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A1: ReadingA1.1. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.(1M X 5 = 5M)I was the kid who sat on the side-lines and watched others having a good time splashingabout in the sea, wishing I could swim. Eventually, I learned how to, the hard way. Mybrothers threw me into the water. As I floundered and nearly drowned, it didn't occur to methen that my brothers had taught me two important skills: survival and independence. Theseskills were gifts that I relied on numerous times over as an adult. As a child, I was game foranythingNothing fascinated me more than the chance to try something new. If nothing else, my curiositywas fuelled by the desire to test my limits. I was sixteen when I climbed my first mountain. Itwas Gunung Ledang in Johor, Malaysia, in 1980. It was a horrible experience. I found the heatand thickness of the jungle overwhelming. The night spent on the summit was cold and lonely.As I lay in my tent, with my knees curled to my chin, I vowed that I would never climb anothermountain.And yet, ironically, I was one of the two climbers from the first Singapore Mount EverestExpedition who summitted Mount Everest in May 1998.Questions:1. Why did the writer consider his childhood average?2. Why did the writer say that the ability to swim comes almost naturally to any kidgrowing up in Port Dickson (paragraph 2)?3. When did the writer learn to appreciate the skills his brothers taught him?4. What made the writer vow never to climb again after his Gunung Ledang trip?5. The writer made it to the top of Mount Everest when he was _______ years. |
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Answer» Answer: A1: Reading A1.1. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. (1M X 5 = 5M) I was the kid who sat on the side-lines and watched others having a GOOD TIME splashing about in the sea, wishing I could swim. Eventually, I learned how to, the hard way. My brothers threw me into the water. As I floundered and nearly drowned, it didn't occur to me then that my brothers had taught me two important skills: survival and independence. These skills were gifts that I relied on numerous times over as an adult. As a child, I was game for anything Nothing fascinated me more than the chance to try something new. If nothing ELSE, my curiosity was fuelled by the desire to test my limits. I was sixteen when I climbed my first mountain. It was Gunung Ledang in Johor, MALAYSIA, in 1980. It was a horrible experience. I found the heat and thickness of the jungle overwhelming. The night spent on the summit was cold and lonely. As I lay in my tent, with my knees curled to my chin, I vowed that I would never climb another mountain. And yet, ironically, I was one of the two climbers from the first Singapore Mount Everest Expedition who summitted Mount Everest in May 1998. Questions: 1. Why did the writer consider his childhood average? 2. Why did the writer say that the ability to swim comes almost naturally to any kid growing up in Port Dickson (paragraph 2)? 3. When did the writer learn to appreciate the skills his brothers taught him? 4. What made the writer vow never to climb again after his Gunung Ledang trip? 5. The writer made it to the top of Mount Everest when he was _______ years. |
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