Chapter 1 (Section A)

PREFACE
This book is designed to assist those who are preparing themselves for PT3 assessment which is
around the corner. It is filled with assessment tips, notes, guided practices for the PT3 English
subject takers to equip themselves to excel in the assessment thus achieve the prerequisite target
of what should a PT3 leavers would be when entering Form 4. The foundation laid in this book
meets the learning outcomes and specifications in the revised Curriculum for Form 1 until Form
Three as delineated by the Malaysian Ministry of Education.
This book aimed for the students to foster self-access learning as a complement of what they had
accomplished in the classroom. The systematic guidance provided in this book zeroing in on all
the sections of the PT3 assessment. Also included the practices on Speaking and Listening
assessment as part of the students’ thorough approaches towards English PT3 Assessment. At the
end of this book, some suggested answers as a guide for students to keep on track with the
attempt.
As part of the Berita Harian initiatives, this book is immensely integrated with Higher Order
Thinking Skills (HOTS) questions in which hopefully the users of this book will have the
confidence and solid foundation to sit for the coming PT3 examination.
What Makes This Book Different From Others
TABLE OF SPECIFICATION COMPLIANT
Each section is streamlined to comply with the

Blooms Taxonomy Table of Specification.
STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH
Students will work starting on their respective level, up the scale one step at a time.
EXAM GRADE PRACTICES AND QUESTIONS
Assisting students in achieving the highest

grade according to PT3 Grade
Assessment.
SPEAKING AND LISTENING APPROACH
Comprehensive practices on speaking and listening

components as preparation for future endeavors.
HOTS COMPANION
Fully integrated with HOTS questions to nurture a more

sophisticated thinking level among students and be the
best over the rest.
SPEEDY GRAMMAR
Quick reference of grammar items for clearer
understanding and usage.
CONTENTS
Grammar Components
A Nouns
Grammar Speedy Revision
Error Identification Practices Section A (Error Identification)
B Pronouns Speedy Revision
Grammar Speedy Revision Practices
Error Identification Practices Exam Grade Questions
C Verbs and Tenses
Grammar Speedy Revision Section B (Non-Linear, Linear and Short
Writing Task)
Error Identification Practices
Speedy Revision
D Adverbs
Practices
Exam Grade Questions
E Articles
Section C (Linear Text/Comprehension and
Poem)
Speedy Revision
F Adjectives
Practices
G Prepositions
Section D (Composition and Novel)
Speedy Revision
Practices
H Conjunctions
Speaking Component
Speaking Tips
Practices
Listening Component
Listening Tips
Practices
GRAMMAR COMPONENTS
Parts of Speech
A noun is a naming word. It names a person, place, thing, idea, living creature,
Noun quality, or action.
Examples: cowboy, theatre, box, thought, tree, kindness, arrival
A verb is a word which describes an action (doing something) or a state (being

Verb something).
Examples: walk, talk, think, believe, live, like, want
An adjective is a word that describes a noun. It tells you something about the
Adjective noun.
Examples: big, yellow, thin, amazing, beautiful, quick, important
An adverb is a word which usually describes a verb. It tells you how something
Adverb is done. It may also tell you when or where something happened.
Examples: slowly, intelligently, well, yesterday, tomorrow, here, everywhere
A pronoun is used instead of a noun, to avoid repeating the noun.

Pronoun
Examples: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
A conjunction joins two words, phrases or sentences together.

Conjunction
Examples: but, so, and, because, or
A preposition usually comes before a noun, pronoun or noun phrase. It joins the
Preposition noun to some other part of the sentence.
Examples: on, in, by, with, under, through, at
An interjection is an unusual kind of word, because it often stands alone.

Interjections are words which express emotion or surprise, and they are usually
Interjection
followed by exclamation marks.
Examples: Ouch!, Hello!, Hurray!, Oh no!, Ha!
An article is used to introduce a noun.

Article
Examples: the, a, an
NOUNS
Definition
Nouns are divided into two groups:
1. Nouns that can be counted (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.)

2. Nouns that cannot be counted
Explanation
Count nouns --
 use -s or -es in plural forms.

 use definite articles and indefinite articles (a tree, the students).
Non-count nouns --
 cannot be counted (cheese, milk, sand). You don't say "I have 2 milks."
 are followed by a singular verb. For example, "The cheese is good."
 can be counted by using "of phrases." For example, "a cup of coffee, a piece
of cheese, a box of sand, a bottle of milk."
 use definite articles or no article. For example, "The cheese is good. Cheese
is good."
Example
I have five marbles in my hand. (Count nouns)

I have sugar in my hand (Non-count nouns)
Definition
Pronouns replace subjects and objects in sentences. A pronoun has the same
meaning as the subject or object word it replaces.
Explanation
Pronouns --
 can be subjects or objects.

o If they come before the verb they are subject pronouns.
o If they come after the verb they are object pronouns.
 can show possession.
 have different functions:
o Subject pronouns replace nouns before the verb.
o Object pronouns replace nouns after the verb.
o Possessive pronouns replace object nouns and show possession.
 "There" can be used to replace nouns that name a place. For example: "I live
in Batang Kali. It is a beautiful town. I am very happy there."
Example
Hassan likes his job. He is a teacher.
VERBS
Definition
Verbs tell the action or state of the subject in a sentence.
Explanation
Verbs --
 follow the subject in a simple sentence.

 change form to agree with the subject.
 can be active or stative.
 show past, present, and future tense.
 have many different forms, for example:
o simple
o auxiliary
o gerund
o infinitive
o modal
o participle (present and past)
Example
Teh feeds the dog. (action)

