THE WORLD I SEE

In springtime’s embrace, the world awakes,
As buds unfurl and new life makes.
A symphony of colours and scents arise,
In meadows and gardens, nature’s surprise.

Summer comes with its golden grace,
The shining sun, its warm embrace.
Days are long, and skies are blue,
A time for adventure and dreams come true.

Autumn paints the scenery with magical brush,
Leaves in hues of crimson and golden rush.
Nature’s farewell, a bittersweet song,
Harvest abundance, as days grow long.

Winter descends with a soft, snowy hush,
A blanket of white, a tranquil crush.
Fireside warmth with twinkling lights,
A time for reflection on cozy nights.

Four seasons dance, a timeless affair,
Each one unique, beyond compare.
With changing rhythms, they gently guide,
Through the cycle of life, side by side.

In the vast expanse of cosmic wonder,
Lies a world filled with life to ponder.
From towering mountains to ocean’s swell,
A tapestry of beauty, we can tell.

Forests green and deserts dry,
Nature’s marvels under the sky.
With creatures great and creatures small,
A sonata of life captivates us all.

Through sunlit days and moonlit nights,
The world unveils its countless sights.
With sunsets painting skies ablaze,
And dawning suns in golden haze.

In every corner, a tale unfolds,
Of wonders, mysteries, and stories untold.
From ancient ruins to modern arts,
Human spirit’s infinite sparks.

Across the lands, diverse cultures bloom,
A kaleidoscope of customs, we assume.
Languages spoken, songs sung in glee,
A celebration of humanity’s spree.

This is the world that I truly see,
Boundless with life and serenity.
A moment in time full of memories,
Becomes everlasting for eternity.

In a world today, complexities unfold,
A tale of triumphs and stories untold.
Through bustling cities and tranquil lands,
Humanity’s journey, where destiny stands.

Technology’s reach spans far and wide,
Connecting hearts across the great divide.
Information flows in a digital stream,
A virtual realm, a waking dream.

But shadows lurk, divisions persist,
Prejudice and hatred raise their fist.
Inequality exists, we cannot deny,
Hearts cry for a change, to modify.

Amidst the joy and laughter’s cheer,
Challenges arise that we must steer.
Bound by unity, we strive to mend,
A world in need of love to transcend.

In this world of constant motion,
We seek harmony and shared devotion.
To bridge the gaps, to heal the pain,
To build a world where all can gain.

Amidst the chaos, heroes rise,
With kindness and courage, they mesmerise.
In unity’s embrace we shall find,
The strength to heal and change mankind.

This is the world that I truly see,
A sphere of fate and destiny.
With symphony of life where souls unite,
In this world of wonder and infinite light.

Let’s stand as one, with open hearts,
In the world today, where hope imparts.
Together we’ll shape a brighter morn,
A world of compassion, where love is born.

So let’s embrace this world with glee,
Together we’ll shape our destiny.
In unity and love, we’ll journey far,
Creating a world that shines like a star.

Written by yours truly (August 7th), for the Language Carnival High School Poetry Competition District Level 2023 (Won first prize – Champion)

Student representative to recite the poem in State Level High School Poetry Competition 2023 (result to be determined)

MUET TASK 1 800/4 2023

SAMPLE QUESTION TASK 1

SAMPLE ANSWER

Dear Murad,

I was so very much glad to receive your long-awaited letter and to know that you are getting better. I couldn’t wish for more. Alas, it was a pity that you couldn’t attend the English Workshop at school last week due to such unfortunate predicament. It was an absolutely amazing event that I am still in seventh heaven right now as the exhilaration has yet to fade away. In case you are wondering, the workshop received an overwhelming participation from many students not only in our school but also from other schools! How marvellous was that?

I think such a success was due to the fact that many engaging and exciting activities were offered throughout the day. One of those which I enthusiastically took part in was the Poetry Writing Workshop. I couldn’t believe I was actually talented in writing a poem. My poem “If I May…” that I managed to write during the event was considered as one of the best and was posted on the Poetry Masterpieces Board in the hall for the feast of everyone’s eyes! I couldn’t stop smiling the whole day… Other than that, I also joined the Mystery Puzzle Competition in the Vocabulary Section. Those puzzles were undoubtedly one of the hardest I have ever faced. Mind-boggling and crazily challenging! Couple with incredible and attractive prizes, I couldn’t bear not to join! Such motivation shouldn’t be dampened however hard the puzzles were. Nonetheless, I managed to solve a couple of them, the hardest ones mind you, and received RM50 as a reward. If that isn’t interesting, I don’t know what is!

