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Soal Reading Bahasa Inggris Ujian Sekolah & VIERA / TOEIC Preparation - Volume 2

Direction: Choose the best answer to the questions Boy : What are you going to do after completing your study? Are you going to the unive...

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August 24, 2011

Perbedaan Tanda Kutip atau Tanda Petik Tunggal '...' dan Ganda "..." Dalam Bahasa Inggris

Perbedaan Tanda Kutip atau Tanda Petik Tunggal dan Ganda Dalam Bahasa Inggris
M
embedakan kapan kita harus menggunakan tanda kutip atau tanda petik (quotation marks) tunggal '...' atau ganda "..." dalam Bahasa Inggris seringkali terasa "ngeri-ngeri sedap", Guys :D. Terkadang keduanya memang dianggap tidak berbeda, tapi kadang juga cukup membingungkan. Misalnya, untuk mengutip kalimat langsung (direct speech), kita bisa menggunakan tanda kutip atau tanda petik tunggal (single quotation marks) '...' atau ganda (double quotation marks) "..." tanpa ada perbedaan sama sekali. Misal: "Good morning," she said. Atau 'Good morning,' she said.

Kecuali pada kalimat langsung seperti yang sudah disebutkan di atas, tanda kutip atau tanda petik tunggal dan ganda memiliki perbedaan yang sangat besar sehingga kesalahan penulisannya dapat menimbulkan kesalahan pemahaman. Bahkan, di negara-negara yang menggunakan bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa ibu (native language) pun masih banyak terdapat kesalahan penggunaan tanda kutip atau tanda petik (lihat contoh-contoh kesalahan penggunaan tanda kutip atau tanda petik dalam foto-foto di bawah). Apalagi ada beberapa aturan berbeda yang diterapkan oleh beberapa institusi di dunia internasional dalam menggunakan tanda kutip atau tanda petik. Artikel ini diharapkan dapat memberi kita pengetahuan dan panduan dalam membedakan penggunaan tanda kutip atau tanda petik (quotation marks) tunggal '...' atau ganda "...".

Tanda Kutip atau Tanda Petik Tunggal (Single Quotation Marks) '...'


  1. Seringkali digunakan dalam membicarakan suatu kata secara spesifik, atau kata yang memiliki makna yang tidak seperti biasanya. Biasanya dijumpai dalam pembahasan ilmu filsafat, teologi, dan linguistik. Contoh:
    1. English can be a 'bridge' between one country and its neighbor.
    2. The word 'disinterested' is sometimes used to mean 'uninterested'.
  2. Digunakan dalam kutipan pada headline surat kabar.
  3. Untuk mengutip kalimat langsung (direct speech) dalam kalimat langsung, atau kutipan di dalam kutipan, maka harus ada perbedaan antara kutipan pertama dengan kutipan kedua. Contoh:
    1. I asked him, "What will you say if she says 'I love you' to you?"
    2. I asked him, 'What will you say if she says "I love you" to you?'

Tanda Kutip atau Tanda Petik Ganda (Double Quotation Marks) "..."


  1. Digunakan dalam mengutip judul karya-karya tulis pendek* seperti artikel majalah atau suatu episode pertunjukan TV. Contoh:
    1. The “Here Come the Suns” episode of Eureka was hilarious.
  2. Digunakan dalam scare quotes/sneer quotes (kata yang memiliki makna tersirat yang berlawanan dengan makna kata yang sebenarnya). scare quotes/sneer quotes biasanya dipakai dalam dunia politik dan bisa menyiratkan ironi, sindiran, ejekan, gaya pengucapan secara tidak langsung (circumlocution), apophasis, atau insinuasi. Contoh (sindiran antara partai Liberal dengan partai Conservative di A.S.):
    1. Liberal: We've heard about these conservatives and their tax "relief".
    2. Conservative: The liberals have proposed yet another form of "common-sense" gun control.
  3. Untuk mengutip kalimat yang berfungsi sebagai contoh dalam membahas suatu kata. Cara lain yang juga bisa diterima adalah dengan menggunakan cetak miring (italics), tergantung selera kita. Contoh:
    1. A sentence in future continuous tense is "We will be arriving on Monday morning".

Kesalahan Fatal Penggunaan Tanda Kutip atau Tanda Petik.


Kesalahan fatal dalam penulisan tanda kutip atau tanda petik adalah jika kita ingin memprioritaskan suatu kata dengan menggunakan tanda kutip. Gunakan cetak miring atau garis bawah untuk kata-kata yang memiliki makna penting dalam suatu pemberitahuan atau iklan. Contoh:
  1. Teks yang salah "ATTENTION! This door must remain "closed"." bisa berarti bahwa "We can open this door".
Beberapa contoh yang saya ambil dari berbagai situs web tentang penggunaan tanda kutip atau tanda petik yang salah, yang bisa menjadikan kata bermakna berlawanan dari yang tertulis:

Make sure you eat it
Did you say brown "eggs"?
Don't wait
There's no dog, but be careful.
We may be in an airport.
Cars Not Parked at Owners Risk.
None is going to lock the door. So, remember the rule.
Gunakan garis bawah (underline) atau cetak miring (italics) untuk memprioritaskan suatu kata.

*Aturan tanda kutip untuk karya-karya seperti buku cukup memusingkan. The Associated Press menggunakan tanda kutip, tetapi the Chicago Manual of Style merekomendasikan cetak miring, dan the MLA Handbook pernah merekomendasikan garis-bawah, lalu menggantinya dengan cetak miring pada edisi 2009 mereka.

Referensi:
1. Swan, M. Practical English Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980, p. 510.
2. Fogarty, M. Single Quotation Marks Versus Double Quotation Marks, (https://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/single-quotes-versus-double-quotes.aspx, accessed 08/21/2011)

August 23, 2011

Vocabulary Exercise for Intermediate English Olympiads

English Vocabulary multiple choice exercise for Intermediate Level

Latihan soal ini bisa digunakan sebagai bahan pengayaan atau persiapan Olimpiade bahasa Inggris untuk siswa SMP/MTs, ditujukan untuk menambah kekayaan kosa kata (vocabulary) bahasa Inggris mereka. Mari kita coba mengerjakan quiz atau latihan soal Bahasa Inggris pilihan ganda ini.

