MUET my way website is finally published!

Still a work in progress but I figured I needed a new platform so that people can easily find stuff cos blogspot archive is a bit messy. It may take a while to compile all the info there and since no one is paying me to do it, it might take longer than expected.. hehe esp since the school hols are right at my doorstep as I type this. Good luck to me!

OFFICIAL MUETMYWAY WEBSITE

MUET Exam Statistics 2011 - 2013

I have recently managed to acquire copies of the official examination reports for all STPM & MUET subjects from 2011 to 2013. Needless to say I am gobsmacked to have found such a treasure published by Pelangi and apparently ALL schools in Malaysia should have received a copy.

Anyway, from my observations, the results are quite astounding especially with the recent government announcement that for a future lawyer or doctor to graduate, they need a minimum Band 5. Look closely at the data and you will know why I'm reeling in shock.

As a MUET educator, what does this data tell you. Should you be worried?
As a MUET candidate, what are the implications to you? Should you be worried?
As a public university, what does this data translate to? Should you be worried?
As an education policy maker, how does this data reflect on the new MUET policy?
Should WE be worried?

Being worried is not enough. We each have a role to play. Together, we can make a difference. 

MUET Reading 2014 Nov Answers

Patience is a virtue!

My suggested answers:
(Work in Progress)

1. B (false: no increase vs low increase)
2. B (false: do not suggest an association)
3. A (true: costs, the primary concern)
4. C (this is tricky.. the keyword is 'advocates', there seems to not be evidence of him supporting controlled vs observations)
5. A (I would go with true simply because he used the term 'worse', another tricky one)
6. A (>240,000)
7. C (no data)
8. A
9. B
10. A
11. C (tricky...hmm)
12. A
13. B
14. B (it is only half the size now as compared to when it erupted in 1883, still some time to go)
15. C
16. A
17. C
18. B
19. B
20. C
21. A (another tricky one... maybe even C)
22. B
23. C
24. B
25. A
26. C
27. B
28. A
29. B
30. A
31. D
32. C
33.  ? (too tricky)
34. B
35. D
36. C
37. A
38. D
39. D
40. D
41. C
42. D
43. C
44. C
45. C

Okay.. free to debate abt the answers. Please try to be civil when making comments, there is no room for rudeness in my blog. I wish you all well. Remember you need at least 21/45 to get a Band 3 forecast. Good luck!

Tips for MUET Writing exam

Hi all.. I'm back to help you with this year's 2014 MUET exam. I'm sure everyone's knees are turning to jelly now because the countdown is ticking faster than you expected and your heart is racing like a speeding bullet. No fear, I am here.. haha.

Ok.. let's talk about why it is so hard to score in the writing component. Let's focus on the academic essay as I have blogged a lot about report writing in the past (check my archives for samples and discussions.)

Unbeknownst to most, there is usually TWO sections the essay question. I shall name it Part A & Part B.

This is the trial exam question I used in my school:
"Young people are becoming more materialistic because they want a better quality of life. How far do you agree with this statement? Give your opinion. You should write at least 350 words."

Can you spot the Part A & the Part B?
Part A = more materialistic
Part B = better quality of life
Hence, if the student just focuses on the factors or effects of materialism, they have not answered the question because they have failed to link to the concept of 'better quality of life'.

Same goes for this actual MUET exam question some years ago which reads:
"In an arranged marriage, the choice of the husband or wife is made by parents or elders. What do you think of this practice in today's society? Discuss. You should write at least 350 words."

Has your ability to spot Part A & Part B improved?
Part A = choice made by parents or elders
Part B = appropriate practice in today's society?
Thus, to answer the question well, you would need to not simply focus on 3 reasons to agree or disagree with the practice but LINK CLEARLY to how important is this practice in TODAY'S society. The line of logic should be clear.
Here are 3 sample points for 100% disagree.
Pt. 1: Education - in the past women stayed at home and did not have access to a good education, therefore they did not work. These days women have more opportunities to contribute to society and meet different people. In the old days the elders were a more reliable source to determine who should be married because women had a lesser role in society due to poor education.
Pt. 2: Technology - in the past women had almost no social interaction because they mostly stayed at home. With modern technology like handphones, emails and various social networking, youths today have a larger network and are able to communicate with their peers and choose their own spouse which is more compatible than a spouse chosen by elders.
Pt. 3 Love vs. Stability - Society today places more emphasis on the concept of love and loving a person before getting married. In the past, elders assured that love would come later and what was more important was to find a spouse that could offer stability in marriage. There have been many cases where arranged marriages ends up in unhappy unions and even divorce so it is better to make a love match these days to avoid these negative outcomes.

Can you see the LINK between Part A & Part B?
If the student just talked about 3 points but did not compare past and present practices, then it would be hard to give Band 5 or 6 for task fulfillment, therefore pulling down the overall marks.

Right, my last tip is to show you my ex Form 5 student's (Nazri, tq for your permission to blog your essay) valiant effort to keep writing essays and coming to visit me in school to get my opinion. Here is a sample of his writing and later I will show you how to add info & modify sentences to create a LINK to parts A & B of the question so you may score higher in the writing component.

"People commit crimes for selfish reasons. Discuss. You should write at least 350 words."
FYI, Nazri was trying to use my suggested template of I+A1+D1+A2+D2+C
(Intro + Agree 1 vs Disagree 1 + Agree 2 vs Disagree 2 + Conclusion = 6 paragraph format)

Nazri's Intro:
      In this globalization era, murder and kidnap are one of the heavy crimes people most commit. In addition, according to the articles I have read, these rate of crimes are increasing drastically all over the world. Women and children are the most common victim of the heartless criminals because they are weak or they look fragile. Do people commit crimes for selfish reasons? I agree to a certain extent that people commit crimes for fun and greedy, however, crimes may be committed because of financial problems and lack of parents' love.

Edited version:
      In this globaliSation era, murderS and kidnapPING are SOME of the heavy crimes people MAY commit. In addition, according the articles I have read, the rate of crimes are increasing drastically all over the world. Women and children are the most common victimS of the heartless criminals because they are weak or look fragile. Do people commit crimes for selfish reasons? WE HAVE CERTAINLY READ CASES OF HUSBANDS KILLING THEIR WIVES TO CLAIM THE INSURANCE MONEY AND VICE VERSA BUT THERE ARE ALSO INCIDENCES OF CRIMES THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SELFISHNESS SUCH AS MURDER COMMITTED IN A RAGE OF JEALOUSY. IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, I ONLY agree to a certain extent that people commit crimes FOR SELFISH REASONS BECAUSE IN SOME CASES SELFISHNESS IS NOT THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WHY CRIMES HAPPEN.

Editor's notes:
You will lose your ground as a Band 5/6 student if your grammar is inconsistent. Nazri's first sentence itself is controversial because he uses the word 'most'. Along with 'all', 'never', 'always' and 'everyone', these words must be avoided at all costs as it draws generalisations and sweeping statements that make the reader feel that the writer lacks critical thinking and maturity. Instead, use 'some', 'often', 'may', 'might', 'usually' etc..  He could also have improved the introduction by outlining some crimes that are driven by selfish reasons and some that are not as seen in the edited version. Finally, the thesis statement must clearly outline that you are going to discuss both sides of the coin.

Nazri's 1st Point:
     First and foremost, people commit crimes just for fun that may drag them to a world without humanity. Why do I say so? One of the reasons is they love to see when people are suffering. They steal something that is valuable in someone's life to entertain themselves or to get a revenge. For instance, these heartless criminals especially men like to take women's pride by raping them and ignoring their tears and some of the unfortunate victims may get killed when they try to escape. Thus, people who commit crimes are selfish because someone's suffering is the happiness for them.

Edited version:
       First and foremost, SOME people MAY commit crimes just for fun SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ENJOY OTHER PEOPLE'S SUFFERING that may drag them to a world without humanity. Why do I say so? One of the reasons is they love MAY HAVE SELFISH REASONS TO MAKE people suffer. They MAY steal something that is valuable in someone's life to JUST TO entertain themselves or to get revenge. For instance, THERE ARE CASES OF heartless criminals especially men like WHO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR TAKING women's pride by raping them and ignoring their tears and some of the unfortunate victims may HAVE EVEN BEEN killed when they try to escape. Thus, people who commit crimes are selfish because someone's suffering is the happiness for them.

