Section C

[ 25 marks ]
Questions 26-31 are based on the following passage.
1
I have learnt a lot in school both primary and secondary.
Just as
the culture was different in those chapters of my life, the
challenges
were really different as I progressed through each year. Primary
school
came with many challenges and, admittedly, I was quiet and did
not
have many friends back then.
5
2
I remember being teased because I had a haircut that looked
like a
mushroom bowl cut. I obtained the blessing of shortsightedness at the
age of 10, and with that came the jibe four-eyes. My teachers,
bless
them, stepped in and made sure I didnt end up being pushed
around any
further.
10
3
I remember sitting alone in the canteen, chewing on my
cheese and
butter sandwiches, wondering why I did not understand
anything about
this situation. However, secondary school offered the insight
that one
could flourish with the right skill sets and abilities. I grew up
and
matured. In the process, I began to understand the idea of
culture.
15
4
tip of

Looking back , I see culture as something that was only the

the iceberg. It was about changing peoples perceptions and

giving
them room to grow. There was also the need to understand
what made

each person tick and, for me, understanding each individual

was key to
working well with him or her.
20
5

Most students are comfortable interacting with people,

behaviors,
and ideas that they are familiar with but react with fear and
apprehension when faced with the unfamiliar. Among its other
goals, culturally responsive instruction aims to teach students
that differences in viewpoint and culture are to be cherished and
appreciated rather than judged and feared.
25

Students who attend schools with a diverse population can

develop
an understanding of the perspectives of children from different
backgrounds and learn to function in a multicultural, multiethnic
environment. Yet, as public schools become more diverse,
demands increase to find the most effective ways to help all
students succeed
30

7
grow

The healthiest environment is a culture in which people can

and whose progress is not envied nor hindered by selfish

agendas.
If you have such a positive culture, you encourage growth and
people
support one another in terms of emotional and mental, just like
how my
classmates in form three did for me.
35
8
carries

Flourish, I did. So will your company. The idea of culture

different ideas for different people. The central purpose of a

culture,
though, is to cultivate an environment where people can
learn, grow
and become successful in their endeavours. I dont have to
fit in
anymore.
40
9

I understand that culture needs to be right so people will

naturally follow but, at the same time, they should be given the
liberty to be comfortable in their own skin. All I have to do now
is to be myself , and to accept myself for who I am.
45

( Adapted from The Star, 12

September 2015 )

26

From paragraph 2,
(a)

why did the writer being teased by her friend?

..............................................................................................
........................................

[1mark]
(b) why did the writers friends stop teasing her ?

[1mark]

27

(a) From paragraph 3, which word means perceptiveness ?

..................................................................................................
................................. [1 mark]

28. From the paragraph 4,

(a)

what was the perception of the writer when she grew up?

[1 mark]
(b) what was the key to working well with other people ?

[1 mark]
29. From paragraph 7 ,
(a)

what is the purpose of culture ?

. [ 1 mark]
(b) what did the writer understand about the culture ?

. [ 1mark]
(c) which phrase shows that the writer can adapt the culture ?


..

.
[ 1mark]

30. Without referring to the passage , state one quality of cultural

diversity
Provide a reason to support your answer.
Quality:

[1mark]

Reason:

[1mark]

31

Based on the passage given, write a summary on:

What the writer faced when she was in primary school and

what
was her perception about culture after she grew up ?
Credit will be given for use of words but care must be taken
not to change the original meaning.
Your summary must:
be in continuous writing form (not in note form)
use materials from lines 3 to 30

 not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words

given below
Begin your summary as follows:
When she was in primary school, she remembered that she

.
( 15 marks )

ANSWER SCHEME :
SUMMARY :
1.
2.
3.
4.
any

Was quiet and did not have many friends.

Being teased because of her haircut.
She had short-sightedness.
Her teachers helped her, so she was not pushed around

further.
5.
Always sitting alone in canteen.
6.
Did not understand about anything that she faced.
7.
As she grew up, she understand the idea and how
important
it was.
8.
Before this , she believed the culture as something that
was only the
tip of the iceberg.
9.
Need to understand each individual
10. Culture encourage growth
11. People support one another
12.
Cultivate an environment where people can learn

Prepared by,
1.

Nur Syuhadah binti Omar

SMK Dato Jaafar

2.

Christopher Emmanuel Raj

SMK Dato Jaafar