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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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July 05, 2013

Download Lesson Plan RPP (Rencana Pelaksanaan Pembelajaran) Bahasa Inggris Kelas XI SMK

Download Lesson Plan RPP (Rencana Pelaksanaan Pembelajaran) Bahasa Inggris Kelas XI SMK

Membuat RPP (Rencana Pelaksanaan Pembelajaran) atau Lesson Plan adalah suatu kewajiban yang harus dilakukan guru sebagai bagian dari tugasnya mengajar. Tanpa RPP atau Lesson Plan, guru tidak akan memiliki pedoman dalam proses mengajar sehingga pada akhirnya akan mengalami kesulitan dalam meningkatkan kualitas pendidikan yang dia berikan kepada siswanya.

Dalam PPG (Pendidikan Profesi Guru), menyiapkan RPP / Lesson Plan untuk peer-teaching merupakan salah satu point penting yang harus bisa dilakukan seorang guru. Kesesuaian RPP dengan tujuan dan praktek pembelajaran sangat menentukan keberhasilan guru dalam uji sertifikasi. Meskipun membuat RPP sudah merupakan tugas sehari-hari, masih banyak guru yang dipusingkan oleh RPP agar bisa tampil dengan sebaik-baiknya dalam peer-teaching.

Karena itu, dengan tujuan untuk berbagi, Mister Guru sengaja mempublikasikan salah satu contoh RPP Bahasa Inggris tingkat SMK yang pernah dipakai saat mengikuti PLPG di Universitas Jember (Unej) tahun 2012 yang lalu. Semoga contoh RPP Bahasa Inggris tingkat SMK yang ada disini bisa membantu rekan-rekan guru terutama saat mereka mengikuti PLPG agar bisa lolos sertifikasi.

LESSON PLAN

  • School: SMK
  • Subject: English
  • Class/Semester: XI/3
  • Language Skills: Listening
  • Text Type: Functional Texts
  • Time Allocation: 2 x 45 minutes

A. STANDARD COMPETENCE

Berkomunikasi dengan bahasa Inggris setara level Elementary

B. BASIC COMPETENCE

2.4. Menceritakan pekerjaan di masa lalu dan rencana kerja yang akan datang.

C. INDICATORS

  1. Cognitive
    1. Product:
      1. Finding specific information from the oral texts about past events correctly.
      2. Finding general information from the oral texts about past events correctly.
      3. Retelling the content of the oral texts about past events correctly.
    2. Process:
      1. In small groups, identifying the literal information from the oral texts about past events correctly.
      2. In small groups, identifying the inferential information from the oral texts about past events correctly.
      3. In small groups, identifying the language structures in the oral texts about past events correctly.
  2. Affective
    1. Showing curiosity and cooperative manner in identifying information from the oral texts about past events with the group.
    2. Listening attentively to the oral texts about past events.
    3. Showing enthusiasm and communicative manner in retelling the content of the oral texts about past events.
  3. Psychomotoric
    1. In groups, identifying the literal information from the oral texts about past events by doing the exercise on the worksheet.
    2. In groups, retelling the content of the oral texts about past events in the front of the class.

D. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  1. Students are able to find specific information from the oral texts about past events correctly.
  2. Students are able to find general information from the oral texts about past events correctly.
  3. Students are able to retell the content of the oral texts about past events correctly.

E. LEARNING MATERIAL

  1. Functional texts: Dialogs
  2. The use of the Simple Past tense in talking about completed actions or events in the past.
  3. Asking and responding to Wh-questions and Yes/no questions about completed actions or events in the past.

F. APPROACH/METHOD

  • Approach: Cooperative learning
  • Method: TBLL - STAD

G. TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITIES

No.Teacher’s ActivitiesStudents’ ActivitiesTime (mins)
1Set Induction:
  1. Greeting students, praying, and taking attendance.
  2. Giving leading questions about past events.
  3. Elaborating learning objectives.
Set Induction:
  1. Greeting the teacher, praying, and responding to teacher.
  2. Answering teacher’s questions about past events.
  3. Listening to learning objectives.
15
2Main Activities:
  1. Dividing the class into small groups (of 3-5 students).
  2. Playing the dialog in Top Notch: Fundamental, Unit 11.
  3. Distributing worksheets to each group.
  4. Replaying the dialog.

  5. Asking each group to work on Section A
  6. Replaying the dialog.

  7. Asking each group to work on Sect. B.
  8. Replaying the dialog.

  9. Giving each group 5 minutes to work on Section C.
  10. Asking the groups to swap their work.

  11. Asking the students to present their work on the whiteboard while correcting another group’s work.
  12. Asking each group to score another group’s work.
  13. Asking each group’s representative to retell the video.
  14. Giving evaluation to students’ work.
Main Activities:
  1. Forming small groups (of 3-5 students).
  2. Listening to the dialog in Top Notch: Fundamental, Unit 11.
  3. Helping the teacher distribute the worksheet.
  4. Listening to the dialog for the second time.
  5. Working on Section A.

  6. Listening to the dialog for the third time.
  7. Working on Section B.
  8. Listening to the dialog for the fourth time.
  9. Working on Section C.

  10. Swapping the worksheet with another group.
  11. Presenting the answers on the whiteboard while correcting another group’s work.
  12. Scoring another group’s work.

  13. Retelling the video.

  14. Listening to teacher’s evaluation.


3

3

3

3

5

3

3
3

7

2

5


3

15

5
3Closure:
  1. Asking students in random to draw a conclusion about what they have learned.
  2. Parting with the students.
Closure:
  1. In random, drawing a conclusion about what they have learned.

  2. Parting with the teacher.
12

H. MEDIA & RESOURCES

  1. Top Notch TV – Fundamentals, Unit 11.
  2. Lap top / DVD Player.
  3. Loudspeakers


Jember, July 15, 2012
The Principal

June 12, 2013

Degrees of Comparison: Positive, Comparative, Superlative, dan Parallel Increase

Degrees of Comparison: Positive, Comparative, Superlative, dan Parallel Increase

D
alam berkomunikasi menggunakan bahasa Inggris, seringkali kita harus menggunakan kalimat berisi "degrees of comparison". Apakah "degrees of comparison" itu? "Degrees of comparison" adalah kalimat bermakna perbandingan (comparison) ketika kita membandingkan suatu benda, orang, maupun aktifitas dengan yang lainnya. Fungsi kalimat perbandingan atau "comparison" adalah untuk mencari kesamaan atau perbedaan dalam hal kualitas, tingkatan, jumlah, atau perkiraan. Bentuk perbandingan (comparison) adalah poin yang selalu diujikan dalam tes-tes bahasa Inggris seperti Ujian Nasional, TOEFL, dan TOEIC.

Bentuk-bentuk Comparison

Ada 3 (tiga) bentuk comparison dalam bahasa Inggris, yaitu positive/equivalence, comparative, dan superlative. Bentuk-bentuk kata sifat (adjective) dan kata keterangan (adverb) yang beraturan dalam kalimat comparative dan superlative adalah sebagai berikut:
  1. Kata-kata bersuku kata tunggal diberi akhiran "–er" dan "–est".
  2. PositiveComparativeSuperlative
    new
    old
    big
    soon
    late
    newer
    older
    bigger
    sooner
    later
    newest
    oldest
    biggest
    soonest
    latest
  3. Kata-kata dengan dua atau lebih suku kata didahului oleh "more" dan "most".
  4. PositiveComparativeSuperlative
    interesting
    convenient
    beautiful
    easily
    carefully
    more interesting
    more convenient
    more beautiful
    more easily
    more carefully
    most interesting
    most convenient
    most beautiful
    most easily
    most carefully
  5. Kata-kata dengan dua suku kata dan berakhir dengan "–y" atau "–ly", "-ow", "-le" dan "–er" diberi akhiran "–er" dan "–est".
  6. PositiveComparativeSuperlative
    tiny
    speedy
    early
    friendly
    shallow
    narrow
    clever
    tinier
    speedier
    earlier
    friendlier
    shallower
    narrower
    cleverer
    tiniest
    speediest
    earliest
    friendliest
    shallowest
    narrowest
    cleverest
  7. Kata-kata lainnya dengan dua suku kata kebanyakan diawali dengan "more" dan "most".
  8. PositiveComparativeSuperlative
    careful
    careless
    boring
    awful
    complex
    more careful
    more careless
    more boring
    more awful
    more complex
    most careful
    most careless
    most boring
    most awful
    most complex
  9. Beberapa kata dengan dua suku kata bisa berakhiran "-er", "-est" atau di dahului "more", "most".
  10. PositiveComparativeSuperlative
    common
    gentle
    quiet
    commoner/more common
    gentler/more gentle
    quieter/more quiet
    commonest/most common
    gentlest/most gentle
    quietest/most quiet
  11. Kata keterangan (adverb) berakhiran –ly didahului oleh "more" dan "most".
  12. PositiveComparativeSuperlative
    quickly
    slowly
    badly
    more quickly
    more slowly
    more badly
    most quickly
    most slowly
    most badly
  13. Beberapa kata sifat (adjective) dan kata keterangan (adverb) memiliki bentuk comparative dan superlative tidak beraturan (irregular).
  14. PositiveComparativeSuperlative
    bad
    far
    good
    many
    badly
    far
    little
    much
    well
    worse
    farther/further
    better
    more
    worse
    farther/further
    less
    more
    better
    worst
    farthest/furthest
    best
    most
    worst
    farthest/furthest
    least
    most
    best

Penggunaan Bentuk Perbandingan (Comparison)

Bentuk perbandingan atau comparisons digunakan untuk mengungkapkan kesetaraan atau equivalence (positive), Ketidak-setaraan atau non-equivalence (comparative), tingkatan tertinggi atau the highest degree of something (superlative), dan peningkatan secara paralel atau parallel increase.
  1. Equivalence atau positive:
    Bentuk perbandingan positive digunakan untuk mengungkapkan atau menggambarkan kesetaraan, atau tingkatan yang sama atau serupa dalam hal kualitas, tingkatan, jumlah, atau perkiraan antara dua benda atau orang.
    Contoh:
    1. Here, the term ‘processor’ is equivalent to the central processing unit.
    2. Fatin has become as famous as Agnes Monica.
    3. Some companies have as many computers as employees.
    4. Some companies use both computers and conventional filing systems for storing data.
    5. A computer virus is like a virus in the human body. It can do a lot of damage.
    6. Many chat engine softwares are similar in that they share certain common functions.

