1

Rational Cloze - Practice A

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

Years ago, as a newly-qualified teacher, I was posted to a school in a small village. There was
only one coffee shop, ___1___ sundry shop and a bicycle repair shop. The village had piped
water ___2___ no electricity supply. There ___3___ no public transport at night. ___4___, the
lack of amenities in the village did not bother me much. The students ___5___ hardworking and
eager to learn. There were no discipline ___6___. I had to ___7___ a set of living quarters with
two others and we had to cook our own meals. In the evenings and during weekends we went
fishing or ___8___ round the many surrounding villages. At weddings and festivals, we were
showered with food. ___9___ village folk respected ___10___ and made us feel wanted. I'll
never forget their warmth and kindness.

1. (A) a 6.. (A) problems

(B) an (B) difficulties
(C) the (C) challenges
(D) -- (D) attitudes

2. (A) and 7. (A) live

(B) but (B) make
(C) or (C) share
(D) both (D) divide

3. (A) is 8. (A) cycle

(B) are (B) cycles
(C) was (C) cycled
(D) were (D) cycling

4.. (A) Moreover 9. (A) A

(B) Therefore (B) An
(C) Since (C) The
(D) However (D) --

5. (A) is 10. (A) us

(B) are (B) we
(C) was (C) me
(D) were (D) you
 2

Rational Cloze - Practice B

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

Students today have to sit for exam after exam. Studying for exams is ___1___ inevitable part
of a ___2___ life. Some study regularly and systematically. ___3___ do it in fits and starts,
finally cramming at the last minute, ___4___ themselves unnecessary stress. When you study
or read, write brief notes on ___5___ points in the margin. Write a summary of each chapter.
Writing the notes in your own ___6___ means that you have ___7___ what you have read or
studied. Then there is no need to reread everything ___8___ the exam. Looking ___9___ your
notes or your summaries will help ___10___ remember or recall what you have read as you
can't memorize everything you read.

1. (A) a 6. (A) words

(B) an (B) ideas
(C) the (C) way
(D) -- (D) writing

2. (A) student 7. (A) understand

(B) students (B) understands
(C) student's (C) understood
(D) students' (D) understanding

3. (A) Other 8. (A) near

(B) Others (B) before
(C) Any (C) during
(D) Another (D) prior

4. (A) cause 9. (A) at

(B) causes (B) by
(C) caused (C) for
(D) causing (D) after

5. (A) certain 10. (A) one

(B) special (B) us
(C) important (C) you
(D) interesting (D) them
 3

Rational Cloze - Practice C

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

Dear Janet,

Thank you for the invitation to join your family for a holiday in Pulau Langkawi. I would ___1___
to accept. I am looking forward to ___2___ you and the others. You told me that you would
___3___ your parents in Penang first. Give them my ___4___ when you see them. It's been
many years ___5___ I last saw them. I think it was at your sister's wedding. By the way,
___6___ is your grandmother? She must now be over eighty years of age! My family is doing
fine except for my other grandmother who ___7___ from arthritis and frequently ___8___ of
pain. I have been really busy and the ___9___ of a holiday by the sea is really attractive. I'll
meet you ___10___ the hotel on the fifteenth. I will be taking the afternoon flight and should be
there by dinner time. Goodbye for now.

Love, Lina

1. (A) love 6. (A) who

(B) happy (B) where
(C) eager (C) when
(D) delighted (D) how

2. (A) see 7. (A) suffer

(B) saw (B) suffers
(C) seen (C) suffered
(D) seeing (D) has suffered

3. (A) visit 8. (A) talks

(B) visits (B) discusses
(C) visited (C) suggests
(D) visiting (D) complains

4. (A) wishes 9. (A) dream

(B) regards (B) wonder
(C) affection (C) idea
(D) greetings (D) ambition

5. (A) before 10. (A) by

(B) after (B) at
(C) since (C) on
(D) when (D) outside
 4

Rational Cloze - Practice D

Choose the best answer from the options A, B, C and D.

I grew up in a big family. When I ___1___ young, times were hard. With six children to feed,
clothe and educate, my parents ___2___ a tough time. They ___3___ to make ends meet.
Food was sometimes scarce. We rarely had new clothes or shoes. ___4___, we had a lot of fun
___5___ our own games. I read a lot as there were a few other ___6___ of entertainment. This
opened a whole new ___7___ to me. I often neglected to do my share of the chores when I
became ___8___ in a book. Now everyone has ___9___ up and most are working away from
home. They come back frequently and when they ___10___, the house is full of noise and
laughter.

1. (A) am 6. (A) sources

(B) are (B) methods
(C) was (C) ways
(D) were (D) places

2. (A) has 7. (A) universe

(B) have (B) world
(C) had (C) earth
(D) having (D) land

3. (A) struggle 8. (A) taken

(B) struggled (B) caught
(C) have struggled (C) obsessed
(D) had struggled (D) absorbed

4. (A) And 9. (A) grew

(B) Since (B) is growing
(C) Besides (C) grown
(D) However (D) growing

5. (A) invent 10. (A) do

(B) invents (B) did
(C) invented (C) done
(D) inventing (D) have done
 5

Information Transfer
Practice 1 (Theme: Social Issues)

Read the advertisement below and answer the questions that follow:

Millenia Bank and The Sky Times present

Bee Challenge 2016

Spelling can be tricky. Two words when joined can form a new word that has its own meaning.
Join the Spelling Bee Challenge. Stand a chance to win over RM300,000 worth of prizes. Only
the top 100 best spellers will advance to compete in the State Challenge. Spell it right and be
the rightful national champion.
For enquiries, please log on to spellingbee.theskytimes.com.my or call the Spelling Bee
Registration Secretariat at 04-3456751 (Monday Friday, 9.00 am 5 pm).
For enquiries, please log on to spellingbee.theskytimes.com.my or call the Spelling Bee
Registration Secretariat at 04-3456751 (Monday Friday, 9.00 am 5 pm).

