ?
8. What are the camel's two most visible features that make them the perfect 'horse of
the desert' in the Sahara ? Also explain the usefulness of each feature to the camel in
your answer.
9. In what way is the camel able to survive without drinking water in the desert for days
? Explain in your own words.
10. Why does the camel have energy to travel for days in the desert without eating ?
Answers
1. These places are dry and plants cannot grow there. / These places are dry and not
fertile. / These places are dry and empty with only very few plants.
2. In North American deserts, there are plants because of the red-brown soil but in the
Sahara Desert, there is only pure white sand and no soil.
3. It is surprising that many animals can survive in a place with little water, no plants
and covered with only white sand.
4. They were not quick enough to adjust to the changes in their environment.
5. A sand stink moves through the sand just like how a fish swims in the water, using its
legs as fins and hard scales on its skin to protect its body.
6. There is a layer of transparent skin over its eyes to protect the eyes.
7. It is the puddles of water from desert rainstorms.
8. They are big, so they are strong enough to carry heavy loads. They have large feet
like snowshoes that help them move in the desert without sinking.
9. It can drink up to one hundred and eighteen liters of water in a day which it then
stores in its body for use over several days.
10.It has stored fats in its humps that will provide the energy for it to travel for days in
the desert without eating.

10

13

For many people, the story of Amelia Earhart is a legend. She is famous for her many
exploits as a flyer but she is still perhaps most well-known for her disappearance. She
vanished without a trace sometime in July 1937.
As a young woman, Amelia fell in love with flying. She was determined to learn to
control an airplane all by herself. Soon, she was spending all her free time on weekends
practising flying, taking off and landing at the airport near Boston. She was soon offered
an opportunity to be the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean, flying from America to
England. She was, at that time, not a very experienced pilot yet, so two men would be
piloting the plane-she would just go along for the ride.
The flight was successfully completed, and Amelia was showered with attention,
although she protested that she had actually not done anything. Amelia was determined to
repeat the flight, only this time, she would fly solo. She completed the flight in 1932,
becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic alone, but the flight had been fraught
with obstacles. Weather conditions had been bad and her navigation instrument had
gradually failed. Luckily, she landed safely in a field in Ireland, although she was not
even sure where she was at first.
After this, Amelia became even more famous. After her solo Atlantic flight, Amelia
continued to make and break records, showing the world that women too could become
accomplished pilots. She had one more challenge in mind. She wanted to become the first
person to fly round the world at its widest point-the Equator. This had never been done
before, although other pilots had already circled the globe.
Accompanied by Fred Noonan, who helped her navigate the plane, Amelia flew east,
making numerous stops in countries such as Senegal, Eritrea, Siam, Malaya and
Australia. It was an extremely exhausting time for Amelia and Fred as they got very little
sleep. The fateful part of the journey was from New Guinea to Howland Island, a tiny
island in the Pacific, but Amelia never made it there. She disappeared over the Pacific
and was never found, in spite of all efforts to find her plane.
Answer the following questions using complete sentences
1. What does 'vanished without a trace' (paragraph 1) mean ?
2. Why did Amelia spend all her free time practicing flying ?
3. What was special about Amelia flying from America to England ?
4. Why did Amelia want to repeat the flight across the Atlantic Ocean ?
5. Quote the three-word phrase in paragraph 3 which shows that the flight in 1932 was
not an easy one.
6. Explain clearly why Amelia was 'not even sure where she was at first' (paragraph 3).
7. In what way did Amelia show the world that 'women too could become
accomplished pilots' (paragraph 4) ?
8. From paragraph 4, what was unique about Amelia's plan to fly around the world ?
9. What does the phrase 'the fateful part of the journey' (last paragraph) indicate ?

14

10. Give two characteristics of Amelia that stood out in the passage.
Answers
1. It means 'disappeared without being ever found'.
2. She wanted to learn to control an airplane by herself since she loved flying.
3. She was the first woman to do so.
4. She did not pilot the plane the first time she crossed the Atlantic Ocean flight and so
she wanted to fly alone the second time.
5. The phrase is 'fraught with obstacles'.
6. The bad weather had damaged her navigation instruments that would have showed
her the location of the plane.
7. She did so by continuing to make and break records in flying and by flying solo over
the Atlantic.
8. She had planned to fly around the widest point of the Earth, the Equator, something
that had never been done before.
9. It indicates that it was this part of the journey, from New Guinea to Howland Island,
that Amelia disappeared.
10.Amelia was a woman who was very bold and full of determination.

01 Stories
The Frog in the Well
There was a frog that lived in a shallow well.
" Look how well off I am here ! " he told a big turtle from the Eastern Ocean. "
I can hop along the coping of the well when I go out, and rest by a crevice in
the bricks on my return. I can wallow to my heart's content with only my head
above water, or stroll ankle deep through soft mud. No crabs or tadpoles can
compare with me. I am master of the water and lord of this shallow well, What
more can a fellow ask ? Why don't you come here more often to have a good
time ? "
Before the turtle from the Eastern Ocean could get his left foot into the well,
however, he caught his right claw on something. So he halted and stepped back
then began to describe the ocean to the frog.
" It's more than a thousand miles across and more than ten thousand feet deep.
In ancient times there were floods nine years out of ten yet the water in the
ocean never increased.

15

And later there were droughts seven years out of eight yet the water in the
ocean never grew less. It has remained quite constant throughtout the ages.
That is why I like to live in the Eastern Ocean. "
Then the frog in the shallow well was silent and felt a little abashed.
abashed

If you are abashed, you feel embarrassed and ashamed.

02

A supernatural wife
A certain Mr. Chao, of Chang-shan, lodged in a family of the name of Tai. He
was very badly off, and, falling sick, was brought almost to death's door. One
day they moved him into the verandah, that it might be cooler for him; and,
when he awoke from a nap, lo! a beautiful girl was standing by his side. "I am
come to be your wife," said the girl, in answer to his question as to who she
was; to which he replied that a poor fellow like himself did not look for such
luck as that; adding that, being then on his deathbed, he would not have much
occasion for the services of a wife. The girl said she could cure him, but he told
her he very much doubted that; "And even," continued he, "should you have
any good prescription, I have not the means of getting it made up."
"I don't want medicine to cure you with," rejoined the girl, proceeding at once
to rub his back and sides with her hand, which seemed to him like a ball of fire.
He soon began to feel much better, and asked the young lady what her name
was, in order, as he said, that he might remember her in his prayers. "I am a
spirit," replied she; "and you, when alive under the Han dynasty as Chu Suilang, were a benefactor of my family. Your kindness being engraved on my
heart, I have at length succeeded in my search for you, and am able in some
measure to requite you."
Chao was dreadfully ashamed of his poverty-stricken state, and afraid that his
dirty room would spoil the young lady's dress; but she made him show her in,
and accordingly he took her into his apartment, where there were neither chairs
to sit upon, nor signs of anything to eat, saying, "You might, indeed, be able to
put up with all this; but you see my larder is empty, and I have absolutely no
means of supporting a wife."

16

"Don't be alarmed about that," cried she; and in another moment he saw a
couch covered with costly robes, the walls papered with a silver-flecked paper,
and chairs and tables appear, the latter laden with all kinds of wine and
exquisite viands. They then began to enjoy themselves, and lived together as
husband and wife. Many people came to witness these strange things, and were
all cordially received by the young lady. She in turn always accompanied Mr.
Chao whenever he went out to dinner.
One day there was an unprincipled young graduate among the company, which
she seemed immediately to become aware of; and, after calling him several bad
names, she struck him on the side of the head, causing his head to fly out of the
window while his body remained inside; and there he was, stuck fast, unable to
move either way, until the others interceded for him and he was released. After
some time visitors became too numerous, and if she refused to see them they
turned their anger against her husband.
At length, as they were sitting together drinking with some friends at the Tuanyang festival, a white rabbit ran in, whereupon the girl jumped up and said,
"The doctor has come for me." Then, turning to the rabbit, she added, "You go
on: I'll follow you." So the rabbit went away, and then she ordered them to get a
ladder and place it against a high tree in the back yard, the top of the ladder
overtopping the tree. The young lady went up first and Chao close behind her;
after which she called out to anybody who wished to join them to make haste
up. None ventured to do so with the exception of a serving-boy belonging to
the house, who followed after Chao; and thus they went up, up, up, up, until
they disappeared in the clouds and were seen no more. However, when the
bystanders came to look at the ladder, they found it was only an old door-frame
with the panels knocked out; and when they went into Mr. Chao's room, it was
the same old, dirty, unfurnished room as before. So they determined to find out
all about it from the serving-boy when he came back; but this he never did.
End

P2
At Chang-ngan there lived a scholar, named Fang Tung, who though by no
means destitute of ability, was a very unprincipled rake, and in the habit of
following and speaking to any woman he might chance to meet.

17

The day before the spring festival of Clear Weather, he was strolling about
outside the city when he saw a small carriage with red curtains and an
embroidered awning, followed by a crowd of waiting-maids on horseback, one
of whom was exceedingly pretty, and riding on a small palfrey. Going closer to
get a better view, Mr. Fang noticed that the carriage curtain was partly open,
and inside he beheld a beautifully dressed girl of about sixteen, lovely beyond
anything he had ever seen. Dazzled by the sight, he could not take his eyes off
her; and now before, now behind, he followed the carriage for many a mile.
By-and-by he heard the young lady call out to her maid, and, when the latter
came alongside, say to her, "Let down the screen for me. Who is this rude
fellow that keeps on staring so ?" The maid accordingly let down the screen,
and looking angrily at Mr. Fang, said to him, "This is the bride of the Seventh
Prince in the City of Immortals going home to see her parents, and no village
girl that you should stare at her thus." Then taking a handful of dust, she threw
it at him and blinded him.
He rubbed his eyes and looked round, but the carriage and horses were gone.
This frightened him, and he went off home, feeling very uncomfortable about
the eyes. He sent for a doctor to examine his eyes, and on the pupils was found
a small film, which had increased by next morning, the eyes watering
incessantly all the time. The film went on growing and in a few days was as
thick as a cash. On the right pupil there came a kind of spiral, and as no
medicine was of any avail, the sufferer gave himself up to grief and wished for
death.
He then bethought himself of repenting of his misdeeds, and hearing that the
Kuang-ming sutra could relieve misery, he got a copy and hired a man to teach
it to him. At first it was very tedious work, but by degrees he became more
composed, and spent the whole day in a posture of devotion, telling his beads.
At the end of a year he had arrived at a state of perfect calm, when one day he
heard a small voice, about as loud as a fly's, calling out from his left eye: "It's
horridly dark in here." To this he heard a reply from the right eye, saying, "Let
us go out for a stroll, and cheer ourselves up a bit." Then he felt a wriggling in
his nose which made it itch, just as if something was going out of each of the
nostrils; and after a while he felt it again as if going the other way. Afterwards
he heard a voice from one eye say, "I hadn't seen the garden for a long time: the
epidendrums are all withered and dead." Now Mr. Fang was very fond of these
epidendrums, of which he had planted a great number, and had been
accustomed to water them himself; but since the loss of his sight he had never
even alluded to them. Hearing, however, these words, he at once asked his wife
why she had let the epidendrums die. She inquired how he knew they were
18