Janu is tall. (state)
A. Circle the correct answer.
1. The sun (rise/rises/rose) in the morning

2. Lim (live/lives/lived/life) with his family in Batu Maung.
3. The students (play/plays/played) hockey every evening.
4. The seminar (begin/begins/began/begun) at 7 o’clock tonight.
5. Anis (help/helps/helped) his father to sell nasi lemak in the evenings.
B. Correct the underlined word(s) with a suitable verb form.
1. She usually carry this bag to school

2. Vasagam visited India every December.
3. Johan sat near the teacher’s table every semester.
4. Abishek left for Australia at the end of this month to continue his study.
5. Mr Razi go for a walk in the morning and bought his newspaper before going
home.
C. Write the correct verb form for the sentences below.
1. She ______________ the girl who took her pen this morning. (catch)
2. Ali ______________ his car at the hotel car park. (leave)
3. Syazana _____________ to Middle East with her parents last week. (travel)
4. Last year, we _____________ Hari Raya with much joy and laughter. (celebrate)
5. He _____________ to do his homework yesterday. (forget)
6. Last holiday break, we _______________ sure that everyone had a good time.
(make)
7. The government ______________ a recycling campaign last month. (launch)
8. I ___________ that your mother will be on the move again. (hear)
9. The old lady _________________ a pair of trousers from the boutique. (buy)
10. My sister ______________ away all my old revision books. (throw)
D. Identify the incorrect use of verb form in the sentences below. Then, correct the
error.
1. When I enters the classroom, the students were sweeping the floor.
2. I was reading an exciting book when the lights goes out.
3. As we were walking home after class, it suddenly start to rain.

4. When he was drove home from work, he meets with and accident.
5. Mr. Lew was listen to the radio when her friends dropped by his house.
E. Correct the underlined word(s) in each sentence with a correct verb form.
1. The boys were shout in the room when Mr. Ali entered with some parents to
visited the hostel.
2. Anissa has been discussed her problems with her counsellor and she decides
to quit working her part-time job.
3. An important document has been stolen from the office and the police
question the employees of the company the whole morning.
4. Yesterday, I see a young man loitering near my neighbour’s house. He carry

a ladder.
5. As they search for the house key, they finds a photograph of an eccentric old
man.
ADVERBS
Definition
Adverbs give more information about verbs.
Adverbs describe how, when, where, and how often an action happens.
Explanation
Adverbs --
 describe the action of a verb.

 usually end in "ly."
 have irregular forms.
 usually follow the verb they describe.
 answer the questions: When? How often? How long? and Where?
 can come at the beginning, end, or in the middle of a sentence.
Example
Jill walks slowly.

How does the machine work?
A. Replace the underlined phrases with the correct adverb form.
1. Sani fought the snake in a brave manner. ( )

2. Aminah visits his grandmother once a year. ( )
3. He completed the assignment in an amazing manner ( )
4. Sepilok packed in haste as the boat was about to leave. ( )
5. The squirrel jumped all of a sudden from the roof. ( )
B. Write the correct adverb form in the blanks below.
1. The girl stared _____________ at me and turned away. (sad)

2. Index prices dropped ____________ when war broke out between North Korea
and America. (sharp)
3. He was _____________ disturbed when he lost his precious cat. (deep)
4. The guard was sleeping _______________ when the robbers broke into the
premise. (sound)
5. The gates opened _______________ when a person approached. (automatic)
C. Insert the adverbs in the brackets in the correct positions.
1. This incident is seen in our country. (rarely)

2. She goes brisk walking by herself. (never)
3. This room is for employees only. (strictly)
4. She is late to school every Sunday. (always)
5. Mr. Tuna look after his children as he is working out of town. (seldom, often)
ARTICLES
Definition
Determiners are small words that come before nouns. Determiners give information
about the noun. Articles - the / a / an - are one type of determiner.
Explanation
Articles --
 are either indefinite (a / an), definite (the), or zero (nothing).

 come before a noun, and before an adjective + noun (a tree, a tall tree).
 are not used before names of people or places.
Indefinite articles (a / an) --
 are used when the nouns are not specific. For example: "A tree is burning."
We do not know which tree because it is general, not specific.
 are used with singular count nouns. For example: "a cat, an apple."
 have two forms: a and an. "A" is used when the first sound of the noun is
not a vowel. For example: "a cow, a computer, a book". "An" is used when
the first sound of the noun is a vowel (a, e, i, o, u ) sound. For example: "an
apple, an orange, an animal". But note that it is "a university" because the
first sound is y, even though the first letter is u.
Definite article (the) --
 is used when the nouns are specific. For example: "The tree in front of the
house is burning." We know which tree (the tree in front of the house). It is
specific.
 is used with singular and plural count nouns. For example: "the cat, the
apples".
 is used with non-count nouns. For example: "the money".
Zero article --
 is used when the nouns are not specific. For example: "I like dogs."
 is used with plural count nouns. For example: "Apples taste good."
 is used with non-count nouns. For example: "Money is important."
Example
A tree is burning.
The tree in front of the house is burning.
ADJECTIVES
Definition
An adjective gives more information about a noun.
Explanation
Adjectives --
 give more information about nouns.

