TOPIC AND MAIN IDEA A. PENGERTIAN Setiap bab, artikel, paragraf, kalimat, atau teks memiliki topik (topic) dan ide pokok (main idea). Topik adalah tema umum atau pokok persoalan. Ide pokok merupakan bagian informasi terpenting tentang konsep paragraf yang ingin penulis sampaikan. Kalimat lengkap yang di dalamnya terdapat ide pokok disebut kalimat topik (topic sentences). B. ORGANISASI PARAGRAF a, Paragraf Deduktif Paragraf deduktif memilikiide pokok atau kalimat topik yang berada di awal paragraf, kemudian diikuti dengan pernyataan-pernyataan penjelas. Struktur ini biasa digunakan dalam esai. b. Paragraf Induktif Paragraf induktif memiliki ide pokok atau kalimat topik yang berada di akhir paragraf. Kalimat- kalimat penjelas satu persatu dinyatakan di awal hingga akhimnya didapatkan kesimpulan umum. IDENTIFIKASI PERTANYAAN Topik/ide pokok/kalimat topik dari teks umumnya ditanyakan sebagai berikut. a. Whats the topic/main idea of the text? b. Whats the text mainly discuss/tell/deals about? uy Bia Perhatikan kata yang sering diulang karena kata tersebut adalah topik yang dibahas 2. Bacalah hanya kalimat awal dan kalimat akhir paragraf pertama dan paragraf terakhir karena umumnya ide pokok berada di bagian tersebut. 3. _Pilihlah jawaban yang bersifat umum.CONTOH SOAL DAN PEMBAHASAN A 1. In Montana and Wyoming, a cowboy's life is harder in the winter than in other seasons. During the spring and fall round-ups, a cowboy work long hours. The weather is good, however, and he enjoys being out of doors. The sun shines almost every day, and itrarely rains. During July and August there islittle work fora cowboy, and he can spend much of his time at rodeos, his favorite form of recreation. In the winters, as in the spring and fall, a cowboy also has a lot to do, but the severe weather makes his work very difficult. He often works in extreme cold and wind. Even when the weather is bad, he rides his horse continuously, watching over his stock and taking care of the weak animals that cannot stand the wind and cold, What is the topic of the paragraph? (SNMPTN 2007) ‘A. Rodeos, a cowboy's recreation. B. How to take care of animals in winter. C. The life of a cowboy throughout the year. D. Spring and fall seasons in Montana. E. Winter, an extreme season in Montana. Pembahasa Topik dalam teks dapat dipahami dari kalimat berikut. © Kalimat pertama “cowboy's life is harder in the winter than in other seasons’ (kehidupan koboi paling berat di musim dingin daripada musim tain). * Kalimat kedua “During the spring and fall round-ups, a cowboy work long hours" (selama musim semi dan musim gugur, koboi bekerja sepanjang hari). Kalimat-kalimat berikutnya_menjelaskan ih detail kedua kalimat tersebut. topik dari paragraf tersebut adalah kehidupan koboi sepanjang tahun (the life of a cowboy throughout the year). Jawaban: C 2. Sometimes experience in other countries can help people to understand their own identity better. Mahatma Gandhi was born 1869 at Portandar in Western India. After studying in India, he dreamt of going to England to study. He was told thathis Hindu religion did not allow voyages abroad. However, Gandhi was very determined and he finally left for England in 1887. At first he tried to learn to behave like an English gentleman, but he soon learnt that it was better to be himself. He studied law in London, qué 1891. He also learnt about other religions. He returned home to India and worked as a lawyer for two years. After some problems, he was offered a job in South Africa. Here he experienced fight for the rights of racism as a member of the Indian community. He decided to fight for the rights of Indians using “passive resistance". He had three main beliefs, namely non- violence, religious tolerance, and truth. When he finally returned to India in 1915, he became a great political leader. During the fight for independence he was often putin prison, but his beliefs never changed. Gandhi had studied in Britain, so he understood the British better than they understood him. Gandhi's leadership led to independence, but, on Independence Day, 15 August, 1947, Gandhi refused to celebrate. He was in favor of Hindu- Muslim unity but Muslims and Hindus could not agree, so a separate Muslim state was, formed in Pakistan. In 1948, Gandhi started fasting to death as a protest against fighting between India and Pakistan. He was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic on 30th January 1948. India and Pakistan are still fighting in Kashmir today. The fight for independence was a difficult one, but not as difficult as the fight for non-violence, religious tolerance, and truth. The passage above mainly deals with Mahatma Gandhi’ .... (SNMPTN 2009)A. search for principles of his three main beliefs B. fighting against racism in South Africa C. political career as an important national leader D. experience to identify his life principles E. political struggle for India’s independence Pembahasan: Pembuka paragraf pertama menyatakan “Sometimes experience in other countries can help people to understand their own identity better’ (Terkadang, pengalaman di negara lain membantu seseorang memahami diri mereka sendiri dengan lebih baik). Paragraf kedua menjelaskan Gandhi menemukan prinsip hidupnya saat di Afrika Selatan “He had three main beliefs, ..." Paragraf terakhir menjelaskan usaha Gandhi mewujudkan prinsip-prinsip tersebut “The fight ..., but not as difficult as the fight for non-violence, religious tolerance, and truth’. Jadi, teks tersebut membahas tentang perjalanan hidup Gandhi dalam menemukan prinsip hidupnya (experience to identity his life principles). Jawaban: D The following text for the questions 3 and 4 Scientists areas obsessed with the question of why the superold survive and thrive as Ponce de Leon was to find the Fountain of Youth. They want to understand why the Japanese islands of Okinawa are home to the world’s largest population of centenarians, with almost 600 of its 1.3 million inhabitants living into their second century—many of them active and looking decades younger than their actual years. Like weekend visitors on the summer ferry to Martha's Vineyard, scientists and sociologists clog the boats to Sardinia and Nova Scotia, Canada, to see why those craggy locales harbor outsize clusters of the superold. ‘As well as studying these populations intensively to unlock their secrets, scientists have also taken a hard look at the very old in the U.S, most notably in the New England Centenarian Study, led by Dr. Thomas Perls, a geriatrician at Boston University, and in a major study under way at the National Institute on Aging. While the very old are happy to offer homespun explanations for their longevity—"! never took a drink"; "I drank a shot of whiskey every day"—experts are trying to unravel and understand the biological factors that allow some people to reach 100 while others drop off in their 70s or 80s. Researchers are particularly interested in determining which factors allow up to 30% of those who reach 100 to do so in sufficient mental and physical health: a whopping 90% of centenarians, according to Perls, remain functionally independent up to age 92. It’s pretty obvious even to nonscientists that how you get there depends partly on the genes youare born with and partly on lifestyle— what and how much you eat, where you