  2. Non-equivalence atau Comparative:
    Bentuk comparative digunakan untuk membandingkan atau menggambarkan ketidak-samaan dalam hal kualitas, tingkatan, jumlah, atau perkiraan antara dua benda atau orang.
    Contoh:
    1. American cars are usually larger and more expensive than Japanese cars.
    2. Learning to use a computer is not as difficult as learning to program.
    3. Riding a motorcycle is not the same as driving a car.
    4. A notebook costs less than a lap top.
    5. Unlike factory-sealed software, pirated versions may contain viruses.
    6. You can save money with a network because you will need fewer printers.

  3. The highest degree atau superlative:
    Bentuk superlative digunakan untuk membandingkan suatu benda atau seseorang yang memiliki kualitas, tingkatan, jumlah, atau perkiraan tertinggi atau terendah dengan sekelompok benda atau orang lainnya.
    Contoh:
    1. This is the most popular type on the market today.
    2. For me, English is the least difficult language to learn.
    3. The best programs are those adapted specifically to your own needs.

  4. Parallel increase:
    Bentuk parallel increase adalah dua bentuk comparative yang digunakan untuk mengungkapkan atau menggambarkan dua perubahan kualitas, tingkatan, jumlah, atau perkiraan yang terjadi secara paralel.
    Contoh:
    1. The more memory your computer has, the more data it can store.
    2. The bigger your computer system, the less time you spend waiting.
    3. The more training you give to your employees, the better they will perform.

May 19, 2013

How to Change an Active Sentence to the Passive Voice

How to Change an Active Sentence to the Passive Voice

P
assive voice atau kalimat pasif sangat sering dipakai, terutama dalam tulisan-tulisan teknik, dimana kita lebih banyak membicarakan fakta, proses, maupun kejadian daripada membicarakan orang/pelakunya.

Passive voice disusun dengan menggunakan kata kerja bantu "be" yang sesuai dengan bentuk waktu (tenses) yang digunakan dalam active voice atau kalimat aktif, diikuti oleh kata kerja bentuk ke-3 (the past participle). Subyek dalam active voice akan menjadi "agen" (agent) dalam passive voice. Agen ini seringkali tidak disebutkan, tapi jika disebutkan maka harus didahului oleh "by" dan diletakkan diakhir kalimat.

Dalam tes-tes berbentuk Sentence Completion, seperti TOEFL, TOEIC dan Ujian Nasional, kemampuan untuk menentukan apakah sebuah kalimat memiliki kata kerja aktif atau pasif seringkali diujikan. Peserta ujian harus mampu menganalisa subyek kalimat beserta bentuk waktu (tense) dengan benar.

A. Active Tenses & Passive Tenses

Lihatlah tabel berikut ini untuk mengetahui pasangan kata kerja aktif dengan bentuk pasifnya dalam berbagai bentuk waktu (tenses).
Bentuk kata kerja aktif dan pasif
Tense/Verb FormActive TensesPassive Tenses
Simple Present
Simple Past
Present Continuous
Past Continuous
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future
Conditional
Perfect Conditional
Present Infinitive
Perfect Infinitive
Present Participle / Gerund
Perfect Participle
do / does
did
am / is / are doing
was / were doing
have / has done
had done
will do
would do
would have done
to do
to have done
doing
having done
am / is / are done
was / were done
am / is / are being done
was / were being done
have / has been done
had been done
will be done
would be done
would have been done
to be done
to have been done
being done
having been done

B. Contoh-contoh Active Voice dan Passive Voice

Lihat contoh-contoh active voice dengan padanan passive voicenya.
Contoh kalimat aktif dan kalimat pasif
Active VoicePassive Voice
We sell computers.Computers are sold.
We keep the butter here.The butter is kept here.
Babbage invented ‘The Analytical Engine’ in 1830.‘The Analytical Engine’ was invented in 1830.
They broke the window.The window was broken.
We will link the device to the central computer.The device will be linked to the central computer.
People have seen tigers in the forest.Tigers have been seen in the forest.
He has installed the programs.The programs have been installed.
They are repairing the bridge.The bridge is being repaired.
They were carrying the man off the field.The man was being carried off the field.

C. Penggunaan Passive Voice

Dalam bahasa Inggris, passive voice atau kalimat pasif tidak begitu saja digunakan tanpa alasan tertentu. Ada beberapa alasan mengapa kita sebaiknya menggunakan passive voice, sebagai pengganti active voice.
  1. Jika subyek atau pelaku kata kerja aktif tidak perlu disebutkan, atau jika kita lebih menitikberatkan pembicaraan pada kejadian atau tindakan daripada pelakunya.
  2. Jika kita tidak tahu atau lupa siapa subyek atau pelaku tindakan.
  3. Jika subyek kata kerja aktif bukan merupakan orang tertentu, misal ‘people’, atau kata ganti benda tak tentu (indefinite pronoun) ‘one’.
  4. Untuk menghindari gaya bahasa yang "kaku" atau tidak lazim, atau kalimat yang tidak memiliki tata bahasa yang baik. Passive voice biasanya digunakan untuk menghindari terjadinya pergantian subyek dalam satu kalimat.
    Contoh:
    1. Kalimat "When he arrived home a detective arrested him" sebaiknya disusun menjadi "When he arrived home he was arrested (by a detective)"
    2. Kalimat "When their mother was ill neighbors looked after the children" sebaiknya disusun menjadi "When their mother was ill the children were looked after by neighbors"
Karena itulah, passive voice tidak selalu harus menyebutkan "by ...", karena seringkali agen (pelaku) tersebut tidak penting untuk disebutkan, atau bahkan tidak diketahui secara jelas. Jika memang agen (pelaku) penting untuk disebutkan, lebih baik kita menggunakan kalimat aktif (active voice).

D. Exercises

  1. Read the text below, which describes the insurance company’s procedure for dealing with PC-users’ problems. Fill in the gaps using the correct passive form of the verb in brackets.

    All calls ...(register)... by the Help Desk staff. Each call ...(evaluate)... and then ...(allocate)... to the relevant support group. If a visit ...(require)..., the user ...(contact)... by telephone, and an appointment ...(arrange).... Most calls ...(deal with)... within one working day. In the event of a major problem requiring the removal of a user’s PC, a replacement can usually ...(supply)....

  2. Change the following into the passive voice. The agent (by ...) should not be mentioned, except in number 5.
    1. You need a doctor's prescription to buy the medicine.
    2. We use the hall only on special occasions.
    3. They make these artificial flowers of used paper.
    4. Someone has repaired the printer.
    5. The mob broke the office windows in a recent strike.
    6. People should return the books in time.
    7. We will announce the decision soon.
    8. They will deliver the goods tomorrow morning.
    9. A thief had stolen his new bicycle.
    10. They invited me to the party.

May 13, 2013

Narrative Text: The Origin of Reog Ponorogo ( Folktale from East Java)

Narrative Text - The Origin of Reog Ponorogo ( Folktale from East Java)

A
long time ago, there was a very beautiful princess named Dewi Sanggalangit. She was a daughter of a famous king of Kediri Kingdom. In spite of her beauty and elegance that had made her win the heart of many princes and kings, Dewi Sanggalangit had no interest in making a family. This worried her parents who had been hoping to have grandchildren.

One day, her father asked, "My Daughter, when will you get married?"

Dewi Sanggalangit replied, "Father, I never think about it. If you really want me to get married, then I will only marry a man who is able to fulfill my wishes."

"Then, what are your wishes?" asked her father.

"I still don't know. Please let me contemplate and seek for revelations from Gods. When I'm done, I will let you know," Dewi Sanggalangit made a request, which was agreed by his father.

On the fourth day of her contemplation, Dewi Sanggalangit, accompanied by Biyung Emban, the chief lady-in-waiting, went to meet the King in the audience hall. After bowing before him, she said, "Father, whoever wishes to be my husband must be able to perform an extraordinary show that has never existed before. It is a dance accompanied by musical hornets and gamelan, with a procession of one hundred forty twin horses. There must be a two-headed animal as well."

