 1) Did you ……… anywhere interesting last weekend?

 a) go
b) going
c) was
d) went

 2) I work as a teacher and my wife ………, too.
 a) do
b) is
c) work
d) does

 3) I think ……… taxi driver
 a) her job is
b) she's a
c) her job is an
d) she's

 4) What is your home town ……… ?
 a) situated
b) age
c) like
d) located

 5) I’m afraid I ……… here for your birthday party.
 a) have not to be
b) am not being
c) will be not
d) can't be

 6) How ……… are you?
 a) high
b) wide
c) long
d) heavy

 7) How long ……… married?
  a) have you been
b) are you
c) have you
d) been

 8) Would you like ……… help?
 a) a
b) some
c) me
d) I

 9) They ……… go to the cinema
 a) tomorrow
b) much
c) rare
d) seldom

 10) He hasn’t played since he ……… the accident.
 a) had
b) has had
c) has
c) had had

11) This is the best tea I’ve ……… tasted.
 a) never
b) ever
c) already
d) still

 12) I’m looking ……… the summer holidays.
 a) before
b) forward
c) for
d) forward to

 13) My girlfriend ……… born on the 2nd of September 1974.
  a) is
b) was
c) had
d) has been

 14) This beer tastes ……… .
 a) badly
b) lovely
c) well
d) normally

 15) In life ……… can make a mistake; we’re all human.
 a) anyone
b) some people
c) not anybody
d) someone

 16) She knows that she ……… to pay now.
 a) had better
b) needn't
c) should
d) ought

 17) If he ……… about it, I’m sure he’d help.
 a) had know
b) knew
c) has known
d) knows

 18) I'll return the newspaper when I ……… through it.
 a) will have looked
b) looked
c) have looked
d) look

 19) They said they ……… come, but they didn’t.
  a) can
b) will
c) may
d) might

 20) They were ……… hard questions that I had no chance.
 a) so
b) some
c) such
d) quite

 21) I don't have a cent to give you. I ...... bought a new computer.
 a) just buy
b) had just bought
c) 've just
d) soon will

 22) Mum gave ……… her job when I was born.
 a) in
b) up
c) off
d) away

 23) It's all right, we ……… hurry. We have plenty of time.
 a) mustn't
b) shouldn't
c) can't
d) needn't

 24) You have a terrible fever! ……… call a doctor?
 a) Shall I
b) Do I
c) Must I
d) Will I

 25) Joanna looks ……… in her new dress.
  a) nice
b) nicely
c) like nice
d) such nice

 26) Mr Haines wants ……… to his office.
 a) that you come
b) you come to
c) you come
d) you to come

 27) There are ……… around to start a cricket team
 a) enough young boys
b) boys enough young
c) young boys enough
d) enough youngest boys

 28) These bottles ……… of plastic.
 a) are making
b) are make
c) are made
d) made are

 29) Do you know where ……… ?
 a) did I put the keys
b) put I the keys
c) I put the keys
d) I the keys put

 30) Magda knows a lot about badgers, but she ……… a live one.
 a) doesn't ever see
b) hasn't ever seen
c) hasn't ever saw
d) didn't ever see

 31) We wash the curtains ……… year.
  a) three times a
b) once
c) three every
d) every couple

 32) The loudspeakers won't work unless you ……… those cables.
 a) connected
b) connect
c) don't connect
d) can't connect

 33) You should give ……… .
 a) to your mother this letter
b) this letter your mother
c) letter this to your mother
d) this letter to your mother

 34) Marian has ……… old books.
 a) very much
b) a lot of
c) lots
d) a very lot

 35) Hania has got two children, ....... ?
 a) hasn't she
b) has she got
c) has she
d) haven't she

 36) Let's think ……… something nice.
 a) after
b) about
c) for
d) to

 37) A Jaguar is ……… than a Fiat.
  a) more expensive
b) expensiver
c) much expensive
d) expensive

 38) The TV's too loud. Please, ……… .
 a) it turn down
b) turn it up
c) turn it down
d) turn down it

 39) It's a pity you ……… here last night.
 a) weren't
b) aren't
c) 'll not be
d) 'd not be

 40) What about ……… for a walk?
 a) to go
b) I going
c) going
d) go

 41) I made one or two mistakes, but ……… of my answers were correct.
 a) much
b) most
c) more
d) few

 42) You can't cross the road when the light ……… red.
 a) 'll be
b) was
c) were
d) is

 43) I have a problem. ……… help me please?
  a) Could you
b) Should you
c) Were you able to
d) Will you able to

 44) Our neighbour is ……… to Ireland.
 a) going travel
b) going to travelling
c) go
d) going to travel

 45) Do penguins fly? No, they ……… .
 a) aren't
b) haven't
c) don't
d) won't

 46) ……… train are you taking, the express to Poznan or to Skwierzyna?
 a) Which
b) How
c) Whose
d) Who

 47) This is ……… story.
 a) a very interesting
b) very an interesting
c) very interesting
d) very interested

 48) Marta takes the dog for a walk ……… the evening.
 a) in
b) at
c) on
d) to

 49) We haven't got ……… Polish friends.
  a) no
b) any
c) none
d) some

 50) Simon can't ……… to you now. He's busy.
 a) talked
b) to talk
c) talking
d) talk

 51) Have they finished working yet? I don't think ……… .
 a) it
b) this
c) so
d) that

 52) Somebody stole his wallet so he ……… money from a friend.
 a) lent
b) earned
c) borrowed
d) lended

 53) We must go now. Call the waitress and ask for the ……… .
 a) bill
b) invoice
c) price
d) cost

 54) He's a friend of ……… .
 a) them
b) theres
c) theirs
d) their

 55) Have you had ……… to eat?
  a) too many
b) some more
c) to many
d) enough

 56) I ……… my boyfriend since Christmas.
 a) didn't see
b) haven't seen
c) don't see
d) hasn't seen

 57) Who was the woman ……… ?
 a) spoke to you
b) that you were speaking to
c) that you spoke
d) that you were speaked to

 58) Is ……… than his father?
 a) Matt taller
b) taller Matt
c) Matt more tall
d) Matt as tall as

 59) She was 29 on her birthday, ……… she?
 a) didn't
b) hadn't
c) hasn't
d) wasn't

 60) ……… is it from here to Berlin?
 a) How long way
b) How long
c) How far
d) How many

 61) Good ……… ! I hope you get the job.
  a) chance
b) fortune
c) luck
d) wish

 62) The doctor has told her that she must give ……… drinking.
 a) from
b) to
c) off
d) up

 63) There was a lot of noise so I didn't understand what she was ……… .
 a) saying
b) telling
c) speaking
d) talking

 64) I ……… drink beer than wine.
 a) would like more
b) prefer
c) had better
d) would rather

 65) I gave her ……… earrings for Christmas.
 a) a pair of
b) a set of
c) two
d) a

 66) Would you like some more tea? There's still ……… left.
 a) few
b) a few
c) a little
d) little

 67) She didn't want the job, ……… .
  a) however well paid was it
b) however well paid it was
c) for how good pay might it be
d) however good pay it was

 68) He has been ……… for armed robbery.
 a) blamed
b) accused
c) charged
d) arrested

 69) The financial director ……… for almost an hour.
 a) kept us to wait
b) kept us waiting
c) made us to wait
d) made us waiting

 70) I've often ……… at the Wiejce Palace Hotel.
 a) stayed
b) sleeped
c) remained
d) rested