Start of Vocabulary Quiz
  1. The animal is not tame, so don’t ... it.
    1. greet
    2. quicken
    3. operate
    4. provoke
  2. In some countries, employers are accused of ... their workers by paying them low wages.
    1. exploding
    2. exploiting
    3. exposing
    4. exploring
  3. Rupiah is Indonesian ....
    1. currency
    2. fund
    3. cash
    4. dollar
  4. The air was very hot and still, but then came a few gentle ... of wind, followed by a good breeze.
    1. gales
    2. blows
    3. puffs
    4. blasts
  5. It’s no good hiring someone who’s never taught in high school before. We need an ... teacher.
    1. experimented
    2. exploited
    3. experienced
    4. explored
  6. I am sure the debate contest can be held next month, but I can’t ... it yet.
    1. convey
    2. confine
    3. condemn
    4. confirm
  7. The weather forecast ... that it would rain this evening.
    1. asked
    2. spoke
    3. prevented
    4. predicted
  8. The house has become very cold. Maybe something’s wrong with the central ....
    1. heat
    2. heating
    3. hotter
    4. hot
  9. Microsoft is a huge, international ....
    1. competitor
    2. corporation
    3. conference
    4. companion
  10. Most cars are fitted with a ... for locking the steering-wheel to prevent theft.
    1. cable
    2. tool
    3. device
    4. window
  11. Remember this ... - “Think Before You Speak”.
    1. principle
    2. prejudice
    3. prospect
    4. principal
  12. The doctors didn’t know what was wrong with Dad, so they decided to do an ... of his blood.
    1. amendment
    2. artificial
    3. analysis
    4. acknowledgement
  13. There’s a lot of ... in the school laboratory.
    1. applicable
    2. apology
    3. apparatus
    4. apparel
  14. Please send that letter by express. It’s very ....
    1. urgent
    2. earnest
    3. great
    4. hurried
  15. Your heart makes your blood ... around your body.
    1. circumstance
    2. cynical
    3. cleared
    4. circulate
  16. Some people believe that if a person dies violently in a house, his ghost may come back to ... it.
    1. haunt
    2. bother
    3. visit
    4. disturb
  17. The ... of the examination depends on how many subjects you take.
    1. ticket
    2. fee
    3. coast
    4. salary
  18. Please don’t pass this information on to anyone else. It’s ....
    1. confidential
    2. secretion
    3. confident
    4. believable
  19. There’s a very interesting ... about Lapindo in today’s newspaper.
    1. annual
    2. appendix
    3. articulation
    4. article
  20. The rich lady owns a lot of ... in the middle of our town.
    1. prosperity
    2. preparation
    3. properly
    4. property
  21. The rooms on this floor connect.
    Which is closest in meaning to "connect"?
    1. beat
    2. fight
    3. persuade
    4. join
  22. She suffered from a deadly disease.
    Which is closest in meaning to "deadly"?
    1. fatal
    2. death
    3. alive
    4. hell
  23. Opportunity never knocks twice at any man's door.
    Which is closest in meaning to "opportunity"?
    1. chance
    2. entry
    3. change
    4. leave
  24. We must preserve our natural resources.
    Which is closest in meaning to "preserve"?
    1. keep
    2. serve
    3. offer
    4. prepare
  25. We refuse to talk to terrorists.
    Which is closest in meaning to "refuse"?
    1. reject
    2. fresh
    3. diffuse
    4. confuse
  26. Water can be made pure by distilling it.
    Which is the antonym of "pure"?
    1. empty
    2. true
    3. impure
    4. push
  27. The patient made a rapid recovery.
    Which is the antonym of "rapid"?
    1. hit
    2. smart
    3. slow
    4. jump
  28. His political ideas are rather extreme.
    Which is the antonym of "extreme"?
    1. extra
    2. terrible
    3. moderate
    4. horrific
  29. False friends are worse than open enemies.
    Which is the antonym of "false"?
    1. true
    2. rises
    3. wrong
    4. gentle
  30. A comfortable working environment will increase productivity.
    Which is the antonym of "increase"?
    1. include
    2. conclude
    3. reduce
    4. induce
  31. A: "Did Jenny say anything about her sister?"
    B: "No, she didn't ... her at all.
    1. mend
    2. amend
    3. remind
    4. mention
  32. Africa used to be called the Dark ... because so little of it was known to Europeans.
    1. Contingent
    2. Continent
    3. Container
    4. Country
  33. After eating all those green apples, Jim got a bad ....
    1. ache stomach
    2. stomachache
    3. middle pain
    4. stumble ache
  34. After Jane's wedding, her father made a few polite ... about her new husband's family.
    1. remarks
    2. marks
    3. repents
    4. remakes
  35. After the accident, the driver managed to ... to the nearest house and call an ambulance.
    1. flatter
    2. flutter
    3. stage
    4. stagger
  36. After no rain for several years, there was ... in parts of northeast India.
    1. fame
    2. famous
    3. famine
    4. former
  37. Keeping our hands clean helps us avoid getting sick and ... germs to other people.
    1. spreading
    2. staying
    3. standing
    4. spraying
  38. Antibodies help ... the body against infectious organisms such as bacteria and viruses .
    1. depend
    2. differ
    3. defy
    4. defend
  39. COVID-19 is a new, infectious ... caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
    1. decrease
    2. decease
    3. degrade
    4. disease
  40. If you’re going out in public, you have to wear a ... to protect you from breathing in or spreading germs to others.
    1. musk
    2. mask
    3. moustache
    4. mass
End of Vocabulary Quiz.

