SECTION C : READING COMPREHENSION & SUMMARY

Exercise 1
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
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Television has changed the way families interact. Before television, families sat around
their dinner table at night to discuss and share the events of the day; now, many families eat
in front of the television, and any sharing of thoughts and ideas are reduced to almost nil. It
is as if there are individuals sitting together, but they have no social interaction at all. This
means that children are not learning the social skills of eating together and the cultural
importance of traditions. Some children are spending up to six hours a day in front of the
television. A recent university study found that spending too much time watching television
result in more time for eating snacks and so leads to overeating. Young people are
becoming more unfit and overweight. Young people today are 15 to 20% less fit than their
parents at the same age. Obesity among adolescents has trebled over the past 15 years.
Alternatively, families who watch less television tend to do activities together. They play
more sports and become more involved in cultural and social activities. The parents know
what their children are doing and what they are interested in. Everyone is enriching their
lives by interacting with different people and so making friends outside the family unit.
Parents are involved, so they can see straightaway if something is wrong and help to fix the
problem before it worsens.
At the same time, there are families that enjoy watching special programmes together.
They choose what they want to watch based on the interests of the family members. They
make a point of then discussing what they have seen and how it relates to them and what
they already know. This can be an opportunity for families to build close bonds as they
used television programmes as a part of their family discussion about what is important and
what they believe.
Nevertheless, there are some families that have more than one television. In these cases
the family often does not even sit together to watch television. There can be little sharing of
ideas at all when individuals are not interested to know or want to know what the others are
watching. If parents do not know what young children are watching, they cannot check if
their children are watching any disturbing or inappropriate material. The art of
conversation is completely neglected. If children do not become familiar and comfortable
with holding a conversation, they are likely to become anti-social and uncommunicative as
adults.
Television provides a wonderful source of information and general knowledge. A huge
selection of science programmes, nature documentaries, quiz shows and lifestyle
programmes ensure a variety of interesting topics that children and adults can learn about.
News and current affairs programmes provide us with up-to-date and comprehensive
information as well as pictures about events around the world. From these programmes our
knowledge and understanding grow. We can develop opinions on topics based on facts
rather than opinion. New and current affairs programmes show us what is happening
around the world. This is history in the making. The people and the events of today will be
in the history books of tomorrow.
Cultural programmes such as music, dance and art programmes teach us about our own
cultural heritage and that of other countries.
Unfortunately, television brings information that can be disturbing or confusing. Many
people cannot tell the difference between what is fact and what is opinion or a biased view.
Television advertisements convince credulous viewers that they will be happy only if they
own the product advertised and the happiest people are those who are young, rich and
good-looking.

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Answer all the questions. You are recommended to answer them in the order set.
1.

In paragraph 1,
(a) How did families interact before the television craze?
(b) How do they interact now?

2.

In paragraph 1, give two adverse effects of watching television on children.

(i) __________________________________________________________
(ii)___________________________________________________________

3.

Explain art of conversation is completely neglected in the fourth paragraph.

4.

In paragraph 6, name the two things taught by the cultural programmes on television.
(i) ___________________________________________________________
(ii)___________________________________________________________

5.

Give two examples of misleading information on television commercials.

(i) ___________________________________________________________
(ii)___________________________________________________________

Summary
Based on the passage, write a summary in which you describe how television affects children in many
ways. Include:
the effects of television on children
the benefits of television
Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the original meaning.
Your summary must
be in continuous writing (not in note form)
use materials from lines 1 to 53
not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below
Begin your summary as follows:
Besides changing the way families interact, television also affects children

SECTION C : READING COMPREHENSION & SUMMARY - ANSWERS

Exercise 1
1. (a)

2.

3.
4.

5.

Families sat around the dining table to discuss and share the events of
the day.

(b)

Families now eat in front of the television and are so engrossed in watching the
television that they do not talk to each other at all.

(i)

Children are not learning the cultural importance of traditions.

(ii)

Children tend to become overweight for they eat snacks while watching television.

There is little communication between them (family members).

(i)

We learn about our own cultural heritage.

