Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Gufy Media: Hortatory Exposition - School Uniform, another Good Lesson

School Uniform, another Good Lesson

School uniform is special clothes worn by all students of a particular school. The uniform of a school may differ from others. Why should schools use uniforms? Below are some reasons.

First of all, Notre Dame’s Department of Sociology produced a study in 1998 concerning school uniforms. Their findings using 10th grade students showed that uniforms have no direct effect on “substance abuse, behavioural problems or attendance.” It also claimed a negative effect on student achievements for those students considered ‘pro-school’.

Secondly, uniform helps to create a strong sense school ethos and a sense of belonging to a particular community. As such it promotes discipline and helps to drive up academic standards, which is why a uniform is often adopted by schools which are being reopened with a fresh start after being classified as failing.
Finally, uniform acts as a social leveller, under which all students are equal in the eyes of the school and of each other. In institutions without uniform students are often competitive and worry endlessly about their appearance and the clothes they should wear. Pupils without expensive designer clothes and trainers may be singled out as social outcasts, or stigmatised as being from poor backgrounds. For these reasons many parents prefer uniforms as they save them money on buying clothes for school wear.

Considering the findings, schools should implement the uniform as their identity. The government should also publish some kind of rule which makes uniform compulsory for schools.
Adapted from: http://www.idebate.org


Answer these questions based on the text.
1. What is school uniform according to the text?
2. What is the finding of the research by Notre Dame’s Department of Sociology?
3. What is the relation between school uniform and students’ ethos and discipline?
4. Why do parents prefer uniforms than casual clothes?
5. What does the writer suggest?

Gufy Media: Hortatory Exposition - Home Schooling

Home Schooling

Home schooling is an education system which provides child’s main education programme at home. Home schooling takes the place of full-time school attendance and, in the United States and Canada, it usually meets state requirements for compulsory education. Although home schooling could achieve the objectives of compulsory education, there are some points that should be noticed from the home schooling.

First, the idea of taking our children’s education on home schooling can be a bit intimidating. Since our country is so large and the people are from so many different kinds of backgrounds, students need some kind of social glue to make them stick together and to give them a sense of unity in spite of all the differences. They will not get such a unity when they are in home schooling. They will get the sense of unity when they are in the compulsory public schools since it is the easiest and best places to make this glue.

Then, the home schooling may not be able to prepare children to fit into the mass society, which means, among other things, believing what most people believe and liking what most people like. Or it may not be able to help children to find a set of values with which they could resist and reject at least many of the values of the mass society.

Recognizing the lack of home schooling in the case of children’s socialization opportunity, we should afford them abundant social opportunities. We can have active home school support groups. We can hold ongoing park days, meetings at the zoo, the science museum, book clubs, history clubs, language clubs, home school scouting troops and many more options to provide them opportunities to socialize with others.
Adapted from: http://www.idebate.org

Choose one correct answer based on the text.
1.  What does the text tell us?
     a. Some complaints on home schooling
     b. Children’s complaints on home schooling
     c. Ban on home schooling
     d. Some criticisms and suggestions on home schooling
     e. The government’s concern in home schooling

2.     Where does home schooling meet state requirements for compulsory education?
a. In Indonesia
b. In Canada and the US
c. In Japan
d. In Canada and Japan
e. In the US and in Great Britain

3.  How many important points of home schooling should be noticed according to the text?
     a. One only
     b. Two points
     c. Three points
     d. Four points
     e. Five points

4.  What do our children need to live in such big country?
     a. creativity
     b. financial support
     c. computer skill
     d. independence
     e. social awareness

5.  What should be prepared for children to fit into the society according to the text?
     a. creativity
     b. financial support
     c. the sense of unity
     d. independence
     e. high quality school

6.  Where do children get the sense of unity easily according to the text?
     a. In home schools
     b. In public schools
     c. In their own home
     d. In their own community
     e. In their own ethnic society

7.  Considering the weakness of home schooling, what should be done according to the text?
     a. Parents should give them many social opportunities.
     b. Parents should be able to tell them to study harder.
     c. Home schools teachers should be able to teach social sciences.
     d. The government must ban home schooling.
     e. Parents should not have their children home schooled.

8.  The word “it” in line 16 refers to ...
     a. a social community
     b. an ethnic group
     c. a public school
     d. home schooling
     e. the government

9.  The word “them” in the last line refers to ...
     a. The government
     b. parents
     c. children
     d. home schools
     e. public schools

10. The Indonesian equivalent of “scouting troop” is ...
     a. Karang taruna
     b. OSIS
     c. PMR
     d. Pecinta alam
     e. Pramuka

Gufy Media: Hortatory Exposition - Private School

Private School

Private schools are schools that are not run by the government. They offer various types of schools and levels of education. Although the government does not directly run the private schools, the government should give more attention to private schools for some good reasons.

