1

SUMMARY 1
Summarize in not more than 120 words, describing the author's trip in Cherokee. You
may adopt the author's point of view.
During my vacation last May, I had a hard time choosing a tour. Flights to Japan, Hong Kong and
Australia are just too common. What I wanted was somewhere exciting and exotic, a place where I
could be spared from the holiday tour crowds. I was so happy when Joan called up, suggesting a trip
to Cherokee, a county in the state of Oklahoma. I agreed and went off with the preparation
immediately.
We took a flight to Cherokee and visited a town called Qualla Boundary Surrounded by magnificent
mountain scenery, the town painted a paradise before us. With its Oconaluftee Indian Village
reproducing tribal crafts and lifestyles of the 18th century and the outdoor historical pageant Unto
These Hills playing six times weekly in the summer nights, Qualla Boundary tries to present a brief
image of the Cherokee past to the tourists.
Despite the language barrier, we managed to find our way to the souvenir shops with the help of the
natives. The shops are filled with rubber tomahawks and colorful traditional war bonnets, made of
dyed turkey feathers. Tepees, cone-shaped tents made from animal skin, are also pitched near the
shops. "Welcome! Want to get anything ?" We looked up and saw a middle-aged man smiling at us.
We were very surprised by his fluent English. He introduced himself as George and we ended up
chatting till lunch time when he invited us for lunch at a nearby coffee shop.
"Sometimes, I've to work from morning to sunset during the tour season. Anyway, this is still better
off than being a woodcutter ..." Remembrance weighed heavy on George's mind and he went on to
tell us that he used to cut firewood for a living but could hardly make ends meet. We learnt from
him that the Cherokees do not depend solely on trade for survival. During the tour off-peak period,
the tribe would have to try out other means for income. One of the successful ways is the "Bingo
Weekend". On the Friday afternoons of the Bingo weekends, a large bingo hall will be opened,
attracting huge crowds of people to the various kinds of games like the Super Jackpot and the
Warrior Game Special. According to George, these forms of entertainment fetch them great returns.
Our final stop in Qualla Boundary was at the museum where arts, ranging from the simple handwoven oak baskets to wood and stone carvings of wolves, ravens and other symbols of Cherokee
cosmology are displayed.
Back at home, I really missed the place and I would of course look forward to the next trip to
another exotic place.

SUMMARY 2
Write about water conservation in different countries in about 100 words.
Human needs can be narrowed down to three essentials: air, water and food. Without air one would
not survive ten minutes; without water one would likely die of dehydration within ten days; and
without food, the body would probably expire after ten weeks.
The average person requires between six and eight glasses (about two litres) of drinking water a day
to maintain the hydration of tissues in the body, and to facilitate the physiological processes of
digestion. In addition, water acts as a transport medium for nutrients within the body, helps to
remove toxins and waste materials, stabilizes the body temperature, and plays a crucial part in the
structure and function of the circulatory system. In short, water is the elixir of life.
People living in modern cities get water at the turn of a tap, a convenience that has spawned a
careless attitude towards this crucial substance. What is more, most Asian governments provide
water to consumers and industries alike at a low to nominal tariff.
Modern urban living has bred a generation of Asians who are careless in their usage of water.
Singapore, for example, has increased its rate of water consumption over the last ten years and more
than half has been for domestic usage. Calls to cut back on usage have fallen on deaf ears since
average daily consumption keeps rising annually.
Singaporeans have been warned that they would run out of water if the consumption is left
unchecked. Recent conservation measures introduced include the installation of lowcapacity cisterns that reduce water used from nine litres to as low as 3.5 litres per flush in public
housing estates.
The low cost of water for household consumption makes people feel that water is something they
can get easily. Thus, the Singapore government has acted in curbing excessive use of water by
raising the cost of water. Water rates in Singapore are among the highest in Asia - and for good
reason, as the city ranks as the sixth most water-scarce country in the world.
In contrast, the Japanese have a generally frugal attitude towards water. Communal bathing is a
traditional habit in rural Japan and is a definite form of conservation. After individual ablutions, an
entire family uses the same tub of water - the father goes first, followed by the children and then the
mother. This system is incredibly efficient, with a family of five bathing in less than twenty litres of
water. Housewives may even keep the bath water for washing the laundry.
In Tokyo, water conservation takes on a hi-fi slant. Some apartments have a computerized toilet that
flushes automatically when a person stands up and one can choose to have a big or small flush. The
bath is also computerized with a warning buzzer that goes off when the tub gets too full. Many
bathroom sinks are connected via a pipe to the toilet cistern - thus the toilet is flushed with water
from the sink.
Hong Kong, meanwhile, has maximized its biggest water resource - the ocean. Sea water is used as
flushing water in many of the city's toilets.