(ii)

We learn about the cultural heritage of other countries.

(i)

We will be happy if we use the products advertised.

(ii)

To be happy, we have to be young, rich and good-looking.

Summary
Content
Language

= 10 marks
= 5 marks

Content:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.

Children are not learning the social skills of eating together.

Children are not learning the cultural importance of traditions.
They tend to be overweight (if they snack while watching television).
It is worse if families have separate sets of television.
They do not communicate.
Parents do not know what the children are watching.
Children tend to become anti-social.
Children tend to become uncommunicative.
Families that watch less television interact more.
Their lives are richer
Television is also a source of information and knowledge and also up-to-date
news.
It stimulates thinking.
Its cultural programmes teach cultural heritage.
Advertisements divulge misleading information

SECTION C : READING COMPREHENSION & SUMMARY

Exercise 2
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
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I was brought up in a large family in which my fathers younger sister played an

influential role during my childhood. While mother ran a home furnishing business. Aunt
Milahs career enabled her to spend time with me on weekends and during the holidays.
She used to take me on shopping sprees, downtown for supper and to other leisure
activities.
Aunt Milah never married; so she literally treated me as her own child. Lavishing me
with expensive things and paying for almost all my expenses. As I spent more and more
time with her, the gap between my mother and I unwittingly grew from an inch to a mile. I
didnt quite feel at ease when in my mothers presence.
However, circumstances changed when my aunt died of cancer when I was 15. Almost
immediately, I lost my pillar of support, which left me rather confused. That was when
Mother finally had the chance to assume her parental position and to care for me. She saw
the chance to communicate with me in a more personal way than before.
But our new bond has its glitches, especially since my aunts role in my life had made
Mother a virtual stranger to me. Aunt Milahs death affected the family deeply, and that
made our relationship even harder to handle. Initially, communication between Mother and
me was minimal and she hardly took any notice to my personal needs. We got annoyed
with each other over the smallest things because we didnt know what to expect of each
other. It was as though I did not my own mother at all. The experience was both confusing
and terrifying.
At the age of 16, I learnt that I had a rare genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis type
11, which causes tumours to grow within my body. Two weeks after the diagnosis, I was
bedridden after an emergency surgery to remove several tumours in my spine.
My illness proved to be an opportunity for my mother and me to bridge the gap between
us. With Aunt Milah gone, she was my only consolation after the agony of surgery. I can
still remember the very first time I confessed my innermost feelings as Mother sat beside
my bed and held my hands tightly. Tears rolled down our cheeks as we finally told each
other what we thought and how we felt.
Mothers heart was torn as she watched me endure the pain of a seven-inch wound on
my back. She did almost everything for me, including the very basic tasks that we often
take for granted. We were literally transported back to when I was a newborn, who
depended on her for every need. I told Mother the things that I did not feel comfortable
sharing with her many years ago. I was bedridden for over three weeks, so we had all the
time to reconcile with each other just the two of us within the walls of a medical enclave.
I believe that everything happens for a reason, and that the diagnosis of my illness had
its pros and cons. In return for what I suffered under the surgical knives, God gave me a
mothers unconditional love, which is exactly I need most on this difficult journey. I know
now that I can face lifes challenges with my mothers support, love and care. My only
regret is that I waited that long to discover my best friend.
Adapted from The STAR, 2005

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Answer all the questions. You are recommended to answer them in the order set.
1. (a) From paragraph 1, what kind of activities did the writer engage in with her aunt? [1 mark]
(b) From paragraph 2, how would you describe the personality of Aunt Milah? [1 mark]
2. Why did the gap occur between the writer and her mother? [1 mark]
3. Find a word in the passage that means:
a. problems (paragraph 4) [1 mark]
b. worsen (paragraph 5) [1 mark]
4. (a) How did the death of Aunt Milah affect the writers relationship with her mother?
[1 mark]
(b) State two ways how the writers disease transformed her relationship with
her mother?
i.
______________________________________________[1 mark]
ii.
______________________________________________[1 mark]
5. From paragraph 8, do you think the writers needs her mothers love? Give reasons for you
answer using your own words. [2 marks]
Summary
Based on the passage, write a summary about
how the writer viewed her life with her aunt and how the latters death affected her
how the disease had an impact on her relationship with her mother
Your summary must
be in continuous writing (not in note form)
not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below
use material from lines 6 to 46
Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the original meaning.
Begin your summary as follows:
Since young, the writer had an enriching relationship with her aunt