"He drank a fine, Spanish wine."
 give information about someone's opinion.
"This is delicious food."
 give information about age.
"This is an old book."
 give information about colour.
"She is wearing a green coat."
 give information about size and measurement.
"She is wearing a short skirt."
 give information about shape.
"Dave has a round face."
 give information about origin.
"Dena has an Italian boyfriend."
 give information about characteristics.
"He is wearing a soft sweater."
 give information about what something is made of.
"He has a leather jacket."
 give information about purpose.
"He teaches at a driving school."
 do not change form for plural nouns.
"He has two leather jackets."
 go before the nouns they describe.
 follow the verbs "to be," "to feel," "to taste," "to smell," "to look," and "to
sound."
"This jacket feels soft."
 can show possession.
"This is my jacket."
 follow the verb "get" to show a change to the situation.
"It is 8:00 at night. It is the end of the day. The sun is gone. It is getting
dark."
PREPOSITIONS
Definition
A preposition usually comes before a noun, pronoun or noun phrase. It joins the
noun to some other part of the sentence.
Explanation
 To indicate the position of a subject.

“The hospital is opposite of our school.”
 To indicate where something is going or moving to.
“The cat fell off the tree.”
 To indicate when something happens.
“They went home after the course.”
 To indicate the purpose of an action.
“The students attended extra classes so that they could excel in their
studies.”
Example
Travel and Movement
Travel Arrive Transport Directions
at at by along
by in on around
from to get + preposition: at
in down
into  in / into into
off  on / onto on
on  off through
onto  out of to
over toward
out up
out of
through
to
Location
above before beyond near outside with

across behind by next to over within
against below from off past without
among beneath in on through
at beside in front of opposite under
away between inside out upon
CONJUNCTIONS
Definition
Conjunctions are words that show the relationship between one idea and another
idea. They also connect ideas.
Explanation
Conjunctions --
 join two sentences into one sentence.

 follow specific punctuation rules. For example:
o Use commas when a conjunction joins two simple sentences in a
compound sentence, complex sentences, and time clauses.
o Do not use commas when "because" introduces the second part of a
complex sentence. For example: "Because I want to be healthy, I eat
vegetables."
BUT "I eat vegetables because I want to be healthy."
 have a variety of uses. For example, they can:
o show the time order of information
o contrast information
o add information
o show cause and effect
 are used in a sentence to link ideas within the sentence.
Examples of common conjunctions and their uses
Conjunction Function Example
and adds more information Sulaiman runs every day, and he swims.
or shows choice Junainah runs every day, or she swims.

(positive sentence)
nor shows choice Badrul does not run every day, nor does he swim.
(negative sentence)
but / yet shows opposite information Yaakob does not run every day, but he does swim.
because / for shows reason Caris runs every day because she wants to lose weight.
so shows result Han wants to lose weight, so she runs every day.
before shows time order (second action) Before Bee Hua runs, she swims.
when shows time order (first action, next Aida goes swimming when she finishes running.
action happens soon after)
after shows time order (first action) Aaliyah swims after she runs.
while shows time order (same time) While Andrian runs, Jerome swims.
as soon as shows time order (first action, next As soon as she finishes running, Halima takes a shower.
action happens immediately after)
Practice
(A) Locate the nouns, pronouns, verbs, articles and adjectives in the sentences below.
1. English is the official language of 67 countries.

2. The alphabet has 26 letters.
3. Students in Malaysia study English as their second language.
4. English is the most spoken language in the world after Mandarin.
5. A person can be better at English language through frequent practice.
Nouns English, countries,
Pronouns
Verbs
Articles the,
Adjectives
(B) Can you identify the subject for each of the sentences above?
1. ______________________
2. The alphabet________
3. ______________________
4. ______________________
5. ______________________
(C) Rewrite these scrambled sentences in a correct word order.
1. they / language / Malay / speak They speak Malay language

2. to / bus / by / school / go / I _______________________________
3. beautiful / girl / is /she / a _______________________________
4. forget / a / book / to / bring / don’t _______________________________
5. man / tall / slowly / eating / his /the / is / meal _______________________________
(D) Identify the missing word in each sentences below. Write them in the box provided.
1. Your brother ۸ studying in Singapore. is

