1. FIK 3042 ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION 2
EDITORS
AINON OMAR
AHMAD ZAINURI LOAP AHMAD
AZIZAH ATAN
LEELA CHAKRABARTY

2. Writers:
Ainon Omar
Ahmad Zainuri Loap Ahmad
Farah Natchiar Mohd Khaja
Goh Hock Seng
Leela Chakrabarty
Mariyatunnitha Shari
Mohammad Sidik Ariffin
Napisah Kepol
Nor Azmi Mostafa
Nor Hashimah Isa
Azizah Atan
Seva Bala Sundaram
Abdul Ghani Abu
Che Ton Mahmud
Hasimah Ja‟afar
Maizatulliza Muhammad
Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun
Intan Safinas Mohd Ariff Al-Bakri
Abdul Halim Ibrahim
Fairus Ahmad Daud

3. CONTENT
Unit Topics Page
1. Human Interest 1
Listening 1
Speaking 2
Reading 3
Language Focus 11
Writing 19
Self Assessment 26
2. Journey to the Future 37
Listening 38
Speaking 39
Reading 50
Language Focus 54
Writing 59
Self Assessment 62
3. Tech Savvy 67
Speaking 67
Listening 74
Reading 80
Language Focus 84
Paraphrasing 89
Self Assessment 95
4. A Way of Life 113
Speaking 113
Listening 117
Reading 121
Writing 127
Language Focus 128
5. Job Satisfaction 150
Listening 150
Speaking 153
Reading 155
Language Focus 160
Writing 163
Self Assessment 168

4. COURSE GUIDE i
INTRODUCTION
The course guide is to assist students to understand the course content and
assessment. Students are advised to read this section carefully and take note of
the course requirements so that they can complete the course successfully.
The course FIK3042 English for Communication 2 will cover 5 units in this
book which are thematic and authentic, catering for students from both science
and arts streams. Specific Language skills such as listening, speaking, reading
and writing are covered in each unit. While these language skills are presented
under separate sections, they are integrated throughout the module.
Furthermore, grammatical aspects are peppered throughout to reinforce the
students‘ general grasp of the language.
The listening components for the respective units are designed to cater to the
while and post-listening activities. The speaking section allows students to
interact in pairs and groups. In addition, these speaking tasks encourage
creativity and freedom amongst students to express their views. The reading
texts that appear in each unit are interesting and varied, covering various
pertinent current issues. The culmination of these skills prepares the students for
the writing section. It is a 2 credit hour course.
TARGET AUDIENCE
This course is offered to all students undergoing the Bachelor of Education
Program at UPSI. However, this module has been specially designed for
students pursuing the Distant Education Program.
STUDENT LEARNING TIME
According to UPSI‘s and MQA Standards, every credit requires that students
allocate 40 hours of learning time. Therefore, for this course students are
required to spend 80 hours of learning time. The estimated learning time for the
course FIK3042 is presented in Table 1.

5. COURSE GUIDE ii
Table 1 Estimated learning time for the course FIK3042
Learning Activity Learning Time
Face-to-Face Independent
Reading the Module, revision and completing 21
assignments
Tutorial at centres 10
On-lineTutorial (E-Learning, example, via 26
BigBlueButton, Skype, etc.)
Forum (E-Learning via MyGuru2) 12
T&L Video via MyGuru2 10
On-line Quiz via MyGuru2 1
36 44
Total Learning Time 80
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOME
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate effective listening, speaking, reading and writing skills
learned in the course for communicative purposes.
2. Use correct grammar and vocabulary when writing a variety of texts.
Define and discuss, individually and in groups, vocabulary, expressions,
and issues found in a variety of texts.
3. Apply critical reading skills when reading texts on current issues.
4. Organise and implement a collaborative writing project.

6. COURSE GUIDE iii
COURSE SYNOPSIS
This course helps students in developing strong foundations in reading and
writing skills for communicative purposes in a variety of contexts. The course
integrates the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing, with more
emphasis being given to the skills of reading and writing.
COURSE CONTENT
To assist students in achieving the learning outcomes for this course, the course
content is divided into five units which cover the listening, speaking, reading and
writing skills.
UNIT TOPIC
1 HUMAN INTEREST
 Listening – Healthy Lifestyle
 Speaking – Nutrition and Food Pyramid
 Reading- Letter to the Editor
- Word Attack
- Comprehension
 Language Focus
- Present Tense
- Past Tense
 Writing
- Pre-writing Activities
- Writing Process
 Self-Assessment
2 JOURNEY TO THE FUTURE
 Listening to a radio interview

7. COURSE GUIDE iv
 Speaking – Oral Presentation Skills
 Reading- Voyagers 1 and 2
- Word Attack
- Comprehension
 Language Focus
- Future Tense
 Writing
- Descriptive Writing
 Self-Assessment
3 TECH SAVVY
 Listening to a talk
 Speaking – Role play
 Reading- The Net Generation
- Word Attack
- Comprehension
 Language Focus
- Present Continuous Tense
 Writing
- Paraphrasing
 Self-Assessment
4 A WAY OF LIFE
 Listening – Practising Turn Taking
 Speaking - Conversations
 Reading- Past Traditions brought to life

8. COURSE GUIDE v
- Word Attack
- Comprehension
 Language Focus
- Gerunds and Infinitives
 Writing
- Summary Writing
 Self-Assessment
5 JOB SATISFACTION
 Listening to a Radio Interview
 Speaking – My Dream Job and Conducting Interviews
 Reading - Workplace Satisfaction
- Word Attack
- Comprehension
 Language Focus
- Passive Voice
 Writing
- Letter of Application
 Self-Assessment

9. COURSE GUIDE vi
ASSESSMENT
Assignment % Approach and
Weightage Assignment
Outcome
On-line Quiz 1 10 On-line via MyGuru2
On-line Quiz 2 10 On-line via MyGuru2
Project Work 40 On-line via MyGuru2
Final Examination 40 Conducted at Centres
Total 100
ICON SPECIFICATIONS
Exercises to consolidate students‘ understanding of the
topics learnt.
Exercises with answer key. Aktiviti latihan yang disertakan jawapan
A serta maklum balas.

10. UNIT 1
HUMAN INTEREST
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the unit, you should be able to:
1. listen to texts and answer T/F questions;
2. discuss on given topics in groups;
3. read and answer comprehension questions and
4. write paragraphs on topics discussed.
CONTENT
LISTENING
Task 1 Listen to the Radio Talk Show entitled “Healthy Lifestyle” and
answer the following questions.
1. The radio talk show is about En. Hamid‘s health. T/F
2. Mr. Sam is the Deejay. T/F
3. Dr. Sani is the nutritionist from ANPAC. T/F
4. We need to stop being stressful and start living healthily. T/F
5. To be healthy we must avoid processed food. T/F
6. En. Hamid is a university lecturer. T/F
7. En. Hamid often has palpitation in his chest. T/F
8. Mr. Sam advises En. Hamid to reschedule his activities. T/F
1

11. 9. Dr. Sani suggests that En. Hamid goes for medical
check up as soon as possible. T/F
10. Almonds are good source of calcium and fibre. T/F
SPEAKING
Nutrition and the Food Pyramid
Task 2 Study the food pyramid below and in groups of four discuss the various
types of food one needs to consume in order to lead a healthy life. Then, the
group representatives will present the groups‘ findings.
Nutrition and the Food Pyramid
Source: Ignatowski .A. 2005. Food Pyramid Chart for Balanced Diet. Best
vitamin- supplements- guide.com.
Dialogue
Imagine that you and your three friends meet after a tutorial class at the
cafeteria, and your next tutorial is an hour later. While having a drink each of you
relate events that took place in your lives. While listening, the others are to ask
questions and give opinions wherever necessary. Come up with a dialogue to be
presented to the class.
2

