MUET Results Come Out Today! (20 September '12)

It's been quite a while since I last posted into this blog.  Oh, yes - the MUET results for the JULY 2012 MUET Tests comes out today.  Those who are in school - your teacher will fetch the results from the Department of Education and give them to you.  Private candidates will get your results sent to you through the post.

Improving Your Results?

 If you want to improve your results by re-taking the MUET Tests in the form of the November MUET Papers (MUET again!), you can start applying now.  The closing date of the application for the November Papers will be 26th November 2012.  Candidates should be quick about it as the period for the registration process is short.  Make a quick decision, get ready RM100.00 for the MUET fees and then - register.  The procedure for the registration is still the same - buy your PIN number from the BSN (Bank Simpanan Nasional) and then do the registration, as usual - online, through the MPM website.

If you are not satisfied with your results ...

Should you want to have your exam papers to be re-examined (or re-checked) please go to the MPM website.  There, you can find the link for that procedure. If we're not mistaken one has to pay RM150.00 if one wants to have his/her papers re-checked or re-marked. Even the listening paper can be re-marked or re-checked if you ask for it.

As for the future candidates we wish you all the best and hope that you will work hard on your English.  You should listen more, speak more, read more and write more!

The July MUET Speaking Paper, D-Day!

I would like to wish all the candidates who are taking the MUET Speaking Paper, July 2012, the very best.  The Speaking Test started in the morning, today, Monday, 3rd July 2012.  There seemed to be no afternoon sessions.

Do not panic as that will not benefit you at all.  Try to relax and keep a clear mind.  Apply the Speaking strategies that you have learned.  

The test will take quite a number of days.  It will be held until next week in the various centres that the MPM has assigned.  Take note of the date of your test.  Make sure that you do not miss this test as you will miss it (MUET) all if you miss one paper.  

The candidates will take the test in groups as the number of candidates is quite big.  You will enter the test room in groups of four.  You will not be lonely.  Furthermore there are two examiners.

Make sure that you are on time.  Do not forget to bring along your Identity Card and the MUET Exam slips.  You should be properly dressed for the test (Eg. do not come to the Speaking Test looking like a hooligan)  Take a complete rest with a good night's sleep before your test. 

All the best to you!

MUET July & November 2012, Schedules and Registration Dates

The MUET Test Scheduled Registration and Test Dates.

The following schedule and time table is taken from the MPM website (click here to go there).

Prospective candidates should take the scheduled dates into consideration if you are thinking of taking the MUET (Malaysian University English Test) this year (2012).

Online Registration

Registration is via the Internet.  Firstly, candidates should go to the BSN (Bank Simpanan Nasional) to 'buy' the PIN number and then access the MPM website for the registration procedures.  

The future candidates should take into consideration the closing dates for the registration.  The registration fee is RM100.00 (RM One Hundred). 

MUET Reading (800/3)

The MUET Reading 800/3 Paper 

THIS PAPER Carries the most MUET marks!

As you all know the MUET Reading Paper carries the most marks.  It carries 120 out of 300 marks.  If you get all the questions correct then automatically you will get band two automatically.  Yes, band two from one paper alone, that is the Reading Paper.  Whether it is taken in March, July or November.

The Reading (Comprehension) Paper Per Se

The Reading paper is divided into two major parts.  Those parts are determined by the genres of the questions.  Those major parts are:

1.  Texts with Graphics

     

    Usually these texts are followed by 7 (seven) questions.  They are information transfer questions from graphic representation to texts.  Candidates have to answer those questions based on graphs, charts, or tables which might be combined with linear texts.  Those linear texts could be news headlines, announcements, news clips or materials which could be similar in nature to the ones already mentioned above.  

      The questions (all questions in this paper - in fact) are followed by three multiple choice options.  They could be A. True  B. False and C. Not stated.  

2.  Reading Comprehension

     This second component is further divided into two parts.  They are:

    1.   Literary Texts

    2.  Expository Texts

    1.  The Literary Texts

          The texts could be extracted from short stories or novels

    2.  The Expository Texts

          The texts/articles could be sourced from Journals, Newspapers, Magazines, 
          Academic texts and electronic texts.  

There are five (5) reading passages (mind you!) which carries 38 questions.  Each passage could be as long as one page to one page and a half (in A4 size paper).  As you can see from the sources that the articles are taken the standard of English is understandably high.  University standard, that's it.  Like it or not, this is MUET!  ha, ha, ha ....

The New Reading 800/3 Page

 The Reading Page is already set up.  It is intended to be a page for many things on Reading.  The page can be accessed at this link (yes, click here!)

MUET 800/2 Speaking Test - March 2012

The MUET Speaking Test (800/2) for the March 2012 session will start tomorrow (Monday) 20 March 2012.  We would like to wish all candidates the very best of luck.  Please do not panic.  Keep your cool.  For those who have worked hard for it then you should be well prepared for your day of reckoning.  As for those could not prepare due to constraints such as occupational commitments or some other reasonable premises, being panicky and jumping up and down will not help at all.  Just be calm and just do it.  Come what may.  If you can keep your calm then you have ditched half of your troubles.

