Distinguishing fact from opinion

Being able to distinguish fact from opinion is an important reading skill.

It helps in the development of a critical reading ability.

A fact is a truth or reality, believed to be true

if it has been proven by experimentation or observation.

A fact can be verified by referring to an authoritative source.

An opinion is a feeling or belief,

usually personally, which cannot be proven to the satisfaction of all.

Writers use both facts and opinion to support their statements.

When evaluating an argument, idea or view,

it is useful to recognize how a writer uses facts and opinions.

Very often, facts offer strong support for something that is stated.

Opinions often represent personal interpretation and

may not provide adequate support for an idea or statement.

Reference: A Basic Course for MUET by the Language Centre, UITM

How to Get Band 6 in MUET

This article on Malaysian University English Test (MUET)preparation, tips and experience was written by Michelle Tam, one of the 176 candidates who got band six in MUET April/May 2007.

MUET Preparation

The only things I did was read up on how to do the summary sectionas I always find cutting down on words the tricky part. As a former debater and public speaker, I needed no preparation for the speakingsection, but only took part actively in class discussions and since I'm quite a chatterbox (and 99% of the time I converse in English, so that helps.)

As for the writing section, once again I did not prepare or look out for 'hot' topics, but I am an avid reader, having started at the tender age of 3. I devour books, finishing an average of 2-3 novels/fiction pieces a week. That helped me build a tremendous vocabulary bank and also helped me with the subtle nuances of the English language, allowing me to add flair and flavour to my writing.

As for the objective section, I got a perfect score here (135/135, I think?) by simply being careful and using every minute I had to go over the questions.

MUET Tips

The only tips I have would be :

1. Read as much as you can, not just for the exam, but for your own enrichment and enjoyment. This is seriously the best way to prepare yourself for MUET, as it helps you understand the finer nuances of the language and the subtle meanings and slight but critical differences in the meanings of similar words.
   
   
2. Speak English as much as you can. I speak English all the time (and I mean ALL the time) and this has helped me to speak clearly and confidently. Even if you're weak in it, persist at it. There is no better way to better yourself in this area than by speaking the language.
   
   
3. Participate in the UNSW (University of New South Wales) International Competitions for Schools, English. It is an international competition that I participate in every year, and I find it extremely useful as they give you detailed descriptions of your mistakes, how proficient or accurate you are compared to the rest of the country, and how you rank amongst the students in your country.
   
   I've been taking part in it for 3/4 years now, and every year I rank among the top 2% of the country, getting a Distinction. I find it to be very useful as it is MUCH TOUGHER than MUET, and is great help for your objective section, although it does focus on literature and 'deeper' pieces compared to MUET.
   
   
4. Get involved in English based activities. I was actively involved in public speaking and debating in my secondary school, and this helped to further refine and polish my English speaking skills (plus it helps with the counter arguments during the speaking test - quick rebuttals always save the day!). Also get involved in drama as this helps you think creatively and also to express all sorts of emotions/convince the audience etc.

credit to malaysia-students.com

MUET Test Format

TEST FORMAT

MUET comprises four papers. Candidates are required to sit for all the four papers.
Details of the four components are as follows.

Paper 1: Listening (30 minutes)

Candidates will be required to listen to recorded texts twice and answer questions on them.
There is a total of 20 questions consisting of information transfer, short-answer questions, 3-option multiple-choice questions and 4-option multiple-choice questions.

Paper 2: Speaking (30 minutes)

Candidates will be required to perform two tasks: individual presentation and group interaction.
For the individual presentation, candidates will be given 2 minutes to prepare for the given task and 2 minutes to present. Candidates will also listen to the other candidates while they are making their presentations and take down notes for the group interaction.

For the group interaction (4 to a group), candidates will be given 2 minutes to prepare points to support or oppose the other candidates’ views. After listening to everyone in the group, candidates will try to come to a consensus. The group will be given 10 minutes for the group interaction.

Paper 3: Reading (90 minutes)

This paper comprises 45 multiple-choice questions based on passages from texts which may be taken from journals, newspapers, magazines, and academic and electronic sources. Questions are in the form of 3-option multiple-choice and 4-option multiple-choice questions.

Paper 4: Writing (90 minutes)

This paper comprises two writing tasks: transferring information from a non-linear source to a linear text and a piece of extended writing. The stimulus may take the form of linear and/or non-linear texts.

credit to miszsensei