August 20, 2011

Reading Cloze Text: Explanation Text about Global Warming

Cloze Text: Explanation Reading Text about Global Warming
Subject: Reading

Type of Text: Cloze Text

Level: Intermediate - Advanced

No. of Text Items: 15 items

GLOBAL WARMING

Explanation Text
Instructions :
Fill in all the gaps with the correct word provided below to complete the following passage. When you click the blank space, a drop-down menu containing answer choices will appear and you can choose the word that you think is correct.
   acting      affect      allow      alter      begin      consider      decrease      depend      keep      needs      produce      produced      risen      states      understand   
Did you ever wonder why the weather has been strangely in the past few years? One of the causes you may is global warming. Global warming is the increase in the temperature of the Earth's surface. It is by the emission of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, halogenated fluorocarbons, ozone, and hydrocarbons incoming solar radiation to pass through the Earth's atmosphere but infrared radiation from leaving the atmosphere, thus causing the atmosphere to warm. Life on Earth the natural greenhouse effect, but excess greenhouse gases will retain excess heat and the normal atmospheric temperature of the Earth, causing global warming.

According to "Scientific Sleuths Track Climate Trends: Unraveling the mystery of global warming's cause and effect," by Alan Boyle, mean global temperatures have 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century. Boyle also that last year was declared to be one of the warmest in 120 years.

In order to what global warming really is one must look at the effects it will have in the future. Effects in the weather and climate would be one. Global warming could warmer and wetter climates for the North America, Europe and Asia. This may not be such a bad thing for these areas as it could the amount of frost that affects crops. Water problems, on the other hand, could be detrimental to life on earth. The melting of glaciers, ocean ice and ice shelves in the Arctic and Antarctic could be one of the clearest indicators of global warming. According to Janine Bloomfield, a staff scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund, there are urban areas that on snow packs for their water supply. The increased melting of these packs along with summer droughts could cause water shortages for these areas. Another problem is rising sea levels due to melting glaciers and ice. This could cause shoreline erosion, and the oceans will slowly to consume coasts all over the world.
These may not be issues that will us tomorrow, but as humans we need to take the initiative to take care of the Earth. We need to take measures to prevent these problems from affecting generations to come, so they to can have bright and promising futures.
To do the computer-based version of this cloze text and find out your score, click the link below.

August 15, 2011

The Simple Past Tense VS The Past Continuous Tense

The Simple Past Tense VS The Past Continuous Tense

Students who learn English as a second or foreign language often have difficulties when they are working with Simple Past tense and Past Continuous tense. They often find it difficult to tell the difference in meaning between "He had breakfast at six" and "At six, he was having breakfast", or between "I talked to him several days ago" and "I was talking to him the other day", or between "She always watched TV" and "She was always watching TV". It is very likely that they confuse these two past tenses. As a matter of fact, incorrect use of simple past tense and past continuous tense may lead to misunderstanding.

The following list may help you understand how simple past tense and past continuous tense are different in meaning and usage.

SIMPLE PAST TENSEPAST CONTINUOUS
Used with an adverbial of time, to indicate a past action which probably started at the specified time.
Digunakan dengan keterangan waktu untuk menunjukkan kejadian yang berawal pada waktu tersebut.
E.g.: He had breakfast at six.
When she arrived, I called Lenny.		 Used with an adverbial of time, to indicate a past action which started before, was happening, and probably continued after the specified time.
Digunakan dengan keterangan waktu untuk menunjukkan kejadian yang sedang berlangsung pada saat itu (dimulai sebelumnya, dan mungkin berakhir sesudahnya).
E.g.: At six, he was having breakfast.
When she arrived, I was calling Lenny.
To indicate a more permanent past action.
Untuk kejadian lampau yang bersifat agak permanen.
E.g.: He lived in Malang for six years.
The old tree stood in the yard for more than a hundred years.		 To indicate a temporary past action.
Untuk kejadian lampau yang bersifat lebih sementara.
E.g. It happened while I was living in Malang ten years ago.
I was sitting at my table when the teacher came in.
To indicate an unusual or deliberate past action instead of normal occurence. Subject had the initiative.
Untuk kejadian lampau yang tidak biasa,  disengaja dan bukan hasil dari kejadian normal. Ada inisiatif dari Subyek untuk melakukannya.
E.g.: I talked to him on that matter.
He washed the car for about an hour.		 To indicate an usual or unintentional past action, or one which resulted from a normal occurrence. It is not clear who took the initiative.
Untuk kejadian lampau yang tidak disengaja, atau yang merupakan hasil dari kejadian normal/biasa. Tidak jelas siapa yang mengambil inisiatif.
E.g.: I was talking to him the other day.
She was walking home that evening.
To indicate a repeated past action which happened several times.
Untuk kejadian lampau yang berulang-ulang atau terjadi beberapa kali.
E.g.: I met him several times.
She sent me a few letters. 		To indicate parallel actions.
Untuk lebih dari satu kejadian lampau yang sedang terjadi secara bersamaan.
E.g.: Between one and two, I was doing the shopping and walking the dog.
Used with "always", to indicate a habitual past action.
Dengan "always", menceritakan kebiasaan waktu lampau.
E.g.: She always watched TV before going to bed.		 Used with "always", to indicate a repeated and annoying past action.
Dengan "always", menceritakan kejadian lampau yang berulang-ulang dan terasa mengganggu/menjengkelkan.
E.g.: They were always playing the music loudly.
In narratives, to indicate events or actions.
Dalam narasi, menggambarkan peristiwa atau kejadian.
E.g.: Suddenly, the door opened and a man stood at the door.		In narratives, to indicate background events or descriptions.
Dalam narasi, memberikan deskripsi atau latar belakang.
E.g.: The bride was wearing a white dress and carrying a bouquet of lilies. The bridegroom was trembling and looking pale. Suddenly, ....
Note:
We can use the Past Continuous in "I was wondering, I was hoping, and I was thinking" to make a request or suggestion sound more polite.
Kita bisa menggunakan bentuk Past Continuous dalam "I was wondering, I was hoping, and I was thinking" untuk membuat suatu permintaan atau saran terdengar lebih sopan.
Click here to do an exercise about the Simple Past and the Past Continuous tense.

