MUET READING SET 4

Part 1

Read three notices about Carnivals.

Answer questions 1 to 4 based on the notices about Carnivals.

Which carnival

1 is suitable for an outdoor gamer? __A__

2 is suitable for people who wants to get experience with intercultural environment? __B____

3 is suitable for an individual who is a technophile? __C___

4 is suitable for all ages? __C__

A. Party Carnival B Unity Carnival C WWW Carnival

 organised by schools  organised by non-government organi-  organised by a famous phone brand

sations
 age group 8- 10 years old
 open to age 13 and above
 it is a food and games carnival
 the carnival carries the theme people
 no indoor games and aims to explore across practices, festivals, food
and more
 open to all public
 the carnival presents the theme Inter-
net and what we can do, why we need, the accessi-
bilities, the growth and a lot more. It basically cov-
ers everything that we need to know about tech-

 it is a three days carnival nology and Internet.

 it is where visitors can try various

 the price per-entry is RM50 and it is kinds of food, watch different types of movies, lis-  it has plenty of booths presenting all

free for children ten to music , try out traditional costume and aspects related to Internet.
many more

 the carnival is from 12/1/2019-  it is a three days carnival

15/1/2019  it is a two days carnival

 no entry fees
 no entry fees
 be lucky to win lucky draw prices
 lots of rewards and goody bags to be
won

PART 2

Read an email from a university lecturer. Answer questions 5 to 9 based on the email.

To:students.uni@yahoo.com
 From umiuni.uni@yahoo.com
Subject: Please read a write up on Time Management before our next class.

Dear students,
For our next class we are going to focus on the topic Time Management. Please read a brief write up about the subject before our next class.

Speaking of time, there seem to be just two ways of perceiving it: some people complain about never having any, others are always looking for ways to kill
time. But time is actually very fairly distributed. Everyone gets 60 minutes per hour and 24 hours per day, net. It is only the daily tasks that are distributed unequally.
They make the day too short for some people and too long for others. Just imagine a pupil who is handed his lessons for the week all in one lump: The pupil will
probably be shocked by this mountain of work and prefer to stay in bed pretending to have the flu. However, divided according to subjects and lessons, the weekly
workload is not as intimidating. The child sees that all the subjects can be covered -- and there is free time as well.

A schedule can also help adults to fight their way through too many commitments. It shows us how the 168 hours of a week is spent. By means of such an analysis,
we can observe critically the aspects we like and the ones we don't. Some of the results might even shock us -- when we realize, for instance, how much time we spend
watching television and how little time remains for the people closest to us.

Often time problems are caused by an external situation. In our work, we usually have no choice but to fix dates and to be on time for appointments. But time problems
also have their roots in our fears and desires. They are not simply a matter of fate; they are at least partly homemade. Continually we are falling into our own traps by
overlooking our days. Afterwards, we get angry because every unexpected occurrence throws us off completely. The same problem occurs if we let ourselves get
bogged down 沉浸 with a number of small tasks before we focus on the main job. When we finally give our undivided attention to the latter, a lot of time has

already been wasted. Another example is that many people take on too many responsibilities, not out of a spontaneous desire to help, but because they are afraid that
other people will look at them askance (synonym: suspicion) and because due to their own insecurity, they are dependent on the approval of others. Thus, they comply
with every request, no matter how unpleasant. The desire to be praised can be so strong that they even refrain from saying how time-consuming and difficult it has
been to complete the task.

People who have time don't necessarily work less than others who are always in a rush. But they know how to set priorities, and they stick to their decisions.
Learning how to use your time best can change your whole way of life and help you to get tasks accomplished.

Text adapted from : http://www.englishdaily626.com/comprehension.php?323

5 In the email, the lecturer stated the two ways of perceiving time that are

A some people complain about never having any, others are always looking for ways to kill time.