dead, and when he told her she went out to see, and found them actually
withered away. They were both very much astonished at this, and his wife
proceeded to conceal herself in the room. She then observed two tiny people,
no bigger than a bean, come down from her husband's nose and run out of the
door, where she lost sight of them. In a little while they came back and flew up
to his face, like bees or beetles seeking their nests.
This went on for some days, until Mr. Fang heard from the left eye, "This
roundabout road is not at all convenient. It would be as well for us to make a
door." To this the right eye answered, "My wall is too thick: it wouldn't be at all
an easy job."
"I'll try and open mine," said the left eye, "and then it will do for both of us."
Whereupon Mr. Fang felt a pain in his left eye as if something was being split,
and in a moment he found he could see the tables and chairs in the room. He
was delighted at this and told his wife, who examined his eye and discovered
an opening in the film, through which she could see the black pupil shining out
beneath, the eyeball itself looking like a cracked pepper-corn. By next morning
the film had disappeared, and when his eye was closely examined it was
observed to contain two pupils. The spiral on the right eye remained as before;
and then they knew that the two pupils had taken up their abode in one eye.
Further, although Mr. Fang was still blind of one eye, the sight of the other was
better than that of the two together. From this time he was more careful of his
behavior, and acquired in his part of the country the reputation of a virtuous
man.
End
03

The picture horse

A certain Mr. Tsui, of Lin-ching, was too poor to keep his garden walls in repair, and used
often to find a strange horse lying down on the grass inside. It was a black horse marked
with white, and having a scrubby tail, which looked as if the end had been burnt off;' and,
though always driven away, would still return to the same spot.
Now Mr. Tsui had a friend, who was holding an appointment in Shansi; and though he had
frequently felt desirous of paying him a visit, he had no means of traveling so far.
Accordingly, he one day caught the strange horse, and, putting a saddle on its back, rode
away, telling his servants that if the owner of the horse should appear, he was to inform
him where the animal was to be found.

19

The horse started off at a very rapid pace, and, in a short time, they were thirty or forty
miles from home; but at night it did not seem to care for its food, so the next day Mr. Tsui,
who thought perhaps illness might be the cause, held the horse in, and would not let it
gallop so fast. However, the animal did not seem to approve of this, and kicked and
foamed until at length Mr. Tsui let it go at the same old pace; and by midday he had
reached his destination.
As he rode into the town, the people were astonished to hear of the marvelous journey just
accomplished, and the Governor sent to say he should like to buy the horse. Mr. Tsui,
fearing that the real owner might come forward, was compelled to refuse this offer; but
when, after six months had elapsed, no inquiries had been made, he agreed to accept eight
hundred ounces of silver, and handed over the horse to the Governor. He then bought himself a good mule, and returned home.
Subsequently, the Governor had occasion to use the horse for some important business at
Lin-ching; and when there it took the opportunity to run away. The officer in charge
pursued it right up to the house of a Mr. Tseng, who lived next door to Mr. Tsui, and saw it
run in and disappear. Thereupon he called upon Mr. Tseng to restore it to him; and, on the
latter declaring he had never even seen the animal, the officer walked into his private
apartments, where he found, hanging on the wall, a picture of a horse, by Chen Tzu-ang,
exactly like the one he was in search of, and with part of the tail burnt away by a jossstick.
It was now clear that the Prince's horse was a supernatural creature; but the officer, being
afraid to go back without it, would have prosecuted Mr. Tseng, had not Tsui, whose eight
hundred ounces of silver had since increased to something like ten thousand, stepped in
and paid back the original purchase- money. Mr. Tseng was exceedingly grateful to him
for this act of kindness, ignorant, as he was, of Tsui's previous sale of the horse.
End
04

The flower nymphs (1)

At the lower temple on Mount Lao the camellias are twenty feet in height, and
many spans in circumference. The peonies are more than ten feet high; and
when the flowers are in bloom the effect is that of a gorgeous tapestry.
There was a Mr. Huang, of Chiao-chow, who built himself a house at that spot,
for the purpose of study; and one day he saw from his window a young lady
dressed in white wandering about amongst the flowers. Reflecting that she
could not possibly be- long to the monastery, he went out to meet her, but she
20

had already disappeared. After this he frequently observed her, and once hid
himself in a thick-foliaged bush, waiting for her to come.
By-and-by she appeared, bringing with her another young lady dressed in red,
who, as he noticed from his distant point of observation, was an exceedingly
good-looking girl. When they approached nearer, the young lady in the red
dress ran back, saying, "There is a man here!" whereupon Mr. Huang jumped
out upon them, and away they went in a scare, with their skirts and long sleeves
fluttering in the breeze, and perfuming the air round. Huang pursued them as
far as a low wall, where they suddenly vanished from his gaze. In great distress
at thus losing the fair creatures, he took a pencil and wrote upon a tree the
following lines: The pangs of love my heart enthrall
As I stand opposite this wall.
I dread some hateful tyrant's power,
With none to save you in that hour.
Returning home he was absorbed in his own thought, when all at once the
young lady walked in, and he rose up joyfully to meet her. "I thought you were
a brigand," said his visitor, smiling; "you nearly frightened me to death. I did
not know you were a great scholar whose acquaintance I now hope to have the
honour of making." Mr. Huang asked the young lady her name, &c., to which
she replied, "My name is Hsiang-yu, and I belong to Ping-kang-hsiang; but a
magician has condemned me to remain on this hill much against my own
inclination."
"Tell me his name," cried Huang, "and I'll soon set you free."
"There is no need for that," answered the young lady; "I suffer no injury from
him, and the place is not an inconvenient one for making the acquaintance of
such worthy gentlemen as your- self." Huang then inquired who was the young
lady in red, and she told him that her name was Chiang-hsueh, and that they
were half-sisters; "and now," added she, "I will sing you a song; but please
don't laugh at me." She then began as follows: In pleasant company the hours fly fast,
And through the window daybreak peeps at last.
Ah, would that, like the swallow and his mate,
To live together were our happy fate.

21

Huang here grasped her hand and said, "Beauty without and intellect within enough to make a man love you and forget all about death, only one day's
absence being like the separation of a thousand miles. I pray you come again
whenever an opportunity may present itself."
From this time the young lady would frequently walk in to have a chat, but
would never bring her sister with her in spite of all Mr. Huang's entreaties.
Huang thought they weren't friends, but Hsiang said her sister did not care for
society in the same way that she herself did, promising at the same time to try
and persuade her to come at some future day. One evening Hsiang-yu arrived in
a melancholy frame of mind, and told Huang that he was wanting more when
he couldn't even keep what he had got; "for to-morrow," said she, "we part."
Huang asked what she meant; and then, wiping away her tears with her sleeve,
Hsiang-yu declared it was destiny, and that she couldn't well tell him. "Your
former prophecy," continued she, "has come too true; and now it may well be
said of me Fallen into the tyrant's power,
With none to save me in that hour."

05/ P2

The flower nymphs (2)

Huang again tried to question her, but she would tell him no- thing; and by-andby she rose and took her leave. This seemed very strange; however, next day a
visitor came, who, after wandering round the garden, was much taken with a
white peony, which he dug up and carried away with him. Huang now awaked
to the fact that Hsiang-yu was a flower nymph, and became very disconsolate
in consequence of what had happened; but when he subsequently heard that the
peony only lived a few days after being taken away, he wept bitterly, and
composed an elegy in fifty stanzas, besides going daily to the hole from which
it had been taken, and watering the ground with his tears.
One day, as he was returning thence, he espied the young lady of the red
clothes also wiping away her tears alongside the hole, and immediately walked
back gently towards her. She did not run away, and Huang, grasping her sleeve,
joined with her in her lamentations. When these were concluded he invited her
to his house, and then she burst out with a sigh, saying, "Alas! that the sister of
my early years should be thus suddenly taken from me. Hearing you, Sir,
22

mourn as you did, I have also been moved to tears. Those you shed have sunk
down deep to the realms below, and may perhaps succeed in restoring her to us;
but the sympathies of the dead are destroyed for ever, and how then can she
laugh and talk with us again?"
"My luck is bad," said Huang, "that I should injure those I love, neither can I
have the good fortune to draw towards me another such a beauty. But tell me,
when I often sent messages by Hsiang-yu to you, why did you not come?"
"I knew," replied she, "what nine young fellows out of ten are; but I did not
know what you were." She then took leave, Huang telling her how dull he felt
without Hsiang-yu, and begging her to come again.
For some days she did not appear; and Huang remained in a state of great
melancholy, tossing and turning on his bed and wetting the pillow with his
tears, until one night he got up, put on his clothes, and trimmed the lamp; and
having called for pen and ink, he composed the following lines: On my cottage roof the evening rain-drops beat;
I draw the blind and near the window take my seat.
To my longing gaze no loved one appears;
Drip, drip, drip, drip: fast flow my tears.
This he read aloud; and when he had finished, a voice outside said, "You want
some one to cap your verses there!" Listening attentively, he knew it was
Chiang-hsueh; and opening the door he let her in. She looked at his stanza, and
added impromptu She is no longer in the room;
A single lamp relieves the gloom;
One solitary man is there;
He and his shadow make a pair.
As Huang read these words his tears fell fast; and then, turning to Chianghsueh, he upbraided her for not having been to see him. "I can't come so often
as Hsiang-yu did," replied she, "but only now and then when you are very
dull."
After this she used to drop in occasionally, and Huang said Hsiang-yu was his
beloved wife, and she his dear friend, always trying to find out every time she
came which flower in the garden she was, that he might bring her home with
him, and save her from the fate of Hsiang-yu. "The old earth should not be
23

disturbed," said she, "and it would not do any good to tell you. If you couldn't
keep your wife always with you, how will you be sure of keeping a friend?"
Huang, however, paid no heed to this, and seizing her arm, led her out into the
garden, where he stopped at every peony and asked if this was the one; to
which Chiang-hsueh made no reply, but only put her hand to her mouth and
laughed merrily.
At New Year's time Huang went home, and a couple of months afterwards he
dreamt that Chiang-hsueh came to tell him she was in great trouble, begging
him to hurry off as soon as possible to her rescue. When he woke up, he
thought his dream a very strange one; and ordering his servant and horses to be
ready, started at once for the hills. There he found that the priests were about to
build a new room; and finding a camellia in the way, the con- tractor had given
orders that it should be cut down. Huang now understood his dream, and
immediately took steps to prevent the destruction of the flower.
That night, Chiang-hsueh came to thank him, and Huang laughed and said, "It
serves you right for not telling me which you were. Now I know you, and if
you don't come and see me, I'll get a firebrand and make it hot for you."
More >>>
06/ P3