Private schools provide parents with an alternative to the state sector, and a learning environment, which might better suit their children. In addition, whilst there are many bad state schools, there are also bad private schools, and some excellent state schools which compete with the best private schools.

The existence of private education can actually be financially beneficial to state schools. The state funds the education system through taxation. Parents who do not send their children to state schools still pay the same taxes. Therefore, there is more money per child in the state sector. There is evidence that a large number of parents, who send their children to private schools, are both ‘fi rst time buyers’ – i.e. neither parent attending a private school – and not from the privileged elite that the opposition would have us believe.

Based on the above discussion, it is obvious that the government should give more attention to private schools because they also contribute much in the education world.
Adapted from: http://www.idebate.org

Answer these questions based on the text.
1.    What is a private school?
2.    What advantages do we get from a private school?
3.    What does the writer suggest that the government do?
4.    The general statement of topic discussed can be found in paragraph ….
5.    Where do you find the suggestion which contains what should or should not happen?

Gufy Media: Hortatory Exposition - Why are Diazinon and Dursband should be Banned

Why are Diazinon and Dursband should be Banned

Diazinon and dursban are chemicals used on lawns, gardens, agricultural crops and livestock as an insecticide or nematocide (for worms). They are banned for several good reasons.

Firstly, they cause nausea, dizziness, burning sensations, headaches, blurred visions, stomach and muscle cramps, twitching, diarrhea, aching joints, disorientation and an inability to concentrate.

Secondly, these chemicals cause human and animal birth defects in many areas of the human body including the brain, nervous system, teeth, eyes, ears, nipples and genitals. They can also cause profound growth and mental retardation when pregnant mothers are exposed. This may affect on lower birth weights of infants if mothers are exposed before and during pregnancy, and this is associated with lower IQs.

Finally, residues, of course, are on some foods--up to 14 days on lettuce, for example--and the chemical also seeps into the nearby water.

Therefore, the government must be urged to keep the safety factor of pesticides paramount in their thinking. Children are so much more sensitive than adults to the toxic effects of chemicals.
Adapted from: http://www.sixwise.com

Choose one correct answer for the following questions.
1.   What does the text discuss?
     a. Why farmers should use diazinon and dursban.
     b. Why worms are resistant to diazinon and dursban.
     c. Why pests can be removed fast and effectively by using diazinon and dursban.
     d. Why farmers choose diazinon and dursban instead of other pesticides.
     e. Why diazinon and dursban are banned.

2.  Diazinon and dursban are banned because ....
     a. they are very expensive.
     b. the government can no longer subsidize farmers with diazinon and dursban.
     c. they can remove pests fast and effectively.
     d. they are dangerous to human health and other animals.
     e. they may benefit the farmers a lot.

3.  What would happen if a pregnant mother is exposed to diazinon or dursban?
     a. It may effect on their nervous system.
     b. It may cause lower birth weight and lower IQs of the baby.
     c. It may cause a terrible headache.
     d. It may effect on its eyes, ears, and teeth.
     e. This may increase its weight and IQs.

4.  What does the writer suggest that the government should do?
     a. allow farmers to use diazinon and dursban.
     b. help the victims of diazinon and dursban.
     c. ban the use of diazinon and dursban.
     d. immunize children regularly.
     e. subsidize farmers with safe pesticides.

5.  “Children are so much more sensitive than adults to the toxic effects of chemicals.” What does the statement mean?
     a. We should protect our children from dangerous chemicals.
     b. Children are resistant to several chemicals.
     c. Parents should not be worried about their children’s health.
     d. The government should pay more attention to adults than to children.
     e. Children have greater immunity than adults.

Gufy Media: Hortatory Exposition - Organic Farming

Organic Farming
A Solution for Harmless Food

Organic farming is a form of agriculture which excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, plant growth regulators, livestock feed additives, and genetically modified organisms. It is believed that organic farming should replace conventional one for some reasons.

Firstly, as far as possible, organic farmers rely on crop rotation, integrated pest management, crop residue, compost and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity and control pests.

