Information transfer from a text
What this chapter covers
- I can describe Paper 1 Part 3 of the UASA and its rule of "no more than three words and/or a number" (7.1)
- I can follow a six-step method to move details from a text into a form, table or notes (7.2)
- I can scan a text quickly for names, dates, times, places, numbers and prices (7.3)
- I can match a label in a form, such as "Organiser" or "Venue", to different words in the text (7.4)
- I can spot traps such as changed plans, last year's details and other people's choices (7.5)
- I can copy words exactly, with the right spelling, capital letters and units, inside the word limit (7.6)
- I can complete a full Part 3 task from an email or an article in about 20 minutes (7.7)
In Paper 1 Part 3 you read one text, such as a notice, an email, a letter or a short article, and move eight details from it into a form, a table or notes. You do not need to write sentences. You need to find the right words and copy them exactly. This unit teaches you a method you can use every time.
7.1What Part 3 looks like
| Part 3 at a glance | Details |
|---|---|
| Questions | 8 (Questions 17 to 24 in the real paper), 1 mark each, 8 marks in all |
| Time | about 20 minutes |
| Text | one linear text: a notice, an email or letter, a report, a short article or a talk |
| Task | complete a form, a table or notes with details from the text |
| The rule | write no more than three words and/or a number for each answer |
A linear text is a text you read from the beginning to the end, line by line, in paragraphs. (Part 4 uses non-linear texts such as timetables and posters; see Unit 8.)
The form or table has labels (also called headings), for example Organiser, Date, Venue or Prize. Each label tells you what kind of detail to look for. The answers come in the same order as the text, most of the time.
What counts as "three words and/or a number"?
| Answer | Allowed? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| community hall | Yes | 2 words |
| the Science Club | Yes | 3 words |
| RM1,500 | Yes | a number |
| 25 June | Yes | a number and one word |
| at the old library | No | 4 words: drop "at" and write the old library or old library |
| It is on Saturday. | No | a sentence; write Saturday |
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7.2The six-step method
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Read the title and the labels | Read the title of the text and every label in the form first. Do not read the whole text yet. | You know what you are looking for. |
| 2. Predict the answer type | Next to each label, write a small note: name, date, place, number, thing or feeling. | Your eyes can then hunt for capital letters, numbers or month names. |
| 3. Skim the text once | Read the text quickly for the main idea. Who wrote it? What is it about? | You will understand where each detail is. |
| 4. Scan for each answer | Go back to the text for each label, in order. Underline the words that answer it. | Answers usually follow the order of the text. |
| 5. Check for traps | Read the sentence before and after your answer. Is it a changed plan, last year's detail or someone else's choice? | Part 3 always has wrong answers placed near the right ones. |
| 6. Copy and count | Copy the words exactly. Count: three words or fewer? Spelling, capital letters and units correct? | A spelling mistake costs the mark. |
JOIN THE NATURE CLUB!
Do you love plants and animals? The Nature Club of SMK Taman Bukit Jalil is looking for new members. The club is run by Cikgu Faridah, our Biology teacher.
We meet every Thursday from 2.30 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. Our meetings used to be in the Science Lab, but now we meet in the school garden. This term, we will build a butterfly garden and make compost from food waste.
The membership fee is RM10 for the year. Every member gets a free club T-shirt. To join, fill in the form and give it to our secretary, Tan Wei Jie of 1 Bestari, before 20 February.
| Label | Step 2: predict | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher in charge | name | Cikgu Faridah |
| Day of meetings | day | Thursday (or every Thursday) |
| Meeting place | place | school garden (not the Science Lab: that is the old place) |
| Project 1 | thing | butterfly garden |
| Project 2 | thing | compost (or make compost) |
| Fee | number | RM10 |
| Free gift | thing | club T-shirt |
| Closing date | date | 20 February |
Look at "Meeting place". Two places are in the text. The words used to be and but now tell you the Science Lab is old news. The answer is school garden.
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7.3Scanning for names, dates and numbers
Scanning means moving your eyes quickly over the text to find one detail, without reading every word. You do it when you look for your name on a class list. Skimming means reading quickly for the main idea.
| Looking for | Look out for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| a name of a person | capital letters, titles | Encik Kamal, Puan Lim, Mr Raj, Dr Aisyah, Cikgu Faridah |
| a place | capital letters; at, in, held at, venue | Dewan Seri Kenanga, the school field, Kuala Terengganu |
| a date | numbers with month names; days of the week | 15 June, Saturday, 2 to 4 June |
| a time | numbers with a.m. / p.m., o'clock | 7.30 a.m., 4.00 p.m., noon |
| money | RM, sen, cost, fee, pay, price | RM15, RM2.50, 50 sen |
| an amount or age | numbers, %, years old | 30 students, 50%, 12 years old |
| a feeling | adjectives after feel, am, was | excited, worried, proud, nervous |
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7.4Matching labels to the text
The label in the form often uses different words from the text. You need to know which words mean the same thing.
| Label in the form | Words you may see in the text |
|---|---|
| Organiser | organised by, run by, carried out by, is holding, is in charge, hosted by |
| Venue / Place | held at, will be at, takes place in, meet at |
| Date / Day | will be on, is happening on, starts on |
| Closing date / Deadline | by, before, not later than, the last day to |
| Fee / Cost | costs, pay, price, charge, is free |
| Purpose / Aim | to help, so that, in order to, because we want to |
| Things to bring | please bring, don't forget, remember to take |
| Things provided | will be given, we will give out, is provided, is included |
| Judges | decided by, chosen by, marked by |
| Contact person | call, contact, give your name to, see |
| Feelings | feel, am excited, can't wait, is worried |
Label: Judges Answers: Puan Noraini; Mr Lee
Label: Food provided Answer: lunch and drinks
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7.5Watch out for traps
The writers of Part 3 often put a wrong answer close to the right one. These are called distractors. Learn the signal words.