The flower nymphs (3)

"That's just why I didn't tell you before," replied she.
"The presence of my dear friend," said Huang, after a pause, "makes me think
more of my lost wife. It is long since I have mourned for her. Shall we go and
bemoan her loss together?" So they went off and shed many a tear on the spot
where formerly Hsiang-yu had stood, until at last Chiang-hsueh wiped her eyes
and said it was time to go.
A few evenings later Huang was sitting alone, when suddenly Chiang-hsueh
entered, her face radiant with smiles. "Good news!" cried she, "the Flower-God,
moved by your tears, has granted Hsiang-yu a return to life. Huang was
overjoyed, and asked when she would come; to which Chiang-hsueh replied,
that she could not say for certain, but that it would not be long.
"I came here on your account," said Huang; "don't let me be duller than you can
help."
24

"All right," answered she, and then went away, not returning for the next two
evenings.
Huang then went into the garden and threw his arms around her plant,
entreating her to come and see him, though without eliciting any response. He
accordingly went back, and began twisting up a torch, when all at once in she
came, and snatching the torch out of his hand, threw it away, saying, "You're a
bad fellow, and I don't like you, and I shan't have any more to do with you."
However, Huang soon succeeded in pacifying her, and by-and-by in walked
Hsiang-yu herself. Huang now wept tears of joy as he seized her hand, and
drawing Chiang-hsueh towards them, the three friends mingled their tears
together.
They then sat down and talked over the miseries of separation, Huang
meanwhile noticing that Hsiang-yu seemed to be unsubstantial, and that when
he grasped her hand his fingers seemed to close only on themselves, and not as
in the days gone by. This Hsiang-yu explained, saying, "When I was a flowernymph I had a body; but now I am only the disembodied spirit of that flower.
Do not regard me as a reality, but rather as an apparition seen in a dream."
"You have come at the nick of time," cried Chiang-hsueh; "your husband there
was just getting troublesome." Hsiang-yu now instructed Huang to take a little
powdered white-berry, and mixing it with some sulphur, to pour out a libation
to her, adding, "This day next year I will return your kindness."
The young ladies then went away, and next day Huang observed the shoots of a
young peony growing up where Hsiang-yu had once stood. So he made the
libation as she had told him, and had the plant very carefully tended, even
building a fence all round to protect it. Hsiang-yu came to thank him for this,
and he pro- posed that the plant should be removed to his own home; but to this
she would not agree, "for," said she, "I am not very strong, and could not stand
being transplanted. Besides, all things have their appointed place; and as I was
not originally intended for your home, it might shorten my life to be sent there.
We can love each other very well here." Huang then asked why Chiang-hsueh
did not come; to which Hsiang-yu replied that they must make her, and
proceeded with him into the garden, where, after picking a blade of grass, she
measured upwards from the roots of Chiang-hsueh's plant to a distance of four
feet six inches, at which point she stopped, and Huang began to scratch a mark
on the place with his nails.
At that moment Chiang-hsueh came from behind the plant, and in mock anger
cried out, "You hussy you! what do you aid that wretch for ?"
25

"Don't be angry, my dear," said Hsiang-yu; "help me to amuse him for a year
only, and then you shan't be bothered any more." So they went on, Huang
watching the plant thrive, until by the spring it was over two feet in height. He
then went home, giving the priests a handsome present, and bidding them take
great care of it.
Next year, in the fourth moon, he returned and found upon the plant a bud just
ready to break; and as he was walking round, the stem shook violently as if it
would snap, and suddenly the bud opened into a flower as large as a plate,
disclosing a beautiful maiden within, sitting upon one of the pistils, and only a
few inches in height. In the twinkling of an eye she had jumped out, and lo! it
was Hsiang-yu. "Through the wind and the rain I have waited for you," cried
she; "why have you come so late?" They then went into the house, where they
found Chiang-hsueh already arrived, and sat down to enjoy themselves as they
had done in former times.
Shortly afterwards Huang's wife died, and he took up his abode at Mount Lao
for good and all. The peonies were at that time as large as one's arm; and
whenever Huang went to look at them, he always said, "Some day my spirit
will be there by your side;" to which the two girls used to reply with a laugh,
and say, "Mind you don't forget."
Ten years after these events, Huang became dangerously ill, and his son, who
had come to see him, was very much distressed about him. "I am about to be
born," cried his father; "I am not going to die. Why do you weep?" He also told
the priests that if later on they should see a red shoot, with five leaves, thrusting
itself forth alongside of the peony, that would be himself. This was all he said,
and his son proceeded to convey him home, where he died immediately on
arrival.
Next year a shoot did come up exactly as he had mentioned; and the priests,
struck by the coincidence, watered it and supplied it with earth. In three years it
was a tall plant, and a good span in circumference, but without flowers. When
the old priest died, the others took no care of it; and as it did not flower they cut
it down. The white peony then faded and died; and before long the camellia
was dead too.

26

07

The wonderful stone (1)

In the prefecture of Shun-tien there lived a man named Hsing Yun-fei, who was
an amateur mineralogist and would pay any price for a good specimen.
One day as he was fishing in the river, something caught his net, and diving
down, he brought up a stone about a foot in diameter, beautifully carved on all
sides to resemble clustering hills and peaks. He was quite as pleased with this
as if he had found some precious stone; and having had an elegant sandal-wood
stand made for it, he set his prize upon the table.
Whenever it was about to rain, clouds, which from a distance looked like new
cotton-wool, would come forth from each of the holes or grottoes on the stone,
and appear to close them up.
By-and-by an influential personage called at the house and begged to see the
stone, immediately seizing it and handing it over to a lusty servant, at the same
time whipping his horse and riding away. Hsing was in despair; but all he could
do was to mourn the loss of his stone, and indulge his anger against the thief.
Meanwhile, the servant, who had carried off the stone on his back, stopped to
rest at a bridge; when all of a sudden his hand slipped and the stone fell into the
water. His master was extremely put out at this, and gave him a sound beating;
subsequently hiring several divers, who tried every means in their power to
recover the stone, but were quite unable to find it. He then went away, having
first published a notice of reward, and by these means many were tempted to
seek for the stone.
Soon after, Hsing himself came to the spot, and as he mournfully approached
the bank, the water became clear, and he could see the stone lying at the
bottom. Taking off his clothes, he quickly jumped in and brought it out,
together with the sandal-wood stand, which was still with it. He carried it off
home, but being no longer desirous of showing it to people, he had an inner
room cleaned and put it in there.
Some time afterwards an old man knocked at the door and asked to be allowed
to see the stone; whereupon Hsing replied that he had lost it a long time ago.
"Isn't that it in the inner room ?" said the old man smiling. He then laid his hand
upon the stone and said, "This is an old family relic of mine : I lost it many
months since. How does it come to be here? I pray you now restore it to me."
27

Hsing didn't know what to say, but declared he was the owner of the stone;
upon which the old man remarked, "If it is really yours, what evidence can you
bring to prove it ?" Hsing made no reply; and the old man continued, "To show
you that I know this stone, I may mention that it has altogether ninety-two
grottoes, and that in the largest of these are five words:
A stone from Heaven above."
Hsing looked and found that there were actually some small characters, no
larger than grains of rice, which, by straining his eyes a little, he managed to
read; also, that the number of grottoes was as the old man has said. However,
he would not give him the stone; and the old man laughed, and asked, "Pray,
what right have you to keep other people's things ?"
He then bowed and went away, Hsing escorting him as far as the door; but
when he returned to the room, the stone had disappeared. In a great fright, he
ran after the old man, who had walked slowly and was not far off, and seizing
his sleeve entreated him to give back the stone. "Do you think," said the latter,
"that I could conceal a stone a foot in diameter in my sleeve ?" But Hsing knew
that he must be superhuman, and led him back to the house, where he threw
himself on his knees and begged that he might have the stone.
"Is it yours or mine ?" asked the old man.
"Of course it is yours," replied Hsing, "though I hope you will consent to deny
yourself the pleasure of keeping it."
08/ P2

The wonderful stone (2)

"In that case," said the old man, "it is back again;" and going into the inner
room, they found the stone in its old place. "The jewels of this world,"
observed Hsing's visitor, "should be given to those who know how to take care
of them. This stone can choose its own master, and I am very pleased that it
should remain with you. At the same time I must inform you that it was in too
great a hurry to come into the world of mortals, and has not yet been freed from
all contingent calamities. I had better take it away with me, and three years
hence you shall have it again. If, however, you insist on keeping it, then your
span of life will be shortened by three years, that your terms of existence may
harmonize together. Are you willing ?" Hsing said he was; whereupon the old
28