live and what types of stress and trauma you experience. How much depends on each factor, though, was unknown until Swedish scientists tackled the problem in 1998. They did it by looking at the only set of people who share genes but not lifestyle: identical twins who were separated at birth and reared apart. If genes were most important, you would expect the twins to die at about the same age. In fact, they don't, and the average difference convinced the scientists that only about 20% to 30% of how long we live is genetically determined. The dominant factor is lifestyle, 3. What is the topic of the text above? (SNMPTN 2010) A. survival B. youth C._longtlife span D. oldage E. health secrets Pembahasan: Perhatikan teks secara menyeluruh, topik dari teks tersebut adalah masa hidup yang panjang (/ong_life span), seperti dinyatakan dalam pembuka paragraf_pertama “Scientists are as obsessed with the question of why the superold survive" (lImuwan anterobsesi pada pertanyaan mengapa orang yang sangat tua dapat bertahan hidup).. Jawaban C Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the text? (SNMPTN 2010) A. The population of the elderly people is increasing, B. Elderly people cluster in particular parts of the world. C. Biological factors influence mental and physical health. D. Genes and life styles are essential for a long life span. E, Several biological factors are at work affecting life span. Pembahasan: Ide pokok dari teks adalah faktor-faktor yang memengaruhi dapat diperolehnya masa hidup yang panjang oleh seorang manusia (long-life span). Kalimat terakhir paragraf kedua menyatakan “only about 20% to 30% of how long we live is genetically determined. The dominant factor is lifestyle” (sekitar 20% - 30% seberapa lama kita hidup ditentukan oleh gen. Faktor yang dominan adalah gaya hidup). Jadi, ide pokok teks tepat dinyatakan dengan kalimat “Genes and life styles are essential for a long-life span” (Gen dan gaya hidup adalah hal mendasar untuk masa hidup yang panjang). Jawaban: D UJI PEMAHAMAN Although a seems like the spears of spam—unwanted junk sent to millions of people each days—a recent problem, spam has been around as long as the Internet has. In fact, the first documented case of spam occurred in 1978, when a computer company sent out 400 e-mails via the Arpanet, the precursor to the modern Internet. Now, spam e-mails account for more than two-thirds of all the e-mails sent over the Internet, and for some unlucky users, spam makes up 80 percent of the messages they receive. And despite technological innovations such as spam filters and even new legislation designed to combat spam, the problem will not go away easily. The reason spammers—the people who and businesses that spread spam— are difficult to stop is that spam is so cost effective. It costs a spammer roughly one- hundredth of a cent to sent spam, which means that a spammer can still make a profit even with an extremely low response rate, as low as one sale per 100,000 e-mails sent. This low rate give spammers a tremendous incentive to continue sending out millions and millions of e-mails, even if the average person never purchases anything from them. With so much at stake, spammers have gone to great lengths to avoid or defeat spam blockers and filters. Most spam filters rely on a fairly primitive “fingerprinting” system. In this a system analyzes several typical spam messages and identifies common feature in them. Any arriving e-mails that match these features are deleted. But the fingerprinting defense proves quite easy for spammers to defeat. To confuse the program, a spammers simply has to include a series of random characters or numbers. ‘The additions to the spam message change its “fingerprint” and thus allow the spam to escape detection. And when programmers modify the fingerprint software to look for random strings of letters, spammers respond by including nonrandom content, such as sports scores or stock prices, which again defeats the system.A second possible solution takes advantage of a computer's limited learning abilities. So called ‘smart filters” use complex algorithms, which allow them to recognize new versions of spam messages. These filters may be initially fooled by random characters or bogus content, but they soon learn to identify these features. Unfortunately, spammers have learned how to avoid these smart filters as well. The best title for the text above is (SNMPTN 2007) A. The Development of Spam and Spammers B. The Success of the Development of Spam Filters C._ The Development of using E-mails D. HowtoMake Profitthrough Spamming E. Spam: Problems and Solutions Colors, hair, and jewelry are frequently determined by a person's sex. This is not always true forall cultures, and itis noteven true now throughout the United States. In this country, there were protests to bring about a change from these culturally strict norms. The anti-military attitudes of the 1960s and the 1970s sought to break with the military tradition masculine or ‘macho’ position, thus making it more acceptable for men to wear floral designs on their shirts in pinks, purples, violets, and other ‘feminine colors. For some people, long hairs and jewelry on men also became acceptable as a means of expressing this changed way of thinking. More facial hair also became common, precisely because it differed from the military norm. The business world, however, has been slow to. change. What is the topic of the text? (SNMPTN 2008) ‘A. The change in gender-based attitude inthe US. B. Jewelry as a means of expressing thoughts. 3. C. Feminine colors versus masculine colors. D._ Theantimilitary movement in the US. E, Various cultures in the world. Generally, by people's own accounts, the public idea of women at home is that they are dull and boring. And the stereotype of a working woman is of hard, ambitious, selfish creatures. It is not just that you are either gentle and dull or selfish and interesting. It is that you are either a good mother or you are an interesting woman. “Young women now seem to get a very clear picture that they have got a choice. If they are going to do mothering well, they have got to pay for it by not being interesting women. If you are an interesting working woman, you are a bad mother.” Lyn Richards puts the blame for such notions and for resulting family tensions on the failure of people to talk enough about them. The media, too, are guilty. “There is a lot of media coverage of successful career women and still a lot, especially in women’s magazines, on the joys of motherhood. There's not that much about the trouble of either role and precious little about combining the roles. Yet half the women who are married in our society are working” Nor is much thought given to the task of loosening the ties entrapping men. Lyn Richards, a working mother, grateful for the privilege of genuinely choosing and being able to afford the role, criticizes the systematic exclusion of men from child rearing and the really pretty fabulous aspects of having children. She condemns as ludicrous the idea of the 9 to 5 treadmill of work as an absolute duty for men. “The sheer irony to me is that the women’s movement has told women the way to be liberated is to get into the 9 to 5 tied work force that men have been fighting against for a century. Really we should be using