EXAMPLE QUESTION FOR READING ( MUET JULY 2016)

MUET PRACTICE EXERCISE

Question 1 to 7 are based on the following passage.

Table 1: recommended number of glasses of water per day according to age group

	Age ( years )	Number of glasses (litre)
Children ( boys )	1-3 4-6 7-9	3.9 (0.98) 5.4 (1.35) 7.1 (1.78)
Children ( girls )	1-3 4-6 7-9	3.6 (0.9) 5.2 (1.3) 6.4 (1.6)
Adolescent ( boys )	10-12 13-15 16-18	8.7 (2.18) 10.8 (2.7) 11.4 (2.85)
Adolescent ( girls )	10-12 13-15 16-18	8 (2) 8.7 (2.18) 8 (2)
Men	19-29 30-59 >60	9.8 (24.5) 9.8 (24.5) 8 (2)
Women	19-29 30-59 >60	8 (2) 8.7 (2.18) 7.1 (1.78)

*based on one glass = 250ml

Note: calculations are based on average energy requirement according to the Recommended Nutrition Intake for Malaysian in the respective age groups.

Water is necessary for all living things. It therefore is of no surprise that there are various types of water found in the market to cater to the different needs of consumers.

  Reverse osmosis water is pure water that is devoid of mineral or other materials. Reverse osmosis water is usually treated tap water that is passed through membranes under pressure. The membranes filter out all the salts leaving pure water that is without odour or flavour. A survey of two local brands of reverse osmosis water shows that local brand A costs RM0.50 per 500 ml while local brands B costs RM0.65 for the same volume.

  Distilled drinking water is water that has been heated until it becomes water vapour, which is then cooled or condensed back into liquid water. This process usually removes all contaminants as well as any dissolved minerals in it, resulting in pure water. Distilled drinking water usually comes from water source located underground. The price of distilled water per 500ml is RM0.54 and RM1.21 for local brand C and D respectively.

   Mineral water is usually obtained from running water source located underground. This type of water picks up minerals from rocks is flows over. Mineral water bottles usually display nutrition information that shows the level of certain minerals like potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium that the water contains. Local brand C mineral water costs RM0.54 per 500ml while local brand D costs RM1.16. There are also international brands of mineral water found in the Malaysian market. International brand A costs RM0.67 per 500ml while international brand B costs RM3.45 for same quantity.

( Adapted from : Helen Chuah, Celestina Paul-Evanson & Dr Fatimah Dinna. (2014). Malaysian University English The Complete Text & Guide MUeT. Kuala Lumpur : Global Mediastreet Sdn Bhd. )

1        Table 1 gives the number of glasses of water that each age group must drink daily.

A   True

B   False

C   Not false

2        The Malaysian Dietary Guidelines 2010 indicates for male and female, across all ages, the former should drink more litres of water than the latter.

A   True

B    False

C   Not false

3        As male and female grow older, they require more water.

A   True

B    False

C    Not false

4        Table 2 indicates that Malaysian produces varieties of water obtained from different source.

A   True

B    False

C    Not false

5        The fact that the international Brand B of mineral water is the most expensive, as evident from it price of RM 3.45 as compared to other brands, indicates that it provides the best quality.

A   True

B    False

C    Not false

6        The contents in mineral water suggest that mineral water is the healthiest drinking water as compared to reverse osmosis water and distilled water.

A   True

B    False

C    Not false

7        The factor determining the prices of the different types of water are brand, source water and process by which they are obtained.

A   True

B   False

C   Not false

 Question 8 to 15 are based on the following passage.

Sugar: The Silent Killer

1        Sugar can take many forms – such as while, raw or brown sugar, honey or corn syrup. It has many properties, both aesthetic and preservative, that make it highly desirable in the processed food industry. It adds taste, colour, bulk and viscosity to food products. It also prevents would formation and microbiological activity.

2        According to the 1995 survey Nutrition survey, Australians were obtaining about 45 percent of their energy intake from carbohydrates of which 20 percent was derived from natural and added sugars and 25 percent from starch. What is shocking is that, more specifically, about 30 percent of sugar intake in Australia comes from soft drinks. In the 1995 National Nutrition survey 16 to 24-year-olds were consuming on average 400 ml of soft drinks per day.