Reference:
  1. Thomson & Martinet. A Practical English Grammar (4th Ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986, p. 164-165.
  2. Swan, M. Practical English Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980, p. 468-470.

August 07, 2011

Conjunctions and Participles Exercise

Conjunctions and Participles Exercise
Subject: Conjunctions and Participles
Level: Intermediate
Type of Test: Multiple Choice
No. of Test Items: 25 items.
Start of English Test
  1. ... Ted knew the material, he failed the exam.
    1. Nevertheless
    2. Because
    3. Provided that
    4. Even though
  2. Jim goes hiking, ... he has asthma.
    1. otherwise
    2. despite the fact that
    3. because
    4. provided that
  3. Jenny’s smile is an important aspect to her personality. ..., she doesn’t realize it.
    1. Consequently
    2. Nevertheless
    3. Because
    4. Since
  4. She got ... a shock ... she dropped the tray
    1. so - that
    2. such - that
    3. really - then
    4. very - so that
  5. We can go camping with him ... we bring our own equipment.
    1. unless
    2. otherwise
    3. consequently
    4. provided
  6. Lucy can’t attend the meeting ... she finds a baby-sitter.
    1. provided
    2. unless
    3. now that
    4. otherwise
  7. ..., the best car to buy is a BMW.
    1. Because of its durability
    2. Because of it lasts a long time
    3. Because of it is durable
    4. Because its durability
  8. The region is referred to as the “Land of Fruit” ... it yields a bountiful harvest of oranges and apples.
    1. because
    2. such as
    3. although
    4. so that
  9. Seat belt laws were introduced ... traffic fatalities would be reduced.
    1. when
    2. as if
    3. so that
    4. after
  10. The great stone city Angkon flourished for six centuries ... it fell in 1431 and lay prey to the jungle for four long centuries.
    1. until
    2. as soon as
    3. so that
    4. because
  11. While attempting to reach his home before the storm, ....
    1. the storm caught John.
    2. John's bicycle broke down.
    3. it happened that John's bicycle broke down.
    4. John had an accident on his bicycle.
  12. Our flight from Amsterdam to London was delayed ... the heavy fog.
    1. on account
    2. because
    3. consequently
    4. due to
  13. ..., the travelers found that their flight had been canceled because of the severe snowstorm.
    1. They arrived at the airport
    2. When arrived at the airport
    3. Arriving at the airport
    4. That they arrived at the airport
  14. ... in a debate contest, participants must try their best to convince the juries.
    1. They compete
    2. When competing
    3. When competed
    4. When compete
  15. ..., tobacco farmers had not yet felt its effect.
    1. Even though there was a campaign against smoking
    2. There was a campaign against smoking
    3. That there was a campaign against smoking
    4. Though a campaign against smoking
  16. ... the finish line first, the runner gave up.
    1. He failed to reach
    2. Having failed to reach
    3. That he failed reaching
    4. Having failed reaching
  17. Having been served lunch, ....
    1. it was discussed by the committee members the problem.
    2. a discussion of the problem was made by the members of the committee.
    3. the committee members discussed the problems.
    4. the problem was discussed by the members of the committee.
  18. ... he began to make friends more easily.
    1. Having entered school in the new city, it was found that.
    2. He entered the new school
    3. After entering the new school
    4. When entered the new school
  19. The weather was ... cold that I didn’t like to leave my apartment.
    1. very
    2. such
    3. really
    4. so
  20. ... he is not a superstitious person, he believes in spiritual life.
    1. However
    2. Unless
    3. Although
    4. As
  21. ... the rain, fans started lining up outside the studios, hoping to catch a glimpse of the teen idols.
    1. When
    2. Despite
    3. Although
    4. Unless
  22. I need to work hard ... I can support my family.
    1. but
    2. so that
    3. if
    4. however
  23. We must work quickly. ..., we will be late.
    1. If
    2. Otherwise
    3. Unless
    4. However
  24. She has invited me to her party. ..., I may not be able to come.
    1. However
    2. So
    3. Therefore
    4. In spite
  25. The boy had a big breakfast this morning. ..., he said he was still hungry.
    1. Consequently
    2. Nevertheless
    3. Otherwise
    4. Eventhough
End of English Test