Secondly, studies have shown that people who work with pesticides have an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The pesticides examined in these two long-term studies, paraquat and dieldrin, are not allowed on organic farms. The herbicide paraquat and fungicide maneb together, but not alone, have been shown to cause brain damage in mice. Some organic farming standards do allow the use of natural methods of protection from pests such as those derived from plants. Organic activists state that natural pesticides are a last alternative, while growing healthier, diseaseresistant plants, using cover crops and crop rotation, and encouraging beneficial insects and birds are the primary methods of pest control.

Finally, a 2001 study demonstrated that children who are fed organic diets experienced significantly lower organophosphorus pesticide exposure than children fed conventional diets. A similar study in 2006 measured the levels of organophosphoruspesticide exposure in 23 preschoolchildren before and after replacing their diet with organic food: levels of organophosphorus pesticide exposure dropped dramatically

and immediately when the children switched to an organic diet. Although the researchers did not collect health outcome data in this study, they concluded “it assumes that children whose diets consist of organic food items would have a lower probability of neurologic health risks.”

Therefore, organic farming should replace conventional one to reduce the using of pesticides which usually remain in farm production such as fruits and vegetables since there are a lot of research which prove that pesticides may be harmful for the consumers if people use pesticides improperly.
Adapted from: http://www.wikipedia.com

Answer these questions based on the text.
1. What is organic farming?
2. What do organic farmers do to maintain soil productivity and control pest?
3. What is the danger of using pesticides?
4. What makes organic pest control better than the conventional one?
5. Explain the experiment conducted in 2001 briefl y.
6. What suggestion do you fi nd in the text on organic farming?
7. The general statement of topic discussed can be found in paragraph ….
8. Where do you find the suggestion which contains what should or should not happen?

Decide whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE based on the text above.
1. Organic farming uses synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and genetically modified organisms.
2. Natural pesticides are the only way to control pests organically.
3. Certain fungicides and herbicides cause brain damage on mice.
4. Organophosphorus pesticides may cause neurological disease.
5. Organic farming may reduce the use of pesticides and produce healthier foods.

Gufy Media: Hortatory Exposition - Agriculture

Agriculture

Nowadays, many people have realized that agriculture is much more important than as the supporting tools in economic development. In Indonesia, agriculture should be the priority of development because of some good reasons.

First of all, the agriculture’s contribution in the beginning of the development is highest among the other sectors. At present, almost half of total Indonesian labors are working in agriculture sector, but the contribution of agriculture sector does not reach 30 percent.

Second, agriculture sector is expected to fulfill the need of food in a country. As the number of population increase in an alarming rate each year, food supply must also increase. But in developing countries, food production and agricultural production per capita never increase more than one percent each year, and in some extreme case, it even stagnant.

Last but not least, without agricultural development, the growth of industrial sector will be hampered because the growth that comes from industry will bring a wider gap into the internal economy in that country. In turn, this gap will create serious poverty problem, wider inequality of income distribution, and increase unemployment.

Based on the above discussion, it is obvious that the government should put agriculture as the priority of national development.
Adapted from: www.nodai.ac.jp
http://internationalagprograms.dasnr.okstate.edu

Answer these questions based on the text.
1. What do Indonesian people do mostly?
2. What is the further effect if we have poor development of agriculture?
3. Why is it important to increase the agriculture sector in relation to food production?
4. What does the writer suggest that the government should do?
5. The general statement of topic discussed can be found in paragraph ….
6. Where do you find the suggestion which contains what should or should not happen?

Gufy Media: Spoof Text - Fixing the Headstone

Fixing the Headstone

Once, there were two men walking home after a Halloween party. They decided to take a shortcut through the cemetery just for laughs. Right in the middle of the cemetery they were startled by a tap-tap-tapping noise coming from the misty shadows.

Trembling with fear, they found an old man with a hammer and chisel, chipping away at one of the headstones.

 “Holy cow, Mister,” one of them said after catching his breath, “You scared us half to death, we thought you were a ghost! What are you doing working here so late at night?”

“Those fools!” the old man grumbled. “They misspelled my name!”
Taken from: http://www.dizzyboy.com

Choose one correct answer based on the text.
1.  How many men were walking through the cemetery?
     a. Two men
     b. Three men
     c. Four men
     d. Five men
     e. Six men

2.  What made them shocked when they were walking through the cemetery?
     a. The serene of the cemetery
     b. The darkness of the cemetery
     c. A tap-tap-tapping noise
     d. The howling of wolfs
     e. A man passing the cemetery in rush.