 71) I didn't realise that the coffee shop was ……… the other side of the road.
 a) by
b) for
c) on
d) in

 72) We have ……… for a receptionist but haven't appointed anyone yet.
 a) advertised
b) announced
c) advised
d) noticed

 73) She's very beautiful but that kind of woman doesn't ……… to me.
  a) fancy
b) appeal
c) attract
d) turn on

 74) The language school that I attend is 20 kilometres ……… .
 a) far
b) away
c) distance
d) long

 75) "I'm going to the cinema on Saturday." "So ……… ."
 a) I am
b) do I
c) I do
d) am I

 76) They ……… him of scratching the car.
 a) blamed
b) accused
c) punished
d) arrested

 77) They had to leave the flat because they couldn't pay the ……… .
 a) fare
b) hire
c) rent
d) salary

 78) She ……… at me and then turned away.
 a) viewed
b) regarded
c) responded
d) glanced

 79) The book shop rang ……… that the dictionary you ordered has arrived.
  a) to say
b) to tell
c) for saying
d) for telling

 80) If he hadn't drunk so much, he ……… sick.
 a) didn't feel
b) wouldn't feel
c) hadn't felt
d) hasn't felt

 81) Maria has two sisters, but she doesn't speak to ……… of them.
 a) both
b) any
c) either
d) neither

 82) Hubert is an uncle of ……… .
 a) Kim
b) Kims
c) Kim's
d) Kims'

 83) We discussed the house plans ……… our way to the shops.
 a) by
b) on
c) in
d) to

 84) George goes to ……… by car.
 a) a work
b) the work
c) an work
d) work

 85) Have you found a job ……… ?
  a) soon
b) still
c) longer
d) yet

 86) My boots are dirty. I'd better take them ……… before I come in.
 a) off
b) away
c) on
d) up

 87) What did the man say ……… ?
 a) at you
b) to you
c) for you
d) you

 88) Do you think I should move to Ireland? You shouldn't do anything ……… you think
it's the right thing to do.
 a) when
b) unless
c) in case
d) if

 89) We can finish the rest of the eggs for ……… .
 a) a breakfast
b) the breakfast
c) breakfast
d) a breakfasts

 90) If she doesn't ……… my sight at once, I'll scream!
 a) go out from
b) go off
c) get away from
d) get out of
1. Is global climate change caused by humans?
2. Is the death penalty effective?
3. Is our election process fair?
4. Is torture ever acceptable?
5. Should men get paternity leave from work?
6. Are school uniforms beneficial?
7. Do we have a fair tax system?
8. Do curfews keep teens out of trouble?
9. Is cheating out of control?
10. Are we too dependent on computers?
11. Should animals be used for research?
12. Should cigarette smoking be banned?
13. Are cell phones dangerous?
14. Are law enforcement cameras an invasion of privacy?
15. Do we have a throw-away society?
16. Is child behavior better or worse than it was years ago?
17. Should companies market to children?
18. Should the government have a say in our diets?
19. Does access to condoms prevent teen pregnancy?
20. Should members of Congress have term limits?
21. Are actors and professional athletes paid too much?
22. Should athletes be held to high moral standards?
23. Are CEOs paid too much?
24. Do violent video games cause behavior problems?
25. Should creationism be taught in public schools?
26. Are beauty pageants exploitative?
27. Should English be the official language in the United States?

1. Should the racing industry be forced to use biofuels?

2. Should the alcohol drinking age be increased or decreased?
3. Should everyone be required to recycle?
HOW TO WRITE GOOD MUET ESSAY INTRODUCTIONS

A lot of students do not score well in MUET writing because they may be unaware of the
Academic Writing Format. Those who know about it find it hard to verbalise it or get it
down on paper, as such, their intros might not follow the appropriate formal writing
style that is preferred for MUET level.

Anyway, here is a short lesson on intro writing from me.

The key, as always, is to keep practising.

What makes a good introduction?

Divided into 3 parts.
1. Current Situation/Commentary
2. Stand
3. Thesis Statement/Outline

What should each part consist of?

PART 1
1. Current situation/Commentary should include a HOOK,
which is a statement or question that can HOOK OR GRAB your attention.

Examples of HOOKS
a. Facts/Data/Statistics (News articles, data from graphs/surveys etc)
b. Questions (Rhetorical questions related to the issue)
c. An Anecdote (Story that is related to the issue)
d. Examples (Various related examples)
e. Contrast (Describing the opposite of a given situation, eg. topic: Money, opposite: No
Money)
f.  Projection (Imagining the future)

Basically, you may use any of the hooks above but make sure the tone of your essay is
FORMAL.

Example of Hook (f-Projection)

DO NOT WRITE: 
Imagine if there are no people to clean up rubbish, everywhere got rubbish so dirty and
many people would get sick because so many diseases until everyone die. 
DO WRITE:
Imagine a world without a cleanup crew, rubbish would be piling up high everywhere
and diseases would spread like wildfire to threaten the very existence of mankind.

PART 2
2. Stand
Refer to the question and focus on the key words to develop your stand.
Use these phrases to guide you:
a. In my opinion, I strongly/totally/completely/absolutely believe/feel/agree/disagree
that...
b. From my perspective, I ...
c. From my point of view, I ...
d. It is my opinion that...

Your stand can also help you organise your essays in terms of paragraphing.

IF YOU CLEARLY AGREE/DISAGREE

: use a 5 paragraph format
INTRO
AGREE 1
AGREE 2
AGREE 3
CONCLUSION
or
INTRO
DISAGREE 1
DISAGREE 2
DISAGREE 3
CONCLUSION.

However, I am inclined to give the 'thinkers' a higher band if they can

compare and contrast ideas using the 6 paragraph format as shown below.

INTRO
AGREE 1
AGREE 2
DISAGREE 1
DISAGREE 2
CONCLUSION
or
INTRO
AGREE 1 vs DISAGREE 1
AGREE 2 vs DISAGREE 2
AGREE 3 vs DISAGREE 3
AGREE 4 vs DISAGREE 4
CONCLUSION

*NOTE that 5 paragraphs are the bare minimum, 6 is suggested,

but those with excellent proficiency should NOT let the number of paragraphs hold you
back.
Conversely, the danger of writing too much is it is 'self-penalising'
as you will make too many errors esp if you run out of time and cannot edit your writing.

PART 3
3. Thesis Statement/Outline

This is by far the MOST IMPORTANT part of the introduction as it foreshadows

what the writer will focus on and gives the examiner
an idea of how well the writer can organise his/her essay.

For low bands, a simple Outline is enough. Use this template to help you.

In this essay, I would like to discuss

advantages/disadvantages/reasons/causes/strategies which are __________,
__________ and ___________.

or

In this essay, I would like to focus on the *________________, ______________

and ______________.
*can be replaced with:
a. causes, effects and solutions
b. pros, cons, solutions
c. advantages, disadvantages, suggestions
d. benefits, drawbacks, ways to overcome
e. etc.

For higher bands, omit the 'I' and replace with more formal structures.

In light of this, there are many reasons/causes/effects/advantages/disadvantages to this

issue namely ______________, _______________ and ______________.

or
There are many facets to this issue but let us focus on the ____________,
___________ and _________ of ______________________(issue).

or etc.

SAMPLES OF INTRODUCTIONS FOR EACH HOOK TECHNIQUE.

Now that you're learnt the theory, let's put it to practice. To show you how this works,
I've used one question, and written 6 different intros but all with the 3 part format
which I've discussed.

