Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
a
Citation preview
1
"While thought exists, words are alive and literature becomes an escape, not from, but into living."
Cyril Connolly
ACE IN ENGLISH
A MODULE ON LITERATURE COMPONENT
(NOVEL: THE CURSE)
2
EXAMINATION TIPS
1. Identify the keywords in the question.
2. Introduction – students should state the novel and the author
3. For content
state ideas / opinions with examples
provide evidence from the novel
write down as many ideas as possible (at least three)
4. For closing
conclude by stating personal responses / opinions
5. You are allowed to answer the questions using present tense or past tense. But, bear in mind you have to be consistent in using one form of tense throughout your response.
3
PRACTICE 1
Based on the novel that you have read, write about the character you like the most.
Give reasons why you chose the character.
Guidelines
State the novel and the author
State the character whom you like
Describe the characters traits that you like
Elaborate with your views and examples from the text
SAMPLE ANSWER
Introduction In the novel The Curse by Lee Su Ann, the character I like the most is the Old Lady who lived in the jungle.
Content Ideas The Old Lady was thought of as an evil witch by the villagers. They were afraid of her as they thought that she possessed strange powers. The villagers had also heard that the Old Lady had killed her own husband. However, the Old Lady was in fact a very wise and kind lady. Azreen had known her for a long time and was not afraid of her. She was skilled in finding herbs that she used to cure illnesses and she liked helping the people who needed her help. The Old Lady told Azreen the truth behind the rumours. She had indeed killed her husband but it was in self-defense. She did not have money to leave the island so she chose to live in the jungle, away from the villagers. The Old Lady was also a very caring and forgiving woman. She forgave her husband for his abusive ways and did not hold any grudges against the villagers who shunned her and called her a witch. When Azreen asked her to help Mohd Asraf’s grandmother who had fallen ill, the Old Lady agreed to help. Asraf’s grandmother had recovered but later, she took a turn for the worse and died. Everyone in the village blamed the Old Lady for the death of Asraf’s grandmother and they angrily gathered in front of her house with torches. Azreen and Asraf had scuffle in front of the Old Lady’s house and he accidentally dropped the torch he was holding and set the house on fire. The Old Lady was trapped and injured inside the burning house. Just before the Old Lady died, she told Azreen to not forget everything that she had taught her and most of all learn to forgive.
Closing Because of that, I admire the Old Lady’s character. In my opinion, she was a good and selfless person at heart and she was greatly being misunderstood by the villagers.
4
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
5
PRACTICE 2
Based on the novel that you have read, write about an important lesson that you have learned from the novel.
Support your answer with close reference from the text.
Guidelines
State the novel and the author
State the important lesson that you have learned
Give your views with examples from the novel
SAMPLE ANSWER
Introduction In the novel The Curse by Lee Su Ann, an important lesson that can be learnt is that we must always be calm an in control of our actions, even in times of distress.
Content Ideas The Old Lady, who lived in the jungle, had prepared some herbal medicine for Mohd Asraf’s grandmother who was ill. Asraf was Azreen’s friend and the Old Lady agreed to help him, although she was greatly misunderstood and mistreated. However, after a few days, Asraf’s grandmother passed away. Asraf was overcome with grief and he was swayed by the angry words of the villagers who said that they believed the Old Lady was a witch. He could not think clearly and gave in to his uncontrolled feelings of sadness and rage. Asraf and the villagers went to the Old Lady’s house to confront her. Azreen ran to the Old Lady’s house to stop them. During her scuffle with Asraf, he accidentally dropped the torch he was holding and set the house on fire. The Old Lady was trapped inside. Before she died, she told Azreen to remember all that she had taught her and learn to forgive. She remained calm even though she was trapped under a beam and managed to still give Azreen some words of advice. Asraf later regretted his actions, which he knew were cause by grief, but it was too late. If Asraf had remained calm, then he would not have listened to the villagers who were frightened by old rumours and were quick to look on the negative sides of things and accuse the Old Lady of wrongdoing. Asraf should have take some time to think and remember the Old Lady’s kindness instead of acting irrationally.
Closing This event has shown me the importance of staying calm and being in control of our thoughts and actions so that we will not regret after.
6
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
7
PRACTICE 3
Using the details from the novel you have studied,
describe the various settings in the story
Support your answer with close reference to the text.
Guidelines
State the novel and the author
Identify the different settings of the story
Describe the significant events / scenes in each setting
SAMPLE ANSWER
Introduction There are various settings in the novel The Curse by Lee Su Ann.