changes in women's values to shake up allthe oppression and rigidity that men have been under.” Indeed, there has been a change. "The new thing since | married is that it’s normal for both husband and wife to go on working when they marry. Now marriage isn'ta particularly big deal Very often it just legalizes something which has been going on anyway and it certainly doesn't change a women's whole basis of life, her notion of who she is, The real life change is having the first child and when that happens | think that probably most couples are stil reverting to something like the traditional concept of marriage. But the longer people put off having a child the more likely it is that they won't because they have set up a viable life style. They don't need to have kids now to have a good marriage" Not that motherhood and raising families are wholly going out of fashion but rather that people are having smaller families. Consequently, the period in a womans life when she is not required to devote herself to motheringis lengthening. *Motherhood—the mother role—just isn't a very good identity base today,’ Lyn Richards says. “Motherhood is a short-term appointment now. It doesn't last long” The passage mainly deals with women's (SNMPTN 2009) alternative role social function natural interest fundamental duty main responsibility mOOS> It is common knowledge that as women get older, pregnancy becomes riskier enterprise. Advanced maternal ageis inked to a number of developmental disorders in children, such as Down's syndrome. Now, a study has confirmed that older mothers are more likely to give birth to a child with autism, too. The authors of the epidemiological study, published February 8 in Autism Research, examined the parental age of more than 12,000 children with autism and nearly five million “control” children between 1990 and 1999, all living in California, The researchers found that mothers over 40 had a 51 percent higher risk of having a child with autism than mothers 25 to 29, and a 77 percent higher risk than mothers under 25. Autism—a development disorder characterized by impaired socialinteraction and communication—appears to be on the rise. The US. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now estimates that as many as one in 110 children in the U. has an autism spectrum disorder-a group of developmental disorders including autism, Asperger's syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder. The prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders in California in 2007 was 12 times that from 1987 representing an average annual growth of 13 percent, according to a report from the California Department of Developmental Services. Only a fraction of these extra cases can be explained by changes to diagnostic criteria and earlier diagnoses. Maternal age is also increasing in the USA California-based study reported a threefold increase in the number of births to women aged 40 to 44 between 1982 and 2004. But this trend toward delayed childbearing accounted for less than 5 percent of the total increase in autism diagnoses in California over the decade, according to the study-a finding that surprised Janie Shelton, a doctoral student in University of California, Davis's Department of Public Health Sciences and the study's lead author. “I would have expected to see more of a contribution, because age is a risk factor and women are having kids later’ she says. Earlier work had suggested that both maternal and paternal ages are independently associated with autism risk. But the current study found that paternal age is only a risk factor when the mother is under 30.In the text above the writer deals with a topic on .... (SNMPTN 2010) prevalence of autism among children possible biological causes of autism research findings on mental disorders maternal age and autism in children negative effects of delayed pregnancy mone> The following text for the questions 5 and 6. The most common causes of tsunamis are underwater earthquakes. To understand underwater earthquakes, you must first understand plate tectonics. The theory of plate tectonics suggests that the lithosphere, or top layer of the Earth, is made up of a series of huge plates. These plates make up the continents and seafloor. They rest on an underlying viscous layer called the asthenosphere. Think of pie cut into eight slices. The pie crust would be the lithosphere and the hot, sticky pie filling undemeath would be the asthenosphere. On the earth, this plates are constantly in motion, moving along each other at a speed of 1 to 2 inches (2.5 — 5 cm) per year. The movement occurs most dramatically along fault lines (where the pie is cut). These motions are capable of producing earthquakes and volcanism, which, when they occur at the bottom of the ocean, are two possible sources of tsunamis. When two plates come into contact at a region known as a plate boundary, a heavier plate can slip under a lighter one. This is called subduction. Underwater subduction often leaves enormous “handprints” in the form of deep ocean trenches along the seafloor. In some cases of subduction, part of the seafloor connected to the lighter plate may “snap up” suddenly due to pressure from the sinking plate. This results in an earthquake. The focus of the earthquake is the point within the Earth where the rupture first occurs, rock break and the first seismic waves are generated. The epicenter is the point on the seafloor directly above the focus. When this piece of the plate snaps up and sends tons of rock shooting upward with tremendous force, the energy of that farce is transferred to the water. The energy pushes the water upward above normal sea level. This is birth of a tsunami. The earthquake that generated the December 26, 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean was a 9.0 on the Richter scale—one of the biggest in recorded history. 5. Which of the following best states the topic of this text? (SNMPTN 2011) A. the birth of a tsunami B. the magnitude of tsunamis C._ tsunamis in the Indian Ocean D._ series of huge plate on earth E,_ lithosphere and asthenosphere 6. The main idea of this text is that .... (SNMPTN 2011) A. a deep ocean trench is a result of an earthquake B._ the energy of subduction can lead to earthquakes . plate tectonics lead to an earthquake and volcanism D. tsunamis in Indian Ocean are biggest in the history E. strong movements of undersea fault yes cause tsunami 7. _ Identifying ingredients in old paintings can help curators decide how best to maintain, display and restore them. The 17th-century Dutch artist, Rembrandt, was found to use wheat, according to new advanced analysis of two of his works. It is the first study to identify wheat starch in any of Rembrandt's work, even though scientists have performed numerous analyses on ‘more than 150 of his. In Rembrandt's time, artists mixed their ‘own paints, which they then spread onto canvas in layers. Often, individual layers of the same piece of art contained different binding agents, pigments, varnishes and other ingredients. Besides color, each layer was mixed to just the right level of thickness, glossiness, texture, evenness on the surface, drying time and more. AmHowever, paint layers are though to analyze because they are spread so incredibly thin. The thinness ones rise just