SBLE1043 CONFIDENTIAL | UUM A XS Universiti Utara Malaysia OFF CAMPUS LEARNING FINAL EXAMINATION OCTOBER SEMESTER 2012/2013 SESSION | COURSE CODE / COURSE : SBLE1043 ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION (1 DATE : 21 FEBRUARY 2013 (THURSDAY) TIME .00 AM-11.30 AM (2 % HOURS) VENUE TSO, PLK KL, ETIQA, SIBU, JOHOR BAHRU, KOTA BAHRU, KUCHING, KOTA KINABALU INSTRUCTIONS : FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY 1. This question booklet consists of THREE (3) sections in ‘SECTION ONE 5 SIXTEEN (16) printed pages excluding the cover page. SECTION TWO Po . Answer ALL questions. STION THREE 1 ‘SECTION THREE Bi ALL anwers must be written in the question booklet. ESV : Use PEN to write your answers. Tore “/n00 The rules on academic dishonesty shalll apply in this ‘examination. Name of Examiner: (please leave Blank) MATRIC NO, Ee LE] (in words ) (in numbers ) IDENTIFICATION CARD NO. : LIE Ze INSTRUCTOR : DESK NO. : l DO NOT OPEN THIS QUESTION BOOKLET UNTIL INSTRUCTED CONFIDENTIALSBLE1043 English for Communication If Matric No: SECTION ONE (35 MARKS) You are advised to spend about 40 minutes on this section, Read the following passage and answer all the questions in PARTS A, B, C and D. The cashless society If a banker from fourteenth century Italy used a bank today, he would probably still be able to recognise the banking system. Banking in the twenty first century is still more a product of the past than the present and customers are becoming impatient. Payments made through banks can still take days to clear and cross border 5 payments always cost money. Credit cards are a little better as an easy means of payments especially across borders, but for merchants and consumers they are expensive both for very small payments and for very large ones. Using cash is also expensive- moving cash around the financial system costs families up to €300a_ 10, year. The pressure for banks to change is certainly here. " In the near future, waving your smartphone could be enough to start a ‘contactless’ transaction- from downloading digital music, buying a train ticket, sending cash to a relative or trading shares. Internet giant Google is working with credit card and mobile phone companies to offer mobile payments on phones. Africa is leading the way ~ Safaricom launched M-pesa, a mobile phone money transfer service in Kenya for people in rural towns. Today the service has millions of users. The idea from Google signals a change in how we will use our smartphones turning our mobiles into a financial tool. In 20 Hong Kong, cards are replacing cash. You can walk through ticket barriers and buy fast food with your Octopus stored-value card. In Hong Kong, there are about 8.6 million of these cards in circulation with more than 95% of citizens using the cards, making Hong Kong the world leader in e-cash. 25‘SBLE1043 English for Communication If Matric No MW ‘The immediate effects of a cash-free society could be profound and fundamental. Theft of cash would become impossible- bank robberies could not happen. Attacks on shopkeepers, taxi drivers and cashiers would end, the streets would be safer, and so security and insurance costs would fall. Unpaid taxes could be collected, and 30 as a result tax rates could be lowered. The real advantage of smart cards, however is not the ability to replace cash, but the information they can hold in addition to this. They can store data, making them ideal to use as security passes to office buildings or ID cards. They can store medical information so that in an emergency a hospital 35 would have alll the information they need about you. Scientists are even proposing computer chips the size of a grain of rice placed under the skin to carry this information. Given these benefits why is the cashless society a lot further away than many people predicted? The problem is not a technological one- the technology 40 to replace cash exists today. Vv There are several reasons why the cashless society has not yet arrived. Firstly, the economic infrasteucture for debit and credit cards is already in place, making it difficult for e-cash cards to enter the market. Secondly, the cost of introducing these smart cards is 45 estimated at $15 billion worldwide and what is more, the consumer is not necessarily looking for a new way to pay. Furthermore, making society cash-free has other consequences. Starting from the early 1980s, consumer spending rose with the introduction of cash- machines which allowed the consumers to withdraw cash around 50 the clock. Personal bankruptcies also rose dramatically from the early 1980s onwards as people had easier access to credit: people’s cash flow became invisible and people became irresponsible with their money. Thirdly, credit cards have been the targets for criminals with over 6% of people in the UK annually affected by card-crime. 