There is a question at the end of this section and you may try your hand in writing your
own 6 versions of the introduction... practice makes perfect!!!

Nov 2013 Writing Question 

"The most important factor which contributes towards a person's success is

himself." 
Do you agree with the statement ? Justify your stand, giving relevant
examples where appropriate. You should write at least 350 words. 

a. Facts/Data/Statistics (News articles, data from graphs/surveys etc)

According to an article in Forbes magazine on World's 100 Top Successful people, 90%
of people become successful based on their unique individual characters rather than
talent alone. This means that people who have the same great talent - take singing for
example - are both capable of becoming successful but the one who has the
characteristics fans like such as friendly, well-groomed with high self-esteem and
creativity are more likely to achieve superstardom compared to an introverted singer
with low self-confidence and charisma. It is my humble opinion that I absolutely agree
with the statement that the most important factor which contributes towards a person's
success is himself. We can analyse this issue in terms of the human factor which are his
innate qualities, his drive for success and his ability to sustain success. 

b. Questions (Rhetorical questions related to the issue)

Is talent enough to achieve success? How is it possible for a set of twins who are both
equally good in singing, yet only one becomes a successful singer while the other does
not? Can a person's character determine his or her ability to achieve success in life?
From my point of view, the answer lies in the fact that it is indeed the person himself
which contributes towards his own success. In this essay, I would like to discuss how a
person's innate talent, his drive to succeed and his motivation to stay at the top are the
reasons that differentiate every one of us therefore controlling our success metres. 

c. An anecdote (Story that is related to the issue)

There was once a farmer who had triplets. He could not decide which son should inherit
his property so he gave each of his three sons the same sum of money and told them to
achieve success. The first son used the money as a dowry and managed to acquire the
chief's daughter as a wife. The second son used the money to bet on horses but lost it all.
The third son bought cows with the intent of breeding them, milking them and making
butter and cheese of which he would sell at the market. Finally, the farmer chose the
third son because he was the only son capable of 'growing' his investment. The point of
all this is to show that when the playing field is leveled, and there is equal opportunity,
success or failure is determined by the decisions each individual makes. Therefore, I
strongly agree with the statement that the most important factor which contributes
towards a person's success is himself. In light of this, there are many aspects of the
person himself which contributes to his success, namely his aptitude, attitude and drive
to succeed. 

d. Examples (Various related examples)

Donald Trump is renowned the world over for his acute business acumen as testified by
his Trump empire. His entrepreneurship skills have been commonly mimicked but
rarely replicated as many aspire to become like him but seldom achieve the level of his
success. The secret of his success is his unique character which is driven by his desire to
rise above all, including himself. There are other examples of extremely successful
people who have achieved success not solely based on talent but their individual
characteristics such as Mark Zuckerberg and our own Datuk Tony Fernandez to name a
few. From my perspective, the most important factor which contributes towards a
person's success is indeed himself. This can be proven in terms of his own talent, his
character and motivation to remain successful. 

e. Contrast (Describing the opposite of a given situation, eg. topic: Money, opposite: No
Money)

A person born into an affluent family, when taking over the father's business manages to
run the business down the ground. The question then arises as to why the son failed to
follow in the footsteps of his father when everything was handed to him on a silver
platter. Simply put, he might have inherited the same genes but this does not
predetermine his individualistic characteristic which in turn contributes to his ability to
succeed or in this case, fail. Similarly, a person born into a poor family with not much
given to him, can scrape the barrels and claw out of his poverty and make a success of
his life unlike his parents or siblings. The sheer determination to succeed gives him the
necessary elixir to lift him out of his fate and create a new and brighter future for
himself. Hence it is my steadfast opinion that the environment does not play the most
crucial factor in determining success, but it is indeed the person himself what
contributes to his rise or fall. To discuss this issue, let us look at the three aspects of
success, namely a person's aptitude, attitude and desire to sustain success. 

f. Projection (Imagining the future)

If every one of us could be successful, would this world not be full of successful people?
The very fact that not everyone in this world today is a success story strongly implies
that there are many factors that contribute to a person's success but it is each individual
himself that gives him the cutting edge. In my opinion, I completely agree that the most
important factor which contributes towards a person's success is himself. There are
many facets to this issue but let us focus on a person's own ability, character and
determination that will lead to his or her success. 

Right... so what do you think of the 6 different approaches? 

Which do you like the best? 
Which suits your writing style the best? 

As mentioned earlier, below is a sample exam question that you can try writing
introductions for. Write at least 3 different versions of the introductions using any of the
6 hooks taught previously. 

"The most important thing in life is health." Do you agree with the
statement? Justify your stand, giving relevant examples where appropriate.
You should write at least 350 words. 

If you really want to challenge yourself, you could use the first essay topic on success
and try to disagree with it or discuss both for and against it (come up with a 6 paragraph
organisation). You will need to figure out what are the external factors that leads one to
success. 

As usual, write the sample intros out and post in the comments below..
waiting to hear from both teachers and students! Happy penning! 
MUET SPEAKING 800/2 TIPS - SAMPLE ANSWERS

Candidate A
Instructions to candidates:

Task A: Individual presentation

 Study the stimulus or topic given.

 You are given two minutes to prepare your responses.
 You are given two minutes to present.
 Listen to the others while they are making their presentations and take down notes for the
group discussion in Task B.
Task B: Group discussion

 You are given two minutes to prepare points to support or oppose the other candidates’ views.
 After you have listened to everyone, try to come to a decision as to which of the four
suggestions is the best.
 Your group is given ten minutes for the discussion.
Task A and Task B will be carried out consecutively.

Situation

Your brother has been given the opportunity to study in England on a government scholarship. You and
your family are very proud of him. Decide on a special gift for him to prepare for his trip abroad.

Task A: Suggest that they give him cash. Say why.

Task B: Discuss which of the following would be most useful.

cash

a computer

some suitable clothing

iv. some Malaysian foodstuff

Candidate A

Task A: Suggest that they give him cash. Say why.

Good morning to the examiners and my fellow friends. I’m very happy that my brother
has just received a scholarship to study in England. My relatives and I would like to give him a
special gift. We all think that the best gift is money because it will be very useful for him.
The first reason is with cash he can buy the things that he needs when he gets there. There will
me a lot of things that he will need like new books, stationery, clothes and food. He will also need to pay
for transportation like taking the bus or train to go to the university campus. As we know, it is very
expensive in England so any money we give him will be very useful.

Secondly, my brother can use the money to buy a mobile phone when he gets to England. I think
this is very important in case of emergencies so we can contact him easily. Furthermore, he can sms us
and keep us updated with his progress in his studies there. Hence, if we really miss him we can just give
him a call.

Finally, I also think giving him money is the best choice because it is light and doesn’t take up a
lot of space. If we were to give him a computer, books or winter clothes it will be very heavy and bulky
for him to bring to England. Therefore, I think that it is much easier to bring money and buy those things
when he gets there.

In conclusion, these are some of the reasons why I think giving him cash is the best choice. To
me, it is the most useful gift we can give him. Thank you.
Candidate B
Task A: You suggest that they give him a computer. Say why.

A very good morning I bid to one and all. My relatives and I are very proud of my brother. He
has just received a scholarship to study in England and so we would like to give him a special
gift. We believe that the best present for him is a laptop computer.
Firstly, as a university student, my brother will have to do many assignments. If he has a laptop
computer he can bring it everywhere and consequently, do his work anytime and anywhere. Thus, he
will not have to share the computers at the computer room with other students and he will be able to
do his work more quickly and efficiently.