12. READING
PASSAGE ONE
Read the letter to the editor and carry out the tasks.
Dear Editor,
1 I am an ardent fan of ASTRO, so much so that the first thing I do upon
entering my humble abode is to switch on to HBO, Star Movies, E, ESPN,
Animal Planet, Discovery Travel and Living and of course to AFC or Asian
Food Channel when I am incredibly hungry. As I watch delicious foods on
AFC, I sincerely hope the pang of hunger will slowly disappear into oblivion. 5
More often than not, this does not work to my advantage especially when I am
famished. The effect is just the opposite as I gazed at the delicious foods
prepared by the chefs. And talk about the camera men! They are incredibly
good at focusing. The food is so crystal clear that you are practically thrown
into the chef‘s kitchen. Once, I became so hopelessly hungry watching the 10
program `License to Grill‟ that I could not stop myself from rummaging my
small refrigerator for bits of snacks. I was desperate for food in the middle of
the night.
2 I love to read the Astroview – your magazine with the slogan `Malaysia‟s
largest circulated entertainment magazine‟ which is out monthly, complete with 15
information and updates on the different channels, celebrity news, health tips
and other news useful to ASTRO subscribers. Congratulations! Your viewers
must be so thrilled to grab a copy every month. I am keen on watching Animal
Planet and I am very thrilled to read that this channel will be airing a new
program called Bindi: The Jungle Girl. I think Steve Irwin‘s daughter is such a 20
brave girl to be among snakes and other animals. She has her daddy‘s talents
and not to forget his smile. I just had to bring to your readers
on page 8 of December 2007 issue entitled ‗Watch out - Jungle Girl‟
3 ―My daddy was a hero,‖ she said, and her short speech earned a standing
ovation and an indelible mark on the memory of many Australians. Now, 25
Bindi‘s charms comes to the small screen in Bindi: The Jungle Girl , a new
wildlife series that brings the Irwins and heir passion for animals together on-
screen. Here are some quick facts about Bindi:
 She has a rat named Candy
―Candy is my favorite friend and we do lots of fun things together! We go out 30
rollerblading and he rides on my shoulder. He likes to play with all my other
animal friends too except the snakes, of course!‖
 She‘s not afraid of the animals she handles
3

13. ―My dad taught me to respect all animals, so I‘ve never had to overcome my
fear.‖ 35
4 As I am a traveler I love to read the travel guide and tips given by famous
travelers such as Samantha Brown and Anthony Bourdain. I just love
Samantha because of her sweet smile and her pink attire. She makes me
want to travel to those countries and experience what she had experienced.
Who does not know Anthony Bourdain on Discovery Travel and Living? He is 40
the tall New Yorker Chef who travels around the world to discover culinary
heaven. We can catch him on No Reservation 3. Bourdain is the man for real
travel….no reservation indeed. He is like the Guru of real travel. He has no
boundaries and limits to trying local foods and drinks. In the December issue,
he gave a few very practical travel tips on page 9. He suggested that we: 45
 Never eat in the hotel and never ask the concierge where to
eat. Ask your taxi driver instead.
 Eat local.
 Don‘t travel in packs – no more than two or three people. It
gets difficult after that. 50
5 These travel tips are so practical and I will definitely remember them when I
visit Scotland next week. I will unquestionably follow Bourdain‘s tips when I am
there. It is so true that one should try and eat local foods and not insist on
looking for your own traditional foods. When we are in a foreign country we
must try to adapt and adopt. If we are rice eaters, we can opt for bread instead, 55
or croissant. We cannot be looking high and low for restaurants selling rice.
6 Well, I welcome other readers to share my views of ASTRO and Astroview.
Well done ASTRO!
Shima_Daniel
Shima_daniel@yahoo.com
Task 3 Provide the meanings of these words pertaining to the letter to the
editor.
1. ardent (line 1) _______________________________________________
2. abode (line2)________________________________________________
3. famished (line 7)______________________________________________
4. rummaging (line 11) __________________________________________
5. keen (line 18)________________________________________________
4

14. 6. attire (line 38)________________________________________________
Task 4 Answer the questions.
1. Name the ASTRO channels found in the letter to the Editor.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
2. What is the slogan for Astroview?
__________________________________________________________
3. Who is the New Yorker chef that Shima Daniel admires?
___________________________________________________________
4. What is the programme that the chef hosts?
___________________________________________________________
5. Who is Bindi‘s father?
___________________________________________________________
6. In your own words, explain what the writer means in the phrase ―It is so
true that one should try and eat local foods and not insist on looking for
your own traditional foods”
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
5

15. 7. Imagine you are the Editor of Astroview. Reply to Shima Daniel‘s letter via
e-mail.
Dear Shima Daniel,
Thank you so much for your letter. ________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Editor.
Task 5 In groups of four, prepare a mind map of the advantages of tuning
in to ASTRO channels. You are to present your mind map. You have 15 minutes
to discuss and create the mind map. Choose your group‘s best channel and give
four reasons for your choice.
Our best Channel -
6

16. Task 6 Still in your group, prepare an e-mail to Shima Daniel, in response
to her letter to the editor. You may agree or disagree with her pertaining to
ASTRO‘s channels and Astroview. Give reasons for your agreement or
disagreement.
Dear Shima Daniel,
I read your letter to the editor and ………
Yours faithfully,
…………………………….
*Please exchange your group‘s e-mail with other groups. Note the differences or
similarities between the e-mails. Underline them.
PASSAGE TW0
Read the passage and complete the given tasks
1 I had been a quiet, bookish child. My father had led a peripatetic career
as a teacher and he had taken his young family with him to successive postings
across the length and breadth of the Malayan Peninsula. And it was a growing
family; my two brothers were born, at three-year intervals, in Johor Bharu at the
peninsula‘s southern tip, and in Kuala Krai in the interior of Kelantan, where my 5
mobile family had come to a temporary rest. Eventually my father had received
what would be the last posting of his abbreviated life, as a senior lecturer at the
Language Institute in Kuala Lumpur.
2 It was in our house in Kuala Lumpur, on a dark and rainy night in 1967,
that my father first spoke to me about my future. I was twelve years old then, in 10
Standard Six of primary school; the next year, I would be moving on to
secondary school. My father had always been a fairly remote figure to his three
7

17. sons; stern and affectionate in equal measure, but still remote. Much, much,
later I would console myself with the thought that he had been saving himself for
later in our lives, when we were out of our infancy and could understand more of 15
his strong and complex personality.
3 That night, my father said to me: ―The Malay College is not just any
school. It is the school.‖ That‘s about all I remember, although there must have
been more. I do remember not being sure what he was on about. I knew that I
would be sitting for the Malay College entrance examinations very soon, and I 20
was vaguely aware that this was a place, a big boarding school way up in Kuala
Kangsar, spoken of with much respect by my teachers. But merely sitting for the
exams was no big deal; practically every Standard n the country did so, and I
had by no means excelled in school so far. But here was my father talking
about the Malay College in a way that made me feel, for the first time in my 25
young life, that he actually had hopes for me. And he went on: ―You must take
the Sciences. There is no future in the Arts.‖ What was this? ―Sciences‖?
―Arts‖? I couldn‘t even draw! And I was certainly no whiz at arithmetic.
4 The day of the entrance exam came, and the four of us who were the
only four Malay boys in our primary school‘s top class went to take it. Ghani and 30
Azizi were deadly serious about it; Muslini and I larked about. Ghani and Azizi
were the great hopes of our school, which would apparently be honoured to
send off a ward or two to the Malay College; Muslini and I were there to make up
the numbers.
5 So of course, when the results came out a month later, Muslini and I 35
made the cut and the other two didn‘t. Nobody could believe it, least of all
Muslini and me. I went home a very happy kid that Friday. My father was at
home when I got there, reading the newspaper. ―Papa,‖ I said, struggling to keep
the excitement from my voice. ―I‘ve got the results. I passed. I have to report to
Malay College on January seventh.‖ He didn‘t even lower the paper. ―Good,‖ he 40
said. Years later, my mother would tell me that was one of the proudest
moments of his life. He certainly fooled me then.
6 Five days into 1968, my father bundled his wife and sons into the car and
set off on a 200-kilometre drive north to Kuala Kangsar, a small, sleepy town
dozing by a bend of the Perak River not far south of Taiping. Kuala Kangsar had 45
a distinguished air about it: it was the royal town of Perak, site of the Sultan‘s
Palace, and of the esteemed Malay College. It had been founded by the British
in 1905 as a place in which the sons of Malay Sultans could acquire the
rudiments of a sound British education before moving on to tertiary institutions
in Britain itself. It was indeed a grand old school, and its reputation was well 50
deserved. My first impression, however, was of bedlam: a horde of twelve-year-
olds and what seemed to be their families, seeking out their allotted bed-spaces
in the dormitories, being endlessly hugged by weeping mothers, grandmothers
and aunts. I was happy to find Muslini amidst the chaos, although he seemed
altogether too dazed to be coherent. 55
7 The day drew to an end; the families were waved a tearful goodbye. We
had our first mass meal in the dining hall, in which were hung framed group
photographs of the College‘s previous First-Form intakes, and were sent to our
8

