1

Section A

Text 1

Study the webpage below and answer Questions i - 3.

 2

Section A

Text 1

Refer to the advertisement (Text 1) on page 1 for Questions 1-3.

1 What is the main message of this poster?

-------------------------- (2)

2 Give two reasons why the information presented under sub-heading "How can volunteers

benefit from this experience?". will appeal to potential volunteers.

----------------------- (2)

·3 The organization has a slogan at the bottom that says, "If it's not from the heart, it's not

worth doing'�.: su�gest oi:1e. ch�-r�cte�l�ti� � ��lunt��-r �hou id h��e.

_;______________.__--'--------,-----:- [1] ..
 3

Section B

Text 2

The text below describes the Lida and her friends' adventure on the tracks. Read it carefully and
answer Questions 4-13.

1 Lida sat outside her great aunt's hotel watching the steam engines go by and listening to the
clop-clop of horses as. they pulled wagons down the cobbled road. She was taking a short break
from her chores at the inn: mopping the ballroom, fixing corn bread for the guests, and tending
the fire in the wood-burning stove. She enjoyed working there and was happy to help her
renowned aunt bolster her growing business and notoriety around the city. Lida had always 5
applied herself to almost any task relentlessly. Today, however, she took this quick respite to
daydream about the dance she would be attending that evening. "Are you_ ready, Miss Lida?"
Hattie asked as she burst through the parlor door and into the kitchen. Mary and Florence were
in step right behind her.

2 "Hattie, I have told you never to come in that way. You disturb.the guests having cocktails in the 10
p_arlorl" "Oh, hush, Lida. You worry too much. Let's go." "I need to put a few more logs in the
stove so Auntie can boil water for the dishes," Lida said. ''Then we can go." Hattie gave a sigh,
b_ut did not bother to argue. "Let's take the tracks," Hattie said when they finally headed out to
ttie party. "Naw, Hattie, you know that's too dangerous in the night." "Look, Lida," Hattie said
impatiently. "We're runnin' late 'cause of you. The tracks will take 15 minutes off our walk." 15
Mary and Florence both mumbled in agreement.
3 Against her better judgment, Lida agreed to take the train tracks. After all, it was her first real
dance ever. Why spoil it with hostility? The girls clumsily navigated the moonlit tracks and talked
excitedly about the dance. Then Lida heard a whistle in the distance. "We've gotta get off the
20
tracks. Train's coming," said Lida.
. .
4 . The girls scurried to the side but found the decline a sheer drop. They made their way forward
. along· the ".tr�cks :and firially·found a· suitabfe·"pface 'to ·desceri<t.·.: Lida tipto� nit11bly from the
. precipice. Finding 'herself _safely below, .she heard a sudden·. thud .. S_he gasped and turned about.
a
"Help I" she heard" voice. cry,. "Help.. ;down .here I". Hattie had "fallen in the· ash pit. Hattie
screamed and tried frantically to· cli�b· out, but the ·pit was too deep'. Not wanting to appear 25
scared. herself, Lida's calm voice ,:,elfed· ttie panic-stricken beating of her heart. "Just give me
your hand, Hattie; and-I'll pull ya right out." They fumbled for each other's hands in the dark. She ·
· had Hattie in ·her. fingertips. In this instant, Hattie_
· fo':Jhd her"f�oting-o_ n what, stra�gely no one
· · · ··
could-be sure. ·
·
5 · Wearing a mask of anguish, reflecting. the p ale moonlight� Lida· pulled. Hattie's ghostly.form 30
appeared from· below the surface like some hellish phantom. Mary and Florence's screams-could -
be heard intermittently _in the riight, watching helplessly as the train lights grew brighter.
6 Hattie's torso finally eclipsed the edge of the pit and there she lay, catching her breath. The girls
hoisted her to her feet and hobbled away from the tracks like a collection of frenzied grave
robbers, their treasure in tow. 35
 4

Section B

Refer to Text 2 on page 3 for Questions 4-13.

4 In paragraph 1, what was Lida doing when she was taking a break?

---------------------- [2]

5 Give one evidence from Paragraph 1 to show that Lida is a hardworking girl.

----------------------- [1]

6 "help her renowned aunt bolster her growing business" (Line 4 - 5. Explain in your own

words what the phrase means.

�----------------------__;..;.-----,-- [2] ..

7 · In paragr·�ph .1-"sh�
.
to�k this'°quick respite-t�
. . . daydream ·a.bout.the dance she would be
attending that evening"
Identify a word from given �el'.ltence which suggest
i) a break· -----,----,-------,------------------------- (1]
 5

8 Here are two separate quotes from Lida.

Hattie, I have told you I need to put a few

never to come in that more logs in the stove
way. You disturb the so Auntie can boil
guests having cocktails water for the dishes,
in the parlor. then we can go.

I Quote 1 I Quote 2

i) What does Lida's first quote reveal about Hattie's character?

__________________________ (1]

ii) What does Lida's second quote reveal about her own character?