3        Even though sugar per se has not been linked with heart disease, diabetes or adult obesity, there is enough evidence to warrant some caution about consuming too much sugar. High sugar / sucrose intakes have been associated with the following conditions: dental cavities, increased tendency for blood clots, increased levels of a blood fat and skin wrinkling.

4        Sugar has been called a source of  ‘empty calories’   because it offers taste but has no nutrients. It has long been advised that if you want to lose weight, you should cut out all sweet and sugary foods from your daily diet. However, there is limited evidence to suggest that eating foods high in sugar is associated with excessive food intake or obesity.

5        Overweight and obesity are cause by regularly consuming more kilojoules (calories) than the body use. Sugar may be a problem for people who are largely inactive and need to reduce their energy intake. Therefore, to assist in weight management it is advisable to avoid eating large amounts of sugar or sugary foods. A study published in the Lancer 2001 showed that consumption of sugar- sweetened drinks is related to childhood obesity. Another study showed that there was more than 1 kg body weight gain in subjects after 3 week of consuming about 4 glasses of soft drink daily compared with volunteers drinking the same amount of diet soft drink.

6        Sugar is found in obviously sweet foods like soft drinks, fruit juice, cordials, jams and chocolates. However, sugar can also be found in foods which are not obviously sweet like: savoury biscuits and salad dressings. Food labels will provide the total amount of sugar present in the Nutrition Information panel. The total includes ‘added sugar’ as well as naturally occurring sugar from fresh, dried, canned, and frozen fruit and milk components.

( Adapted from : Koh Soo Ling & Wayne Weng Hang. (2012). MUET Model Tests. Petaling Jaya : Penerbit Ilmu Bakti Sdn. Bhd. )

8   The first paragraph describes the _______ properties of sugar.

A   physical.

B   aesthetic.

C   physical and aesthetic.

9   The word viscosity (line 3) means

A   beauty.

B   thickness.

C   attractiveness.

10    The writer quotes the Australian 1995 Nutrition Survey to highlight Australians’

A   intake of added sugar and natural sugar.

B   over-consumption of soft drinks.

C   ideal amount of sugar intake.

11    Which of these statement is correct?

A   sugar is linked to heart diseases, diabetes or adult obesity.

B   consuming too much sugar may lead to ill health.

C   high sugar / sucrose intakes are not associated with diseases.

12    according to the writer, there is not much proof that

A   sugar is a source of ‘empty calories’

B   sugar foods are linked to excessive food intake

C   cutting out all sweet and sugary foods will ensure good health

13 from the studies mentioned in paragraph 5, we can conclude that an increase in the consumption of sugar leads to _________

A   an increase in weight gain

B   a decrease in weight gain

C   no weight gain

14    sugar is found in __________

A   sweet food

B   savoury food

C   both sweet and savoury food

15    the total amount of sugar present in the Nutrition Information Panel comprises ______

A   added sugar

B   naturally occurring sugar

C   both added and occurring sugar

TEST FORMAT

In the reading component, you will be required to answer 45 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes.

Q1 - 7: Comprehension of non-linear texts

Q8 - 45: Reading comprehension and critical reading consisting of 5 different passages with 7-8 questions per passage

Note that the reading section tests:

1.      Comprehension

2.      Critical reading on four areas : application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation

3.      Contents in two (2) different types of texts : non-linear (graphics) and linear (analytical, descriptive, persuasive, argumentative and narrative)

4.      Contents using 3-option or 4-option multiple-choice questions

GENERAL READING STRATEGIES

Be Prepared

1. Adopt a critical reader attitude – comprehend the author’s ideas as well as apply, analysis, synthesis and evaluate the author’s content, technique and style.
2. Preset your mind with necessary requirements for critical reading and comprehension.
3. Familiarise yourself with the instructions and the types of reading comprehension questions that may appear in the test before the day of the test. This will mentally prepare you for any type of format and test items. Be prepared for both objective and subjective questions on the following formats :

• comprehension of passages of varying subjects, lengths and levels of difficulty
• information in both linear and non-linear texts

Get an Overview

When you have the test paper before you, read the instructions and skim the test paper quickly to have a general idea of the test format and test items.

