Name:.

Form:.
Date:..

SECTION C
(25 MARKS)
QUESTIONS 26-31 are based on the following passage
1

Newspapers are an important source of information. For the many, reading the
morning or daily newspapers puts the start to their day on a pleasant note. However, these
days, anyone would probably agree that it is depressing to read the newspaper because
there are too many reports on death, devastation and violence. Not a day goes by without a
report about people being victims of violent crime. Statistics from the police showed a rapid
increase in crime cases between 1988 and 2008 when the employment rate was high.
Snatch thefts are now running at around thirty cases a day or 16000 cases a year
throughout the country, according to one estimate. Grabbing a handbag from a defenseless
woman has become so common place that the police never give priority to snatch thefts if
there were no injury or loss of life. It was considered more petty theft and there were other
bigger things for the police to take care of.
Snatch theft may appear to be minor crimes but in actual fact, they are not. Apart from
the cases of deaths and serious injuries that have been highlighted recently, most snatch
theft victims are traumatized by the events. Many snatch theft victims will always walk in fear
after such a terrifying experience. The physical scars, if any, may heal but the psychological
scars, take a long time to heal if they ever heal.
Seven main factors have been outlined as reasons for the increase in crime rate in
Malaysia over the last twenty years. The factors are unemployment, migration of youths from
rural to urban area, influx of illegal immigrants, failure in rehabilitating drug addicts, shortage
of police personnel and vehicles to combat crime, the publics pathetic attitude and failure
of town planning committees to consider setting up police stations or the ineffectiveness of
local councils to stress safety features in the city.
Although snatch theft can occur almost anywhere, they frequently take place
in places like bus stops, commuter stations, along main roads and housing estates. The thief
usually rides on a motorcycle, often with an accomplice. According to some views, they are
usually drug addicts stealing to support their addiction. The fact that 42% of those arrested
for snatch thefts in Penang for the first five months of this year attest to this.
Snatch theft are also becoming frequent because there are no separations between
pedestrian walkways and main roads. The general lack of care by pedestrians regarding their
belongings and the reluctance of members of the public to help victims also contribute to the
rising incidence of snatch thefts. Greater public awareness of snatch thefts and the ways to
minimize it will help the police combat this scourge. Newspapers and other mass media
have a vital supportive role to play in educating the public on the simple rules of safety
precautions and personal safety. While symptomatic treatment is necessary to immediately
cut the rate of such thefts, the cure will eventually come if a holistic approach which will go
to the root of the problem is used.

10

15

20

25

30

35

26 From paragraph 1,
a) Why is it mentioned that it is depressing to read news?
________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)
b) What was the police trying to say about the rapid increase in crime cases?
________________________________________________________________(1 mark)
27 From paragraph 2,
a) Find a word that has the same meaning as important.
________________________________________________________________(1 mark)
b) What does the word petty in line 12 mean?
________________________________________________________________(1 mark)
28 From paragraph 3,
a) Why is it mentioned that snatch thefts are not minor crimes?
________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)
b) What word described the feeling of fear ?
________________________________________________________________(1 mark)
29 From paragraph 4, give two reasons for the increase in crime rate in Malaysia.
a) ________________________________________________________________(1 mark)
b) ________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)
30. From paragraph 6, what two suggestions are given to reduce snatch thefts?
a) ________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)
b) ________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)

31. Based on the passage write a summary on:

The increase in snatch thefts in the country

Your summary must:

Be in continuous writing
Use material from lines 6 to 36
Not be longer than 130words
Begin your summary as follows:
Snatch theft are now running at around thirty cases a

Vocabulary Practice
For each of the meaning of the words used in the article, find the word which matches
the meaning.

1. Damage badly or ruins (line 4) _____________________________________________

2. Important (line 9) _______________________________________________________
3. Small and unimportant (line 10)_____________________________________________
4. State of shock or fear (line 14)_____________________________________________
5. Feel pity or sadness (line 20) ______________________________________________
6. A person who helps in the crime (line 25) _____________________________________
7. Cause great suffering (line 32) _____________________________________________