The request was announced publicly and soon became a contest for everyone who had been wishing to marry her. All of them failed, except two men, Raja Singabarong, the King of Lodaya kingdom, and Raja Kelanaswandana, the King of Bandarangin.

This worried Dewi Sanggalangit and her father for they knew who the two men were. Raja Singabarong was a cruel and vicious lion-headed man. He was big and tall, with a lion face and neck covered with fur. On the other hand, Raja Kelanaswandana was a handsome man. Yet, he had a strange behavior. He was so fond of boys that he treated them as beautiful girls. Now that the contest had run, there was no way to cancel it.

In spite of his many mistresses, Singabarong had long expected Dewi Sanggalangit to be his queen. In order to fulfill Dewi Sanggalangit's requests, he had ordered his servants to find twin horses. He had also had the best artists create an attractive show and find a two-headed animal. However, the last two requests proved to be difficult to meet.

One day, he told Iderkala, his vice regent, to go to Bandarangin and find out about Kelanaswandana's preparation. Five days later, Iderkala returned, reporting that Kelanaswandana was ahead in the contest. More than one hundred twin horses had been prepared. An attractive show had also been created. Kelanaswandana didn't have much difficulty due to the help and support of his loyal vice regent, Patih Pujanggeleng, and his people who loved him and wanted him to get married and stop his bad habit. The only thing they couldn't find was a two-headed animal.

Raja Singabarong got very upset and told Iderkala to prepare a well-armed troop and attack Bandarangin at any time. He sent spies to locate Kelanaswandana's route from Wengker to Kediri, where he would ambush Kelanaswandana and seize the procession.

Narrative Text - The Origin of Reog Ponorogo ( Folktale from East Java)Somehow, the spies were caught by Kelanaswandana's men. Kelanaswandana, who was now aware of Singabarong's plan to attack, alerted Patih Pujanggeleng and prepared a sudden invasion to Lodaya before Singabarong started his move.

Filled with anxiety as his spies had not returned, Singabarong sent Iderkala to find out what had happened. His furry head was itching from fleas, so he went back to his castle where his peacock would peck at the annoying insects. As the bird was perching on his shoulder eating the fleas on his head, he fell asleep. He was unaware of what was going on, but as usual no one was dare to disturb and wake him up.

Meanwhile, Kelanaswandana's troop had advanced far into Lodaya. They didn't meet heavy resistance as the enemy was totally unprepared. Iderkala and his troop had also been defeated near the border. Now, they were nearing Singabarong's castle.

The noise of the troop woke Singabarong up. He rushed furiously outside his castle to see what was going on. He saw most of his soldiers had been defeated by Bandarangin troop, but what surprised him most was the sight of Raja Kelanaswandana among his troop. He shouted in anger, "Hey, Kelanaswandana. What in the world are you doing here?"

Raja Kelanaswandana replied, "Stop acting like a fool! I know you've been planning to seize what I've prepared for Dewi Sanggalangit. You must be punished!" As he said that, he directed his magical power towards Singabarong, whose head suddenly changed. The lion head had merged with the peacock perching on his shoulder. It made Singabarong look like a two-headed animal.

Blazing in anger, Singabarong drew his keris and charged at Kelanaswandana. He moved so fast that Kelanaswandana could not evade the attack. His left shoulder was scratched. The scar soon blistered, blackened, and fumed.

Kelanaswandana barely had time to make a stance when Singabarong charged at him with another attack. This time, he managed to block it with his hand, making Singabarong stagger a few steps back. Kelanaswandana didn't waste the chance. He launched a powerful kick which dropped the keris in Singabarong's hand.

Singabarong roared and sprang to Kelanaswandana as if he had been his prey. His claws, punches, and kicks landed on Kelanaswandana mercilessly. He obviously overpowered Kelanaswandana in that fight.

Narrative Text - The Origin of Reog Ponorogo ( Folktale from East Java)On the verge of his defeat, Kelanaswandana got up and removed a rope-like belt from his waist. It was his secret weapon, the magical whip of Kyai Pecut Samandiman. He slashed it at Singabarong. The whiplash sounded like an explosion, leaving a trail of fume in the air, and tossed Singabarong's body as if it had been a coin. Singabarong fell to the ground. As he tried to get up, he felt so weak that he tottered.

Raja Kelanaswandana approached Singabarong, who was now unable to move. "Be a two-headed animal!" he said. Suddenly, Singabarong turned into a strange animal. It had two heads, one was that of a lion, the other was a peacock's right above the lion's head. Kelanaswandana immediately asked his men to capture the animal and bring it home to Bandarangin.

Several days later, Raja Kelanaswandana came to Kediri to propose a marriage to Dewi Sanggalangit. One hundred forty twin horses were tailing behind him, accompanied by a strange two-headed animal which was dancing in excitement to the music of gamelan and hornet. Everyone was happy to see the show.

Dewi Sanggalangit accepted his proposal and became the Queen of Bandarangin in Wengker. Raja Kelanaswandana had managed to stop his bad habit and ruled Bandarangin in peace and harmony.

The show itself is still very popular today, known as Reog Ponorogo. It takes the name of its origin, Ponorogo, which is another name of Wengker, in East Java, Indonesia.

Narrative Text - The Origin of Reog Ponorogo ( Folktale from East Java)

Retold in English by Mister Guru

May 07, 2013

Tips dan Strategi Listening Section TOEFL

Tips dan Strategi Listening Section TOEFL

Pada umumnya, peserta ujian TOEFL berpendapat bahwa Listening section dalam TOEFL sangat sulit, karena percakapan dan pembicaraan tidak dapat diulangi. Peserta TOEFL diharuskan mampu memahami serta merekam informasi yang dibutuhkan hanya setelah satu kali mendengarkan. Tidak ada pengulangan, dan peserta juga tidak bisa mencatat informasi yang didengar. Karena itulah, Listening section dalam TOEFL cukup membuat calon peserta TOEFL khawatir dengan kemampuan mereka.

Bagaimana jika materi Listening section tidak dapat terdengar dengan baik dan jelas?

Dalam Computer-Based TOEFL (CBT), setiap peserta mendapatkan headset untuk mendengarkan percakapan dan pembicaraan dalam Listening section. Sebelum tes dimulai, peserta TOEFL memiliki kesempatan untuk menyesuaikan volume headset masing-masing. Sesuaikan volume pada saat yang dianjurkan. Jika menunggu hingga tes dimulai, peserta TOEFL tidak akan dapat menyesuaikan volume lagi.

Sedangkan, dalam Paper-Based TOEFL, supervisor atau pengawas ujian bertanggung-jawab dalam memastikan apakah materi Listening section bisa terdengar dengan baik dan jelas oleh seluruh peserta TOEFL. Jika peserta TOEFL tidak dapat mendengarkan materi Listening section dengan baik, dia boleh mengangkat tangan dan meminta pengawas ujian menyesuaikan dan mengatur volume suara.

Strategi Belajar sebagai Persiapan Menghadapi TOEFL Listening section

Dengan cukup tingginya tingkat kesulitan TOEFL Listening section, peserta TOEFL harus bisa mempersiapkan diri dengan baik. Berlatih, dan terus berlatih secara teratur, sistematis, dan terarah adalah kunci menuju sukses TOEFL. Calon peserta TOEFL harus memiliki strategi yang tepat dalam melakukan latihan TOEFL Listening section.

Berikut ini, Mister Guru akan berbagi strategi berlatih Listening section agar peserta TOEFL bisa mendapatkan hasil yang baik.