Use Contextual Clues and Background Knowledge

Do not worry if the question or a passage is on unfamiliar topic. Remember that in most cases, answers are obtained from the passage. For passages that do not provide answers directly, be confident to evidence of suggestions, hints and contextual clues in the passage together with your background knowledge to infer the answers.

Read the Passage Carefully

• Read the passage first before the questions. Concentrate when you read and try to understand the contents as much as you can on the first reading. If you feel the need to read more than once to understand the content, then you should continue reading it until you are confident that you have understood it well enough to tackle the questions.
• Another important thing you have to remember is that questions can be tricky, thus, you need to understand the ideas very clearly.
• Question yourself continuously as you read from first paragraph to the last paragraph. Read purposefully by using WH-questions (What/Why/Who/When/Where/How) to guide you to ask yourself some important and relevant questions.

Some questions are:

(a)    What is the topic and/or subject?

(b)   What kind of writing does this paragraph or passage reflect? Analytical? Descriptive? Persuasive? Argumentation? Narrative?

(c)    How is the information organized? Cause/effect? Comparison/contrast? Problem/solution? Argumentation? Narration? Description?

(d)   What is the focus of the question? Comprehension? Application? Analysis? Synthesis? Evaluation?

Do Not Be Preoccupied with the Time

Do not worry about the time element when you are reading the passage or the questions as this might cause you to panic and you might begin to take short cuts and miss important ideas which could be tested.

Tackle Familiar Subjects First

Tackle the passage with the familiar subjects before the unfamiliar ones.

Read All Options and Answer All Questions

·         If you find difficulty answering the question, read the three- or four-answer options. Otherwise, read the text again and use your background knowledge to help you eliminate wrong answers.

·         Be sure that you read or skim through all the answer options before deciding which is correct.

·         Answer the easy questions first. Get as many of them correct as you can.

·         If you plan to skip certain difficult questions, do not forget to come back to them later.

Annotating the Ideas

• Underline only main words or sentences necessary to explain the central or main points of the paragraph or passage.

Example : 

Participative leaders share decision-making with group members. Participative leadership encompasses so many behaviors that it can be divided into three sub-types consultative, consensus and democratic. Consultative leaders confer with group members before they make a decision. However, they retain the final authority to make decisions. Consensus leaders strive for consensus. They encourage group discussions about an issue. They make a decision that reflects general agreement and will be supported by group members. Workers involved in consequences of a decision have an opportunity to provide input. A decision is not considered final until all parties involved agree with the decision. Another criterion of the consensus is that the group members are willing to support the final decision even if they group do not agree with it totally. Democratic leaders confer final authority on a group. They function as collectors group opinion. They take a vote before making a decision. Some observers see very little differentiation between democratic leadership and free-rein leadership.

·         Write effective notes alongside the paragraph or passage in the margins of the paragraph or passage to help highlight the main idea and supporting details. Refer to the example Refer to the example of ‘Population Growth’, on pages 99 to 100.

( Adapted from : Helen Chuah, Celestina Paul-Evanson & Dr Fatimah Dinna. (2014). Malaysian University English The Complete Text & Guide MUeT. Kuala Lumpur : Global Mediastreet Sdn Bhd. )

STRATEGIES FOR ANSWERING READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.      First, read the passage quickly to get a general idea of what the passage is about.

2.      Then, read through all the questions. Underline the key words. Note exactly what you are being asked for each question.

3.      Read the passage carefully and try to understand what it is about, as a whole as well as what individual paragraphs are about.

4.      Read the questions again in the order in which they are given.

Note: You can expect some questions to be tricky, involving material from an unexpected part of the passage or to require some thoughtful reasoning and analysis on your part.

 

5.      For the vocabulary questions, choose the word that fits your context so that the sentence makes sense.

6.      You may use the following technique to locate answers:

·         Step 1: Skim the title the instructions and the comprehension questions and underline key words.

·         Step 2: Skim the text to identify the kind of text, the topic and the approach or the main thesis.

·         Step 3: Have another quick look at the questions. If they are difficult to understand, take your time, and underline key words. Choose the most appropriate option by working out where the others carefully.