a thousandth of a millimeter above the layer below them. Using a variety of chemical and physical analytical methods, along with old written records, scientists have been able to identify pigments and other inorganic materials in many ancient paintings. For the new study, the scientist used some of the most high-tech equipment around to look at the “Portrait of Nicolaes van Bambeeck” which Rembrandt van ijn painted in 1641. First they took a cross-section from a miniscule section of the painting. Then they used a variety of methods to probe the layers, including a technique called Time of Fly-Secondary lon Mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). This technique involves sending a focused, high energy beam of ions at the layered sample, then observing the ions that bounce back. By analyzing the energy and chemical nature of the ejected ions, scientists can deduce detailed information about the types of elements and chemical bonds held within, For the second greyish layer of paint on the “Portrait of Nicolaes van Bambeeck” the scan showed, Rembrandt mixed oil and a small amount of lead with wheat flour. t's not clear yet whether Rembrandt used wheat earlier or continued to use ingredient after painting the “Portrait of Nicolaes van Bambeeck” who was a rich wool merchant. But the researchers also found wheat in the “Portrait of Agatha Bas," the merchant's wife. What is the main idea of paragraph 3? (SNMPTN 2011) A. There are some advantages of using paint layers. B. Scientists have found the thinnest layer of painting. C. There are inorganic materials in ancient paintings. 8. D._ There are some methods to crack layer painting mystery. E, The chemical ingredients for layer painting contain different pigments. Parents send their children to school with the best of intentions, believing that formal education is what kids need to become productive, happy adults. Many parents do have qualms about how well schools are performing, but the conventional wisdom is that these issues can be resolved with more money, better teachers, more challenging curricula, or more rigorous tests. But what if the real problem is school itself? The unfortunate fact is that one of our most cherished institutions is, by its very nature, failing our children and our society. Children are required to be in school, where their freedom is greatly restricted, far more than most adults would tolerate in their workplaces. In recent decades, we've been compelling them to spend ever more time in this kind of setting, and there's strong evidence that this is causing psychological damage to many of them. And as scientists have investigated how children naturally learn, they've realized that kids do so most deeply and fully, and with greatest enthusiasm, in conditions that are almost opposite to those of school. Compulsory education has been a fixture of our culture now for several generations. President Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are so enamored of it that they want even longer school days and years. Most people assume that the basic design of today’s schools emerged from scientific evidence about how children learn, But nothing could be further from the truth. Schools as we know them today are a product of history, not of research. The blueprint for them was developed during the Protestant Reformation, when schools were created to teach children to read the Bible, to believe Scripture withoutquestioning it, and to obey authority figures without questioning them. When schools were taken over by the state, made compulsory, and directed toward secular ends, the basic structure and methods of teaching remained unchanged. Subsequent attempts at reform have failed because they haven't altered the basic blueprint. The top-down, teach-and-test method, in which learning is motivated by a system of rewards and punishments rather than by curiosity or by any real desire to know, is well designed for indoctrination and obedience training but not much else. It’s no wonder that many of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs and _ innovators either left school early (like Thomas Edison) or said they hated school and learned despite it, not because of it (like Albert Einstein). (Adapted from: www.rd.com) What is the topic of the text above? (SBMPTN 2014) ‘A. Parents’ expectation on reformation in ‘American school system. B. Doubts on the effectiveness of ‘American school systems. C. Restrictions on children's freedom at the US schools. D. Regulations for American children to stay longer at schools. E, Absence of a research-based school system in the USA. Ecotourism is defined as ‘purposeful travel that creates an understanding of cultural and natural history, while safe guarding the integrity of the ecosystem and producing economic benefits that encourage conservation: The definition recognizes that ecotourism is an important educational tool, Real life exposure to a natural situation in the accompaniment of an experienced guide leads a greater increase, in knowledge than real life exposure without a guide, or exposure to a knowledge able guide in an artificial setting. More than 50 years ago, Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget studied the development of human cognitive capability and its dynamic relationship with the physical world, He viewed cognitive development as an interaction between physical maturation of the brain and environmentally induced changes in learning. He observed that, as children grow, they proceed through a series of increasingly abstract thinking styles. Piaget demonstrated thata primary motivation for learning is resolution of cognitive conflict, which he described as disequilibrium. Borrowing upon principles of cognitive psychology, my colleagues and | have developed an interpreted mode for presenting information about marine mammals and their ocean environment during whale-watch in Hawaii and Australia. The model has more recently been extended to include snorkeling excursions to coral reef areas near Maui, Hawaii. Its application can be examined in the context of a typical 25 h commercial whale-watch trip aboard a Pacific Whale Foundation passenger vessel to observe humpback whales in Hawaii, Each whale- watch trip is a different venture, controlled by such variable factors as the number and type of passengers, weather conditions, what the whales choose to do (or not to do, as the case may be), the type of vessel, and the experience of the captain. Nonetheless, itis possible to view the trip asa structured experience, and to guide participants through an education sequence that has very clear goals and objectives that can be monitored and evaluated over time. (Adapted from Ocean & Coastal Management 20,1993, pp, 267 ~ 282) What is the topic of the text? (SBMPTN 2014) A. Definition of ecotourism. B. Learning through excursions. Ecotourism as learning resources.D. Influences of em induction, E, Learning controlled by environmental variable. ment in learning 10. