instrument STUDENTS' DIFFICULTIES IN READING RECOUNT TEXT

I.                                           FINDING MAIN AND SPECIFIC IDEAS TEST.

HEALTH

One day I was setting in the local library, I started to read a medical encyclopedia that was lying on the table in front of me. The first illness I read about was cholera. As I read the list of symptoms, it occurred to me that perhaps I had cholera myself. I sat for a while, too frightened to move. Then, in a kind of dream, I started to turn the pages of the book again. I came to malaria. Yes, there was no doubt about it – I had malaria too. And I certainly had hepatitis. And yellow fever. And so it went on. I read through the whole book, and by the end I came to the conclusion that I had every illness. There was only one illness I didn’t have – and that was housemaid’s knee.

I sat and thought, and I became more and more worried. I wondered how long I had to live. I examined myself. I felt my pulse. At first, I couldn’t find it at all; then, suddenly it seems start off. I looked at my watch to time it – it was beating 147 times a minute. I tried to feel my heart. I couldn’t feel it. It wasn’t beating. I stuck my tongue out and tried to look at it. I could only see the end of it, but from that I was even more certain than before that I had yellow fever. I went straight to my doctor, who was a good friend of mine. “What’s the matter with you?” he asked. “I have every illness in the medical encyclopedia.” I told him how I read the medical encyclopedia. Then he opened my mouth and looked at my tongue, and he felt mu pulse, and he listened to my heart. Then he sat down and wrote a prescription. It said: 3 good meals every day, a two-mile walk every day morning, be in bed at 11 o’clock every night and don’t read medical books!

I followed the doctor’s instructions, and I am happy to say that I now feel quite well again.

(Adapted from Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome , first published in 1889)

Answer the questions!

1. Where was this person reading?
2. What was the first illness he thought he had?
3. What book was he reading?
4. What was the illness that he did not have?
5. How did he check himself?
6. What was the doctor’s advice?
7. What time did the doctor suggest writer to get sleep?
8. What do you think of being your own doctor?
9. Have you met people who worry too much about their health?
10. Have you met people who do not worry about their health?

II.                                        COMPREHENDING WHOLE TEXT TEST.

THE BEACH

       Last week, my friend and I rode our bikes to the beach. It was only five kilometers from our houses. It was  quite windy and there was hardly anyone there. It surprised us because there were always many people coming there on the weekends. So, we had the beach on our own. We ought some hot chips, rode our bikes, played in the water and  sat under the trees. We really had a great time.

11.  Where did the story happen?

a. in a house                                               c. at the store

b. in a water                                                d. at the beach

12.   How did they go to the beach?

      a. by bicycles                                             c. by bus

      b. by car                                                    d. by boat

13.   Who did the writer and his friend find when they reached the beach?

      a. many people                                           c. almost no one

      b. many visitors                                          d. foreign tourist

14.   How did the writer think about the trip?

      a. It was an unpleasant trip                           c. It was a funny trip

      b. It was a horrible trip                                 d. It was a good trip

15.   “It was only five kilometers from our houses.” (line 1). The word “It” refers to….

      a. bike                                                       c. beach

      b. chip                                                       d. house

NOT MINE

One day, I had to teach a new English class. I read the list of new students’ names. It was kiddies’ group since they were about 9 and 10 years old. That was the first day of The Spanish carnival, so I wanted to wear the most appropriate suit for the children’s class. Most kids usually

dress up at carnival I thought. It would be more interesting if their teacher was also in carnival spirit. That was why I decided to wear my teddy bear suit and bring cuddly toys in my box.

And that was what I did. I walked through the door happily. The director watched me completely astonished. I smiled and looked straight at her. With a man beside her, she said, “ Good afternoon. I’d like to introduce you to Mr. Mendez, the director of Delta company. He is one of the participants of English course that you will teach today”. Oh my God! I nearly died! The secretary apologized to me for wrong details of  my new class.

  

16.  The secretary apologized to the writer because……….

      a. The writer wore his teddy bear suit

      b. She did not remember the carnival day

      c. She did not know Mr. Mendez was in the class

      d. She has given the wrong details of the new class

17.   Who is the main character in the story?

      a. The writer            c. The director     b. Mr. Mendez         d. The secretary

THE BOTANICAL GARDENS

On Thursday 24 April we went to the Botanical Gardens. We walked down and boarded the bus. After we arrived at the garden, we walked down to the Education Centre. The third grade students went to have a look around. First, we went to the first farm and Mrs. James read us some information. Then, we looked at all the lovely plants. After that we went down to a little spot in the Botanical Garden and had a morning tea break. Next, we did sketching and then we met the fourth grade students at the Education Centre to have lunch. Soon after that, it was time for us to go and make our terrariums while the fourth year students went to have walk.

A lady took us into special room and introduced herself, then she explained what we were going to do. Next, she took us to a pyramid terrarium. It was really interesting. After we had finished, we met the fourth grade students outside the gardens. Then we reboarded the bus and returned to school.