·         Step 4: Do a first scanning to answer the easy questions. Reread the others carefully.

·         Step 5: Think over the parts you did not understand in the second scanning.

·         Step 6: Check your answers. Read your answers again, to make sure that you have answered correctly.  

7.      Time management is an important thing to be aware of. You have six texts to read and 45 questions to answer in 90 minutes. Don’t spend too much time on a difficult answer.

8.      Remember the test gets more difficult as it goes on. So, you will probably need more time for the passages at the end than for those at the start.

9.      If you have finished the exam with time to spare, check your answers again. If you have time after the check, check again.

TRUE / FALSE / NOT STATED QUESTIONS

1)      These questions focus on factual information – facts, beliefs, and opinions.

2)      To select the right option:

·         Step 1: Skim and scan the text to locate the issue in the question.

·         Step 2: Check carefully for information on the issue.

·         Step 3: Decide whether the information is given in the text. If the information is not found, choose ‘Not Stated’.

·         Step 4: Compare factual information in the text with what is given in the question if the information is found.

·         Step 5: Decide whether the statement in the question agrees or disagrees with the factual information in the text.

MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

1)      Multiple-choice questions in MUET Paper 3 consists of either three-answer options (A, B and C) or four-answer options (A, B, C, and D).

2)      These questions focus primarily on main ideas, supporting details, vocabulary or the writer’s opinion.

3)      The questions follow the order of information in the text.

4)      To select the right option:

·         Step 1: Read the question carefully and underline the key words.

·         Step 2: Skim through the text to locate key words and the specific section needed to answer the question.

·         Step 3: Read the question again and check answer options carefully.

·         Step 4: Delete unlikely responses.

·         Step 5: Choose the most suitable response to the question.

INTERPRETING INFORMATION IN NON- LINEAR TEXT AND TRANSFERRING INFORMATION FROM NON – LINEAR TO LINEAR TEXT

1)      Non – linear texts may include graphics such as pictures, maps, diagrams, charts, photographs, drawings, sketches, graphs, schedules, timelines and tables.

2)      in order to understand the graphics, you need to be able to interpret these non-linear texts.

3)      Interpreting a graphic means understanding its purpose and the information it shows, not just what it looks like.

4)      When you interpret a graphic, study it carefully to discover important details about it, and understand the significant, or importance of the details.

5)      When analysing linear text, take note of the title, subtitles, headings, sub-headings, legend, and the source of the stimulus.

6)      Identify and relate relevant information to the stimulus.

7)      Look at the vertical and horizontal scales and values.

8)      Study the highest and lowest values, and the trend.

9)      Provide probable reasons and suggest plausible solutions if necessary.

Thinking Skills

1)      Read critically and evaluate the intention of the writer.

2)      Probe the writer’s underlying purpose before agreeing or disagreeing with what the writer written.

Paraphrasing

1)      A paraphrase includes both the main and supporting ideas of the original passage.

2)      A paraphrase may be about the same length, longer than the original, or it may be shorter.

3)      When paraphrasing, restate ideas in the original passage clearly and more simply using your own words.

4)      The paraphrase should be clear, concise and easy to understand, communicates the ideas of the original passage, and does not contain any ideas not found in the original passage.

5)      A good paraphrase analyses the underlying ideas in the original passage and the rewords those ideas as clearly and concisely as possible.

6)      In order to paraphrase accurately, you must read and understand the original passage throughly.

7)      When paraphrasing, avoid as much of  the original phrasing as possible and try to create something new.

Drawing Conclusions

1)      Drawing conclusions refers to information that is implied or inferred – the information is never clearly stated.

2)      When you read, you draw conclusions based on information from the text and your own experience.

3)      Look for signal words such as in conclusions, to conclude, concisely, in short, to sum up, finally, as a result, therefore, hence, thus, that indicate, the conclusions of the paragraph or passage.

4)      Draw conclusions by logical reasoning, based on the facts or evidence available in the texts.

5)      You can draw conclusions by :

·         the general sense of its contexts

·         examples

·         an antonym or by a contrasting thought in a context.

( Adapted from : Dr. Hooi Carol (2015). Mastering MUET Fifth Edition. Johor Baru : Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn Bhd. )