Editor's notes:
Here you need to be really careful when making sweeping statements so I have modified the sentences using words that can temper the effect. Using informal sentences are also not advisable such as 'just for fun' especially when you cannot prove specifically that men rape others 'just for fun' because they 'enjoy' it. At all costs too, avoid sentences that declare 'people love to ...' or 'people like to ...' as these statements are not well quantified and examiners will usually have a huge frown because you did not provide concrete proof highlighting your own opinions just doesn't cut it. Try to back up your points with some evidence of reading such as 'there have been cases that../a local newspaper recently reported that../from a study done on...', all of which will make your essay more credible rather than picking out lines from thin air.

Nazri's 2nd point:
     On the other hand, crimes may be committed because of financial problems. The high cost of living makes them desperate to look for money or to feed their family. They do not have enough money to buy some food or their needs as the prices are increasing. So, they tend to do crimes such as snatch or robber to earn some money by selling the stolen items back at a higher price. For example, a rich person's house will be the target of the criminals to break into and steal expensive items such as jewelleries and handphones. Therefore, poverty or desperation in life can lead people to commit crimes.

Editor's version:
     On the other hand, NOT ALL CRIMES ARE COMMITTED SIMPLY BECAUSE PEOPLE ENJOY THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS BUT because of other issues such as financial problems. The high cost of living makes them desperate to look for money to feed their family SO INSTEAD OF BEING SELFISH, THEY ARE ACTUALLY COMMITTING CRIME FOR SELFLESS REASONS WHICH IS TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY. They MAY not have enough money to buy some food or their DAILY needs as the prices are increasing. So, they tend to do crimes such as snatch THEFT or ROBBERIES to earn MAKE some money by selling the stolen items at a higher price. For example, SOME PEOPLE ARE DRIVEN TO DO CRIMES LIKE STEALING FOOD AND EVEN MILK POWDER FROM SUPERMARKETS BECAUSE THEY CANNOT BEAR TO SEE THEIR FAMILY STARVE. Therefore, poverty and desperation in life AND SELFLESSNESS TO SACRIFICE THEMSELVES TO SAVE THE PEOPLE THEY LOVE, can lead people to commit crimes WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE OF COMMITTING CRIMES FOR SELFISH REASONS.

Editor's notes:
      His 2nd point seems inconsequential because there is no clear LINK why he is introducing his opposition point. Basically, to make this clear, you need to write a topic sentence that clearly links to the first point introduced earlier. This shows the contrast with the opposition point so you may argue contrary to the first idea introduced. When contrasting ideas, the right vocabulary works best whereby SELFISHNESS is contrasted to SELFLESSNESS, which makes it clear to the reader that you are still on track discussing the LINK BETWEEN PART A & PART B. Furthermore, I had to modify the example to show a high degree of selflessness and sacrifice because the example of a rich man's house being burgled does not highlight the concept of selflessness. Lastly, the summation sentence needs to really LINK back to the concept of selfish or unselfish reasons in order to make the argument crystal.

Nazri's 3rd Point:
     Apart from that, I do agree that people get involved in crimes because of selfish reasons such as greed especially. They want to get rich in the easiest way instead of work hard to accomplish their mission. People receive money as bribe, are hired to do a dirty job. Moreover, this white-color crime is committed in the whole world. Money is powerful enough to make people lose their sense of humanity as they can kill a person if they are asked to do so as long as the reward is money.

Editor's version.
     Apart from that, I STILL DO agree that people get involved in crimes because of selfish reasons RELATED TO greed. THEY ARE SELFISH BECAUSE THEY GREEDILY want to get rich in the easiest way instead of WORKING hard to accomplish their mission. SOME people receive money as bribeS OR are hired to do dirty jobS BECAUSE THEY SELFISHLY WANT TO MAKE A PROFIT FROM COMMITTING CRIMES. Moreover, THESE white-color WHITE COLLAR crimeS ARE committed ALL OVER THE WORLD AS WE SPEAK BECAUSE SELFISHNESS TO MAKE money is powerful enough to make SOME people lose their sense of humanity as they can EVEN kill a person as long as the reward is money. THEREFORE, SOME PEOPLE DO INDEED HAVE VERY SELFISH REASONS TO COMMIT CRIMES ESPECIALLY IF THEY CAN MAKE A HUGE PROFIT FROM IT.

Editor's notes:
   When introducing the 2nd point to agree with the statement, you should outline it clearly in the topic sentence which is the very first sentence in each paragraph. Greed is a factor on its own so the LINK to selfishness must be made very clear, otherwise you may veer out of topic. The terms used also should be accurate as seen in white color vs white collar crimes. He also forgot to close the paragraph with a summation where in the edited version, rounds off the argument clearly that crime is indeed linked to selfish reasons including greed for profit.

Nazri's 4th Point:
     Nevertheless, people also commit crimes because of lack of parents' love and guidance. When the children is not the priority of parents, moral values will be hardly instilled in their children themselves. They fail to differentiate what is good and bad for them. As a consequence, they may get involved in social problems and crimes because of lack of parental guidance.

Editor's version:
     Nevertheless, people also commit crimes because of OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS lack of PARENTAL love and guidance SO IT IS CLEAR THAT WE CANNOT SIMPLY BLAME SELFISHNESS AND GREED FOR CRIMES COMMITTED. When children ARE not the priority of parents, moral values will hardly be instilled in their children. THESE CHILDREN MAY EVENTUALLY fail to differentiate what is good and bad for them. As a consequence, they may get involved in social problems and crimes SUCH AS DRUG ABUSE, THEFT, ABORTION, BABY DUMPING AND SO ON. HENCE, IN THESE CASES, CRIMES ARE COMMITTED NOT FOR SELFISH REASONS BUT because of lack of parental guidance, THE NEED TO GET PARENTS' ATTENTION OR OTHER EXTERNAL FACTORS.

Editor's notes:
     Again, the topic sentence needs to clearly state that there are other factors that lead to crimes being committed other than for selfish reasons, especially greed (as stated in the previous paragraph - it is important to LINK the previous idea to a contrasting new idea so that the flow of logic is not impeded). Notice the use of the word 'MAY' to indicate probability and avoid generalisations. Adding 'social problems' is not a good idea because the focus is on crimes, but do add examples of crimes that happen due to other factors such as lack of parental guidance etc. Also, the final sentence should conclude the point eloquently.

Nazri's Conclusion:
     In conclusion, people commit crimes are not only for selfish reasons but also because of other motivation such as environmental factors. Most of them commit crimes because of narrow minded and do not have enough money to bear the cost of living. Therefore, our government with the help of relevant authorities should increase the safety at a place where crimes often occur and help poor family. Besides that, parents should spend more time for their growing children.

Edited version:
     In conclusion, IT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT THERE ARE TWO FACES TO A COIN WHEREBY people commit crimes not only for selfish reasons but also because of other FACTORS such as their ENVIRONMENT AND UPBRINGING. Most SOME of them commit crimes because of NARROW-MINDEDNESS OR THEY do not have enough money to bear the cost of living, AMONG OTHER ISSUES. I STILL ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THAT SELFISH REASONS ARE NOT THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR AND THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER REASONS FOR CRIME TO BE CONSIDERED. OUR government HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN ENSURING the relevant authorities increase the PUBLIC'S safety at placeS where crimes often occur. THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT MAY ALSO LOOK INTO STRATEGIES TO help poor FAMILIES SO CRIME CAN BE AVOIDED FROM THE GRASSROOTS. Besides that, NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS SHOULD ALSO BE CARRIED OUT TO EDUCATE parents ON SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND ENSURING A SOUND MORAL UPBRINGING. THEREFORE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO PRODUCE A FUTURE GENERATION THAT STEERS CLEAR AWAY FROM CRIMES OF ALL KINDS AND INSTEAD CREATING YOUTHS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE PRODUCTIVELY TO OUR NATION'S PROSPERITY.

Editor's notes:
   A good conclusion should have 3 parts, ie repeat the points in a more creative way, repeat your stand from the introduction and outline some recommendations for this issue. It is also wise to end on a high note because the conclusion gives the reader and examiner a lasting impression so you might as well end with a bang!


Phew... so much typing and editing... I do hope you appreciate my effort in providing you with some samples. I think it is crucial to write essays and as a teacher, add spice to enhance the students' compositions so that you can help upgrade their writing style starting at their level. One mistake teachers often make (and I have made myself) is to use essays from reference books wholesale. This means that you copy and paste the texts and expect the students to magically be able to write like the authors of textbooks. This is not only wrong, it is cruel and demoralising. Therefore, I would strongly suggest that you pick one essay at a time (doing too may will demoralise you instead), fix it up prettily by adding all the yummy spices, and re-serve the essay to the student and share with the class. It is not enough to correct errors at MUET level, but to demonstrate step by step how the student MAY improve his Highter Order Thinking Skills (HOTS is a hot topic these days) and Creative Thinking Skills.