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are group of highly inheritable behavioral disorder the pose major personal and public health concerns. Patients with ASDs have mild to severe communication difficulties, repetitive behavior and social challenges. Such disorders significantly challenge an individual's ability to conduct daily activities and function normally in society. Currently there are very few medication options that effectively treat ASDs. Recognizing a need to better understand the biology that produces ASD symptoms, scientists at Duke-NUS and NN, Singapore, have identified a novel mechanism that potentially links abnormal brain development to the cause of ASDs. this new knowledge will help to improve the diagnosis and development of therapeutic interventions for ASDs. The study has shown how one brain- specific microRNA (miR-128) plays akey role in causing abnormal brain development. MicroRNAs are small molecules that regulate gene expression in the human body to ensure proper cellular functions. Although it was known that miR-128 is dysregulated in some patients with autism, what that meant and how it functioned was not known. Theresearch team showed that miR-128 targets a protein called PCM1 thats critical to the cell division of neural precursor cell (NPCs). NPCs during early brain development have two fates—they either stay as NPCs and undergo self-renewal or become neurons through differentiation. The dysfunctional regulation of PCM1 by dysregulated miR-128 impairs brain development, which may underlie brain size changes in people with ASDs. For the first time, the researchers have managed to show that miR-128 is a u. mechanism that regulated early neuronal behavior during brain development. They believe that targeting this mechanism may be the answer to diagnose and treat ASDs that are caused by abnormal brain development. This important study suggests a link between a key neurological disease gene and regulation of microRNAS in the brain. However, the researchers are just starting to understand how dysregulated miR-128 expression can damage our brain activities. Much more work needs to be done in this area. (Adapted from www.duke-nus.edu.sg) What is the topic of the passage? (SBMPTN 2016) ‘A. A new mechanism that could links abnormal brain development to the cause of ASDs. B. Abetter understanding of biology that produce symptoms of ASD. ._ Improving thediagnosisandtreatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders. D. The activities of the joint research team Duke-NUS and NNI Singapore. E, The link between a key neurological disease gene and microRNAs regulation in the brain. A panic attack is a sudden feeling of terror. Usually it does not last long, butit many feel like forever. The cause can be something as normal as driving over a bridge or flying in an airplane. It can happen even if the person has driven over many bridges or flown many times before. The signs of panic disorder include a fast heartbeat, sweaty hands, difficulty breathing, and a lightheaded feeling. At first a person may have no idea what is wrong, The first appearance is between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four. In some cases, it develops after tragedy. For example, the death of a loved one or some other difficult situation. In the United States, the National Institute of Mental Health says more than two million people are affected in any one-year period. The12. American Psychological Association says that it happens more to women than men. It can last anywhere from a few months to lifetime, Some people who suffer a panic attack develop a phobia, a deep fear of ever repeating the activity that brought on the attack. But experts say panic disorder can be treated. Doctors might suggest anti-anxiety or antidepressant medicines. Talking to a counsellor could help a person learn to deal with or avoid a panic attack. There are breathing methods, for example, that might help a person calm down. Panic disorder is included among what mental health professionals call anxiety disorders. A study published last week reported a link between anxiety disorders and several physical diseases. It says these include thyroid disease, lung and stomach problems, arthritis, migraine headaches, and allergic conditions. (Adapted from manythings.org) What is the topic of the passage? (SBMPTN 2017) Mental hazards Physical diseases Emotional problems Panic disorders Anxiety attacks mone> Recent technological advances in manned and unmanned undersea vehicles have overcome some of the limitations of divers and diving equipment. Without a vehicle, divers often become sluggish and their mental concentration becomes limited. Because of undersea pressure which affected their speech organs, communication among divers was difficult or impossible. But today, most oceanographers make observations by means of instruments which are lowered into the ocean or from samples taken from the water. Direct observations of the ocean floor are made not only by divers but also by deep-diving submarines. Some of these submarines can dive to depths of more 13. than seven miles and cruise at depths of thousand feet. Radio-equipped buoys can be operated by remote control in order to transmit information back to land-based laboratories. The main idea of the passage tells us the reasons why .... (SIMAK UI 2011) A. undersea vehicles were not well- equipped for explorations B. recent exploration of the ocean has proved to be successful high technology for undersea exploration was not implemented earlier D. divers could not communicate well with land-based laboratories E, deep-diving submarines can send information to divers in the laboratories In addition, there are also four stages in the metamorphosis of butterflies and moths: gq, larva, pupa, and adult. Eggs are laid on plants by the adult female butterfly. These plants will then become the food for the hatching caterpillars. Eggs can be laid from spring, summer or fall. his depends on the species of butterfly. Females lay a lot of eggs at once so that at least some of them survive. The next stage is the larva. This is also called a caterpillar if the insect is a butterfly ora moth. The job of the caterpillar is to eat and eat and eat. As the caterpillar grows it splits its skin and sheds it about 4 or 5 times. Food eaten at this time is stored and used later as an adult. When the caterpillar is full grown and stops eating, it becomes a pupa. The pupa of butterflies is also called a chrysalis. Depending on the species, the pupa may suspend under a branch, hidden in leaves or buried underground. The pupa of many moths is protected inside a cocoon of silk. This stage can last from a few weeks, a month or even longer. Some species have a pupal stage that lasts for two years. It may look like nothing is going14, on but big changes are happening inside. Special cells that were present in the larva are now growing rapidly. The adult stage is what most people think of when they think of butterflies, They look very different from the larva. The caterpillar has a few tiny eyes, stubby legs and very short antennae. The adults have long legs, long antennae, and compound eyes. They can also fly by using their large and colorful wings. The one thing they can't do is grow. The caterpillar’sjob was to eat. The adult's job is to mate and lay eggs. Flying comes in handy. The adult female can easily fly from place to place to find the right plant for its eggs. This is important rs can't travel far. Most adults butterflies live only one or two weeks, but some species hibernate during the winter and may live several months. What might