18. beds at nine. Within the soft white drapes of their brand-new mosquito nets,
ninety-two young boys fell asleep on their first night away from their homes and 56
families. From that day on, home would be a place we would only visit on
holidays. It was all for the best that we were utterly exhausted.
Adapted from: A Malaysian Journey by Rehman Rashid.
Task 7 The following words given in Column A are found in the passage
above. Match the meanings in Column B with the words in Column A in context
of the passage.
A B
1. peripatetic ________________ a. confusion and noise
2. stern _______________ b. clever
3. excelled _______________ c. definitely
4. whiz _______________ d. strict
5. larked _______________ e. very good
6. apparently _______________ f. speak clearly
7. esteemed _______________ g. basics
8. rudiments _______________ h. roamed
9. bedlam _______________ i. traveling from place to place
10.coherent _______________ j. respected and admired
Task 8 Mark with a (√) for the statements which are true and a (x) for the
statements which are false
1. The writer‘s family had stayed in a number of places throughout
the peninsula ( )
2. The writer‘s father last career was a senior lecturer ( )
9

19. 3. The writer‘s father was very close to his sons ( )
4. The writer was not very interested to be in the Malay College ( )
5. The writer was good in arithmetic ( )
6. The Malay College is the only well-known place in Kuala Kangsar ( )
Task 9 Answer the following questions in your own words.
1. When did the writer‘s family finally settle down?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. How was the father-son relationship in the writer‘s family?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. Why was the writer not keen in enrolling in the Malay College?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
4. What was the response of the writer‘s father when he was successful in the
Malay College entrance exam?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
10

20. 5. What was the main aim of the establishment of the Malay College by the
British in 1905?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Task 10 You may have some ideas after reading the above passage.
1. Relate your experience on your first day in primary or secondary school.
2. Describe any memorable happenings in your school or college life.
LANGUAGE FOCUS
TALKING ABOUT THE PRESENT
Simple Present Tense shows habitual action, a fact or general truth, a planned
action that will take place in the future and to show the time of action.
Usage Examples
1. To show a fact or general truth e.g. Penang is the `pearl of the orient‘
UPSI is located in South Perak.
2. To show habitual action. e.g. Goh always plays tennis at UPSI
court.
Shima drives from Proton City to
UPSI every day.
3. To show a planned action that will e.g. The plane takes off at 12 midnight
take place in the future. from KLIA.
The Kayak participants leave for
UPM tomorrow.
11

21. 4. To show an event that is likely to e.g. If he arrives, just let him into the
happen in the future (`If‘ is used). house.
The students will respect you if you
demonstrate some concern and
kindness.
5. To show the time of action. Words e.g. As soon as she locks the door, the
like `until‘, `as‘, `as soon as‘ and robber grabs her.
`when‘ are used. When he reaches his house, he
goes straight to bed.
Task 11 Change the forms of the verbs in brackets to the present tense.
1. She (sip) ___________ the hot tea slowly.
2. Her nephew (love) __________ to play squash and he (is) ________ the
state champion.
3. The vet (suggest) __________ that her dog be put to sleep.
4. He (inform) __________ his class of the concert tonight.
5. Ahmad (write) to his parents every week.
6. Mei Lee (sing) at the Charity Ball every year.
7. We (experience) longer days in the U.K. during summer.
8. Friends (support) one another in difficult and challenging times.
9. The university bus (depart) as early as 7 in the morning.
10. Vitamin C and Fish Oil (help) our bodies fight against influenza.
Task 12 Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the present tense.
Herman _________ 1 (love) to kayak. He ___________ 2 (dream) to be a
Malaysian cum an Olympic Kayak paddler one day. Realizing his passion, he
12

22. _________ 3 (join) the UPSI Canoe Club, under the guidance of the Sports
Science Faculty.
The Club members train at the Proton City Lake about 8 kilometres from
UPSI. Herman and five other peddlers normally _________ 4 (practise) from
5.00 pm. to 7.30pm everyday. He _______ 5 (join) his team to row the kayak
back and forth several times under the watchful eyes of the coach. When he
__________ 6 (finish) his training, he returns home and continues working on
his assignments like any ordinary university student. Herman _______ 7
(receive) his early training at Belaga, Sarawak where he rows sampan and
maneuvers motorboats. His effort __________ 8 (pay) off as he is now the
university Kayak peddler.
Herman and his team ___________ 9 (compete) in the Asian Varsity
Rowing Tournament in October. The UPSI Kayak peddlers _________ 10
(leave) for Putrajaya on 14 October 2008. They have made us proud winning
the gold medal a few months ago and we pray for their success in the up
coming tournament.
SIMPLE PAST TENSE
USAGE EXAMPLES
To express an action completed in Salim played rugby when he was in
the past usually with a time frame school.
I saw this movie when I was 12 years
old.
13

23. To show a past habit, usually She always visited the old folks home
accompanied by adverbs like when she was in town.
„always‟, „often‟, or „ „never‟ My teacher often made it compulsory
for us to write an essay every week.
To express a series of past actions He got into the car, started the engine
and drove off in a hurry.
To express an unlikely situation in the Father would be angry if I did not get
‗if‘ clause of a conditional sentence home by 11 pm
In indirect speech Direct: She said ― I want this book‖
Indirect: She said she wanted that
book
In its passive form to indicate a past I was asked to give a speech.
action was done to the subject and The students were reminded to submit
not by the subject the report before the deadline.
In English, the simple tenses are the present, past and future. The tenses show
the time when the action takes place. Verbs (‗doing‘ word) in sentences will
indicate when the action has occurred.
Task 13 Tick the sentences in the simple past tense form only.
1. He eats rice for lunch and dinner. ( )
2. Dollah scored a goal for his team. ( )
3. She studied hard for the examinations. ( )
4. The police sent the prisoner to jail. ( )
5. Do you always go out at night? ( )
6. I watched a horror movie. ( )
7. The tiger killed and ate the deer. ( )
14

24. 8. The river flows into the lake. ( )
9. They visit their aged parents on weekend. ( )
10. Bears love honey. ( )
Task 14 For each of the following sentences change of the verb in bracket
into the past tense form.
1. I (buy) _____________ a new car yesterday.
2. His uncle (arrive) _____________ from Johor Bahru last night.
3. The cat (catch) _____________ a rat in the drain.
4. She (walk) _____________ to her office this morning because of the jam.
5. The doctor (tell) _____________ me to take less sugar.
6. We (find) _____________ a strange- looking insect on our field trip.
7. The guest speaker (give) _____________ an interesting talk.
8. He (run) _____________as fast as he could when the dog chased him.
9. She (get) _____________ into trouble after complaining to the authorities.
10. He (is) _____________ a well-known rugby player in his younger days.
Task 15 Complete the passage below with the correct past tense form of the
verbs in bracket.
Ismail (1)………….. (leave) in a hurry with Kandan. They (2)………… (be) on
their way to the house of the village headman, Haji Hamid, who
(3)……………(live) a quarter of a mile from the mosque. Ismail‘s neighbour,
Khalid (4) …………… (spot) the terrorists crossing the Langat river just before
sunset. There (5)…………. (be) seven of them, all in light green uniforms and (6)
15