Anyway, a final say from me is, keep ploughing. If you don't get down to writing and the business of editing, no one can benefit. Keep ploughing, slowly and steadily, and you WILL create a field of wonder in the end. Teachers, make a difference in your students' lives. Students, strive to make a difference in your own life so you may change the destiny of your family for the better. Today's keyword: LINK. Link Part A & Part B, and the story of life will all make sense in the end... and you may reap the seeds you have sown.

2015 Budget is Fantabulous News for MUET!!!!!

Latest on MUET Marking

Heya... allow me to congratulate MPM on the great job of adjusting the marking for Speaking AND Writing.

Why am I happy with this?
For Speaking, simply because MPM has recognised that speaking is an essential component that students really lack prowess in. Presumably, the emphasis on speaking is because many of our graduates today have very poor command of spoken English and are unable to be competitive candidates for positions especially in international companies. This is a recurrent testimony from many friends in the industry and first hand knowledge from working pro-bono with Petronas for the past few years. The resounding alarm is that our graduates lose the competitive edge because they cannot speak well in English.

There is another level of complexity to this issue because the division of marks is no longer as straightforward as in the previous calculations. Now there is a bigger range of 6 marks for Band 1 (0-6), only 3 marks range for Bands 2-5 and  ONLY 2 MARKS FOR BAND 6 (19-20).

Speaking:

Task Fulfilment (20) + Language & Organisation (20) + Communicative Ability (20) = 60 marks

For each band:
B1: 0-6
B2: 7-9
B3: 10-12
B4: 13-15
B5: 16-18
B6: 19-20



What are the implications?
1. Students will find it much harder to achieve the Band 3 minimum target because of a bigger B1 & B2 range. (Need to get at least 10/20 marks)
2. Students will find it even harder to get a Band 4 as the minimum is 13/20. This will affect all the science optionists, TESL students and subjects like International Relations in universities.
3. Band 6 will be the epitome of excellence as the mark range is just two, 19 and 20. This will definitely differentiate the the good and average from the distinctions.
4. The long term impact is that the command of spoken English is likely to improve, we may get more fluent graduates and the quality of Malaysian graduates will improve as a whole.
5. The long term repercussions is that more people will likely NOT achieve band 3 and consequently will not graduate until a point where they pass MUET (and for some people, they have taken this exam up to 7 or 8 times before managing to pass it). Therefore, prepare more than RM101.00, maybe even RM505.00 unless you actively start improving your English skills NOW!!


As for writing...

The marks have also been adjusted accordingly. This is actually a good move because it better reflects the banding system because if you pay close attention Band 1 has a huge range (0-99) compared to the other bands (range of 40 marks per band).

Writing:

Report Writing:

Task Fulfilment (20) + Language & Organisation (20) = 40 marks

For each band:
B1: 0-6
B2: 7-9
B3: 10-12
B4: 13-15
B5: 16-18
B6: 19-20

Academic Essay:

Task Fulfilment (30) + Language & Organisation (30) = 60 marks

For each component:
B1: 0-10
B2: 11-14
B3: 15-18
B4: 19-22
B5: 23-26
B6: 27-30

Logically speaking, it should be easier to achieve Bands 3 & 4 now because as long as you have completed your essay with at least 5 paragraphs with understandable English and relatively good ideas and justification, you should get 15/30 per category. Perhaps this will make the quantity of Band 3s increase and overall results may improve with this new grading system. I hope at the end of the day, students will benefit from these changes particularly if they will strive harder to improve their English language proficiency in the process.

Ok, once again, let me re-emphasise that I'm just blogging on my own, no insider information from MPM and I have no say in the overall proceedings. These are just my opinions, do not take it as concrete facts set in stone. DO make up your own mind based on the latest exam and let's all pray that it will benefit our future generation if not the immediate one. Happy teaching!!

Hooray to my July'14 batch Majakirians!

Soooooooooo proud of Franky, Asnaini and Fadillah... my band 4 students.. we did it! They are the top students in the whole of Papar district... All the practices we did really did pay off. You know.. you can say what you want about kampung kids, but if u give them the right chance and the right motivation, anything is possible! Tq Franky espcially for letting me share your essays with the whole of Malaysia through my humble blog. :) May you guys have great futures ahead!

MUET July 2014 Report Writing Sample Answer

In general, the academic essay question for July 2014 was difficult but luckily the report writing question was a clone of a question that came out in the past (about radio stations and the promotional activities they did, if I remember correctly). Therefore, it is hoped that many people will gain some marks here even if their essays were less than perfect.

A) Title
B) Introduction sentence.
(What are the stimuli?)
C) Overview/Trend 
(What is the most outstanding idea that LINKS all stimuli?)
D) Key Features 
(Most outstanding features as opposed to listing down the obvious features)
E) Conclusion sentence.
(Similar to Overview but just written from a different angle.)

Based on the format given, you could easily write 150 - 200 words.

Question: 
Study the chart and table below. Using only the information provided, analyse the sales of three fast food outlets in the first quarter of 2012. In your answer, you are to link the information presented in both visuals. You should write a report withing 150 - 200 words. 

A) Title: 
Sales of Three Fast Food Outlets in the First Quarter of 2012

B) Introduction:
The stimuli present a line graph on the sales of three fast food outlets in the first quarter of 2012 and a table on their promotional activities. 

C) Overview/Trend:
In general, the sales of fast food outlets increases in direct relation with the amount of promotional activities. 
OR
In general, Ken Burger recorded the highest amount of sales especially when they carried out promotional acitivities.  

D) Key features:
ANALYSIS (within each stimulus)

LINE GRAPH:
* According the the line graph, among the three fast food outlets, Ken Burger is the most popular choice followed by Mario Pizza and Ray's Fish & Chips. 
* The highest recorded sales was by Ken Burger in April as it rose sharply from RM3000 to more than RM4000 in sales. 
* Sales for Ken Burger dipped between February and March to an all time low of below RM1900.
* Mario Pizza achieved its highest sales of RM1500 between February and March before dropping to less than RM500 at the end of April.
* Ray's Fish & Chips was the least popular among the three fast food outlets selling less than RM500 for all four months. 

TABLE: 
* Ken Burger and Mario Pizza both carried out two promotional activities in the first quarter of 2012. 
* Ray's Fish & Chips carried out the least number of promotional activities which was to give a free drink in March. 

SYNTHESIS (Linking between stimuli)
* Ken Burger's sales increased when they carried out promotional activities in January (free drink) and April (gift voucher) whereas sales dipped when no promotions were carried out. 
*Similarly, Maria Pizza's sales also increased in February and March due to the two promo activities they held during that period. 
* Ray's Fish & Chips  had poor sales throughout the first quarter as they rarely had promotional activities. 
* Furthermore, Ray's Fish & Chips only offered a free drink in March and this resulted in only a slight increase in sales. 
(A friend kindly explained that my synthesis examples are not accurate because it lacks data so here are the examples given. Thanks a million to helpful people who are willing to share, otherwise we will keep groping in the dark!) 

"As for the Synthesis, just add in the data into the sentence as u hv done for the Analysis. When u link the visuals u have to do it with the data....For example,
1. (Among the 3 outlets), KB had the highest sales from January to April ranging from around RM1900 when it offered a 50% discount on (the) next item in March and RM4200 in April, when it gave away Gift Vouchers. 
2. In (the beginning of) January, Free drink by KB raked in the highest sales of RM2500 while RFC saw its lowest sales of RM350 as it had offered nothing
3. The highest sales of MP were in mid-Feb (RM1550) when it gave 50% discount on next item while its lowest (sales) were towards/at the end of April (RM380/RM400) when no activities were promoted."


E) Conclusion:
In conclusion, attractive promotional activities organised by fast food outlets can positively affect their sales. 
OR
In conclusion, fast food outlets sales are boosted when they carry out promotional activities which are attractive to customers such as offering gift vouchers or discounts. 

Basically, as I have mentioned before, a high band answer will have more synthesis than analysis because it is stated very clearly in the instructions/rubrics that you should ANALYSE the results of the survey and LINK the information presented in the two visuals. You will still get marks if you analysed the visuals correctly, but if you were to relate the data using a month to month explanation this would not award you many marks as you are merely stating the features. Therefore, a good MUET student would be able to identify which points ARE THE MOST OUTSTANDING ideas you can get from LINKING the visuals rather than merely retelling the data which everyone can see for themselves. I do hope you know the difference between FEATURES and KEY FEATURES by now.

