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The third section in Paper 2 English SPM, section C requires students to complete a set of
reading comprehension questions (RC) and a one paragraph summary based on a reading
passage. RC is not the hardest part of the paper, because every student would have been doing
this since standard 4. The problem will be the summary. Let me give you some tips on answering
summary.
1.
B BOX
R READ
I IDENTIF
Y
E EXTRAC
T
F FINALIZ
E
5. B=BOX
This is VERY SIMPLE. Just draw a box on the paper. Start the first horizontal line ABOVE the
line mentioned in the instruction (In RED) and another after the last line mentioned. In this
case it is line 16 and line 34.
31. Practice 3 Questions 26 31 are based on the following passage.
1 Work-related stress is a common problem among employees. It can result in feelings of depression,
frustration and demotivation. Stress management therapist, Mahes Karuppiah recommends laughter
therapy to deal with this problem. Mahes says that laughter helps to reduce levels of cortisol, a stress
hormone that weakens the immune system.
5 Studies have found that a good laugh session can lead to a sense of wellbeing and optimism. It can also
reduce blood pressure, increase circulation and relax the muscles. Mahes, who began using laughter as
therapy four years ago says laughter is the easiest and most practical way to manage stress. It is also
inexpensive as everyone possesses the natural ability to laugh. You don t have to learn how to do it or
buy equipment to help you laugh; it is in you.
10 If you look at children, they laugh at the simplest things while adults are finding it difficult even to
smile. Mahes says employees who are facing pressure and stress usually cannot cope with their work.
This drags down their productivity and may even compel them to come up with excuses not to come to
work. If you start work at the age of 25 and retire at 55, you would be spending 30 years of your life at
the office. And you work about nine hours or more there every day. So, if you are unhealthy and
15 unhappy during this period which is the prime time of your life, you have wasted the bulk of your life
with these emotions. To make the office a fun place, she suggests the establishment of a laughter club at
each company. Get a few people together every morning and have a laughter therapy session for about
15 minutes. All the laughter club members should try to identify and remove negative feelings such as
guilt, anger, fear, jealousy and ego, she says.
20 According to Mahes, there are a few types of laughter therapy. Among them are putting a pen between
your teeth to simulate a smile and the Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha, which involves laughing while clapping your
hands. You dont need to listen to a joke or look at something funny. You can do it as a form of exercise
just like aerobics. It is said that laughter is like internal jogging. It keeps the mind and body fit. There
should also be a laughter room in every office, she says. Youve heard of people
25 screaming to release their tension. Why not have a laughter room where instead of screaming, they can
laugh? Employees can use the room to practise laughter exercises, watch a funny video or sit there and
just laugh their frustrations away. The cost of having this room is small. And in return it will help boost
morale among the workers, reduce absenteeism and increase productivity. Another suggestion is to have a
Public Announcement or P.A. system in the office so that someone can tell a
30 joke of the day or just begin laughing. Laughter is contagious. Once you get someone to laugh, soon
everyone in the room will be laughing or smiling as well. Post funny jokes or cartoons on a bulletin
board, as long as they are not lewd or offensive. Employees can rotate the postings every week. The best
joke or cartoon should be declared the Humour of the week. This is the cheapest way to bring fun into
the office.
35 According to a study by David Abrams of California State University in the United States, people who
have fun on the job are more creative and productive, are better decision-makers and get along better with
co-workers. So, start the day with a laugh and you ll find the saying Laughter is the best medicine is
really true. (Adapted from The New Straits Times, July 2003)
Example of the box:
she suggests the establishment of a laughter club at each company. Get a few people together every
morning and have a laughter therapy session for about 15 minutes. All the laughter club members should
try to identify and remove negative feelings such as guilt, anger, fear, jealousy and ego, she says
WHAT IS STRUCK OUT: ELABORATION ON WHAT IS A LAUGHTER CLUB
2.
3.
Among them are putting a pen between your teeth to simulate a smile and the Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha, which
involves laughing while clapping your hands. You dont need to listen to a joke or look at something
funny. You can do it as a form of exercise just like aerobics. It is said that laughter is like internal jogging.
It keeps the mind and body fit.
WHAT IS STRUCK OUT: ELABORATION OF LAUGHTER THERAPY AND HOW IT WORKS
4.
There should also be a laughter room in every office, she says. Youve heard of people screaming to
release their tension. Why not have a laughter room where instead of screaming, they can laugh?
WHAT IS STRUCK OUT: JUSTIFICATION FOR HAVING A LAUGHTER ROOM
5.
6.
7.
sit there and just laugh their frustrations away. The cost of having this room is small. And in return it will
help boost morale among the workers, reduce absenteeism and increase productivity.
WHAT IS STRUCK OUT: THE COST AND BENEFITS OF THE ROOM
8.
Another suggestion is to have a Public Announcement or P.A. system in the office so that someone can
tell a joke of the day or just begin laughing. Laughter is contagious. Once you get someone to laugh, soon
everyone in the room will be laughing or smiling as well.
WHAT IS STRUCK OUT: REASON FOR USING THE P.A SYSTEM
9.
Post funny jokes or cartoons on a bulletin board, as long as they are not lewd or offensive. Employees
can rotate the postings every week.
WHAT IS STRUCK OUT: WHAT CAN BE POSTED AND WHO CAN POST IT.
10. The best joke or cartoon should be declared the Humour of the week. This is the cheapest way to bring
fun into the office.
Mahes suggests that laughter clubs are set up to make people release their
tension. First, there are a few types of laughter therapy: Among them are putting a pen between
your teeth to simulate a smile and the Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha, which involves laughing while clapping
your hands. Second, create a laughter room in every office. Then use the room to practise
laughter exercises, watch a funny video or sit there and just laugh their frustrations away. Third,
use the Public Announcement or P.A. system in the office so that someone can tell a joke of the
day or just begin laughing. Finally, post funny jokes or cartoons on a bulletin board and the best
joke or cartoon should be declared the Humour of the week
You must write the number of word
(126 words)
In finalizing, you can write in Sequence connectors like the numbering of points
to make your points clearer. Before submitting, check your sentences and
grammar.
There you are. we are done. You can start practising!
Good Luck!
A Lesson in Punctuation
To master writing, one must master punctuation. Punctuation is arguable the most taken-forgranted part of grammar. Many students do not optimally use punctuation marks in their
writing; hence their writing lose that versatility and invite ambiguity.
Punctuation rules
Punctuation marks are symbols which
1. organize the structure of written language,
2. and indicate intonation and pauses to be observed when reading aloud.
Punctuation marks are also used to avoid ambiguity. For example, "woman, without her man, is
nothing" has a different meaning from "woman: without her, man is nothing"
This is a summary of punctuation rules.
Read the punctuation rules and study the examples given.
Commas (,)
Commas are used between items in a series or list. The last two items of the series usually
do not need a comma between them. They are separated by "and".
I like spaghetti, fish, pizza and couscous.
Before a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
He woke up late, so he had to drive to work.
Semicolons (;)
Semicolons are used instead of a full stop or period to separate independent sentences:
They woke up early; then they went jogging.
Use a semicolon to separate items in a series when those items contain punctuation such
as a comma:
They visited the Eiffel Tower, Paris; Big Ben, London; and the statue of liberty, New York
Colons (:)
Dashes (--)
To show an afterthought:
I explained to him my point of view-- at least I tried!
Apostrophes (')