be the most possible title of this passage? (UM UNDIP 2013) A. Thelife of a butterfly B. The difference between butterfly and moth C. Themetamorphosis stages D._ The making of silk E, Theflying butterfly US pop and soul music legend Stevie Wonder told diplomats from nearly 200 nations on Monday to stop squabbling over copyright and agree on a pact bringing “hope and light” to blind people around the globe. And the singer-musician, himself sightless since just after birth, warned negotiators at the United Nations intellectual property and copyright agency WIPO that he would write a sad song about them if they didn't act on his appeal. “We must declare a state of emergency and end the information deprivation that continues to keep the visually impaired in the dark’, said Wonder, whose music has won dozens of top awards in his 50-year career. He told delegates on the opening day of WIPO's annual assembly that they should agree on an action plan that would empower the blind and near-blind by side- stepping copy-right rules and giving them access to books and learning. ‘And the star wrapped up his 10-minute appeal by singing to his own accompaniment famous lines from many of his bestoved songs including | Just Called to Say | Love You and Keep Our Love Alive. His call was endorsed by the World Blind Union, which said that in developing countries less than one percent of published works were available in formats like Braille or audio. Even in rich countries, the total was less than 5 percent. WIPO member states have for years been considering a deal that would overcome cross-border copy-right rules and finance translation of books into Braille but has run up against strong differences among member states. Some argue for totally free rights of translation into formats accessible to the blind, while others insists that no loopholes be left for piracy of texts, music, and technology. Wonder, 2 UN Messenger of Peace who sold more than 100 million records since 1960s, said the delegates should “put ideological differences aside and come up with a practical solution’ While it critical loosening laws to avoid harming authors of great works that “nourish our hearts, minds, and souls,” he said, WIPO members must find a deal that allowed easy import and export of copyright material for the blind. “We have the greatest minds in the world right here in this room. Please work it out. Or I'l have to write a song about what you didn’t do” he declared to laughter and applause from many delegations. (Taken from Robert Evans, “Pop icon urges the UN to bring light to the blind” The Jakarta Post. September 22, 2010, p.28.)This passage mainly discusses . UGM 2013) A. World Blind Union B. WIPO's annual assembly C. Stevie Wonder’s appeal for the blind D. deprivation of information of the visually impaired Stevie Wonder's members (UM song for WIPO The following text for the questions 15 and 16. While bullying has always been a problem encountered during childhood and adolescence, we all know it is on the rise. When a child is intentionally and repeatedly mean to another child, the cycle begins. Bullying occurs on the playgrounds, at lunch in the cafeteria, in locker rooms, even over the phone. And now that so many children have access to the latest technology, the problem has become even more prevalent. Enter the newest room—cyber bullying— whereby children and teens deliberately use digital media to disseminate alse, embarrassing, or just plain mean messages or pictures about one person to others. Cyberbullying can occur via text, email, Facebook, Twitter, or other social media outlets. The American Academy of Pediatrics calls cyberbullying “the most common online risk for all teen’. Studies have shown that between 25 percent to 45 percent of teens report being bullied online. Many kids report such treatment having occurred more than once. Cyberbullying isaffectingallages, as even young children often have access to technology and the internet. Children of all ages need to understand that the internet is not a “safe” place, and that it is a public forum, Even if you delete a message ‘or photo, it actually continues to exist in cyberspace. Also, many teens mistakenly think they will not “get caught" if they bully someone online, or that such behavior is “not that big a deal”, All parents need to discuss internet safety and the problem of cyberbullying with their children. This is especially important for tweens and teens, as they spend much of their time online, Just as kids must learn and practice good manners in public, they also need to mind their manners online. If a child would not say something to another young person's face, then the same dig should not be emailed or texted. It is really as simple as that. This is what | call the “front door rule’: Tell your child that if he/she writes an email or text or posts something derogatory about another person on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (or other sites), to think before they push “send” If they would not want to post the information on their front door for family members and all the neighbors to see, they should stop, think and change-or forget about-the message. It could hurt someone more than they realize and could also be forwarded on to hundreds, thousands, even millions of others. (Adapted from articles.chicagotribune.com) 15. Which of the following best describes the topic of the text? (UM UGM 2014) A. Limiting children to the access of the latest technology. B. Informing the younger generation about online intimidation. C. Being aware of cyberbullying as the most common crime nowadays. D. Understanding the disadvantages of using the internet as a public forum. E. Needing to learn good manners in public and online during childhood. 16. Which of the following proverbs expresses the idea in paragraph 6? (UM UGM 2014) A. Look before you leap. B. You reap what you sow. CC. Astitch in time saves nine, D. E The weak can never forgive. A stumble may prevent a fall. 17. A forgotten issue in urbanism is land use during the night time, with problems such as noise and dirt, which could be improved with information from Twitter. At least this is what Enrique and Vanessa Frias-Martinez believe, computer science researchers at a1Telefonica Research and the University of Maryland (USA) respectively, who have suggested using geolocalized tweets for urban planning and land use. Enrique Frias-Martinez explained that geolocalized tweets can be very useful source of information for planning since itis an activity carried out by a large number of people who provide information on where they are ata specific time and what they are doing. The researcher points out that thanks to the increased use of smartphones, social networks like Twitter and Facebook have made it possible to access and produce information ubiquitously. These networks generate tags with the event’s geolocation. The new technique “automatically determines land uses in urban areas by grouping together geographical regions with similar patterns of Twitter activity,” says researcher. Using aggregate activity of tweets, the Frias- Martinez siblings have studied land use in Manhattan, Madrid and London. In the first two cases they identified four uses: residential, business, daytime leisure (mainly parks and tourist areas) and