Well, one thing that is in need of improvement is the venue itself. It was definitely true to what you have heard about the condition of the hall. Most probably it was due to the organiser’s low expectation. In all likelihood, no one expected such a huge turnout. Participation from other schools in the district was not the intention of the organiser at all. Nevertheless, they were quick in rectification. Some of the activities were moved to different areas especially those that needed bigger venues such as the Theatrical workshop and the Singing contest. It was quite chaotic in the beginning but the situation was amended satisfactorily so I was thankful for that.

Ms Jessie did make a positive confirmation about another workshop. It was actually under the urge of many students in our class since the previous event was such a huge success. I, for one, will absolutely join this coming workshop. There were many other activities I didn’t manage to participate last time so I will definitely join more this coming event. We will go together this time, I promise you.

Anyway, let’s keep in touch and do call me whenever you are free. I can’t wait to have fun with you. Until then, take care and God bless

Best Friend Forever,

Yamuna

MUET TASK 1 800/4 S3-2022

MUET WRITING PAPER SESSION 3 2022

SUGGESTED RESPONSE FOR TASK 1

FROM : Karim <Rim155@smail.com>

SUBJECT : Happenings!!

Hello Johan,

Thanks for the update. I was glad to receive your email after wondering for so long. I was worried about you since you did not attend our farewell party last weekend. I thought perhaps you encountered something bad. Thank goodness you are in good health. Speaking about our farewell party, it went superbly well. As we all know, anything planned by Kris is bound to be fun and happening, isn’t it? So yeah, everyone enjoyed it, me included.

I am sorry to hear about your grandmother. Is she okay now? I really hope she is. Now I understand why you did not attend our party. Nobody will feel happy once such news appeared. I would worry too. I remember when my grandmother died a few years ago and I didn’t get the chance to meet her for the last time. Thinking about this saddens me a lot. You are lucky to still have your grandma with you. I hope you cherish your time her, stay with her and be filial. Regret is not a good feeling at all. Trust me, I know.

You kept asking about the party. I guess you really felt bad not coming, eh? I know the feeling well. No worries though, we will always be planning for more. Anyway, you were the only one not coming, making us all worried, especially when you did not inform us beforehand. Amanda kept calling you, but you did not answer. So yeah, you were really missed that time. The food was awesome by the way. There were a variety of delicious food with plenty of leftovers for us to bring home hahaha. I don’t know who the caterer was but Kris really did well in planning for everything. Even the activities were entertaining and enjoyable. We had karaoke competition, which I won by the way and also dancing, musical chair and quizzes with prizes to be won. There wasn’t a dull moment during the entire time. I wish you were there.

Well, this week and the next is bound to be a busy time for me. My father required my help in the shop since he has to go to China to bring more supply. I can’t meet up with you anytime soon unless you come and visit me here. You are always welcome to, you know. I will treat you to the ginseng tea I told you about last time. I’ve been meaning to since long ago. So why don’t you come over and accompany me here anytime you are free? I will be waiting.

Until then, take care Johan. Remember to always smile and spend some quality time with your grandma, family and me XD

Karim the great~

MUET TASK 1 800/4 S2-2021

MUET WRITING PAPER SESSION 2 2021

SUGGESTED RESPONSE FOR TASK 1

FROM : Patsy <pastydagreat@fmail.com>

TO : Amelia <amelia@zmail.com>

SUBJECT : Here comes your knight in shining armour!!

Hello my beloved Amelia~

I hope my email came at a perfect time in dispelling your worries. My weekend was as dull as ever. I had nothing better to do except finishing all those boring homework for the whole two days! I was hoping to go out shopping and having fun with my mum but she suddenly had work emergency and had to cancel our long-awaited excursions. Oh, the gall!! I was annoyed to the core. Thank goodness we have a lot of snacks at home to wash away my displeasure of not having a more preferable weekend entertainment.