Another point is that when he boards the plane from KLIA to London, he will be able to bring the laptop
with him easily because it is compact and light compared to a desktop computer. Hence, it will not be
too much trouble to transport it to England.

Last but not least, if he has a laptop he will be able to connect to the internet. This has two main
advantages as firstly, he can do a lot of research online. The world wide web is a fountain of information
so it will be very useful for him to make full use of this technology. Furthermore, he can keep in touch
with friends and family here in Malaysia by e-mail.

In short, a laptop computer will prove to be very useful to my brother. He can do his assignments,
research for information and keep in touch with us using it therefore it will make the best gift. Thank
you for listening.

Candidate C
Task A: You suggest that they give him some suitable clothing. Say why.

To the examiners and my fellow candidates, a wonderful morning I bid you. My brother was
lucky enough to receive a scholarship to study overseas. We want to send him off with a nice gift
so we have decided to buy him some suitable clothing.
The main purpose for buying him some suitable clothing is because the weather in England is very
different from the weather in our country. There are four seasons there so he will need to have different
clothes for different situations. For example, we can buy him some sweaters, cardigans, scarves,
snowcaps, thick socks and gloves and many more. These will definitely keep him warm in winter.

The second reason is we think that he should have clothes that reflect our Malaysian identity. This is
because he will be a young ambassador for our country so if he has a few sets of traditional clothing like
the Baju Melayu or formal Batik shirts, I am sure he will not only look good but promote our culture
overseas.

Lastly, neat clothes make a good impression. For instance, if we buy him some everyday clothes like
jeans and trousers with nice shirts and matching ties, this will give him a good feeling about himself so
he will walk a bit straighter and talk a bit wiser. Moreover, people will look at him and have a good
impression about Malaysian students.

To conclude, I think that the best present to give him is some suitable clothing because it will be very
useful and will reflect positively on him. Thank you very much.

Candidate D
Task A: You suggest that they give him some Malaysian foodstuff. Say why.

I would like to wish everyone here a very good morning. As we all know, my brother has won a
scholarship to study in England. Therefore, some relatives and I have decided to give him some
Malaysian foodstuff as a going away present.

First and foremost, one of the main problems Malaysians face when studying overseas is that it is hard
to find Halal food. We feel it is a good idea to give him some Malaysian foodstuff because it will take
time for him to get used to the place and find out where to buy Halal food. Thus, in the meantime he
can enjoy the Malaysian foodstuff that we have given to him.

The next reason is because some of the foodstuff we are used to having here in Malaysia is quite hard to
find in UK. Most students studying overseas really enjoy eating Maggi Mee and sambal belacan. For
instance, it is also hard to find the right spices for curry and rendang and so on so if we supply him with
enough Malaysian foodstuff, he can eat it whenever he misses home.

The final point I have is that he can use the Malaysian foodstuff we give him and cook it for the
Westerners there. Sometimes, universities organise events like Malaysian Night and so he and
his friends can cook some Malaysian specialities for them to taste a bit of our way of life. Hence,
the Malaysian foodstuff will be very useful to promote our culture.
In a nutshell, giving my brother Malaysian foodstuff to take with him to England is a good idea. This is
because he will have some familiar food to eat when he misses home and he can also share it with his
new friends. Thank you for listening to my opinion.
Task B: Discuss which of the following would be most useful.
Cash

A computer

Some suitable clothing

Some Malaysian foodstuff

* Work together in your respective groups and complete the following discussion.

A: Good morning once again to everyone. We are here to focus on the issue at hand which is
__________________________________________________________. I would like to invite
anyone of you to kickstart this discussion by giving us your point of view.

B: Allow me to begin. First of all, I’m happy that our brother has won the scholarship to study in England.
Therefore, we must decide what would be the most useful gift for him. In my opinion, I strongly
believe that _______________
_________________________________________________________________. This is because
I think he can _________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

For example, ______________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________.

C: I see your point but how about getting him ______________________________. In this way, he can
use it to ___________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

D: I don’t quite agree with you because ____________________________________

_________________________________________________________________. I think it would
be more useful if we bought _______________________ for him. Does anyone agree with me?

A: Yes, I agree with you. To add to your point, I feel that ______________________
_________________________________________________________________.

This is so he will ___________________________________________________.

C: I’m afraid I don’t see eye to eye with both of you. Buying that as a present for him is not the most
useful gift because __________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

Moreover, ________________________________________________________.

Can you all understand what I’m trying to say?

B: Indeed, I do see your point of view but I still feel that the most useful gift is __________________
because it can ___________________________________. Another reason is
___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________. For instance,
_______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

D: That’s an interesting perspective and I agree with you that ___________________

_________________________________________________________________. However, I
think we should consider other points. We should also think about buying him
_______________________________________________________.

If he gets this as a present, he can ______________________________________ and

____________________________________________. Wouldn’t you agree?

A: I’m not sure I understand what you are saying. Can you explain it again, please.

D: What I mean is we should buy him _____________________________________ because it will me

more useful for him when he is studying in England. This is because
___________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

A: Aaah… I see. Yes, I think it would be a very useful gift too. This way, he can
_________________________________________________________________.

C: That’s a good point, but don’t you think if we gave him _____________________ it will be the most
useful for him as a student. I still believe that this is the most useful because
_____________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

Remember, we need to think of the best and most useful choice.

B: I agree with you, Candidate C. In addition, he can use this gift to _____________
______________________________________________________________________________
_______________. So candidates A & D, what do you guys think?

D: Now that you’ve explained it like that, I also agree that it will be the most useful. In fact, he could also
use it to _________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

A: As for me, I feel that it is also the most useful. When he arrives at his university in England, he will be
able to ____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

C: That’s right. Well, after listening to all the points on the four choices we have, I think it is time to
make a conclusion.

D: Yes, I think so too. Does everyone agree that we should give our brother
_______________________________________ as a special going away present?

All: Yes, I agree.

B: In a nutshell, we all agree that _______________________________ is the best choice because firstly,
he can _________________________________________, secondly,
________________________________________________ and finally
_________________________________________________________________.

Thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The End~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What to conclude if after 10 minutes of discussion….

Agree = 3, Disagree = 1
Conclusion: To conclude, MOST OF US agree that ______________________

is the best choice because ________________________________.

___________________________________________. Thank you.

Agree = 2, Disagree = 2
Conclusion: In conclusion, we were unable to make a solid decision because
 SOME OF US stongly believe that the best choice is __________ because
_______________________________________________ while THE REST OF US
think that giving him _______________ is the most useful because
_________________

___________________________________________. Thank you.

All Disagree
Conclusion: In a nutshell, we were unable to come to an agreement on which of the four options
is the best choice. It seems ALL OF US strongly believe in our own points so as
we have run out of time, we think that we should each buy him a gift
individually. Thank you.

MUET Speaking 800/2 tips and sample

Speaking exam is around the corner again.. some of you have taken this exam before and some
are still virgins (hahahahhaha). What to expect? Well...

1. There will be not one, but 2 examiners at the table, and 4 candidates (ideally as total number
of candidates for each session is 5 groups of 4 = 20) whom u can refer to as Candidate A, B C &
D (NOT advised to use names, even if they are your friends). If you are the last or second last
group and some candidates are absent, the examiners should divide the last 2 groups into 3
members each (3-3) instead of (4-2). If they don't do that, you have the right to request the 3-3
combination because the discussion will be more lively but always remember to ask politely.