25. ..………….. (arm) with rifles. They (7) …………. (come) from the isolated Sungai
Long track and (8)……………..(approach) the village from Bukit Enggang.
The intrusion to Omar (9) ………… (be) frightening. He (10) ……….. (hear) from
uncle Ali that there were brutal killings in the district. The Communist terrorists
(11) ………… (ambush) and (12) …………. (kill) a Scottish planter in a rubber
estate near Semenyih in broad daylight. Two days later, they (13) …………..
(burn) down a bungalow in another isolated rubber estate, in full view of the
workers. Before the terrorists (14) …………. (set) the bungalow on fire, they (15)
…………..(shoot) dead the English planter and his wife.
Adapted from: Long Road to Merdeka by Kamarul Zaman Ariff (2007)
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
USAGE EXAMPLES
To show actions at an unspecified time Bakri has never seen a tapir before.
with words like ‗before‘, ‗ever‘ or ‗finally‘
Have you ever seen a ghost before?
To show a past action that has My mother has cared for me since I
continued until NOW, with words like was born.
‗for‘, ‗since‘, ‗so far;, ‗up to the present‘
She hasn‟t settled the loan until
today.
To express an action that begins in the I have not seen her for years until
past and finishes at the moment of today.
speaking
He has not spoken a word of
English for years. (But he is speaking
it now)
16

26. To show an action completed recently The train has just left the station.
with the verb ‗just‘
Alin has just finished cooking lunch.
Used with the phrase‘ the first time‘ This is the first time I have arrived
here.
Is this the first time you have met my
parents
The present perfect tense shows an action that started in the past and was
completed at an unspecified time or still continues into the present. It involves
two periods of time that is a ‗half present and half past‘ action.
Task 16 For each of the following sentences, change the present tense into
the present perfect form
Present Perfect
Example: He eats durians has eaten
1. Jenny and I drive to town
_________________________________________________________
2. The life guard watches the children in the pool
_________________________________________________________
3. Our friends bought the final match tickets
_________________________________________________________
4. Omar dreams of winning an award
_________________________________________________________
5. Rodiah finishes her project
_________________________________________________________
6. The worker gives his manager an answer
_________________________________________________________
7. The baby catches cold
_________________________________________________________
17

27. 8. The mechanic repairs the car
_________________________________________________________
9. I submit my assignment
_________________________________________________________
10. We take our meal
_________________________________________________________
Task 17 For each of the sentences below, change the verbs in the brackets
into the present perfect form.
1. The workers …….. (have) just …………… (finish) the road repair work.
2. I ………….(have) already…………..(buy) the ticket for tonight‘s big match.
3. She ………..(have) ………….(live) here for thirty years.
4. The boys ………..(have) not ……………..(complete) their homework.
5. I ………(have) ……….( play) rugby since I was in secondary school.
6. The tutor …………(have) just ………….(give) us the assignment topic.
7. Nizar ………..(have) just …………..(report) for duty this morning.
8. We ………….(have) already …….. (see) that movie in 2001.
9. Kumar ………..(have)……….(leave) the office ten minutes ago.
10. Eliza is worried. Her boyfriend ……….(have) not ………(call) her or
........... (send) her any messages for the last few weeks.
18

28. WRITING
Are you ready to begin the writing process? Often, writers begin by doing some
Pre-writing activities. A pre-writing activity will help you find ideas to write what
you need to write about. A pre-writing activity is also a useful way to help you
organize your ideas in a logical order. Here are some suggestions.
TALK FREE WRITING
Talk about what you want to write. For Free writing involves writing about a
example, share your interests with a particular topic for a timed period. For
group of students. Give reasons, listen example, writing about whatever that
to your friend‘s reasons, exchange comes to your mind for ten minutes
views and ask questions. Don‘t forget about a particular topic. At the end of
to take note of the interesting things ten minutes, read what you have
you have discussed in your group. written and further develop your ideas
from that point onwards.
BRAINSTORM CLUSTERING
Brainstorming is a process where you Another word that means the same as
list down thoughts in words or phrases clustering is grouping. When you
that come to your mind about a cluster or group certain words, phrases
particular topic. You can do this on or ideas together, you are actually
your own or in a group. organizing and expanding your
thoughts. You will then form a diagram
to show how each word, phrase or idea
links to one another.
19

29. Task 18 Now, let‘s start with some pre-writing exercises.
1. Share your thoughts on the things that you enjoy doing with a group of
students. Use the box below to take notes of some interesting things
mentioned by others.
•
•
•
•
•
•
2. Write a paragraph on the topic below in not more than 10 minutes. Begin
now.
The most interesting thing that I have done in my life‘
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
20

30. 3. Individually or in groups, list down as many words, phrases or ideas that
comes to your mind on the topic given below. Compare your list with
others.
‗Things that I wish to do in my lifetime‘
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Use the diagram below to expand your ideas on ‗Interesting things people
do‘.
Learn
how to
swim
Shop for
antiques
Interesting things
people do
21

31. Task 19 Before you write, take a look at the boxes below. Match the terms
in Box A with their definition in Box B. Then, check your answers.
Box A Box B
Topic • • A group of sentences about one
main idea
Main idea • • A sentence that summarizes
what an essay will be about
Thesis statement • • A word or phrase that tells what
a paragraph is about
Topic sentence • • A word or phrase that tells what
an essay is about
Paragraph • • A sentence that includes the
main idea of a paragraph
Let‘s find out if you have really understood the terms above by completing some
exercises. Use the terms above to fill in the boxes below. The first one has been
done for you.
0) Datuk Nicole David is my favourite squash player.
1) Topic sentence
1. Mountain climbing has captured the hearts of
many people. Lately, young children have also
been introduced to mountain climbing activities
at camps. These young children are taught the
basics of mountain climbing and are given
proper training by qualified instructors. ____________________
2. It is easy to take up swimming for three
reasons ____________________
3. Gardening can also help reduce stress. ____________________
22

32. 4. Alternative Music ____________________
There are a few interesting activities that I do
5. ____________________
during my free time.
Task 20 Now, the following exercises will help you narrow down your topic,
write a thesis statement, form topic sentences and finally, construct a paragraph.
STEP 1:
Narrow down your topic.
State three things that interest you in Column I. Then, add more information
related to the three things you enjoy in the Column II. Before you begin, check
out the example.
Column I Column II
Things that interest me Additional information
Example: Science Space, astronauts, exploration of
planets
23

33. STEP 2:
Write a thesis statement.
Study information that you have stated in column I and II. Try and form a thesis
statement. Check out the example.
Example:
Exploration of planets interests me for three main reasons.
Write your thesis statement:
________________________________________________________________
STEP 3:
Forming topic sentences.
Based on your thesis statement, form three topic sentences. Check out the
example.
Example:
Topic sentence 1: Firstly, I have always wondered about life beyond our
planet.
Tip:
Write a sequencesentences:
Use your topic or logical connector to begin your topic sentence.
Topic sentence 1:
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Topic sentence 2:
…………………………………………………………………………………………
24

34. Topic sentence 3:
…………………………………………………………………………………………
STEP 4:
Construct a paragraph.
Your paragraph should include a thesis statement and the topic sentences that
you have formed. Each paragraph consists of a topic sentences and a few
supporting details. Check out the example.
Example:
Thesis Exploration of planets interests me for three main
details
statement
Supporting
reasons.
Firstly, I have always wondered about life beyond our planet.
I am certain that aliens and other beings exist. Evidences
Topic sentence that were reported by astronauts and space explorers
convince me that we are not alone in this universe.
25

