1.

Read (There is a reason why its called a MUET Reading paper)

- Read everything but with a notepad in hand

- Copy down words which you dont understand AND more important, phrases that you would
like to use in your MUET written essay.

2. Read quality materials

- Read articles that are published by reliable sources such as: Readers Digest, TIME
Magazineetc.

- Articles used in the exams are usually from these types of source

- Keep yourself updated on current issues by reading newspapers

3. Use your time wisely!

- You only have 1.5 hours to answer 45 exam questions

- If you do the math, that would mean that you only have 2 minutes per question

- ALWAYS read the question first, and underline the keywords

- Make sure you dont just skim through the text but scan for specific information

4. Know your vocabulary

- There will be 6 texts altogether in the exam paper, and the first one always has a non-linear
stimuli (Example: graph, chart or diagram)

- You will need the relevant vocabulary knowledge to describe the trend(s) shown in the given
diagram(s)

- This is also a useful practice for report writing as it deals with the same language functions

5. DONT ACT SMART!

- For some questions, you will be asked to infer or make intelligent assumptions based on the
given evidences in the texts
- For True/False/Not Stated questions, NEVER use your own opinions to answer because what
is logical to you may not be academically correct

- My tip to you is that you should underline the evidence(s) in the texts

- For True, you must be able to identify proof that shows that the statement is correct

- You should also underline evidences that prove a statement to be wrong in order to choose
False as your answer

- For Not Stated, you will find that it is almost impossible to underline any evidence at all.
Hence, these are the fundamental differences between the answer selections True/False/Not
Stated

6. Train your brain

- Guessing the meaning of a vocabulary can be quite tricky especially when you dont have the
access to a dictionary or the internet (Google.com) during your exam. Hence, you need to train your
brain to assess the root word

- Focus on the prefix/suffix in order to identify the meaning

- If you think the word is a positive, negative or neutral one reconfirm again by looking at the
context of the texts for clues to support your assumption

- Review the answers and options given by eliminating the answer that is most unlikely to be
correct before making a calculated guess

- For example, in the phrase: the degradation of water quality, the word degradation comes
from the root word grade which means level or standard. The de suffix has a negative connotation
where it means the removal of something, while tion is a noun that explains the process of
something

- Thus, the phrase means the drop of standard/quality of water

7. Assess the writers intentions

- The MUET level comprehension questions do not focus on content alone

- Instead, the questions given require candidates to assess the writers:

(A) Purpose

- Example: to inform, discuss, argue, compare, persuadeetc.

(B) Style of writing

- Example: describing, comparing and contrasting, giving examples, explaining causes and
effects, sequencing eventsetc.

(C) Tone

- Example: supportive, opposing, indifferent, neutral, biasedetc.

8. Assess the articles as a whole

- Sometimes you may be asked to give a suitable title to an article

- Or to summarize a specific paragraph

- Or to come up with a suitable conclusion based on the options given. This clearly requires
critical thinking skills or HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) from you

9. Keep practicing!

- Essentially, nothing beats practice and more practice

- Buy good quality reference books such as Longman or Oxford model tests/actual exam
workbooks and try doing each reading paper 3 times

- First attempt: do it as if youre sitting for the real exam. Do not refer to any workbooks or
dictionaries

- Second attempt: allow yourself to refer to books, and discuss with your friends if you need to
(and if you are doing it as a group) before marking both attempts

- Note: Your 2nd attempt should score better than your first.

- Third attempt: Try doing the same set of exam paper again after 2-3 months to see if you are
able to retain the knowledge of vocabulary and concepts which you have learned before.

10. Grade yourself

- Heres a useful guide for you to follow when you attempt the exam questions so that you can
know where you stand
- You will need to score:

(A) 21/45 Band 3

(B) 27/45 Band 4

(C) 33/45 Band 5

(D) 39/45 Band 6

- Reading is the MOST important MUET paper as it carries 40% or 120/300 marks

COMPREHENSION SKILLS
For the reading component, candidates are assessed on their ability to comprehend types
of text of varying length and complexity. Comprehension is the practice of understanding. It
is:
- Making connections between what you already know about a topic and what you are
reading.
- Making use of the structure of the text to make predictions.
- Making use of problem-solving strategies to think and expand on the text.

Areas to focus on are listed in the table below:

SKILLS
Comprehension
One strategy for reading comprehension is the technique called SQ3R. This stands for
Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review.

DETAILS
- Skimming and scanning
- Extracting specific information
- Identifying main ideas
- Identifying supporting details
- Deriving the meaning of words, phrases, sentences from the context
- Understanding linear and non-linear texts
- Understanding relationships
-- Recognising a paraphrase

Application
Making a connection is when you can relate a passage to an experience, another book or
other facts about the world. Making connections will help you understand the authors
purpose and what the story is about.