  1. Jangan mencatat atau menghentikan rekaman
    Saat berlatih Listening section, jangan mencatat informasi apapun dan jangan menghentikan rekaman sebelum latihan berakhir. Hal ini penting sebagai latihan atau pembiasaan untuk menjaga konsentrasi terhadap soal-soal Listening section. Setelah latihan berakhir, periksalah jawaban dengan melihat kunci jawaban.
  2. Ulangi Latihan
    Jika pada latihan pertama anda melewatkan banyak pertanyaan, atau tidak mampu merekam informasi yang cukup, kerjakan latihan sekali lagi. Mulailah dari awal, dan jangan menghentikan rekaman sebelum latihan berakhir. Lalu periksa jawaban sekali lagi, kali ini dengan melihat penjelasan atau pembahasan jawaban. Cara ini akan mengasah kemampuan mendengarkan (listening-comprehension skill).
  3. Perhatikan informasi rinci
    Saat mendengarkan pembicara, berikan perhatian khusus pada contoh-contoh, diagram, atau grafik yang ada di layar (untuk Computer-Based TOEFL) serta nama-nama spesifik, tempat, dan tanggal yang disebutkan sang pembicara. Seringkali muncul pertanyaan-pertanyaan tentang hal-hal itu.
  4. Pahami hubungan antara para pembicara
    Jika ada lebih dari satu pembicara, pikirkan dan pahami hubungan mereka. Apakah mereka teman kuliah (college friends), teman sekamar (roommates), teman sekelas (classmates), atau dosen (lecturer) dengan mahasiswa? Apakah mereka mahasiswa dengan pegawai/staf administratif? Dengan memahami hubungan mereka, pembicaraan mereka akan menjadi lebih mudah untuk dipahami.
  5. Bacalah pilihan jawaban secara sepintas lalu (teknik skimming)
    Meskipun TOEFL Listening section dirancang untuk menguji kecakapan mendengarkan (Listening) dan memahami bahasa Inggris lisan, secara tidak langsung tes ini juga menguji kemampuan membaca (Reading) karena peserta TOEFL harus membaca pilihan jawaban. Waktu yang sangat singkat dan terbatas mengharuskan peserta TOEFL mampu membaca secara cepat. Salah satu teknik membaca cepat adalah skimming. Dalam teknik ini, peserta TOEFL melihat semua pilihan jawaban secara sepintas, tapi bukan membaca setiap baris secara perlahan. Cobalah berlatih dengan melihat pilihan jawaban dari atas ke bawah secara sepintas lalu, tanpa harus membaca maupun mencoba memahami setiap kalimat secara seksama. Lakukan hal berikut ini:
    1. Carilah kata dan frase yang hampir sama dalam dua atau lebih pilihan jawaban. Kata-kata atau frase yang serupa tersebut dapat memberikan petunjuk tentang topik dan dapat membantu peserta dalam memahami suatu informasi yang didengar secara terperinci.
    2. Jangan memilih suatu jawaban hanya karena tampak sama atau terdengar sama dengan kata-kata yang terdengar. Kata-kata dengan bunyi yang hampir sama bisa memiliki makna berbeda, dan berfungsi sebagai "jebakan" dalam TOEFL.
  6. Lihatlah pilihan jawaban secara sekilas terlebih dahulu (khusus Paper-Based TOEFL)
    Prosedur standar dalam mengerjakan TOEFL adalah mendengarkan lalu membaca pilihan jawaban dalam naskah soal. Akan tetapi, dalam prakteknya, melihat pilihan jawaban secara sepintas sebelum mendengarkan pembicara dalam rekaman seringkali merupakan teknik yang sangat membantu memahami apa yang akan dibicarakan. Dengan melihat pilihan jawaban secara sekilas, peserta TOEFL seringkali mendapatkan petunjuk tentang topik umum yang akan dibicarakan, baik itu berupa percakapan, pembahasan, maupun pertanyaan.
  7. Baca pilihan jawaban dengan teliti saat mendengarkan rekaman (khusus Paper-Based TOEFL)
    Saat mendengarkan pembicara, melihat pilihan jawaban secara teliti seringkali dapat membantu peserta TOEFL dalam memahami informasi-informasi rinci yang sedang dibicarakan. Cobalah mencocokkan beberapa kata yang didengar dengan kata-kata yang ada dalam pilihan jawaban. Dengan teknik mengamati pilihan jawaban, peserta TOEFL biasanya dapat menebak pertanyaan yang akan diberikan. Meskipun begitu, tetaplah ingat bahwa pilihan jawaban kadang-kadang seperti serupa dan seringkali membingungkan. Dan ketika teknik ini ternyata tetap tidak bisa memberikan petunjuk, berhentilah membaca dan pusatkan perhatian secara penuh pada rekaman.

Baca lebih lanjut tentang tes TOEFL®:

  1. Tips Sukses Tes 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
Semoga sukses.

May 06, 2013

Habitual Past: "Used to" Untuk Menceritakan Kebiasaan Masa Lalu

Habitual Past Used to Untuk Menceritakan Kebiasaan Masa Lalu

S
alah satu cara untuk menceritakan kebiasaan di masa lalu adalah dengan menggunakan struktur "used to + infinitive". "Used to" memiliki makna bahwa suatu pekerjaan atau kegiatan hanya terjadi di waktu lampau, dan sekarang sudah tidak terjadi lagi. Jika diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Indonesia, "used to" kira-kira sama maknanya dengan "dulu biasanya" atau "dulu terbiasa". Jadi, "used" dalam "used to" sama sekali tidak berarti "menggunakan" atau "memakai".

Kompetensi dalam menggunakan "used to" untuk menceritakan kebiasaan di waktu lampau adalah salah satu kompetensi yang diujikan dalam Ujian Nasional Bahasa Inggris, khususnya untuk SMK. Karena itu, penggunaan "used to" harus dapat dikuasai dengan baik oleh pelajar SMA/MA dan SMK/MAK. Lihat beberapa contoh di bawah ini untuk menjelaskan penggunaan "used to":
  • She used to work in a shop. Now she works in a restaurant.
  • When I was younger, I used to swim in the river with my friends. Now it is heavily polluted with industrial waste.
  • He used to come here for breakfast almost every morning, but now he has moved to another city.
  • When I was a child, TVRI used to be the only domestic TV channel. Today, there are many channels available to choose.
  • She has got short hair now but it used to be very long.
Structure of "Used to" Sentences
(+)I
We
You
They
He
She
It
used tobe
do
write
work
have
study
play
(-)I
We
You
They
He
She
It
did not use to
didn't use to
be
do
write
work
have
study
play
(?)Did I
Did we
Did you
Did they
Did he
Did she
Did it
use tobe?
do?
write?
work?
have?
study?
play?
Catatan:
Penggunaan "used to ..." hanya untuk kebiasaan lampau. Kita tidak bisa menggunakan "use to ..." untuk menceritakan kebiasaan-kebiasaan di masa sekarang. Untuk mengungkapkan kebiasaan di masa sekarang (present habit), gunakanlah bentuk Simple Present tense.
Exercises:
A. Combine the two sentences using "but", and use "Used to" for the past habits.
Example:
Shanti worked in an accountant office. Now, she runs her own business.
Answer: Shanti used to work in an accountant office, but now she runs her own business.
  1. Lisa lived in a boarding house. Now, she lives in an apartment.
  2. The woman was my next-door neighbor. She has moved to another town.
  3. She took the bus to work. Now, she prefers cycling.
  4. We worked in the same office. Now, she has been transferred to another branch.
  5. The restaurant opened only on weekdays. Now, it opens in weekends too.
B. Complete these sentences. Use "used to" or the present simple ("I play" / "she lives" etc.)
Example:
He used to play football. He stopped playing a few years ago.
  1. "Do you do any sport?" ~ "Yes, I ... basketball."
  2. "Have you got a car?" ~ "No, I ... one but I sold it."
  3. "How do you go to work?" ~ "I usually ... to work by motorcycle."
  4. Wati ... a waitress. Now she works as a receptionist.
  5. When I worked in the foreign company, I ... English everyday. Now, I seldom speak English.
  6. Lia likes playing music. She ... the piano almost everyday.
  7. This room ... the language laboratory. Once a week, our students practice their speaking and listening skill here.
  8. I ... three glasses of coffee everyday, but my doctor suggested I drink less coffee.
  9. I'm an early riser. I always ... at 5 am every morning.
  10. I ... a monthly magazine. I stopped the subscription last year.
Reference:
Murphy Raymond, Essential Grammar in Use, pg. 58-59, Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom, 1998.

May 01, 2013

Narrative Text: Three Brothers, One Wish (Tale from the Philippines)

Narrative Text: Three Brothers, One Wish - Tale from the Philippines

O
nce upon a time, there lived a woman named Ana whose husband was a farmer. They had three sons who, unlike other young men in the village, disliked farming.

After her husband had passed away, Ana had to work alone on the farmland. Her sons were unwilling to help. Tasyo, the oldest son, said, "No one gets rich from farming." Bindoy, the second son, said, "Farming is hard work. The yield is unequal to the amount of time we spend." Castor, the last son, said, "The land is difficult to cultivate. The plants will die if it's dry, and sink if it's wet."

One night, after having dinner, Ana spoke to her sons, "I'm getting older and I feel tired. Since none of you is willing to help me on the farmland, I think you should leave and seek your destiny. After seven years, you may go home and tell me what you have done. Let's see whether you can make your dreams come true without cultivating the land."

On the following day, determining to follow their mother's advice, the three brothers left their home. They were sad to leave their mother, but they had no choice.

After a long hours of walk, they arrived at a junction. Tasyo suggested, "From now on, we should split here and take our own way. At the end of the seventh year, let's meet here on our way home." His brothers agreed, and so, they separated.

The wet and dry season came one after the other. Seven years had passed. The three brothers went home and met at the junction. Tasyo, who had worked in a mirror factory, had mastered the art of making mirrors. Bindoy, having worked at a shipyard, had been an expert in building ships. Castor, having been acquainted with a group of robbers, had become a thief.

Their mother cried in happiness to have them back home. Years of hard work under the sun and rain had made her look older and weaker than before. However, her sons' return had made her very happy.

Three Brothers, One WishSeveral days later, one of the King's messengers arrived in that village with a very important announcement. The beautiful Perlita Princess had been kidnapped by a cruel and wicked wizard. No one knew where she had been kept and what might have happened to her. The announcement said that the King would honor a noble rank to anyone who could locate and bring the princess back safely, and would ask him to marry Perlita Princess.

Hearing the announcement, the three brothers arranged a plan to save the princess. They thought it might be the perfect chance to apply what they had learnt in order to achieve their dream of becoming rich.

