speaking: you need to say it out loud

The Joeys men are

Men are, men are, men are,

men are strong

men are tough

men are surly, men are rough

men are mates

men drink beer

men are brave and don’t show fear

men slap backs

men sing songs

men are men and men are strong

men don’t touch

men aren’t drips

men shake hands with vice-like grips.

men like fighting

men like cars

men like shouting with men in bars

men like football

and now and then

men like men like men like men

no they don’t

men beat up queers

men live with their mums for year and years

men have beards

and hairy chests

men walk through blizzards in string vests.

men can embrace

and bare their soul

but only if they’ve scored a goal

men leap tall buildings

men are tough

men don’t know when they’ve had enough

men drive fast cars with wide wheels

men have muscles

men have sweat

men wear trousers

men have flies

men kick sand in each other’s eyes

men stand alone

men show no fears

men have hobbies and hairy ears

men have willies

men have bums

men are good at science and sums

men aren’t loving

men don’t dance

men don’t change their underpants.

men climb mountains

in the snow

men don’t cook and men don’t sew

men are bosses

men are chums

men build office blocks and slums

men make bombs

men make war

men are stupid, men are bores

men ignore

what women see

and call our story history.

(The Joeys men are)

You can write a reply, a continuation or create new similar poem your welcome to try and i am very looking froward to reading your reply.

Topic for English writing project (other topic are allowed if they are under the 4 Theme)

No	Theme	Topic ( Recommended Examples)
1	Family	Family Values Gender Love Sacrifice Sibling Relations Role Models Divorce Broken Homes
2	Community	Social Problems Social Service Cooperation Volunteer Work Cleanliness Neighborliness
3	Daily phenomena	How Color affects us Phobia Stress Managing Time Health Eating Habits Music Shopping Tips
4	Science (Tomorrow’s World)	Borderless World Cosmetic Surgery Biotechnology Nanotechnology Invention/ innovation Cloning Genetic Engineering ( exp: GM food) Biological Hazards

The New H2T11

The New F2T15

click on the picture to enlarge it
hope to take more picture of you all and please don't forget to leave a comment.

Additional Reading about doing well for your MUET

http://www.malaysia-students.com/2007/08/how-to-get-band-6-in-muet.html

MUET

Malaysian University English Test (MUET), first launched in 1999 and administered by Malaysian Examinations Council (Majlis Peperiksaan Malaysia), is a test to measure candidates’ English language proficiency. MUET is taken by students who intend to pursue their tertiary education at local public universities since it is a mandatory test to gain entry into degree courses offered at all Malaysian public universities. This test is carried out twice a year, in April/May and October/November. Candidates usually register through their academic institutions while private candidates through State Education Departments (Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri), with a registration fee of RM60.

Unlike International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) which are globally accepted as the certification of English language proficiency, MUET is recognized only in Malaysia and Singapore (National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University).

MUET consists of four components: listening, speaking, reading and writing. New test specifications have been introduced officially and will apply from MUET October/November 2008 onwards while old test specifications will still apply for MUET October/November 2007 and April/May 2008. The table below shows the detailed comparison between new and old format of MUET.

Test	Old Test Specifications	New Test Specifications	Possible Genres
Listening (800/1) Duration: Weighting: Number of texts: Number of questions: Question type:	45 marks 30 minutes 15% 3 15 Four-option multiple-choice	45 marks 30 minutes 15% 5 20 - Information transfer - Short answer - Four-option multiple-choice - Three-option multiple choice	Lecture, briefing, talk, discussion, interview, telephone conversation, announcement, instructions, advertisement, news, meeting, documentary
Speaking (800/2) Duration: Weighting: Number of tasks: Task format:	45 marks 30 minutes 15% 2 A: Individual presentation B: Group interaction	45 marks 30 minutes 15% 2 A: Individual presentation B: Group interaction	Contemporary issues
Reading (800/3) Duration: Weighting: Number of texts: Number of questions: Question type:	135 marks 120 minutes 45% 4 50 - Cloze - Information transfer - Four-option multiple-choice	120 marks 90 minutes 40% 6 shorter texts (at least one text with graphics) 50 - Three-option multiple-choice - Four-option multiple-choice	Articles from journals, newspapers and magazines, academic texts, electronic texts
Writing (800/4) Duration: Weighting: Number of questions: Question type:	75 marks 90 minutes 25% 2 Task 1: Summary of not more than 100 words Task 2: Extended writing not fewer than 250 words	90 marks 90 minutes 30% 2 Task 1: Interpretation of information based on specific stimuli provided (no less than 150 words) Task 2: Extended writing based on a given topic (no less than 350 words)	Report, article, letter, essay

Candidates are rated into six bands – band one being the lowest and band six being the highest -- according to their test scores. The total score is 300 and the table below shows MUET band description.