SECTION C : READING COMPREHENSION & SUMMARY ANSWERS

Exercise 2
1. (a) Shopping, having meals together and doing other leisure activities.
(b) She was very generous and kind hearted
2. The writer was closer to her aunt and spent more time with her compared to her mother.
3 (a) glitches
(b) deteriorate
4. (a) The writer becomes closer to her mother after Aunt Milahs death.
(b) i. Her mother cared for the writer during her illness and the writer appreciated her
mother for her efforts and loving care.
ii. The writer became dependent on her mother for even very simple tasks.
5. Yes, she needs her mothers love to overcome her difficulties and to face the
challenges in her life.
Summary
Content = 10 marks
Language
= 5 marks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Spent a lot of time with her aunt during the holidays

Engaged in leisure activities
Mother was busy with her furniture business
Aunt Milah spent lavishly on her and devoted more time on her
This widened the gap between her and her mother
It changed upon Aunt Milahs death
The writer was stuck by a debilitating illness
Her mother took care of her
That provided an opportunity for her to appreciate her mother
Confided in her many personal matters
Gratefulf or her mothers support and considered her as her best friend
She wished she had not waited that long to discover the unconditional love of her mother

SECTION C : READING COMPREHENSION & SUMMARY

Exercise 3
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
1

Since centuries ago, the people in mainland China do not pop all sorts of pills bought
from the pharmacy to stay healthy. Nor do they run to the doctor at the first sight of
sickness. Most of them cannot afford to do either one of these, anyway. Instead, they do
therapeutic exercises.
Previously, these exercises were a zealously guarded secret and few people outside
China had heard of them. Only when China opened its doors to the rest of the world was
the curtain of secrecy lifted. Now, foreigners have access to this ancient Chinese medical
technique and can enjoy the same level of health, physical fitness and emotional well-being
previously enjoyed only by the Chinese.
Traditional Chinese medicine has very few weapons against ill health but these few
weapons are extraordinarily effective. Some of them are acupuncture, moxibustion,
massage, herbs and therapeutic exercise. In fact, even today medical students in China have
to take courses in therapeutic exercise although such a thing is unheard of in Western
medicine.
The Chinese concept of exercise differs greatly from that of the West. The major goal of
Western exercise is to build bigger and stronger muscles while that of the Chinese is to
develop stronger internal organs, nerves, joints, ligaments and blood vessels. In Chinese
medicine, illness is attributed to internal weakness while Western medicine attributes
illness to germs and other external agents. The Chinese believe that strengthening the body
can stave off or cure illness while the Westerners believe that illness can only be cured if
the agents causing it are eliminated by drugs. It can be said that people in the East try to
fine-tune the body to fight sickness while people in the West try to change the external
environment.
However, recently, Western medicine has come around to the way of thinking of
Oriental medicine. Experiments by Western doctors have shown that when organs are
exercised, they enlarge slightly and the strengthened organs are less prone to dysfunction of
disease. For example, heart patients nowadays are advised to exercise their hearts to make
them stronger. Such a thing was considered suicidal in the past. Acupuncture which kills
illness by stimulating internal organs through nerve-like pathways called meridians gained
respectability when laboratory tests provided conclusive proof of its effectiveness. Now,
anaesthesia acupuncture is sometimes administered even during major operations. Herbal
remedies which once fell into disrepute among doctors have been found to be highly
effective against a host of disorders ranging from coughs to snake bites. However, it was
found that therapeutic exercises produced the most spectacular results.
Therapeutic exercises put a practitioner into contact with his or her inner life force
called qi which can be translated as breath, air or energy. Therapeutic exercises are
popularly known as qi gong which means the art of the breath, air or energy. These
exercises have been known to cure many people who were suffering from very serious
illnesses. A very well-known case was Madam Gou Lin, the founder of the New Qi Gong
Therapy. Diagnosed with uterine cancer at the age of 43, she underwent many operations
but the cancer still spreads. In 1964, the doctors gave up trying to cure her and told her that
she had only six months to live. The first type of qi gong she practiced was not effective
so she devised her own by studying the ancient qi gong texts left to her by her
grandfather. After six months, her cancer had gone into remission. She lived to the ripe old
age of 78. She tirelessly taught her therapeutic exercises to thousands of others before her
death.
(Adapted from The Kung Fu Exercise Book, by Michael Minick, 1974.
and Sunday Star, 6 October 2003)