| Trap | Signal words | Example | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Changed plan | at first, was supposed to, used to, but now, has been moved | "At first it was going to be in the ICT room, but it was held in the library." | library |
| Last year or next year | last year, this year, next year | "Last year the Art Club ran it. This year it is the Science Club." | Science Club |
| Another person's choice | my mum wants, my friend said, but I | "Dad wanted a red bike, but I chose a black one." | black (if the label asks for my choice) |
| Negatives | not, no, never, out of the question, except | "The laptop is for homework. Games are out of the question." | homework, not games |
| Two numbers | but, only, instead, discount | "The fee is RM50, but members pay only RM30." | RM30 for a member |
| Two feelings | a little, but mostly, at first | "I was a little scared, but mostly I felt excited." | excited (main feeling) |
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7.6Copying exactly
In Part 3 the words are already in the text. You get the mark only when you copy them correctly. Check these five things.
| Check | Wrong | Right |
|---|---|---|
| Spelling of names | Puan Rosna, Encik Zulkifly | Puan Rosnah, Encik Zulkifli |
| Capital letters | encik kamal, kota bharu | Encik Kamal, Kota Bharu |
| Numbers and units | 28, RM 1500 | 28 centimetres, RM1,500 |
| Word form | surf the web (text says "surfing the web") | surfing the web |
| Same word, not your own word | happy (text says "excited") | excited |
- Writing a long phrase: "at the community hall near the shops" (7 words). Write community hall.
- Changing words into your own words: the text says "lucky charms", the student writes "good luck things". Copy the text.
- Forgetting the unit: "28" is not the same as 28 centimetres; "1,100" is not RM1,100.
- Copying the wrong spelling of a Malay name: Seri and Sri are different spellings. Copy the one in the text.
- Mixing up 13 and 30, 15 and 50 when copying numbers. Check digit by digit.
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7.7Practice: an email
Use the six steps. Give yourself about 10 minutes.
From: Nurul Huda To: Kavitha Subject: Cooking class!
Hi Kavitha,
Guess what? I have joined a cooking class for teenagers. It is organised by Dapur Ceria, a small cooking school in Seremban. My aunt, Mak Long Zainab, told me about it because she works there.
The class is every Saturday morning for four weeks. My mum wanted me to learn to bake cakes, but I chose the Malaysian dishes class. So far we have learnt to cook nasi goreng kampung and ayam masak merah. Next week, we will make kuih seri muka.
The class costs RM200, but I paid only RM160 because I registered early. We have to bring our own apron and a container to take the food home.
At first I was nervous because I could not even fry an egg! Now I feel confident in the kitchen. Do you want to join me next month?
Love,
Nurul
| Nurul's cooking class | |
|---|---|
| Organiser | (a) ______ |
| Person who told Nurul about the class | (b) ______ |
| Type of class Nurul chose | (c) ______ |
| Dish for next week | (d) ______ |
| Amount Nurul paid | (e) ______ |
| Things to bring | (f) ______ (g) ______ |
| How Nurul feels now | (h) ______ |
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(b) Mak Long Zainab
(c) Malaysian dishes (not "bake cakes": that was her mum's choice)
(d) kuih seri muka
(e) RM160 (not RM200: she registered early)
(f) apron (or own apron) (g) a container (either order)
(h) confident (not nervous: that was at first)
Practice: an article to notes
OUR RECYCLING BANK
Last year, SMK Seri Pantai in Kuantan started a recycling bank to reduce rubbish at school. The idea came from the Environment Club, and the bank is now managed by the school's prefects.
Students bring old newspapers, plastic bottles and aluminium cans every Tuesday. The items are weighed, and students earn points. They can use their points to buy stationery at the school shop.
In the first year, the school collected 2,400 kilograms of items and earned RM1,350. The money was used to buy new books for the library. The Principal, Puan Hajah Salmah, says she is proud of the students.
| Recycling bank notes | |
|---|---|
| Aim of the bank | (a) ______ |
| Managed by | (b) ______ |
| Collection day | (c) ______ |
| Weight collected in the first year | (d) ______ |
| Money spent on | (e) ______ |
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(b) the school's prefects (or prefects); not the Environment Club, which only had the idea
(c) Tuesday (or every Tuesday)
(d) 2,400 kilograms
(e) new books (not "new books for the library": that is 5 words)
Summary
- Part 3: one linear text, 8 answers, 8 marks, about 20 minutes. Each answer is no more than three words and/or a number.
- Six steps: read the labels, predict the answer type, skim the text, scan for each answer, check for traps, copy and count.
- Scan for capital letters (names, places), numbers with months (dates), a.m./p.m. (times), RM (money) and adjectives (feelings).
- Labels use different words from the text: Organiser = run by, held by; Venue = held at; Deadline = by, before.
- Traps: changed plans (but now), last year's details, other people's choices, negatives, a second price, a first feeling. Read one sentence more.
- Copy exactly: spelling, capital letters, numbers and units, the same word form. Never use your own words.