My mum promised to reward me heftily if I completed my homework during the weekend so I did. With a heavy heart at that! It was not a big deal actually, and as for our English language project, worry not my princess, for I already have something awesome in mind. Why don’t we do a slide presentation on one of the poems we are currently studying in class? I am interested in the “Poison Tree” by William Blake. It is dark, malevolent and full of intense emotions, just like how I like those mystic and mysterious things. There are just so many things we can talk about the poem, especially the language style that the poet used and its richness in terms of variety and depth. So, what do you think?

Remember the last time we went to Kaamatan Festival at KDCA? It was such an awe-inspiring experience and we had so much fun. Perhaps we could integrate our very own culture in celebrating the National Day. Wouldn’t it be more apt to personalise such celebration so that our National Day will be more appreciated and honoured by everyone? So, I am thinking about having all students wearing personalised national costumes during the week leading to our National Day celebration. What do you think? I bet everyone will be excited to showcase the dresses they have. Another idea is having the school in a celebratory mood during that same week, where a lot of activities as well as inter-class competitions related to National Day are held. The school can carry out competitions such as Dancing, Singing, Class Performances, as well as National Day Poster-Making Competition and Inter-class Banner/Flag Making using recycled stuffs to be shown during the National Day Exhibition throughout the week. I really do think this will be so fun and interesting for everyone. Even writing all these is already making me excited all over.

I think the ideas I came up with are feasible and I am sure our teacher will be very interested in them. So, please set aside your worries. Don’t make your life miserable by overthinking and panicking over such simple matters, girl! We can do this! Come over to my house anytime you can to discuss and fine-tuning these stuffs. Just call me up. My life is very free especially for you.

Your BFF,

Patsy the awesome knight

MUET TASK 1 800/4 S2-2022

MUET WRITING PAPER SESSION 2 2022

SUGGESTED RESPONSE FOR TASK 1

FROM : Jaycie@gmail.com

To : Linda linda@zmail.com

SUBJECT : Online Business

Hello my dear Linda. Thank you for your email. Life has been great for me so far. I am flourishing with the family business I currently ventured into, and receiving news from you is like a breath of fresh air.

Alas, the chance to join the online business talk last week was missed due to my forever busy life. I totally forgot about it! And when I finally remembered it from your email, I was crestfallen. I wish I was there. I definitely agree that it is indeed an interesting way of doing business nowadays. Personally, I think online business is easier to set up and manage, especially if you are thinking of opening a small business that is only managed by you. And the modal is not that big as well.

Knowing you, I think you will be very successful if you ever think of undertaking such business. In my opinion, you should try to sell stuffs you love and use yourself. I know you love shopping for clothes and you definitely have a knack of being a fashion designer. You could try selling clothes according to your taste. I am sure it will be very popular since I am also in love with your fashion sense. You can also sell those pre-loved clothes of yours that you can let go. It will lessen the modal you need to open your business. Or, what about your make-up kits? You can always be your own make-up agent and sell it online? Those make-up video tutorials you did on instagram during your free time would be an immense help in promoting the make-up brand you choose to be an agent of. I am sure your online business will be a great success if you choose to do what you love and combine your interest with your money-making endeavours!

Talking about this is seriously tempting me to start my own online business. Perhaps maybe one day in future. For now, I am extremely busy with my family business in Kota Kinabalu. My father has just appointed me to be a new branch manager in Inanam. I seriously lack the time and energy to join you setting up an online business. Nonetheless, I wish you all the best in your new undertakings. I will be here to help you whenever you need it.

Do ring me up anytime. I would love to hear more from you and your new world of online business. Maybe we can do a joint venture sometimes in future.

Love, Jaycie

Dancing Legs

After more than thirty years, I still remember my first ghost sighting. It wasn’t that dramatic, more like bewilderment and confusion amidst fear of the unknown and the mysterious. Questions more than answers, of which one was a ghost theory.