SUMMARY 3
Summarize the passage about the effects of pollution in about 100 words.

Pollution in Its Many Forms

One of the most serious problems facing the world today is pollution, that is the contamination of
air, land and water by all kinds of chemicals such as poisonous gases, waste materials and
insecticides. Pollution has upset the balance of nature, destroyed many forms of wildlife and caused
a variety of illnesses. It occurs in every country on Earth but is most prominent in industrial
countries.
Breathing polluted air is very common to most people, especially those living in cities. In heavily
industrialized areas, fumes from car exhausts and thick smoke from factory chimneys can be seen
darkening the atmosphere. This would reduce visibility and make the air unpleasant to breathe.
Large scale burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, gas and oil, in homes and industries also produces
a wide range of pollutants. This includes sulfur dioxide which damages plants, destroys buildings
and affects health. Other known pollutants are carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and dirt particles.
The fumes produced by car exhausts and factories would normally disperse in the air, but
sometimes they are trapped by air layers of different temperatures. The result is a fog-like haze
known as smog. Britain and some other countries introduced smokeless zones and smokeless fuels
some years ago and smog no longer occurs, but it still remains a very real problem in Japan and the
United States.
The motor car is a major source of pollution. In densely populated cities where there are millions of
cars on the roads, the level of carbon monoxide in the air is dangerously high. On windless days, the
fumes settle near ground level. Fumes from car exhausts also pour out lead and nitrogen oxide.
The testing of nuclear weapons, and the use of atomic energy for experimental purposes in peaceful
times have exposed some people to levels of radiation that are too high for safety. Crop-spraying by
aircraft also adds chemical poisons to the air.
Domestic rubbish is another very serious pollution problem. The average American citizen throws
away nearly one ton of rubbish every year. Much of this consists of plastic, metal and glass
packaging that cannot be broken down naturally. Instead it lies with old refrigerators, broken
washing machines and abandoned cars in huge piles for years without decaying. Each year the
problem of rubbish disposal becomes more serious.
Sewage causes another form of pollution. Most of it flows straight into rivers, where it is broken
down by tiny bacteria. The bacteria need oxygen for this process, but because of the vast quantities
of sewage, the bacteria uses up all available oxygen in the water, causing the death of countless fish
and other river life. Rivers provide a very convenient outlet for industrial waste, as well as being a
source of water for cooling in nuclear and other power plants.
Like rivers, oceans have been used as dumping grounds for waste of all kinds. One of the recent
sources of sea pollution is oil and millions of tons of it spill into the sea each year. Oil not only
pollutes beaches, it also kills fish and seabirds.

SUMMARY 4
Make a summary of not more than 120 words, describing the various means of

transportation.
The means of transportation has changed and improved over many centuries. Long ago, during the
times of the kings and knights, animals such as horses, buffaloes and camels were used by man for
transportation purposes. These animals no doubt did save man from travelling by foot, they took a
long time to complete the journeys, especially when transporting goods.
In 1825, George Stephenson's opening of the first railway marked a significant progress in the
history of transportation. Railways were in popular demand because they could carry more people
and loads. More importantly, they ran faster than animals. Railways improved the communication
networks and hence, imports and exports of goods and people travelling out of their towns or even
countries to work were made possible. Unfortunately, since the invention of motor vehicles, the
popularity of railways has declined.
Motor vehicles were first invented in the eighteenth century. These vehicles were preferred by
many people as they do not run on tracks and hence do not have fixed routes. Travelers can then
plan their own routes to suit their convenience. This is especially so when the destinations are
places like small towns or remote areas. In these places, few or even none of the trains ever reach
them; so travelling by the motor vehicle would solve this problem. Over many years of
modifications, the motor vehicle is now one of the most commonly used means of transportation.
Today, we travel in cars, taxis, buses, lorries or vans almost every day.
Another form of transportation is by water. It may be the slowest but definitely the cheapest form
of bulk transportation. Though over the centuries of innovations, water transportation has improved
from the ancient wind dependent yachts to the modern motor driven ships, journeys by water are
still characterized by the dangers and unpredictability of meeting natural disasters like the storms.
The evolution of world transportation has reached its pinnacle with the invention of airplanes.
Transportation by planes is the easiest and fastest. Planes gliding smoothly in the air, are not
obstructed by seas, hills, buildings and so on. Though convenient, this means of transport is the
most expensive. Despite the popular demand, the transportation network of the planes is still not a
balanced and complete one till today. Developed countries tend to make use of air transportation
more frequently than the less developed ones as they do more exporting and importing of goods and
also have more people traveling to and fro their countries. Hence, the networks in these developed
countries are denser.