2. You went a trip to Pulau Pinang last week.
3. Aminah been elected as the head prefect of your school.
4. Hema was walking towards playground when I saw her.
5. An umbrella will give you protection rain or sun.
(E) Circle the underlined word(s) which are incorrectly used from the sentences below. Fill in the
blanks with the correct answer.
1. Pasar Tani offering you fresh and high quality agricultural produce. ___________
2. An wide variety of produce available of reasonable price in Pasar Tani. ___________
3. Pasar Tani are one of the programmes organized by FAMA. ___________
4. Pedestrians can get most off their household items from Pasar Tani. ___________
5. Hopefully, much Pasar Tani must be set around all residential areas. ___________
Practice 1
Question 1
Read the text below. There are grammatical errors in the text. The errors have been underlined for you.
Write one word to correct the error in the space provided. An example has been given. The correct
word must not change the meaning of the sentence.
Fire is so common today that we do not make any special interest in it. But in 0 ____take___
ancient times, its sudden appearance was a great surprise to our ancestors. 1 __________
Occasionally, a flash of lightning in the sky would cause great fear among the 2 __________
people, and the thunder which followed terrified them more than anything 3 __________
else. Wild fire which was caused by the over-heating of the sun on dry plants 4 __________
often made the people flee like wild beasts, and they believed that they had 5 __________
made the gods angry. As time went on, men began to learn how to produce 6 __________
fire by rubbing two pieces of dry sticks or by striking two pieces of stone 7 __________
together. Today, people easily produce fire but most of them do not even stop 8 __________
to think how the fire they use gives out light and heat, what the composition of 9 __________
fire is, of how fire can be produced by striking a match. Chemically, fire is 10 __________
merely the produced by the combination of gases with the oxygen in the air.
Practice 2
Question 1
Electricity is so essential in this modern age that it is difficult to see what would 0 __think____
happen if we had to do without it. It is a marvel which helps us in numerous 1 __________
ways. In winter the electric heater keeps our home warm, and in the hot 2 __________
summer we have electric fans and air-conditioners to keep us cool and 3 __________
comfortable. Many other appliances in our home are run by electricity. Food is 4 __________
cooked in electric stoves, and clothes are cleaned by washing machines and 5 __________
pressed by electric irons. Perhaps one of the most important electric 6 __________
appliances is the refrigerator which has become an essential part of a modern 7 __________
kitchen. The machines in factories are run by electricity, and in large buildings 8 __________
elevators depend on electricity. Refrigeration has made it possible for fresh 9 __________
meat to be exported to distant places. Electricity provides us with 10 __________
entertainment in the form of the cinema, television and the radio. In fact, it
can safely be said that our modern world is a world of electricity.
Practice 3
Question 1
War is the greatest curse of the human pace. It is the evil of all evils. It causes a 0 ___race____
great loss of human lives and brings terrible sufferings to millions of people. It 1 __________
destroys in a day what took years of hard labour to plan and construct. War is 2 __________
one of the main causes of famine. In the event of a war, all the young farmers 3 __________
have to be called up to defend the nation. Farms are destroyed by bombs. 4 __________
Cargo ships are converted into transport ships for soldiers and war 5 __________
equipments. A large amount of the country’s money is spend in defending the 6 __________
nation, and there is little left to purchase food for the people, diseases kill off 7 __________
many people whom the bomb supplies, and the spread of diseases is difficult 8 __________
to control. The city streets are strewn with bodies which are left to rot away, 9 __________
and this helps to spread diseases. The destruction to property is very great. 10 __________
Many countries come to a standstill in progress and many nations become
bankrupt.
Practice 4
Question 1
When I was about to start my engine, my neighbours come out of their houses 0 __came____
to watch the fun. I became very nervous with all the eyes staring at me. I 1 __________
quickly pulled out the starter, pressed down the clutch and adjusted the gear. 2 __________
On releasing the clutch, the car suddenly jerked forward and backward for 3 __________
some time, and this made my neighbours roar with laughter. The engine 4 __________
stopped, and things became worse when I became nervous. I started the 5 __________
engine again. The car jerked more than before, and it refused to move 6 __________
although I tried my best to make it move. After several attempts, the car 7 __________
moved forward. As my instructor and I went along, we hear the mischievous 8 __________
boys laughing and jeering. After two months of practice, I was able to drive 9 __________
quite smoothly. But, one day, owing to lack of concentration, I nearly met with 10 __________
an accident. Luckily, my instructor quickly grasped the steering wheel and
brought us back in course.
Practice 5
Question 1
Several families in a small community was effected by a serious flood and they 0 __were___
were in danger of losing their lives. When news of the disaster reached the 1 __________
ears of the people, they quickly came forward to see what they could do to 2 __________
help the flood victims. They quickly started to organize themselves. A rescue 3 __________
squad was soon formed and it immediately went into action. The rescue squad 4 __________
did a wonderful job, and not one life was lost in the entire operation, for all the 5 __________
flood victims were brought to safety. People who had rooms to spare made 6 __________
their rooms available to the flood victims. Aids in the form of food, clothing 7 __________
and money came pouring in for the flood victims. When the flood had 8 __________
subsided, a group of voluntary workers moved in to help in washing and 9 __________
cleaning the houses effected. The community spirit of the people had saved 10 __________
the village. Without this spirit, many lives would have been lost.
Practice 6
Question 1
The main aim of youth clubs is to encouraging young men and women to take 0 _encourage_
part in clean and healthy activities. Club activities such as indoor and outdoor 1 __________
games, concerts, debates, discussions, archery and handicrafts enable
members to spend their leisure hours in many useful ways. There are many 2 __________
types of youth clubs. Some are run by churches, schools and political parties 3 __________
while others are independently controlled. Members of a youth club meet 4 __________
regularly once or twice a month in a school room, a church hall, a village hall, 5 __________
or a hut or premises they have built for themselves. Every club is managed by 6 __________
an elected committee of members. Some clubs have a committee of advisers 7 __________
comprising parents and teachers. Members of youth clubs make their own 8 __________
rules and constitution, and this way they train themselves to be good leaders. 9 __________
Through their association with one another, it will enable them to do away 10 __________
with selfishness and develop a spirit of co-operation.
Practice 7
Question 1
Mrs. Lim was a housewife with six children, the eldest of them was only twelve
years old, and the youngest three months. Her husband was labourer whose 0 ___who___
died in an accident a short time ago. The poor woman was left alone to provide 1 __________
for her six fatherless children. The situation became worse when the mother 2 __________
fell ill. There was no one to take care of the children. When news of the great 3 __________
distress reached the ears of the girl guides, they quickly came to help the 4 __________
woman. The guides took turns to cook and serve meals to the children. They 5 __________
washed the clothes of the children, and attended to the sick woman. Gradually, 6 __________
the sick woman was nursed back to health. Meanwhile, the other guides 7 __________
passed the hat round, and aids in the form of food, clothing and money came 8 __________
pouring in. since the children were in good hands, Mrs. Lim had time to rest 9 __________
and soon she was up on her feet again. Thanks to the good work of the guides, 10 __________
Mrs. Lim and her children have someone to turn to from now on.
Practice 8
Question 1
The St. John Ambulance Brigade is one of the best known voluntary
organisations in this country. This is an international organisation which is
dedicated to the relief of sick and the surfers. This organisation recruits young 0 _suffering__
men and women and trains them, so that they may play a useful part in the 1 __________
society. The ambulance section plays a very important part in giving first aid 2 __________
treatment to accident victims. It always stands by, ready to go into action at any 3 __________
moment. The quick action of the ambulance section has saved the lives of many 4 __________
accident victims. Members of the nursing section are trained in child welfare and 5 __________
in the care of the sick as well as the injured. The nurses of the Brigade are 6 __________
voluntary workers and they are different from hospital nurses who are paid 7 __________
workers. All services are free of charge, and all its members are volunteers. The 8 __________
organisation obtains its funds by appealing to members of the public and big 9 __________
business firms for donations. It is hoped that all civic-conscious citizens will do 10 __________
their best to enable the organisation to continue its good work for society.
Practice 9
Question 1
The animal population in Africa is decreasing and many kinds of animals are fast
disappearing and may never be sewn again. Something must be done to save 0 ___seen___
these animals, and to save them quick action is necessary. One of the chief 1 __________
reasons for the disappearance of these animals is poaching or illegal hunting. 2 __________
The African natives have been responsible for destroying nearly a million animals 3 __________
in a year. These animals are killed not for food but for their hides, tusks and
horns which are in demand. That these animals are not killed for their meat is 4 __________
shown by the fact that thousands of animals carcases are left to rot in the plains, 5 __________
providing food for the hungry vultures. The methods used by the natives to catch 6 __________
the animals are cruel. They kill the animals so slowly that the victims can remain 7 __________
in great pain for several days. Many of these natives are not arrested because it 8 __________
is very difficult to track them. One of the best ways to prevent poaching and to 9 __________
protect the lives of these animals is to set up a large animal reserve where the 10 __________
animals are free to roam and where they can be better protected from the
native hunters.
[10 marks]
Practice 10
Question 1
Long ago, farming was solely limited to a small area where the farmer worked
from morning to dusk to earn a live using a few simple tools. The hope of 0 ___living___
becoming rich never came to his mind. On the other hand, he had to live in fear, 1 __________
for his little farm was in constant danger of being destroyed by the forces of 2 __________
nature, like rain, flood storm and dry weather. Today, science has come to the
aid of the farmer. The invention of the ploughing and harvesting machines have 3 __________
enabled the farmer to cultivate large areas of land. The spraying of chemicals in 4 __________
the form of solution or powder has proved very effective in the destruction of 5 __________
insect pests which once caused great damage to crops. In temperate countries, 6 __________
specially-designed glass houses are used for growing vegetables during the cold 7 __________
and frosty winter months. The use of chemical fertilizers brings great benefit to 8 __________
the farmer. Thus, science has played a very important part in helping the farmer 9 __________
to increase the production and quality of farm products as well as to raise the 10 __________
living standards of the farmer.
Section B: Information Transfer