man with his fingers closed up three of the stone's grottoes, which yielded to
his touch like mud. When this was done, he turned to Hsing and told him that
the grottoes on that stone represented the years of his life; and then he took his
leave, firmly refusing to remain any longer, and not disclosing his name.
More than a year after this, Hsing had occasion to go away on business, and in
the night a thief broke in and carried off the stone, taking nothing else at all.
When Hsing came home, he was dreadfully grieved, as if his whole object in
life was gone; and made all possible inquiries and efforts to get it back, but
without the slightest result.
Some time passed away, when one day going into a temple, Hsing noticed a
man selling stones, and amongst the rest he saw his old friend. Of course he
immediately wanted to regain possession of it; but as the stone-seller would not
consent, he shouldered the stone and went off to the nearest mandarin. The
stone-seller was then asked what proof he could give that the stone was his; and
he replied that the number of grottoes was eighty-nine. Hsing inquired if that
was all he had to say, and when the other acknowledged that it was, he himself
told the magistrate what were the characters inscribed within, also calling
attention to the finger marks at the closed-up grottoes. He therefore gained his
case, and the mandarin would have bambooed the stone-seller, had he not
declared that he bought it in the market for twenty ounces of silver, -whereupon he was dismissed.
A high official next offered Hsing one hundred ounces of silver for it; but he
refused to sell it even for ten thousand, which so enraged the would-be
purchaser that he worked up a case against Hsing, and got him put in prison.
Hsing was thereby compelled to pawn a great deal of his property; and then the
official sent some one to try to purchase the stone. Hsing, on hearing of the
attempt, steadily refused to consent, saying that he and the stone could not be
parted even in death. His wife, however, and his son, laid their heads together,
and sent the stone to the high official, and Hsing only heard of it when he
arrived home from the prison. He cursed his wife and beat his son, and
frequently tried to make away with himself, though luckily his servants always
managed to prevent him from succeeding.
At night he dreamt that a noble-looking personage appeared to him, and said,
"My name is Shih Ching-hsu -- (Stone from Heaven). Do not grieve. I
purposely quitted you for a year and more; but next year on the 20th day of the
eighth moon, at dawn, come to the Hai-tai Gate and buy me back for two
strings of cash." Hsing was overjoyed at his dream, and carefully took down the
day mentioned. Meanwhile the stone was at the official's private house; but as
29

the cloud manifestations ceased, the stone was less and less prized; and the
following year when the official was disgraced for maladministration and
subsequently died, Hsing met some of his servants at the Hai-tai Gate going off
to sell the stone, and purchased it back from them for two strings of cash.
Hsing lived till he was eighty-nine; and then having prepared the necessaries
for his interment, bade his son bury the stone with him, which was accordingly
done. Six months later robbers broke into the vault and made off with the stone,
and his son tried in vain to secure their capture. However, a few days afterwards, he was traveling with his servants, when suddenly two men rushed forth
dripping with perspiration, and looking up into the air, acknowledged their
crime saying, "Mr. Hsing, please don't torment us thus ! We took the stone, and
sold it for only four ounces of silver." Hsing's son and his servants then seized
these men, and took them before the magistrate, where they at once
acknowledged their guilt. Asked what had become of the stone, they said they
had sold it to a member of the magistrate's family; and when it was produced,
that official took such a fancy to it that he gave it to one of his servants and
bade him place it in the treasury. Thereupon the stone slipped out of the
servant's hand and broke into a hundred pieces, to the great astonishment of all
present. The magistrate now had the thieves bambooed and sent them away; but
Hsing's son picked up the broken pieces of the stone, and buried them in his
father's grave.
Essay

A Daring Rescue
Johnny was sound asleep when he was awakened by a loud commotion. He opened his
eyes and lay listening. He could hear shouts and screams coming from the outside.
Sensing that something was wrong, he quickly threw on his t-shirt and slipped into a pair
of jeans, discarding his cotton pyjamas, and rushed out of the house.
There was a huge crowd gathered at one of the houses further up the street. The house
was ablaze and thick clouds of smoke were floating up into the clouds. Johnny went back
into the house and made an urgent call to the fire department. Then, he ran out again
towards the house on fire.
It was Mr. Ong's house. Mr. Ong and his wife were safely out of the house but their
young daughter was still trapped inside the burning inferno. the neighbors had formed a
human chain and were using buckets of water to put out the fire but it was of no avail.
Johnny could hear the frantic cries of the young girl inside the burning house. Without
thinking twice, Johnny furled himself at the door and broke into the house. He was
30

almost overcome by the thick smoke. Johnny held his breath and managed to locate the
young girl. He carried her over his right shoulder and dashed out of the house and placed
her on a grass patch.
Soon, the fire engine and ambulance arrived. The paramedics quickly transported the girl
to the hospital accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Ong. The firemen used their big hoses to put
the fire out but the house was completely ruined.
A few days later, Mr. and Mrs. Ong came to Johnny's house. their daughter was still
recovering in hospital as she had suffered some minor burns. The couple thanked Johnny
for rescuing their daughter.
02 argument

Do you agree the widespread influence of western culture among students

corrupt them morally ?
It is very hard for Easterners to resist Westernization. The influence of western ideas and
culture is widespread namely in dressing, mannerisms, food, books, entertainment and
even education. However, western culture can also corrupt a person morally especially
young people.
There are many aspects of the western culture that are deemed not suitable for Asians
namely its sense of fashion, moral values regarding pre-marital sex, pornography and
wild entertainment. The young mind is easily influenced and corrupted. When one enters
shopping complexes, restaurants and other public places, the first thing that catches one's
attention is the way the young dress. Many follow the fashion nuances of the west with
little regard to Asian values and perspectives related to modesty. Many young teenagers
can be seen clad in low cut tops, low waist jeans and in short very revealing outfits. They
mimic western style of clothing as well free intermingling of sexes.
This situation has led to many undesirable consequences. Chief among them is the
practice of free sex among students. The Asian values of saving oneself for marriage or
until the right person comes along is discarded and considered archaic. Since many
teenagers lack awareness on safe sex, they expose themselves to unwanted pregnancies,
sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS, gonorrhoea, syphilis and other lifethreatening disease. WE read newspaper reports almost on a daily basis on how unborn
babies are being dumped in toilets, houses of worship, hospitals and other public places.
There are yet many students who upon finding themselves pregnant resort to abortion.
The later can be fatal if not done by professional gynaecologists. Many charity
organizations report of teenagers coming for advice when they find themselves jilted by
their boyfriends. There are also many reports on teenagers contracting STDs and other

31

dangerous diseases.
Another strong influence of westernization is in the arena of entertainment. Teenagers
find it exciting and fulfilling when they visit video arcades, discotheques, nightclubs and
other places of entertainment. Thus, they expose themselves tot he morally deficient
elements at this kind of places. Apart from picking up bad habits such as smoking,
drinking alcohol and other behaviors unsuitable for people of such a young age, these
teens also expose themselves to abuse and exploitation. Many young people have
admitted to being sexually abused this way by friends or strangers who spike their drinks
with drugs only to awake next morning in the bed of strangers.
Thus, though not all elements of westernization corrupt young people morally, the latter
seem more susceptible and even naive with regards to western influence in the arena of
entertainment, fashion and behavior. Many teenagers demand unfettered freedom without
realizing the consequences o their behavior which brings harm to them. In their desire to
be westernized, they accept those elements which provides pleasure but places them at
great risks.

03

Vitamins
Vitamins are also known as supplements. Nowadays, one can get many types of vitamins
as well as herbs in capsules or tablets from the pharmacies, clinics or even the
supermarket. There are basically two types of vitamins : natural and synthetic. The latter
is manufactured in laboratories whereas the former is extracted from natural sources.
Supplements have become very popular since the last few decades both in the East and
the West.
Although most physicians and specialists recommend the intake of vitamins only if the
person is suffering from certain deficiency in his or her diet, it has become almost a trend
for most people to consume vitamins on a regular basis. There is widespread belief that
vitamins promote good health, aids in weight loss and improve complexion among
others. There are others who believe that certain vitamins help prevent cancer and other
dangerous diseases.
The multibillionaire dollar vitamin industry is a rapidly expanding one as increasing
number of people including children and teenagers consume vitamins to enhance their
health and general well being. there is some truth tot he belief that vitamins form an
essential part of a person's diet. This mainly springs from the fact that most of our food
(except foods such as lettuce, fruits and juices) are cooked using heat and hence loses its
properties. Not may of us eat salads and raw vegetables such as carrots, cauliflowers,
32

broccoli and leafy vegetables. Hence, overcooking or even steaming these vegetables
which employs extreme heat results in us eating food which have lost its nutritional
content.
In addition, most of us also tend to eat more refined than complex carbohydrates. The
former is more popular such as polished rice, pasta, white bread and others which have
almost no nutritional benefits. polishing is a process that strips carbohydram of fiber and
other essential vitamins. Hence, vitamins provide these important elements that are
missing in our diet. Unlike in the west, Asians generally do not consume much fresh
vegetable or fruit juices and most of our drinks here are spiked with sugar. Many of us
also tend to drink copious amounts of soft drinks which can cause diabetes and other
health complications. young people too tend to avoid or reduce vegetables and fruits in
their diet, preferring junk food or fast food.
Hence, vitamins play a role in ensuring we maintain a balanced diet. supplements provide
the essential vitamins lacking in our meals due to our unhealthy eating habits.

04

Wetlands
Wetlands are areas of marsh or peat land with water that is static or flowing. They are
ecosystems whose formation and characteristics are determined by water. The major
types of wetlands in Asia are mangroves, freshwater swamp forests, peat swamp forests,
lakes and river systems.
Until recently, people thought that wetlands were soggy, useless land that would only be
valuable if they were drained and developed fro agriculture, housing or infrastructure
projects. Besides the direct physical destruction, wetlands are also threatened by chemical
contamination and other pollutants.
Wetlands prevent flooding by holding water like a large sponge. Water moves slowly and
this prevents flooding. Wetlands store water during storms when water levels are high.
Then, when water levels are low, wetlands release water. Wetland plants have roots
planted firmly in the muddy bottom, but with stalks that rise high above the water
surface. This can slow down the flow of water. By doing this, they counter the water's
erosive forces.
Wetlands clean the water by filtering out the sedimentation. Because of this, wetlands
have been referred to as the 'kidneys' of the ecosystem. Even harmful chemicals are
33

converted into useable forms in this cleansing process. Many government are now
converting lands into artificial wetlands to filter out pollution.
Wetlands are the habitats for a very large variety of plant and animal life. Wetlands
provide the breeding, nesting and feeding grounds for may endangered species. Even
animals that live in other habitats use wetlands for migration and reproduction. The plant
diversity of wetlands provide a breeding site for crabs, prawns and fish.
The many diverse products of wetlands generate numerous socio-economic benefits that
are important for the livelihood of local communities. Among the many products that are
obtained from wetlands are water supply for domestic us, fisheries, forage resources,
craft materials and medicinal plants.
Wetlands are also treasured for their aesthetic value. They are wonderful places to visit.
Their intrinsic natural beauty make them the favorite haunt of tourists, where
opportunities for activities like boating, fishing and bird-watching exist.
The many benefits of wetlands is reason enough for conserving them. Reclamation of
wetlands for development robs many types of flora and fauna of their habitats and
ultimately leads to their extinction. Conservation efforts must therefore be taken before
our natural wealth is lost through the selfish pursuits of man.
soggy