July 31, 2011

Grammar Quiz: Conditional Sentences Type 1, 2, 3, and Mixed Conditional

Grammar Quiz: Conditional SentencesBefore you do this exercise, make sure you have read and review the explanation about Conditional sentences here:
Conditional Sentences Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, and Mixed Conditional.
  1. If she had come to the meeting yesterday afternoon, she ... involved in decision making.
    1. were
    2. would be
    3. had been
    4. would have been
    5. was.
  1. The truth implied by the sentence in problem no. 1 is ....
    1. She isn't coming to the meeting.
    2. She came to the meeting.
    3. She didn't come to the meeting.
    4. She had come to the meeting.
    5. She comes to the meeting.
  2. If you had invited her to your party, I ... with her.
    1. had come
    2. would come
    3. would have come
    4. will come
    5. came
  3. The truth implied by the sentence in problem no. 3 is ....
    1. She came to the party to your party.
    2. You invited her to your party.
    3. You didn't invite her to your party.
    4. You had invited her to your party.
    5. You don't invite her to your party.
  4. There would be a risk of accident if you ... that cable on the floor.
    1. would leave
    2. left
    3. were left
    4. would have left
    5. leave
  5. Annie ... you if she had had your phone number.
    1. had called
    2. would call
    3. calls
    4. would have called
    5. will call
  6. The truth implied by the sentence in problem no. 6 is ....
    1. Annie doesn’t have your phone number.
    2. Annie had your phone number.
    3. Annie wouldn’t have your phone number.
    4. Annie didn’t have your phone number.
    5. Annie called you.
  7. We would have met Mr. Woodhead, the famous speaker, if we ... earlier to the hall.
    1. would come
    2. will come
    3. came
    4. had come
    5. come
  8. The truth implied by the sentence in problem no. 8 is ....
    1. We would come earlier so we could meet Mr. Woodhead.
    2. We came earlier, so we met Mr. Woodhead.
    3. We didn't come earlier but we met Mr. Woodhead.
    4. We didn't came earlier, so we didn't met Mr. Woodhead.
    5. We met Mr. Woodhead although we didn't come earlier.
  9. If it rains this afternoon, I ... at home.
    1. will stay
    2. would stay
    3. would have stayed
    4. had stayed
    5. am staying
  10. If our team ... for the match more intensively, we would have won it.
    1. prepare
    2. had prepared
    3. have prepared
    4. prepared
    5. would have prepared
  11. The sentence in problem no. 11 implies that ....
    1. We didn’t prepare intensively but we won the match.
    2. We had prepared intensively and, therefore, we won the match
    3. We prepared intensively, but we lost the match.
    4. We prepared intensively in order to win the match.
    5. We didn’t prepare intensively and lost the match.
  12. If the EXIT doors ... locked, those people would have escaped easily from the burning hall.
    1. had not been
    2. would not be
    3. have not been
    4. were not
    5. wouldn't have been
  13. The sentence in problem no. 13 implies that ....
    1. The people could not escape easily because the EXIT doors were locked.
    2. The people could not escape easily although the EXIT doors were not locked.
    3. The people cannot escape easily because the EXIT doors are locked.
    4. The people cannot escape easily because the EXIT doors aren't locked.
    5. The people could escape easily because the EXIT doors weren't locked.
  14. Had she known about the story, she ... us about it.
    1. told
    2. has told
    3. would tell
    4. would have told
    5. had told
  15. The truth implied by the sentence in no. 15 is ....
    1. She knew about the story so she told us about it.
    2. She told us the story because she knew about it.
    3. She didn't tell us the story because she didn't know about it.
    4. She told us the story although she didn't know much about it.
    5. She didn't tell us the story although she knew about it.
  16. If the delivery is late, we ... the shipping.
    1. are paying
    2. paid
    3. would have paid
    4. would pay
    5. will pay
  17. If this school had a complete multi-media laboratory, learning ... more enjoyable.
    1. was
    2. will be
    3. would be
    4. were
    5. would have been
  18. The sentence in no. 18 tells us that ....
    1. The school had a complete multi-media laboratory.
    2. The school will have a complete multi-media laboratory.
    3. The school doesn't have a complete multi-media laboratory.
    4. The school has a complete multi-media laboratory.
    5. The school didn't have a complete multi-media laboratory.
  19. Things could have been different if we ... the tires before leaving.
    1. didn't check
    2. checked
    3. had not checked
    4. would have checked
    5. wouldn't check
  20. Choose the best conditional sentence for: "He didn’t take care of his health, so he fell sick"
    1. If he took care of his health, he wouldn't be sick.
    2. If he had taken care of his health, he wouldn't have been sick.
    3. If he didn’t take care of his health, he would be sick.
    4. If he takes care of his health, he won't be sick.
    5. If he doesn't take care of his health, he will be sick.
  21. Choose the best conditional sentence for: "Medical expense is not cheap. Poor people can’t afford it."
    1. If medical expense hadn't been cheap, poor people wouldn't have been able to afford it.
    2. If medical expense were cheap, poor people would be able to afford it.
    3. If medical expense is cheap, poor people will be able to afford it.
    4. If medical expense weren't cheap, poor people wouldn't be able to afford it.
    5. If medical expense had been cheap, poor people would have been able to afford it.
  22. Choose the best conditional sentence for: "The device is broken now because you didn’t use it properly last night." (mixed conditional)
    1. The device won't be broken now if you had used it properly last night.
    2. The device wouldn't be broken now if you had used it properly last night.
    3. The device wouldn't be broken now if you used it properly last night.
    4. The device will be broken now if you didn’t use it properly last night.
    5. The device would be broken now if you hadn't used it properly last night.
  23. Choose the best conditional sentence for: "I didn’t read the instructions carefully, so I made a lot of mistakes"
    1. If I didn’t read the instructions carefully, I would have made a lot of mistakes
    2. If I read the instructions carefully, I wouldn't make a lot of mistakes.
    3. Had I read the instructions carefully, I wouldn't have made a lot of mistakes.
    4. If I didn’t read the instructions carefully, I would make a lot of mistakes
    5. Had I not read the instructions carefully, I would have made a lot of mistakes
  24. Choose the best conditional sentence for: "She doesn’t live here, so she doesn’t know this area very well"
    1. If she hadn’t lived here, she wouldn’t have known this area very well
    2. If she lives here, she will know this area very well
    3. If she lived here, she would know this area very well.
    4. If she didn’t live here, she wouldn’t know this area very well
    5. If she had lived here, she would have known this area very well
To learn more about conditional sentences, click HERE.

July 17, 2011

Strategi, Tips and Trick Sukses Tes TOEFL®

Strategi, Tips and Trick Sukses Tes TOEFLTes TOEFL® bagi kebanyakan orang adalah tes yang cukup sulit. Tes TOEFL® bukanlah tes yang dapat dilalui dengan persiapan seadanya, seperti belajar lembur semalam-suntuk tepat 1 hari menjelang tes. No, that's not it! Tes TOEFL® membutuhkan persiapan fisik dan mental yang benar-benar matang selama jangka waktu yang relatif cukup lama untuk dapat mencapai hasil tes TOEFL® yang cukup memuaskan. Nah, berikut ini saya share beberapa tips untuk mempersiapkan diri menghadapi tes TOEFL®.