2. For task A, expect to speak for a full 2 minutes, regardless of how many points you deliver (no
deduction for number of points as MPM does not specify that you have to describe 3 points.)
You just need to speak according to the topic confidently, fluently and accurately with good body
language.

3. For task B, expect to speak for a full 10 minutes, regardless of if you manage to do a
conclusion or not (last I heard, MPM does not require conclusions because natural
conversations do not necessarily have conclusions but it is still nice to round up the discussion
with a good conclusion). Do not dominate the discussion or on the other hand, do not also be a
passenger with nothing to say. Ask your friends their opinions or help them end their
sentences/ideas when they are stuck as this shows good management of discussion skills.

4. Smile, talk naturally (not robotic), crack some jokes and give creative ideas instead of boring
predictable ones, laugh together and basically have a good time because the examiners are fed
up of listening to the same old rubbish. If you make them laugh (in a good way), chances are
they will be more willing to award better marks.

Let's analyse last year's speaking question. Here is a sample Band 6 scripts for task A.

Day 1, Session 1 Year End 2011 (not exact words)

People who give the most meaningful contribution to society
a)garbage collectors
b)toilet cleaners
c)road sweepers
d)gardeners
Candidate A:

Good morning to the examinerS and my fellow candidateS. There are many people in this world
who contribute meaningfully to society. Some sit in high positions while those who do menial
tasks are no less worthy. Likewise, garbage collectors have a significant contribution to our
society as not many would voluntarily do this 'stinky' but necessary job.
First and foremost, I think garbage collectors deserve merit because they are the ones who
maintain the cleanliness of our neighbourhood. This is because, without them, there would be
rubbish strewn around everywhere which is a sight for sore eyes. Moreover, the stench itself
would cause unease among citizens who need to go about their daily business. For example,
rotten food, soiled diapers and so on would be an unbearable sight if not collected and disposed
of properly.
Secondly, garbage collectors should be held in high esteem as their job of maintaining the
hygiene of society is a crucial one. This means that without them, diseases would spread
rampantly. In addition, the overall health of society would suffer as garbage that is uncollected is
an excellent breeding ground for bacteria and insects. For instance, piles of uncollected rubbish
is the perfect place for dengue and malaria carrying mosquitos and many more.
Last but not least, a garbage collector's job is very meaningful to society because in this modern
era, humans have managed to produce so much rubbish per day that without them, the sheer
amount would drown the whole city in a week! Imagine how much plastic packaging each of us
throws away within a day. Take for example all the empty plastic bottles, Maggi mee wrappers,
plastic packaging from the supermarket and even paper products like cigarette boxes and
newspapers among others.
In short, society would be seriously crippled if garbage collectors did not do their job. Therefore,
I truly believe that garbage collectors provide a very meaningful contribution to today's society.
Thank you.

Candidate B: Toilet Cleaners.

          A very good morning I bid to one and all. Everyone has a role to play in society no matter
how high or low their profile is. We should be thankful that we have toilet cleaners because they
are the people who give the most meaningful contribution to society. I would like to discuss
three reasons for this. (15 secs)

            First and foremost, it is the main duty of the toilet cleaners to maintain the cleanliness
and hygiene of public toilets. Quite often, we have come across toilets that are in dire need of
cleaning where the smell is putrid and there is urine and faeces everywhere, disgusting, right?
Without toilet cleaners, people would completely avoid public toilets unless they are so
desperate they are willing to endure the horrid stench. These unhygienic toilets are also a toxic
zone for bacteria and diseases such as Hepatitis and so on. Thus, toilet cleaners do us a grateful
service of maintaining the public toilets so they are safe to use.

          Secondly, toilet cleaners are also instrumental in maintaining the facilities in the public
toilets. This is because it is quite common for public property like toilets to be vandalised by
irresponsible people. Some trash the place and spray graffiti on the walls, while there have also
been cases of breaking toilet bowls, sinks and others. If the toilet cleaners are around, these
incidences can be reduced greatly and society can enjoy a better and cleaner image. Therefore,
toilet cleaners have a very meaningful job because they help maintain a good impression of our
country especially to international tourists.
            Last but not least, being a toilet cleaner is an extremely meaningful contribution to
society because not many people want to do this menial task. The responsibility of cleaning
toilets is not a glamorous job, in fact, people may be embarrassed to tell others that their
occupation in life is a toilet cleaner. However, I completely believe that without them, public
toilets would hazardous to our health and they provide us a service that is crucial and necessary
for a healthy lifestyle. Hence, we should be thankful to them for their commitment in their
profession.

            In essence, the most meaningful contribution to society is by toilet cleaners because they
help maintain hygiene, our country’s image and it is a thankless job. Thank you and have a nice
day.

So what do you think about this sample? What makes it a high band response?

Now it's your turn, you can try to write your sample script for Candidate C or D below and I'll
tell
2 MUET Speaking Samples by one of my Personal Online Tutees

Hey there everyone! Getting excited that Speaking is around the corner? One of my online tutees
under my personal online tutoring (email me at [email protected] to be a tutee) has
prepared sample scripts for 2 speaking topics. Have a read below to get an idea of what makes a
good presentation and discussion. The individual tasks are longer than 2 mins so when you are
speaking, just talk confidently for 2 mins regardless of how many points you managed to cover.
Likewise, the discussion script is shorter than 10 mins but in the real exam, just ensure you talk
about fresh new points (never repeat what you have said in Task A at the beginning of the
discussion) and be a good discussion manager by getting the ball rolling, asking questions,
giving feedback, counter-arguing and concluding. Good luck and read up on all my archived
notes for passing MUET.

Sample 1:

Your friend wants to quit university because her family is facing a financial crisis. Advise her.
TASK A
Candidate A: Study part-time
Candidate B: Study full-time
Candidate C: Postpone for 1 year (gap year)
Candidate D: Continue studying but start an online business
A. PART-TIME
 A wonderful morning I bid to the examiners and my fellow friends. It is very sad to hear that my
friend wants to quit university due to a financial crisis. My advice to her is that she should study
part time.
 First and foremost, by studying part time, she can search for a part time job to earn some
money. This is because during part time studies, she will not have daily classes or even that
often. For instance, she can work part time in a nearby kiosk, Mc Donald or working in the
university area. Hence, she can pay for her tuition fees, accommodation, books and so on from
the money she earned.
 Secondly, she can work in a company that gives sponsorship for her studies. In exchange, she
will be bonded to the company for a period of time. Furthermore, she does not have to worry as
the company will cover for all her fees. To illustrate, she will be working with the company in the
morning and having classes at night or on weekends like at Open University.
 On top of that, studying part time gives her an advantage to pay for her fees slowly. My reason
for this is because part time studies require a longer duration to finish her studies. Therefore,
she will be able to pay her fees slowly. Moreover, she has a much longer time to save her money.
 To sum up, these are some of the reasons why I advise her to study part time. To me, it is the
best way to ease the burden of her family. Thank you for listening.