SUMMARY 5
Based on the information given in the passage, describe the situation about seal culling in
Newfoundland in about 100 words.
Every year the gruesome spectacle is repeated in Newfoundland on Canada's east coast. Scores of
fishermen and hunters gather off the coast of Newfoundland to kill thousands of seals. Newly-born
seals and their mothers are clubbed to death or drowned in icy water. Despite international protests,
the slaughter continues.
Over the years, environmentalists have launched numerous attacks against seal hunting. Supported
by noted celebrities such as the French actress, Brigitte Bardot, and other well-known personalities,
some measure of success has been achieved. The international market for the soft white fur of the
baby seal has practically collapsed.
Newfoundland's Provincial Fisheries Minister, John Efford, managed to convince the Canadian
federal government in Ottawa to permit the killing of 285 000 seals. The exercise, however, drew
heavy criticism from observers of the International Fund for Animal Welfare who claimed that
close to 500 000 seals were killed.
Efford had defended the seal hunt as being absolutely necessary. He said that the culling of these
seals was neither done for sport or game, nor for their fur. Instead these seals were killed to save the
livelihood of local fishermen who viewed the seals as pests and a threat to their source of income.
These fishermen claim that the seals feed on the codfish that proliferate in the waters off the coast
of Newfoundland. They lament that this has consequently resulted in a drastic fall in the number of
codfish and subsequently thwarting their efforts at earning their wages as commercial fishermen.
"The seal herd is so large that it has exhausted the food chain," explain the fishermen. The
seriousness of the situation has prompted the fishermen to appeal to the federal authorities in
Ottawa to approve the culling of an additional two million seals.
The Federal Fisheries Minister, however, has rejected the idea saying that current scientific
knowledge does not support such a drastic move. At the same time, the Parliamentary Fisheries
Committee has begun a special investigation into the matter. Scientists, too, are trying very hard to
determine how much damage the seals actually cause. "There's no scientific consensus on the
impact of seals on cod stock regeneration," said the head of the research section of the Federal
Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
No accurate information on the number of seals living in the northern Atlantic appears to be
available. In 1994, the estimate was set at about five million mammals, and in early 1999 a very
rough estimate was made at six million seals.
In an effort to counter and appease international protest, Efford suggested a completely new
approach. Rather than view the seals as pests, he urged that they be regarded as a source of food.
"There are hundreds and thousands of people going hungry each day in the Third World," he said.