Therefore, teachers, the challenge is for you to make students realise the difference between Key Features vs Features and Analysis vs Synthesis. Easier said than done,right?! Hence the need for higher critical thinking skills.

So, does anyone want to submit a sample answer for this report? Good luck!

July MUET Writing 800/4 paper

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!

I have just taken a look at the exam paper for writing and the report looks fine but the essay... OMG.. the essay is a KILLER!!! Even I am having a hard time trying to think of valid points... my poor students...

"The imbalance between the number of boys and girls pursuing university education creates social problems." To what extent is this statement true? Discuss. You should write at least 350 words.

Step 1: Understand keywords and brainstorm
Imbalance: more girls now in uni compared to boys
creates: causes
social problems: problems related to society such as ???
Stand?? Do you agree or disagree as to what extent is this statement true?

OMG... I can foresee the quality of MUET results for this session plummeting to an all time low. Sighs...

THE PROBLEM as usual is that students will immediately jump into describing the advantages or disadvantages of an imbalanced gender scenario. THE PROBLEM is also that they will describe POSITIVE EFFECTS.
If you did any of this WITHOUT LINKING TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS... then you have NOT FULFILLED THE TASK, ie you have gone out of topic. Boohoohoo.. judging form the comments below, I can see that most of you have only touched the surface of the issue.

Right, how should this question be tackled.
A simple way would be to totally agree or totally disagree (5 paragraphs minimum).
A high band essay would agree/disagree to a certain extent and try to discuss both pros and cons.

If you were to completely AGREE that the statement is TRUE, here are my suggested stand and points. 
Stand: Completely agree that some social problems can be attributed to the imbalance of genders in university.
1. gives rise to the LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transsexuals) trend which is a serious social problem although there seems to be not much concrete evidence to support this stand. 
2. minority gender would feel oppressed or discriminated which leads to social problems like depression, eating disorders, obesity, alcoholism, drug abuse or even suicide.
3. upon graduation, the influx of graduates of a certain gender may create an imbalanced workforce that may lead to social problems like inequality, unemployment in the short term and poverty in the long term. 

If you were to completely DISAGREE that the statement is TRUE, here are my suggested stand and points.
Social problems cannot be directly linked to the imbalance of boys and girls pursuing a university education as there are a number of other external factors.
1. Imbalance cannot be directly linked to social problems like free sex, baby dumping and abortion as these problems happen in society regardless of the balance or imbalance of gender composition, therefore, social problems are not gender specific.
2. Rather than create social problems, more female uni students than males leads to the empowerment of women and recognising them for their abilities therefore breaking stereotypes and creating more women leaders in entrepreneurial and management positions. 
3. Rather than create social problems, more male uni students than females leads to the increase of skilled manpower, increased opportunity for innovation and creative thinking in a predominantly patriarchal society.

As mentioned earlier, if you want to get a high band, you should be able to discuss both sides while justifying to which side you are leaning more towards. If I were a candidate, I would definitely first agree with the statement to some extent before leaning more towards DISAGREE with the statement. Hope this makes sense.

Before I end my post, I'd like to say that even for me it took some time to generate these ideas so this clearly indicates that this July writing paper is indeed extremely challenging. The only silver lining I can share with you is that they MIGHT, just might, lower the bell graph down so that the marks can be adjusted accordingly. All you can do is keep your fingers crossed!!!

Now who would like to submit a sample essay?? Good luck!

MUET Reading 800/3 July 2014 Suggested Answers

Hi.. my students took the exam so I have a copy of the reading paper.. again, I emphasise, these are just my own answers and are up for discussion.

Here goes!

1. C (no data on 'most')
2. A (2010-1 billion, 2015 - 2 billion)
3. A (It is not enough to concentrate on Gucci n Merc etc)
4. B (graph after 2010 shows a sharp increase)
5. B (spikes in near future - 2011, 2012)
6. B (affluent means rich, so the statement is false because they need to attract all levels of consumers inc. the poor)
7. C (no mention of expenditure and how many percent spent on R&D)
8. B (not the 'only' form as they also use horses and 'chiva')
9. B (not the 'main' source majority of families run subsistence farms)
10. C (no info who rears cattle or if the villagers use for own consumption)
11. C (hospitable is more appropriate than generous, because it indicates that they are being good hosts)
12. B (yes, he was confident)
13. C (definitely have to be imported and locals don't grow them, no mention of difficult to transport)
14. A (hope because if something is done, the rest of the forest could be left to grow once again)
15. A (a single reef shark can contribute almost $2 million USD)
16. A (quantified the economic benefits of shark-diving)
17. A (they bring much more money... sharks with the golden eggs which means they will bring in $$)
18. C (14% is more than 10%)
19. C (work together includes creating shark sanctuaries and ban possession, sale or distribution of shark fins)
20. A (Priceless resource because it focuses on the high economic value of sharks esp in tourism)
21. A (a solution because it lists actions taken to protect sharks)
22. A (man's capacity to alter climate is not mentioned until paragraph 4)
23. A (para 2 addresses the 'how' question, not when or why)
24. C (focus on the main point, overpopulation and industrial revolution are sub-points)
25. A (the main purpose is to describe how much man has changed the covering of the planet, up to 75%)
26. A (profound, ie, significant changes to the geology)
27. C (definitely a warning)
28. C (the writer describes the causes first then the effect to mankind if we do not replenish or use less)
29. C (use less = use sparingly, replenish is mentioned but definitely no mention of 'striking a balance')
30. B (there is a link between our intelligence and technology)
31. A (to avoid thinking things fully when there a short cut is available)
32. B (can be changed quite radically without people noticing)
33. C (minds that naturally incorporate new tools, ideas and abilities)
34. B (they would quietly divide the work up between them)
35. D (you also can rely on the people tools around us which are equally important)
36. A (enlighten is to give more information/knowledge)
37. A (I feel that the whole passage is focusing on the relationship the brain has with technology, cyborgs, change blindness and misers seem to me as sub-points only)
38. B (focus on rapid growth)
39. B (done so in a very different way from other countries. That is in large part the result of the government's historically repressive approach towards information and entertainment.)
40. D (anaphoric reference: electronic retailing is in its infancy...)
41. B (the limitation refers to the internet being so tightly controlled by govt but popularity has increased, not decreased)
42. D (by contrast, the Internet fills gaps and provides what is unavailable)
43. D (options A, B and C are clearly wrong)
44. A (regardless means if you disregard the above facts on Baidu, piracy is starting to worry the govt)
45. B (the availability of free foreign content is holding back [hamper] the development [growth] of the domestic media industry [market])

* Apparently, based on the responses of candidates, my answers r 4 questions wrong meaning i scored 41/45... as i have emphasised, these r MY own answers and even I admit that it is really tricky. A friend has come up with alternative answers, you may cross check with them here below: 
I agree with most of ur answers to the reading paper except the following: 5.A (After 2012, GDP will shrink, look at the date of the report) 9. B ( No crop is said to be the main source of income. So, it's not stated. To be false it must be said that coffee is not the main source of income, but sthg else. The statement must contradict sthg in the passage. Besides, rice and corn are also planted and that is explicitly stated for consumption - line 20. 'The vast majority of families run subsistence farms' is too vague to make the statement false.Also, the writer organised seminars on coffee plantation diseases - line 17... a hint that coffee could be a source of income for some ) 17. C (At first i thought it is A but as a whole, the para seems to mainly suggest the idea of the need to not kill the 'goose' that lays the golden eggs. The monetary and economic benefits are also stressed in paras 4, 6 and 8.) 19. A (line 47 is self-explanatory. Only Palau has made its waters a sanctuary...while te others have banned the fin trade.No clear mention of working together of the island republics) 20. C. It is a priceless resource even for its fins. But here the Palau experiment/study and therefore experience makes it more lucrative as a tourist attraction. 37. B. We are 'natural born cyborgs' and naturally incorporate tools (technology, Google etc,) ideas and abilities(mental division of work). Line 44 - 46 ...technology is just a small part of the whole theme of the passage, it is used to show how we operate as 'natural born cyborgs'). Besides, 'Technology' in 'A' is too wide. To be specific, the kind of technology referred to here is limited to online tools, lines 2-4). And yes 42 is D. I had thought it was B.

Anyway...
You will need to score:
(A)   21/45 – Band 3
(B)   27/45 – Band 4
(C)   33/45 – Band 5
(D)  39/45 – Band 6
(BTW this is just a forecast, you still need to do well in other papers to achieve your forecasted band)

Ok.. so how did you do? Good luck and you are free to leave a comment below.

MUET July 2014 Preparation

So MUET exams are around the corner again.. 3 days left to be specific as I write this.