B. FULL-TIME
 A very good morning to one and all. It worries me a lot when I know that one of my friends
wants to quit university due to her financial problems. In my humble opinion, she should just
continue her studies full time.
 Firstly, she will be able to achieve better results when studying full time. This is because she can
concentrate on her academics. In addition, she needs to work hard to achieve success. As a
result, she can work hard to be on the dean’s list.
 My second point is she can apply for scholarships or study loans with flexible repayment with
her good results. The main reason for this is because scholarships and loans can help her to ease
the burden of her family. As an illustration,  she has to study hard to achieve great marks or
pointers and apply for financial support during the second semester and if she gets a 4 pointer
result the loan can be converted into a scholarship.
 Last but not least, she can find a better job with higher salary quicker after graduation rather
than studying part time. My reason for this is because her studies has a shorter duration of time
to finish. Furthermore, she can help her family by providing financial support after she has a
job. For instance, she will obtain more money with her qualification rather than just work part
time because a degree can get her a higher salary. Even as a graduated teacher, she can earn
minimum RM3000 a month compared to RM900 minimum wages.
 In summary, these are the reasons why she should continue her studies full time. In my point of
view, these give greater benefits to her family and herself. Thank you and have a nice day.

C. POSTPONE FOR 1 YEAR (GAP YEAR)

 A very lovely morning to the examiners and my fellow candidates. As we all know, my friend
and her family are currently facing a financial crisis. As her friend, I would advise her to
postpone her studies for one year as our government has approved the gap year system now.
 First of all, she can find a permanent job instead of working part time if she postpones her
studies. My reason for this is because a permanent job has a better and higher salary than a part
time job. Furthermore, the salary for a permanent job can be raised higher as time goes by. As
an illustration, she could earn approximately RM1200 per month and above by working
permanently whereas she would only earn around RM750 monthly part time.
 My second point is she will be able to save a greater amount of money. This is due to she has
more time when she postpones her studies. She can save a certain amount of money a month for
a whole year. Moreover, if it is an office hour job, she can also do online business, baking and
selling, catering and many more.
 Finally, she will be able to help her family with their financial problem. The main reason for this
is because she can focus on earning money instead of worrying about not being able to focus on
her studies. In addition, she does not have to worry about any overdue fees for her to settle as
soon as possible.
  In a nutshell, postponing her studies for one year is definitely a great idea. It will greatly benefit
her and her family and she can continue studying after the gap year. Thank you.

D. STUDY BUT START A BUSINESS ONLINE

 A wonderful day I bid you. I feel very disheartened when I found out that my friend wants to
quit her studies because of her family’s financial crisis. After a lengthy deliberation, I think that
she should just continue her studies but at the same time, she should start a business online.
 Firstly, she can earn her own money by doing an online business. Social media is one of the
mediums for people around us to communicate with each other. Due to the very high number of
users, it increases the probability for every percentage of the buyers. There are a lot of social
media sites or apps and pages that we could start with. For instance, Whatsapp, Wechat,
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and so on.
 Moving on to my next point, doing a business online saves a lot of cost. The main reason for this
is because she does not have to rent for a shop to display and sell. Moreover, she can save her
money by reducing the transportation cost. To illustrate, she will need to pay for the
transportation fees to her workplace.
 Lastly, doing an online business is easier for everyone. My reason for this is because nowadays
everyone can access the internet from any location through various gadgets and devices such as
computers, mobile phones, tablets and many more.
 In short, these are the benefits of doing business online. She can help both her family and
herself if she works hard for it and manages her time well. Thank you for lending me your ears.

TASK B
Discuss the best advice for her.
A: A wonderful morning to one and all. The issue we are discussing today is our friend wants to
quit university due to a financial crisis that her family is facing. I would like to invite anyone of
you to kickstart this discussion by giving us your opinion.
C: Allow me to begin. First and foremost, I am very worried about our friend when I received the
news that she wants to quit university. Hence, I decided to give her a piece of advice. In my
humble opinion, I believe that studying full time is a good way for her. This is because she will
achieve better results if she focuses only on her studies. For instance, she can be on the dean’s
list when she works hard for it.
B: I see your point but how about she postpones her studies for one year. In this way, she will be
able to help her family with the financial problem. The reason is because she can focus on
earning money instead of worrying and being unable to focus in class.
D: I do not quite agree with you because by doing so, she will graduate later than she is
supposed to. I think that it will be better if she studies but start a business online. Does anyone
agree with me?
A: Yes, I do agree but allow me to share my point. I think that she should study part time. My
reason for this is because she can work part time while studying to earn some money to pay for
her tuition fees, books, accommodation and so on.
C: I am afraid that I do not see eye to eye with both of you. Those solutions are not the best way
to solve her problems. Mainly because she might end up repeating her papers and will have
another incurred fees. Thus, it will actually burden her family and herself more.
B: Indeed, I do see your point of view but I believe that she should just continue her studies full
time because she can also apply for a scholarship or study loan by using her first semester’s
result. In order to make it happen, she needs to get a very good result which I encourage her to
just focus on her studies.
D: That is an interesting perspective and I agree with you that she should apply for a scholarship
or loan. However, I think that we should consider other points. In my perspective, doing an
online business is very simple and saves a lot of cost. She does not have to rent for a shop nor
spend a lot on transportation fees. Wouldn’t you agree?
A: I am not sure I understand what you are saying. Can you explain it again, please?
D: What I mean is she can study and do business online at the same time. The main reason for
this is because it is very simple, easy, convenient and fast. Nowadays people can access the
internet from anywhere they are. She would not need to spend money on rental and
transportations as orders will be made online by using computers, mobile phones, tablets and so
on.
A: I see. Yes, I think it would be a great way too. This way she can earn some money even during
her studies.
C: That is a good point, but don’t you think that having a gap year for her is better? I strongly
believe that this is the best way because she can find a permanent job instead of part time. My
reason for this is simply because she will receive a higher salary compared to working part time.
Hence, she can save her money worth a year. So candidates A and D, what do you guys think?
D: Now that you have explained it like that, I also agree that it will be the best way. In fact, she
can ease the burden of her family if she earns a lot.
A: As for me, I feel that it is the best if she studies part time because she can also find a
sponsorship for her studies. In exchange, she will need to work with the company even during
her studies.
C: After listening to all the points on the four choices we have, I think that it is time to make a
conclusion.
D: Yes, I think so too. Does everyone agree that our friend should study while starting a business
online?
All: Yes, I agree.
B: In short, it is unanimous that we all agree that studying while starting an online business is
the best way because firstly, she can earn her own money. Secondly, it saves a lot of cost and
finally, it is easy to access from any location.
Thank you and have a nice day.

Sample 2:

TASK A
Reducing is one of the 3R strategies. Discuss.
Candidate A: Reduce paper usage
Candidate B: Reduce plastics usage
Candidate C: Reduce electricity usage
Candidate D: Reduce petroleum usage
Task B: Which strategy is the best?

CANDIDATE A: REDUCE PAPER USAGE

 Good morning to the examiners and fellow candidates. One of the 3R strategies is to reduce.
Reducing means to make something smaller or use less, resulting in a smaller amount of waste.
I strongly believe that reducing paper usage is the best way to reduc wastage.
 First and foremost, reducing paper usage gives us environmental benefits. My main reason for
this is because we can save a lot of trees from being cut down. Trees provide oxygen to both
humans and animals. Therefore, to have more or sufficient oxygen, the number of humans and
animals should never overpopulate the amount of plants and trees. Moreover, trees are habitats
to certain species of animals. Unknowingly, we are destroying their habitats and thus will lead to
the extinction of some endangered species of both flora and fauna. Hence, reducing the usage of
paper is very important to save the environment.
 Secondly, we are able to save our cost if the usage of paper is reduced. This is because when we
use less paper, we will also reduce the cost for storage, toner, printing, labour, postage,
packaging, disposal and so on. To illustrate, we should always use both sides of the papers and
maximise the use of the space. In the office, we should always think before we start printing on
paper. To exemplify, we can use email instead of paper mail which is easier in many ways.
Therefore, less usage of paper saves a huge amount of money.
 Finally, the reduction of usage of paper will definitely make our lives more efficient. Nowadays,
technological advancement plays an important role in our lives. To elaborate, we can reduce
paper usage by using electronic storage rather than paper storage for material. Electronic
storage can be very reliable if it is set up with backups. Moreover, we can change our bills to
paperless bill and pay them online or by phone. The companies can do this easily since email is
much cheaper than postage. Thus, reducing paper usage is saving a lot of our time and making
tasks simpler.
 In a nutshell, reducing the use of paper will definitely give us a better life in the future as we are
able to save more trees, costs and time. Awareness should be spread throughout the society to
aid more in the 3R strategies. Thank you for your time.