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Answer all the questions. You are recommended to answer them in the order set.
1.

In paragraph 1, according to the writer,

(a) What is the one thing the Chinese in mainland China will not do when they are sick?
(b) So, what will they do when they are sick?

2.

Why did the outside world not know about the therapeutic exercises of the Chinese?

3.

State one example of a traditional Chinese treatment.

4. From the evidence in paragraph 4, give the Chinese concept of exercise and then give the
Western exercise.
5. In paragraph 6, the writer explains in some details what therapeutic exercises can do. From
his explanation, try to give the meaning of therapeutic exercises.
6. The Chinese and the Westerners have different views as to what causes illness. In your own
words, explain both their views.

Summary
The Eastern concept of medicine and health differs greatly from that of the West. Write a summary of
the differences between the Eastern and Western concept of medicine and health.
Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the original meaning.
Your summary must
be in continuous writing (not in note form)
use materials from lines 16 to 25
not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below
Begin your summary as follows:
One major difference between the Eastern and Western concept of

SECTION C : READING COMPREHENSION & SUMMARY

Exercise 3
1.

(a) They do not run to the doctor at the first sign of sickness.
(b) They do therapeutic exercises.

2.

These exercises were a zealously guarded secret.

3.

Acupuncture/ Massage/ Moxibustion/ Herbs/ Therapeutic exercise

4.

The Chinese concept of exercise is to develop stronger internal organs, nerves, joints,
ligaments and blood vessels. The Western concept of exercise is to build bigger and
stringer muscles.

5.

Therapeutic exercises are exercises which can cure sickness.

6.

The Chinese believe that sickness is caused by internal weakness while the people in
the West believe that illness is caused by germs and other external agents.

Summary
Content
Language

= 10 marks
= 5 marks

Content:
1. The major goal of Western exercise is to build bigger and stronger muscles.
2. The major aim of Chinese exercise is to develop stronger internal organs, nerves, joints,
ligaments and blood vessels.
3. In Chinese medicine, illness is believed to be due to internal weakness.
4. Western medicine attributes illness to germs.

5. Western medicine attributes illness to external agents.

6. The Chinese believe that strengthening the body can stave off illness.
7. The Chinese believe that strengthening the body can cure illness.
8. Westerners believe that illness can only be cured if the agents causing it are eliminated by
drugs.
9. People in the East try to fine-tune the body to fight sickness.
10. People in the West try to change the external environment.

SECTION C : READING COMPREHENSION & SUMMARY

Exercise 4
Jenny, a nurse, was fleeing from Singapore during the beginning of the Japanese invasion, on the ship
Pahlawan, when her ship was bombed.
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5