-------------------------- (1]

9 Fill in the boxes with the answers.

Why did Lida not want to take the

..
:
train .tracks? '
:[1]

Why did she agree to take the

.
train tracks? '

[i]
 6

10 What two conditions made it dangerous for them to take the train tracks?

_________________________(2]

11 Explain the following phrases in your own words.

From Passage Your own words

"clumsily navigated" (line

18)

"found the decline a sheer

drop" (line 21)

(4]

12 Why do you think Lida did not want to appear scared? (line 25-26)

___________________________ [1]

°13 Quote three ;piece·s =or e':'idence.used in par'agraph. 4 .- 6 that sugge�t a scary mood of the
· rescue.

------------------------- [3]
 7

Section C

Text3
The article be(ow is about the history of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Read it carefully and answer Questions 14 - 22 in the Question
Paper Section.
1 The Golden Gate Bridge is a well-recognized landmark in the United States. It spans the Golden
Gate Strait - a mile-wide stretch of water that connects the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific
Ocean. The Golden Gate Bridge connects the city of San Francisco with Marin County on the
other side of the Strait. This bridge is one of the most beautiful and tallest bridges in the world.

2 The idea for a bridge across the strait had been around for many years, because San Francisco 5
suffered from its isolated location. The only practical way to get across the San Francisco Bay was
to take a ferry. Joseph Strauss was the chief engineer in charge of the bridge project. Other
engineers, architects, and designers made vital contributions to the design and construction of
the bridge. For example, the bridge owes its art deco style and distinctive orange color
("international orange") to the architects Jrving and Gertrude Morrow. Charles Alton Ellis, an 10
expert on structural design, did much of the technical work necessary to build the bridge.

3 It was not easy to get the project started. Financing had to be found, and there was much
opposition to the very idea of a bridge. The U.S. Navy, for example, feared that a bridge would
obstruct ship traffic. The Southern Pacific Railroad, which ran the ferry fleets, feared competition
from the bridge. Many experts did not believe that it would be possible under such difficult 15
circumstances. A suspension bridge of that length had never before been built. There are strong
currents and heavy winds on the bridge site, which made construction dangerous. The
construction work finally started and set new standards for safety:-- workers �er� a�ong the
first required tq wear �ard hats, aod an_ innovative safety net saved the lives of nineteen 111en
· · _. whi_le tt:,e.t?�idge:"':fc'IS .buitt.. tl_,e �olden G·ate Bridg� �as completed in 1937, ·and it"was.·finished 20
ahead of schedule and cost mu.ch less ttian "the origii:ial budget.

4 · Today,· the Golden Gate Bridge has a· main span of 4,200 feet and a total length �f8,981 feet, or ·
about 1.7 miles, making
. it one of the longest bddges. in the
. . world until 1984. The bridge is 90
· feet wide, and. its span is 220 feet above the water. The towers supporting the· huge ca�les rise
746. feet above the waters of the GolC,en Gate Strait, making them 191 feet taller than ·the 25
Washington
.
Monument. Each steel cable is 7,650 feet long and has a diameter
.
of 36 inches.
. ..
. About 40-million automobiles cross the-bridge every year: proof that the bridge serves ·a vital
function.

s There are foghorns to let passing ships know where the bridge is, and aircraft beacons on the
tops of the towers to prevent planes from crashing into them. Because the Golden Gate Bridge is 30
the first sight for many people arriving in the United States by ship, it is sometimes called the
"Statue of Liberty" for the West Coast, named after the real Statue of Liberty at the East Coast.
 8

Section C

Refer to Text 3 on page 7 for Questions 14-22.

14 Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the passage:

i) --------------------- connects the

San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. [1]
ii) ---------------------connects the
city of San Francisco with Marin County on the other side of the Strait.
[1]
15 At the beginning of paragraph 2, the writer says "The idea for a bridge across the strait
had been around for many years, because San Francisco suffered from its isolated
location".
i) Which word suggests that San Francisco experienced difficulties?

[1}
16 How do we know that San Francisco is at an isolated location?

-------------------------- [1}

17 Fill in the blanks with words from the Passage which has the same meaning as the words

.. g!ven below.

Words with Same Meaning ·Wol'.ds from Passage-

Out of the way (paragraph 2}

Hinder (paragraph 3).

Creative (paragraph 3}
..
Important (paragraph 4)

Guiding Light (paragraph S)

[5]
 9

17 From paragraph 3, what were two of the difficulties encountered inbuilding the bridge?

Give evidence to suppor-t your answer.

Difficulties Evidence
1.

2.

(4)

18 List the 3 contributions made by the 3 persons in Paragraph 2.

Irving and Gertrude Morrow:._____________________[2]

Charles Elton Ellis: (1)

19 The writer states that "the construction work set new standards for safety" (Line 18)

i) State why you think there was a need for new standards?

-------------------------- [1]

ii) How were the "new standards of safett' implemented?

-------------------------- [2]
 10

20 Fill in the following with statistics of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Bridge Featur� Statistics (In Feet)

Total Height .

Total Breadth
Total Length

[3]

21 Explain in your own words the purpose of the ''foghorns" and "aircraft beacons" on the

bridge. (Line 29)

Foghorns: ___________________________

Aircraft Beacons: -----------------------�-

__________________________ [2]

22 How do you know that the people associate the bridge with independence and freedom?

__________.____________-____ [1]