Strategies to Tackle Information Transfer Questions
Write what you Avoid wholesale

see, NOT what lifting. Rephrase to
you know fit the blanks
Strategies to Tackle
Information
Transfer Questions
Always check for

Pay attention to
spelling errors.
the stem. Avoid
Answers must be
repeating the stem
verbatim
Practice 1
Practice 2
Practice 3
Practice 4
Practice 5
Section C Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension Strategies
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD READERS
Good readers notice pieces of text that relate to or remind them of:
• Their lives, past experiences and prior knowledge
• Other books, articles, movies, songs, or pieces of writing
• Events, people, or issues
Good readers create pictures in their minds while they read.
Good readers ask questions before, during, and after reading to better understand the author and the
meaning of the text.
Find information from the text that might be clues to the answers and use these with your background
knowledge for possible answers.
Good readers look for things that help them identify big ideas and why they are important.
Good readers combine new information from their reading with existing knowledge in order to form new
ideas or interpretations.
Practice 1
Practice 2
Practice 3
Practice 4
Practice 5
Poems Theme Moral Values
Section C Literature Component: Poems
Summary of All the Poems

Sad I Ams  Rejection  Always be optimist in life.
 Lacking of  Learn to appreciate the things that we
appreciation have.
 Frustration  Learn to give and take with others.
 Always have self-confidence.
 Nobody’s perfect.
News Break  Disobedience  Be obedient at all times.

 Ulterior motive  Face consequences of our actions and
not finding excuses.
My Hero  Respect over others  Learn to accept our weakness.

