CONFIDENTIAL 1 LG/JAN 2021/ELC121/120 (SET 1)

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

COURSE
INTEGRATED LANGUAGE
: SKILLS I / INTEGRATED LANGUAGE SKILLS: LISTENING
:ELC121/120
:READING TASK
COURSE CODE ASSESSMENT
:2 HOURS
TIME

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

1. This question paper consists of three (3) parts: PART A (2 Questions)

PART B (2 Questions)
PART C (1 Question)

2. Answer ALL questions in the Question Paper.

3. Fill in the details below:

UiTM STUDENT CARD NO. :

PROGRAMME / CODE :

PART :

ENGLISH LANGUAGE GROUP :

NAME OF LECTURER :

4. Do not bring any material into the examination room unless permission is given by the invigilator.

5. Students are allowed to refer to a printed English-English dictionary.

6. Please check to make sure that this assessment pack consists of:

i) the Question Paper

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

This reading task paper consists of 10 printed pages

© Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL 2 LG/JAN 2021/ELC121/120 (SET 1)

PART A: READING COMPREHENSION (17 MARKS)

Read the following passage and answer all the questions that follow.

Tsunami
I A tsunami is a series of ocean waves that sends surges of water sometimes reaching heights
of over 100 feet onto land. These walls of water can cause extensive destruction when they
crash ashore. These massive waves are typically caused by large undersea earthquakes at
the tectonic plate boundaries. When the ocean floor at the plate boundary rises or
falls suddenly, the 5
movement causes disturbance to the sea surface triggering rolling of waves known as
tsunami.

II Most tsunamis happen within the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire”. This is a geologically
active area where tectonic shifts make volcanoes and earthquakes common. Tsunamis may
also be caused by the underwater landslides and 10
volcanic eruptions. They may even be caused by the impact of a large meteorite plunging into
the ocean. Tsunamis race across the sea at up to 805 kilometres
an hour. At that pace, they can cross the entire breadth of the ocean in less than a day.

III In deep ocean; the tsunami waves may appear to be a foot or so high. However, 15
as they approach the shoreline and enter shallower water, the waves significantly
increase in energy and height. The tops of the waves move faster than the bottoms
causing them to rise rapidly. A tsunami’s trough, the low point beneath the wave’s crest,
often reaches the shore first. When it does, it produces a vacuum effect that sucks the
coastal water seaward and exposes 20
the harbour and sea floors. This retreating of sea water is an important warning
sign of a tsunami, because the wave’s crest and its enormous volume of water typically
hit shore five minutes or so later. Recognising this phenomenon can save one’s life.

IV A tsunami is usually composed of a series of waves, called a wave train, so its 25

destructive force may be merged as consecutive waves reach the shore. People experiencing a
tsunami should remember that the danger may not have passed

© Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL

 with the first wave and should wait for the official announcement by the authority declaring
that it is safe to return to the affected locations. Some tsunamis do not appear on shore as
massive breaking waves, but instead resemble a fast 30
surging tide that floods coastal areas.

V Just like other water waves, tsunamis begin to lose energy as they rush onshore while
part of the wave energy is reflected offshore. Meanwhile, the
shoreward spreading wave energy is lessened through bottom friction and turbulence.
Despite these losses, tsunamis still reach the coast with tremendous 35 amount of energy.
Depending on whether the first part of the tsunami to reach
the shore is a crest or a trough, it may appear as a rapidly rising or falling tide. Local
geographical land formations may also cause the tsunami to appear as a series of
breaking waves.

VI Tsunamis have great erosion potential, stripping beaches of sand that may have 40
taken years to accumulate and undermining trees and other coastal vegetation.
Capable of submerging hundreds of metres inland past the typical high-water level, the
fast-moving water associated with the overflowed tsunami can crush homes and other
coastal structures. Tsunamis may reach a maximum vertical height onshore above sea
level, often called a run-up height, of tens of metres. 45
The best defence against any tsunami is an early warning system, which allows people to
seek higher ground. The Pacific Tsunami Warning System, a coalition
of 26 nations headquartered in Hawaii, maintains a web of seismic equipment and
water level gauges to identify tsunamis at sea. Similar systems are
proposed to protect coastal areas worldwide. 50

Adapted from: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-

disasters/tsunamis/
 QUESTION 1 (13 MARKS)

a) What do the following words and phrases refer to?

i) This (line 8) :

ii) it (line 19) :

iii) that (line 31) :

iv) they (line 32) :

v) which (line 46) :

(5 marks)

b) Write the meaning of each of the following words as used in the passage.

i) typically (line 4) :

ii) breadth (line 13) :

iii) retreating (line 21) :

iv) submerging (line 42) :

(4 marks)

c) Write T if the statement is TRUE or F if the statement is FALSE.

i) All tsunamis occur within the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire”.

ii) Tsunami waves in shallower water are higher than in deep water.

iii) People can immediately return to their homes after the first wave.

iv) Warning Systems, like the one in Hawaii, are suggested to be used around the
world to identify tsunamis at sea.

(4 marks)
QUESTION 2 (4 MARKS)
Complete the table with information from the passage.

Tsunamis

 Large undersea earthquakes

Main Causes  a)

 b)

 Large meteorite plunged into the ocean

 A series of fast-moving ocean waves

Characteristics  They begin to grow in energy and height when
approaching the shoreline
 They c) as they reach onshore.