heavy with water

aesthetic

concerned with beauty

intrinsic

existing within

05

The benefits of exercise

As students, most of us lead sedentary lifestyles. We spend most of our time
inclaustrophobic classrooms and homes. With loads of homework, assignments and
exams, exercise seems to be a monotonous chore. The increasing demands made upon
us by our studies, exams and the high expectations of our parents and teachers leave us
with little time for pleasure and leisure. The need to exercise becomes a bitter pill to
swallow. Nonetheless, health experts prescribe exercise as a prerequisite for along,
healthy life -- a life free from diseases and ailments.
Physical exercise not only stimulates and develops muscles, it has a host of other
benefits. Regular exercise can prevent obesity. When we exercise, our bodies burn up all
the extra calories which would otherwise be converted into fat and lead to unwanted
bulges. Being overweight also carries with it a number of other health problems, so,
34

exercising not only keeps us trim, it also keeps away weight-related problems.
Exercise improves blood circulation which, in turn, provides constant nourishment to the
millions of cells in our body. When physical exertion takes place, the rate of breathing
increases. Thus, the capacity of blood to carry oxygen is increased. At the same time, it
helps the body to get rid of harmful carbon dioxide.
Vigorous exercise also eliminates modern-day stress. The number of people suffering
from insomnia is on the rise. The increasing pressure and nagging worries of work and
study often keep us awake at night. For many of us, the dawn of a new day brings no
cheer. Exercise can be instrumental in helping a person obtain a more relaxed sleep. A
tired person will be refreshed and high-spirited after a good night's sleep. A few hours of
exercise will help in getting sound sleep and is the perfect, soothing balm for a tired body
and a restless mind.
Increasing affluence has caused changes in our eating habits. we indulge in rich food,
high in calories and cholesterol. Medical evidence substantiates the fact that exercise can
significantly lower the levels of sugar and cholesterol in our bodies. In other words,
consistent physical activity can actually provide relief from ailments such as
hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.
There are many benefits to be gained from exercise. A person who exercises regularly has
good health and more vitality compared to someone who does not exercise.
sedentary
claustrophobic
monotonous chore

seated most of the time

enclosed
repetitive and boring task

06

A Scene During Recess

The school bell goes off to signal the start of the twenty-minute recess period. All the
pupils get up from their seats, and with the permission of the teacher make their way to
the school canteen.
The school canteen has many stalls offering a variety of foods. One can choose Malay,
Chinese, Indian or even Western food. The stall holders are friendly folk and the food is
inexpensive.
I quickly walk to the school canteen and head for my favorite nasi lemak stall. The stall is

35

run by an elderly Malay woman whom we affectionately call Mak Haji. She is assisted by
her son and daughter. Mak Haji also sells fried chicken, fried prawns, fried fish and
anchovies, hard-boiled eggs and baked potatoes to go with her delicious nasi lemak.
After buying my meal, I walk over to the drinks stall and buy a tall glass of mixed fruits
juice. The drinks stall belongs to Mr. Chan, a thin Chinese in his mid-thirties. He runs the
shop alone but he is a very fast worker. His hands seem to move at lightening speed as he
serves his customers.
Then, I scan the dining area for an empty seat and having found one, I rush to be seated. I
finish the sumptuous meal in a matter of minutes and gulp down the refreshing juice.
Having thus filled my stomach, I rise with the empty plate and glass in my hands. There
are others waiting to have their meal and I have to make space for them.
All too soon, the school bell rings again to mark the end of recess time. All the pupils
head back tot he classroom for the continuation of the day's lessons.
07

A happy day at school

It was a most trying period. Things at home were getting from bad to worse. Dad's
alcoholism had become worse, especially after his retrenchment. Mum was always
temperamental as she could not make ends meet with her meager income as a factory
operator. I had been an above-average student, but now I was doing poorly in school.
I dreaded coming home after school. Dad would come home late and shout abuse at
Mum. When he fell asleep, I would often hear Mum's stifled sobs. I could do nothing to
ease the situation at home and this realization caused me a great deal of anguish and
frustration.
It was at this point that Mrs Justin entered my life. A soft-spoken woman in her late
forties, she was my class teacher. an alert woman, she was quick to notice the change that
had come over me. One day, during recess, I was standing alone in one corner of the
canteen when Mrs Justin spotted me. She gestured for me to follow her. We headed for
the library where she beckoned me to take a seat next to her. I sat with my head bent.
'Helen,' she called. I lifted my head and looked at her. I saw the warmth, the love and the
compassion in her lovely eyes. Tears welled up in my eyes and I tried my best to hold
them back. However, I could not. They started flowing down my cheeks. She held my
hands and waited. when I had finished, she asked me if I wanted to confide in her and tell
her my problem. I told her. she listened intently with the patience of a saint. At the end of
my story, she gave me a lesson on life and its ups and downs. As I heard her talk, my
admiration for this woman grew. My perception changed. before this meeting, I had felt I
was a nonentity. However, as the meeting progressed, If felt different. I knew Mrs Justin

36

cared for me.

In the days that followed, Mrs Justin made it a point to discuss my work at school with
me. For the first time in that year, I felt I was worthy of being loved. Things at home
remained quite the same but there was a profound change in me. The end-of-year
examination approached. Two weeks after the exam. Mrs Justin announced to the class
that I was the top student in the class. As I looked at her, I felt a sudden surge of
happiness. It was one of the happiest days I had in school for a very long time.
trying
meager income
nonentity

difficult
small earnings, low salary
a person who is not important

08

Write a story ending with 'I promised my parents that I would turn over a
new leaf.'
I could feel the excitement rising in me as I held the beautifully wrapped present in my
hands. I fumbled with the string and then, unable to contain my curiosity nay longer, I
ripped it open. It was a sleek, brand new laptop. I had scored straight As for my O level
examination and this was my reward. I had always envied my friends who were
exchanging news about 'chat rooms', 'instant messaging' and e-mailing', all of which I
knew nothing about. Now I was going to find out.
It started out simply enough. I was searching for some information online when
Istumbled upon a social networking site. Soon I became glued to my new-found
electronic friend. I began to spend more and more time on YouTube and became enslaved
by Facebook and Twitter. I had never imagined that the day would come when I would be
transfixed by the glowing screen before me. Whenever I was not glued to these social
networking sites, I would be going through gossip or fashion websites.
As time passed, I realized that I was hooked on the Internet. During weekends, when I
had more time on my hands, I could easily spend a few hours on my laptop. It came to a
point where I chose to lock myself in my room, refusing to come out and take part in
family discussions. I preferred to stay connected to the people I befriended in cyberspace
although I had never met them. Soon I was spending the wee hours of the morning glued
to the Internet. sleep was relegated to scattered naps and my grades at school also began
deteriorating.
It was about this time that my parents started voicing their disapproval. It became

37

obvious to them that I was spending too much time on the Internet. I was asked to tone
down my usage of the Internet. Yet, however hard I tried. I was unable to pull myself
away, unable to terminate my chat sessions and unable to concentrate on my lessons. I
was desperate for just another click, just another look at my e-mail or message board.
Then one day, my father took away my laptop. I sputtered and fumed but to no avail. Dad
had made up his mind. Over time, I realized that Dad and Mum had always wanted the
best for me. that was when I decided to take the big step -- to conquer my internet
addiction. Quitting was harder than I expected. But with doggeddetermination I knew
that I would be able to do it. I promised my parents that I wouldturn over a new leaf.
stumbled upon
dogged
turn over a new leaf

discovered
stubborn
stop a bad habit

09

A narrow escape
There was a huge three-acre pond just a few kilometers from where we stayed. Since
moving into our new home in the countryside, my brother, Jim and I used to often sneak
out to the pond where we would meet another friend. Dad had warned us not to venture
anywhere near the pond area, especially after a friend informed him that an alligator had
been spotted there. We took no heed of his advice though. This was our
favorite hideout and we were certainly not going to give it up.
On this particular afternoon, the three of us had just finished swimming. Jim and Syed
were reluctantly making their way towards the spot where they had left their clothes. I
stayed back and was bathing in the waist-deep water when I suddenly became aware of
ripples forming in the surface of the water. I cocked my head and looked at the ripples.
My eyes caught a motion in the water. A log, I thought. Then I saw it -- its snout and its
two reptilian eyes. 'Jim ..." I whimpered. Then I screamed with all my might.
Jim turned his head in my direction and immediately recognized the danger. 'Get out of
the water, Jeff. Hurry ! It's just behind you.'
I waded clumsily in the water. After a few stumbles and fumbles, I reached the edge of
the pond. I looked over my shoulder. Moving swiftly towards me was an enormous
alligator. I froze. Then suddenly I felt a searing pain in my leg. Meanwhile, Jim and Syed
screamed and started throwing stones at the alligator and managed to distract it. The
alligator went for them now. As it opened its jaws, I could see its jagged teeth. I tried to
move but a stabbing pain shot through me. I slumped onto the ground,sprawled in a pool

38

of blood.
Meanwhile our screams were heard by two hunters who were in the vicinity. On seeing
the alligator, one of them fired a shot in the air. It had the desired effect. The alligator
stopped in his tracks, retreated a few steps and slithered hurriedly into the water. Then, I
passed out.
When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a totally unfamiliar environment. The
smell of antiseptic told me that I was in the hospital. I later learnt from my mother that I
was rushed to the casualty ward. I was treated for puncture wounds on my right ankle and
a long gash which required fifty-six stitches. Mum reminded me how fortunate I was to
have escaped from the jaws of the alligator. It was a narrow escape.
hideout

a place for hiding

searing

sharp

sprawled

lying with arms and legs spread out

10

A flash flood
Describe how bad weather conditions affected the people living in your area.
It was the worst rainy weather I had seen. The skies remained overcast as sheets of rain
poured down without stopping. In the evenings, the rain was usually accompanied by
blinding flashes of lightning and deafening peals of thunder. Most of the residents in my
area remained confined indoors. Apart from people scurrying to and from work and
school, there was little outdoor activity.
The town where I live, Kuantan, faces the Pahang River. After three days
ofincessant rain, the swollen river burst its banks and unleashed its fury on the residents.
Many of the residents ere caught off-guard. As the floodwaters rose, many of the
residents were forced to flee their homes.
Although our area was a flood-prone area, many were caught by surprise as this was not
the monsoon season. Every year, the north-east monsoon would bring heavy rains to the
east coast at the end of each year. However, the sudden floods in the middle of the year
caused jitters among the residents.
Houses were inundated. The heavy downpour also triggered landslides, causing further
damage to houses. The heavy rain caused traffic woes as many vehicles were stalled.