55SBLE1043 English for Communication If Matric No: 4 Lastly cash has been with us for a long time now and has been very adaptable. Although every year brings closer the dream of a cashless society, no new scheme has found the best way forward yet. Now that we are in the digital age, the way we buy and sell could catch up a bit quicker. 60 Adapted from: Mc Entire, J. (2005). Read Ahead 2: Reading and Life Skills Development, White Plains, NY-Pearson, PART A (10 marks) Answer the questions below based on the reading passage. 1, Name TWO (2) reasons why are customers becoming impatient with the banking system in the twenty first century? (2 marks) 2. Why is Hong Kong the world leader in e-cash? ~ ~ (1 mark)‘SBLE1043 English for Communication It Matric No: 3. Name TWO (2) immediate effects of a cash-free society? ~~ (2 marks) 4. Name TWO (2) pieces of information that smart cards can hold. _ (2 marks) 5. Name THREE (3) reasons why has the cashless society not arrived yet? (marks) ( /0 marks)SBLE1043 English for Communication It Matric No: PART B (10 marks) Read the statements below and decide if they are TRUE (T) or FALSE (F). Circle your answers. 1. Today’s banking system is no longer the product of the past. T F 2. Payments using credit cards are easier and cheaper than through T F banks. 3. Inthe future it is possible for us to do transactions using our smartphones. Ti F 4. M-pesa is a smart phone money transfer service in Kenya for ae - people in rural towns. 5, Hong Kong is the world leader in payments using cards. T F 6. The immediate impact of a cash-free society is very great T F 7. The real advantage of smart cards is they can replace cash. T F 8. Tax rates could be lowered once paid taxes are collected. TOF g. Technology is not the problem to delay the dream of having T F a cash-free society in the near future 10. Credit card has given consumers the freedom to withdraw money To F at any time. ( 110 marks)SBLE1043 English for Communication It Matric No:. PART C (5 marks) Identify what the following pronoun references refer to in the passage. They are boldfaced and underlined in the passage. 1. they (para. |, line 8) 2. (para. II, ine 24) ioe (para. Ill, line 33) _ 4. (para. Ill, ine 38) 5. their (para. IV, line 54) ( __J5 marks)‘SBLE1043 English for Communication 1! PART D (10 marks) Matric No: Match the following vocabulary items/expressions which are boldfaced in the passage, in the column on the left with their meanings in the column on the right. An example has been provided below. eg. system 1, impatient 2. pressure 3. service 4. circulation 5. immediate 6. predicted 7. cashless 8. market 9. invisible 10. catch up (para.|, line 2) (para. |, line 4) (para. |, line 11) (para. II, ine 19) (para.l, line 24) (para. ine 26) (para.lll, ine 39) (para.lV, line 42) (para lV, line 45) (para.lV, line 53) (para.lV, line 60) a) persuading someone to do something by making them feel it is their duty to do it b) the movement of information or money ) work provided by a business fo customers ) to make progress and reach the same standard e) the system to meet needs ) expected to happen g)happening at once h) not noticed i) without money }) annoyed because of delayed k) structure or organisation 10 marks) Total score for SECTION ONE: 135 marksSBLE1043 English for Communication I! Matric No: SECTION TWO (30 MARKS) You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this section. PART A (10 marks) Complete the text below with the correct Simple Present, Simple Past, Present Continuous, Present Perfect and Future form of the verbs in brackets. An example has been provided below. Some of the most sought-after handbags in the world (e.g.) are sitting (sit) at a Dallas auction house, waiting to be snatched up. These high-end handbags (1) _____ Qo) for thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars at Heritage ‘Auctions’ luxury goods sale on Tuesday. The auction features more than 900 purses, including an Hermes Diamond Birkin bag. “You can't see a collection, all these bags