nightlife areas. The study has determined that, in Madrid, night-time tweet activity is concentrated on weekends and in Manhattan, on weekdays. On the other hand, London is characterized by its tweeting activity in daytime leisure areas. Which of the following is the main idea of the passage? (SIMAK UI 2015) A. Many people like to use geolocation tags on Twitter. Information from so« be accessed universally. C. Geolocalized tweets can be useful for urban planning. D. Complex patterns of Twitter activities can finally be identified, E. Problems concerning urbanism are often neglected and forgotten. networks can 18. The impacts of electronic commerce in a developing country can be helpful rather than detrimental. Electronic commerce has the potential to tie developing countries into the rest of the world so they are no longer considered outsiders. For example, electronic commerce can enable more people to access products and services that once were not available. Another benefit is that electronic commerce stores are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As the infrastructure for electronic commerce keeps growing, services that were not offered in the past become available. Many of these benefits have not been proven yet, but the technology is now available, and developing countries are looking forward to these benefits. The high cost of technology may still be detrimental in many developing countries; however, the constant innovation of software and hardware will hopefully reduce these costs. Consumers in developing countries can benefit from electronic commerce because they can buy product that could only be found in major cosmopolitan cities. Electronic commerce is closing the gap between the countries that have wide availability of products and those with limited availability. The basic purpose of electronic commerce is to provide goods and services to consumers who do not live close to the physical location of the product or service and would otherwise have a hard time acquiring these products and services. Society and consumers alike have only begun to enjoy the benefits of electronic commerce. Since new development are made on a continuous basis, it will eventually affect every individual. Some of the benefits enjoyed by society and consumers, for example, are ease of transaction, comparability of products, quick delivery and the ability to make any type of transaction at any given time of day.19. Electronic commerce facilitates delivery of public and social services, such as healthcare, education, and distribution of government social services at a reduced cost, improving the quality of care and living in these communities. For example, healthcare services can reach patients in rural areas. (Adapted from Lubbe, S. and J.M. van Heerden. 2003. The Economic and Social Impacts of Electronic Commerce. London: Idea Group Publishing, p. 23) What is the topic of the text? (UM UGM 2015) A. Government policy on electronic commerce. B. Types of business suitable for electronic commerce. C. The benefits of electronic commerce for developing countries. D. The gap between countries applying andnotapplyingelectroniccommerce. Minimum requirements of software andhardwareforelectronic commerce. If you had the opportunity to live forever, would you take it? The obstacles to keeping your body alive indefinitely still seems insurmountable, but some scientists think there is another possibility opened up by digital technology: creating a digital copy of your’self” and keeping that “alive” online long after your physical body has ceased to function. In effect, the proposal is to clone a person electronically. Unlike their familiar physical clones—offspring that have identical features as their parents, but that are completely separate organisms with a separate conscious life - your electronic clone would believe itself to be you. How might this be possible? The first step would be to map the brait How? One plan development of relies on the nanotechnology. Ray Kurzweil—one of the prophets of artificial intelligence—predicts that within two or three decades we will have nanotransmitters that can be injected into the bloodstream. In the capillaries of the brain they would line up alongside the neurons and detect the details of the cerebral electronic activity. They would be able to transmit that information to a receiver inside a special helmet or cap, so there would be no need for any wires protruding from the scalp. As a further step, Ray Kurzweil also envisages the nanotransmitters being able to connect you to the world of virtual reality on the internet, similar to what was depicted in the film ‘Matrix: With the nanotransmitters in place, by thought alone, you could log on to the internet and instead of pictures coming up on your screen they would play inside your mind. Rather than send your friends e-mails you would agree to meet up on some virtual tropical beach. For Ray this would be, quite literally, heaven. Once you upload the brain onto the internet and log on to that virtual world the body can be left to rot while your Virtual self carries on playing Counter Strike forever. Therefore, why wait when you can have a shot of nanobots and upload your brain onto the internet and live on as an immortal virtual surfer? (Adapted from “Digital Heaven’, fullspate.digitalcounterrevolution.co.uk) The text mainly discusses .... (UM UGM 2016) A. anendeavor to seek immortal life B. how nanotechnology relates to the concept of heaven C._ nanotechnology and its possibility to facilitate eternal life for human mind D. how nanotechnology can work with the human brain E._ thecontradiction between technology and religions 433PEMBAHASAN UJI PEMAHAMAN Judul teks yang baik —_seharusnya menyatakan topik atau ide pokok dari teks tersebut. Teks membahas berbagai permasalaan spam beserta solusinya, seperti dalam ide pokok paragraf pertama “despite technological innovations such as spam filters and even new legislation designed to combat spam, the problem will not go away easily" (meskipun ada inovasi teknologi seperti penyaring spam, bahkan peraturan baru untuk melawan spam, permasalahan spam tidak hilang dengan mudah).. Jadi, judul yang tepat untuk teks tersebut adalah “Spam: Problems and solutions’. Jawaban: E Kalimat pertama dan kedua menyatakan “Colors, hair, and jewelry are frequently determined by a person's sex ..., and itis not even true now throughout the United States” (Warna, rambut, dan perhiasan secara umum ditentukan oleh jenis kelamin seseorang, tapi sekarang tidak selalu seperti itu di Amerika Serikat). Jadi, topikyang dibahas dalam tekstersebut adalah perubahan pola _berpakaian berdasarkan gender yang ada di Amerika Serikat (the change in gender-based attitude inthe US). Jawaban: A Keseluruhan isi teks dapat dipahami dari pernyataan di paragraf kedua “There is a lot of media coverage of successful career women and ... the joys of motherhood. There's not that much ... and precious little about combining the roles” (Banyak media membahas kesuksesan wanita karir dan ... juga kebahagiaan dari menjadi ibu. Tidak banyak yang diperlukan ... apalagi untuk dapat _menggabungkan kedua_ peran tersebut). 