35. SELF ASSESSMENT
TEST 1
Read the article on Almonds and respond to the tasks.
Awesome Almonds
You may have had almonds in your cakes, ice-creams and chocolate bars but do
you know that these nuts have some beauty tips to offer? Eating a few almonds
offer benefits which include good fats, minerals and vitamins including A, B and
E. Some experts believe it is best to eat raw almonds that have been soaked in
water overnight. Although almond oil is not commonly consumed as olive oil, it
can be eaten to get those benefits.
Almond is used mainly for its emollient and slight bleaching properties. This is
why these nuts are used in skincare. They have anti-inflammatory properties and
their light aroma and texture make them ideal for soothing women‘s skins.
Ground into a meal, almonds are used for exfoliation in beauty preparations, and
almond oil serves as a skin softener, with antiseptic properties and a complex
array of vitamins and minerals.
(Adapted from Her World , February 2008)
26

36. Answer the following questions.
1. What are the benefits of eating almonds?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. Why are almonds used in skincare?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. What would you do to almonds if you want to exfoliate your skin?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
4. Name the benefits of using almond oil as skincare?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
5. Suggest your own traditional way of using almonds in your daily life.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
27

37. TEST 2
Create a skincare product using any local vegetable or fruit. Present this in class
using a mind map. Allow questions and answers after your presentation.
SUMMARY
Tick here if
Main Skills Sub Skills you have Notes
understood
Listening Listening to a Text
Listening Comprehension
Speaking Speaking about Food Pyramid
Speaking about Healthy Life
Style
Presentation of Findings
Reading Reading
Vocabulary
Reading Comprehension
Writing Pre-Writing
Writing Paragraphs
Mind-Mapping
Grammar Present Tense
Past Tense
Present Perfect Tense
28

38. ANSWER KEY
Task 1
1. F
2. F
3. F
4. T
5. T
6. T
7. F
8. T
9. T
10. T
Task 7
A B
1. peripatetic ______ i _________ a. confusion and noise
2. stern _______d_______ b. clever
3. excelled ________e_______ c. definitely
4. whiz ________b______ d. strict
5. larked _______h________ e. very good
6. apparently _______c________ f. speak clearly
7. esteemed ______ j _________ g. basics
8. rudiments ________ g ______ h. roamed
9. bedlam ________a_______ i. traveling from place to place
10.coherent _______f________ j. respected and admired
29

39. Task 8
1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. True
Task 9
1. The writer‘s family finally settled down when his father had his final
posting as a senior lecturer at the Language Institute in Kuala
Lumpur.
2. Not very close and stern but affectionate
3. Because he felt that he was not a bright student/ did not excel in
school.
4. His father did not show any enthusiasm/ did not show he was
happy/
5. It was meant for the sons of Malay Sultans to be educated
according to the British education system.
Task 11
Present tense
1. sips
2. loves, is
3. suggests
4. informs
5. writes
6. sings
7. experience
8. support
9. departs
10. help
30

40. Task 12
1. loves
2. dreams
3. joins
4. practise
5. joins
6. finishes
7. receives
8. pays
9. compete
10. leave
Task 13
Past Tense
Tick the sentences in the past tense for only
2. /
3 /
4 /
6 /
7 /
Task 14
Past Tense
1. bought
2. arrived
3. caught
4. walked
5. told
6. found
7. gave
8. ran
9. got
10. was
31

41. Task 15
Past Tense
1. left
2. were
3. lived
4. spotted
5. were
6. armed
7. came
8. approached
9. was
10. heard
11. ambushed
12. killed
13. burnt/burned
14. set
15. shot
Task 16
Present Perfect Tense
1. has driven
2. has watched
3. have bought
4. has dreamt/dreamed
5. has finished
6. has given
7. has caught
8. has repaired
9. have submitted
10. have taken
32

42. Task 17
Present Perfect Tense
1. have , finished
2. have, bought
3. has, lived
4. have, completed
5. have, played
6. has, given
7. has, reported
8. have, seen
9. has, left
10. has, called, sent
TEST 1
1. Good fats, minerals and vitamins including A, B and E.
2. Because of its emollient and slight bleaching properties.
3. I would ground the almonds into a meal to exfoliate my skin.
4. Almond oil serves as softener to the skin.
5. Gives any relevant suggestion.
33

43. TEST 2
Mix the ingredients and apply to face every morning.
BLEND THE CUCUMBER ADD TWO TABLESPOON
OLIVE OIL
CUCUMBER
ADD TWO TABLESPOON
HONEY
ADD HALF A CUP OF FRESH MILK
34

44. REFERENCES
Gaudart, Hyacinth; Hughes, Richard & Michael, Jessie (2003) Towards Better
English Grammar . Shah Alam: Penerbit Fajar Bakti
Kamarul Zaman Ariff (2007) Long Road to Merdeka Kajang: Kamarulzaman
Mohd Ariff Dusun Gayah
Rehman Rashid (1993) A Malaysian Journey Petaling Jaya: Rehman Rashid
LISTENING TRANSCRIPT
Voice: Listen to the Radio Talk Show entitled “Healthy Lifestyle”.
(End of the Road by Boyz II Men is on air….)
Deejay Pink: Hmmm …that was Boyz II Men with End of Road. It is definitely
not end of the road here at FBK. FM as it is time for our favourite programme.
Hello everyone! I‘m Deejay Pink and I‘m so thrilled to have with me in the studio
this morning two very important guests who are going to talk about ―Healthy
Lifestyle‖. They are Mr. Sam, a nutritionist from ANPAC and Dr. Sani, a physician
from the General Hospital. How are you Mr. Sam and Dr. Sani?
Mr Sam : Well, I‘m good. Thank you. Glad I made it despite the heavy traffic
(laughs)
Dr. Sani: I‘m fine too. It is great to be here.
Deejay Pink: Thank you so much for being here at FBK.FM. I‘m sure our
listeners out there are equally excited to listen to our renowned guests. Feel free
to call in and talk to our experts. The number is 03-3344555. Well …. Mr. Sam,
what exactly is Healthy Lifestyle?
Mr Sam: Well….remember the saying ―Take your time to smell the flowers?
Deejay Pink: Yes… and ―You will get more wrinkles if you worry too much.‖
Mr. Sam: Exactly….those are some of the advice for Healthy Lifestyle. We need
to stop being stressful and start living healthily. Eat good food and exercise.
Deejay Pink: Yes! You are right Mr. Sam. Actually I would like to discuss this –
Healthy Lifestyle in this modern demanding age! Is it feasible? Can we be not
stressful with all the job deadlines?
Mr. Sam : Of course we can. That is if we put effort to it. We must be positive
and take our time to try and consume nutritional food. Avoid processed food and
the famous fast food that we have now.
Dr. Sani: I agree with you on that Mr Sam. It saddens me to see parents or
elders bringing children to the fast food joints. The food there is not healthy at all.
The drinks are so sweet and bad for health too. Malaysians are high on diabetes.
We should also get medical check ups regularly.
Deejay Pink: Gosh!! I feel guilty already (laughs). We have a caller on the
line….Hello En. Hamid…?.
En. Hamid: Hello….Hello… Yes. I have question for Mr. Sam and Dr Sani.
Deejay Pink: Yes. Go ahead En. Hamid.
35