I keep getting emails asking for spot question. & I keep telling ppl that I dont have any spot questions. I am as clueless as every candidate so please stop asking k! Haha..

However, for practice, try this question BEFORE you look at my sample answer.

Financial management should be taught in school. Discuss. Write at least 350 words. 

Step 1: Identify the controlling idea in the question 
A subject about how to manage your finances SHOULD be taught in school. 
Therefore, I need to write about 'WHY' the Ministry of Education must introduce this subject in schools. 
I MUST NOT go out of topic by writing about the 'ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES' of financial management. 
Instead, I MUST link all my points directly to the reasons for starting this new subject in school. 

Step 2: Brainstorm your stand, thesis statement and 3 main points (minimum 3) 
Stand: I completely agree that this subject must be introduced in school because students need to learn how to manage their finances properly to increase their investments and avoid bankruptcy. 
Thesis Statement: 
Let us analyse this issue in terms of 
1. inculcating good financial management from a young age,
2. reducing individual financial crises and 
3. creating an economic savvy society.


Here is a sample essay submitted by a blogwalker Jihan by email. What band do you think she should get? 

         There’s a saying that says, money makes the world go round. Hate to point out the obvious, but it is true. In this new era, money is what it takes for the society to keep on surviving, well, except for having happiness and religion etc, but that is beside the point. The point here is that, the world is a competition and we need to educate ourselves, from young, on how to keep our financial balance on stable platform.  Thus, the Education Ministry should take note on some of the reasons why they financial education should be taught at school, namely, instilling a good financial management from a young age, reducing individual financial crises in the future and creating an economic savvy society. 
         I do agree that parents should carry a bigger role in teaching their children on things such as saving money and not spend on unnecessary things, but it is also the government’s role in further educating on the theories of having good financial management. It is vital as it actually prepares the future generation to be more aware of the harsh reality. Moreover, when we give them an education on managing their finances, it will help them in the future in terms of having the cash for further to secondary or tertiary education. Therefore, for the betterment of the future generation, is it ideal to educate them at school about having a good financial management. 
        Day in, day out, we see news on young adults has gone into bankruptcy. At the start of their young life, they have negative balance in their bank account and still owing. Having rents to pay, bills to settle, mouth to feed, etc, bankruptcy would be the last thing anyone could ever want. This is an issue we would not want our generations to have. A way to avoid this is by training them from small the benefits of saving and managing their money because at the end of the day, they will be the one who is going to enjoy that. By doing this, it will therefore reduce individual financial crises and simultaneously creating a happy living condition. 
Creating an economic savvy society does not mean society that gets involved in stock market, investment or the index. But it is a society that is capable to support their respective families and still have enough money for the future and also is able to give back to society and do well.  It also means that the society is able to comprehend and understand on the nation’s current economic background. By grasping the financial knowledge, it leads to a society that does not spend unnecessarily and therefore developing a better country.  Thus, the significance of educating young children on financial is obvious as it would benefit the advancement of the country.
        To conclude, before understanding the whole concept of financial management, it is a good idea for us to come hand in hand and educate the younger generations on having savings and such. The need to introduce these types of knowledge to them not only will widen their mind but also teach them to be prepared for the unknown future. It is hoped that the Ministry of Education take this proposal to action in order to foster a broader minded generation that will be the pride and forefront of the nation.

How can we improve on this essay? Better and more specific examples? More sequence connectors or linkers to make it flow better? 

Anyone else wants to send me a sample essay? 

Good luck!!! 

MUET Speaking 800/2 2014 compilation of questions

Hey people... stressed that your speaking is over? Or stressed that you haven't sat for it yet? Haha.. it is a natural phenomenon to feel this way. Personally though, there are people like me who thrive on exams and tests so we can constantly push our boundaries and widen our horizons!

Anyway, here is a work in progress topics for speaking mid year 2014.

Session 1
Scholarship advertisements list selection criteria wanted by sponsors. Discuss one criterion. 
Task A:
Candidate A: Candidates must have excellent academic results
Candidate B: Candidates must be selected for programmes required by sponsors
Candidate C: Candidates must be all-rounders
Candidate D: Candidates must perform well in the interview
Task B: 
Discuss which of the following is the most important criterion for awarding scholarships. 

Session 2
Task A:
In life, people face many challenges. Discuss one of the challenges. 
Candidate A: Preparing for final exams
Candidate B: Handling a death in the family
Candidate C: Deciding on a career
Candidate D: Learning to be independent
Task B: 
Discuss which of the following is the greatest challenge in life. 

Session 3
Task A:
In the rural areas, local coffee shops are still popular. Discuss the reason for their popularity. 
Candidate A: People can easily catch up with local news
Candidate B: The prices of food are affordable
Candidate C: The food suit local tastes
Candidate D: A relaxed and friendly atmosphere
Task B: 
Discuss which of the following is the main reason for the popularity of local coffee shops. 

Session 4
Task A: 
Your friend is going to stay away from home for the first time in a college hostel. Suggest how he can cope with hostel life. 
Candidate A: He should obey the hostel rules
Candidate B: He should take part in hostel activities
Candidate C: He should make friends with others staying at the hostel
Candidate D: He should learn to be independent
Task B: 
Discuss which of the following is the best way to cope with hostel life. 

Session 5
Task A:
If you were a parent, what would you want your children to have? 
Candidate A: A good education
Candidate B: A love for reading
Candidate C: A kind heart
Candidate D: A healthy lifestyle
Task B:
Discuss which of the following is the most important aspect for your children to have. 

Session 6
Task A: 
There is a new town council in your area. Offer some suggestions for improvement to be carried out in your area. 
Candidate A: You suggest better maintenance of roads
Candidate B: You suggest improving the welfare of senior citizens
Candidate C: You suggest better public facilities
Candidate D: You suggest improving security
Task B: 
Discuss which of the following is the best improvement to be carried out. 


Session 7
Task A:
There are many memorable moments in life. Offer some examples of memorable moments. 
Candidate A: First day at school. 
Candidate B: A birthday party
Candidate C: A trip to a special place
Candidate D: Meeting a special person
Task B: 
Discuss which of the following is the most memorable moment in life. 

Session 8
Task A:
Children should show their appreciation towards their parents. What is the best way for them to do so?
Candidate A: Send them on holidays
Candidate B: Help them to do household chores
Candidate C: Buy them valuable gifts

Candidate D: Spend quality time with them
Task B: 
Discuss which of the following is the best way for children to show appreciation towards their parents.


(My students sat for days 1 & 2 of the MUET speaking.. not sure if I can get any info about the rest of the sessions... wait n see k!  Ok I added a few more but they are probably not in order according to the sessions but it is still interesting to know which topics came out. for those who email or write to me asking me to spot questions for them, I'm sorry I dont have a crystal ball that can predict spot questions. You are better off practising writing and learning the format than spotting elusive questions that cannot pinpointed due to the sheer vastness of possibilities.. moral of the story.. STOP asking me to spot questions!!!! Read my archive!!)

MUET Writing 800/4 Tips

Recently, an online blog walker emailed me her essay for me to comment on. It was reasonably good but did not follow the academic style per se. Therefore, to illustrate what I mean, I will post sections of her 5 paragraph essay with my revised version so that you can see the difference.

Q : The popularity of online education has increased over the years. Many working adults, housewives and school leavers prefer learning online rather than going to education institutions where they have to be physically present. The popularity of online education is also because of various other reasons. Discuss these reasons.

Fazurah's introduction:

There are many working adults wish to pursue post-secondary education for personal growth and career advancement. The Internet has given many working adults hope for a college diploma or degree, even futher tertiary education. There are many courses offered online such as diplomas, degrees and post-graduate degrees. Thus, they can now attend online education programmes. Online education can be pursued anywhere without formal setting. They are just required a computer or even a smartphone and Internet connectivity if they want to attend online educations programmes.

*Notice that there is no thesis statement. Therefore, this is a poorly organised essay and I would mark down for organisation.

My revised introduction:

There are many working adults who wish to pursue post-secondary education for personal growth and career advancement. The Internet has given many working adults hope for a college diploma or degree. There are many courses offered online such as diplomas, degrees and post-graduate degrees for a variety of fields be they business or arts. Thus, they can now attend online education programmes. Online education is becoming more attractive because it can be pursued anywhere without a formal setting. Students are just required to have access to a computer or even a smartphone and Internet connectivity if they want to attend online educations programmes. Therefore there are many reasons for online learning, namely accessibility, flexibility and cost-effectiveness. 