together like this, anywhere,” (2) ____ (say) Matt Ribinger, a director of Heritage Auctions’ luxury accessories. “We (3) (travel) all around the world to get these pieces together, so people don't have to.” In a sense, Heritage Auctions (4) ___ (turn) shopaholics into collectors. And even at crazy- high prices, bidding for the handbags usually starts far below their retail value. For example, the 2006 Hermés Diamond Birkin bag, (5)____(cost) about $240,000 in the store. So even if it goes for $150,000, the buyer (6) (save) a bundle, and not to mention that the purchase seems more rewarding when you (7) (compete) with other buyers. In addition to Hermés, the collection features luxury designers such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton, with bags in all colours and styles. Several of the bags (8) ___(be) rare, with only a few made each year. Others (9) (be) vintage or from lines that have been discontinued. “It's like a museum, but you can actually take something home,” said Gaylan Sapp who (10) __{attend) a preview party in Dallas Design District earlier this week ( /10 marks)SBLE1043 English for Communication it Matric No: PART B (10 marks) Complete the text below with the correct Simple Present, Simple Past, Past Continuous, and Present Perfect form of the verbs in brackets. An example has been provided below. ‘Two PhD students and a junior doctor were among four people (€.g.) killed (kill) in an avalanche in the Scottish Highlands. Una Rachel Finnegan, 25, from Northern Ireland, Christopher William Bell, 24, from Blackpool, and Tom Chesters, 28, who (1) (live) in Leeds, were killed while walking near Glencoe on Saturday, Northern Constabulary confirmed. Ms. Finnegan (2) (be) a junior doctor who had been living in Edinburgh, Mr. Bell (3) (study) for a PhD in ocean mapping in Oban and Mr.Chesters was a PhD student at Hull University A second woman was also killed in the accident, however her next of kin (4) (ask) for her name to be withheld until her extended family have been informed. A 24-year old woman from Durham area (5) (remain) in critical condition in hospital. Another man survived the avalanche, but (6) _ (ask) his name to be withheld. The party of six (7) (walk) on the Bidean Nam Bian mountain when the snow- covered slope they (8) (cross) gave way. Five people in total were engulfed in a wall of ice and snow and (9) (send) hundreds of feet down the mountain The police force (10) (launch) a major search operation involving mountain rescue and police dogs to search for the victims. /10 marks)SBLE1043 English for Communication It Matric No: PART C (5 marks) Rewrite the following sentences into the Passive Voice. An example has been provided below. Example: Alli kicks the ball The bail ked by Al 1. Mr.Jamil broke the antique vase. 2. Your son is eating all the homemade cookies 3. Wewill celebrate Nina's birthday next week. 4. The government has built two new schools in front of my house. 5. Chef Wan did not bake the cakes at my wedding reception {5 marks)SBLE1043 English for Communication It Matric No: PART D (5 marks) Rewrite the following sentences into the Active Voice. An example has been provided below. Example: The baby was kissed by his mother 1. My smartphone was stolen by someone. 2. The Kuala Lumpur Tower is being visited by hundreds of tourists every year. 3. The new BMW X6 will be bought by Mr. Kamal Hassan 4. Our house had been broken into by someone while we were on vacation. 5. The road leading to KLCC has been blocked off by the policemen. ( 15 marks) Total score for SECTION TWO: __/30 marks "1‘SBLE1043 English for Communication I! Matric No: SECTION THREE (35 MARKS) Using the problem-solution pattern of organisation, write a FIVE (6) paragraph essay, in about 250 to 300 words on a chosen topic below. You are advised to spend about ONE HOUR to complete your essay. 4. It has been reported that there is a rise in domestic violence in Malaysia Suggest ways to overcome this problem. OR 2. Over- population in big cities is a severe problem. Suggest ways to reduce the problem Use pages 12 and 13 to write your draft.‘SBLE1043 English for Communication I Matric No: 43SBLE1043 English for Communication If Matric No: Write your essay here.‘SBLE1043 English for Communication Il Matric No:. 45‘SBLE1043 English for Communication It Matric No: CONTENT LANGUAGE ORGANISATION 105 TOTAL SCORE A 135 Total score for Section Three: 135 marks END OF QUESTION BOOKLET