 People’s expectation  Set good examples to the young.
 Self confidence  Stop living in fantasies.
 Nobody’s perfect  Family first and always.
 Father-son  Know your limit.
relationship.  Help those in need.
 Hero idolism
The Day the  Nature conservation  Take steps to conserve environment
Bulldozers Came  Respect over all living  Practice sustainable development.
things  Always find a balance between
 Responsibility as development and ecosystem.
humans  Every living things are affected by our
actions, big or small.
Poisoned Talk  Pollution of the earth  We must be responsible for our actions.
 Nature destruction  We must contribute to stop pollutions.
 Be part of the solution, not the
problem.
 Act of greed is destroying us.
 Respect nature.
In-depth Analysis of Each Poems
Sad I Ams
Stanzas Meaning
I am the poet is describes himself as the things that are
the ring usually thrown away because they have become
from an empty Cola can useless to the owner:-the ring of the can is usually
the scrapings thrown away after we open the can; the scrapings
should be cleaned when the pans are put to wash
from an unwashed porridge pan –nobody wants to keep the dirt on the pan! And
the severed arm finally -when the toy’s arm is broken- the ‘action’
from last year’s Action Man figure toy becomes distorted- next year a new
action figure would become more popular.
I am the poet is now describing used things that cannot be
the envelope used any longer. They are: the envelope where the gum
doesn’t stick- perhaps it is an old envelope; Sellotape
on which the gum is gone that is old or not marked where the end is impossible to
the Sellotape find; stapler that has no place to attach the bullets-
where you can’t find the end thus, it has become not functional; spring -less bulldog
the toothless stapler, springless bulldog clip clip: one without spring would not be able to function;
liquid paper that is dry; and an envelope that he had
the dried up liquid paper already put the stamp on but had forgotten to post.
the mars instead of mends
the stamped addressed reply
that you forgot
to send
I am describes things that have become useless to the owner.
the battery in which no charge is left They are however, concerned with parts of the car:
Battery that needs to be charged- it shows that the car
the starter motor which remains inert cannot be driven; starter motor which does not work;
the tyre on which the tread is worn tyre has no threads anymore- it becomes dangerous to
the sparking plug which shows no sign of spark drive with such tyres as they have no grip; Spark plug
the carburettor choked by bits of dirt that does not work-the engine of the car would not start
if the plugs do not function; carburettor that needs to be
the chromium trim from which the shine has gone serviced before it can be used and chromium plating
which is not shining!
I am the poet describes things that are not paid attention to
a garden such as: the garden that is not taken care of which is full
of weeds- which implies that no one has cleaned the
overgrown with weeds garden; a library book which is probably outdated that
a library book no one wants to borrow it; an animal such as a stray dog
that no one ever reads that no one takes care of and finally good advice that no
a stray one heeds.
which no one thinks to feed
the piece of good advice
which no one seems to need.
Other Possible Questions
a. Give another suitable title for the poem.
b. What is the primary function of “the ring” mentioned in Stanza 1?
STANZA 1
c. What should we do with an empty Cola can?

d. Why the author put the word “unwashed” for the porridge pan?
e. What do people normally cook in a porridge pan?
f. How can you fix the severed arm of the Action Man toy?
g. Why the phrase “last year’s” is placed for the Action Man toy?
a. What is the function of an envelope?

b. Why do you think the glue on the envelope is gone?
c. Why can’t the author find the end of the sellotape?
d. How would you react if you cannot find the end of a sellotape?
STANZA 2
e. How can you make the toothless stapler functional again?

f. What do we use a bulldog clip for?
g. Would you still be sending letters nowadays? Why? Give one reason.
h. Name one thing that will only make things worse if we continue to use it?
i. Why do you think the letter had been forgotten? Give one reason.
a. What would happen if there is no charge left in a battery?

b. Why do you think the tyre’s tread worn out?
c. What happened to the vehicle mentioned in Stanza 3?
STANZA 3
d. What is the best word to replace “inert” in Stanza 3?

e. Which item in Stanza 3 need not to be replaced?
f. Which item in Stanza 3 you can revive without the help of an expert?
g. Which item in Stanza 3 is most important to a vehicle? Give a reason.
a. How do people control weed in their garden?

b. What would you do if your garden is overgrown by weed?
c. “People don’t read books anymore.” Do you agree? Give a reason.
d. Apart from a library, where else can you find books to read for free?
STANZA 4
e. “Everyone should have a library in their house.” Do you agree? Give a

reason.
f. If you encounter a stray cat, what would you do?
g. Where do you normally find a stray?
h. If you can offer an advice to your friend, what would it be?
i. Why do you think people do not like advices?
j. What is the best way to advise your truant peers?
News Break
Stanzas Meaning
Now why so loving, darling, The author/parent started by questioning the
And why the sudden kiss? act of love showed by the child with a kiss.
You'd help me with some little jobs? The parent is surprised that the child was
For goodness sake, what's this? willing to help her to do household chores.
Again the author/parent was puzzled.
Your face is clean for once, dear. The author/parent in disbelieve that the child's
Your clothes without a crease. face is clean and his clothes are without any
You saved your luncheon money? wrinkles. The child also did not spend his
Will wonder never cease? lunch money. The author/parent wonder
whether such noble thing is possible.
No dropping of your school books, The child did not leave his school books
No shrieking, childish treble. around the house. Nor the child scream and
Today you are a lamb, love, shout about. That day, the child was as silent
Where yesterday a rebel. and gentle as a lamb, contrary to the day
before where he was acting rebellious.
But surely you're some stranger, The author/parent questioned whether the
No rage or hullabaloo. child is a stranger as no anger or disturbances
Come closer, let me look, dear, committed. The author/parents wish to have a
Can this be really you? clearer look to confirm the identity of the
child.
Now were you struck by lightning The author/parent was thinking if lightning
Or were you stunned at sport? had struck the child or if something shocking
Ah... now I see the reason. happened while playing game of sports.
You've brought your school report! Eventually, the author/parent found out that
changing was because the child brought home
his school report.
a. How do you show your love to your parents?

b. Do you help your parents at home? Name one chore that you did.
STANZA 1
c. Should a child help his parents doing household chores? Why? Give a reason.
d. Apart from the acts mentioned in the poem, list two things you can do to show your
love for your parents.
e. “Ali never kisses his parent.” Do you agree with his action? Give a reason.
a. How can a schoolboy get his face dirty?