B some always have time while others procrastinate and do last minute

C some always complain that time is short while others just waste time and then complain time is too fast

6 The lecturer mentions ‘mountain of work’ which refers to

A the work that a lazy person needs to complete

B the myriads of schoolwork a pupil has to carry out

C the overloaded mode

7. The lecturer in the email stated that a schedule is important because

A a schedule reduces stress

B a schedule develops discipline

C a schedule can also help adults to fight their way through too many commitments.

8 The lecturer said that we can get bogged down if we

A focus on a number of small tasks before we focus on the main job.

B accept a lot of task beyond our means

C just do to look proud

9 The lecturer said that some people always have time since

A they always plan ahead

B they know how to set priorities, and they stick to their decisions.

C they only accept task that interest them

PART 3

Read an extract from a novel title Jo loves Saturdays. Answer questions 10 to 14 based on the extract.

Dear Diary, I love Saturdays! Jo loves Saturdays!

Oh! It is Saturday! Everyone looks forward to the weekend. On Saturdays and Sundays, there is no school and people do not have to go to school or go to work. Of the
two days, Jo loves Saturdays better. ‘I love Saturdays …am I right diary?’.

Saturdays are magical days, full of promise from the moment you open your eyes in the morning and realize that there is no reason to rush. You have the
luxury of lazing in bed a bit longer, and even snoozing for another hour. ‘ I can sleep..sleep…and sleep right diary?’.

Or you can jump out of bed and get started on a day of total freedom. Basically, it is a day where you get to choose what to do, unless you are one of those unfortunate
souls whose weekends are packed from dawn to dusk with activities ranging from tuition to archery lessons. Fortunately, my parents are not fanatical about
achievements so I get to spend the day as I wish. Most of the time, I would decide how to fill the hours only after I wake up. My decision is largely dependent on my
mood. It is not all play though. I would spend a couple of hours on household chores to help my mother out. After that, I would just recline on the sofa and read, or lie
on my bed and listen to music. ‘ I relax and only relax….diary …just relax and unwind’.

Dear Diary I love Saturdays! Jo loves Saturdays!

 I love Saturdays also because that is the day I get to meet up with my friends who are not from the same school. ‘ I will meet my friend's diary!’. They would be my
primary schoolmates and childhood friends. Usually, we would do some window shopping and then go to a mamak stall to have tea and chat. ‘Diary ..remember
our favourite mamak food on Saturdays….’ Since we are all from different schools, it is fun to share about school life. This is something I look forward to every week.

Saturdays are better than Sundays for me because it is also a family day for us. Saturdays are reserved for just my family. We go to the supermarket together to
shop for groceries. Mother makes a point of cooking dinner for us on Saturdays because she gets home too late on weekdays to cook a full meal. Sitting together for a
meal is a special time for us to catch up with one another. Besides, mother's cooking is far better than any restaurant food, and she goes out of her way to make us
our favorite dishes. It is something that makes my Saturdays so much more special.

TEXT ADAPTED FROM: http://www.englishdaily626.com/lower_secondary_english_essays.php?381

10 Why are Saturdays magical days?

A full of promises and there is no reason to rush. 

B it is a weekend

C it is a day off from work

11 How does Jo decide his plans on Saturdays?

A based on his family plans

B based on his mood

C based on his friends plans

12 What are the other reasons Jo loves Saturdays?

A spend time with grandparents and friends

B spend time with friends

C spend time with friends and family

13 What activities Jo does with his friends on Saturdays?

A window shopping and visiting mamak stalls

B window shopping and cooking

C window shopping and buy groceries

14 Why eating together as a family is vital (synonym: important/ essential/ integral) for Jo?

A can eat his mother’s cooking

B it is the time for family members to catch up

C can eat his favourite meals

Part 4

Read two reviews about a film. Answer questions 15 and 16 based on Review 1

Review 1

There is a saying that lightning never strikes the same place twice. Many of us, however, probably experienced a series of misfortunes at least once in our lives. When

something bad happens, you think, “Alright, that should be it. Nothing worse can happen to me now”–and then it happens. But I guess few people have had a day (or

night) as bad as Connie Nikas, the main character of an American criminal drama called “Good Time.” Really, just how unfortunate can a man be?