DETAILS
-Predicting outcomes
- Applying a concept to new situation
Analysis
Read the text and find answers for the following: who, what, where, when, why, and how.

DETAILS
- Understanding language functions
- Interpreting linear and non-linear texts
- Distinguishing the relevant from the irrelevant
- Distinguishing fact from opinion
- Making inferences

Synthesis
Synthesising is when you take what you already know about a subject along with your
reflections from the book to create your own interpretation and ideas about a certain text.

DETAILS
- Relating ideas and concepts
- Following the development of a point or an argument
- Summarising information

Evaluation
It is about making judgments on what you read and then explaining why you made them.
Evaluating non-fiction texts can be done by using a criteria checklist (i.e. table of contents,
index, titles, headings, for example) to help you rate a text.

DETAILS
- Appraising information
- Making judgments
- Drawing conclusions
- Recognising and interpreting writers views, attitudes or intentions

Lesson :Skimming and scanning

Skimming is reading a text quickly. When we skim a text, we ask these questions:
1. What is the writer trying to tell us?
2. What does the writer think?
3. How is the text organised?

Scanning is going through a text quickly to get specific information that we are looking for.
You can bear in mind two questions when you scan:
1. What are you looking for?
2. Which part of the text is the information available?

practice
Scan the text below and answer the following questions:

Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, and
operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc.
As of July 2011, Facebook has more than 800 million active users who must register before
using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as friends,
and exchange messages, including automatic notifications when they update their profile.

Additionally, users may join common interest user groups organised by workplace, school or
college, or other characteristics, and categorise their friends into lists such as People From
Work or Close Friends.

The name of the service stems from the colloquial name for the book given to students at
the start of the academic year by some university administrations in the United States to
help students get to know each other.

Facebook allows anyone who declare themselves to be at least 13 years old to become
registered users of the site.

Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates and fellow students
Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes.

Its membership was initially limited by the founders to Harvard students, but was expanded
to other colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League and Stanford University.

It gradually added support for students at various other universities before opening to high
school students, and eventually to anyone aged 13 and over.

However, based on Consumers Reports.org in May 2011, there are 7.5 million children under
13 with accounts, violating the sites terms of service.

A January 2009 Compete.com study ranked Facebook as the most used social networking
service by worldwide monthly active users. Quantcast estimates Facebook has 138.9 million
monthly unique American visitors in May 2011.

According to Social Media Today, in April 2010, an estimated 41.6 per cent of the US
population had a Facebook account. Nevertheless, Facebooks market growth started to stall
in some regions, with the site losing 7 million active users in the US and Canada in May
2011.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook

1. As of July 2011, Facebook has more than ________________ active users.

2. Friends can be categorised into lists such as People From Work or _______________.
3. You must be at least _______________ years old to be a registered user on Facebook.
4. Facebook was founded by ____________ with three other fellow college students.
5. The websites membership was initially limited by the founders to Harvard students, but
was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area, _______________ , and
_____________.
6. According to Consumers Reports.org in May 2011, how many children under 13 have
accounts with Facebook?
7. How many active users in the United States and Canada did the Facebook site lose in May
2011?

NEXT WEEK: Understanding Sense Relationships Reference Words

ANSWERS:
1. 800 million
2. Close Friends
3. 13
4. Mark Zuckerberg
5. the Ivy League, Stanford University.
6. 7.5 million
7. 7 million

Understanding sense relationships Text cohesion

It is important for a writer to make sure that the text that he writes makes sense to the
reader. This means that he should ensure that the sentences he writes are well connected
and related to the main topic that he has in mind.

Linking words or discourse markers are cohesive devices. With the use of linking words,
sentences can be put together for easy comprehension. See the table below:

Practice
Fill in each of the blanks with an appropriate discourse marker.

Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deal with the content, history
(1)________________ effects of various media; in particular, the mass media.
Researchers may develop and employ theories and methods from disciplines
(2)_______________ cultural studies, rhetoric, philosophy, literary theory, psychology and
political science.

Separate strands exist within media studies, (3)____________ television studies.

Contemporary media studies includes the analysis of new media with emphasis on the
Internet, video games, mobile devices, interactive television and other forms of mass media
which developed from the 1990s. (4)_______________ these new technologies allow
instant communication across the world (chat rooms and instant messaging, online video
games, video conferencing), interpersonal communication is an important element in new
media studies.

In secondary schools, an early film studies course was (5)____________ taught as part of
the Victorian junior secondary curriculum during the mid 1960s.

By the early 1970s, an expanded media studies course was being taught. Due to its
success, the course (6)_______________ became part of the senior secondary curriculum.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_studies

Next week: Information Transfer from graphic Representation to text

ANSWERS:
1. and
2. such as
3. for example
4. because
5. first
6. subsequently

Understanding Sense Relationships -- Reference Words

WRITERS create cohesion throughout a text by using reference words. Reference words
reintroduce, manipulate or anticipate information continually and in interesting ways. They
consist mainly of pronouns and noun phrases which represent other elements in a text.