                It was probably around 5.30ish am, because it was still dark outside. I was alone in the kitchen, already dressed in school attire, eating my breakfast. My mom and dad were somewhere in the house, probably getting ready to go to work. My seat was facing the window at the back. I remember the blind was wide open, thus my view towards the big rock just outside the window was unhindered. It was really a big rock, the one I liked to climb upon whenever I wanted to pick some bananas that were growing just beside it. My mind wandered, thinking of random things, while munching the sandwich and looking straight at the middle top of that huge rock.

All of a sudden, at the corner of my eyes, somewhere behind the banana trees, I vaguely saw some dancing lights. I vividly remembered it being shining white because of its stark contrast to the blackness that surrounded it. I straightaway moved my eyes/head towards the moving lights. I was curious. I wasn’t really sure what they were. Two long white dancing lights?… The more I stared, the more I saw that those dancing lights were like the movement of two very thin legs in between the banana trees. They were also floating at the same time. I was baffled. Fear hasn’t set in yet, since I was more bewildered of its appearance than anything else. The legs kept on erratically moving, dancing or rather flailing and jumping quite wildly for a few seconds on that spot between the banana trees before suddenly took a hug leap towards the middle of the rock and then quietly disappeared. It happened probably around a minute or so, from the beginning to the end of that weird sighting. I was still confused. It was like two thin legs, but only legs. No upper body or anything else in sight.

The dawn gradually came. My dad went to the kitchen and I told him what happened. He looked at my excited face and then with swift movement, opened the back door to inspect the rock. I ran after him, wanting to see if there was something unexplained there. But there was nothing. My dad was probably only humoring me. He looked around a few times more, walked around the trees and the rock and said, “it was nothing after all?”. I, who was standing in front of the back door, silently nodded.

 

MUET PAPER 4 800/4 WRITING (NEW FORMAT 2020/2021)

NUMBER OF TASKS2
POSSIBLE TEXT TYPESLetters or emails based on a text stimulus, discursive, argumentative or problem-solution essay
WORD COUNTTask 1 = 100 – 125 words Task 2 = At least 250 words
EXAM TIME75 minutes
MAXIMUM SCORE90 marks
WEIGHTAGE25% of the overall mark

SYLLABUS/TEST SPECIFICATIONS

MUET Paper 4 Writing aims to assess the ability of candidates to communicate in writing in the context of higher education, covering both more formal and less formal writing genres. Two writing tasks are set to measure the applied knowledge and language abilities of the MUET candidate.

In the less formal writing task, the topic is limited to situations and subjects relating to the academic and educational environment. In the more formal writing task, the topic is limited to familiar and unfamiliar topics in different academic areas that a non-specialist would be able to write about. Candidates are required to draw on their knowledge and understanding of real-world settings to respond to the test tasks.

LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE

ORGANISATIONAL KNOWLEDGE

  • Vocabulary
  • Morphology
  • Grammar
  • Syntax
  • Spelling
  • Cohesion
  • Rhetorical organisation

PRAGMATIC KNOWLEDGE

  • Functions
  • Dialect
  • Register
  • Naturalness
  • Cultural references
  • Figures of speech

PROCESSING

  • Macro-planning
    • Gathering ideas
    • Genres
    • Target readership
  • Organisation
    • Ordering ideas
    • Identifying relationships
    • Identifying central and secondary ideas
  • Micro-planning
    • Aligning the goal of the paragraph with the overall goal of the writing activity
    • Structuring an upcoming sentence in terms of information within the paragraph

LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS

TASK 1 – Guided Writing

  • Expressing thanks, apologies, reactions and preferences
  • Accepting/Declining/Rejecting invitations/offers
  • Making requests
  • Giving precise information
  • Describing experiences, feelings and events
  • Providing advice, reasons, opinions and justifications

TASK 2 – Extended Writing

  • Discussing ideas
  • Evaluating arguments or solutions to problems
  • Providing advice, reasons, opinions and justifications
  • Giving examples and supporting information

THE MUET WRITING PAPER TEST

MUET Paper 4 Writing requires candidates to complete two tasks within 75 minutes. Task 1 requires candidates to write a letter or an email, and Task 2 requires candidates to write an essay of at least 250 words on a given situation/topic.