3.  Who did they find in the cemetery?
     a. A villager
     b. Their friend
     c. The guard of the cemetery
     d. An old man
     e. The maker of a tombstone

4.  What did the old man do at that night?
     a. He made a tombstone for someone.
     b. He corrected his name written on his tombstone.
     c. He was just passing through the cemetery.
     d. He had just attended a Halloween party.
     e. He was just making a devotional visit to a grave.

5.  “The old man grumbled”. The word grumble in the sentence is similar in meaning to …
     a. smile
     b. attract
     c. persuade
     d. think
     e. complain

Gufy Media: Spoof Text - Fluffy Bunny Rabbit

Fluffy Bunny Rabbit

After a long day at the office, Chris came home one day and found his dog with the neighbour’s pet rabbit in his mouth. The rabbit was obviously dead. Chris panicked!

“If my neighbours find out my dog killed their bunny, they’ll hate me forever,” he thought.

So he took the dirty, chewed up rabbit into the house, gave it a bath and blow-dried its fur.

Chris knew his neighbours kept their backdoor open during the summer, so he sneaked inside and put the bunny back into the cage, hoping his neighbours would think it died of natural causes.

A couple of days later Chris and his neighbour saw each other outside.

“Did you hear that Fluffy die?” the neighbour asked.

“Oh. Uhmm... Sorry to hear that. What happened?” Chris mumbled.

The neighbor replied, “We just found him dead in his cage one day. But the strange thing is that the day after we buried him, we went out to dinner and someone must have dug him up, gave him a bath and put him back into the cage!”
Adapted from: http://www.webwombat.com.au

Choose one correct answer based on the text.
1.     What does the story tell us?
a. A rabbit and a dog
b. A boy who petted a rabbit
c. Neighbourhood in America
d. A boy who tried to maintain neighbourhood.
e. A boy who was angry with his neighbours because their dog killed his rabbit.

2.  What was his dog doing when Chris found it?
     a. The dog was barking at a thief.
     b. The dog was digging the neighbour’s field.
     c. The dog was eating the rabbit.
     d. The dog was killing the rabbit.
     e. The dog was carrying a dead rabbit in its mouth.

3.  What did Chris think of his neighbour’s rabbit?
     a. It was alive.
     b. It was killed by his dog.
     c. It was funny.
     d. It was stinky because it was already dead.
     e. He was upset because his neighbor did not bury it.

4.  How did Chris cover up the death of the rabbit?
     a. By cleaning it and then putting it in his neighbour’s house.
     b. By burying it in the backyard.
     c. By throwing it into his neighbour’s rubbish bin.
     d. By bathing it and then burying it.
     e. By replacing it with his own rabbit.

5.  How did Chris get into his neighbour’s house?
     a. Breaking the side window of the house.
     b. Breaking the front door of the house.
     c. Sneaking through the backdoor.
     d. Using the key hidden below the doormat.
     e. Passing the front gate of the house.

6.  What actually happened to the rabbit?
     a. The dog ate the rabbit.
     b. The dog found it died.
     c. Chris unconsciously killed it.
     d. Chris’s neighbour killed it and buried it before the dog found it.
     e. It died and buried in the backyard before the dog dug it out.

7.  “If my neighbours fi nd out my dog killed their bunny, they’ll hate me forever” (par. 2).
     The sentence implies ….
     a. Chris wanted his neighbour to know that his dog killed the rabbit.
     b. Chris worried if his neighbour was angry with him.
     c. Chris hated his neighbour so that he killed the rabbit.
     d. Chris let his dog eat the rabbit.
     e. Chris was happy because his dog could kill the rabbit.

8.  The word ‘him’ in line 13 refers to ….
     a. The dog
     b. Chris
     c. The rabbit
     d. Chris’s neighbour
     e. Chris’s rabbit

9.  “We just found him dead in his cage one day. But the strange thing is that the day after we buried him, we went out to dinner and someone must have dug him up, gave him a bath and put him back into the cage”.
What does the statement mean?
     a. The dog was dead before the dog dug it out.
     b. Someone consciously killed the rabbit and hid it.
     c. Someone found a dead rabbit and then buried it.
     d. Chris put it back to its cage because his dog killed it.
     e. His neighbour did not know that the rabbit was dead in its cage.

10. What actually happened was ….
      a. the rabbit was dead because the dog killed it.
      b. Chris ordered his dog to get the rabbit.
      c. the rabbit did not die because of the dog.
      d. Chris’s neighbour thought that the rabbit was still alive.
      e. Chris’s neighbour actually wanted the rabbit dead.

