Speaking Test (24/3/2011)

Today, my group come 30 minutes earlier for our speaking test. Our group leader, Azura wants us to do some preparation for the speaking test. We are so nervous to do the speaking test. Our turn is at 10.50am which is after Khalis group. However, we have to be the last group because of some circumstances that makes Joe's group takes our turn. Beside that, Zakirah and Amira are the only one who's doing the test because Joe is admitted to the ward because of dengue. Anyway, we got to speak about ways on how to plant more trees for the speaking test. I was so nervous that I a bit blur at that time so I don't know if I perform well or not in the speaking test. Lastly, Miss Zu ask us to take care of our health because final exam is coming near.

Preparation for Speaking Test (22/3/2011)

Today, Miss Zu teach us on how to do the speaking test. She gives us notes that consist of phrases we should used in the speaking test. Actually, the speaking test will be held on Thursday on 24th March 2011. The speaking test paper will consist of two sections that is Section A and Section B. Section A is for individual only whereas Section B is for discussion group. Miss Zu ask Khalis group to be the sample for the speaking test and she shows us how the mark will be given.

Listening Preparation and Test 1 (15/3/2011)

LISTENING PREPARATION (MORNING)
Today, we do listening activity with Miss Zuraidah for preparation of listening test which is just around the
corner. Then, Miss Zu ask us to form into a group consist of 4 or 5 members to do the rehearsal for Test 1 tonight. We have to do the information transfer writing. Each one of the group members have been given 5 minutes to write the essay. Everyone is in chaos because we have to complete the task in a short period.

TEST 1 (NIGHT)


At night, we have Test 1 at LT2. Miss Zu ask us to come early for the test and wish us good luck for the test.
We all do the best that we can for this test..

Presentation on Information Transfer(10/3/2011)

Today my group have to present the information transfer writing.

How Students Spend Their Time After Classes

                The pie chart shows the percentage of how students spend their time after classes according to the type of activities such as indoor activities, socializing, studying, go for movies and outdoor activities. (Overview)

          Based on the pie chart, indoor activities such as playing computer and board games, cooking, and collecting stamps have the highest percentage which is 35% whereas the lowest percentage are outdoor activities and go for movies which is 10%.The gap between the highest and the lowest percentage is 25%. Indoor activities have the highest percentage due to less energy consumption. (CIKFs 1)

          As can be seen from the pie chart, the second highest percentage is socializing which is 25%. For example, chatting online, going out with friends and visiting places. It is because socializing is fun and it can entertain us from being bored. (CIKFs 2)

          From the pie chart, it can be shown that studying is much less preferable activity than socializing which is 5%. Students prefer socializing rather than studying because they tend to relax their mind after studying. (CIKFs 3)

          In conclusion, indoor activities will increase more and more in future due to the widespread of technology. Therefore, the university should provide more facilities in terms of technology in the campus.

Orange – Prediction (Pi)

Black – Proposal (P ii )

Light  Blue  -  Title

Information Transfer and Reading Comprehension (8/3/2011)

INFORMATION TRANSFER  (MORNING)
 Today we learn about information transfer(non-linear to linear text).

TIPS ON HOW TO DO THE TASK
- Spend 5 minutes reading the graphs/charts etc.
- Make sure you understand axes.
- Make sure you follow lines on graphs.
- Focus on the key information.
- If have 2 graphs - compare.
- Think about the time period - tenses.
- Vary your vocabulary.
- Organize information clearly.
- Write neatly.