Content Ideas The novel began in a London setting, where Azreen was about to sit for an examination at her university. However, she had to leave for Malaysia unexpectedly when she received news that her sister, Madhuri, had passed away. She travelled back to her village home, which was located on a small island south of Pulau Langkawi, to attend her sister’s funeral. The houses were wooded and traditional in contrast to the urban setting of London. A lot of strange things were happening in the small village where Azreen’s parents lived. Azreen’s sister, Madhuri, had died under mysterious circumstances in the rubber estate in their village. The rubber estate was an important setting in the novel because it was the focus of the villagers’ attention. Indeed, one of the villagers, Puan Normal, even claimed to have seen white blood on Madhuri’s body and said that the village had been cursed as a result. The rubber estate was also the place where Madhuri and Asraf would sevretly meet, and where, one morning, Madhuri’s father, Saleh saw them together and flow into a murderous rage. Another setting which was used several times in the novel was the home of the Old Lady whom Azreen had befriended. Azreen spent a lot of time with the Old Lady who lived in the jungle near the village. The villagers feared the Old Lady for it was rumoured that she was a witch. There were also several flashbacks to Azreen and Madhuri’s younger days. Azreen attended the nearby school, which was where she met Asraf. As the novel drew to a close, Azreen discovered that, when Madhuri was a baby, she had been found near a paddy field by Azreen’s parents a few years before Azreen was born.
Closing The novel ends with the death of Azreen’s father, Saleh. Azreen visited her family’s and the Old Lady’s graves before she left the island and headed back to London.
8
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
9
PRACTICE 4
Using the details from the novel you have studied,
write about the importance of family relationships
Support your answer with close reference to the text.
Guidelines
State the novel and the author
Highlight the importance of family relationships
Describe the significant events / scenes that highlight on family relationships
SAMPLE ANSWER
Introduction In the novel The Curse by Lee Su Ann, the family relationship between Azreen Saleh and her sister Madhuri, led to the disclosure of buried family secrets and the discovery of the identity of Madhuri’s murderer.
Content Ideas Azreen returned home from London to her parents’ village when her sister, Madhuri passed away. Azreen and Madhuri were not very close. Azreen had always felt that she was compared unfavourably too her sister who was beautiful, soft-spoken, well-mannered and well-liked by the villagers. On the other hand, Azreen was more of a tomboy and kept herself busy with sports and activities more suited to boys. She played football with the boys and rode her bicycle around the village. She was daring and adventurous. Her good academic results allowed her to further her studies in England, with the help of her foster parents. Azreen had been about to take her exams when her sister passed away. When she arrived home, Azreen felt alienated from her family. So much had happened since she left for her studies in London. Her father seemed distant and unfriendly. Her mother’s illness had taken a turn for the worse for she had become more forgetful and unwell. Madhuri’s mysterious death had sparked rumours of a curse that had befallen the village. Azreen was determined to find the truth about her sister’s death. At the end of the novel, it is revealed that Azreen’s parents had found Madhuri abandoned beside a paddy field when Madhuri was just a baby. Azreen’s parents brought her up and treated her like their own daughter. Sometimes, it seemed to appear that they loved Madhuri more than Azreen. Azreen finally discovered that Saleh had killed Madhuri in a fit of rage. Although Saleh had always favoured Madhuri over Azreen, he was unable to control his anger when he found out that his married daughter was secretly in love with a man who was not her husband.
Closing With Azreen’s determination to find out the truth, it led to the discovery of the true killer. As such, the family relationship between Azreen and Madhuri has helped to solve the mystery behind Madhuri’s murder.
10
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
11
PRACTICE 5
Based on the novel that you have read, describe an element of love that is shown in the novel. Support your answer with close reference to the text.
Support your answer with close reference to the text.
Guidelines
State the novel and the author
Highlight the element of love that can be found in the story
Describe the events / scenes
SAMPLE ANSWER
Introduction In the novel The Curse by Lee Su Ann, I can see the element of love being portrayed through Madhuri’s character.
Content Ideas Madhuri was an obedient daughter who did all the household chores diligently. She was more beautiful than Azreen. She was also more conservative in comparison to Azreen as she was religious and good at reciting Quranic verses. Because of her beautiful personality, Haji Ghani fell in love with Madhuri at the first sight. Madhuri loved Azreen very much. When she was a child, Madhuri would carry Azreen on her bicycle and cycle to the market or post office to do some chores for their busy parents. She would always shield her sister from being punished by her father although it was to no avail. Then, she would console and sooth Azreen to sleep. Once, Madhuri helped her sister, Azreen to mend their mother’s favourite rattan basket, which Azreen broke while collecting durians. They continued working on the rattan basket in their bedroom and even when their parents returned home, they excused themselves quietly without eating dinner just to finish weaving the new basket. Madhuri wanted to replace her mother’s broken basket which was placed in the hall. Even though Madhuri was married to Haji Ghani, she was very much in love with Mohd Asraf. They loved each other so much that they wanted to elope but the plan did not follow through as Madhuri was murdered by her own father, Salleh.
Closing From the story, I can see that Madhuri loved her family and Mohd Asraf very much. However, her own family member was the one who killed her.
12
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
………………………………………………………………………………………......