TASK 1 – GUIDED WRITING

  • Candidates are advised to spend about 25 minutes on this task.
  • Candidates will be given a stimulus in the form of a letter or an email containing three to four notes.
  • Candidates must read the task and reply to the letter or email in at least 100 words.
  • Candidates must use ALL the notes provided

TASK 2 – EXTENDED WRITING

  • Candidates are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this task.
  • Candidates will be given a stimulus in the form of a few sentences and statements establishing the idea or problem.
  • Candidates must read the task and write an essay (discursive, argumentative or problem solving – depending on the type of stimulus given – therefore, a correct identification of what type of format required by the stimulus is essential).
  • Candidates are required to write at least 250 words based on the given stimulus/statement(s).

THESIS STATEMENT FOR ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Resource: Excelsior Online Writing Lab

By now, you have already clearly understood that thesis statement in your essay is one of the most important part of it. It should be well understood also (from our previous lesson) that not all essays will require an explicitly stated thesis, but most argumentative essays will. Instead of implying your thesis or main idea, in an argumentative essay, you will most likely be required to write out your thesis statement for your audience. A thesis statement is a one- to two- sentence statement that presents the main idea and makes an assertion about your issue. You may have a longer thesis for much longer essays, but one to two sentences is a good general guideline. And, remember, in an argumentative essay, the assertion you present in your thesis is going to be particularly important.

Please refer to our previous classroom notes to refresh back what we have learned about writing thesis statement so far.

When you make your assertion in your thesis, it should be clear and direct. You want your audience to have no doubt about your point. Of course, how assertive you are in your thesis and the content you choose to include depends upon the type of argumentative essay you are writing.

Here are some basic guidelines to keep in mind when it comes to an argumentative thesis statement.

  • Your thesis statement should be one to two sentences.
  • Your thesis statement should clearly present the main idea of your essay and make some kind of assertion (even if that assertion is about bringing two sides together).
  • Your thesis should not make an “announcement” about what your essay will cover. Instead, it should just present your assertion. For example. A thesis like this makes an announcement:

In this paper, I will persuade you to vote for candidates who support education reform.

Instead you might write:

Because our education system is in need of reform, we should vote for candidates who are willing to make the necessary changes.

  • While there is no such thing as a “required” place for your thesis statement, most academic essays will present the thesis statement early on, usually near the end of the introduction. There is a reason for this. Audience members are more likely to understand and absorb each point as readers if you have told them, in advance, what they should be getting out of your essay.
  • Your thesis statement is the most important sentence in your essay. It is your chance to make sure your audience really understands your point. Be sure your assertion and your writing style are clear.

ARGUMENTATIVE THESIS OVERVIEW

WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT?

Think of a thesis statement as a road map for your essay. Writers use thesis statements to let an audience know the main point of an essay. An argumentative thesis clearly presents the main claim or argument being made. It makes clear assertion!

WHAT MAKES UP A THESIS STATEMENT?

A strong argumentative thesis statement always makes the topic clear and makes a clear assertion about that topic. Essentially, in your thesis, you take a clear stand on your issue.

Sometimes, professors/lecturers will require an outline of reasons in your thesis (as I have mentioned before in our previous lesson), but this is not always the case.

HOW IS AN ARGUMENTATIVE THESIS STATEMENT DIFFERENT?

An argumentative thesis stands out from other types of thesis statements because it takes a stand on an issue, is your opinion (though you probably shouldn’t say “in my opinion”) and has at least a little controversy. In other words, people have to be able to disagree with your thesis. For example:

If you said “Destroying the environment is bad,” most people would not disagree with that. You would have to find a more specific – and controversial – angle to have a strong argumentative thesis statement.

SOME EXAMPLES:

WEAK THESISSTRONG THESIS
Hurting people on Black Friday to get good deals is wrongBecause of the dangers associated with Black Friday crowds, retailers need to stop offering “extreme deals” on Black Friday and close their doors instead.
Wasting water is a bad habitIn order to protect one of our most precious resources, water, we need to practice water conservation in every aspect of our lives.