Filmed in 2017 by Josh and Benny Safdie, the movie is their debut. Starring Robert Pattinson as Connie, the film reveals him not only as a brilliant actor, but also

redeems him of his role in the “Twilight” saga. In other words, Connie looks totally different from what you would have expected of Pattinson, considering his

previous characters. I will get to this aspect later; for now, let me briefly review the movie’s plot. So, spoilers 剧透 ahead—consider yourself warned. And I am not

starting with the movie productions or critics. Let’s be positive first.

Let’s go. It starts with Connie breaking into a psychiatric clinic, where a psychiatrist interviews his brother Nick. Nick suffers from some kind of an autistic spectrum

disorder, so he needs to go into therapy. Connie believes it only hurts his brother, so he interrupts one of such sessions and takes him away from the clinic.

Together, they rob a bank: as far as I understood, they need money to buy a farm where they can live all by themselves, of which they dream together. The brothers

manage to escape with the money in a getaway car, but the bag with the money has an exploding dye pack in it as a safety measure to mark the robbers for the police.

Nick and Connie have to make a stop at a restaurant to wash the dye away. Later, as they walk down the street, a police patrol officer stops them for an identification

check; Nick panics and runs, causing the police to chase the two brothers. Connie flees, but Nick gets arrested.

Text adapted from : https://academichelp.net/samples/academics/reviews/movie/good-time-film-review.html

15 What do we learn about the reviewer’s writing style?

A the writer starts with the movie production

B the writer starts the review with the story plot

C the writer starts the review with critics

16 How is the content of the review organised?

A introduction movie background explaining plot

B movie background explaining plot introduction

C explaining plot introduction movie background

Answer questions 17 and 18 based on Review 2

Review 2

The movie’s pace (or rather, the suspense) quickly increases. It reminded me of one of my favorite movies, “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” Indeed, Connie and Ripley are

somewhat alike. Both are nobodies; both virtuously manipulate other people in order to reach personal goals; both are skilled in improvisation, and are unlikely to give

up in difficult situations. And, just as in “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” Connie gradually pulls himself into bigger and bigger trouble.

Other characters are detailed and vivid as well. I felt sympathy for Nick. Unable to take full responsibility for his actions, he becomes a victim of his brother’s ambition.

I felt compassion towards Crystal and Corey–women Connie uses for his plans. I even felt pity for Ray: a slave to his addictions. These, as well as other characters

shown in the movie, created an incredibly convincing picture of the bottom of American society and contributed to the atmosphere displayed by the film.

The acting and characters is not the only pillar the movie stands on. The visual images in “Good Time” are as important as the characters. A dull, gloomy picture

filled with bluish and red neon lights perfectly conveys the mood of hopelessness, of endless days filled with poverty and the same routine. The greater part of the

movie unfolds in the dark, on night streets, in urban slums. Connie’s desire to get out of this dump becomes almost tangible, and his idea with the robbery starts looking

like his only chance for a normal life. The camerawork always emphasizes the atmosphere in the film, and at some point, I found myself perceiving “Good Times”

almost as a documentary.

And oh yes, the music. It is fantastic. The soundtrack was composed by Oneothrix Point Never, a composer of experimental electronic music based in Massachusetts.

After watching the film, I went directly to iTunes and downloaded his official “Good Time” soundtrack album–and I recommend you doing the same. In fact, it is so

good, it won the Soundtrack Award at the Cannes Festival 2017. You should rather listen to it yourself–or, which is better, watch the movie and hear the soundtrack

alongside the story.

Overall, “Good Time” is a strong drama with complex characters, great visuals, and unforgettable music. It is a movie about criminals, but unlike most gangster

movies, you will not find any romanticism or nostalgia here.