A. PREPARATION
  1. Konsentrasikan diri pada listening (mendengarkan), structure (tata bahasa), writing (menulis), dan reading (membaca). Jangan memfokuskan diri untuk mempelajari vocabulary (kosa-kata). Mempelajari (kosa-kata) baru saja bisa menjadi hal yang sia-sia karena bisa saja kata-kata yang sudah kita pelajari malah tidak keluar dalam ujian TOEFL®. Hal ini sangat mungkin terjadi karena sistem kosa-kata dalam bahasa Inggris sangat besar dan ada ribuan kata yang memiliki kemungkinan keluar dalam Tes TOEFL®. Lebih baik, kita berlatih Listening dan Reading karena semakin sering kita berlatih, skill atau kemampuan Listening dan Reading kita juga akan semakin meningkat. Skill yang terasah melalui latihan dan pengalaman akan sangat berguna saat mengerjakan tes TOEFL® dan hampir bisa dipastikan nilai TOEFL® kita akan meningkat.
  2. Hindari Cara Belajar Sistem Kebut Semalam. Cara belajar terbaik, tidak saja untuk tes TOEFL®, adalah meluangkan waktu sedikitnya 1 jam setiap hari untuk belajar atau mengulang pelajaran. Banyak penelitian serta pengalaman yang saya ketahui membuktikan bahwa belajar rutin setiap hari untuk waktu yang singkat, 1 jam misalnya, lebih menjamin pencapaian hasil belajar yang maksimal daripada belajar sekali seminggu selama 7 jam non-stop.
  3. Tidak perlu menghapalkan pertanyaan dari latihan tes TOEFL® maupun buku-buku TOEFL® manapun. Pertanyaan yang mungkin muncul dalam tes TOEFL® memang akan serupa atau sejenis dengan pertanyaan-pertanyaan dalam latihan tes TOEFL®, akan tetapi mereka tidak akan sama persis.
  4. Ketika mengerjakan latihan tes TOEFL®, cobalah terapkan seluruh kemampuan dan pengetahuan yang kita miliki. Tidak perlu tergesa-gesa dalam mengerjakan soal-soal latihan TOEFL®. Ingat, bahwa kita sedang berlatih.
  5. Setelah mengerjakan latihan TOEFL®, periksalah jawaban anda dan cocokkan dengan kunci latihan TOEFL®. Pikirkanlah dan pahamilah alasan jawaban yang benar. Bisakah anda menjelaskan kepada diri sendiri mengapa jawaban tersebut benar? Juga, apakah suatu pertanyaan serupa dengan pertanyaan yang pernah anda temui sebelumnya?

B. MATERIAL:
  1. Section 1 (Listening): Perbanyak Listening (mendengarkan) siaran berita atau laporan cuaca berbahasa Inggris di TV atau radio, film-film dokumenter berbahasa Inggris, serta siaran-siaran pendidikan lainnya yang berbahasa Inggris. Dalam beberapa kasus, menonton film berbahasa Inggris juga dapat membantu meningkatkan skill Listening. Bergabunglah dengan English Club atau Conversation Club dan jika mungkin bergaullah dengan orang-orang yang menggunakan American English, karena TOEFL® adalah tes yang menggunakan American English, bukan British English.
  2. Section 2 (Structure): Gunakan buku-buku grammar untuk tingkat advanced (mahir). Ikutilah kursus-kursus bahasa Inggris dan perbanyak mengerjakan latihan-latihan grammar.
  3. Section 3 (Reading): Perbanyaklah membaca artikel di koran atau majalah berbahasa Inggris, katalog, bulletin, brosur, dan hal-hal yang menarik minat di ensiklopedia berbahasa Inggris. Bacalah artikel-artikel tentang berbagai macam topik, misal sejarah Amerika, budaya, pengetahuan sosial, dan pengetahuan alam/sains.
C. TEST-TAKING
  1. Bersikaplah tenang saat ujian. Jangan panik. Panik hanya akan merusak konsentrasi dan bisa berdampak buruk terhadap hasil tes. Jika anda merasa cemas atau panik, pejamkan mata, berdoalah, dan katakan pada diri anda sendiri, "Aku tidak akan panik, karena aku sudah siap." Lalu tarik napas beberapa kali dengan pelan tapi dalam, lalu hembuskan keluar dengan pelan dan rasakan bahu anda turun dengan perlahan-lahan.
  2. Konsentrasi pada soal. Jangan berbicara. Pusatkan perhatian. Jangan memperhatikan apapun di ruangan kecuali soal serta jawaban yang paling benar. Bahkan, jangan berpikir tentang nilai maupun nasib anda setelah tes TOEFL®. Jika hal itu terjadi, paksalah diri anda sendiri untuk kembali berkonsentrasi pada soal-soal TOEFL®.
  3. Jangan menghabiskan waktu terlalu lama untuk mengerjakan suatu soal. Jika anda tidak bisa menjawab dengan pasti atau tidak memiliki jawaban, lakukan yang terbaik. Pilih jawaban yang memiliki peluang besar sebagai jawaban yang benar. Lalu bersiap-siaplah untuk mengerjakan soal berikutnya.
  4. Jangan mencontek. Sekalipun misalnya ada kesempatan, atau anda ingin membantu teman, atau anda takut nilai anda jelek, jangan sekali-kali menipu diri sendiri dengan mencontek. Pada tes TOEFL®, mencontek adalah masalah yang serius. Jika anda tertangkap basah, tes TOEFL® anda tidak akan dinilai. Bahkan, tindakan hukum bisa diambil oleh Educational Testing Service (ETS) apabila kasusnya cukup serius. So, jadilah diri sendiri.
  5. Jawablah semua soal. Dalam tes TOEFL®, tidak ada pengurangan nilai/penalty terhadap jawaban yang salah. Jadi untuk memperbesar peluang jawaban benar, jawablah keseluruhan soal. Jika tidak yakin dengan jawaban kita, pilihlah jawaban yang memiliki kemungkinan terbesar sebagai jawaban yang benar.
Pada dasarnya, dalam tes TOEFL® dan tes apapun, sikap adalah faktor penting dalam keberhasilan. Anda harus mampu memiliki pola pemikiran yang positif. Selalu katakan kalimat-kalimat motivasi kepada diri anda sendiri, seperti "Aku pasti bisa." Jangan lupa, bergaullah dengan orang-orang yang juga memiliki sikap yang positif, yaitu orang-orang yang selalu membuat anda optimis dan selalu mendorong untuk berhasil. Good luck.
Baca lebih lanjut tentang tes TOEFL®:
  1. Tips dan Strategi Listening Section TOEFL
  2. Tips TOEFL®: Strategi Mengerjakan Test TOEFL Dengan Mengenali Testing Point
  3. TOEFL® Preparation Exercise: Reducing An Adjective Clause In
  4. TOEFL® Preparation 1: Written Expression - Error Recognition
  5. Klik disini untuk mengunduh soal latihan TOEFL