Gufy Media: Spoof Text - Vampire Bat

Vampire Bat

A vampire bat came flapping in from the night, face all covered in fresh blood and parked himself on the roof of the cave to get some sleep.

Pretty soon all the other bats smelt the blood and began hassling him about where he got it. He told them to piss off and let him get some sleep, but they persisted until he finally gave in.

“OK, follow me,” he said and flew out of the cave with hundreds of bats behind him. Down through a valley they went, across a river and into a huge forest.

Finally he slowed down and all the other bats were excitedly around him with their tongues hanging out for blood.

“Do you see that large oak tree over there?” he asked. “YES, YES, YES!!!!” the bats all screamed in a frenzy.

“Good!” said the first bat, “Because I didn’t.”
Adapted from: http://www.offi ce-humour.co.uk

Answer these questions based on the text.
1. What did the vampire bat get before he got to the cave?
2. Why did other vampire bats hassle him?
3. Why do you think that the vampire bat finally told where he got all the fresh blood?
4. Where did he get all the fresh blood?
5. How did he get it?
6. Why did the bat show the large oak tree to the other bats?
7. What did probably happen when the other bats knew how he got the fresh blood?
8. What makes the story funny? Tell it in brief.

Gufy Media: Spoof Text - The Brain Bank

The Brain Bank

It seems there was a woman who received some bad news. Her husband had been in an automobile accident and was brain dead. The doctor told her some good news, though. They had perfected their brain transplant technique and that she was lucky there were three fresh brains in the brain bank from which to choose.

A large explosion had killed a fi refi ghter, a captain and a chief. Having insurance, she requested the cost for each of the brains. The fi refi ghter’s brain was $10,000, the captain’s brain was $50,000 and the chief was a MILLION DOLLARS! Curious, she asked why the chief’s brain was so much more expensive.

The reply.... you see the chief’s brain has never been used!
Adapted form: http://www.dizzyboy.com

Fill the blanks with the correct words based on the text.
1. The main character of the story is ....
2. ... caused her husband’s brain dead.
3. The only way to save the husband was to ....
4. The wife went to ... to get a new brain for her husband.
5. The most expensive brain was ... because ....

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Gufy Media: Analytical Exposition - Five Trees should be Planted for Every Vehicle: Experts

Five Trees should be Planted for Every Vehicle: Experts
Vehicle manufacturers should take some responsibility for the serious air pollution in the city by planting five trees for every motor vehicle they produce, environment experts said.
Zulfan A Rambe, operational director of  Indonesian Hazardous Materials and Waste Research (IHWaR) Foundation told a discussion in commemoration of World Tree Day on Nov. 21 trees must be planted to balance for the pollution the city vehicles are responsible for.
We will propose to the city administration to oblige the automotive manufacturers to plant fi ve trees for each motor vehicle they produce.
“The administration should make regulations about corporate responsibilities to deal with the pollution problem.”
Environmental technology expert Eddy Soentjahyo said motor vehicle emission has contributed up to 70 percent of air pollution in the city, which has more than 5.5 million motor vehicles.
Experts have said open green spaces one alternative solution to deal with air pollution, because it reduces carbon emission by absorbing pollutants and reload source of oxygen to clean the air.
They said trees can improve drainage by preventing soil erosion and absorbing rainwater.
“The automotive industry also has the responsibility to provide green areas as the solution of pollution problem,” Eddy said.
Manufacturers should join together to buy land in the city where trees could be planted, he said.
Eddy also suggested property developers consider making green areas on rooftops to absorb the sun heat. 
Daud Silalahi from the University of Padjajaran in Bandung keeps losing its open green space due to residential and industrial developments.
Some 9 percent of Jakarta’s city area is made up of “open green space”, said city administration, but the 2007 Law on Spatial Planning stipulates a city should provide at least 30 percent of its total size for open green space.
“What I (am) concerned (for) the most is that we have the law without implementation procedures,” Daun said.  
The Jakarta Post, Saturday, December 1, 2007

Answer these questions based on the text.
1. What is proposed by Zulfan A Rambe?
2. To whom is the proposal proposed?
3. How should the proposal be followed up?
4. Why is the proposal proposed?
5. How can we reduce air pollution?
6. What do Eddy Soentjahyo and Daud Silalahi suggest?

Gufy Media: Analytical Exposition - Access to Clean Water: A Problem for Indonesia

Access to Clean Water:
A Problem for Indonesia
Access to clean water is one of Indonesia's biggest problem. According to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report 2007, published by the National Development Planning Board, piped water is accessible to 30.8 per cent of households in the country's cities and 9 per cent in its villages. Such figures show the limitations of the municipality's water service provider, PDAM.