Tasyo said, "I have a secret mirror through which we can see anything that bare eyes can't see. With it, we can find where the princess is."

Bindoy said, "I can build a ship to take us wherever the princess is."

Castor added, "I can kidnap the princess wherever she's kept."

The three brothers appeared in front of the King on the following day. the King's grief soon disappeared once he heard that Tasyo knew where the princess was. Through the magic mirror, they could see that the princess was being kept on a tall tower in a faraway island.

"How can we save her?" said the King.

"Let's see what we can do," said Bindoy and Castor. Then, Bindoy soon built a sailing ship. It was not long before the ship was ready and they sailed to the faraway island.

Arriving there, they found that the tower was guarded by many kinds of giants, including the fierce tikbalang and kapre. They gathered around the tower to prevent anyone from saving the princess.

Shaking their heads in despair, Tasyo and Bindoy said, "It's impossible for us to get past the giants and enter the tower."

Tale from the Philippines"I'll try," said Castor. As a thief, he had learnt how to break into any kinds of buildings. Therefore, he could enter the tower easily and save the Princess before the giants knew what had happened. He took her aboard the awaiting ship and they managed to escape safely.

When the ship arrived at the port, celebration began to start allover the kingdom. The King was very pleased. He threw big dancing parties at his own expense.

Then, a new problem arose. Which of the three brothers was more eligible to marry the Princess since all of them had played an important part in saving her? Then, he conducted a meeting with his ministers and advisers to discuss the matter. Finally, they came out with a decision.

"Instead of marrying my daughter to her savior," the King announced, "I will give half of my kingdom to the three brothers, to be shared equally among them."

That was exactly what the three brothers had dreamed of. They would soon be rich and able to help their old mother. They returned to their village bringing abundant wealth. Soon, they bought a vast farming land and hired a lot of workers to cultivate it. Their mother now could rest after a long years of hard work. She lived happily with her sons beside her till the day she passed away.

The three brothers had become very rich, but the most valuable thing they learned was that the land will be a very valuable resource only when it is managed with wisdom, consistency, and devotion.

Source:
The Asian Cultural Center for Unesco, Dongeng-Dongeng Asia Untuk Anak-Anak jilid lima, Tiga Saudara Satu Cita-cita. Jakarta, PT. Dunia Pustaka Jaya, 1976.
Retold in English by Mister Guru.

April 29, 2013

"Would you like" VS "Do you like": What's the Difference?

Would you like VS Do you like: What's the Difference?
E
nglish learners often confuse and misuse the phrase "Would you like" and "Do you like". They don't know the difference between these two phrases. Most of them think that they have similar meaning and that the word "like" in "would like" is used to ask about preference or choice in general. ESL learners should note that the phrase "Would you like" does not mean the same as "Do you like".

In this post, we are going to learn how to use "Would you like" and "Do you like" correctly.

Would you like ...?Do you like ...?
We use "Would you like ...?"
  • to offer things.
  • to invite somebody.
We use "Do you like ...?" to ask about preference.
"I'd like (I would like) ...." is a polite way to say "I want ...."."I like ...." is similar in meaning to "I think it's nice to ....", to talk about preference in general.
  1. Using "Would you like" to offer things

    • "Would you like some coffee?" ~ "No, thank you."
    • "Would you like an orange?" ~ "Yes, please."
    • "What would you like, tea or coffee?" ~ "Tea, please."
  2. Using "Would you like" to invite somebody.

    • "Would you like to go for a walk?" ~ "Why not? Let's."
    • "Would you like to come for dinner tomorrow night?" ~ "Yes. I'd love to."
    • "What would you like to do this weekend?" ~ "I think I'll go to the beach with my friends."
  3. Using "I'd like" as a polite way to say "I want".

    • "I'm hungry. I'd like something to eat."
    • "I'd like some information about hotels, please."
    • "I'd like to see his performance at the hall this evening."
  4. Comparing "would like" and "like".

    • "Would you like some apples (Do you want some apples)?" ~ "Yes, please."
    • "Do you like apples (Do you think apples are nice)?" ~ "Yes, I do. It's my favorite fruit."
    • "Would you like to go for a picnic this weekend (Do you want to go for a picnic this weekend)?" ~ "Yes, I'd love to."
    • "Do you like going for a picnic?" (in general) ~ "Not really. I seldom go for a picnic."
    • "I'd like an orange, please. (Can I have an orange?)"
    • "I like oranges." (in general)
    • What would you like to do next weekend? (What do you want to do next weekend?)
      I'm going to stay at home.
    • "What do you like to do at weekends?" ~ "I like doing some DIY's."

Exercise 1: Use "Would you like ...?", "I'd like ...." or "Do you like ...?"

Example:
You are offering your friend a lift. You say: ....
Answer: "Would you like a lift?"
  1. You want to go to the museum on Sunday morning. Perhaps your friend will go with you.
    You say: ....
  2. You want to go dining out this evening. Perhaps your friend want to go too.
    You say: ....
  3. You ask your friend whether he/she likes action movies.
    You say: ....
  4. You are offering your friend something to drink.
    You say: ....
  5. You ask your friend whether he/she likes reading.
    You say: ....
  6. You ask your friend whether she likes dancing.
    You say: ....
  7. You want to dance. You offer your friend to dance with you.
    You say: ....
  8. You work at a travel agent. You ask a customer politely whether he/she wants to pay by credit card or cash.
    You say: ....
  9. You want to know whether your friend likes his/her present job.
    You say: ....
  10. You are trying on a shirt but it's too small. You want a bigger size.
    You say: ....

Exercise 2: Which is right?

  1. "Do you like / Would you like some bread?" ~ "Yes, please."
  2. "Do you like/Would you like fishing?" ~ "Yes, very much. I usually go fishing in weekends."
  3. "Do you like/Would you like to leave a message?" ~ "No, thanks. I'll call back after lunch."
  4. "What do you like/would you like?" ~ "Chicken fried rice and orange juice, please."
  5. "What do you like/would you like to have for lunch?" ~ "Some rice, fish and vegetables."
  6. "What color do you like/would you like?" ~ "Blue is my favorite."
  7. "Do you like/Would you like tea or coffee?" ~ "Coffee, please."
  8. "How do you like/would you like your coffee?" ~ "With cream and sugar, please."
  9. "I like/would like to reserve a room, please." ~ "When is that for, Sir?"
  10. "Do you like/Would you like living in a big city?" ~ "No. I prefer living in a quiet place."
Reference:
Murphy Raymond, Essential Grammar in Use, Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom, 1998

April 26, 2013

Business English Dialogue: Changing Money At the Bank

English for business contextual dialogue:
Customer:Good morning. Where can I change some money?
Clerk:Over there, Madam, at the Foreign Exchange counter.
Customer:What's the rate today, please?
Clerk:What currency, madam?
Customer:United States dollars, please.
Clerk:Are you buying or selling, Madam?
Customer:I'd like to change dollars into rupiah.
Clerk:We can give you 14,300 rupiah per dollar, Madam.
Customer:That's a rather poor rate of exchange, isn't it?
Clerk:Yes. It's lower than usual, Madam. The dollar has slightly dropped.
Customer:Is that the official rate of exchange?
Clerk:Yes, it is, Madam. It will be the same in all the banks.
Customer:What about the money changers?
Clerk:I'm sorry. I don't know what their rate will be, Madam. It could be slightly higher or lower than ours.
Customer:The reason I'm asking is that I want to change a large amount.
Clerk:I understand, Madam.
Customer:Oh, well. Never mind. I'll go ahead and change it here. I'd like to cash these travellers cheques.
Clerk:Very good, Madam. Would you countersign the cheques, please? How much would you like to change, Madam?
Customer:1,000 US$, please.
Clerk:Where are you staying, please, Madam?
Customer:I'm staying privately. I'll give you the address.
Clerk:How would you like to have it, Madam? Our largest note is 100,000 rupiah.
Customer:That'll be fine.
Clerk:There we are, Madam.
Customer:Thank you very much.
Clerk:You're most welcome, madam.

Exercise: Answer the following questions.

  1. What would the woman like to do in the bank?
  2. What currency does she want?
  3. Is she buying or selling?
  4. What does she think about the rate?
  5. What rate would she get if she went to another bank?
  6. What does she decide to do then?
  7. How much does she want to change?
  8. How much does she get in rupiah?

April 25, 2013

Narrative Text: A Young Brahmin and A Ghost (Folktale from India)

Narrative Text: A Young Brahmin and A Ghost - Folktale from IndiaA long time ago, there lived a young man with his old mother in a village. In spite of the Brahman caste they belonged to, they lived in poverty and all they had was a little hut and a piece of land on which they planted vegetables for a living.

The old woman wanted her son to marry a woman, so that she would have a daughter in law who would help her with the house chores. However, the young Brahmin was too poor to afford even the most humble wedding. He was sad because of this.

One day he made a decision. He would go to the city and only return home when he had enough money to marry a woman. He wanted to make his mother happy. "I'll go to the city," said the young man to his mother. "I'll raise some money. When I return, I'll get married and we'll live happily." His mother disagreed because she didn't want her son to be away from her. She tried to hold him back and change his mind, but her son was determined to leave.