39

Some motorists were seen pushing their stalled vehicles while others were stranded.
When the rain did not abate after two consecutive days, people began to be evacuated to
higher ground. Many took shelter in a secondary school nearby which was turned into a
temporary relief center. Most of the residents did not have time to salvage their
belongings. Several residents from nearby villages were marooned in the area after road
links were cut off by the floodwaters.
Various authorities were deployed to help evacuate and supply food to the flood victims.
Strong winds aggravated the situation as several trees were uprooted. Roofs of houses
were ripped off and went hurtling away n the fierce winds.
After a week of continuous downpour, the rain finally showed signs of abating. The
overcast skies finally cleared. The faint glow of the sun's rays brought cheer and relief to
the people affected by the floods. People started to return to their homes. After a week of
uncertainty and chaos, life returned to normal.
incessant

continuous

inundated

flooded

marooned

become isolated

11
As we walked back to the longhouse, Chabok, who was in front of me, suddenly stopped
on the track and raised his blowpipe, quickly inserting a dart into the mouthpiece and
packing the end with a small twist of raw cotton. To one side and above him, about
twelve meters away, a squirrel was scampering on a branch. I wanted to see Chabok bring
it down with a dart but at the same time I had an almost uncontrollable urge to cry out
and frighten the animal away. It seemed such a small squirrel. Chabok aimed his
blowpipe, and I felt myself holding my breath until he shot. 'Thip!' went the dart as it left
the end of the tube, and I didn't see it go. The squirrel stayed on the branch unmoved, and
I was sure that he had missed and called to him, "You've missed it! You've missed!" and
he began to run forward shouting, "I haven't, Master! I haven't! I haven't!" And as he ran,
the squirrel toppled over like a rag doll and hit the ground with a soft thud. It was still
alive when Chabok picked it up - he poisoned splinter sticking right through its neck - but
it was quite paralyzed and unable to move. It died some minutes later. On the way back to
the longhouse Chabok sang happily for the first time since leaving the River Yai and in
the evening, everyone had a small piece of squirrel meat. My own piece, no more than a
mouthful, tasted like stringy rabbit.
The Temiar blowpipe is normally some two meters long and made from one single length
of bamboo. It has a slender inner tube inside the outer covering so that one length warps
against the other and it always remains true. From it they shoot a small dart, a splinter of
40

wood some twenty or twenty-five centimeters in length; a pith cone at one end, the other
sharpened end tipped with poison. Most aborigines are extremely accurate with a
blowpipe up to a range of nine to ten meters, though for some reason they are more
accurate if the target is moving vertically than if it moves horizontally. Several times I
have put a cigarette on end in a tree and watched it be pinned to the bark by a blowpipe
dart but a cigarette placed parallel to the ground is missed seven times out of ten.
The poison with which the darts are smeared is a mixture of poisonous saps from jungle
trees and creepers. The sap is tapped from the trees and creepers with knives and is
collected in small bamboo cups. This is then stirred together and boiled. The darts are
dipped in the boiled mixture and allowed to dry in the sun. Any surplus is left to cool and
solidify and it can then be stored away for a considerable period - allegedly as long as
two years. When next needed, it is soaked in fresh water and reboiled; but for some
reason the water must be fresh and water which has been standing for several days in a
bamboo container cannot be used. The strength of the poison can be varied according to
the strength of the mixture. Usually the tips of the darts are one of three colors. The red procured from a fully-grown poisonous tree in its prime - is the strongest and once in the
bloodstream, is fatal after about six or seven minutes. The black - which is from an old
poisonous tree - is effective after half an hour, and the white - from a young sapling tree does not take effect until after a lapse of an hour or more.
Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1. Who do you think Chabok probably was?
2. Why was the writer torn between wanting to see Chabok shoot the squirrel with his
blowpipe and wanting to frighten it away?
3. Why was Chabok singing happily all the way back to the longhouse?
4. What does a Temiar blowpipe look like?
5. What conclusion did the writer draw from his observation that a cigarette placed
parallel to the ground is missed seven times out of ten?
6. What was the tip of colour of the dart used by Chabok to kill the squirrel?
7. According to the passage, how do the aborigines make poisonous darts?
Fill in the blanks with one correct word from the passage.
8. The doctors removed a ______ of glass from the eye of the accident victim.
9. The hunter aimed accurately at the ______ before firing his shotgun.

41

10. "The accused was ______ seen behaving suspiciously near the vicinity of the
deceased house," the prosecutor argued.

Summary
01
Summarize in not more than 120 words, how camouflaging and mimicry help

insects
Have you ever wondered why soldiers are always clad in green? This is to enable them
to camouflage themselves during wartime. Hiding in the jungles, their green attire blend
into the surrounding trees and shrubs, making it difficult for the enemies to spot them.
Long before man make use of camouflaging, insects have already adopted the tactic of
disguise to escape from the clutches of their predators. By having body colors close to
those of the rocks and dried leaves, they catch less attention from the predators and hence
escape from being pursued. However, this kind of disguise works only if the insects
remain still in the presence of their predators.
Butterflies and moths have developed a variety of camouflage strategies since they are
quite defenceless and their predators - birds are abundant in supply. Many moth
caterpillars resemble dead twigs while the young of certain species of butterflies appear
like bird droppings. Adult butterflies and moths camouflage themselves too, in attempts
to escape from their hunters -- birds who are superior gliders. Possessing wings which
resemble dried leaves help certain butterflies and moths to hide among heaps of dried
leaves when predators are around.
Fortunately, not all insects choose the art of disguise to escape from their predators;
otherwise, the world would be so dull and colorless. There are insects
whichassimilate the bright body colors of bees and wasps to escape from being pursued
by their predators. The concept of mimicry was derived, owing to the bees and wasps.
Long ago, birds have already learnt to avoid brilliantly colored wasps and bees in fear of
their painful stings. Hence, over millions of years, many harmless insects have
assimilated the bees and wasps by imitating their bright body colors and shapes. In this
way, they appear dangerous to their predators and hence ward them off.
Mimics of the wasps and bees are most commonly found in the gardens. The furry, plump
bee-fly not only appears like the bumble bee in terms of body colors, even its hums sound
similar too. The only difference is that the bee-fly does not have a sting and is hence
harmless. The hoverfly is another insect which imitates the body colors of the wasps.
Their bodies are striped yellow and black. The only deviations are that hoverflies do not

42

have stings and they have only one pair of wings each while wasps have two pairs each.
These variations are hardly noticed by the predators and hence help them to escape.
1.
Answer
Camouflaging and mimicry have helped defenceless insects escape from their predators.
Camouflaging requires insects to have body colors close to the surroundings so as to
appear less eye-catching to predators. The moth caterpillars look like dead twigs while
certain butterfly caterpillars resemble bird droppings. Some butterflies and moths have
wings that resemble dried leaves. Mimicry requires harmless insects to adopt the body
colors and shapes of the wasps and bees so as to fool their predators into thinking that
they are dangerous. Predators usually avoid them, thinking they have stings too. The beefly and hoverfly assimilate the body colors of the bumble bee and wasps respectively and
the bee-fly even hums like the bumble bee. ( 118 words )
camouflage

assimilate
ward off

the use of leaves, branches, paints and clothes for hiding

soldiers or military equipment so that they look part of their
surroundings
to become similar to
to prevent something unpleasant from harming or
approaching you

02
Summarize in not more than 120 words, the purpose of snakes' bite, the

venom's fatality and also the remedy for such bites.

All snakes are hunters and predators, feeding on the animals and sometimes their eggs.
Having no limbs, snakes cannot hold their preys down to bite; hence they usually
swallow them whole. Poisonous snakes sometimes do immobilize their preys with their
venom to make consumption easier.
Most poisonous snakes are conspicuously colored to warn others off. One example is the
redheaded krait which has a bluish-black body and scarlet head and tail. Snakes like the
cobras, which have less outstanding body colors, display their fatality by lifting the front
part of their body and spreading their hoods.
It is truly a myth that poisonous snakes attack humans for food. Humans can never be
their targets for food as we are normally too large for them to swallow. in cases where
snakes do bite, these attacks are usually defensive ones and the venom injected is
43

normally little or sometimes even none. The full, fatal dose of the venom is only released
on smaller animals which the snakes can swallow easily. Besides helping in the killing
and immobilizing of their preys, the poison also acts as digestive agents for snakes.
Why then is the venom so deadly ? In general, there are three kinds of poisons in the
venom, though in varying amounts, depending on the type of snake in question. Venoms
usually contain substances that weaken the blood corpuscles and the lining of the blood
vessels. Profuse bleeding, often a common result of snake-bites, is caused by the
anticoagulants present in the poison which prevents blood clotting. The paralysis of the
heart and respiratory muscles is performed by the nervous system attacking toxins.
Though these bites are deadly, certain actions can be taken to slow down the spread of the
venom, hence saving the victim's life. Attempting to incise and suck at the spot of the bite
is more likely to be harmful than a cure. The poisonous venom usually travels fast into
the body upon being released; hence sucking at the mouth of the wound will not help
remove the poison, rather, incising the bite may lead the victim to great pain and further
profuse bleeding. Instead, a broad, firm crepe bandage should be applied over the would
and up the full limb to compress the tissues and prevent the spread of the venom. After
which, the victim must be duly sent to the hospital for professional treatment.
2
Answer
Snakes attack larger animals like us when they are disturbed. These bites are not fatal as
little or none of the venom is released. The full, deadly dose of poison is used to kill
smaller animals for food. Snake venoms contain three types of poisons, usually varying
in amounts There are substances that weaken the blood cells and walls of blood vessels;
anticoagulants to prevent blood clotting, which results in profuse bleeding and toxins to
paralyze the heart and respiratory muscles. When bitten by a snake, one should apply a
broad bandage over the wound and up the limb to help compress the tissues and prevent
the spread of the venom before sending the victim the hospital. ( 114 words )
immobilize