Effects  Strip beaches of sand

 d)
 Crush homes and coastal structures

(4 marks)
PART B: READING COMPREHENSION (13 MARKS)
Read the passage below and answer all the questions that follow.

What are Superfoods?

I Superfoods are nutrient-rich food, considered to be especially beneficial to health and

well-being. The different categories of superfood are plant-based, selected fish and dairy
products. Blueberries, salmon, kale and acai are just a few types of foods that have
garnered the "superfood" label. According to the American Heart Association, there is no
one set criteria in identifying what 5
superfood should be.

II These food vary in nutrients, such as antioxidants and healthy fats, which are thought to
avoid cancer and heart disease respectively. The fibre content in superfoods is believed to
prevent diabetes and digestive problems. Another substance, phytochemicals, found in
superfood plants which are responsible for 10
deep colours and smells, have numerous health benefits. Consuming foods that
are packed with nutrients like superfoods is certainly a good idea. However, the key to a
healthy diet is to consume a variety of nutritious foods in the right quantities.

III Scientists claim that the use of the term "superfood" is largely a marketing tool. 15
Still, manufacturers rely heavily on marketing tactics to shape the public's perception of
their products. For example, Royal Hawaiian Macadamia Nut urged the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) to make a claim linking the consumption of macadamia nuts to
a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.
The FDA responded by releasing a carefully worded statement noting that 20
consuming 1.5 ounces of macadamia nuts per day as part of a low-fat and low- cholesterol
diet could potentially reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Therefore, in order to market their products, the macadamia nut industry took that to
the press and it was received well by consumers.

IV Another criticism on superfood is that it might be healthful but how the food is 25
processed might not be. For example, freshly brewed green teas have several antioxidants
while commercially manufactured green teas are high in sugar.
Many kinds of popular "super-juices" squeezed from acai berry, noni fruit and
 pomegranate can also include large amounts of added sugar. Similarly, whole grains are
often processed so that they are more palatable. Instant whole-grain 30
oats are as unhealthy as overly processed white bread. They quickly spike sugar levels
in the bloodstream once consumed, promoting insulin resistance, obesity and diabetes.

V The superfood industry claims that its nutrient-rich foods have the capacity to positively
affect health. This could mislead consumers, prompting them to eat 35
one kind of food over another. Despina Hyde, a dietician with the weight management
program at New York University's Langone Medical Centre encourages her clients who are
trying to lose weight, to eat everything in moderation. This is because, when these foods are
labelled as 'super' and 'healthy’, people tend to think that they can eat them in
unlimited quantities. 40
Hence, they must be cautious of the amount of food they eat to avoid gaining weight.

VI Superfoods might be a good entry into healthy eating but having variety in one’s diet is
important to gain the benefit of eating a wide array of essential vitamins
and minerals. It is also to prevent one from eating too much or too little of a 45
particular nutrient. There are lots of healthy foods out there to explore, even if no
one is calling them "super."

Adapted from https://www.livescience.com/34693-superfoods.html

QUESTION 1 (11 MARKS)

a) What are superfoods?

(1 mark)
b) State the functions of the following nutrients found in superfoods?

i) antioxidants :

ii) fibre :

(2 marks)

c) Write the topic sentence of paragraph IV.

(1 mark)

d) What is the similarity between instant whole-grain oats and overly processed white bread?

(1 mark)

e) What does Despina Hyde encourage her clients to do in order to lose weight?

(1 mark)

f) Based on the text, why is it important to have variety in one’s diet?

(1 mark)
g) The word ‘However’ in line 12 connects two ideas. What are these two ideas?

i) _

ii)

(2 marks)

h) In your own words, explain the meaning of the following phrase: “Still, manufacturers rely
heavily on marketing tactics to shape the public's perception of their products.” (lines 16-17)

(2 marks)

QUESTION 2 (2 MARKS)
Do you think manufacturers should be penalised for overclaiming superfoods’ benefits? State your
reason.

(2 marks)
PART C: GRAMMAR (10 MARKS)
Fill each blank with ONE suitable word.

Microplastics are extremely small pieces of plastic debris in the environment resulting
(0) from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products and industrial waste. Researchers have
generally referred to pieces of plastics smaller (1) about 5mm as
microplastics. Another way of describing this is to measure plastics relative to the units. So
microplastics are between one micrometer (2) 1,000 micrometers wide.

Microplastics have turned up pretty much (3) that researchers have looked for
them from the bottom of the oceans to the stomachs of whales, seabirds and humans. We should be
worried about this plastic diet both in terms of our health and for the health of
(4) environment. Those who eat, breathe air and share in the occasional drink of water
are unwitting consumers of microplastics. Microplastics are also (5) in
triangular nylon tea bags and people who utilise them are also at risk from consuming plastics. One
study revealed that they could be getting (6) eleven billion
particles of plastic with their tea.

There are general concerns about the (7) of microplastics on the

environment, especially towards marine wildlife. These animals might get entangled in the pieces of
plastic while some plastics may even end up in (8) stomachs as well
as litter the coastlines. There is evidence that plastic accumulating in the stomachs of animals can also
suppress their appetite.

(9) , it is important for everyone to play their part in reducing the usage of plastics by
cutting out unnecessary plastic use, including single-use items, and substituting it where we can. In
addition, researchers too can start focusing more on studies that investigate the varying concentrations
of particle sizes of plastics that are
(10) to humans and wildlife instead of doing more research on which products
that emit plastics.

END OF QUESTION PAPER