* Basically, a thesis statement (underlined, last sentence in an intro) is the MOST important sentence in an introduction because it lays out the essay properly and gives the reader a clear roadmap of what is to be discussed.

Fazurah's 1st Point:

First and foremost, there are many people opt for online learning rather than going to education institutions because online education can be pursued by many people anywhere and at anytime. Housewives with children can pursue an education at home without having to leave home responsibilities to others. Housewives are given opportunities to be educated. Other than that, working adults can also pursue an education after working hours, during office lunch break or free time. Thus, many working adults and housewives choose online learning rather than going to education institutions where they have to be physically present.

* Notice that the topic sentence is lengthy and does not have a tangible keyword to summarise this point. Also notice that the mini conclusion is a mere repetition of the question. It does not really concluded the idea in this paragraph.

Edited 1st Point:

First and foremost, there are many people who opt for online learning rather than going to education institutions because online education is very accessible. This means that it can be accessed by all walks of people regardless of place and time. Housewives with children can pursue an education at home without having to leave home responsibilities to others. Other than that, working adults can also pursue an education after working hours, during office lunch break or at their leisure. Thus, many working adults and housewives these days choose online learning because of its easy and convenient accessibility rather than going to education institutions where they have to be physically present.

* Note how much more effective the topic sentence and mini conclusion is here.

Fazurah's 2nd Point:

There are many people prefer online learning rather than going to education institutions because online education provides focused learning. Online education is comprehensive as any campus based education. It caters to students with varied learning styles and allows students to follow personal study routines. The students can study at night or early in the morning, whichever suits them best. The materials prepared cater to different difficulty level. So, the students can focus more on more difficult topics and skips easier ones. Therefore, many people opt for online learning rather than going to education institutions.

* Note again that the mini conclusion is not very effective. There is also a general lack of sequence to aide the flow of the ideas.

Edited 2nd Point:

Moreover, there are many people who prefer online learning rather than going to education institutions because online education provides focused learning that is flexible and suitable to each student’s needs. Online education is as comprehensive as any campus based education. It caters to students with varied learning styles and allows students to follow personal study routines. The students can study at night or early in the morning, whichever suits them best. The materials prepared cater to different difficulty levels while online tutors participating in online forums to guide students are also available. Hence, students can focus better because of the flexibility of online learning leading to more people opting for online learning rather than going to traditional education institutions.

* Note how the flow of the paragraph improves with the right logical connectors (Moreover, ...while...Hence.. etc.)


Fazurah's 3rd Point:

Other than that, online educations reduces study cost and stress which another reason of people choosing online education than going to education institutions. Online education is a cost-effective mechanism for non-traditional students and enables millions around the world to continue their education for betterment. Expensive textbooks are also not required. It is because all the material, for example lecture notes and assignments, can be obtained online or via the internet. There is no need to rush or transportation costs to go to college, so it can avoid stress. Thus, people prefer online education than going to educational institutions.

*Note again the ineffectiveness of the topic sentence and mini conclusion.

Edited 3rd Point:

Other than that, reduced study cost is another reason for choosing online education. Online education is a cost-effective mechanism for non-traditional students and enables millions around the world to continue their education without costing an arm and a leg. In addition, expensive textbooks are also not required with the advent of e-books and online journals. There is no need to rush or pay transportation costs to go to college, so stress as well as financial factors can be reduced as well. Thus, online learning is a more cost-efficient option for today’s fast paced society. 

* Note that being less wordy and using the right terms have a better impact.

Fazurah's Conclusion:

In the nutshell, there are many reason for a working adult, housewives and school leavers to get online education. This type of learning helps them learn faster, retain more information and earn a degree which otherwise would not be possible. Therefore, the popularity of online education has increased over the years because online learning can be pursued by many people anywhere and anytime, provides focused learning and reduces study costs and stress.

* Note that this conclusion does not 'reveal' much critical thinking skills but merely states the obvious. To get a higher band, you would need to demonstrate your ability to think beyond the obvious hence including recommendations is a very succinct idea to gain brownie points.

Edited Conclusion:

In a nutshell, more and more working adults, housewives and school leavers are exploring the option of online education as a means to self-development. This type of learning helps them learn faster, retain more information and earn a degree at a fraction of the cost. Therefore, the government has sanctioned this medium of education by approving institutes like Open University Malaysia where everyone can learn. It is hoped that more of such universities and learning institutes that offer online learning will mushroom around the country because education is the key to progress and prosperity. 

* Note the difference a good recommendation makes to the ending. Remember that this is the last thing the examiner reads and it is better to end with a good punch.

Well, dear followers, does this explanation help you improve writing? I do hope so. I've blogged a lot about the theory and everyone should get the academic format by now (read my archive!).. but it is a different ballgame entirely when it comes to actually applying the theory. Good luck to all candidates especially my own students who are going to take the July MUET paper this year. Please leave a comment below if you need any clarification. 

MUET Academic Essay Sample March 2014

This is the edited version of my student's  academic essay. What band would you give him? Why?

(Tq Franky, SMK Majakir, 6A1'14)

Question 2: 
The trend today among youths is to own the latest technological gadgets such as mobile phones and other devices. Is this a healthy development among young people? Give your opinion. You should write at least 350 words.

        In this modern world of ours, technological devices such as mobile phones and other gadgets are no longer foreign to us. Most of the young people today are treating these luxuries as a necessity as they compete to own the latest devices, leading to the adults’ questioning whether this is a healthy or an unhealthy development for youths today. In my own humble opinion, this issue will be a never-ending argument because it solely depends on the user itself to determine their purpose of using these devices. Thus in this essay, this issue can be discussed in terms of both healthy and unhealthy development and some recommendations. 

      Firstly, with these newest devices, young people can access information wherever there are with just a touch of their fingers. This can help to expand their knowledge about the current issues of our world which will be a key role to take their mind to a higher level. They can also use these facilities to help them in their studies. All of these can help our country to produce more intellectual people which indeed is a healthy development by contributing to a more productive nation. 

      In the old days, we had to do a lot of work and research in order to finish our school assignment, which is time consuming and tiring. Now we can obtain any information we need for our assignment without having the need to go to the library anymore. This can help the students to save more time for them to do other things. Furthermore, students can also increase their efficiency of work. The government also supports this by launching the ‘Wireless Village’ programme so that both rural and urban people can access the internet without having to subcribe to any internet packages. Overall, students can perform better and become more productive in their work, so this is certainly a healthy development. 

      Moreover, young people that chase after these latest technological devices can help to strengthen the country’s commerce through the constant supply and demand of gadgets. This can help the government to focus more on developing this technology or subsidising companies in this industry as it can guarantee good profits. Besides, in line with the previous years’ budgets, the government is giving out ‘smart phone rebates’ to citizens above the age of 21. All of this can help to improve our economic level and lead to a more developed country, therefore another sign that it is a healthy development. 

      

       On the other hand, this trend to own the latest technology devices could lead to a waste of money. Even though these devices are useful to us, but the fact is that most young people are chasing the latest devices regardless of cost. Mind the word ‘latest’ as they only want the latest edition that is being released in the market almost once per year for different brands such as Samsung and Sony. In order to keep up with the trend, these young people are willing to waste their money or more accurately their parents’ hard-earned money. Instead, they could use the money for better purposes like buying books or stationery. 

        Furthermore, as time goes by, they might eventually become ungrateful for what they already have and keep nagging for new gadgets. This is unhealthy as it breeds materialism. In addition, if one did not have proper discipline within oneself while using these devices, one will easily become a victim to various addictions such as social networking and games. This can cause the young users to become distracted and greatly decrease their work efficiency. As for students, their performance at school might become affected. To add to the matter, young people can easily access inappropriate content such as porn and violent materials at a young age, unsupervised. All of this can retard their mind’s growth and become influenced by negative things. In the end, these devices become a bane to them instead of a boon to the development of society. 

      Hence, for us to fully utilise the advantages of technology, I humble share some of my recommendations. Firstly, parents play a big role as they spend the most time with their children thus they should watch strictly over their children’s usage of these devices per day by limiting it. Next, the government can work on preventing or blocking many harmful websites in our country so that young people have no access to it. 

         In conclusion, I believe that in the end, it depends on the user itself whether to abuse or to use the devices to their disadvantage or advantage. We can draw an analogy from guns – used by the police it enforces the law; by a criminal it abets the crime. It would be illogical to put the gun in jail instead of the person who pulls the trigger. Similarly, it is we ourselves that click the mouse or swipe the screen of our gadget so we must use it responsibly to contribute towards a happier and healthier development in society today.

