COMPREHENSION

Guidelines:
1. Read the passage once through to get an overall idea of what it is about.
2. Read it again, this time slowly and carefully.
3. Go through the questions and alternatives.
4. Refer to the portion of the passage which is related to each question. Be
alert for clues which will help you arrive at the correct answer.
5. Choose the best answer from the alternatives given.
6. If you are not sure of the answer to a question, skip the question and
come back to it when you have finished answering the other questions.

Passage 1
A group of boys and girls from Sekolah Hang Tuah were in a small launch
at sea. They were members of the Geography Club returning to the Kedah
mainland after an excursion to Pulau Langkawi.
Their launch was about a mile out at sea from Pasir Hitam, a stretch of
beach with sand of a darkish colour. It was then that they saw a sleek yacht a
short distance away. It was travelling at a speed of 35 knots charting an
unsteady course.
The club members could see a group of young men and young women on
the deck of the yacht. They were very rowdy. The sound of shrill giggles and
booming laughter could be heard amidst the loud music blaring from the yacht.
Pak Ali, the captain of the launch, shook his head when he saw that there
was no one at the yachts helm. The old seaman began to grumble about the
reckless pleasure boaters who nowadays endanger other vessels at sea. A
moment later, the yacht was alongside the launch.
Hey, pak cik tua! shouted one of the men from the yacht. You need a
boat. We can get you one at a discounted price.
The group in the yacht roared with laughter. The Geography Club
members consoled Pak Ali and told him not to take the insult to heart.
The boys and girls reached the mainland a short while later. A roll-call was
taken and everyone was marshalled into the bus that was to ferry them back to
Malacca. Late that evening, the bus stopped at an eating place for the students
to have dinner. There was a television set there and they heard the news over
the 7 oclock berita.
The yacht carrying the rowdy holidaymakers had hit a reef and foundered
at sea off Pulau Langkawi. There was no lifeboat on board the yacht. Fortunately,
a launch belonging to local islander Pak Ali was sailing nearby. The passengers of
the yacht told the reporters that they were grateful to the old seaman for
rescuing them and regretted that they had been rude to him earlier.
The Geography Club members all raised a loud cheer for Pak Ali.