To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable spelled out sparkles

State Challenge Schedule

Date State Venue

July 31 & August 1 Terengganu Indah Hotel, Kuala
Terengganu
August 1 & 2 Kuala Lumpur Impiana City Mall, Petaling
Jaya
August 8 & 9 Sabah Mentari Sabah, Kota
Kinabalu
Perlis Dewan Murni, Kangar
August 15 & 16 Pahang Kuantan City Mall, Kuantan
Sarawak Mines Shopping Mall,
Kuching
August 21 & 22 Kelantan Happy Mall, Kota Baru
August 22 & 23 Melaka Jiwa Parade, Melaka
September 4 & 5 Johor Harbour Plaza City Mall
Kedah Town Mall, Sungai Petani
September 6 & 7 Penang Coral Bay Mall, Penang

Jointly organised by: Endorsed by:

The Sky Times Millennia Bank Ministry of Education Malaysia

(Adapted from New Straits Times, 11 June 2015)

 6

Spelling Bee Challenge

Organisers
1 ________________________________________

2 ________________________________________

Theme
3 ________________________________________

________________________________________

Number of best spellers to compete in

the state challenge 4 ________________________________________

[4 marks]

5. In order to be the champion, the participant should be able to ___________________

[1 mark ]

6. The Penang State Challenge will be held at ______________________ on September 6th

and 7th. [1 mark ]

7. When can you take part in the Spelling Bee Competition if you are in Kelantan?

________________________________________

[1 mark ]

8. What must you do if you need more information?

a. _________________________________________ [1 mark ]

b. _________________________________________ [1 mark ]

9. How many states will be having the competition in one day?

_____________________ [1 mark ]

Total [10 marks]

 7

Practice 2 (Theme: People)

Read the article below and use the information given to complete the following task.

Justin Bieber is a Canadian pop star and actor. He was born on the
1st of March in 1994. He wanted to be a musician for as long as he
could remember. When he was a child, he taught himself to play the
piano, guitar, trumpet and drums. In 2007, his mother posted many
videos of him singing covers of blues and soul songs. A record company
executive saw one and in 2008 Bieber signed for Island Records.
Bieber's first single, "One Time", reached number 17 on Americas
Billboard Hot 100. His first album, My World, was released in
November 2009. It went platinum in the U.S. He went on tour to promote
the album. The 3D movie of the tour nearly broke the sales record for
the biggest opening weekend for a concert movie. Bieber also appeared
on many prime time TV shows in the U.S. Bieber has become an
international star in a very short period of time. In 2010 he won the Artist
of the Year award at the American Music Awards. He was also
nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys. Bieber appeared in
several TV roles, including in the hit TV series CSI.. He has also sung on
records for charity to help victims of the Haiti and Japan earthquakes.
Justin Bieber is a modern-day star. He is highly popular on Internet sites.
He has over six million followers on Twitter, which he uses to chat with
his fans. Bieber had been linked to reality TV star Kim Kardashian and
Selena Gomez, although Bieber says this was just gossip. He is also
often the target of criticism and pranks on the Internet.

(Adapted from http://www.famouspeoplelessons.com/j/justin_bieber.html)

 8

Using the information from the article, write short answers in the spaces provided

Birth name:
Origin country:
1. __________________
2. _______________________

Songs genre in 2007:

One musical instrument
played during childhood: blues
4. __________________
3.____________________

3.
________________________
________
Biebers first single Biebers first album:

6._____________________
5.____________________
__

Objective of charity records:

Award received in 2010:
8 _____________________
7._____________________ _____________________

_______________________
____

One of reality TV stars he

Number of Twitter followers:
has been linked with:
9. _____________________
10. ____________________

Total [10 marks]

 9

Practice 6 (Theme: Social Issues)

Read the following article and complete the graphic organiser that follows.

KL Art Programme 2015

It was Sunday morning at the Lake Garden and he's dressed in a
comfortable getup of track pants and a shortsleeved T-shirt.

But KL Mayor Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib was not there for a jog.
Instead, he was there to join a group of volunteers who were busy
painting murals at Jalan Cenderasari near Masjid Negara.

The murals are part of City Hall's ongoing KL Art Programme 2015.
It is aimed at beautifying the city by adding artistic elements to permanent public structures
such as feeder pillars, benches, walls and fences, gantries and other service structures. The
programme is expected to be completed by 15 December 2015.

In this programme, volunteers groups or individuals are invited to share and showcase
their artistic skills and creativity. City Hall, meanwhile, provides the venues and materials.

"We encourage city folk to take part in such activities, to make them appreciate city living," he
said, before grabbing a brush and joining the volunteers.

The volunteers at this spot were 10 former schoolmates from Tunku Kurshiah College (batch of
1983), who have been working on the murals for the past four weeks.

"It all started from our Whatsapp chat group when one of us suggested that we volunteer our
services. We got together and began work on the murals on weekends and public holidays
since we all have jobs," said Dr. Rohaya Ramli.

Together with their family, the group turned the event into a picnic outing.
"Tourists started to join us not only to paint murals but also to taste our packed food," she
added.
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KL Art Programme 2015

Complete the sentences below based on the given information.

7. The volunteers in this programme have the opportunity ___________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

[1 mark]

8. The city folks who take part in this activity will be able to __________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

[1 mark]

9. The idea to work on the murals started when one of them suggested __ ______________

________________________________________________________________________ [1
mark]

10. Besides painting the murals, the tourists joined the programme ____________________

________________________________________________________________________
[1 mark]

Total [10 marks]