Meanwhile, a ghost who lived on an old tree near the hut heard their conversation. He thought, "It's a golden opportunity to live in the hut. As soon as the Brahmin leaves, I'll assume his shape and pretend to be him. I'll live comfortably in the hut and have my meals prepared everyday. I'm tired of living on this cold old tree. I'm tired of being a ghost."

One night, not long after the young man had left for the city, the ghost took the shape of the young Brahmin and went to the hut. While knocking at the door, he said in a loud voice, "Mother, it's me. I'm back."

The old woman was surprised to hear what she thought to be her son's voice and immediately opened the door. She asked, "You said you would be away for quite long. What has happened? Are you sick?"

Pretending to be her son, the ghost answered, "I've changed my mind, Mother. I just can't leave you alone. I will stay and take care of you." The old woman cried. She was happy to have her son back. Then, she prepared a nice dinner for him. Since then, the ghost lived in the hut as the old woman's son. It was much more comfortable than living on the cold old tree.

A year later, the young Brahmin went home. He knocked at the door happily. To his surprise, when the door opened, he saw a young man who looked exactly like him. The young man stood at the door and looked at him with furious eyes. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" he asked rudely.

The young Brahmin was shocked, and asked back, "Hey, who are you? What are you doing here in my house?" He called his mother, "Mother, what has happened? Who is this young man?"

However, his mother didn't seem to recognize him. She said angrily, "What do you mean? He is my son. Who are you?" The young Brahmin tried to convince her that he was her true son. It was all in vain. His mother and the ghost slammed the door and left him outside.

Not knowing what to do, the young Brahmin went to the King and told him about what had happened. The King listened attentively, then ordered both young men to appear before him. The King looked at them carefully, one after the other. He was confused since they looked exactly the same. The King then asked them questions. However, he was still unable to tell which of the two young men was the old woman's true son.

One day, while he was on his way home from the King’s castle trying to convince the King, he met a boy who was playing near a field. The boy asked him, “Why do you look so sad?”

The young Brahmin replied in a desperate voice, “No one can help me. I’m homeless. A stranger has lived in my home and my mother believes that he is me, her true son. There’s no justice in this kingdom.”

“Come and meet our King,” said the boy. “Tell him about your problem. I’m sure he can help you.”

“I have met the King. He can’t help me,” replied the young Brahmin.

“No, not that King. Let me take you to our King,” said the boy.

“Who’s your King? There could be no other king in this kingdom,” said the young Brahmin. However, the boy soon took the Brahmin’s hand and led him to his friends who were gathering in the field. They were sitting in circle, surrounding a boy with a bright face who was sitting on a mound in the middle of the field. The boy bowed before him and said, “Your Majesty, this young man wishes to tell you about his strange problem. He is seeking for justice.”

“We will listen to you. Now tell us about your problem, good young Man,” said the boy who seemed to be their king. The young Brahmin thought it was a joke and started to get angry. However, the little king's words convinced the Brahmin and he was now willing to tell him about his problem.

"I will help you," said the little 'King', "I will solve it tomorrow. However, the King, his ministers, and the whole village must be present here."

The Brahmin had no other choice but to go to the King and ask him to come. Fortunately, instead of becoming offended with the request, the King was curious about how the little "King" would solve the problem.

On the following day, the King, his ministers, his escorts, and the whole village gathered on the field. So did the young Brahmin, his mother, and the ghost, who was still confident that the little "King" would not be able to solve a mystery that the King could not solve.

As the boy bowed before him, the King said in a stern voice, "I'm here because you've promised us to solve this young Brahmin's problem. If you fail, I will give you a severe punishment."

"Alright, Your Majesty," said the boy calmly. Everybody was waiting anxiously. The King who ruled the kingdom only stood there and watched him as he sat down on the mound. Then, the boy showed a bottle with a long and narrow neck, and said, "Whichever of the two young men who is able to enter the bottle is the true son of the old woman. He is also the rightful owner of the hut."

The Brahmin was shocked to hear what seemed to be an unfair judgment. However, before he could say a word of protest, the ghost, who at that time was sure that he would win, suddenly made himself smaller and smaller. He turned into a small insect, and flew into the bottle. As soon as he entered the bottle, the young "King" closed the bottle tightly.

He said to the audience, "He is a ghost who has assumed the young man's shape. He has convinced everyone, even the young man's mother. In fact, this young man is the true son of the old woman." Then he asked the young Brahmin to take the bottle and throw it away into the sea.

The King, who was pleased with the brilliant solution, asked, "How can you be so wise at your age?"

"We are not more than cowherds, Your Majesty. We come here to let our cows graze. One day, we found this mound, which seemed to be a perfect place for us to play on. Then, we built our own little castle here. We believe that he who sits on the mound will gain the wisdom and ability to solve even the most complicated problem. We sit on it in turn, and today it happens to be mine. I don't have such power, Your Majesty. It is all due to this magical mound," the little boy explained.

Filled with curiosity, the King ordered his men to dig the mound. What they found below was a beautiful throne which looked like a stage, decorated with pearls and jewelry and held up by thirty-two sculptures of beautiful goddesses.

The King wanted to sit on the throne. Suddenly, before he could even touch the throne, a voice was heard. "No, don't," it said. "The throne belongs to Raja Wikrama. Before you can sit on it, prove us that you have the same courage and wisdom as Raja Wikrama's. Now listen, we will tell you how wise Raja Wikrama is."

Then, in turn, the thirty-two goddesses told the tales about the courage and wisdom of Raja Wikrama. Soon after the last story was told, the thirty-two goddesses lifted the throne high up in the air, then flew and disappeared.

* * *
The thirty two tales told by the goddesses are popular in India, known as the Simhasana Battisi, 'the thirty two tales of the Throne.'

Source:

The Asian Cultural Center for Unesco, Dongeng-Dongeng Asia Untuk Anak-Anak jilid lima. Jakarta, PT. Dunia Pustaka Jaya, 1976.
Retold in English by Mister Guru.

April 22, 2013

Soal Ujian Sekolah (USBK) / Olimpiade Bahasa Inggris SMP / MTS Paket 5

Latihan soal dan prediksi Ujian Sekolah Bahasa Inggris dan Olimpiade Bahasa Inggris tingkat SMP/MTs.
Instruction: Choose the best answer to each question, A,B,C, or D.
  1. Read the text and answer the question.What does the notice mean?
    1. Don’t bring drugs to school.
    2. Don’t bring drugs and weapons to school.
    3. Don’t bring weapons to school.
    4. The school is free from violators.
  2. Read the text and answer the question.
    Dear Vanessa,

    Receiving a scholarship to study at a famous university is a pride. Congrats! We’re happy for you. Keep your spirit and motivation. Hope you will be the best of the best.

    Torrez
    What is the purpose of the text?
    1. To inform about a scholarship.
    2. To congratulate Vanessa.
    3. To show Vanessa happiness.
    4. To motivate Vanessa to maintain spirit and motivation.
  3. Text for questions nbr. 3 to 4.
    To: refanny_vt@yahoo.co.id
    From: donita_sw@ gmail.co.id
    Cc:
    Subject:
    Reply:

    Dear Fanny,

    Thank you for your letter. l’m very happy to hear that you’re planning to come to Manado this holiday.

    There are nice places to visit in my hometown. There’s a beautiful beach called Boulevard Beach. It is a very suitable place to hang out with friends or family, especially in the afternoon when the sun sets in the west. If you like diving or snorkeling, we have Bunaken Marine Park. l bet you’ve heard of that name before. Yeah, this place is very well known for its coral reefs and sea animals. There are many more that l can’t describe individually. Please come and l’ll show you these places. I guarantee that you’ll have a great time during your stay here.

    I very much look forward to seeing you.

    Your best friend,
  4. From the e-mail, we can conclude that ....
    1. Fanny will visit Donita
    2. Fanny lives in Manado
    3. We can see the sunrise at Boulevard Beach
    4. Fanny and Donita will go to Manado on a vacation
  5. What is the main idea of the above passage?
    1. The best diving site in the world.
    2. A good place for diving and snorkeling.
    3. The best view of Boulevard Beach, at sunset.
    4. Interesting places in Manado.
  6. Text for questions no 5 to 7

    Chicago is one of the biggest cities in the United States. We can find many skyscrapers at every corner of the city. There are many interesting spots worth-seeing. One of the most popular attractions for both locals and tourists in Chicago is Cloud Gate. This interactive sculpture is essentially a giant stainless steel bean that acts as a mirror. It reflects 80% of the city’s skyline on its surface. Spectators can see their images distort as they walk around the sculpture or underneath its 9-foot arch. The best viewing time is at night, when the lights from Chicago skyscrapers illuminate the bean’s surface.

  7. The text mainly tells us about ....
    1. the interesting places in Chicago
    2. the description of Cloud Gate
    3. the view of Chicago city at night
    4. the attractions of Cloud Gate
  8. Why is the best time to visit Cloud Gate, at night?
    1. There is a firework show.
    2. There are many stars in the sky.
    3. There will be many people visiting the place.
    4. The lights-from skyscrapers will illuminate the bean’s surface.
  9. “... can see their images distort as they walk .... (Paragraph 2).
    The underlined word is similar to ....
    1. form
    2. change
    3. create
    4. reflect
  10. The following text is for question 8 to 11

    One day, a young wanderer got lost in the wood. Suddenly, he saw a light from an old hut. He knocked on the door, and an old woman opened it. She was crying. She said that a devil had stolen her magic candle. The candle cloud grant anything she asked. The wanderer asked her where the devil lived. “in a castle not far from here,” said the old women The wanderer went to the castle.