Band	Aggregated Score	Description
6	260 - 300	Very good user - Very good command of the language. Highly expressive, fluent, accurate and appropriate language: hardly any inaccuracies. Very good understanding of language and contexts. Functions extremely well in the language.
5	220 - 259	Good user - Good command of the language. Expressive, fluent, accurate and appropriate language but with minor inaccuracies. Good understanding of language and contexts. Functions well in the language.
4	180 - 219	Competent user - Satisfactory command of the language. Satisfactory expressive and fluent, appropriate language but with occasional inaccuracies. Satisfactory understanding of language and contexts. Functions satisfactorily in the language.
3	140 - 179	Modest user - Modest command of the language. Modestly expressive and fluent, appropriate language but with noticeable inaccuracies. Modest understanding of language and contexts. Able to function modestly in the language.
2	100 - 139	Limited user - Limited command of the language. Lacks expressiveness, fluency and appropriacy: inaccurate use of the language resulting in breakdown in communication. Limited understanding of language and contexts. Limited ability to function in the language.
1	Below 100	Extremely limited user - Poor command of the language. Unable to use language to express ideas: inaccurate use of the language resulting in frequent breakdowns in communication. Little or poor understanding of language and contexts. Hardly able to function in the language.

Students that have taken MUET are eligible to be enrolled into degree courses offered at local public universities as long as their CGPA for Diploma STPM or Malaysian Matriculation examinations are good enough to fulfil the entry requirement. The difference between all these bands is that students from band 1 and 2 have to take two extra English courses during holidays while band 3 and 4 students take one extra course. Students with band 5 or 6 can skip the extra English course. Some competitive degree courses like medicine and pharmacy, however, require students to get band 5 or 6 in MUET.
( Taken from :http://www.malaysia-students.com/2007/07/malaysian-university-english-test-muet.html)

English Writing Project

A project assignment differs from an essay in format, in that headings and sub-headings are used to denote relationships or connectivity of issues. Furthermore, writing an assignment does not mean a mere presentation of facts. It is more like an academic exercise in which you have a stand on certain issues, argue out the reason and provide authoritative evidence to support your argument.

The 10 steps to producing a good written assignment:

1) Select a topic- choose one topic you are comfortable with, one that you know something about.

2) Analyze the topic- ask yourself what the main issues are and what the supporting issues are.

3) Search for information – use the search strategy you know best and apply it

4) Evaluate and select- do you have information relevant to the main issues and supporting issues.

5) Take notes from resources- Make sure notes cover all aspects related to the main issues and supporting issues.

6) Plan an outline-make sure that the outline consists of introduction, body of content, conclusion and Accompanying information in the form of appendixes, footnote, etc.

7) Organize and consolidate- write notes for each part (e.g. Introduction, Body of content, Conclusion, Accompanying information).

8) Write the Paper- Be guided by the following: Language should be simple and clear. There should be a smooth flow of ideas and arguments. Apply creative thinking. Provide accompanying information in the form of appendixes and references.

9) Review assignment- Ask yourself the following questions:

• Have I dealt with the main issue and supporting issues thoroughly?
• Is the content relevant and thorough?
• Is there sufficient supporting evidence to uphold my views, opinions and ideas?
• Does the paper make sense overall?
• Is the language clear and precise, or vague and ambiguous?
• Do the paragraphs connect well?
• Are the quotations appropriately cited?
• Are the illustrations properly labeled?
• Are there spelling errors?
• Are all the references cited in the assignment properly recorded?

10) Present before deadline – it is important to present your assignment before the deadline. However brilliant your assignment, it shows poor time management skills if it is presented after the deadline. You have to allot sufficient time to complete your assignment. Avoid procrastination in order to produce a good piece of assignment.