Lack of investment in clean water is one reason PDAM gives for its limited outreach. Based on a government statement, to meet the MDGs target by 2015, Indonesia needs Rp43 trillion (US$4.6 billion) in clean water funding. The government currently provides Rp500 billion.

In order to close the funding gap, the government expects private investment in drinking water infrastructure.
The need for clean water funding is something that cannot be covered by private investment. In Indonesia, most PDAM utilities have small scales of economy and are therefore unattractive to investors.
There is no evidence to suggest private investors will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of water services, whereas the government has a duty to do so.

Increasing public funding for clean water infrastructure is the most rational approach for Indonesia. This effort should begin with an analysis of the needs of locals. This should be done through a democratic and participatory process.

There are resources and mechanisms the government could employ to increase clean water funding, such as state and local budgets, grants, government bonds and community-public partnership.

In order to use a grant system, the government should improve its proposal management and clearly focus on real needs in order to widen clean water services.

PDAM could use existing funds more efficiently. If it could reduce leakages from 40 per cent to 20 percent, it would have more disposable funds to invest in infrastructure. PDAM should use cost recovery principles, as long as costs are not passed on to consumers. Cost recovery principles should also be supported by a proper subsidy mechanism.

Bond investing is a traditional lending instrument for public services. The mechanism needs conditions, such as strong capital structure at local level.

A few of mechanisms in place now do help the poor access clean water at affordable prices. The most important thing is to make sure the mechanisms run properly and that the needs of people at the local level are met through appropriate funding.

Taken from The Jakarta Post, April 5, 2008

Answer these questions based on the text.
1.    Why it is said that access to clean water is one of Indonesia's biggest problem?
2.    What is the cause of PDAM gives for its limited outreach?
3.    What does the government expect to close the funding gap?
4.    What is the most rational approach for Indonesia for building clean water infrastructure?
5.    What resources and mechanisms could the government employ to increase clean water funding?

Gufy Media: Analytical Exposition - Some Ways to Reduce Global Warming

Some Ways to Reduce Global Warming
Everybody should change their way of life to reduce global warming. There are several things that we can do. One of them is by buying and consuming fresh local groceries as much as possible. It of course includes local vegetables, fruits, bread, etc.

Local groceries don’t need much transportation to get it into the market. It of course means, the amount of carbon dioxide produced is less than the groceries from other region. Therefore, by buying local groceries we are helping reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced.

Consuming fresh groceries instead of frozen ones are healthier for us. Furthermore, fresh food or groceries means no requirements for it to be freeze up. It means that no electricity is needed and saving energy means reducing carbon dioxide and money.

So, from now on we should consume fresh local groceries to reduce global warming.

Answer these questions based on the text.
1.    Why should we buy and consume fresh local groceries as much as possible?
2.    How can we reduce global warming by minimizing using transportation?
3.    What can we contribute to reduce global warming by not using freezer?
4.    “ … means no requirements for it to be freeze up ….” (par. 3)
       What does the word it refer to?
5.    Mention the other ways to reduce global warming?

Gufy Media: Analytical Exposition - The Importance of Rainforests

The Importance of Rainforests
Rainforests are one of the most complicated environments on Earth. They are recognised worldwide as containing the richest source of plants and animals and are believed to contain nearly three-quarters of all the varieties of life on Earth. This is remarkable because rainforests cover only about six per cent of the Earth's land surface.

Rainforest are the oldest major ecosystem, having survived climate changes for more than one million years. They provide habitats for more species of plants, animals, insects and birds than any other environment found on our planet. Scientists estimate that between 60 and 90 per cent of all species of life are to be found in rain forests. Unfortunately, the widespread destruction of many of the world's rainforests has caused a significant decline in the number of plant and animal species on Earth.

Rainforests influence both our local and global climates. For example, between 50 and 80 per cent of the moisture in the air above rainforests comes from the rainforest's trees. If large areas of these lush rainforests are cleared, the average rainfall in the area will drop. Eventually, the area's climate will get hotter and drier. This process could convert rainforests into a sparse grassland or desert.

Rainforests are also able to absorb over 90 per cent of the rainfall in their leaves and mosses. By doing this, they are able to slow down water run-off bygradually releasing the water over time into streams and rivers. This helps to control soil erosion and flooding.