18. Most events mentioned in the text happened….

a. at the Education Centre

b. in the botanical garden

c. on the bus to Botanical Garden

d. outside the school

19. The writer of the text is….

a. a fourth grade students b. a school teacher c. a third grade students d. Mr. and Mrs. James

20. What was the second activity of the writer during the excursion to the Botanical Garden?

a. Gathering at the Education Centre

b. Going to a small garden

c. Looking at the lovely plants

d. Visiting a beautiful lady

III.                                     MAKING CONCLUSION TEST.

THE FLOOD

Ditulis oleh Afifah Tri Hyuanawati

One Christmas in 2007, I was joining a final test try out at school. It was held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. One of my schoolmates, Rini, asked me for accompanying her to the bus stop. When we arrived there, suddenly the heavy rain fell down from the sky. Rini suggested me to go home soon while she was entering the bus. It was still raining when I was home.

The rain did not stop and became bigger when the night had come. People were standing in front of their house, hoping that the flood would not come. In the middle of the night, I got news that South Purwodadi had been drowned. The next day, Purwodadi had become a flood area. All activities were paralyzed. No one went for work or school because the land had been covered by flood. However, I thank God for not allowing the flood entered my house. Even my house had been changed into an emergency kitchen. It was so crowded there. I and my father took a walk around the center market and Central Purwodadi. All that we could see was water and water. At night, the flood looked like a beautiful ocean with the moonlight on it. I felt as if I was one of the passengers of Titanic who was sailing on the sea.

Finally, the flood was starting to decrease in the next morning. I and my family cleaned our front yard together. That was the greatest flood that I had ever experienced in my hometown. 

Write T if the statement is true and F if the statement is false.

21. The writer’s test took five hours.                                                                    (           )
22. The writer asked Rini for accompanying her to the bus stop                         (           )
23. When writer was home, It was still raining.                                                   (           )
24. In the middle of the night, Purwodadi had become a flood area.                  (           )
25. The land had been covered by flood, so no one went for work or school.    (           )
26. The flood didn’t enter writer’s house                                                                         (           )
27. Writer’s kitchen was so crowded by refugees.                                               (           )
28. The moonlight  made the flood looked like a beautiful ocean.                      (           )
29. Writer was a real passenger of Titanic.                                                           (           )
30. In the next morning, the flood was decreased.                                              (           )

IV.                                     VOCABULARY TEST.

 Write each number from sentence into the bracket for the correct word. Use each word once only.

(    ) shone ,(    ) restaurant , (    ) went , (    ) animals ,(    ) enjoyed , (    ) sellers , (    ) felt , (    ) people , (    )wind , (    )birds

A Beautiful Day at Jogja

ditulis oleh Arsianti Dewi

Last week, my friends and I (31) to Jogja. We visited many places. First, we visited Parangtritis beach. The sun (32) brightly and the scenery was very beautiful there. We felt the (33) blew across to us. We also saw a lot of (34) in that beach. There were many (35) flew in the sky. Also, there were many (36) who sold many kinds of souvenirs. Second, we visited Gembira Loka Zoo. We saw many kinds of (37) there such as monkeys, tigers, crocodiles, snakes, etc. We looked around in that Zoo, and also took pictures of those animals. Then, we (38) hungry, so we went to a (39). As soon as we finished our lunch, we decided to go home. For me, that was a beautiful day. we really (40) it, and I hope I could visit Jogja again.

V.                                        GRAMMAR TEST.

LATENESS

Last morning, Dinar, my roommate (41) . . . . . . . . . . . up late and she had to go to campus. When she (42) . . . . . . . . . .. to take her motorcycle, (43) . . . . . . . . . . . fact she couldn’t move it because there (44) . . . . . . . . . . . some motorcycles that (45) . . . . . . . . . . . up her motorcycle. She tried to move all of the motorcycles, so that her motorcycle could (46) . . . . . . . . . . . from the garage. (47) . . . . . . . . . . . she couldn’t do it. Then, she called Adel (48) . . . . . . . . . . . . had that motorcycle which blocked it up. (49) . . . . . . . . . . ., her friend who had that motorcycle helped her. Finally, she could move her motorcycle and (50) . . . . . . . . . . . it to go to campus.

Complete each blank in text based on some words below.

41.       A. Wake

B. Wakes

C. Woke

D. Waking

42.       A. Wants

B. Wanted

C. Want

D. Wanting

43.       A. On

B. In

C. At

D. The

44.       A. Are

B. Were

C. Is

D.Was

45.       A. Blocks

B. Block

C. Blocked

D. Blocking

46.       A. Moves

B. Moved

C. Move

D. Moving

47.       A. So

B. And

C. However

D. Otherwise

48.       A. Who

B. Which

C. Whom

D. What

49.       A. Before

B. After that

C. More over

D. But

50.       A. Rides

B. Rode

C. Ride

D.Riding