    There he found the devil, but he was old and weak. Therefore, when the wanderer grabbed the magic candle from the devil’s table and ran away, he couldn’t chase him. However, the wanderer was not a kind man. He didn’t return the candle to the old woman, but kept it for himself. He lit the candle and made the wish, “I want to go far away from here.”

    Suddenly, a genie appeared and took him to a beautiful palace. There was a party in the palace. The wanderer wanted to make some money. So, he lit the candle again and wished for some jewelry. He sold them to the guest and was soon making a lot of money. Then, a princess came to buy some jewelry, but there was nothing left. The wanderer fell in love with her and asked her to marry him. The kind princess said yes, and they got married the next day.

    In his happiness, the wanderer told the princess about his adventure and the magic candle. Hearing that, the princess got very angry. At night, she lit the candle and wished the wanderer disappeared.

    In the morning, the wanderer awoke and found himself back in his ugly house in the village.

  11. Why was the old woman crying? Because ....
    1. the wanderer did not return the candle.
    2. her magic candle had been stolen
    3. she couldn’t chase the wanderer
    4. the wanderer got married
  12. “at night, she lit the candle and wished ....” (paragraph 5)
    The underline word has similar meaning to ....
    1. asked
    2. hoped
    3. offered
    4. begged
  13. How many times did the wanderer lit the magic candle?
    1. Once
    2. Twice
    3. Three times
    4. Four times
  14. What is moral value of the text?
    1. Don’t be greedy.
    2. Women are fond of jewelry.
    3. Don’t cry although you are sad.
    4. Work hard in order to be successful
  15. Text for questions nbr. 12 to 13
    To: Liz

    Sorry honey, I can’t keep my promise to go with you to the Mall tonight. I’ve to meet Mrs. Cathy at 07.00 pm. Please, don’t be angry.

    Sender
    Mom
    +6285712279590
  16. How is Liz’s mother feel about her promise?
    1. Impressed
    2. Confused
    3. Relieved
    4. Guilty
  17. Mom writes the text in order to ....
    1. apologize for not keeping the promise.
    2. remind Liz that she has a promise with her.
    3. tell Liz that she has to go to the meeting.
    4. say that she cannot meet her in the Mall.
  18. Text for questions nbr. 14 to 15

    SURYA BATU HOTEL

    The smart choice

    Facilities:

    250 rooms,Meeting room
    TV cable, Swimming pool
    Sport area, Restaurant 24 hours
    Laundry service, Taxi service
    Business centre, Full music

    Proudly introduce the extraordinary kindly in Batu city. Find our facilities and use them in your second home combining business and happily.

    Abdul Gani atas 47, Batu East Java Phone 0341 – 595595
  19. Which facilities do the visitors need to amuse themselves?
    1. TV cable
    2. Laundry
    3. Sport area
    4. Meeting room
  20. From the text we know that ....
    1. the guests must book before.
    2. the hotel is far from the centre of city.
    3. the hotel gives dangdut only to the guests
    4. there is a restaurant in the hotel opens for 24 hours
  21. Text for questions nbr. 16 to 18

    Kuta beach is ...(16)... for beach lovers, family holiday and a paradise for the surfers. Kuta beach ...(17)... one of popular tourist destinations for those who would like to enjoy the beauty of the beach, sunset and the hustle and bustle of nightlife in Kuta and Legian area. Besides, tourists have a chance to explore, to view and feel the characters of Balinese custom and culture which are very unique. The ...(18)... people, cozy atmosphere and amazing landscapes are really irresistible for us to visit. So welcome to this paradise.

    1. exhausting
    2. perfect
    3. flawed
    4. awful
    1. become
    2. became
    3. becomes
    4. becoming
    1. jealously
    2. enviably
    3. proudly
    4. friendly
  22. Text for questions nbr. 19 - 20.

    ANNOUNCEMENT

    To: All students of SMPN 12 Probolinggo

    To celebrate the National Education Day, students body will hold some interesting programs such as English Speech Contest, debate, and Class Wall Magazine Competition.

    When: March 2nd 2013 8 am onwards.
    Where: School hall
  23. Based on the text we can say that ....
    1. the programs will last for 4 hours.
    2. the programs will be held in the morning.
    3. two competitions will be held.
    4. Mr. Andi is the organizer of the programs.
  24. “Students body will hold some interesting programs”.
    The underlined word is similar meaning with ....
    1. attacking
    2. exciting
    3. striking
    4. distracting
  25. Text for questions nbr. 21 to 22.
    Dear teachers,

    You’re invited to the meeting:
    Day/Date: Saturday, 2nd February 2013
    Time: 1 p.m.
    Place: Teachers Office
    Agenda : The report of the study tour

    For the committee, please don’t forget to prepare the financial report.

    Jackie Smith
    The Principal
  26. From the text we can conclude that ....
    1. the students should attend the meeting.
    2. the meeting will be held at the school hall.
    3. the meeting will discuss the preparation for study tour
    4. the committee must report the financial
  27. What should the committee do after receiving the invitation?
    1. Make sure that the report is ready.
    2. Arrange the study tour immediately.
    3. Go to the teachers office.
    4. Report the meeting to the Principal.
  28. Text for question no 23 to 25.

    It was early in the morning we left Ubud and travelled to Gili Air which is one of three islands of Lombok. It took 4 hours in total by boat. The travelling was not bad but it was a hot day. I said to Jane on the slow boat "It`s alright. It won`t be so hot and stuffy once we get moving.”

    When we got to Gili Air it was still quiet so we were able to get a bungalow near the beach for about $ 15 a night plus breakfast. We shared our room with quite a number of geckos. Some of them were quite large ones.

    The weather was still hot when I went diving. Jane waited for me at the seashore. She observed some fishermen who had just caught some fish. She did not want to dive because she had a trauma with sea animals. We had three days here which we spent walking around the island which takes about an hour. Every night, we sat on the couches near the beach and watched the waves and the stars.

    It was a fantastic journey that I ever had.

  29. Jane did not join diving with the writer because ....
    1. the weather was hot at that time.
    2. she had a bad experience with sea animals.
    3. there were some fishermen catching the fish.
    4. she preferred to wait for the writer at the seashore.
  30. “It was a fantastic journey that I ever had.” (last paragraph)
    The underlined word is similar in meaning to ....
    1. meaningful
    2. wonderful
    3. interesting
    4. amazing
  31. We can conclude from the text we know that the hotel they stayed ini ....
    1. had geckos farm.
    2. was not luxurious.
    3. served lunch and dinner.
    4. only had bungalow.
  32. Text for questions no 26 and 27.

    Pharmacists are the professionals who dispense medicines to the patients, as prescribed by the medical expert. In most of the cases, the experienced pharmacists can even prescribe some better drugs and medicines to the patients. One of the most important pharmacist job descriptions is the management of medicines and drugs in health care units and hospitals. The pharmacist job description also includes assisting the patients, advising the medical experts and helping the patients by recommending the right medicine.

    Some of the job duties of a pharmacist are as follows; give advice and assist doctors or surgeons in matters relating to dosages and prescriptions to the patient. Monitor and analyze the health of the patient, with respect to the drugs that have been given to the patient. Answer the queries of the patients about the probable side effects and benefits of the drug therapy. Seek immediate help from the doctor in case the drug shows some side effects on the patient. Recommend drugs to visitors with minor ailments.

  33. What does the text tell us about?
    1. A pharmacist
    2. A drug therapy
    3. A medical expert
    4. A doctor and surgeon
  34. Which one is usually done by a pharmacist?
    1. Giving immediate help to the patients
    2. Recommending better drugs to patients
    3. Helping surgeon while doing an operation
    4. Giving drugs to patients with major ailments
  35. Read this text to answer questions no 28 and 29.

    This mango smoothie tastes great, is low in fat and will give you a healthy immune system. Give it a try. A refreshing drink is for all occasions. Appreciate our Mango Smoothie.

    Slice a large ripe mango in half. Cut horizontal and vertical lines across each of the pieces in a grid effect. Then turn the skin inside out to reveal equal sized chunks. Slice these chunks off the skin with the knife. Afterwards, pour 250 milliliters of yogurt and 150 milliliters of milk into a blender. Next add the mango, followed by 8 ice cubes. Put the lid on firmly, and blend until the mixture is smooth, or the consistency you desire. If the smoothie is too thin, add 1/2 a banana and blend again. This will also make it sweeter. Finally, pour into a glass, drop in a couple of straws and serve.