FORMULA
1) TITLE
    - Extract title from question and underline it.
2) OVERVIEW
     - What does the stimuli present?
     - Answer : A bar graph, diagram, pie chart, pictograph, newspaper headline or article, some notes, etc.
3) CONTROLLING IDEA & KEY FEATURES (CIKFs)
    a) Identify key features
    b) The MOST OUTSTANDING ideas from the stimuli
        > CONTROLLING IDEA (CI) - What is the general trend of all the stimuli combined? Answer : 
            Increasing, Decreasing, Consistent or Fluctuating( NOTE : These are the FOUR main trends)
        > You ARE NOT just LISTING ALL FEATURES and information from the stimuli but you have 
            to choose the MOST OUTSTANDING AND IMPORTANT details, you must be 
            SELECTIVE of which to include.
        > External ASSUMPTION may be used if there is no correlation between the pie, graph and the 
           table.
    c) You can begin each paragraph with phrases like : 
         > According to the...
         > Based on the...
         > With reference to....
4) P(i) & P(ii)
    a) PREDICTIONS (Pi) 
        - What future trend can you predict? Answer : If x happens then y will continue to increase, 
           decrease, stabilize or fluctuate.
    b) PROPOSAL (Pii)
        - What recommendation can you propose? Answer : The Government/Nation/United Nations can...
        * Not compulsory but it will differentiate the higher bands from the lower ones


READING COMPREHENSION (NIGHT)
At night, we do reading comprehension with Miss Zu. Actually, night classes we always combine with class 2A. The title of the passage in the reading comprehension is H1N1. We have to read the passage, then, we have to answer the questions given below the passage. This activity is for the preparation for mid-term test.

Presentation of Introductory Paragraph (3/3/2011)

Today, all the group have to do their presentation in front of the class. My group present about quotations.

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH – QUOTATIONS

“Vandalism comes naturally from our soul.” These words come from a teenage boy and his friends who lax in drawing graffiti on the wall of a building. Teenage boys said that this work is a piece of art where they often did this to express their feelings or thoughts about certain things in our life. Furthermore, he said that they also draw the graffiti whenever they feel like doing it. This type of vandalism does not only involve teenagers but also adults.(Hook) However, these teens do not know that they have vandalized the image of the building as well as the environment.(Transition) Vandalism can be prevented if the government creates a law that severely restricts vandals in destroying the environment, giving motivational talk as well as giving punishment by doing community service.(Thesis)

Introductory Paragraph, Inferences and Prediction(1/3/2011)

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH (MORNING)
1) One of the most important thing in your essay!
2) Purpose :
    a) Get the reader's attention
    b) Set tone for the rest of the essay
    c) Make a contract with the reader - What will be covered in this piece (reveal the thesis statement)?
3) Parts :
    a) Hook
        - Designed to grab attention immediately and give same indication about the essay's type
    b) The Transitions 
         - The relationship between the hook and the thesis statement.
         - Moves the reader from the hook to the driving force of the essay
    c) The Thesis Statement
         - Makes contract with the reader about what will be discussed without a blatant announcement.

Types of Hook 
1. Personal Example
   - Provides strong, dramatic incidents to use
   - Make up your personal experience, be careful that it sounds credible.
   - Honesty in expressing thoughts and feelings
2. Using Quotations
    - Dramatic, emotionally appealing, surprising, humorous
    - Does not have to be from a famous person
    - Must be relevant to the thesis statement
3.Using Facts or Statistics
   - Must be startling/unusual/bizarre
   - Must be from a credible source
   - Use journal as a place to record both quotes and tests or statistics that might work for an introduction
4. Rhetorical Questions
5. Current Events or News
   - Must be recent
   - Must be important
   - Should be made public by newspapers, television, or radio
6. Using Contrast To The Thesis Statement
    - In direct contrast to the thesis statement
    - It's fun to prove an expert wrong
7. Definitions


INFERENCES AND PREDICTIONS (NIGHT)
Predictions
- What you think will happen based upon the text, the author and background knowledge
- An educated guess as to what will happen
- To make predictions BEFORE and DURING reading, you must ask yourself, what is going
   to happen next in the story  
- Answered by the end of the text or story

Inferences
- Reading of all the clues and making your best guess.
- When you infer, you used all clues to draw conclusions about what is being read
- You infer DURING reading only