45. En. Hamid; I‘m a university lecturer. I work round the clock. My job is not
merely teaching. At times I work at night too, trying to meet my deadlines. What
should I do to distress? I am always stressed. At times I feel palpitation in my
chest.
Mr. Sam: Thank you En. Hamid. This is so true in this modern era. I find life to be
stressful too. Perhaps you can try and reschedule your activities. Do one task at
a time. Take a breather after you have finished one task. Go out and walk in the
park near your house.
Deejay Pink: Dr. Sani, do you have any advice for En Hamid?
Dr. Sani: Yes. Have you done your Medical check up, En Hamid? How old are
you now if I may ask?
En. Hamid: Well, I just turned 50, doctor. Hmm….My last medical check up
was 10 years ago (laughs)
Dr. Sani: You have to get it done soon. Ask your doctor to do a profile and with
the results he or she can follow through. You need to inform the doctor of your
family medical history. I‘m sure the palpitation is due to your stress level but you
can‘t be too sure. You must go for medical check up fast.
En. Hamid: Thank you Dr. Sani and Mr. Sam. Have a nice day!!
Mr. Sam: He is cheerful already… (laughs).
Deejay Pink: Yes. He is. Ermm….Mr. Sam, could you give us some easy tips on
eating healthy?
Mr. Sam: As a nutritionist I have some suggestions. Take more nuts like
almonds. They are good as source of calcium and fiber. We can crush them and
add to our vegetable salad. Or eat them just like that.
Deejay Pink: Hmmm….almonds? I never thought of eating them like that. I eat
them only if I find them in ice creams or chocolate bars.
Dr. Sani: I agree with you Mr. Sam. By the way, eating almonds may sound
easy but I think it could be challenging to get them. It is not easy to find in our
country unlike peanuts. They cannot be replaced with peanuts though. People
who are suffering from gout should abstain from peanuts.
Deejay Pink: Yes. Not many stores have almonds. We need to buy them from
big supermarkets.
Mr. Sam: I agree with both of you but we need to try and buy them. They provide
great benefits such as calcium. In fact people suffering from thyroid should eat
more almonds.
Deejay Pink: Do you have email that can be accessed by our listeners? I‘m sure
more people would like to reach both of you for tips and advice.
Mr. Sam: Sure! My email is Sam@ANPAC.com.my. (He spells the address).
Dr. Sani: Mine is Sani@yahoo.co.uk (He spells the address).
Deejay Pink: Well…It looks like we have come to the end of our session. I would
like to thank Dr. Sani and Mr. Sam for coming to FBK FM this morning. And
thank you so much to our caller En. Hamid and to our listeners out there….don‘t
touch that dial as Deejay Paul is here with more songs from the 80‘s.
(Endless Love by Lionel Ritchie and Diana Ross is aired)
36

46. UNIT 2
JOURNEY TO THE FUTURE
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the unit, you should be able to:
1. listen to and respond to opinions,
2. prepare speeches based on specific situations,
3. read and understand the text,
4. guess the meaning of words in the text, and
5. write sentences in the correct tenses.
CONTENT
Man has always been fascinated with what is beyond this earth that we live in.
What is out there? How did the world come into being? Is there intelligent life out
there? Such questions continually spurred scientists to explore space with
numerous spacecrafts. Do you know that there are many spacecrafts orbiting the
earth at the moment? How many spacecrafts do you know that have been sent to
space and for what purpose? You may want to visit the relevant websites of
countries like America, Russia, Japan, China and even Malaysia that have
ongoing space programmes for more information - one recommended website is
the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) [website at
http://www.nasa.gov.]
37

47. LISTENING
Task 1 You will listen to a radio interview. As you listen, complete the
A graphic organizer.
38

48. SPEAKING
Oral Presentation Skills
Learning Points
Most people feel nervous about speaking in public. For most students, oral
presentation is not an easy task as they fear speaking in front of an audience,
especially in English. As a result, they become nervous and will in turn affect
their performance during the oral presentation. Nervousness is normal. We need
to have a systematic plan to deliver our speech effectively. If oral presentation is
guided properly, students will be able to reduce their anxieties and improve their
performance during presentation. This would help them to develop a greater
awareness of how self-confidence can overcome fear of public speaking
especially in the target language. Their confidence level will improve and oral
presentation will not be a threat to them anymore.
First, let‘s have a look at some basic styles to do speeches such as:
i. Impromptu speaking means unprepared speech where students are
suddenly asked to perform without given time to do much preparation. The
delivery style is informal. We need to adopt some changes to suit our
purpose and audience.
ii. Extemporaneous speaking happens when students are quite prepared
beforehand. Normally they will refer to the text when it is necessary.
Therefore, they will deliver quite naturally and will do some changes of
delivering according to the audiences‘ responses.
iii. Text speaking refers to a situation where students have prepared
themselves in terms of the topic, the audience and the speaking situation
before presentation. This will make them confident to deliver well.
However students might lack spontaneity during presentation.
39

49. Oral presentation involves a lot of skills for it to be delivered successfully.
Students have to collect, inquire, organize and construct information before they
can present their speech. These skills will provide students a valuable learning
experience and help them in acquiring lifelong skills for their future career and
professional development.
Task 2 Impromptu Speech
i. Think of a topic and prepare a speech for a 2 minute individual
presentation.
ii. Present your speech.
iii. In groups of 3 evaluate speeches of each other. Use the evaluation form
below to evaluate your friend.
a. Content Excellent Good Fair Weak
1. Gains the audience's attention and focuses it
on the topic
2. States main ideas clearly and distinctly
3. Uses transitions that are effective
4. Uses sufficient evidence to support assertions
5. Communicates ideas clearly and
understandably
b. Presentation Excellent Good Fair Weak
6. Pronounces words clearly and correctly
7. Maintains eye contact with the audience
8. Speaks at an appropriate rate
9. Uses effective, non-distracting gestures
10. Uses effective facial expressions to reinforce
message
11. Appears extemporaneous and not memorized
c. Conclusion Excellent Good Fair Weak
12. Uses effective strategy to end speech
40

50. Effective Oral Presentation
There are three important steps of an oral presentation:
i. planning
ii. preparing
iii. delivering
Step 1 Planning an oral presentation
Here are simple rules that students can follow as they plan for an oral
presentation. First, consider the following questions as a guide.
 What topic should I choose?
 Can I narrow down the topic into something manageable?
 What is my purpose?
 What are my goals?
 Who are my audience?
It seems difficult to start but there are ways to handle this situation effectively.
Here are some ways that can help you to select a topic:
 Relate to your own experience
 Choose an interesting and a current topic or issue
As a speaker, you must ensure that you have a clear purpose and set goals. This
would provide directions for you to move forward successfully. You should also
be aware of who your audience are such as their age group, general
background, interests and needs. This is important so that you can plan your
content appropriate to their level and able to gauge their attention from the
beginning to the end of the presentation. As an example, if we are giving a
speech in front of our course mates, we can assume that they share the same
interest and knowledge of the world with us. Therefore, we can choose to present
current topics and issues appropriate and relevant to us as students and
members of the society.
After you have decided on a topic, you can proceed to plan the content of your
speech. Brainstorming is a useful technique which you can use to structure the
content. Brainstorming helps students to generate as many ideas as possible.
Two ways of brainstorming for ideas are idea mapping and listing.
41

51. i. Idea mapping
This method of brainstorming can be developed in many directions. You can
make other mappings and go into details before you choose the most effective
ideas for your presentation.
An example of idea mapping.
Painful experience
Luxury operation
Wasting money
Plastic surgery
Benefits of Plastic
Surgery
Boost confidence
Help accident
victims
Correct deform
from birth
ii. Listing
This method of brainstorming requires us to list all the ideas in our mind. Do not
worry if you do not see the connection of your ideas. This technique encourages
us to have a free flow of unlimited ideas before we develop the ideas further.
42

52. An example of listing.
Step 1: List as many topics as you can.
1. MPP election
2. Health
3. Unemployment
4. Road bully
5. Instant millionaire
6. Time management
7. Animal cruelty
8. Technology
Step 2: Narrow it down to causes of road bully.
1. Stress at work/home
2. Unhappy
3. Insensitive to others
4. Egoistic
5. Impatience
6. Selfish
7. Disrespect other drivers
Step 3: Focus on impatience.
1. Negative attitude on the road
2. Endanger other drivers
3. Reckless driving
4. Ignore rules and regulations on the road
Task 3 Brainstorming
In 5 minutes, write down as many topics as you can for a presentation. Choose
ONE method of brainstorming and focus on it. Show the exploration of the topic
clearly.
43