July 10, 2011

TOEFL® - Test of English as a Foreign Language

TOEFL® - Test of English as a Foreign Language
B
anyak pelajar bahkan mahasiswa masih bertanya-tanya tentang tes TOEFL®. Mengapa TOEFL® sangat sering dibicarakan orang mulai dari lingkungan akademik setingkat SMA dan universitas, hingga berlanjut ke dunia kerja, terutama jika ingin melanjutkan studi ke luar negeri? Diperkirakan hampir satu juta pelajar dari 180 negara mengikuti tes TOEFL® di berbagai test center di seluruh dunia setiap tahunnya. TOEFL® adalah singkatan dari Test of English as a Foreign Language (Tes Bahasa Inggris sebagai Bahasa Asing) yang diadakan oleh ETS (Educational Testing Services). ETS adalah suatu lembaga assessor yang berpusat di Amerika Serikat. ETS mengembangkan dan mengelola lebih dari 50 juta tes setiap tahunnya, termasuk tes TOEFL®, TOEIC®, the GRE® General dan tes-tes lainnya di lebih dari 180 negara, dan lebih dari 9,000 lokasi di seluruh dunia.

Apa Tujuan Tes TOEFL®?
Pertanyaan "Apakah tujuan mengikuti tes TOEFL®?" seringkali muncul di benak mereka yang belum tahu tentang tes TOEFL®. Sejak tahun 1963, TOEFL® telah digunakan dalam seleksi calon penerima beasiswa oleh berbagai kantor pemerintah, universitas, serta badan-badan seperti Fulbright, The Agency for International Development, AMIDEAST, Latin American Scholarship Program, dan lain-lainnya. TOEFL® digunakan sebagai standard untuk mengukur kecakapan berbahasa Inggris. Sekarang, TOEFL® bahkan digunakan oleh badan-badan lisensi dan sertifikasi profesional untuk mengevaluasi keahlian berbahasa Inggris.

Lebih dari 2400 universitas dan sekolah tinggi di Amerika Serikat dan Kanada mewajibkan calon mahasiswa baru yang berasal dari luar negeri menyerahkan nilai TOEFL® bersama dengan transkrip nilai dan rekomendasi dalam penerimaan mahasiswa baru. Hal ini juga diikuti oleh banyak universitas dan sekolah tinggi di negara-negara berbahasa Inggris lainnya.

Banyak universitas juga menggunakan TOEFL® sebagai syarat kelulusan program doktor (S3) bagi mahasiswa yang tidak menggunakan bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa ibu.

Program Tes TOEFL®
Ada 3 macam tes TOEFL® yang bisa diambil, yaitu Supplemental Paper-Based TOEFL® (PBT), Computer-based TOEFL® (CBT), dan Institutional TOEFL®.
  1. Supplemental Paper-Based TOEFL®. Supplemental Paper-Based TOEFL® adalah tes TOEFL® yang menggunakan kertas dan pensil. PBT (Paper-Based TOEFL®) digunakan untuk mengganti Computer-Based TOEFL® (CBT) di daerah yang tidak bisa mengakses internet. Jadi, PBT hanya merupakan pengganti CBT saja. Banyak lembaga yang menawarkan tes TOEFL® Alike yang sebenarnya adalah PBT yang diujikan ulang. Kita harus berhati-hati dalam menggunakan sertifikatnya karena keabsahannya patut diragukan. Resikonya adalah sertifikat kita bisa dianggap tidak valid, bahkan kita bisa saja dituntut telah menggunakan sertifikat TOEFL® palsu.
  2. Computer-Based TOEFL®. Computer-Based TOEFL® (CBT) pertama kali diperkenalkan pada bulan Juli 1998 di Amerika Serikat, Canada, Amerika Latin, Eropa, Australia, Afrika, Timur Tengah, dan beberapa negara Asia. Di bulan Oktober 2000, CBT mulai digunakan di seluruh negara-negara Asia, kecuali China hingga tahun 2002-2003. Sejak itulah CBT dipergunakan di seluruh dunia. Daftar Test Center resmi yang berhak menyelenggarakan tes CBT bisa dilihat di Information Bulletin yang bisa diperoleh dari TOEFL® Services, atau website TOEFL®.
  3. Institutional TOEFL®. Institutional TOEFL® digunakan oleh lebih dari 1200 sekolah, perguruan tinggi, dan badan-badan swasta sebagai persyaratan dalam penerimaan murid atau mahasiswa baru, karyawan baru, serta penugasan atau pengangkatan karyawan. Tes IT memiliki durasi, format, dan tingkat kesulitan yang sama dengan PBT, hanya tanggal dan tujuannya yang berbeda. Tanggal tes IT biasanya disesuaikan dengan kalender akademik sekolah atau perguruan tinggi yang bersangkutan. Hasil tes IT yang diperoleh dari suatu lembaga tidak bisa dipergunakan pada lembaga lainnya.
    Itulah sekilas tentang tes TOEFL®. Semoga bermanfaat dan memberikan informasi yang cukup tentang tes TOEFL®. Insya Allah, dalam waktu dekat saya akan menulis tentang strategi mengerjakan tes TOEFL®. See you in the next post.
    Klik disini untuk mengetahui lebih banyak tentang TOEFL®