SUMMARY 6
In not more than 140 words, summarize the writer's opinions of Asian food in Europe and in Asia
itself.
Food may not be a reason to travel to Asia but for me it is certainly a reason to come back, When I
was a young man in England, my only exposure to Asian food was Chinese takeaway at a shop in
Sheffield. Fried rice was rice fried with egg and bean sprouts. Sweet and sour pork a great favorite
of my adventurous English friends was pork fried in sticky dough swimming in sickeningly sweet
syrup. No wonder many of us thought Chinese cuisine was not as wonderful as it was made out to
be. The small, rather dirty Pakistani restaurant opposite Leeds University served very mediocre
briyani rice. Nothing like the aromatic dish of similar name I was served in Kuala Lumpur. Asian
food in Europe is not fairly represented. It was little wonder I did not recognize the fried rice that
came when I ordered if at the airport In Singapore. The rice was full of diced carrot, green peas,
cauliflower and cubes of chicken!
It is little wonder that most Asians are obsessed with food. Asian food is so delicious. When I first
moved to Bangkok, I was amazed that food was the main topic of many conversations. My
colleagues at Chulalongkorn University were very insistent that I knew where the best chicken rice,
fried noodles and beef soup were sold. Of course, no two people would agree. I discovered through
my learned friends that some of the best food in Bangkok is to be found at street stalls, the markets,
the noodle shops and the push-carts. I learned not to judge by appearances alone. I discovered that
in Thailand and indeed for much of Asia, the more unpretentious the premises, the tastier the food.
Let me give a few examples. My favorite restaurant in Bangkok is Chang Kit. It sells the best rice
soup with fresh fish. When the taxi stopped in front of the restaurant, I did not immediately want to
enter it, The shop was very old, the tables and chairs were rickety. The waiters were old too and
dressed casually in faded T-shirts with holes in them, But one spoon of the soup and all is forgiven,
The best wonton noodles I ate was at a roadside stall in Kuala Lumpur. It was in the heart of
Chinatown. There were only two tables and clients had to wait to be served. The black chopsticks
looked quite filthy. It was a rainy evening, Every time a car passed, my feet were splashed with
dirty water. The noodles were tender, the soup flavorful, the vegetables crunchy and the roast meat
was to-die-for.
Many Westerners think that the hygiene in Asia's foodstalls is a little suspect. There is probably
some truth in this. My experience has shown me that it is safe to eat at most restaurants where the
food is cooked on the spot, for example, fried noodles or chicken porridge. Therefore, Chinese,
Vietnamese and Thai food is relatively safe. It is less safe to eat food which has been cooked earlier
and left to sit on the counter for hours. Food goes bad very quickly in the tropics because of the
heat. Food cooked with coconut milk tends to get spoilt even faster. Therefore, I try to avoid
restaurants serving food already cooked and placed in food warmers. I also avoid raw vegetables
and cold drinks. This is because not all food vendors wash their vegetables well or boll their
drinking water.
The best thing about Asian food Chinese, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese and so on is that it is usually
very tasty. Another advantage is one can eat in Asia quite cheaply. For instance, for the equivalent
of a British pound, one can have a balanced meal of rice, chicken and vegetables in most Asian
cities. For that amount, one is lucky to get a sandwich in Europe. The exception to the rule is
Japanese food which is often the most expensive food in Asia.

SUMMARY 7
A composting system used on farms in Taiwan is described in this passage. Summarize in about 100
words how the system works.
People are getting more aware of the importance of recycling. In many countries, government and
non-government bodies are campaigning for the recycling of the mountains of waste that modern
living generates.
It is heartening to note that many households are turning their kitchen waste into compost. This
practice involves a simple process that recycles uneaten food into fertiliser.
Recently, a lightweight machine was developed by the Japanese for the instant composting of
household waste products. It is the size of an average waste bin. It comes fitted with electrical
components that enable it to turn kitchen and garden waste into crumbly, dry fertiliser. This is done
with the help of a special composting substance available in stores selling the electrical compost
bin. When the bin is full, it is switched on and within minutes, it has recycled its contents.
While domestic scale composting has become common in many households, the agricultural
community is coming up with more efficient ways to recycle their waste products. In Taiwan, a new
system of composting has been developed by farmers. This system recycles almost every item of
waste produced.
Firstly, farm waste products in their mixed solid and liquid form are collected in a large vessel. This
vessel is connected to a chute along which the waste products are channeled into a large container
called
the
separator.
The separator has two large pipes attached to it. The function of the separator is the important one
of sorting the solid waste from the liquid. This highly-automated machine squeezes the waste matter
until it is almost 80% dry. After this has been accomplished, it pushes the solid material down the
vertical pipe on its right while directing the liquid waste through the horizontal pipe on its left.
After going down the vertical pipe, the solid waste material goes through its final stage of
processing. It is collected in large cylindrical containers. These containers are made of a porous
material that acts with the contents to produce a final product that is peaty, dry and crumbly in
texture. It is now in a completely biodegradable form and is re-used as fertiliser.
The liquid waste is collected in barrels. At this stage of the process, the liquid waste contains less
than 20% of solid particles. This is a measure of the efficiency of the machine in separating the
solid from the liquid waste matter. The end-product of the liquid waste is further refined for farming
purposes. In its refined form it can be used in animal feed and for irrigation purposes.
This machine has attracted the attention of many parties in the agricultural sector of the country.
Farmers find it easy to manage and economical. they can safely re-introduce farm waste products
into the soil.