53. After you have completed generating ideas, the next important task is to organize
the ideas. Organization is essential so as to make your presentation attractive
and clear. This will keep your audience alert and your presentation will be
interesting as you deliver the content effectively. To do this, you need to prepare
an outline to organise your ideas. You should include not more than four points
for a short speech. There are two ways to organise your ideas and they are using
a tree diagram and outlining.
i. Tree diagram
This diagram displays an effective visual of the relationship between the points
and its purposes. A tree diagram consists of short notes and this will make it
easier for the speaker to remember the main ideas during presentation.
An example of a tree diagram
Holiday Abroad
Shopping
Tasting New Food
Meeting New Friends
ii. Outlining
This method will help us to develop the body of the speech for the presentation.
Therefore we need to choose and select the points carefully so that the ideas are
relevant to make our presentation successful.
An example of an outline
Specific Purpose: To inform people of the advantages of going holiday abroad.
Main Points: 1. Taste food from different countries.
2. Meet new friends and exchange views and experiences.
3. Learn the culture of various people in other countries
44

54. Task 4 Identifying main points
A
Write the main points that are appropriate to support the specific purpose given.
1. Specific Purpose: To inform the audience about social etiquette.
Main Points: 1. ________________________________________
2. ________________________________________
3. ________________________________________
2. Specific Purpose: To inform the audience that great teachers are born,
not made.
Main Points: 1. ________________________________________
2. ________________________________________
3. ________________________________________
3. Specific Purpose: To inform the audience that open burning is
hazardous.
Main Points: 1. ________________________________________
2. ________________________________________
3. ________________________________________
Task 5 Idea mapping
State a specific purpose for a speech and give three main ideas.
Present your ideas in the form of a tree diagram or an outline.
45

55. Step 2 Preparing an oral presentation
Writing the introduction
As a speaker, you need to have a good introduction or an opening statement so
that you can capture the attention of the audience immediately. Learn to
introduce your speech effectively as this is the ‗wow‘ factor in your speech that
will make your audience continue to listen. Here are some tips to help you in your
preparation.
 The opening statement should seek the immediate attention of the audience.
This can be in the form of a startling statement or statistic, a controversial
point, a question, an anecdote, a famous quote, an eye-catching visual or a
story.
 Listeners pay close attention when a person begins with, "Two weeks ago as
I was driving to work, a van pulled out in front of me…."
 You could begin with a current event: "You might have read in the papers this
morning about the brutal murder of …."
 A question is another way to make people listen. "How many of you feel our
society spends too much on beauty care?" might be a way to begin a
presentation about cutting costs.
Task 6 Provide three examples of effective opening statements.
i. ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
ii. ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
iii. ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
46

56. Task 7 Introducing your speech
Write a brief introduction of your speech using the guidelines below. The main
objective of this activity is to capture the attention of the audience.
Topic:Unemployment
1. Relate to the audience‘s experience
2. Narrate a story
3. Pose relevant questions
4. Begin with current events or statistics
Developing the content
The content of your speech should be well developed and organised. You need
to communicate your ideas as clearly as possible. Introduce the central idea first.
Then, present the main points and develop each point with supporting details so
as to ensure that the audience understand well. Structure your speech. Ideally,
do not have more than three or four main points. Preview in the beginning what
your main points will be. With each point, have two or three supporting details
such as provide relevant examples, definitions, present testimony or current
statistics. Visual aids are important when you want your audience to understand
a process, concept, or understand a financial goal. Line graphs are best for
trends. Bar graphs are best for comparisons and pie graphs are best for showing
distribution of percentages. The following is an example of an outline with a
central idea, main points and supporting details.
Central Idea: The Ministry of Education‘s immediate solutions to its
problems are to deal with the shortage of English language
teachers and the difficulty of learning Maths and Science in
English language in rural schools.
Main Point 1 The shortage of English language teachers is seriously
affecting the examination results in rural schools.
Supporting Details
A. Parents do not send their children to tuition classes.
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57. 1. live in a rural area.
2. cannot afford the expensive tuition fees.
B. Students are not keen to learn the target language.
1. can survive without knowing English.
2. English is a boring subject.
Main Point 2 Some difficulties faced by students from rural schools who
are learning Maths and Science in the English language.
Supporting Details
A. Difficult subjects in schools.
1. cannot score well in examinations.
2. lose interest to learn.
B. Students do not understand English language well.
1. have difficulty to understand the instructions.
2. teachers do not motivate students in classrooms.
It must be noted that as a speaker, you need to establish your credibility as a
knowledgeable as well as a sincere speaker. Therefore, you need to tell the
audience the source of your expertise and you should add depth to your
evidence.
Conclusion
A common conclusion will be to summarize your main points. Remember that
your conclusion should leave the audience with further food for thought. People
remember best what you say last. As an example, you might end a speech on
becoming a better speaker with, "As Robert Frost once said, „In three words I can
sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on.‟ Do not end your speech
with “That‟s it” or ―That‟s all I have to say.” Remember to say ―Thank you very
much” at the end. This is to show your sincere appreciation for your audience
presence and attention and it signals the audience to applaud. Leave the
audience with positive memories of the speech.
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58. Step 3 Delivering an oral presentation
Practice! Practice! Practice! Adequate practice will boost your confidence. While
practising, you need to work on your body language as well as your voice
projection. It is advisable to practice in front of your peers so that they can
provide constructive feedback on the following details:
 body posture
 facial expressions
 body gestures
 eye contact
 pronunciation
 pace and intonation
 voice projection
 clarity of your voice
Do not memorise your notes but try to remember the key words. Use your
knowledge of the world to give your presentation a ‗BANG! Avoid reading your
notes as this will bore the audience. Deliver your ideas confidently and with style.
The following are some tips for you to consider so as to make your oral
presentation effective and attractive.
Before delivering your oral presentation:
 Dress appropriately
 Relax and take a few deep breaths to calm yourself
 Be confident and believe in yourself
 Focus on your message and communicate it clearly
Things to avoid during your oral presentation:
 Reading from prepared text
 Excessive hand movements and gestures
 Distracting body positions, movements and postures
 Long pauses
 Too many fillers e.g. Hmmm… aaaahh….
49

59.  Speaking too fast
 Monotonous tone
Things to do during oral presentation:
 Maintain eye contact
 Speak with clarity and confidence
 Be natural and spontaneous
 Be lively and smile
 Include effective visual presentations when and where appropriate and
relevant
 Monitor your time to avoid panic attack!
Task 8 List as many spacecrafts as possible and be prepared to share with
your friends in the class.
READING
As you read the passage below:
(a) try to guess the meanings of words that are new to you.
(b) think about the answer to this question – What are the purpose(s) of
the two space probes?
Voyagers 1 and 2
1 The twin spacecraft Voyagers 1 and 2 have transformed our
understanding of the outer solar system. Originally designed to study
only Jupiter and Saturn, these two intrepid probes have visited all the
gas giants – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. They have sent
back startling images of churning atmospheres, complex ring systems 5
50

60. and exotic moons, some of which are large enough to be worlds in
their own right. Now, as the Voyagers head for the stars, they continue
to report from the edge of the solar system.
2 After 20 years and more than 7 billion miles (11 billion km), the
Voyager space probes are still in fairly good shape. Both spacecraft 10
continue to return data from their studies of the solar wind – the
stream of charged particles emitted by the Sun. Using this data,
scientists hope to investigate the heliopause, the distant region where
the solar wind finally dies away.
3 NASA plans to keep in contact with the Voyagers for the next 20 to 30
years, which is when their nuclear power packs are expected to run 15
down. After that, and assuming that nothing collides with them, the
probes will continue on their journey to the stars.
4 Voyager 1 is currently travelling into the outer solar system at a rate of
about 324 million miles (520 million km) per year. After both Voyagers
break through the heliopause, which is expected to happen in 2014, 20
they will travel for some 24,000 years before they reach the Oort
Cloud, the area on the edge of the solar system where comets are
thought to originate.
5 Beyond the Oort Cloud, the Voyagers will enter true interstellar space.
But even at speeds of more than 35,000 miles per hour, it will be tens 25
of thousands of years before either craft reaches another star.
6 About 40,000 years from now, Voyager 1 will pass less than a light-
year from AC+793888, a star in the constellation of the Little Bear.
According to present calculations, Voyager 2 should arrive in the
vicinity of the bright star Sirius in the year 296,036. It could be millions 30
of years before either spacecraft drifts into another planetary system
and is perhaps picked up by intelligent life
[Source: Space Missions: From Sputnik to SpaceShip One, The
history of space flight]
Task 9 Given below are some words taken from the passage above and do
the following:
a. Please refer to your dictionary and provide the ‗appropriate‘ definition of
each word in the context of the passage.
51