not able to move

incise

to cut the surface of something carefully with a sharp tool

crepe

a thin cloth with a wrinkled surface

03

44

Summarize in not more than 120 words, describing how one can organize and

start a barbecue.
Have you ever been to a barbecue? Many of us enjoy roasting meat over the fire but no
one ever wonder who first started the idea of cooking meat in a fire. Perhaps, it is just in
the human psyche that we sometimes feel the need to return to the primitive times,
probably to relieve us of our urbanized life. That is why many people, regardless of age,
love to hold barbecue gatherings. The idea of gathering round a fire and roast some meat
just sounds fun. The meat may sometimes be half-cooked or not cooked at all (sounds
horrible) but the joy of primitive cooking is there.
The first step towards the preparation for a barbecue is to rent a barbecue pit which
usually comes with the barest essentials. After all, we are supposed to return to the early
time frame. Of course, during peak seasons like the school holidays, when the pits are
fully booked, you may try digging one at the back of your garden. Next, get ready the
wire netting, otherwise, you will find yourself roasting the meat on the hot charcoal.
Skewers which are important for holding the meat pieces; utensils for picking up the food
like forks and spoons, paper plates and cups must not be left out.
Next comes the preparation of the most important part of the barbecue - the food. In fact,
any kind of meat will be suitable. If meat pieces are bought, like chicken, beef or mutton,
slice them into thin pieces before piercing in the skewers. Chicken wings are the best.
Simply stretch the wings apart and push in the skewers. Following which, the meat is to
be soaked in a mixture of spices for marination, giving them some flavor. An easier and
faster way out would be to brush 'Maggie' barbecue sauce over them. Remember to order
a few hundred sticks of satay too. A barbecue without satay will not be a barbecue.
When everything is ready, start the fire with charcoal, one hour before the start of the
feast. Once the fire is started, let it all burn till glowing embers are left. Then place the
sticks of meat over the wire netting and there you are, the barbecue has begun. Do not
worry about overcooking the meat. After all, the real joy behind the barbecue lies in the
cooking not eating of the food. Just a piece of advice to beginners: Bring along some
indigestion medicine.
swer
Firstly, rent a barbecue pit. Bring a wire netting to hold the food over the fire, skewers to
hold the meat pieces, utensils for picking up the food, paper plates and cups. Any type of
meat will be suitable for the barbecue but chicken wings are the best. Simply pierce the
skewers through the thin slices of meat or chicken wings. Next, marinatethe meat either
by soaking them in a spice mixture or coating them with 'Maggie' barbecue sauce. Order
some satay too. Once the preparations are done, start the fire, one hour before the feast.
Let the fire burn till glowing coals remain before starting to roast the meat. Beginners
may need to bring along some indigestion medicine. ( 120 words )

45

psyche
satay

marinate

spirit
A dish of southeast Asia consisting of strips of marinated
meat, poultry, or seafood grilled on skewers and dipped in
peanut sauce
To soak meat, fish or vegetables in spiced vinegar, wine, or
salt water

04
Summarize in not more than 120 words, the advantages and disadvantages of

advertisements.
We are bombarded by many advertisements every day. Vendors try all means and ways to
gain our attention and sell us their products or services. Advertisements appear
everywhere; on television programs, radios, in the papers, magazines, pamphlets and so
on.
Advertisements are actually very useful though we sometimes feel annoyed when they
interrupt our favorite television programs. They provide us with free information on the
products and services. There are two types of advertisements. The informative
advertisements are the ones which provide us with the details of the products or services.
This information is especially useful if the product or service is new. For instance, when
we need to buy a computer, advertisements describing the latest models and their
different functions would be extremely helpful. However, only a minority of the
advertisements are informative ones. Many of them belong to the second category -the persuasive kind. These advertisements not only tell us more about the products, at the
same time, they persuade customers to buy them by claiming that their products are
superior to the rivalry ones. These claims may sometimes be untrue.
Besides being informative and persuasive, advertisements also help to subsidize the
prices of magazines and newspapers. Our newspapers are sold at a low price of about one
dollar, owing to the advertisements in the papers; otherwise, the price would have been
higher.
While advertisements can be good helpers for shopping, they do have their shortcomings.
Most advertisements aim to sell only. Faults of the products or services are usually
hidden from the consumers. Hence, sometimes, we feel deceived if the product or service
we bought does not turn out the way the advertisements claim to be.
Sometimes, advertisements by rival competitors can get very intensive, especially when
there are many firms producing similar products. One common example is the washing
powder. There are so many advertisements for the different brands that customers
46

sometimes get confused over what they should buy. Furthermore, having more
advertisements would mean that the production cost of the firm would be increased.
These rises in cost are usually passed on to the consumers in the form of higher prices.
Hence, in conclusion, though I do advocate advertisements, I do not deny their flaws.
Without them, we might have to buy things based on incomplete information or go
through more complicated ways before getting to know the products or services. On the
other hand, too many advertisements also complicate our buying decisions. So I would
say that we cannot live without advertisements but we must be careful how we live with
them.
Answer
There are two types of advertisements. Informative advertisements provide consumers
information about the products or services. They are especially useful when we are
purchasing new products. The second kind is the persuasive ones which provide us with
products information and also persuade us to buy them by claiming the superiority of
their products. Advertisements also benefit readers of newspapers and magazines by
helping to subsidize the prices. One disadvantage of advertisements is that they
sometimes aim to sell only and cover up the flaws of the advertised products. Consumer
may sometimes get confused over buying decisions when too many advertisements are
advertise. Advertising also raises the production costs which in turn increases the prices
of the products too. ( 120words )
persuasive

to make someone do or believe something by giving them a

good reason to do it

rivalry

competing with others for the same thing

advocate

to publicly support or suggesting an idea

05
Summarize the following article about bacteria in not more than 120 words.
Bacteria are the smallest living things with a cellular structure; each individual bacterium
consisting of one single colorless cell, which is usually either spherical or rod-shaped.
Individual bacteria measure from 0.0001 inches to 0.00001 inches in length, so they can
be seen only with the help of a high-power microscope. They are so small that they can
float in the atmosphere, usually as 'passengers' on dust particles, up to a height of several
thousand feet, except immediately after a heavy downpour, when the air is washed clean.

47

Bacteria are present in all natural as well as in drinking water that has not been purified
or bailed. A large number of bacteria live in the soil, down to a depth of several feet, and
they are particularly abundant in faeces and sewage. Thus, living bacteria are always
present on the surface of our bodies and on everything around us, but they are seldom
found inside the tissues of healthy plants and animals.
Since most kinds of bacteria contain no chlorophyll, they cannot use light energy and
Synthesize their food. They have to get their food in other ways, mostly ready-made by
other living things. Like plants, it can only take in dissolved food. A majority get their
supply from dead remains of other organisms.
Bacteria reproduce by dividing into two, and these new individuals grow so quickly that
they are ready to divide again in about half an hour. Hence, in ten hours, under the most
favorable conditions, a single bacterium can produce over a million bacteria. That is one
reason for it being so difficult to ensure any object is completely free from any kind of
living organisms. In addition, some forms of bacteria have a waxy envelope outside their
cell wall and are thus more difficult to kill.
Few bacteria can long survive a temperature above 80C in the presence of moisture.
Hence, when food items are boiled, nearly all the bacteria present is killed. Pasteurization
is a milder heat treatment that destroys the bacteria in milk.
The rate of multiplication of bacteria is greatly slowed down at temperatures below 10C.
This means that food will remain unaffected by bacteria in a refrigerator.
Drying is also another method of preserving food and this dehydration of foodstuff
prevents bacteria from growing and multiplying as there is insufficient moisture.

06
Summarize the following article about bacteria in not more than 120 words.
Bacteria are the smallest living things with a cellular structure; each individual bacterium
consisting of one single colorless cell, which is usually either spherical or rod-shaped.
Individual bacteria measure from 0.0001 inches to 0.00001 inches in length, so they can
be seen only with the help of a high-power microscope. They are so small that they can
float in the atmosphere, usually as 'passengers' on dust particles, up to a height of several
thousand feet, except immediately after a heavy downpour, when the air is washed clean.
Bacteria are present in all natural as well as in drinking water that has not been purified
or bailed. A large number of bacteria live in the soil, down to a depth of several feet, and
they are particularly abundant in faeces and sewage. Thus, living bacteria are always
present on the surface of our bodies and on everything around us, but they are seldom

48

found inside the tissues of healthy plants and animals.

Since most kinds of bacteria contain no chlorophyll, they cannot use light energy and
Synthesize their food. They have to get their food in other ways, mostly ready-made by
other living things. Like plants, it can only take in dissolved food. A majority get their
supply from dead remains of other organisms.
Bacteria reproduce by dividing into two, and these new individuals grow so quickly that
they are ready to divide again in about half an hour. Hence, in ten hours, under the most
favorable conditions, a single bacterium can produce over a million bacteria. That is one
reason for it being so difficult to ensure any object is completely free from any kind of
living organisms. In addition, some forms of bacteria have a waxy envelope outside their
cell wall and are thus more difficult to kill.
Few bacteria can long survive a temperature above 80C in the presence of moisture.
Hence, when food items are boiled, nearly all the bacteria present is killed. Pasteurization
is a milder heat treatment that destroys the bacteria in milk.
The rate of multiplication of bacteria is greatly slowed down at temperatures below 10C.
This means that food will remain unaffected by bacteria in a refrigerator.
Drying is also another method of preserving food and this dehydration of foodstuff
prevents bacteria from growing and multiplying as there is insufficient moisture.
Answer
Bacteria are tiny colorless cell that cannot be seen with the naked eye. They are found
everywhere in the atmosphere, in our water as well as in the soil. However, they are
seldom found inside the tissues of plants and animals. They are unable to produce their
own food and so they rely on other living things. Their reproduction process is through
division of cells and this hap- pens very quickly, making it difficult to kill them.
However, most bacteria are unable to survive a high temperature in water. The
reproduction process is also slowed down when it is extremely cold. Dehydration of
foodstuffs will also stop the multiplication process as there is insufficient moisture for the
bacteria to grow. ( 119 words )
downpour

A heavy fall of rain

abundant

plentiful

moisture

slight wetness

07

49

Summarize the passage about the benefits of e-mail and its usage in about 100 words.
Electronic mail (e-mail) threatens to pervade every one's life -- whether you are living in
the western world or in a third-world country. A look at today's business cards verifies
this fact. Virtually every business card nowadays sports an e-mail address. Businesses
prefer to communicate by e-mail, as it is easier, quicker and cheaper. Furthermore, the
message goes direct from the desk of the sender to the desk of the recipient.
All that is needed to be an e-mail user is a PC, a modem, an Internet account and of
course, a phone line. Ever since the Internet has been commercialized, Internet Service
Providers (ISPs) have sprung up in almost all the countries in the world. Subscribers
only need to pay a small yearly subscription fee to an ISP. What makes e-mail extremely
popular is the negligible cost. Compared to faxes, e-mails are extremely cost effective.
Sending an e-mail to the United States or Germany costs no more than sending it to your
neighbor across the street.
It is also very easy to send an e-mail. When the message has been written, all one has to
do is to click on the 'send' button on the screen. The mail gets transferred from the PC to
the ISP, and is then automatically sent to the recipient. The sender does not have to worry
about a busy line at the other end (as compared to sending a fax). The e-mail software can
also be configured for the sender to receive a confirmation e-mail when the e-mail has
been delivered and downloaded by the recipient. If the e-mail cannot be delivered, it is
returned to the sender with a reason given.
One of the most important reasons supporting the use of e-mail is that it is eco-friendly ,
No papers are used which means no chopping down of trees! Another advantage of using
the e-mail is that it is very fast. For example, an e-mail from Asia to the United States
would normally arrive in less than two minutes and within the same country, in less than
a minute. This means that e-mails and attached documents, spreadsheets and database
files can be routed to friends, family members or colleagues all over the world several
times in a day.
Similar to roaming facilities offered on the mobile phone, ISPs offer global roaming for
Internet access. A person can dial a local access number in the foreign country (at a small
surcharge) and download and upload his e-mails the same way as he does at home, in
school or in the office. All that one has to do is to get access to a computer. In short, this
means that you can send and receive your mails anywhere and anytime -- e-mails are
mobile!
These days, e-mail software provides advanced facilities allowing one to save incoming
and outgoing e-mails onto different diskettes. Along with search facilities, this acts as a
repository for future reference. This feature is very handy, especially when one is
traveling, as a person can now literally carry all his incoming and outgoing
communication with him all over the world.