6. Jadi, teks tersebut berhubungan tentang alternatif peran dari seorang wanita (women's alternative role). Jawaban: A Paragraf pertama dengan jelas menyatakan topik yang dibahas dalam teks, yaitu "Now, a study has confirmed that older mothers are more likely to give birth to a child with autism’ (Saat ini, sebuah penelitian telah membuktikan bahwa ibu berusia tua kemungkinan melahirkan anak dengan gejala autisme). Jadi, topik yang dibahas penulis teks tersebut adalah usia ibu hamil dan autisme pada anak-anak (maternal age and autism in children). Jawaban: D Kalimat topik —_paragraf-__pertama menyatakan "The most common causes of tsunamis are underwater earthquakes" (Penyebab paling umum dari tsunami adalah gempa di bawah laut). Paragraf- paragraf berikutnya menjelaskan tentang gempa tersebut hingga paragraf terakhir menyatakan "This is birth of a tsunamr’ Jadi, topik teks tersebut adalah kemunculan sebuah tsunami (the birth ofa tsunam). Jawaban: A Topik bahasan teks tersebut adalah kemunculan tsunami, —_penyebabnya dijelaskan dalam paragraf kedua “The movement occurs most dramatically along fault lines ... These motions are capable of producing earthquakes and volcanism, which, --./ are two possible sources of tsunamis” Jadi, ide utama dari teks tersebut adalah pergerakan kuat di sepanjang garis patahan bawah laut dapat menyebabkan tsunami (strong movements of undersea fault lines cause tsunami). Jawaban: EKalimat terakhir paragraf__ketiga menyatakan “Using a variety of chemical and physical analytical methods, scientists have been able to identify pigments and other inorganic materials in many ancient paintings” (Menggunakan berbagai Jenis metode analisis, ilmuwan dapat mengidentifikasi_ pigmen dan material anorganik dari lukisan-lukisan kuno). Jadi, ide pokok paragraf ketiga, yakni terdapat beberapa jenis metode untuk menganalisis lapisan dari suatu lukisan (there are some methods to crack layer painting mystery). Jawaban: D Paragraf pertama dengan jelas menyatakan topik pembahasan teks tersebut “But what if the real problem is school itself? The unfortunate fact is that one of our most cherished institutions is, ..., failing our children and our society.” (Tapi, bagaimana jika masalahnya adalah sekolah itu sendiri? Kenyataannya institusi tersebut menjatuhkan anak-anak dan masyarakat ). Jadi, topik teks tersebut adalah keraguan mengenai keefektifan sistem sekolah Amerika (doubts on the effectiveness of American school systems). Jawaban: B Paragraf pertama membahas definisi ecotourism, yakni “The definition recognizes that ecotourism is an important educational toot” (Definisi tersebut _menyatakan bahwa wisata alam adalah sebuah alat pembelajaran). Paragraf__berikutnya membahas penelitian tentang hubungan alam dan kemampuan belajar, sedangkan paragraf ketiga dan keempat membahas salah satu jenis wisata alam tersebut. Jadi, topik teks tersebut adalah wisata alam sebagai sumber pembelajaran (ecotourism as learning resources). Jawaban: C 10. i. 12. 13. Topik dari teks terlihat dalam pernyataan paragraf kedua “scientists at Duke-NUS and NN, Singapore, have identified a novel mechanism that potentially links abnormal brain development to the cause of ASDs" (ilmuwan dari Duke-NUS telah mengidentifikasi sebuah —mekanisme baru yang berpotensi_ menghubungkan perkembangan tidak normal otak hingga penyebab autisme). Jadi, topik dari teks tersebut adalah “A new mechanism that could links abnormal brain development to the cause of ASDs" Jawaban: A Perhatikan bahwa gagasan pokok dari setiap paragraf adalah tentang panic attack atau panic disorder. Jadi, topik dari teks tersebut adalah gangguan panik (panic disorders). Jawaban: D Ide pokok dari teks diketahui dari kalimat pertama “Recent technological advances have overcome some of the limitations of divers and diving equipment: (Kini kemajuan teknologi dapat melewati keterbatasan pada berbagai peralatan menyelam). Jadi, ide pokok dari teks tersebut memberi informasi tentang alasan_ mengapa eksplorasi laut saat ini terbukti berhasil (the reasons why recent exploration of the ocean has proved to be successful. Jawaban:B Judul dari teks seharusnya menyatakan topik atau ide pokok dari teks tersebut. Kalimat utama paragraf pertama dengan jelas menyatakan “there are also four stages in the metamorphosis of butterflies and moths:egq, larva, pupa, and adult” (terdapat empat tahap dalam metamorfosis kupu- kupu dan ngengat: telur, larva, pupa, dan dewasa). Jadi, judul yang paling mungkin untuk teks tersebut adalah tahapan-tahapan dalam metamorfosis (The metamorphosis stages). Jawabar14, Ide pokok dari teks tersebut dinyatakan dalam paragraf pertama “Stevie Wonder told diplomats ... to stop squabbling over copyrightand agree on a pact bringing “hope and light” to blind people around the globe.” (Stevie Wonder meminta para diplomat untuk berhenti berdebat tentang hak cipta dan setuju pada pakta untuk memberikan harapan bagi tunanetra di seluruh dunia). Jadi, teks tersebut membahas permohonan Stevie Wonder bagi tunanetra (Stevie Wonder's appeal for the blind). Jawaban: C 15. Kalimat penutup —paragraf_— kedua menyatakan*... calls cyberbullying “the most common onlineriskforallteen’ (cyberbullying disebut sebagai risiko umum untuk seluruh remaja). Seluruh teks berikutnya membahas tentang cyberbullying dan juga teknik pencegahannya. Jadi, kalimat yang tepat menyatakan topik dari teks tersebut adalah keharusan untuk memahami cyberbullying sebagai tindakan kriminal yang saat ini umum terjadi (being aware of cyberbullying as the most common crime nowadays). Jawaban: C 16. Ide pokok paragraf keenam ditunjukkan oleh kalimat berikut “Tell your child that if he/she writes an email or text or posts something ..., to think before they push ‘send’ (Beritahu anak-anak Anda, jika mereka menulis sebuah email atau teks atau suatu tampilan ..., untuk berpikir dahulu sebelum menekan tombol “kirim’) Jadi, peribahasa (proverb) yang sesuai dengan ide pokok tersebut adalah “pethatikan sebelum kamu melangkah” (look before you leap). Jawaban: A 17. Ide pokok dari teks dinyatakan dalam kalimat penutup paragraf_pertama “computer science researchers... suggested using geolocalized tweets for urban planning and land use" (peneliti di bidang komputer sainsmenyarankan penggunaan twitsesuai lokasi tempat tinggal untuk perencanaan kota dan penggunaan lahan). Jadi, ide pokok dari teks tersebut adalah twit sesuai lokasi tempat tinggal dapat berguna untuk perencanaan kota (geolocalized tweets can be useful for urban planning). Jawaban: C 18. Topik dari teks tersebut dinyatakan dalam kalimat pembuka paragraf_ pertama “The impacts of electronic commerce in a developing country can be helpful.” (Dampak perdagangan elektronik bagi negara-negara berkembang dapat sangat berguna). Jadi, topik dari teks tersebut adalah manfaat dari perdagangan elektronik untuk negara- negara berkembang (thebenefitsofelectronic commerce for developing countries) Jawaban: 19. Penutup paragraf terakhir menyatakan “why wait when you can have a shot of nanobots and upload your brain onto the internet and live on as an immortal virtual surfer” (mengapa menunggu ketika kamu bisa menjadi robot nano dan memasukkan pikiranmu ke dalam internet, lalu hidup sebagai penjelajah abadi di dunia virtual?). Jadi, teks tersebut membahas tentang teknologi nano dan kemungkinannya dalam memfasilitasi kehidupan abadi bagi pikiran ‘manusia (nanotechnology and its possibility to facilitate eternal life for human mind). Jawaban:C