Another bomb struck the ship and I lay flat on my face on the deck; others did the same
until there was a pile of people on top of me. Those on the top were hurt but the ones
underneath escaped without a scratch. When I reached the side of the ship I lost Jane. I
never saw her again. I shivered when I looked at the water.
Where shall I make for? I asked the man who was assisting people overboard.
Anywhere, he said.
In an instance I was over the side landing flat on my face and stomach. I was dazed with
pain unable to move my limbs, and within seconds I started swallowing water. As I
struggled to leave the ships side, and old woman with no lifebelts reached out and hung on
to me. Unable to keep afloat, with this added burden around my neck, I struggled to keep
my head above water. We paddled with our hands backwards and forwards but could not
get away from the ship. The old woman must have realised then that two could never
survive with one lifebelt, so she released her hold and struck out for floating debris.
A bomb dropped very near me and I felt myself being dragged under; I remembered my
bare feet touching the clammy mud at the bottom. The pressure was terrific, everything
went black and cold, my head sang and numbness swept over my body.
Oh, God, save my soul, I prayed. During these last years, I had witnessed hundreds of
deaths but had not realized how the dying felt. Now, I knew. I struggled madly for what
seemed to be ages, then suddenly I surfaced and the light flushed before my eyes; I gasped
for breath. I was bleeding, probably from my nose and mouth and was too stunned by the
water blast to move my arms or my legs. Minutes passed, I thought perhaps I had lost one
of my limbs, and I was relieved when I felt myself and found that I was intact. The
churning sea dashed me helplessly about and I swallowed a lot of water. It made me sick
and in between choking and coughing, I vomited blood and sea water. When I recovered
from this shock, I looked about and saw many bodies and also patches of burning oil
floating on the water.
Exhausted by fear and blast injury, I reached out to support myself on the first corpse
that floated near me. Soon I had two one under each arm. I drifted aimlessly all the
afternoon at the mercy of the sea. Though the island was so close, the current took me
farther and farther out to sea. Perhaps it was lucky I did not float to the island because
many people were killed as they reached the beach or tried to climb up the face of the rock.
Towards evening, I came upon a small group of European women clinging to tables and

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chairs. I left my dead companions to join the living. I asked them to deliver a message to
my adopted mother, but they looked at me pitifully and replied: Child, we are going the
same way as you are.
Soon a strong current carried me away and I was alone again. I kept on praying to God
to save my soul when I died. Then I heard a voice: Girlie, are you alive?
Too weak to answer I lifted my arms and waved. A man swam towards me, grasped my
hand and supported me.

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Answer all the questions. You are recommended to answer them in the order set.
1.

Although Jenny and the old woman were paddling with their hands, they could not get
away from the ship. Why was this?

2.

(a) What caused Jenny to suddenly sink right down to the ocean bed despite having a
lifebelt?
(b) How do you think Jenny was able to resurface again?

3.

Find two words in paragraph 6 which convey the sense of having difficulty in breathing.
i.
ii.

4.

________________________________________________ [1 mark]
________________________________________________ [1 mark]

I left my dead companions to join the living (line 39). Specify who the writer was
referring to by
i.
dead companions [1 mark]
ii.

5.

the living [1 mark]

Child, we are going the same way as you are (line 40 41). What do you think they
meant by this remark?

Summary
The passage tells us about Jenny, who had jumped off the ship to take her chances in the ocean. Write
a summary of

the dangers and problems she faced

how she tried to deal with them
the help she received

Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the original meaning.
Your summary must

be in continuous writing (not in note form)

use materials from lines 9 to 46
not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below

Begin your summary as follows:

Jenny quickly jumped over the side of the ship but

SECTION C : READING COMPREHENSION & SUMMARY

Exercise 4
1. Two people were depending on one lifebelt to stay afloat.
2. (a) A bomb dropped near her.
i. (b) She struggled hard and her lifebelt helped make her more buoyant.
3. gasped and choking
4. The dead companions refer to the two corpses under her arms, and the living is a small
group of European women.
5. If Jenny thought she was going to die, then so were they as they were in the same
predicament.

Summary
Content
Language

= 10 marks
= 5 marks

Content:
1. Jenny quickly jumped over the side of the ship.
2. Jenny landed so hard that she began swallowing water.
3. While struggling to move away from the ship, an old woman without a lifebelt clung to her.
4. The old woman weighing her down.
5. The old woman later let go of the belt.
6. A bomb landed near Jenny.
7. The explosion dragged her deeper underwater.

8. Praying and struggling hard, Jenny managed to resurface.

9. She was numbed with shocked.
10. She was injured by the blast.
11. She drifted with the current.
12. She clung on to two corpses that floated by.
13. She saw some women clinging to tables and chairs and joined them.
14. She was pulled away by the currents.
15. She met a man who helped to support her along.