March 2014 Writing 800/4 Essay Question

Question 2: 
The trend today among youths is to own the latest technological gadgets such as mobile phones and other devices. Is this a healthy development among young people? Give your opinion. You should write at least 350 words.

This question looks easy, right? Just write about the pros and cons of the latest technological gadgets.
After all, most of us can't live without handphones and tablets and what not.

WRONG. 

It just LOOKS deceptively easy.
I am quite certain that MPM WILL MARK DOWN
if the candidate merely states the benefits and drawbacks of owning the latest gadgets because
he/she HAS NOT ADDRESSED THE QUESTION POSED...
which is.........is it or is it not a HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT?

Basically, to get a high band, you must specifically answer the question whether you think it is a healthy development among young people or not. It is myopic and short sighted to simply discuss the negative and positive aspects without relating it to your opinion on the key issue. It is also a narrow minded view to focus on the pros and cons to individuals without considering this development's effect to society and the nation as a whole.

If you answered YES, it IS a healthy development, then your points would center around the fact that:-

* students would have information at their fingertips, access to internet and diverse research capabilities
* young people would be able to connect and communicate more efficiently across all platforms
* clerical work especially study or work related data processing can be done faster, neater and more effectively
* the purchase of technological devices would strengthen the country's commerce through the supply and demand of gadgets
 
all of which would lead to a strong economy and a more productive society hence it IS a 'healthy development' among youths.


If you answered NO, it is NOT a healthy development, then your points would center around the fact that:-

* owning the latest technological gadgets is a wasteful trend as their money could be better used for study purposes rather than buying the newest devices.
* these devices when not used with proper discipline may lead to various addictions such as social networking addiction and even computer game addiction.
* it would increase the gap between the rich and poor students and may even cause petty crime rates like theft of devices to increase

all of which lead to an 'unhealthy' development as it breeds a society that is wasteful and materialistic.


The trick is to play with the keywords. If you have been a debater before, then you can see the logic easily.
In my humble opinion, if you were to agree with the issue then focus on how the trend TO OWN the gadgets is a healthy development. Conversely, if you were to disagree, focus on how owning THE LATEST technological gadgets is an unhealthy development. In the writing world, focusing on keywords gives you ammunition to justify your stand and this is called the 'angle' or 'perspective' which will make or break an argument.

But how can you get a Band 6 answer?
Perfect grammar with minor slips, for sure, but there is also a need to demonstrate acute critical thinking skills and the ability to see both sides of the coin before making a sound recommendation.

Thus, a Band 6 answer would discuss the reasons why it is 'healthy' as well as 'unhealthy' BEFORE stating that it is 'the human factor/the user himself' that has the power to use or abuse the devices to their advantage or disadvantage.


So... those who just took the exam... DID YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION? 
The likely scenario is that you merely stated the advantages and/or disadvantages 
WITHOUT LINKING it to the 'healthy/unhealthy' issue. 

My only advice, better luck next time! 

Click here to see my student's great sample essay! 

March 2014 MUET Report Writing Question

Hi people. Here are my thoughts on the report writing question.

Firstly, it was relatively easy and clear cut. I think that with a bit of critical thinking most students would have found it easy to score in this section. Below is a breakdown of how to answer the question.

Follow the format given by MPM.

A) Title
B) Introduction sentence.
(What are the stimuli?)
C) Overview/Trend 
(What is the most outstanding idea that LINKS all stimuli?)
D) Key Features 
(Most outstanding features as opposed to listing down the obvious features)
E) Conclusion sentence.
(Similar to Overview but just written from a different angle.)

Based on the format given, you could easily write 150 - 200 words.




A) Title: 
Visitation of Youths to the Dentist  from 1971-2010

B) Introduction:
The stimuli present a bar graph on the Number of Youths visiting the the dentist over four decades (1971-2010) and a table listing medical and cosmetic reasons for two periods (1971-1980 and 2001-2010).

C) Overview/Trend:
In general, visits to the dentist has risen steadily for both genders and girls recorded the highest visitations mainly for cosmetic reasons.

D) Key features:
ANALYSIS (within each stimulus)

* According the the bar graph, visitations to the dentist by both genders increased steadily.
* The lowest recorded visitations was by the girls in 1971-1980 with only 26,000 visits. This total almost tripled to 75,000 in 2001-2010 which is also the highest recorded for both genders.
* The lowest recorded visitations by boys was also recorded in 1971-1980 with 30,000 visits which doubled to 60,000 in 2001-2010.
* 1971-1980 was the only period where the number of boys visiting the dentist was more than girls.

* According to the table, the main reason for visiting the dentist for both genders is for filling cavities.
* Girls showed a drastic increase of reasons for visiting the dentist where they only went for medical reasons in 1971-1980 to going for both medical and cosmetic reasons in 2001-2010.
* In 1971-1980, boys visited the dentist for more medical reasons than the girls and later in 2001-2010 they clearly visited the dentist only when they had medical reasons rather than cosmetic ones.
* By 2001-2010, girls showed very high concern for cosmetic reasons compared to boys as records showed that they visited the dentist to fit braces and to whiten or clean their teeth whereas boys only had braces fitted.

SYNTHESIS (Linking between stimuli)
* The number of visitations for both genders showed a steady increase which is parallel with the increase of  reasons for going to the dentist over the years.
* Girls recorded the lowest visitations to the dentist with only 26,000 in 1971-1980 because they only went for one medical reason which was to fill cavities.
* In 1971-1980 as well, boys recorded a slightly higher rate of visitations than girls (30,000) because they went for more medical reasons which was to get their teeth extracted as well as cavities filled.
* The data shows girls recorded the highest visitations (75,000) to the dentist in 2001-2010 when cosmetic treatments like fitting braces and the whitening and cleaning of teeth were available.
* Boys also recorded the highest visitations to the dentist in 2001-2010 (60,000) which is double the number in 1971-1980(30,000) but they mainly went for medical reasons rather than cosmetic ones.

E) Conclusion:
In conclusion, visits to the dentist steadily increased for both genders by 2001-2010 whereby boys showed more concern for medical reasons while girls focused more on cosmetic reasons.

Basically, a high band answer will have more synthesis than analysis because it is stated very clearly in the instructions/rubrics that you should ANALYSE the results of the survey and LINK the information presented in the two visuals. You will still get marks if you analysed the visuals correctly, but if you were to relate the data using a year to year explanation this would not award you many marks as you are merely stating the features. Therefore, a good MUET student would be able to identify which points ARE THE MOST OUTSTANDING ideas you can get from LINKING the visuals rather than merely retelling the data which everyone can see for themselves. Am I making sense? I hope so. 

Therefore, teachers, the challenge is for you to make students realise the difference between Key Features vs Features and Analysis vs Synthesis. Easier said than done,right?! Hence the need for higher critical thinking skills. 

Stay tuned... next blog post is about the essay question and why most people cannot get higher than a band 3-4... (in my humble opinion only, take it with a pinch of salt!) 

March 2014 MUET Reading 800/3 answers

Hi all... just re-emphasising again that these are my personal answers, I have no direct connection with MPM and their answers so please use it for your reference only, they are NOT carved in stone! Just appreciate my efforts and please no backchat or annoying speculations. hehe..

Open for debate!

1. C
2. A is my answer cos to calculate percentage it would definitely involve 100% even if the findings show less than that percentage./ B - is the suggested answer from another a reliable source.
3. B
4. C
5. C
6. A
7. B
8. A
9. A
10. C
11. C
12. C
13. A
14. A
15. A
16. B
17. A
18. A (changed after long discussion with a reliable source)
19. A (changed after realising my typo.. I did choose A but don't know why I didnt type it out correctly)
20. C
21. B
22. C
23. A
24. A
25. C
26. C
27. B
28. B
29. C
30. C
31. C
32. D
33. D
34. D
35. C
36. D
37. C
38. B
39. A (changed because of the word 'cautious')
40. B
41. A
42. A
43. B
44. B
45. D (C is also an option but I still think the whole article does not revolve around 'Lessons' even though the last part is a reminder to learn from the Yellow river)

Same? Different? Let the debate begin!

ADDED ON 7/5/2014, AFTER THE RESULTS WERE ANNOUNCED:
In comparison to the results announced by MPM, my suggested answers contain 4 ERRORS. It is very unclear which of the 4 answers are wrong. If even I can make 7 errors, consider how hard the level of MUET reading paper is. The most I can advise you is to do more practices and have faith. Better luck next time!

HOW TO WRITE GOOD MUET ESSAY INTRODUCTIONS

A lot of students do not score well in MUET writing because they may be unaware of the Academic Writing Format. Those who know about it find it hard to verbalise it or get it down on paper, as such, their intros might not follow the appropriate formal writing style that is preferred for MUET level.