MUET March 2012 Speaking Test Dates

For your information, the March 2012 MUET Speaking (800/2) Tests will be held on the 20, 21, 22, 23 (February) and further continued on the 27 & 28 February 2012.  All together six (6) days. Readers can click here to read for some tips on how to go about doing the speaking test.  

Want Some Speaking Guidelines and Pointers?

And, readers can also go here to get more pointers about doing the speaking test.  This old posting can give you some more guidelines in the Speaking Tests.  This link here (yes, click here!) sort of collate and collect all the postings on Speaking (in this blog).  There could be repetitions or overlapping of pointers and guidelines, sorry about that.  I hope you would bear with me (Thank you!).

If you need help (about your MUET centres, your exam slips, etc.) then you should contact the nearest Department of Education or the District Department of Education (Pejabat Pelajaran Daerah - PPD)

Lest You Forget

Please do not forget to bring along your examination slips, your ICs, pens and pencils.  Please take good care of your cell phones.

If you take along your cell phones to the tests, you will have to surrender your cell phones to the chief examiner for safe keeping until the test is over.  They might be the ones who take you cell phones temporarily but in no way they can be held responsible for the safety of your cell phones.  Taking cell phones for safekeeping is their job as it is required under the MUET Speaking Test standard procedures.  It is a measure to stop candidates from communicating with the outside world (while they do the Speaking Test).  The Quarantine is also a standard procedure.  Keeping the discipline in the quarantine room procedures is also a standard procedure!  Of course - keep the peace.  This is serious business.

All the best to you and I wish that you all succeed with flying colours.

MUET Speaking: Group Discussion

This is a continuation of what has been written in the post that I made on Dec. 5, 2011 at this post (yes, click here). In this installment you can see one more question from the 2009 800/2 Speaking paper.

Before we go on to the questions proper I would like to say a few things about the group discussion - what should be done. Preparation will take two minutes. Some people have the habit of writing an "essay" type of preparation. They tend to write "whole speeches" whereas they will have no time to do that. Having done that in Task A (which you should never do, yes - never!) - writing every word of their presentation, they cannot do that in Task B.  In both tasks they have to prepare in point form. This skill needs to be practiced so that it becomes 'part of you' or 'second nature' to you.

As you still remember in preparation for Task A (yes, click here) they should make notes. Please refer to my earlier post at that given link - above.

The questions are as follows:

TASK A__________________________________________

Situation

We should always be patriotic to our country.  How can we show our patriotism?

Candidate A:

Task A:    What are the ways to show patriotism as an individual?  Elaborate.

Please note that what you have to talk about (as Candidate A) are the ways to show patriotism.  As Candidate A you have to speak on how to show patriotism where you are - as an individual.  That is you are doing in your person situation as an ordinary individual.  As candidate B you have to speak on how to show patriotism as required in the question, not as an individual.  Please note that.  If you miss that key point you might be talking about something else.  You might be speaking about being patriotic is not to be individualistic.  Then, the score of your marks will be affected. 

Please note that you have to elaborate.  That means you have to expand or give more supporting details for your points that you put forward in your discussion. In the discussion you should not just only speak out your points.  You will have to say more about them such as quoting examples or illustrations, give justifications or reasons and saying it in different words (or paraphrase) so that the listeners will understand it better. If necessary you should give further information on the points and also give definitions or meanings of the words and phrases given.

The other candidates will have the following questions:

Candidate B:  What are the ways to show patriotism as a community?  Elaborate.

Candidate C:  What are the ways to show patriotism at a national level?  Elaborate.

Candidate D:  What are the ways thato show patriotism at an international level?

                         Elaborate.

TASK B___________________________________________________________

Situation

We should always be patriotic to our country.  How can we show our patriotism?

Task B:    Discuss at which level patriotism can be most effectively displayed?

                  (i)             As an individual

                  (ii)            As a community

                  (iii)           At a national level

                  (vi)           At an international level

I hope that everybody is happy with this installment for the speaking test.  The question is sourced from the MPM's Mid-2009 MUET Speaking Paper.  Try it with your colleagues - in groups of fours.

This post is being added to the Speaking Page.  Readers can click on the "Speaking" tab above or you may just click here!

Have a good try.  All the best to you!

MUET Tests Calendar 2012

The MUET Registration Dates For 2012

Dear Readers,

Here is the MUET Tests Calendar for 2012 (image courtesy of the MPM (Majlis Peperiksaan Malaysia) or in English The Malaysian Examinations Council's webpage):

Please scrutinise the picture below to get the information.

To help you read it properly, point the cursor at the picture above and right-click on your mouse.  You will see a 'dialogue-box' (or ... whatever..) which shows a list of commands. Click on the command that says "View picture". When you click on that command the picture will be shown in another 'tab'. If you click the picture in the new tab you will be able to read what is written as it will be enlarged to its original size and the dates can be read clearly. Go on, try it!