Text adapted from : https://academichelp.net/samples/academics/reviews/movie/good-time-film-review.html

17 What do we learn about the reviewer’s impression of the movie?

A He really appreciated the movie

B He found the movie blunt

C He felt the movie had plenty of weaknesses

18 What do we learn about the making of the movie?

A the only pillar of the movie is strong plot

B the movie has a fast pace with amazing visual images and fantastic music

C the only pillar of the movie is the characters

Answer questions 19 and 20 based on Review 1 and Review 2

19 Which of the following is true of both reviews?

A both the reviews explain only the strength of the movie

B both the reviews explain only the weakness of the movie

C both the review explains all the strength and weakness of the movie

20 Two reviews suggest that a successful movie requires

A a good technical elements like plot, characters, visual images and music

B only good music

C only good storyline

Part 5

Read an article about the awareness towards Cultural Behaviour in Business. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A to G the

one which fits each gap (21 to 26). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

A lack of understanding of the cultural norms and practices of our business acquaintances can result in unfair judgments, misunderstandings and breakdowns in
communication. (21)_G__.

Addressing someone

When discussing this topic in a training course, a German trainee and a British trainee got into a hot debate about whether it was appropriate for someone with a

doctorate to use the corresponding title on their business card. (22) F. The German trainee, however, argued that the hard work and years of education put into

earning that PhD should give them full rights to expect to be addressed as 'Dr'.
This stark difference in opinion over something that could be conceived as minor and thus easily overlooked goes to show that we often attach meaning to even the

most mundane practices. When things that we are used to are done differently, it could spark the strongest reactions in us. While many Continental Europeans and

Latin Americans prefer to be addressed with a title, for example Mr or Ms and their surname when meeting someone in a business context for the first time,

Americans, and increasingly the British, now tend to prefer using their first names. (23)_D__.

Smiling

A famous Russian proverb states that 'a smile without reason is a sign of idiocy' and a so-called 'smile of respect' is seen as insincere and often regarded with
suspicion in Russia. Yet in countries like the United States, Australia and Britain, smiling is often interpreted as a sign of openness, friendship and respect, and is
frequently used to break the ice.

In a piece of research done on smiles across cultures, the researchers found that smiling individuals were considered more intelligent than non-smiling people in
countries such as Germany, Switzerland, China and Malaysia. However, in countries like Russia, Japan, South Korea and Iran, pictures of smiling faces were rated
as less intelligent than the non-smiling ones. (24)B__.

Eye contact

An American or British person might be looking their client in the eye to show that they are paying full attention to what is being said, but if that client is from

Japan or Korea, they might find the direct eye contact awkward or even disrespectful. In parts of South America and Africa, prolonged eye contact could also be

seen as challenging authority. In the Middle East, eye contact across genders is considered inappropriate, although eye contact within a gender could signify

honesty and truthfulness.

(25)__, but it is vital that we also remember that cultural stereotypes can be detrimental to building good business relationships. Although national cultures could

play a part in shaping the way we behave and think, we are also largely influenced by the region we come from, the communities we associate with, our age and

gender, our corporate culture and our individual experiences of the world. (26)_A_.

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading/advanced-c1/cultural-
Adapted text from :
behaviour-in-business

A The knowledge of the potential differences should therefore be something we keep at the back of our minds, rather than something that we use to

pigeonhole the individuals of an entire nation.

B Meanwhile, in countries like India, Argentina and the Maldives, smiling was associated with dishonesty.

C Having an increased awareness of the possible differences in expectations and behaviour can help us avoid cases of miscommunication

D The best thing to do is to listen and observe how your conversation partner addresses you and, if you are still unsure, do not be afraid to ask them how
they would like to be addressed.

E The business culture is the same all across the world.

F The British trainee maintained that anyone who is not a medical doctor expecting to be addressed as 'Dr' was disgustingly pompous and full of
themselves

G Here are three basic areas of differences in the business etiquette around the world that could help stand you in good stead when you next find yourself
working with someone from a different culture.