Anyway, here is a short lesson on intro writing from me.
The key, as always, is to keep practising.

What makes a good introduction?
Divided into 3 parts.
1. Current Situation/Commentary
2. Stand
3. Thesis Statement/Outline

What should each part consist of?

PART 1
1. Current situation/Commentary should include a HOOK,
which is a statement or question that can HOOK OR GRAB your attention.

Examples of HOOKS
a. Facts/Data/Statistics (News articles, data from graphs/surveys etc)
b. Questions (Rhetorical questions related to the issue)
c. An Anecdote (Story that is related to the issue)
d. Examples (Various related examples)
e. Contrast (Describing the opposite of a given situation, eg. topic: Money, opposite: No Money)
f.  Projection (Imagining the future)

Basically, you may use any of the hooks above but make sure the tone of your essay is FORMAL.

Example of Hook (f-Projection)
DO NOT WRITE: 
Imagine if there are no people to clean up rubbish, everywhere got rubbish so dirty and many people would get sick because so many diseases until everyone die. 
DO WRITE:
Imagine a world without a cleanup crew, rubbish would be piling up high everywhere and diseases would spread like wildfire to threaten the very existence of mankind.

PART 2
2. Stand
Refer to the question and focus on the key words to develop your stand.
Use these phrases to guide you:
a. In my opinion, I strongly/totally/completely/absolutely believe/feel/agree/disagree that...
b. From my perspective, I ...
c. From my point of view, I ...
d. It is my opinion that...

Your stand can also help you organise your essays in terms of paragraphing.

IF YOU CLEARLY AGREE/DISAGREE
: use a 5 paragraph format
INTRO
AGREE 1
AGREE 2
AGREE 3
CONCLUSION
or
INTRO
DISAGREE 1
DISAGREE 2
DISAGREE 3
CONCLUSION.

However, I am inclined to give the 'thinkers' a higher band if they can
compare and contrast ideas using the 6 paragraph format as shown below.

INTRO
AGREE 1
AGREE 2
DISAGREE 1
DISAGREE 2
CONCLUSION
or
INTRO
AGREE 1 vs DISAGREE 1
AGREE 2 vs DISAGREE 2
AGREE 3 vs DISAGREE 3
AGREE 4 vs DISAGREE 4
CONCLUSION

*NOTE that 5 paragraphs are the bare minimum, 6 is suggested,
but those with excellent proficiency should NOT let the number of paragraphs hold you back.
Conversely, the danger of writing too much is it is 'self-penalising'
as you will make too many errors esp if you run out of time and cannot edit your writing.


PART 3
3. Thesis Statement/Outline

This is by far the MOST IMPORTANT part of the introduction as it foreshadows
what the writer will focus on and gives the examiner
an idea of how well the writer can organise his/her essay.

For low bands, a simple Outline is enough. Use this template to help you.

In this essay, I would like to discuss advantages/disadvantages/reasons/causes/strategies which are __________, __________ and ___________.

or

In this essay, I would like to focus on the *________________, ______________ and ______________.
*can be replaced with:
a. causes, effects and solutions
b. pros, cons, solutions
c. advantages, disadvantages, suggestions
d. benefits, drawbacks, ways to overcome
e. etc.

For higher bands, omit the 'I' and replace with more formal structures.

In light of this, there are many reasons/causes/effects/advantages/disadvantages to this issue namely ______________, _______________ and ______________.

or

There are many facets to this issue but let us focus on the ____________, ___________ and _________ of ______________________(issue).

or etc.


SAMPLES OF INTRODUCTIONS FOR EACH HOOK TECHNIQUE.
Now that you're learnt the theory, let's put it to practice. To show you how this works, I've used one question, and written 6 different intros but all with the 3 part format which I've discussed.

There is a question at the end of this section and you may try your hand in writing your own 6 versions of the introduction... practice makes perfect!!!

Nov 2013 Writing Question 

"The most important factor which contributes towards a person's success is himself." 
Do you agree with the statement ? Justify your stand, giving relevant examples where appropriate. You should write at least 350 words. 

a. Facts/Data/Statistics (News articles, data from graphs/surveys etc)

According to an article in Forbes magazine on World's 100 Top Successful people, 90% of people become successful based on their unique individual characters rather than talent alone. This means that people who have the same great talent - take singing for example - are both capable of becoming successful but the one who has the characteristics fans like such as friendly, well-groomed with high self-esteem and creativity are more likely to achieve superstardom compared to an introverted singer with low self-confidence and charisma. It is my humble opinion that I absolutely agree with the statement that the most important factor which contributes towards a person's success is himself. We can analyse this issue in terms of the human factor which are his innate qualities, his drive for success and his ability to sustain success. 


b. Questions (Rhetorical questions related to the issue)

Is talent enough to achieve success? How is it possible for a set of twins who are both equally good in singing, yet only one becomes a successful singer while the other does not? Can a person's character determine his or her ability to achieve success in life? From my point of view, the answer lies in the fact that it is indeed the person himself which contributes towards his own success. In this essay, I would like to discuss how a person's innate talent, his drive to succeed and his motivation to stay at the top are the reasons that differentiate every one of us therefore controlling our success metres. 


c. An anecdote (Story that is related to the issue)
There was once a farmer who had triplets. He could not decide which son should inherit his property so he gave each of his three sons the same sum of money and told them to achieve success. The first son used the money as a dowry and managed to acquire the chief's daughter as a wife. The second son used the money to bet on horses but lost it all. The third son bought cows with the intent of breeding them, milking them and making butter and cheese of which he would sell at the market. Finally, the farmer chose the third son because he was the only son capable of 'growing' his investment. The point of all this is to show that when the playing field is leveled, and there is equal opportunity, success or failure is determined by the decisions each individual makes. Therefore, I strongly agree with the statement that the most important factor which contributes towards a person's success is himself. In light of this, there are many aspects of the person himself which contributes to his success, namely his aptitude, attitude and drive to succeed. 


d. Examples (Various related examples)
Donald Trump is renowned the world over for his acute business acumen as testified by his Trump empire. His entrepreneurship skills have been commonly mimicked but rarely replicated as many aspire to become like him but seldom achieve the level of his success. The secret of his success is his unique character which is driven by his desire to rise above all, including himself. There are other examples of extremely successful people who have achieved success not solely based on talent but their individual characteristics such as Mark Zuckerberg and our own Datuk Tony Fernandez to name a few. From my perspective, the most important factor which contributes towards a person's success is indeed himself. This can be proven in terms of his own talent, his character and motivation to remain successful. 

e. Contrast (Describing the opposite of a given situation, eg. topic: Money, opposite: No Money)

A person born into an affluent family, when taking over the father's business manages to run the business down the ground. The question then arises as to why the son failed to follow in the footsteps of his father when everything was handed to him on a silver platter. Simply put, he might have inherited the same genes but this does not predetermine his individualistic characteristic which in turn contributes to his ability to succeed or in this case, fail. Similarly, a person born into a poor family with not much given to him, can scrape the barrels and claw out of his poverty and make a success of his life unlike his parents or siblings. The sheer determination to succeed gives him the necessary elixir to lift him out of his fate and create a new and brighter future for himself. Hence it is my steadfast opinion that the environment does not play the most crucial factor in determining success, but it is indeed the person himself what contributes to his rise or fall. To discuss this issue, let us look at the three aspects of success, namely a person's aptitude, attitude and desire to sustain success. 

f. Projection (Imagining the future)
If every one of us could be successful, would this world not be full of successful people? The very fact that not everyone in this world today is a success story strongly implies that there are many factors that contribute to a person's success but it is each individual himself that gives him the cutting edge. In my opinion, I completely agree that the most important factor which contributes towards a person's success is himself. There are many facets to this issue but let us focus on a person's own ability, character and determination that will lead to his or her success. 


Right... so what do you think of the 6 different approaches? 
Which do you like the best? 
Which suits your writing style the best? 

As mentioned earlier, below is a sample exam question that you can try writing introductions for. Write at least 3 different versions of the introductions using any of the 6 hooks taught previously. 

"The most important thing in life is health." Do you agree with the statement? Justify your stand, giving relevant examples where appropriate. You should write at least 350 words. 

If you really want to challenge yourself, you could use the first essay topic on success and try to disagree with it or discuss both for and against it (come up with a 6 paragraph organisation). You will need to figure out what are the external factors that leads one to success. 

As usual, write the sample intros out and post in the comments below.. waiting to hear from both teachers and students! Happy penning!