PASAK TASK 2: Mangrove Swamps - Understanding the Text

Mangrove Swamps: Extract 1

One of the most productive and bio-diverse wetlands areas in the world   is the mangrove swamp.  These unique coastal tropical forests are also the habitats that are most threatened in the world.  They are disappearing faster than inland tropical forests and are doing so without much notice from the public.

     Mangrove swamps are ecosystems that are found along muddy coastlines like river mouths, lagoons, deltas and bays, which are sheltered from the open seas.  A quarter of the tropical beaches of the world are mangrove swamps.  They roughly cover 15.5 million hectares worldwide.  They are found in 112 countries worldwide.  In Malaysia, they cover an area of about 650,000 hectares. 

     Mangrove swamps are influenced by the tides- low and high.  They are covered with water during high tides but the trees are not submerged completely.  Mangrove swamps have trees that can tolerate the salty seawater, soil that has less oxygen, sea waves and land that is always changing its appearance.

Referring to the above extract, answer the following questions.

1.       What are mangrove swamps?

2.       What are the characteristics of mangrove swamps?

PASAK TASK 1: Mangrove Swamps - Pre reading

1.      Name a mangrove swamps found near your area.

2.     Surf this website http://www.nature-escapes-kuala-lumpur.com/Matang-mangrove-forest.html, where is this mangrove forest located and type in the species of flora and fauna sighted here.

Found at: __________________________

Flora:                                                                    Fauna:

a.	a.
b.	b.
c.	c.

3.      Target Vocabulary: Write the correct word/term for the explanation given.

a.       A black, porous carbonaceous material = __________

b.      A brilliant or gorgeous appearance = __________

c.       Ovens for hardening, burning and drying substances = __________

d.      The edge of a body of water = __________

e.      Having its original purity = __________

             f.   Coastal wetlands that form when mud is deposited by tides or rivers = __________

Leisure Reading: Munlong Learned His Lesson

Munlong was a very famous Chinese scholar. He lost his father when he was only three years old. His mother was poor, but she tried to educate him and so she worked hard to save enough money to send him to school.

     At first Munlong liked going to school. He made good progress because he studied hard. Later he began to slacken in his work. One day he left the school without telling anyone and went home. His mother, who was weaving a fine peice of cloth, stopped work and questioned him. When Munlong explained he had left school, she took a sharp knife and cut the cloth from top to bottom. She had spent months weaving the cloth which was worth a lot of money and yet she had not hesitated to show how sad she was by cutting the cloth.

     She said, "Son, I know you are sorry that I am destroying this cloth, but do you know how sorry I am that you've left school?"

     She made it very clear to Munlong how sad and displeased she was. He became ashamed to himself that he returned to school at once and studied very hard after that.

Task A: Find the meaning for the 15 bold words.

Task B: Answer these questions:

a. Did Munlong come from a rich family?

b. Who sent him to school?

c. What happened at first?

d. Did he study hard all the time?

e. Did he get his mother's permission to leave school?

f. Why did his mother cut the valuable piece of cloth?

g. Why did Munlong go back to school?

h. Why was Munlong famous?

WATER

Read the article 'The Importance of Water' and complete the following tasks.
A. Find the meaning
1. odorless
2. suppressant
3. retention
4. constipation
5. groundwater
6. accumulating
7. saturation

B. State the answers for the following questions.
1. Why water is essential elements to great health?
2. What are the benefits of drinking plenty of water?
3. What is the amount of water on Earth available for drinking?
4. What is the freezing point of water?
5. Water occurs in 3 states. What are they?

Directed Writing: Talk - 'Be a wise shopper'

You are the Secretary of the Consumer’s Association in your town. You are invited to give a talk to students of a secondary school on ‘Be a wise shopper’. Include the following:

·         do not be influenced by advertisements in the mass media

·         compile a list of necessary items before going shopping

·         compare prices in various shops

·         check the quality and expiry dates of goods

·         be careful when buying during sales

Remember to:

Address the audience

Introduce the topic of the talk

Elaborate on each of the points

End the talk with a closing expression

Model Composition:

Good morning, students of Sekolah Menengah Menteri. It is a great pleasure to be invited to your school to give a talk on ‘Be a wise shopper’.

                First of all, you must not be influenced by advertisements in the mass media such as the television, radio, newspapers and magazines. Advertisements only show a positive side of a product without revealing the shortcomings. This is very misleading and consumers are often tricked into buying products. For example, to promote the SKIPPI brand of shampoo, an attractive girl with long, shiny hair is shown on television. One is led to believe that by using the SKIPPI brand, one will have similar beautiful hair.

                Also, a wise shopper should compile a list of necessary items before going shopping. This will help you buy only what is required. Without a list, you will tend to buy unnecessary items and thus spend a lot of money.

                Furthermore, it is a good habit to compare prices in shops. In this way, you will know where to get what you want to buy at the cheapest price. This practice is particularly useful for big families who buy in large quantities or for those on a tight budget.

                Another good habit is to check the quality and expiry dates of goods. Ensure that tins are not dented or damaged and the expiry dates should be well ahead of time to allow you to use the products for some time.

                Finally, be careful when you buy during sales. Don’t be fooled! Know your prices first before you buy anything at a sale. Only then will you know if the sale is genuine or not. Also, many goods during sales are old or rejects. Make sure you check the goods carefully first.

                By following these steps, I hope you will be wise shoppers and spend your money wisely. Thank you for being such attentive listeners.

                [From: Oxford Fajar, 2008]

Go GREEN Test: QWERTYUIOP

SECTION A
Charactererisation:
Read the following statements. Write (T) for statements that are True and (F) for statements that are False.

1. Lucy is persuaded to stay on and fight against Miss Broome's spirit. [          ]
2. The ghost of Miss Broome is angry with Mr Ross. [          ]
3. Harry Darke admires and respects Lucy for her unyielding spirit. [          ]
4. Lucy regrets that she is unkind to her Uncle Bert. [          ]
5. Lucy is able to accept her Uncle Bert as a result of her sympathy for Miss Broome. [          ]
6. The principal of the Belmont Secretarial College has high expectations of Lucy. [          ]
7. Miss Broome was asked to retire because of her inefficiency as a secretary. [          ]
8. The existence of Miss Broome's spirit does not set back Lucy's intent to stay the course. [          ]
9. Harry Darke hints to Lucy what awaits her at the office. [          ]
10. Lucy's mother believes in her daughter that she will get a job easily. [          ]

SECTION B
Understanding the plot:
Reaarrange the sentences below according to the sequence of events in the story.

1. Lucy is apprehensive about finding a job with her low qualifications. [          ]
2. Lucy finds out from Harry Darke who Miss Broome was. [          ]
3. She is offered a job as a secretary at Ross and Bannister's. [          ]
4. She makes Miss Broome's spirit undertstand why she should not remain in the office any longer. [          ]
5. She types her first letter and is shocked to find unsual words all over the letter. [          ]
6. She continues to type and correct the letter but is constantly challenged by the typewriter. [          ]
7. Harry Darke shows her the typewriter she is to use. [          ]
8. Lucy finally understands her Uncle Bert. [          ]
9. Miss Broome takes leave of the office. [          ]
10. She resolves to find out the cause of the extraordinary behaviour of the typewriter. [         ]

-End of test-

Opinion Test

You have just finish reading QWERTYUIOP.

Based on this short story, create your own version of this story according to the Malaysian scenario.

How will your version of this story ends?