Why is it that the boy’s clothes are without a crease?
STANZA 2
b.
c. How did the boy make sure his face is clean?
d. How can a student save his/her luncheon money? Suggest two ways.
e. Why the mother does wanted the wonder not to “cease”?
a. Where normally are the school books?

b.How should the books be placed?
STANZA 3
c. Why would a child be shrieking for?

d.What is the difference between yesterday and today?
e. Apart from a lamb, what other animal has the same character? Why? Give a reason.
f. How can a parent control a rebellious child? Suggest two ways.
a. The boy is considered a stranger to the mother. Why?

b.How would you behave if you meet a stranger? Give two ways.
STANZA 4
c. “Don’t talk to strangers”. Do you agree with this advice? Give a reason.
d.Why would a boy be angry to his parents?
e. How is the parent going to confirm her child’s identity?
a.What would happen if a person is struck by lightning?

b. How to avoid getting struck by lightning? Suggest two ways.
c.What kind of sport that might stunned people? Name two of them.
STANZA 5
d. How the title “News Break” is related to the poem?

e.If you fail a few subjects in your exam, how would you inform your parents?
f. What do you think will happen to the boy?
g. How are you going to avoid becoming that young boy?
h. Give two lessons you learnt from this poem.
My Hero
Stanzas Meaning
My dad's as brave as a dad can, The persona is very proud of his father who
I rate him Number One, he feels is as brave as any other father or
He's not afraid of the dead of night, even braver. In his eyes, his father is Number
Or anything under the sun. One as his father is fearless and not afraid of
the dark and anything under the sun.
He's not afraid of a late-night film, The persona says his father is not afraid to
Full of horrors on the telly, watch horror movies late in the night. Horror
And is he afraid of skeletons? scenes of skeletons do not scare him or put
Not dad, not on your Nelly! him off watching them.
He's not afraid of meeting ghosts, The persona is positive his father is not
He'd even smile and greeting 'em, afraid of ghosts and would even smile and
And things that scare most dads the most, acknowledge them. His father dares to fight
My dad could just defeat 'em. against things that most other dads are afraid
of.
He's not afraid of vampires, The persona's father will not be intimidated
Or a wolf-man come to get him, by horror figures like vampires, wolf-man or
If Frankenstein's monster knocked on our door, Frankenstein's monster even if they appear at
He wouldn't let that upset him. the door.
My dad's as brave as dad can be, The persona says his father is as brave as a
And he's always ready to prove it, father can be an he's always keen to show it
So why, when a spider's in the bath, .But when his father sees a spider, he will not
Does Mum have to come and remove it? touch it and mother has to come to his aid.
This is something the persona cannot
understand about his brave father. Is he
really afraid of mere spider?

a. Who is your hero? Why? Give a reason.
b. Why should a father be brave? Give two reasons.
c. What is meant by “the dead of night” in the poem?
d. Are you afraid of the dark? Why or why not?
e. How old do you think the persona is? Why? Give a reason.
f. If you have a super power, what would it be? Why?
a. What is the father’s favourite past time activity?

b. Why do you think a television would screen horror films late in the night?
c. What does the “skeleton” represents?
d. Do you like horror films? Why or why not?
e. What does “on your Nelly” represents?
a. Why do people feel afraid when meeting ghosts?
b. Do you believe in ghosts? Why? Give a reason.
c. Name two things that most fathers are scared of?
d. Would you smile and greet the thing that scares you? Why
e. What are the ways to defeat the thing that scares you? Suggest two ways.
a. Of all the horror figures mentioned, which is the scariest? Why?

b. How do you think the persona learnt about all the horror figures?
c. Why is the father not upset with the presence of a Frankenstein monster?
d. Do those horror figures mentioned really exist? Why? Give a reason.
e. How can anybody’s father be as brave as the persona’s father? Name two ways.
a. What animal scares you the most? Why? Give a reason.

b. Apart from spiders, what creatures do we normally find in the bathroom? Name two.
c. How the mother does knows when to come and help the father?
d. Why do some people afraid of little creatures like a spider?
e. Who is the real hero in the poem? Father or mother? Why? Give a reason.
The Day the Bulldozer Came

Stanzas Meaning
The day the bulldozers came The persona tells about a day when the
Rooks were building bulldozers arrive at the forested area. The
Crazy egg baskets in the oaks; animals are going about their lives. The rooks
Green flies sizzled by the pond are building their nests high on the tops of the
And a cold-eyed toad oak trees. Green flies are buzzing about near a
Waited for them. pond. A toad is motionless eyeing its food.
The day the bulldozers came When the bulldozers arrive, the squirrels run
Squirrels were scattering away quickly in every direction. Some run up
Up tree trunks tree trunks while others try to escape by
And leapt from branches jumping from one branch to another. The
That were hardly there. persona describes the branches as "hardly
there". This indicates that the trees are very
far apart as many have been cut down before
the land can be cleared by the bulldozers.
The fox The persona describes how the fox reacts as

Stirred in his sleep the bulldozers come. The fox's slumber is
As the ground trembles disturbed when the ground begins to tremble
'Ha ha!' he thought under the weight of the large heavy
'I'm quite safe bulldozers. However, the fox is not worried.
Deep down in the Earth He mocks at the thought that the bulldozers
No one can get me here' can harm him. The fox feels that he is "quite
Then the bulldozers came. safe" in his underground burrow, which is
deep below the Earth's surface. He is certain
of his safety when he says "No one can get
me here". However, his sense of security is
only temporary. The blade of the bulldozer
can perch into the soil and reach him. We
know that even the cunning fox is not safe
deep in his underground burrow, when the
persona says "Then the bulldozers came".