    July 03, 2011

    Dampak Buruk Narkoba dan Minuman Keras Bagi Kecerdasan Remaja

    Dampak Buruk Narkoba dan Minuman Keras Bagi Kecerdasan RemajaAda kabar yang pasti tidak menyenangkan bagi para pengguna narkoba, khususnya Marijuana atau ganja, dan miras. Sebuah studi yang dilakukan The University of New Mexico School of Medicine baru-baru ini menemukan bahwa minuman keras dan Narkoba dapat membawa dampak buruk terhadap kecerdasan dan kesehatan mental remaja. Studi tersebut membandingkan kemampuan mental remaja pengguna narkoba serta pecandu minuman keras, dengan kemampuan mental remaja yang bebas dari narkoba. Secara keseluruhan, penelitian ini semakin membuktikan bahwa Narkoba dan miras sangat berbahaya dan berdampak buruk bagi kecerdasan dan kesehatan mental generasi muda.

    Dalam penelitian yang hasilnya dilaporkan dalam the Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research tersebut, sebanyak 48 remaja belasan tahun dibagi ke dalam tiga kelompok yang terdiri dari remaja pengguna narkoba dan miras, remaja bebas narkoba, serta remaja non-pengguna tapi memiliki orang tua pecandu alkohol. Penelitian itu menemukan bahwa semakin banyak minuman keras yang dikonsumsi seorang ABG, semakin buruk hasil ujian yang diperolehnya. Remaja belasan tahun yang mengkonsumsi miras mendapat hasil buruk dalam tes kemampuan kognitif. Penelitian dampak narkoba tersebut juga menemukan bahwa Narkoba berdampak buruk terhadap kemampuan memori atau daya ingat.

    Remaja ABG yang mengkonsumsi narkoba maupun miras memiliki masalah atau kelemahan dalam kemampuan memperhatikan, mengingat, dan memproses informasi secara cepat. Penelitian tersebut menyimpulkan bahwa minuman keras bagi remaja dapat menurunkan kemampuan fungsi eksekutif, atau kemampuan kognitif, dan dapat menurunkan kemampuan remaja dalam memfokuskan perhatian dalam waktu relatif lama.
    Dampak Buruk Narkoba dan Minuman Keras Bagi Kecerdasan RemajaBahwa kemerdekaan itu ialah hak setiap anak bangsa dan oleh sebab itu, maka penjajahan Narkoba harus dihapuskan karena hanya akan menyengsarakan dan merusak masa depan"Professor Robert Thoma dari University of New Mexico School of Medicine menyatakan, “Kekhawatiran kita adalah jika anak-anak mulai mengkonsumsi minuman keras pada usia dini, maka dampaknya bisa terasa sepanjang hidup mereka. Data-data yang kami peroleh semakin membenarkan anggapan itu."

    Naah, jika kalian termasuk seorang remaja pemakai narkoba dan minuman keras, berhentilah sebelum terlambat. Atau jika ada teman anda atau seseorang yang anda ketahui memakai narkoba dan miras, ajak dan nasehati mereka untuk berhenti. Ingat, Indonesia membutuhkan generasi muda yang sehat jiwa raga, dengan kemampuan intelektual yang relatif tinggi. Apa yang bisa diharapkan untuk membangun negeri tercinta ini, jika generasi muda Indonesia memiliki kemampuan berpikir hanya setara Pentium 1 atau 2 akibat kecanduan narkoba? Mari bersama-sama perangi narkoba. Say No to Drugs!

    "Sesungguhnya syaitan itu bermaksud hendak menimbulkan permusuhan dan kebencian di antara kamu lantaran khamar dan berjudi itu, dan menghalangi kamu dari mengingat Allah dan sembahyang; maka berhentilah kamu." (Al-Maa'idah: 91)

    June 16, 2011

    Tari Tepuk - A New Dance for Kids in Preschools & Kindergartens

    Many people may not have heard about Tari Tepuk or Clap Dance for kids. The dance, which is specially intended to be performed by kids in preschools and kindergartens, was created in March 2009. However, most kindergartens and preschools in Probolinggo have introduced and taught this dance to their students.

    Having simple moves and approximately 5-8 minutes' duration, the dance can be easily performed by kids aged about 5 years. As the name suggests, Tari Tepuk mainly consists of hand-claps, which is one of the most frequent and the most preferred activities among kids. This dance was created to help TK (Kindergartens) and RA (Preschools) train and develop children's motor skills, both gross and fine motor skills. The creators believe that this dance can help balance children's right and left brain abilities.

    Tari Tepuk was introduced for the first time in public during the celebration of National Kids' Day in Kraksaan park (Alun-alun Kraksaan), Probolinggo, on Monday 15 June 2009. There were as many as 783 kindergarten and preschool children from Probolinggo regency performing the new dance.

    Sugeng Suprisayoga from Dinas Pendidikan Kabupaten Probolinggo, who is also one of the creators of Tari Tepuk, stated that Tari Tepuk was born in March 2009 from the brilliant ideas of Probolinggo artists and Bina Tari Bayu Kencana Kota Probolinggo led by Peny Priyono.

    For the background music, Tari Tepuk uses traditional musical instruments which are very popular in Probolinggo such as hadrah, glipang and the gamelans. There is no specific costume associated with Tari Tepuk, allowing a wide area of creativity in designing the dancers' costumes for schools to explore.

    The above video was taken during the farewell party in PAUD (preschool) Tunas Mulia, Perum Probolinggo Indah/Asabri, Probolinggo yesterday (Wednesday, 15 June 2011).  In the video, my beloved 4.5-year-old daughter, Jauzaa Alya Neuvarialda, who will be entering kindergarten soon, was dancing in the front row. She is the tallest and, I think, the most active of the four young dancers. In my opinion, she's probably the most beautiful.
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