CANDIDATE B: REDUCE PLATICS USAGE

 A wonderful morning I bid to you. Reducing is one of the 3R strategies that is introduced
throughout the society. In my point of view, reducing plastics usage is a very good way to
minimise the amount of waste that we produce.
 At the forefront of this issue is the fact that overuse of plastics will cause pollution. The reason
for this is because plastics are non-biodegradable. This means that they take hundreds or even
thousands of years to breakdown. Those plastic wastes take up precious space in landfills. As a
result, they pollute the environment such as oceans, groundwater and soil when the chemical
compounds in the plastics leach through the soil. We may not be able to eliminate them all, but
we can reduce the usage of plastics by replacing plastic bags with paper bags or reusable
shopping bags. Hence, we will be able to save the environment from being polluted by reducing
the usage of plastics.
 A second crucial point to ponder is that the making of plastic itself has already used a lot of
energy and earth’s resources. As an illustration, we take plastic bottles for example from
producing the bottle, to filling it with water, to transporting it to stores and then to our home. It
obviously requires a lot of energy compared to producing tap water. To reduce plastics usage,
one of the things we can do is that we should boil our own drinking water instead of buying
bottles of drinking water. Some cities in America have passed a law to ban the sales of bottled
water in their war against plastics. Thus, we are able to use less plastic products.
 Last but not least, we should use fewer plastic products due to the health hazard. My main
reason for this is because plastic is a complex mixture of chemical compounds. Some hazardous
chemicals might leach from the plastic food containers when heated or exposed to UV light. This
explains why we should not drink water from a plastic bottle left in a car, where it is exposed
under the sun. To avoid the hazardous effects, we should store our food in glass containers.
Some universities and even bazaars in selangor have declared themselves to be Zero-plastic and
those still using plastics will be fined heavily. Therefore, we should reduce plastics usage as they
may also affect our health.
 To sum up, these reasons support the idea of reducing the use of plastics. We can change and
save our future even with the smallest gesture will have a snowball effect. Thank you for lending
me your ears.

CANDIDATE C: REDUCE ELECTRICITY USAGE

 Hello and greetings to one and all. The 3R strategies aid us in saving the world which is
currently gradually collapsing due to climate change and pollution. Therefore, my suggestion is
to reduce electricity usage.
 My first point is that we can save our money by reducing the use of electricity. This is because
electricity usage at home can be up to 90% compared to other sources. For example, the use of
televisions, fans, lights, heaters, air-conditioners, chargers and many more that require
electrical power to function. To reduce this phenomenon, we can replace normal light bulbs with
energy-efficient bulbs and same goes to the other electrical appliances and electronic devices.
Hence, our electric bills can be effectively reduced with minimum usage of electricity.
 Moving on to my next point, we can avoid short-circuit occurrence due to high consumption of
electrical power if we reduce the usage. My explanation for this is that the higher the currents,
the more the energy loss. They are converted into other form of energy such as light and heat. It
is dangerous when more of the electrical energy is converted into heat as it can generate fire. To
avoid this, we should insulate and always checked the insulator for all of the wires we use.
Furthermore, we should always switch off all of the switches and unplug every socket when not
in use. Too often, we hear about charging phones exploding and catching fire. Thus, reducing
the use of electricity increases our safety.
 On top of that, we should reduce electrical power consumption because of the limited non-
renewable resources. In Malaysia, electricity is generated from the burning of fossil fuels
whereas in other countries, they are using unlimited resources such as the sun, wind and tides.
Additionally, the burning of fossil fuels will also cause environmental pollution. As an
illustration, river and sea water are polluted by chemicals and polluted air from the release of
unfiltered smokes. Therefore, the environment can be saved by reducing electricity usage.
 In short, we can improve our lives if we are aware of the need to protect the earth first. I
strongly believe that reducing the use of electricity is the best way for us if we wish to continue to
live harmoniously in this world of limited resources. Thank you for listening.

CANDIDATE D: REDUCE PETROLEUM USAGE

 A very lovely day I bid to the examiners and fellow friends. We have been educated and taught
in school about the 3R strategies ever since we were young, where reducing is one the 3R
strategies. From my perspective, I think that we should reduce petroleum usage.
 For starters, we need to remember that petroleum is a non-renewable resource. Why do I say
so? Because petroleum is indeed a very limited resource that is extracted from the deep sea and
sooner or later, it will all disappear in a blink of an eye. There are a lot of products made from
petroleum. One of the things that we can do to reduce the use of petroleum is to discontinue the
usage of plastics, soaps as well as perfume and scented products. To elaborate, almost all of
these chemicals are derived from petrochemicals. Thus, we are able to lengthen the duration of
petroleum usage before it is all used up.
  My next point is that traffic jams can be reduced. My reason for this is because petroleum and
transportation are strongly related to each other. We should change our vehicle usage patterns.
Take for instance, we should use our own car a lot less and start walking, biking and using public
transportations more. Moreover, we should also schedule our trips. For example, we may plan a
weekly shopping trip instead of going four or five times per week. Therefore, we will face less
traffic jam if we use less petroleum in terms of transportation.
 My last point is that reducing petroleum usage can also pollute the environment less. To
produce energy from petroleum, it must undergo the process of burning. The burning of fuel will
result in the release of unhealthy and toxic fumes. Nowadays, technological advancement is the
solution to this problem. Cars which require fuel and gasoline are replaced with car batteries,
solar power energy and even hybrid electric generated power like the Toyota Prius. Hence,
pollution can be controlled if petroleum usage is significantly decreased.
 In summary, the non-renewable resource of petroleum has been used quite a lot up until now. It
would not be shocking news if one day the price of the crude oil will be too high that even the
citizens might not be able to afford. With these reasons, I vehemently agree that petroleum
usage must be reduced. Thank you and have a nice day.