a. What is a bulldozer used for?
b. How do you think a rook build its “egg basket”?
c. Where do you think it happened? Give one reason.
d. What does a bulldozer symbolizes in the poem? Name two.
e. Apart from green flies, what other creatures does a toad eat? Name two.
f. Why the author featured the toad as “cold-eyed”?
g. Which word in Stanza 1 reflected sound imagery?
a. How did the squirrels know the bulldozers were near?

b. Why the author mentioned the branches “were hardly there”?
c. Where do you think the squirrels were going?
d. Are you afraid of a machine like the bulldozers? Why? Give a reason.
e. Where do you think the squirrels are going to live after the trees had been cut down?
a. What was the fox doing when the bulldozers came?

b. How did the fox know the bulldozers are coming?
c. Why does the fox laughed although he knew the bulldozers are coming?
d. Why the fox thinks that he is safe?
e. Suggest two ways for the animals to avoid becoming a victim of the bulldozers.
f. If the bulldozers drivers know what is happening to the animals, what would they do?
Poisoned Talk
Stanzas Meaning
Who killed cock robin? The worm said the acid soil poisoned it and
I, said the worm, now it had poisoned cock robin after the bird
I did him great harm. ate the worm.
He died on the branch of a withered tree
From the acid soil that poisoned me.
Who killed the heron? The fish said its poisoned flesh killed all the
I, mouthed the fish, birds of the lake.
With my tainted flesh,
I killed tern, duck, and drake,
All the birds of the lake.
Who killed the lake? Industry (factories) said it poisoned the lake
I, boasted industry, with mercury. All fish, plant and weed died
I poisoned with mercury because men polluted the lake.
Fish, plant and weed
To pamper men’s greed.
Who killed the flowers? The wind said it killed the flowers because it
I, moaned the wind, blew acid rain over field, flood and fen.
I prowl unconfined,
Blowing acid rain
Over fields, flood and fen.
Who killed the forest? Sulphur dioxide (from cars and factories) said
I ensured that it died, it killed the forest and everything that lived in
Said sulphur dioxide, the forest.
And all life within it,
From earthworm to linnet.

a. How can the worm kill a bird like cock robin?
b. Why has the soil become acidic?
c. Why the author use the word “withered” to describe the tree?
d. Name two other animals that might be “harmed” by the worm.
e. Do you think the worm is proud of what it did? Why? Give a reason.
f. How does the worm know it is the soil that poisoned him?
g. What other animals could be affected by acid soil? Name two.
a. How the fish’s body has become tainted?

b. How many types of birds did the fish killed?
c. Where is the habitat of a heron?
d. What other animals could become the diet of a heron? Name two.
e. How can the birds be saved? Suggest two ways.
a. What does the word “boasted” represents?

b.
Section D Guided Writing
Section D Literature Component: Novels

Chapter 1 (Section A)

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Chapter 1 (Section A)

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PREFACE

What Makes This Book Different From Others

TABLE OF SPECIFICATION COMPLIANT

Each section is streamlined to comply with the

Assisting students in achieving the highest

SPEAKING AND LISTENING APPROACH

Comprehensive practices on speaking and listening

Fully integrated with HOTS questions to nurture a more

A verb is a word which describes an action (doing something) or a state (being

A pronoun is used instead of a noun, to avoid repeating the noun.

A conjunction joins two words, phrases or sentences together.

An interjection is an unusual kind of word, because it often stands alone.

An article is used to introduce a noun.

Nouns are divided into two groups:

1. Nouns that can be counted (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.)

 use -s or -es in plural forms.

I have five marbles in my hand. (Count nouns)

Error Identification Practices

 can be subjects or objects.

Hassan likes his job. He is a teacher.

Verbs tell the action or state of the subject in a sentence.

 follow the subject in a simple sentence.

Teh feeds the dog. (action)

Error Identification Practices

A. Circle the correct answer.

1. The sun (rise/rises/rose) in the morning

B. Correct the underlined word(s) with a suitable verb form.

1. She usually carry this bag to school

C. Write the correct verb form for the sentences below.

2. Ali ______________ his car at the hotel car park. (leave)

5. He _____________ to do his homework yesterday. (forget)

7. The government ______________ a recycling campaign last month. (launch)

8. I ___________ that your mother will be on the move again. (hear)

10. My sister ______________ away all my old revision books. (throw)

2. I was reading an exciting book when the lights goes out.

3. As we were walking home after class, it suddenly start to rain.

4. Yesterday, I see a young man loitering near my neighbour’s house. He carry

Adverbs give more information about verbs.

 describe the action of a verb.

Jill walks slowly.

Error Identification Practices

A. Replace the underlined phrases with the correct adverb form.

1. Sani fought the snake in a brave manner. ( )

B. Write the correct adverb form in the blanks below.

1. The girl stared _____________ at me and turned away. (sad)

C. Insert the adverbs in the brackets in the correct positions.

1. This incident is seen in our country. (rarely)

 are either indefinite (a / an), definite (the), or zero (nothing).

Definite article (the) --

An adjective gives more information about a noun.

 give more information about nouns.

 To indicate the position of a subject.

Travel and Movement

Travel Arrive Transport Directions

above before beyond near outside with

 join two sentences into one sentence.

Examples of common conjunctions and their uses

Conjunction Function Example

or shows choice Junainah runs every day, or she swims.

1. English is the official language of 67 countries.

(C) Rewrite these scrambled sentences in a correct word order.

1. they / language / Malay / speak They speak Malay language

1. Your brother ۸ studying in Singapore. is