Rainforests are vital to the Earth in helping to recycle carbon and oxygen. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the gas put into the air globally by humans, mainly by the burning of fossil fuels (for example in cars and factories). Rainforests are able to remove carbon dioxide from the air and return oxygen in its place. This is why our global rainforests are often called the Earth's ‘lungs'.

Rainforests are major producers of the Earth's oxygen. In fact, scientists believe that nearly 50 per cent of the Earth's oxygen is produced by rainforest in the Amazon region alone. Nearly 40 per cent of the world's carbon is contained in the trees of the rainforests. As rainforests are cut down and burned, carbon dioxide is released into the Earth's atmosphere. Eventually, as this gas builds up the atmosphere, leading to what scientists call the enhanced greenhouse effect.

To sum up, the role of the rainforest is essential for human life. It creates equilibrium in our environment and its resources are signifi cant for human beings survival.
Taken from SOSE: Studies of Society and Environment, 2000

Decide in which paragraph you can fi nd the following information.
1. The economic purposes rainforests are used for
2. The percentage of the world's food supplies which originate in rainforests areas
3. Fruits originating from rainforests
4. Activities that people do in rainforests
5. Sickness and diseases which are treated with medicines from the rainforests
6. Industrial products that originate from the rainforests
7. Daily products which are produced from plants growing in rain forest areas
8. The area of rainforests which are being destroyed each year for economic purposes

Choose T if the statement is true and F if it is false according to the text.
1. T – F Rainforests are unimportant to our life on Earth.
2. T – F The economic resources which rainforests provide vary.
3. T – F Many rainforest-rich countries are facing a situation in which it is very diffi cult to look after rainforests.
4. T – F The economic resources provided by the world's rainforests are extremely small.
5. T – F Less than 50 per cent of the world's food supplies originate in rainforest areas.
6. T – F Rainforests are becoming more and more unpopular as places for people to visit.
7. T – F Governments pass laws restricting activities in the forests due to the overuse of rainforests
for tourist activities.
8. T – F More than 40 percent of all medicines sold in pharmacies originate from rainforests.
9. T – F More than 200,000 square kilometres of rainforests are being destroyed each year for economic purposes.
10. T – F There needs to be a balance between the way we are currently using our rainforests and the future availability of these resources.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Gufy Media: Narrative Text - The Tiger Who Would Be King

The Tiger Who Would Be King

One morning the tiger woke up in the jungle and told his mate that he was king of beasts.

"Leo, the lion, is king of beasts," she said.

"We need a change," said the tiger. "The creatures are crying for a change."

The tigress listened but she could hear no crying, except that of her cubs
.
"I'll be king of beasts by the time the moon rises," said the tiger. "It will be a yellow moon with black stripes, in my honour."

"Oh sure," said the tigress as she went to look after her young, one of whom, a male, very like his father, had got an imaginary thorn in his paw.

The tiger prowled through the jungle till he came to the lion's den. "Come out," he roared," and greet the king of beasts! The king is dead, long live the king!"

Inside the den, the lioness woke her mate. "The king is here to see you," she said.

"What king?" he inquired, sleepily.

"The king of beasts," she said.

"I am the king of beasts," roared Leo and he charged out of the den to defend his crown against the pretender.

 It was a terrible fight and it lasted until the setting of the sun. All the animals of the jungle joined in, some taking the side of the tiger and others the side of the lion. Every creature from the aardvark to the zebra took part in the struggle to overthrow the lion or to repulse the tiger, and some did not knot know which they were fighting for, and some fought for both, and some fought whoever was nearest and some fought for the sake of fighting
.
"What are we fighting for?" someone asked the aardvark.

"The old order," said the aardvark.

"What are we dying for?" someone asked the zebra.

"The new order," said the zebra.

When the moon rose, fevered and gibbous, it shone upon a jungle in which nothing stirred except a macaw and a cockatoo, screaming in horror. All the beasts were dead except the tiger, and his days were numbered and his time was ticking away. He was monarch of all he surveyed, but it didn't seem to mean anything.
Taken from Readings to Remember, 2004

Answer these questions based on the text.
1. How many characters are there in the story? Mention them.
2. Where did the story take place?
3. Why did the tiger tell his mate that he was king of beasts?
4. What did the tiger come to the lion's den for?
5. Did the tiger and the lion fight for the crown?
6. Did all the animals of the jungle join in the fight?
7. Were they on tiger's side or lion's?
8. Who won the fight, the tiger or the lion?
9. Were there any beasts survive the fight?
10. What is the moral of the story?

