MUET MOMENTS: Lesson 2: Listening Skills I

By Dr Koh Soo Ling

LISTENING SKILLS I
For the Listening Component, candidates are assessed on their ability to understand various types of oral text. Students will be tested on the following aspects:
1. knowledge/comprehension
2. application
3. analysis
4. synthesis
5. evaluation

SAMPLE QUESTIONS  for Listening Test (Part 1)

Voice 1: Listen to the interview.
Commentator: We know that a high salt intake contributes to high blood pressure but according to a new study, sugar is just as guilty. Dr James, can you comment?

Dr James: According to this new study, if you have high blood pressure (hypertension), a low-carbohydrate diet is a better way to control it than medication.

In a study of 146 people who were hypertensive and overweight, nearly half were able to stop or decrease their blood pressure medication after going on a low-carbohydrate diet.

Commentator: Is it true that we consume more sugar today than we ever did before?

Dr James: Sugar is a great stimulator of the tongue and it is cheap and abundant. Instead of a luxury, it has now become a necessity.   It is now added liberally to everything.

Prior to 1887, cardiovascular disease was almost unheard of and, as a point of interest, an average person consumed only 2.2kg of sugar every year.  In the United States, the average American has increased his/her consumption of sugar from 12kg to more than 65kg a year in the last three decades.

Commentator: Are there any related problems?

Dr James: As you probably know, people suffering from diabetes  usually  have high blood pressure also. That’s an eye-opener to just how serious the problem really is.

Excess sugar will eventually result in the cells becoming insulin-resistant because too much insulin is toxic.

For Question 1, write you answer in NOT MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
1. According to a new study, a __________________________ helps control high blood pressure better than medication.

For Questions 2, 3 and 4, write your answer in NOT MORE THAN FIVE WORDS. CHARACTERISTICS OF SUGAR
Sugar stimulates the tongue and
2. _______________
Sugar  which is now considered a necessity 3.________________
From 12kg to more than 65kg a year in the last three decades.

THE PROBLEM
INCREASE 4._____________________
IN THE UNITED STATES

For Questions 5 and 6, write your answer in NOT MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
People suffering from diabetes  usually suffer from 5. ________________. This goes to show how 6. _________________________ really is.

For Questions 7 and 8, circle the correct answer.
7. Which of the following statements is correct?
A. Too much insulin is poisonous
B. Excess sugar reduces insulin
C. Insulin increases the sugar level

8.  _____________ 1887, cardiovascular disease was almost unheard of and, as a point of interest, an average person consumed only 2.2kg of sugar every year. 
A. during
B. before
C. after

NEXT WEEK: Listening Skills  II

ANSWERS:
1. low-carbohydrate diet
2. it is cheap and abundant
3. is added liberally to everything
4. in the consumption of sugar
5. high blood pressure
6. serious the problem
7. A
8. B

Source: Learning Curve - New Straits Times