Reference words cannot stand alone; rather, they need to connect with other words to
complete their meanings.

They are used when new information is added about the things that they refer to, therefore,
the term "reference words".

Practice
Read the passage below. What do the words in bold refer to?

Food safety is a scientific discipline describing the process of handling, preparation, and
storage of food to prevent food borne illness. This includes a number of routines that should
be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards. Food can transmit disease from
person to person as well as serve as a growth medium for bacteria that can cause food
poisoning. Genetic pollution of environment, which can destroy natural biological diversity,
is of great significance. In developed countries, there are intricate standards for food
preparation, whereas in lesser developed countries, the main issue is simply the
availability of adequate safe water.

One of the simplest measures that a person can take to prevent the spread of food borne
illness is to properly wash his hands before preparing or eating any meal. Many people who
believe they are adequately washing their hands are sorely mistaken. According to a study
conducted by the American Society of Microbiology, 97 per cent of females said they washed
their hands, but those numbers turned out to be 75 per cent of females upon observation.
Some foods should simply never be ingested in the first place because these have such a
high risk of containing harmful bacteria that can make people ill. Cross contamination occurs
when a person handling raw meats, eggs, fish or other foods containing harmful pathogens
touches cooking utensils, cutting boards or cooking surfaces and spreads the pathogens to
ready-to-eat foods in the process. This mode of transmission can be interrupted by washing
hands after handling raw foods, washing utensils and cutting boards that have come in
contact with raw foods, and disinfecting counter surfaces frequently.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_safety

1. this
2. which
3. the main issue
4. his
5. they
6. their
7. these
8. this mode of transmission

Reading text #1
 1 to 6 are based on the information 6
are based on the information below:

1. This chart shows the relative size of populations of European Union countries in 1998 and
2007.
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

2. We can examine any population percentage change from 1998 to 2007.

A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

3. All population percentage changes are significant as they amount to more than one per
cent.
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

4. Both Germanys and Polands populations share of the European Unions Population fell
from 1998 to 2007 because of migration.
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

5. The largest growth in population share was that of Spain which increased its share from
8.3 to 9 per cent.
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

6. Ger manys population fell and Frances population grew within the years shown.
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated
2

ANSWERS:
1. A
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. A
6. B

Reading Text #2
QuestiHealth: Help for heavies

With 43.11 per cent of the Malaysian population being overweight or obese, it is no surprise
that there is an obesity clinic at Putrajaya Hospital.

Fazli was a chubby and cute toddler. Now, he has grown fat.

I was always hungry so I kept eating. I was the fattest in my class, he bemoaned. He was
always ridiculed by his friends for being obese, and for not being able to keep up with them
when walking or taking part in physical activities. He was 220kg at age 22. My movements
were restricted as I could not sit in a bus comfortably and I had difficulty getting in and out
of taxis, he said. He also suffered obesity-related health problems, so he sought help.

Doctors at a government hospital in one of the northern states referred him to Putrajaya
Hospitals Obesity Clinic two years ago. He arrived in an ambulance and consultant
endocrinologist Dr Masni Mohamad was entrusted with the task of helping him.

I had to assess him thoroughly on his first visit, which included evaluation of potential
obesity-related diseases within history, physical examinations and laboratory tests. I had to
get his weight history, and his eating and activity behaviour besides searching for trigger
factors, including medications, said Dr Masni, one of the pioneers at the clinic which opened
in 2005 for just once a month and later twice a month.

Besides surgery, Fazli was put on a diet and physical exercise regime and finally started to
lose weight. He is now 120kg and is still working hard to lose more weight.

The incidence of being overweight and obesity is rising globally, affecting virtually all ages
and socio-economic groups. In 2006, the National Health & Morbidity Survey revealed that
29 per cent of adult Malaysians were overweight (Body Mass Index more than 25kg/m2)
and 14 per cent were obese (Body Mass Index more than 30kg/m2)

Source: www.nst.com.my/nst/ar ticles/Health_Helpforheavies/Article/#ixzz0ou69lCDd

1. The opening sentence of the passage With 43.11 per cent of the Malaysian population
being overweight or obese, it is no surprise that there is an obesity clinic at Putrajaya
Hospital follows a __________________ pattern.
A. Chronological
B. Problem-Solution
C. Topical

2. Another word for bemoaned is

A. grumbled
B. lamented
C. argued

3. Which of the following is INCORRECT? Fazli .

A. could not travel with ease
B. suffered health problems
C. was immobile

4. The hospital opened the Obesity clinic twice a month probably because
A. obesity is a fatal disease
B. there were many referrals from all over the country
C. there was an increase in medical staff

5. Which of the following was NOT a recommended procedure for treating Fazlis
obesity?
A. surgery
B. exercise
C. alternative medicine

NEXT WEEK: Sample reading test paper part 3

ANSWERS:
1. B 2. B 3. C 4. B 5. C

Reading Text #3
Secret of restful slumber

It is probably one of the most frequently asked questions. Does pain cause poor sleeping
patterns or is it the other way around?