  36. What does the text above tell us about?
    1. It tells about the way to make a mango smoothie.
    2. It identifies the problems to make a mango smoothie.
    3. It promotes the importance of a mango smoothie.
    4. It describes the features of a mango smoothie.
  37. What should you do after pouring yoghurt and milk into a blender?
    1. Slice the chunks off the skin with a knife.
    2. Add the mango, followed by 8 ice cubes.
    3. Blend the mixture until it becomes smooth.
    4. Turn the skin inside out to reveal chunks.
  38. Choose the best arrangement of the words below to make a good sentence.
  39. listening toMr. Teddygivingareisadvicesandhis studentshim
    123456789
    1. 2-5-3-6-7-8-4-1-9
    2. 2-5-1-4-3-9-8-6-7
    3. 2-5-1-8-7-4-6-3-9
    4. 2-5-3-6-8-1-7-9-4
  40. Arrange the sentences below to make a good story.
    1. So, I took my bike at home and tried to deliver it.
    2. Fortunately,the owner of the wallet was my classmate’s neighbor.
    3. Yesterday when I was walking home, I found a wallet.
    4. After looking at the ID card, I knew that the address is quite far from my home.
    5. That is why my classmate and I could find the house easily.
    6. When I was looking for the address, I met my classmate.
    7. I found an Id card and some money in the wallet.
    8. Then, I stopped and asked him about the address
    1. 3 – 4 – 5 – 2 – 1 – 7 – 6 - 8
    2. 3 – 7 – 4 – 1 – 2 – 5 – 8 – 6
    3. 3 – 4 - 5 – 2 – 1 – 8 – 6 – 7
    4. 3 – 7 – 4 – 1 – 6 – 8 – 2 – 5
  41. Read the text to answer questions no. 32 to 34

    Satya is a famous singer and musician. Satya is married to Ersa with two children. Both of them are boys. They are Doni and Bram. Satya is unique in style. His style always changes. He usually appears on TV with bald hair. A lot of people know that he is a very talented song writer. The songs that he writes are always very popular. Beside that, he is a good leader. There are many musical groups he manages such as Fun 5, Glows, The Sleek, and Diva 3. They become very popular musical group under his management.

  42. The following sentences are true about Satya, except ....
    1. Satya is a song writer.
    2. Satya is fashionable.
    3. Satya is Ersa's husband.
    4. Satya has a good leader.
  43. According to the text, Satya is a good ....
    1. song writer, singer, and leader.
    2. song writer, manager, and leader.
    3. singer, presenter, and leader.
    4. song writer, music conductor, and singer
  44. '... Satya is unique in style.'
    The word ‘style’ can be replaced by ....
    1. color
    2. unique
    3. type
    4. paint
  45. The following text is for questions text 35 to 38.

    Long ago on the top of Mount Kinabalu in Borneo, there lived a dragon. He owned a large and beautiful pearl. People believed that he controlled the weather with it.

    The emperor of China heard this and wanted the pearl. He sent his two sons, Wee Ping and Wee San to Borneo to steal it. The princes, together with one hundred soldiers, set sail for Borneo in twelve sailing junks.

    When they arrived in Borneo they set out immediately to find the famous mountain. Their journey up the rugged slopes of mount Kinabalu proved very difficult. The dragon guarded his cave very fiercely and killed many of their soldiers.

    Then Wee San had clever idea. He climbed a tall tree, so he could see the dragon’s cave. He noted what time the dragon left his cave to hunt for food and what time he returned to it.

    Next he ordered his men to make a fake pearl and a large kite. He waited until the dragon left his cave. Then he placed the fake pearl in a bag, slung it across his shoulder and flew up to the mountain-top on the kite. He exchanged the real pearl for the fake one and then his brother pulled his kite back to the ground.

    The brothers quickly returned to their ships and set sail for China. They sailed safely home. The Emperor was thrilled with the pearl and gave a big party to celebrate his sons’ return.

  46. Who was Wee San?
    1. An Emperor from China
    2. A dragon of Borneo
    3. A son of Emperor
    4. A Borneo’s son
  47. “... his men to make a fake pearl and large kite” (paragraph 5).
    What does the underlined word mean?
    1. Plenty
    2. Valuable
    3. Glittering
    4. Expensive
  48. What will be the best title for the text above?
    1. Dragon Pearl
    2. The Pearl from China
    3. Mount Kinabalu
    4. The brothers
  49. From the text above we can learn ....
    1. Strong people will get what they want
    2. Being powerful is needed to gain our dream
    3. We must be smarter than our enemy.
    4. Being brave and smart is needed to achieve our dreams.
  50. The following text is for questions text 39 to 41.

    First, melt the butter in the ...(39)... over medium heat. Then, crack open the eggs into the pan and ...(40)... fry until the yolks begin to harden at the edges (indicated by a lightening in the yolk color). Using the spatula, flip the eggs ...(41)... and allow cooking ten seconds for over-easy, or up to one minute for over-hard. Finally, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

    1. kettle
    2. pan
    3. stove
    4. spatula
    1. let
    2. make
    3. start
    4. stop to
    1. carelessly
    2. reluctantly
    3. carefully
    4. immediately
  51. Text for questions number 42 to 44

    My Unlucky Experience

    Last weekend was my unluckiest day ever. Many good things were coming toward me. When the morning broke in Sunday morning, I woke up and planned to jog around the neighborhood. So I changed my clothes and went to the bathroom to wash my sleepy face. As I stepped in the bathroom, I landed my foot on soap in the floor and feel down.

    Next, I began my jogging and saw my gorgeous neighbor, jogging to. I thought it was a good fortune to omit the gap between us. So I jogged to him and say hello. How poor of me, it was not him. It just someone I had never met before who looked like to him. I was going home with people laugh at me along side of the street.

    When I got home, the breakfast already settled and I immediately spooned a big portion of rice and ate. After I have done my breakfast my mother came up and said that the meal has not ready yet and she said that I may have a stomachache if I ate it. It was proved; I had a stomachache for the next three days.

    I past my weekend lie down on me bed and be served as a queen. That was not really bad, wasn't it?

  52. What does the text tell us about?
    1. The writer’s weekend
    2. The writer’s activities
    3. The writer’s funny experience
    4. The writer’s unfortunate day
  53. How many unlucky events did the writer’s have?
    1. Two events
    2. Three events
    3. Four events
    4. Five events
  54. What is the function of the text?
    1. To describe the past events
    2. To amuse the readers
    3. To explain the writer’s activities
    4. To retell the writer’s experience
  55. Text for questions number 45 to 47.

    Mahogany

    In the natural rainforest, Mahogany is a very large canopy tree, sometimes reaching over 150 feet in height, with trunks sometimes more than 6 feet in diameter above a large basal buttress. It is a generally open-crowned tree, with gray to brownish-red fissured bark.

    Mahogany is perhaps the most valuable timber tree in the whole of Latin America and has been heavily exploited for most of this century. Mahogany is becoming increasingly rare, and is already extinct in parts of its original range. It is listed as threatened in "Arboles Maderables en Peligro de Extinción en Costa Rica" and is listed in CITES Appendix III.

    Mahogany varies from yellowish, reddish, pinkish, or salmon colored when freshly cut, to a deep rich red, to reddish brown as the wood matures with age. Mahogany is fine to medium texture, with uniform to interlocking grain, ranging from straight to wavy or curly. Irregularities in the grain often produce highly attractive figures such as fiddle back or mottle. Mahogany polishes to a high luster, with excellent working and finishing characteristics. It responds well to hand and machine tools, has good nailing and screwing properties, and turns and carves superbly.

    Mahogany is regarded by many as the world's premier wood for fine cabinetry, high-class furniture, trimming fine boats, pianos and other musical instruments, sculpture, joinery, turnery, figured and decorative veneer, interior trim, and carving.

  56. How large can Mahogany be?
    1. Less than 5 feet in diameter
    2. More than 6 feet in diameter
    3. About 100 feet in diameter
    4. Over 150 feet in diameter
  57. What makes Mahogany becoming increasingly rare?
    1. Its size
    2. Its exploitation
    3. Its quality
    4. Its value
  58. “... and is already extinct in parts of its original range." The underlined word means…
    1. Survive
    2. Vanish
    3. Stay alive
    4. Uncommon
  59. Text for questions number 48 to 50.

    My Dog

    I have a beautiful dog. His name is Lobo. He is sweet like a vanilla ice cream. He is really cute, and he is like a little baby, because he is very lovely. When he was a baby he was like a little cat, because his ears are like cat’s ears and he doesn't like taking a bath.

    He is not big, but not small. He is black and white like a cartoon cow. His eyes are blue like two pieces of sky, and they are bright like clean glasses. He is like a real wolf, because he wails like a wolf.

    He is a Siberian Husky, and this is the reason why he is like a wolf. He makes me very happy, and I love him with all my heart, and I think that he loves me too, and I am going to take care of him, and love him all my life.

  60. How does Lobo look like?
    1. He is not big and looks like a cow.
    2. He is very small and looks like a cat.
    3. He is quite big and has black and white fur.
    4. He is medium weight and has black and white fur.
  61. From the text we know that ....
    1. The dog likes to eat vanilla ice cream.
    2. A Siberian Husky dog is like a wolf.
    3. A cat always likes to take a bath.
    4. Lobo likes to watch cartoon film.
  62. “... because he is very lovely” (paragraph. 1)
    The underlined word has the same meaning with the words below, except ....
    1. romantic
    2. charming
    3. nice
    4. attractive
This is the end of the test.