TASK B
Discuss the best way to reduce.
C: Good morning. Thank you all for coming. We are meeting here today to discuss about the best
way to reduce. Shall we start?
B: Yes, Candidate C. Allow me to share my opinion. First and foremost, we should reduce the
usage of plastics for the benefits of our environment. Plastics require quite a long time to
biodegrade. This means that they will stay longer on earth and take up our precious space at
disposal areas. Do you agree with me, candidate D?
D: Yes, I do go along with that. Plastics need to be reduced. Come to think of it, I have realised
that plastics and petroleum are related to each other since plastics is derived from petroleum.
Therefore, we are also able to save the environment by reducing petroleum usage.
A: I am afraid that I am not quite sure what you mean by that.
D: Well you see, plastics are made with petrochemicals. Additionally,,we cannot go anywhere
without transportation so this means that petroleum is one of the most important resources. We
can reduce its usage by walking, biking, taking public transportation and use a lot less of our
own vehicles. Hence, when we are able to reduce the amount of transportation, we are also
saving the environment from pollution by reducing the release of unwanted and unhealthy
gases.
C: I see your point there, but don’t you think that it is better to reduce electricity usage? Since its
usage is extremely high, we may be able to save our money if we conserve the energy well. For
instance, we can replace normal light bulbs, electrical appliances and electronic devices with
energy-efficient one. It is undeniable that we are using electricity for almost every second of our
lives.
A: Sorry to interrupt. That may be true because today we are all addicted to electricity especially
when charging our phones, but from my point of view, trees play the most significant role in our
lives. We are unable to live without plants and trees as they provide us oxygen. Hence, we must
reduce the usage of paper. For example, we should always use both sides of paper and maximise
the use of the space of it. Furthermore, we are also able to save a lot of cost if paper usage is
reduced because we are also reducing the cost for storage, toner, printing, labour, postage,
packaging, disposal and so on.
B: That is an interesting idea, but that is not how I see it. We can always grow trees but we can
never grow non-renewable resources. It is true that plastic is made from petroleum, but not a
whole entirely of petroleum. It is made out of many other compounds to form a long chain of
polymer. Polymer is made out of many chains of monomers. This means that plastic itself has
already used great amount of energy and earth’s resources. To explain this, we have limited
amount of resources on earth. Didn't you hear in the news that huge sealife like turtles, whales
and dolphins have washed up ashore and died and when the post mortem was done, tonnes of
plastics have been found in their digestive systems?  To solve this, one of the things we can do is
that we should boil our own drinking water instead of buying bottles of drinking water.
D: That is brilliant candidate B. I hadn’t thought of that before. It is certainly a fact too that we
are using plastic bags everywhere and it is almost uncountable. To add to this point, I think that
we are able to make changes if we replace those plastic bags with paper bags or reusable
shopping bags. Therefore, I’d go along with reducing the usage of plastics.
C: So what do you think about this candidate A, do you agree with both candidates B and D? or
would you like to add on your own thoughts about it?
A: Personally, I do not quite agree with both candidates B and D. I am utterly convinced that we
should reduce the use of paper. I am saying this because we are now in a world that is rapidly
improving in technological advancement. Using less paper and digitalising all of the data,
making our lives becoming more efficient and systematic. Hence, our lives would be easier even
when paper is reduced.
B: I understand that, so how about you candidate C? Do you approve our ideas or do you agree
with candidate A? Perhaps you would also like to propose your own ideas?
C: Candidate A’s opinion is good, but it may not be practical. I strongly believe that we should
reduce electrical power consumption. My reason for this is to be able to avoid short-circuit
occurrence due to high consumption of electrical power if the current used is less. There will be
greater power loss in electric circuits if the current used is high. In this content, electrical power
is lost in the form of heat and light. It may be dangerous as sparks might be produced and
causes fire.
A: Now that you have explained it like this, I have had a change of heart. I see eye to eye with
you candidate C and I have no objection to reducing electricity usage as safety is our main
priority too.
D: After listening to all the opinions on four ways to reduce, I think that we have come to a
conclusion. To sum up everything, we are unable to make a solid decision as some of us strongly
believe that reducing plastics usage is the best way because it will save our unhealthy
environment, overcome the draining out of limited resources and save a lot of cost while the rest
of us think that reducing electricity usage is the wisest choice because it saves our money and
prevent short-circuit occurrence. Thanks for a fruitful and stimulating discussion. Till we meet
again next time.

Note: Your task now is to highlight and copy all the beautiful and useful phrases (connectors and
linkers) and promise yourself you WILL use them in your speaking exam next week. Good luck!
REPORT WRITING MUET 800/4 QUESTION 1

TIPS:
1. WRITE THE TITLE AND UNDERLINE
2. WRITE IN 3 PARAGRAPHS (MINIMUM, BODY CAN BE MORE THAN 1 PARA)
3. 1ST SENTENCE WRITE THE TYPES OF GRAPHS/DIAGRAMS/HEADLINES ETC.
4. 2ND SENTENCE WRITE THE MOST OUTSTANDING POINT
5. BODY - WRITE ONLY INFORMATION THAT IS OUTSTANDING (KEY FEATURES, NOT
FEATURES.. FEATURES JUST MEANS EVERY SINGLE POINT, YOU NEED TO BE
SELECTIVE IN CHOOSING THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES ONLY)
6. CONCLUSION IS JUST ONE SINGLE SENTENCE AS SUMMARY.
7. ALL WORDS AFTER 200 IS NOT CHECK/READ/EXAMINED. EXAMINERS WILL NOT
READ AFTER THAT SO STICK TO THE WORD LIMIT.
8. TRY TO LINK ALL THE INFO AND EXPLAIN IT IN A SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE WAY.
9. TITLES ARE CONSIDERED 1 WORD (BUT I COULD BE WRONG)
10. GOOD LUCK, AND ALWAYS ANSWER THE ESSAY QUESTION FIRST BEFORE TRYING
TO WRITE THIS REPORT.
SAMPLE 1:

The Various Types of Cooking Oil Used in the Kitchen

The stimuli present a line graph on 'Global production of cooking oil (2000-2006)', a bar graph
on 'Fat content in commonly-used cooking oils' and an article excerpt on the healthiness of oils.
In general, palm oil is the most produced oil while the least produced but healthiest option is
sunflower oil.

According to the line graph, the highest world oil production is palm oil increasing steadily from
25 million tonnes in 2000/01 to 35.5 million in 2005/06, beating soya oil by a small margin.
Among the 5 types of oil, sunflower has the lowest production stabilising at just under 10 million
tonnes from 2000 to 2006. Based on the bar graph, the healthiest oil is sunflower because it
contains the second lowest fat (12%) content and the highest healthy polyunsaturated fat (71%).
This is followed by other healthy oils with lower fat like canola (7%), olive (15%) and soya (16%).
The unhealthy oils are very high in fat and very low in polyunsaturated fat such as palm oil
(51%) and coconut oil (91%). The article states that we cannot be sure about how healthy the oils
we eat are because it may contain too much trans fats leading to heart diseases and cancer.

In conclusion, coconut and palm oil should be avoided because fo the high fat content while the
healthiest oils are sunflower, canola, olive and soya.

SAMPLE 2:

Crimes Involving Foreign Workers in Malaysia

The stimuli show a line graph on 'Number of crime cases involving foreign workers (2006-
2008)', a bar graph on 'Types of crime committed by foreign workers (2006-2008)' and a
newspaper headline on 'Overworked and Underpaid foreign workers'. In general, the number of
crimes are increasing steadily from 2006 to 2008 especially petty crimes like robbery and
snatch theft by underpaid foreign workers.
According the the line graph, every year the number of crimes increases by about 200 cases
which is 1535 in 2006, 1780 in 2007 to 1926 in 2008). These crimes can be divided into petty
crimes including robbery and snatch thef and hardcore crimes like rape and murder. Based on
the bar graph, the highest incidence of crime is robbery that rose from 65 in 2006 to 75 cases in
2008. This is followed by snatch thefts from 15 in 2006 to 18 cases in 2008. Conversely, rape
and murder cases have reduced drastically by 50% or more from 2006 to 2008. The reasons
given for the increase of crimes in the headline are that foreign workers are unhappy with their
meagre incomes which result in them being overworked and underpaid.In c onclusion, foreign
workers are committing more petty crimes like robbery and snatch theft because they are
overworked and underpaid.