Gufy Media: Narrative Text - The Legend of Beowulf

The Legend of Beowulf

Once upon a time, there was a horrible monster called Grendel. Hewas half-man and half-monster. He lived in Denmark. One day, he went to the King's castle. The king and his men tried to kill the monster but their swords were useless. A knight called Beowulf heard about the problem and went to Denmark to help the king.

That night, Beowulf and his men took off their armour and put away their swords and went to sleep. The monster came into the castle and killed a knight. Beowulf woke up and fought the monster-he pulled off an arm! Grendel went back to his home in a lake and died. Grendel's mother was very angry and the next night she went to the castle and killed a knight.

In the morning, Beowulf went to the lake. He killed Grendel's mother with a special sword. When he came back, the king was very happy and he gave Beowulf presents and money.

Beowulf went back to his country and became a king. He was king for fifty years. But one day, a dragon came to his country, and it attacked people. It lived in a cave with treasure. The dragon was very big and breathed fire. The knights were afraid and they did not want to fight the dragon. King Beowulf was an old man but he put on his armour again and went to the dragon's cave with his men. …
Taken from Opportunities Elementary, 2003

Answer these questions based on the text.
1. Who was half-man and half-monster?
2. Were the king and his men succeed in killing Grendel? Why?
3. Why did Beowulf come to Denmark?
4. What did Beowulf do to Grendel when he fought him?
5. What happened to Grendel after he fought Beowulf?
6. What did Grendel's mother do when she find out about her son's death?
7. What did Beowulf use to kill Grendel's mother?
8. How long did Beowulf become king?
9. What attacked the people in Beowulf's country?
10. What did Beowulf do about it?
11. Decide how the story ends based on the following options:
      a. Beowulf killed Grendel and took the treasure.
      b. Beowulf killed Grendel but he died.
      c. Grendel killed Beowulf and escaped.
12. Provide reasons why you choose the option as the ending of the story.

Gufy Media: Procedure Text - Making an Omelette

Making an Omelette
This is the way an omelette should be made. It is important that the fryingpan should be propor tionate to the number of eggs; in other words, to the size of the omelette. The fryingpan must be made of iron, not of aluminium, tin or enamel. And here I feel I must stress a point essential to what might be called the background of omelette-making, namely that the frying-pan must never be washed with water but rubbed, when hot, with salt and tissue–paper, as this is the only way to prevent sticking.

For three portions, we take six eggs, break them into a bowl, season them with salt and freshly ground pepper, and add a good teaspoonful of water. We beat this lightly with a fork or the wire–broom, not the whisk, until large bubbles form on the top. This takes half a minute; it is fatal to beat too long. Meanwhile, our fryingpan is getting hot, not too hot, and we drop in an ounce and a half of butter, or butter and best lard, over a quick flame for a minute or two, until it gives no more froth and has turned light golden. We give our egg-mixture another stir and pour it into the fan, letting it spread evenly over the frying–pan.

All this is a swift business, and we may well feel a few extra heart–beats and a little breath lessness at that moment. The flame is now turned down a little. With a fork or palette-knife (a fork seems to work particularly well) we loosen the edges of the omelette all round and, once or twice, in the middle, letting the liquid flow into the empty spaces, taking care always to move towards the middle.

This takes about two minutes. Then, keeping as calm as we possibly can, we fold it. This is easy if we fold over and pin down with two or three fork-pricks about an inch and-a-half of the omelette along one side. Then, it is quite easy to roll it into shape. Our omelette should be golden brown outside and wet inside: baveuse, as the classical French term says. It is then slid on to a hot plate and its surface made shiny with a little butter. This last touch makes all the difference.

1.    What is important about the frying–pan?
       a. It should be the same size as the omelette.
       b. It should never be a small one.
       c. It should never be too small to hold the eggs.
       d. It should never be a very flat one

2.    Which of the following frying–pan is among those mentioned by the writer?
       a. One made of aluminium.
       b. One made of aluminium and enamel.
       c. One made of iron.
       d. One made of tin

3.    What is the only way to prevent sticking?
       a. Rubbing with hot salt and tissue–paper.
       b. Rubbing with hot water.
       c. Rubbing with salt and paper.
       d. Washing with salt and paper.

4.    Is it a good thing to beat the omelette too long?
       a. Yes.
       b. No.
       c. It doesn't matter.
       d. It is better than beating it for too short a time.

5.    When should we pour in the egg mixture?
       a. When the flame gives no more froth.
       b. When the butter is a different shade.
       c. A soon as the flame is light golden.
       d. When the frying-pan is getting hot.

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