Common Faults Found in Assignments

Faults	How to overcome
1.Unfocussed treatment	Keep to the point, do not ramble. Always refer back to the topic, and leave out unnecessary points.
2. Shallow treatment of topic/ subject	Provide sufficient content. Read more; use more examples, back up arguments with evidence.
3, Badly organized content (poor presentation)	Keep to outline: Introduction Body of content: · Issues 1+argument · Issues 2+argumen · Issues 3+argument · Issues 4+argument Conclusion References
4. Lack of fluency and flow	Keep language simple and to the point. Link point and paragraphs. Check spelling and grammar
5.poor introduction	Make sure you introduce the topic and explain how you are approaching the subject. Put the topic in perspective.
6. poor conclusion	Make sure you concluded by providing the answers or solutions to the issues involved. Refer again to the topic and make sure your conclusion is consistent with the introduction. Have you answer the conclusion, the questions raised in the body of content?
7. Boring presentation	Be creative in your approach, be less pedantic in style. Be open to other views and ideas. Be an active reader, do not accept whatever is written at face value. Question, question and question.
8.irrelevent information	Make sure you read widely and gather enough relevant information so that you do not need to “pad-up” your essay with irrelevant information. Apply evaluation and selection criteria to your reading and information gathering.

Introduction

When writing the introduction you should state the scope of the paper, set the scene or clarify what the main issue is and how you intend to approach it. It is usually putting the topic into perspective and serves as a preview of what you intend to say. It should be short, to the point and should not be more than 2 paragraphs

Body of content

The main body content should contain your ideas, opinions and facts, explained and argued out systematically and logically, with each idea or issue or argument flowing smoothly from one to another. Each paragraph should contain only one main point or main idea, with supporting details.

The paragraph must be interconnected, so that ideas flow smoothly throughout the main body of content. Make sure that when an issue is raised in one paragraph, it is carefully and systematically followed through in the following paragraphs before raising another issue. Use a numbering system to show relationship or interconnectivity among or between issues. Illustrations (diagrams, pictures, etc) should be used if they help in clarifying the issues.

Conclusion

Always refer to the topic when you write this section. Ensure that what you say in the conclusion tallies with the introduction and the body of content. A good conclusion should be able to provide the reader with a sense of completion or closure- end of a story. Do not repeat what you have said in the introduction. The conclusion must show progress in the development of the topic from the introduction and through the body of content. The conclusion does not introduce new ideas, argument or options but should represent closure of the issues or ideas argued out in the main body.

Accompanying information

List of references

-list of materials referred to and used in the text

Footnotes or Notes

- citation of materials quoted in your text or notes to explain certain issues contained in the text. Specific reference to topics or page numbers from which information in the text is obtained, to be detailed.

List of references

I. The sources are listed in alphabetical sequence, according to the names of authors or titles

II. Each item has complete bibliographical details ( page, author, title, edition, year of publication, publisher)

et.al ( and others) ibid (ibidem)-in the same book, passage, paragraph, etc. as above op.cit. (opus citatum) – In the work already quoted ( not immediately above)

Quotation and paraphrasing

If ideas and opinions of other people are reproduced verbatim, use quotation markers and provide details of source either in the form of a footnote or cite immediately after the quotation. If you decide to use your own words or paraphrasing, you can write the source in the text.

Citation style

In the process of completing your assignments, you need to document all sources used in your paper. There are many ways of documenting sources within the text of a paper and in the reference section at the end of your paper. Citation style I want is based on the APA (American Psychological Association) format.

Types of resources or references may be as follows:

Books, journals, Specific topics in a book, Websites and other types of materials

a) Citing printed Books

Use the following for citing printed books:

I. Book by a single Author

Author’s Name (Year). Title of book.( Edition). Place of publication: Publisher.

Example:

Haig, M. (2001). The B2B e-commerce handbook: how to transform your business-to-business global marketing strategy. London: Kogen Page

II. Book by Two Authors

1^st Author’s Name and 2^nd Author’s Name (Year). Title of book.( Edition). Place of publication: Publisher.

Example:

Boone, L.E. & Kurtz, D. (2001). Contemporary Marketing. (10^th ed.). Fort Worth, Texas: Harcourt Colleges Publishers.

III. Book by Three Authors

1^st Author’s Name, 2^nd Author’s Name and 3^rd Author’s Name (Year). Title of book: subtitle of book.( Edition). Place of publication: Publisher.

Example :

Allen, C., Kania,D. & Yaeckel, B. (2002). One-to-one web-marketing: build a relationship marketing strategu one customer at a time (2^nd ed.).New York: John Wiley

Iv. Book by more than Three Authors

1^st Author’s Name et al. (Year). Title of book: subtitle of book (Edition). Place of publication: Publisher.