ARGUMENTATIVE THESIS QUICK TIPS

  • Make sure your thesis encompasses the main idea of your essay.
  • Present your opinion in your thesis, but you do not have to say “in my opinion.”
  • Find an angle that some in your audience could disagree with. It makes for a boring essay if everyone agrees.
  • Be as specific as you can be in your thesis without being so specific that you cannot develop your ideas in the body of your essay.
  • And, remember, get feedback on your thesis from your lecturer and classmates!

ARGUMENTATIVE THESIS ACTIVITY

Do the activity below for today’s lesson:

https://forms.gle/PHvR7iyURMuQvinb9

LISTENING CEFR MUET 2021

Listening Test 800/1 paper is one of the 4 MUET TEST papers that Malaysian university students need to sit for the qualification to enter university in Malaysia. It is also a compulsory subject to pass among Malaysian students in order to graduate from university. In short, it is important!!

The reason why STPM/College/Matric students study this subject before entering any chosen university is because = you need to have a MUET result so that you can apply to any university of your choice after you have completed your STPM/College/Matric studies. Some students have to study it on their own, without guidance. Some colleges do offer classes specifically for MUET but more often than not, they don’t. Thus, you STPM students, BE THANKFUL!

Let’s focus on the first paper of MUET Test = Listening Test 800/1. Watch the video below to know more about the test:-

GUIDELINES = How to listen effectively:-

  1. Read the instructions on the question booklet carefully.
  2. Read the questions given (part by part) You will be given 30+ seconds to do this
  3. While reading the questions and their choices, underline the KEYWORDS and try to predict the answers
  4. While listening, pay attention to the intonation pattern, stress and pauses made by the speakers. These may signal the main ideas or important details.
  5. While listening, try to listen for the KEYWORDS you have underlined before, so that you can infer the answer from the surrounding clues of the keywords.
  6. Focus on the tape script and try to block out external disturbances.
  7. Confirm your answers when the tape script is played for the second time.

Remember, kids! If you cannot ‘catch’ the answers from the speakers on the tape, most probably because you are not used to think fast while listening. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Once you practice more, you will know what to expect, and you will respond accordingly.

Our practice will be divided into 3

Practice 1 = PART 1 and PART 2

Practice 2 = PART 3 and PART 4

Practice 3 = PART 5

Now, let’s begin our practice. Click the link below:-

https://forms.gle/i93dCNAXWCMpsrFq8

DERIVING MEANING FROM CONTEXTUAL CLUES

Meaning is the cornerstone of language since people communicate principally to convey meaning. Meaning is more than a definition in a dictionary; it is also found in a context (Nouraldeen, 2015). Meaning and context are interdependent, i.e., meaning cannot be communicated without context, and context cannot be established without meaning. Some researchers affirmed that meaning is thoroughly contextual (Williams, 2004). Therefore, the meaning of a word can be inferred by context.

The word ‘context’ can have various different meanings but Linguists often refer to the context of phrase or word as the text that surrounds it. Another everyday usage of ‘context’ refers to a section of a real world in which some events or the discourse takes place, and is often intertwined and confused with another meaning, namely knowledge about the same thing (Christiansen & Dhal, 2005).

Context plays an important role in determining meaning in communication. When dictionary is not at hand to help students understand the meaning of a certain word, guessing or deriving its meaning can actually be done through context, by basing their concluded meaning through clues given from the text surrounding the word. Deriving meaning from contextual clues is an educated guessing strategy that can be of help to students in this case.

What are several techniques under this strategy that you can use to derive meaning?

  1. Know the meaning of a word by examining its root, and any prefixes or suffixes.
  2. Decipher the meaning by examining the phrases before and after the word.
  3. Discover the meaning by examining the surrounding text for antonyms, synonyms and contronyms.

Read more on these websites for the aforementioned techniques:

https://www.registerednursing.org/teas/determining-meaning-words-analyzing-word-parts/

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/root-words-roots-and-affixes

Using Context Clues to Determine the Meaning of Words or Phrases: TEAS || RegisteredNursing.org

There are bunch of resources you can find from the Internet in regard to this topic. Do feel free to explore for better understanding since the information provided here is too little and perhaps not enough (depending on your proficiency level).

Do the practice below:

https://forms.gle/TJX62JcWTEmnErRc6

More practices will be posted in the coming updates~