Tuesday, July 24, 2012

MUET Writing Question 1

How to tackle question 1:

A step-by-step guide

Step 1
          ·         Analyse  the task given
          ·         Study the stimulus and graphic aid. Types of stimuli are likely to be:
                  -          Single line graph
-          Double line graph
-          Bar graph (single double or triple bar graph
-          Pie chart
-          Table
-          Process
-          Short pieces of  task
Step 2
           ·         Focus on the task given
           ·         Jot down on point quickly

Step 3
            ·         Organize your point by numbering  them in logical sequence
            ·         Insert linkers/connectives
            ·         Your introduction should describe the broad/important trend (s)shown
            ·         Do not provide your opinion or the copy words from the stimulus.
            ·         Writing your report/article in full. Do not ask bullet points.

Interpretation and outline

Interpretations the bar chart (see interpretation and outline for one stimuli on page 175).
Interpretation the table. Compare and contrast the price of  both  the imported and local cars from the year  1980 to 2000
·         Title
Giver title of the essay
·         Controlling idea
State the main or controlling idea
·         Trend
State the trend
·         Analysis
Provide analysis of the data provided
·         Conclusion
Summarize main findings

Sample Essay

Different modes of commuter transport in Kuala Lumpur

The graph shows the different modes of commuter transport used in Kuala Lumpur 1980, 1990, and 2000.
            The tread indicates the  growing use of  cars  for commuting  to work between 1980 and  2000,and  the corresponding  decline in the popularity  of  buses from  being the most  popular  mode  of  transport  in  1980  to the least  popular  in  2000
            Train  commuter  numbers  rose  from just  under  20%  in  1980  to  about  27%  in 1990, but fell to  about  23%  in 2000 . motorcycle  use  has  bee relatively stable , falling from  around  27%  of  commuters  in  1980, to  22%  in  1990 , but  climbing back  to reach  25%  by 2000.  Car  use increased  steadily from  just  over  5%  in  1980  to  23%  in  1990 , reaching almost  40%  by  2000  as  prices of  imported  and  local  car  dropped  significantly . this  price drop caused  an  increase  in car  ownership, and  caused  the  popularity  of  buses  to  drop from  just  under  35%  in  1980 to  27%  in  1990 and  15%  in 2000.
            There is a  clear correlation  between  the  growing  use  of  cars  and  the  decline in popularity of  buses.  The use  of  cars  has  had  the  strongest  on  the  public  transporting  system .


Rose (to)
Increased  (to)
Went up (to)
Climbed (to)
boomed

A rise
An  increase
Growth
An upward trend
A boom  (a dramatic rise)

Fell(to)                
Declined(to)
Decreased(to)
Dipped(to)
Dipped (to)
Dropped (to)
Went down(to)
Slumped(to)
Reduced(to)

A decrease
A decline
A  fall
A drop
A slump
A reduction



Leveled out  (at)
Did not change (at)
Remained steady  (at)
Stayed constant  (at)
Maintained the same  level

A leveling out
No change



Fluctuated (around)
Peaked (at)
Stood  at  (we use this phrase to focus on  a  particular  point , before  we mention  the  movement , for  example in  the movement  for  year  ,
Unemployment stood at…..)

A fluctuation reached a (of) reached at.
   

Describing the degree of change


     ADJECTIVES

           ADVERBS
Dramatic
Dramatically 
Enormous
Enormously
Steep
Steeply
Substantial
Substantially
considerable
considerably


       Adjectives

            Adverbs
Significant
Significantly
Moderate
Moderately
Slight
Slightly
Minimal
Minimally


Describing the speed of change


       Adjectives

       Adverbs
Rapid
Rapidly
Quick
Quickly
Swift
Swiftly
Sadden
Suddenly


        Adjectives

        Adverbs
Steady
Steadily
Gradual
Gradually
Slow
Slowly


Useful adjectives to compare and contrast

       Positive

      Comparative

      Superlative
Cheap
Cheaper
Cheapest
Large
Larger
Largest
Good
Better
Best
Bad
Worse
Worst
Striking
More striking
Most striking
Profitable
More profitable
Most profitable


Describing one part of the chart /graph.
Starting with the adjective

The highest

The greatest

The lowest

The most significant

The smallest

The largest



Percentage of


Proportion of


Number of



Men


Cars sold


Holiday makers




Are employed in the executive category.

Are blue


Come from Sabah

Starting with the subject

Red is the professional is the Mexico is the

More
Far more
Much more
Many more
A lot more
Substantially more
Considerably more
Significantly more
Slightly more fractionally more


Most
second /third
most
least 
men
holiday makers

Popular
Most prevalent
Common

Are employed in the manufacturing sector
Come from Mexico
Car colour.
Employment category
Holiday destination




Than…


Starting with the subject


Blue cars are
Men are
Kajang is


As
quite as
just as
nearly as
almost as
not as   


Common
 Popular
prevalent



As







More
Much more
Far more
Substantially more
Considerably more
Slightly more
Fractionally more less
Much less
Far less
Considerably less
Fractionally less




Than….


Guidelines

Dos
·         Spend about 5 minutes reading the graph (s) or chart (s) and prepare your  answer.
·         Write in your own the data is about.
·    Understand what the axes on the graph (s) or the percentage in the pie chart (s) represent.
·      Understand what the important stages of the flowchart or diagram are, and that you know order they all came in.
·         Focus on the key information or important trends.
·         Look for ways to compare data.
·     Use sequence expressions such as ‘first of all’, ‘after that’, ‘at the same time’, ‘next’, ‘finally’, etc. when describing a process or flow chart.
·         Think about tenses and time, particularly when comparing data.
·         Describe and report information.
·   Organize your information clearly. You will need an : (1) introduction (2)body (3) conclusion
·         Read through what you have written.

Don’ts
            ·         Don’t start writing immediately.
            ·         Do not copy the question or the instruction.
            ·         Don’t repeat the same words in the chart in your essay.
            ·         Do not include information that is not on the graph, diagram or chart.
            ·         Don’t give opinions.
            ·         Do not spend longer than 40 minutes on this task.




2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the admin of this website is actually working hard for his website, because here every information is quality based material.
Also see my web page > helpful resources

Cekgu Adeng said...

I am just trying my best to get the information needed reach the students. Thanks for visiting my site.