50

In conclusion, using the e-mail is very advantageous and it has become a necessary tool
in all businesses.
Answer
Sending e-mails is easier, quicker and cheaper than sending normal mails. You need a
computer, a modem, an internet account and a telephone line. The message goes directly
from the sender to the recipient at negligible cost. Since e-mails move quickly, they can
be exchanged all over the world several times a day. Besides that e-mails are ecofriendly. E-mails can also be sent from anywhere in the world as long as there is access to
a computer and telephone line. All mails can also be saved onto diskettes and carried
along wherever a person goes. (96 words)
pervade
spring up

spread through every part

start to exist suddenly

08
Summarize this article about Man and his destruction of wildlife habitat in not
more than 120 words
Man is forever changing the face of nature. He has been doing so since he first appeared
on the earth. Yet, all that man has done is not always to the ultimate advantage of the
earth or himself. Man has, in fact, destroyed more than necessary.
In his struggle to live and extract the most out of life, man has destroyed many species of
wildlife; directly by sheer physical destruction, and indirectly by the destruction or
alteration of habitats. Some species may be able to withstand disruptions to their habitat
while others may not be able to cope.
Take the simple act of farming. When a farmer tills a rough ground, he makes it
unsuitable for the survival of certain species. Every change in land use brings about a
change in the types of plant and animals found on that land.
When man builds a new town, this means the total destruction of vast areas of farmland
or woodland. Here, you have the complete destruction of entire habitats and it is
inevitable.
It follows therefore, that every form of human activity unavoidably upsets or changes the
wildlife complex of the area. Man has destroyed many forms of wildlife for no
reasonable purpose. They have also made many great blunders in land use, habitat
destruction and the extermination of many forms of wildlife.

51

Man's attitude towards animals depends on the degree to which his own survival is
affected. He sets aside protection for animals that he hunts for sport and wages a war on
any other creature that may pose a danger or inconvenience to him. This creates many
problems and man has made irreversible, serious errors in his destruction of predators. He
has destroyed animals and birds which are useful to farmers as pest controllers. The
tragedy that emerges is that all the killing of predators did not in any way increase the
number of game birds.
Broadly speaking, man wages war against the creatures which he considers harmful, even
when his warfare makes little or no difference to the numbers of those he encourages.
There is a delicate predator and prey equilibrium involving also the vegetation of any
area, which man can upset by thoughtless intervention.
Therefore, there is a need for the implementation of checks and balances. The continued
existence of these animals depends entirely on man and his attitude towards his own
future.
Answer
Man, in his pursuit of development has done more harm than good. By destroying the
habitat of wildlife directly or indirectly, many species of wildlife are lost forever. Certain
species are able to withstand the changes to the land while others simply vanish. Every
form of human activity will affect the habitat of the wildlife. The only preservation done
by man is for animals that they consider useful to man. Their predators are systematically
destroyed. Yet this has in no way increased the number of the protected animals. By
intervening, Man has created an imbalance in the cycle. Therefore, there is a need to keep
a balance between development and preservation because man's future depends very
much on this equilibrium. ( 120 words )
till
equilibrium
checks and balances

to prepare and use land for growing crops

A stable state characterized by the cancellation of all forces
by equal opposing forces
System whereby each branch of an organization can limit the
powers of the other branches

09
Write a summary on how to manage your finances
When you're away from home, your parents expect you to be responsible for yourself and
this includes taking care of your own finances. To manage your money sensibly, you need
a plan to work with.

52

Write down your allowance and expenses for the month. What you are doing is actually
budgeting your income. Make sure that you set aside a small amount for your savings.
One way of cutting cost is eating in. It is cheaper than eating out. Moreover, by cooking
your own meals, you have greater control over what you eat. Besides that, if you know of
friends who live in the same area as you, you might want to consider driving to college
together. This saves on petrol and parking. In addition, when you shop for household
items, compare prices from one shop to another before making your purchase. If you can,
wait for sales when you can get better discounts. However, sales where prices are marked
down incredibly can sometimes tempt you to buy things which you don't really need.
Therefore, be careful and don't give in to temptation.
Your summary must :
* not be more than 60 words, including the 10 words given below
* be in continuous writing ( not note form )
* be written in one paragraph
Use your own words as far as possible without changing its original meaning.
Begin your summary as follows :
To manage your money sensibly, you must first start with ...
Answer
To manage your money sensibly, you must first start with a plan. Write out your budget
and put aside a set amount for savings. You can save money by eating in and carpooling.
Besides that, before buying household items, compare prices first. If possible, wait for
sales but do not be tempted to buy what you do not need. ( 59 words )

10
Read the passage below and answer the question that follows.
Press hard. Press fast. Don't stop
Without warning, a family member or their friend collapses, twitches and gasps a few
times, then lies deathly still. What do you do ?
After calling for help -- exactly the right first move -- most people do nothing during the
agonizing wait for an ambulance to arrive. Starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation, even
if you've never taken a CPR class, can make the difference between life and death.
Here's all you need to know. Put your hands on the middle of the person's chest, push

53

hard, and relax. Repeat the push-relax cycle twice a second. Don't stop.
"A bystander who witness someone collapse and who is ready, willing and able to act
doubles or triples that person's chances of surviving," says Mary Fran Hazinski, lead
author of streamlined CPR guidelines from the American Heart Association.
The guidelines represent a back to basics approach aimed at making CPR less
intimidating and more effective. Previous guidelines were so detailed that performing
CPR not only seemed like a daunting task but was tough to do properly. A rescuer was
supposed to check he airway, give two breaths for every 15 chest pushes and look for a
pulse or heart beat every so often, all while pressing on the chest 100 times a minutes.
Influential studies have shown that even trained professionals were spending too little
time doing what mattered -- compressing the chest to move blood around the body.
The updated guidelines underscore the importance of maintaining a steady flow of blood
through the heart, brain and other vital organs by emphasizing chest compressions over
everything else. They call for two breaths every 30 compressions and, in some cases, no
breaths at all.
Keep in mind that the guidelines are meant to cover virtually all emergency situations,
from drowning and drug overdose to cardiac arrest, for children and adults. One goal was
to set up of recommendations for CPR so that professional and lay rescuers wouldn't need
to learn different strategies for different situations.
In reality, though, what is needed for someone whose heart suddenly stops beating (a
cardiac arrest) is different from what's needed for someone whose heart isn't beating due
to drowning.
Every day, thousands of people have a sudden cardiac arrest. Their hearts start beating so
wildly that they can no longer pump blood. Most such events happen at home. Only
about 5% of people now survive a cardiac arrest. Wider use of CPR and faster access to
heart-shocking defibrillators could increase survival rates to 50% or more.
Sudden cardiac arrest sometimes strikes people with seemingly healthy hearts. Other
times it is triggered by the painful slower-developing kind of heart attack caused by a
blocked coronary artery. Either way, it occurs when the heart's powerful lower chambers,
the ventricles veer away from a normal, steady rhythm and start beating very fast or fast
and chaotically.
Surviving a cardiac arrest depends on what has been called the chain of survival. Quick
action is vital.
Call the ambulance. This essential first step summons experienced health care
professionals and their equipment. The dispatcher on the other end of the line can help

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you do what needs to be done.

Start CPR. For a sudden cardiac arrest, the most important part of CPR is pressing on the
chest; breathing is secondary. If you start immediately after someone collapses, you can
give up to 50 or 100 compressions between breaths. Each time you stop to deliver a
breath, get back to doing compressions as fast as you can. If there are two of you doing
CPR, have the larger or stronger one do the chest compressions and the other do the
breathing. Switch when the person doing the compressions starts to tire out.
Restart the heart. CPR by itself wont' transform a lethal heart rhythm into a regular tick,
tick, tick of a healthy heart. That takes a shock from a defibrillator.
Advanced life support. The fourth link involves medications and other techniques such as
cooling the body and brain that can improve survival from a sudden cardiac arrest.
Based on the passage given, write a summary about
* the process of CPR
* the steps to take when one witness cardiac arrests
Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the
original meaning. Your summary must be in continuous form and not longer than 130
words, including the 10 words given below.
Begin your summary as follows :
"When someone collapses, starting CPR can save the person's life ..."
Answer
When someone collapses, starting CPR can save the person's life. Put your hands on the
person's chest and push hard. Relax. Repeat the push-relax cycle twice a second without
stopping. Previous guidelines were tough and daunting. Undated guidelines make CPR
more effective by emphasizing the importance of maintaining a steady flow of blood in
the vital organs through chest compressions. The guidelines apply to all emergency
situations for children and adults. Wider use of CPR and faster access to heart-chocking
defibrillators could dramatically raise cardiac arrest survival rates. Quick action is vital in
surviving a cardiac arrest. call the ambulance for help. Next, start CPR by pressing on the
chest first and then allow breathing. Restart the heart using a defibrillator. The last step is
advanced life support involving medications. ( 130 words )

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Source http://www.englishdaily626.com/language_forms.php?025

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