MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITY ENGLISH TEST (MUET) PREPARED BY:

MADAME HASTINA BINTI MOHD FARID

WRITING PAPER QUESTION 1 ; DIRECTED WRITING

Transfer or interpret information based on a nonlinear source to a linear text.

GRAPH

PIE CHART

BAR CHART

LINE GRAPH

TABLE

COMBINATION OF BAR & LINE GRAPH

COMBINATION OF PIE CHART & LINE GRAPH

COMBINATION OF 2 BAR GRAPHS

COMBINATION OF GRAPH & NEWSPAPER EXCERPT

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1950 1975 2000
BUS CAR BICYCLE MOTORBIKE

Protect the environment, lead a healthy lifestyle! Take the train, car pool, cycle, walk, .... urges the Minister of Environment.
Malaysian Times, 17 Nov 2000

SAMPLE QUESTION AND ANSWER

SAMPLE 1

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

The two graphs show the main sources of energy in the USA in the 1980s and the 1990s.Write a report for a university lecturer describing the changes which occurred. Write at least 200 words.

The main sources of energy in the USA in the 1980s and the 1990s
The two pie charts show that oil was the major energy source in the USA in both 1980 and 1990 and that coal, natural gas and hydroelectric power remained in much the same proportions. On the other hand, there was a dramatic rise in nuclear power, which doubled its percentage over the ten years. Oil supplied the largest percentage of energy, although the percentage decreased from 42% in 1980 to 33% in 1990. Coal in 1990 was the second largest source of energy, increasing its proportion to 27% from 22% in the previous decade. Natural gas, the second largest source in 1980 at 26%, decreased its share very slightly to provide 25% of Americas energy ten years later. There was no change in the percentage supplied by hydroelectric power which remained at 5% of the total energy used. Nuclear power the greatest change: in 1990 it was 10%, twice that of the 1980s.

SAMPLE 2

USEFUL VOCABULARY
However Sentence connector to state an opposing idea. In Bangladesh, very few women could read and write compared to the men. Far more Starts with the subject to describe one part of the chart to emphasize the difference in the percentage. Slightly Adverb to describe the degree of change. Went up to Verb to show an upward direction of growth. Similarly Sentence connector to state explicitly that two items are similar to each other. Both the men and women have shown improvements in the literacy rate over the decade. Substantial Adjective to describe the degree of change. In conclusion Sentence connector to summarise the idea that all countries have shown improvement in the literacy rate over the decade.

WRITING PAPER

QUESTION 2 ; EXTENDED WRITING

SAMPLE QUESTION
QUESTION 1:

School children are becoming far too dependent on computers. This is having an alarming effect on reading and writing skills. Teachers need to avoid using computers in the classroom at all costs and go back to teaching basic study skills. Do you agree or disagree? Write at least 350 words.

QUESTION 2:
You should spend about 50 minutes on this task. Children should never be educated at home by their parents. Do you agree or disagree? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this. You should write at least 350 words

QUESTION 3:
You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this task. People are becoming more materialistic. they concerned with making more money and what money can buy. What is your opinion on being materialistic? You should write at least 350 words

QUESTION 4:
You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this task. The most valuable thing in life is friendship. Do you agree? Discuss.
You should write at least 350 words.

QUESTION 4:
You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this task. The world today is turning more on electronic communications such as the email, Facebook and Short Message System (SMS). What is your opinion of this growing trend? Discuss. You should write at least 350 words.

MODEL QUESTION: Classmates are a more important influence than parents on a childs success in school. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

MODEL ANSWER:
I can not completely agree with the statement that classmates are more important influence than parents on a child's success in school. In this essay I will first focus on the reasons why I agree with this statement and then list a few points why from my opinion in some cases is not true.

In addition friends tend to copy each other's habits and manners. For instance, my little sister became friends with the girl who did not have good grades at school at that time. It does not mean she could not have better grades; she just had many friends who did not care about their grades. So, when they started to spend their time together and share their interests, girl's grades improved. They did their homework together, shared their dreams and exciting moments. From this point I must agree that classmates can change childs attitude towards school.