Example

Amrine, H. et al.(1993). Manufacturing organization and management .(6^th ed.).Englewood Cliffs, N.J.:Prentice-Hall.

V. Edited books

Title of book. (Year). Editor: Editor’s Name. Place of publication: Publisher.

Example:

NEW directions in Internet management.(2002). Editor : Sanjiv Purba. Boca Raton, Fla.: Anerbach Publishers.

You should know how to distinguish between the term “edition” and “impression” or “reprint”. Edition denotes that the text has been amended, while impression or reprint indicates no changes in the text. Always cite the edition date as the date of publication, not the impression or reprint date. Example,

1^st edition date: 1968

5^th impression or reprint:2000

Please use the date 1968 as shown below:

Cruise,T.J.(1968). Educational technology. Kuala Lumpur: Pelangi Press.

Citing Specific chapter in a Book

(Book by Single Author)

Name of author of chapter.(Year). Title of chapter. Chapter number in Name of main author or editor of book, title of book (edition, pp. first page- lastpage). Place of publication: Publisher.

Example :

Kuegler, T.J. Jr (2002) Web advertising: banners and beyond; chapter 12 in T.J. Kuegler Jr.(2002). Web advertising and marketing.(3^rd ed). Boston, Mass.: premier press. In Book 24x7

(Book by Two Authors)

1^st Author’s name & 2^nd Author’s name.(Year). Title of chapter: Subtitle of chapter. in 1^st Editor’s Name and 2^nd Editor’s Name, title of book: subtitle of book (edition, pp. first page- lastpage). Place of publication: Publisher

Example :

Cruise.J.T. & Shaharuddin Salleh(1999). Video : effective use in creating learning material. in J.L.Hunters& M.K.Brown, Mltimedia: Applications and implications (2^nd Edition, pp.98-104). Kuala Lumpur: Pelangi press.

Citing Article in Journal

Article written by one Author

Author’s Name (Year). Title of article in the journal. Title of journal: Subtitle of Journal, Volume( issue).first page- last page.

Example :

Kargonkar, p.(2002). Web usage, advertising and shopping : relationship patterns.internet research : Electronic Networking and policy, 12(2),191-204.

Article written by 2 Authors

1^st Author’s Name & 2^nd Author’s Name (Year). Title of article in the journal. Title of journal: Subtitle of Journal, Volume( issue).first page- last page.

Example :

Kargonkar, p & Wolin, L.D.(2002). Web usage, advertising and shopping : relationship patterns.internet research : Electronic Networking and policy, 12(2),191-204.

Article written by more than 3 Authors

1^st Author’s Name et al. (Year). Title of article in the journal. Title of journal: Subtitle of Journal, Volume( issue).first page- last page.

Citing works by corporate Authors

The names of the writer can also be in the form of an institution, society, department or ministry. Refer to the following example:

MALAYSIA. Ministry of Education. National Board of Education. (1989). Implications of computers in the classroom. Kuala Lumpur. Pelangi Press.

Formats for citing Websites

Author’s Name (Year). Title of electronic text. [Online]. Available :website address [Year,Month,date]

Example:

Morrison,K.(n.d). Thinking Skills-keys to fusing talents. [Online]. Available :http://www.nexus.edu.au/TechStud/gat/morrisson.htm. [1999, Dec, 29]

Assignment format

In presenting your assignment, maintaining a certain quality of your output is crucial. First, it is important that an assignment be typed out, have a clear print and be well-spaced out. The following are some pointers to help you format and present your assignment well:

a) Use A4 size white paper. Do not mix paper sizes in an assignment, and use one side of the paper only.

b) Leave the right margin of 3 cm for my comments.

c) The first page of your assignment or the title page should consist of the title of the assignment, your name, your matrix number, tutorial group, semester , year of study and your tutor’s name and learning center( college)

d) Keep font size to 12 point; avoid overuse of bold print, multiple fonts, or other printing effects.

e) Font selection- avoid ornate or difficult-to-read font styles (Times New Roman is the font generally used). Type in one color and do not use red.

f) Number all your pages and in sequence.

g) If inserting pages with diagrams and illustrations, ensure that these have correct page numbers.

h) Secure all the pages by either binding or stapling them together.

i) Length of project 8-10 pages (double spacing)