61. b. Identify the part of speech (noun, adjective, verb and adverb) of the word.
c. Write a sentence using the given word
1 head a) Definition:
_____________________________________________________
b) Part of speech:
_____________________________________________________
c) Sentence:
_____________________________________________________
2 report a) Definition:
b) Part of speech:
c) Sentence:
wind a) Definition:
b) Part of speech:
c) Sentence:
4 break a) Definition:
b) Part of speech:
c) Sentence:
52

62. 5 pass a) Definition:
b) Part of speech:
c) Sentence:
_____________________________________________________
Task 10
Read the passage again and answer the following questions.
1. What were the initial aims of sending out Voyagers 1 and 2 into space?
___________________________________________________________
2. Are the two space probes travelling in the same direction?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. Can scientists in NASA keep in contact with the Voyagers after 30 years?
Why?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
4. Will the probes travel through space forever?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
5. When are the probes expected to break through the region where the
solar wind finally dies away?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
53

63. 6. Where is the area in which comets are thought to originate?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
7. Do you think there is intelligent life ‗out there‘?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Task 11 In small groups, discuss the following questions. Be prepared to
share your opinions with the class.
1. Do you know of any satellites that are orbiting the earth presently? What
functions do they have?
2. Do you know of any spacecrafts (other than Voyagers 1 and 2) that have
been deployed in space to study the various planets and the solar
system?
3. How do you think studies in space affect our lives on earth?
4. How do you think a settlement in space for man will be like?
LANGUAGE FOCUS
Talking About the Future
There are several ways of expressing about the future in English. Given below
are four ways in which one can talk about future actions or what will happen in
the future.
1 Simple A) Structure
Future will/shall + the base form of the main verb
Tense B) Examples
a. It will take a few years before the new space shuttle is ready.
b. I shall introduce a new source of energy tomorrow.
2 Present A) Structure
54

64. Continuous Auxiliary be + Verb+ing
Tense B) Examples
a. They are launching the rocket on Monday.
b. I am receiving the fuel efficient car next week.
3 Simple A) Structure
present (Please refer to Unit 1)
tense B) Examples
a. The countdown starts tonight.
b. I leave for NASA on Saturday.
4 ‗Be going to‘ A) Structure
Auxiliary be + going to + the base form of the main verb
B) Examples
a. I am going to wait for the hybrid car.
c. Oh.. No! The rocket is damaged. It is going to explode!
Task 12 Write 3 sentences using each of the 4 ways of expressing the
future as explained above.
1. Simple _________________________________________________
Future
Tense ________________________________________________
________________________________________________
2. Present ________________________________________________
Continuous
Tense ________________________________________________
________________________________________________
3. Simple ________________________________________________
present
tense ________________________________________________
________________________________________________
4. ‗Be going to‘ ________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
55

65. Task 13
Read the passage at the beginning of this unit again and do the following:
a. Identify the sentences that express the future.
b. Underline the relevant words or phrases that help to express the
future.
Task 14
For each blank below choose the right form of the verbs given in the brackets
The Road Ahead
(by Bob Lutz)
1 In other parts of the world, including markets where some people
buy cars for the first time, a different type of small car is developed, one
lacking many premium features such as multiple airbags, antilock
braking systems, traction control, entertainment and power everything.
And that (1) ______________ (explain) the very low costs of some of 5
these vehicles.
2 To be successful, a company has to be prepared to address both types
of market, and at GM we are. Our partners around the world such as
Wuling in China, and our own global brands like Chevrolet, (2)
_________________ (help) us to do just that. We (3) 10
_________________ (plan) to compete aggressively in the brave new
small-car world if we want to succeed.
3 But that doesn‘t mean there will be a small-car craze that will envelop a
market like the United States. Certainly, impending Corporate Average
Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulatory changes (4) _________________ 15
(affect) the composition of the U.S. fleet. I‘m a believer, however,
research has suggested the U.S. fleet won‘t come to resemble what‘s
on European roads until fuel prices (5) __________________ (climb)
well above $10 per gallon. Until then, there will be a place for all types
of vehicles in the market, even as the volume change. 20
4 People still have a need for trucks in America and, to lesser extent,
elsewhere. People still (6) __________________ (buy) them for work.
56

66. People still want them to haul boats and horse trailers. Not everyone (7) 25
____________________ (be - go) switch to very small cars, or tiny little
pickup trucks, unless they suddenly (8) _______________ (decide) to
haul tiny little horse trailers carrying tiny little horses.
5 And there will still be a desire for high-performance vehicles like the
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. The global automotive market is a big place, 30
after all. There is and will be room for green and mean. Just because a
grocery store (9)__________________ (expand) its line of organically
grown vegetables, that doesn‘t mean it (10)_________________ (shut)
down the meat counter.
[Source: Newsweek 2008]
1 A explain
B explains
C will explain
D is explaining
2 A helps
B will help
C are helping
D has helped
3 A plan
B planned
C are planning
D have planned
4 A affect
B will affect
C is affecting
D is going to affect
5 A climb
B will climb
C will be climbing
D is going to climb
6 A buy
B bought
C will buy
D are going to buy
57

67. 7 A is going to
B are going to
C was going to
D were going to
8 A decide
B will decide
C is deciding
D are deciding
9 A expand
B expands
C is expanding
D are expanding
10 A shut
B shuts
C will shut
D are shutting
58

68. DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
In descriptive writing the main aim is to describe someone, something, some
place or an event in such a way that helps the readers to imagine or picture
(rather than just tells) that which you are describing. In other words your writing
should vividly portray the person, thing, place, or event in such a way that the
reader can visualize it or enter into your experience or imagination. This is
usually done by using lots of descriptive language and details.
T
US Plans Moon Settlement Before Heading on to Mars
The US president, George Bush, will announce plans next week to build a human
settlement on the moon, with a view to sending humans to Mars. In an attempt to
reinvigorate the space programme, still reeling from last year's Columbia shuttle
tragedy, Mr Bush will unveil plans to create a permanent science base for people
on the moon. Once there, aides say, scientists could test the equipment and
techniques vital to making the significant technological advances demanded for
sending astronauts to Mars more than a decade from now.
Task 15
Above is an excerpt from a newspaper report back in the year 2005. In
celebrating its 50th Anniversary (2008), NASA is having a contest describing a
settlement on the moon. Discuss with your friends how you think a home will be
like in a settlement on the moon. You may want to start by considering the
following aspects:
Shape
Materials used
Amenities
Air and water supply
59

69. Entertainment
Furniture
Task 16
You have decided to send an entry to the contest by NASA. Write an essay in
about 150 -200 words, describing how you think a settlement on the moon will be
or look like. You may even want to send some sketches of the settlement.
________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
60

70. Task 17
Prepare and present a speech to the whole class. You are free to choose your
own topic. Other members of the class will evaluate the speaker and provide
feedback.
Task 18
Surf the internet and find information regarding the following:
a) Alternative sources of power for cars (to replace petroleum).
b) Future application and role of computers.
c) How a house of the future may look like
SUMMARY
Tick here if
Main Skills Sub Skills you have Notes
understood
Listening Understand texts
Identify main ideas
Identify supporting ideas
Understand language forms
Speaking Oral Presentation Skills
a) Planning
b) Preparing
c) Delivering
Reading Know meaning of words and
phrases
Identify parts of speech
Writing Descriptive writing
Ways to describe objects
Ways to describe people
Grammar Future Tense
Different types of future tense
61