According to Robert Oexman, it works both ways. People who suffer from pain wont have a
good nights sleep because they keep tossing and turning. However, healthy people who are
deprived of a good sleep will suffer from pain such as joint pain.

Oexman, the director of United States-based Sleep To Live Institute, says millions of people
who suffer from poor sleeping patterns will resort to medication. Unfortunately, many end
up dependent on the drugs, which can, at times, lead to death.

Science has proven that deep, restorative sleep can help awaken ones full potential.
Sufficient quality sleep is essential. Concentration improves, memory gets better, and at a
cellular level, your body repairs damage caused by stress throughout the day.

In other words, your body recharges and rejuvenates. Unfortunately, many people suffer
from poor sleeping patterns due to various reasons such as pain and sleeping on hard and
lumpy mattresses. Contrary to popular thinking, napping during the day for a long period of
time is also unhealthy as you need to consolidate your sleep at night.

Although medication will help you sleep, it is only for the short-term. In the long term, you
need cognitive behavioural therapy that looks at the various reasons why you cannot sleep.
It can be the mattress, temperature, noise or light in your bedroom or even a snoring
partner. If someone has lower back pain, then maybe they need to get a soft mattress. For
ruptured discs, they may need surgery.

Source:
www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Health_Secretofrestfulslumber/Article#ixzz0ou607vB6

1. One negative _______________ of using medication to overcome poor sleeping patterns

is that patients will resort to medication is a dependence on such drugs.
A. perspective
B. consequence
C. pre-requisite
D. symptom

2. Science has proven that deep, _______________ sleep can help awaken ones full
potential.
A. recuperative
B. long
C. disturbed
D. regular
3. The writer points out that it is _________ to have sufficient sleep to ensure improved
concentration, better memory and body damage repair.
A. unnecessary
B. imperative
C. recommended
D. possible

4. Napping during the day for a long period of time is also unhealthy as you need to
consolidate your sleep at night. This is contrary to popular thinking that we should
___________________
during the day.
A. take short naps
B. take long naps
C. not nap
D. nap as often as possible In paragraph four, factors that can cause poor

5. Sleeps are
A. external
B. internal
C. both external and internal
D. behavioural

5. The largest growth in population share was that of Spain which increased its share from
8.3 to 9 per cent.
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

6. Ger manys population fell and Frances population grew within the years shown.
A. True
B. False
C. Not stated

6. Bestions 1 to 6 are based on the information below:

1. This chart shows the relative size of populations of European Union countries in 1998 and
2007.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated
2. We can examine any population percentage change from 1998 to 2007.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

3. All population percentage changes are significant as they amount to more than one per
cent.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

4. Both Germanys and Polands populations share of the European Unions Population fell
from 1998 to 2007 because of migration.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

5. The largest growth in population share was that of Spain which increased its share from
8.3 to 9 per cent.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

6. Ger manys population fell and Frances population grew within the years shown.

A. True

B. False
C. Not stated

NEXT WEEK: Sample reading test paper part 2

ANSWERS:

1. A

2. A

3. B

4. C

5. A

6. BQuestions 1 to 6 are based on the information below:

Questions 1 to 6 are based on the information below:

1. This chart shows the relative size of populations of European Union countries in 1998 and
2007.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

2. We can examine any population percentage change from 1998 to 2007.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

3. All population percentage changes are significant as they amount to more than one per
cent.

A. True
B. False

C. Not stated

4. Both Germanys and Polands populations share of the European Unions Population fell
from 1998 to 2007 because of migration.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

5. The largest growth in population share was that of Spain which increased its share from
8.3 to 9 per cent.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

6. Ger manys population fell and Frances population grew within the years shown.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

NEXT WEEK: Sample reading test paper part 2

ANSWERS:

1. A

2. A

3. B

4. C

5. A
6. B

1. This chart shows the relative size of populations of European Union countries in 1998 and
2007.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

2. We can examine any population percentage change from 1998 to 2007.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

3. All population percentage changes are significant as they amount to more than one per
cent.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

4. Both Germanys and Polands populations share of the European Unions Population fell
from 1998 to 2007 because of migration.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

5. The largest growth in population share was that of Spain which increased its share from
8.3 to 9 per cent.

A. True

B. False
C. Not stated

6. Ger manys population fell and Frances population grew within the years shown.

A. True

B. False

C. Not stated

NEXT WEEK: Sample reading test paper part 2

ANSWERS:

1. A

2. A

3. B

4. C

5. A

6. B