From the one side, classmates have a significant influence on child's behaviour and his or her success in school. First of all, children spend much time at school. Classmates have many things in common such as age, interests, homework and classes after all. So, they discuss their impressions about a new teacher, solve problems together, learn their homework, gain new knowledge and experience and even make their own discoveries. Sharing all these makes them closer. Some of them become friends and they spend after-school time together.

From the other side, parents have a great influence on children' success in school too. For example if parents show an interest in their child's progress and talk to him or her about the importance of learning I think their child will listen to them and do his or her best. Personally, I believe that relationships between parents and a child play an essential role in child's success in school. If these relationships are close and wholehearted I am sure that parents should not be afraid of bad influence from the outside.

USEFUL VOCABULARY
Firstly, Secondly, Shows the logical order of ideas to support the writers opinion. Finally Such as Provides an example to illustrate that programmes conducted by universities are internationally recognized. Furthermore Links the idea of losing cultural values to the earlier idea on culture shock. On the contrary Signals a difference in ideas: students lose their own cultural values but came back with contradicting Western values. Besides that Adds a further reason as to why family relationships are looser. Other than that To link the new idea of hidden costs involved to the previous idea of the high costs involved.

THEMES COVERED IN LOWER 6

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Let nature manage our environment Donate and save lives Promote tourism a smokeless industry Life after retirement Bringing up children Let us conserve water Consumerism People and lifestyles Top marks for our scientists The world is warming up

EXERCISE 1

THEME 1: Let nature manage our environment

Exercise 1: Forest are the lungs of Mother Earth. It is imperative that we stop all deforestation activities immediately. What do you think? You should write at least 350 words. song: mj

Is this our mother earth?

Oh my God!

What is happening here?

What is he doing?

ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER?

Whats wrong with this bird?

OMG! Whats that?

DROUGHT

ICE MELTING

GREEN HOUSE GASES

FLOOD

GLOBAL WARMING

VOCABULARY:

Global warming

Ice caps

Greenhouse

Droughts

Flood

The meaning of the words:

1. Global Warming general increase in world temperature caused by increased amounts of carbon dioxide around the earth Greenhouse a glass building used for growing plants Ice caps area of ice that permanently covers land or sea, ex: North pole Drought a long period of dry weather when there is not enough water for plants and animals to live Floods to make a place become covered with water

2. 3. 4.

5.

VOCABULARY:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Climate Global Warming Greenhouse Gases Carbon Dioxide Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) Trapping Atmosphere Ice Caps Melt Flood Drought Crops Livestock Erratic Fertility Soil Boycotts Survival Climatic Wildlife 21. Ozone layer 22. Ecosystem 23. Exploitation 24. Chemical fertilizers 25. Environmentalists 26. Smoke emission 27. Garbage 28. Fumes 29. Destruction 30. Protect 31. Coastal area 32. Pollution 33. Future 34. Generation 35. Law 36. Logging 37. Gazette 38. Affect 39. Enforce 40. Replanting

QUESTION: Forest are the lungs of Mother Earth. It is imperative that we stop all deforestation activities immediately. What do you think? How to answer this Q? 1. State your stand in the 1st para; Yes or No 2. 1st paragraph Types of introduction Define forest Explain the importance of forest Give example of national park/reserve forest in Msia

3. 2nd paragraph Issues related to environment deforestation, global warming, greenhouse effect, open burning, pollutions, floods, drought etc 4. 3rd paragraph Forest clearing soil erosion, loss of flora & fauna, global warming etc Use of herbicides and pesticides pollute river & sea, threaten aquatic life, affect quality of water etc

5. 4th paragraph - How to conserve the environment? gazette more forests as national parks, enforce law against illegal logging, launch Plant-a-tree campaign, forest replanting project etc.

6. 5th paragraph Conclusion

Include famous saying Stress on statement Conclude