Section C

[25 marks]

Questions 26 – 31 are based on the following passage.

1 When will I be released? I have another three months to serve until I am

freed. I have messed up my life and true enough, my mother’s curse really
worked. That must have been because I have hurt her feelings a lot.
2 My father had left my mother when she was pregnant with me. She played
the role of a single parent very well until I started mixing with some notorious 5
boys in school. She warned me to keep away from them but I insisted that they
were part of my life. I idolized them because they always had the money to
spend and used expensive handsets.
3 My mother worked as an operator in a small industry and earned very little.
We lived from hand to mouth. I was never given any luxury and I always blamed 10
her for it. I felt that she did not work hard enough to give me the luxury. At that
time, I despised her so much that I even told her that I hated the sight of her.
Then, she found a second job as a washerwoman in the neighbourhood.
4 I started stealing money from her savings and once I even pawned her only
wedding ring to get extra pocket money to impress my rich friends. I spent it at 15
expensive ‘Nasi Kandar’ restaurants. At school, I became famous among friends
and started missing classes to join my friends at shopping complexes. Slowly, I
stopped going to school and when mother found out, she scolded and even
begged me to go back to school. I told her to get lost and packed my bags to
leave home. She cried and promised to provide me with all the luxuries I 20
needed. I went near her and slapped her on the face. That was when she
cursed me that I would regret one day when the whole world would turn its back
on me.
5 I left home and found myself a job as a foreman. The boss sacked me
when I started laying hands on his earnings. Then I became a contract worker 25
and stayed with the other contract workers. The workload was too heavy for me
and I started playing truant from work. I got myself fired again and had no home
to stay. I went back to my so-called friends for money and shelter but they
turned me down and some did not even acknowledge me. They stared at me as
if I was a filthy thing. I was hungry and became desperate. I needed food, 30
money and shelter but I didn’t want to return to my mother because I was
ashamed of myself.
6 I had to do something. I walked up to the wet market in town, hoping to get
myself a job there. I saw an Indian lady with things in both hands walking alone
towards her car. An evil idea striked my mind. She had her purse under her 35
armpit. I walked slowly towards her, snatched her purse and fled on foot. I could
hear her shouting for help and some even chased after me but I managed to
escape. I hid myself at a construction site and I rummaged through the contents
of the purse. She had almost RM200.00 and that kept me alive for another
twelve days. 40
7 I became excited because that was easy money and I felt like doing it
again. This time I went to the Mega Mall and tried my luck. I snatched a Chinese
lady’s handbag and tried to flee but this time I was unlucky. Some passersby
and the security guard managed to get me. I got myself behind bars, sentenced
for a year. 45
8 I truly regret now. Once I am out, I want to go back to my mother. I have
been really cruel to her. I need to take care of her. I will go back to school and at
the same time I will work to cope with our expenditure. I will do well in school
 and further my education. I want to be an engineer and make my mother proud.
I will get her everything, everything that she needs. I need to get out of this 50
place. Mother, please forgive me.

26 (a) From paragraph 1, what has the writer done to himself?

(1 mark)
(b) From paragraph 2, what did the mother do when the writer started mixing with some
notorious boys?

(1 mark)
27 From paragraph 3, give ONE reason why the writer despised his mother so much.

(1 mark)
28 From paragraph 4, which word has the same meaning as the word ‘pleaded’?

(1mark)

29 From paragraph 5,

(a) Why did the writer lose his job as a foreman?

(1 mark)

(b) How did the writer’s friends treat him when he went back to them to get some help?
State two ways.

(i)
(1 mark)
(ii)
(1 mark)

30 (a) From paragraph 7, why is the writer behind bars?

(1 mark)

(b) From paragraph 8, the writer says that he wants to go back to his mother. Do you
agree with him? Give a reason using your own words.

(2 marks)
31 Based on the passage given, write a summary on:

 how the writer has messed up his life

 what he is planning to do for his mother when he is out of prison

Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the original
meaning.

Your summary must

 be in continuous writing(not in note form)

 use materials from lines 14 – 46
 not be longer than 130 words including the 10 words given below

Begin your summary as follows:

The writer has messed up his life when he started

MARK SCHEME FOR PRACTICE 4

READING COMPREHENSION

No. Suggested answers Lifting/source Notes for teachers

26(a) He has messed up his life. Line 2 Pronouns ‘I ‘and ‘my’ must be
changed to ‘he’ and ‘his’

26(b) She warned him to keep Line 6 Pronoun ‘me’ must be changed to
away from them. ‘him’

27 His mother earned very Lines 9-11 Pronouns ‘I’ and ‘me’ are changed.
little/ They lived from hand
to mouth/ He felt that she If more than one Accept any one
did not work hard enough reason is lifted,
to give him the luxury. award 0 for
overlifting.

28 begged Write only one word as the answer

29(a) The boss sacked him Line 20 The pronoun ‘me’ and ‘I’ are
when he started laying changed .
hands on his income.

29(b) (i) They turned him down. Lines 28-30 Choose any two only preferably (i)
and (ii) as they can be found in one
(ii)They did not sentence in the passage.
acknowledge him.

(iii) )They stared at him as

if he was a filthy thing.

30(a) He snatched a Chinese Line 42

lady’s handbag and was
caught.

30(b) Yes, he should go back to Any acceptable answer starting with

her and apologise. ‘Yes’ or ‘No’
SUMMARY

1 stealing money from his mother

2 started missing classes
3 stopped going to school
4 when his mother scolded him, he slapped her on the face
5 left home
6 found himself a job as foreman but was sacked when he started stealing money
7 became contract worker but played truant and was fired
8 went back to his friends but they turned him down
9 needed food, money and shelter
10 snatched a Chinese lady’s handbag but was caught
11 got himself behind bars
12 when he is out, he wants to go back to his mother
13 wants to be an engineer and make his mother proud
14 will get her everything that she needs