2024 GMS(S) 4NA Prelims P2 Insert

1 ‘ ENGLISH LANGUAGE Paper 2 Comprehension 1190/02 4 Normal (Academic) INSERT 1 hour 50 minutes Setters: Ms Denise Philip Ms Lana Mayatim Mrs Ong Li Tyng 1 August 2024 READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST This Insert contains Text 1, Text 2, Text 3 and Text 4. This document consists of 6 printed pages and 2 blank pages. [Turn over Geylang Methodist School (Secondary) Preliminary Examination 2024

GMS(S)/4NA /EL /P2 Insert/Prelim 2024 2 Section A Study the online advertisement (Text 1) and the social media post (Text 2) and answer Questions 1-4 in the Question Booklet. Text 1 is taken from an online advertisement for GastroBeats 2024. Get ready to satisfy your cravings for great food, live music and endless fun. This immersive festival promises to be a feast for the senses, combining mouth-watering culinary delicacies, renowned live bands, thrilling games and exciting activities. Text 2 is taken from a social media post about GastroBeats 2024. GastroBeats is the embodiment of our vibrant community spirit and the showcase of our exceptional local talent. It’s a celebration of food, music and community! Let’s brace ourselves for an unforgettable experience. Expect laughter that fills the air, infectious good vibes, and, of course, an abundance of gastronomic delights! GastroBeats is where memories are made, and we want you to be a part of it!

GMS(S)/4NA /EL /P2 Insert/Prelim 2024 3 Section B Text 3 The text below describes the events surrounding a café owner’s friendship with her employee over the years. Read the text carefully and answer Questions 5-12 in the Question Booklet. 1 Despite decades having passed, Yasuyo Miyamoto could still recall that day with clarity. It had been early morning, at the start of September when she got a phone call from a friend asking if she could help a lady who desperately needed a job. Yasuyo thought there was no harm in meeting her, considering that she had some vacancies to fill. She was also always open to giving someone a chance. Two days later, Rika Tajima was in Yasuyo's café, waiting to be interviewed. 5 2 Yasuyo could see that she looked younger than her age and had a strikingly beautiful face. Although no chatterbox, Rika answered all Yasuyo's questions without any evasiveness. There was also a charming personal touch to Rika’s ways that Yasuyo believed th e customers would love. Her manner of speaking was polite and sophisticated yet warm, and Yasuyo particularly liked her way of making eye contact. Yasuyo decided to give Rika a week's tryout. 10 3 Yasuyo's intuition about Rika proved to be correct as the regular customers all thought the world of her. She offered Rika a full-time job even before the week was over. Rika also found an apartment nearby the café. It was an old-fashioned, Japanese-style place with tatami mats on the floor, small and cozy, just like how Rika wanted. The fact that it was also close to Yasuyo’s apartment made it even more perfect. 15 4 The café started to attract more customers, many of whom were happy to be served by Rika. She was like a soft ray of sunshine to them, not much of a talker but sincere and welcoming. She would listen closely, smile and nod whenever they told her how their day had been. For her part, Rika found comfort in the café’s daily routine and a sense of belonging to the place and its people. However, Rika's health suddenly started deteriorating and she often had to take time off from work. Eventually, she approached Yasuyo and asked to quit so someone healthier and younger could take over instead. 20 5 Yasuyo was very reluctant to accept Rika’s request. Rika was the one who had transformed the café into what it was today. Yasuyo would never let go of her best employee. Instead, she told Rika to take as much time off as she needed, to get better. She was genuinely worried about Rika who had lost so much weight that it was painful to look at her. Rika had never been one to show her emotions, but her cheeks had sunk in, and her chin was bony and angular. Her beautiful oval face had lost all its glow, becoming more expressionless as days went by. Rika ended up having to stop working altogether. 25 30 6 That was a month ago. Now, snow had started falling and settling, and the air had gotten so cold that even healthy people would have trouble with the weather. Yasuyo

GMS(S)/4NA /EL /P2 Insert/Prelim 2024 4 was worried about Rika. The last time she had seen Rika, Yasuyo saw how much weaker than usual she was. Yasuyo decided to give Rika a call. The phone kept ringing, but Rika did not pick up. It was already late but feeling ill at ease, Yasuyo immediately wrapped herself up in her hooded down jacket, pulled on a pair of boots, and set off to Rika’s. The streets were quiet and blanketed in snow and the cold bit at her cheeks as she hurried along but her mind was racing with too much worry to let that bother her. 35 40 7 Rika's apartment was on the highest floor and at one of two furthest ends. It was also some distance away from the staircase and the only other unit located at the other end. By the time she got to Rika’s front door, Yasuyo was breathless but rang the bell without pause. There was no response. Yasuyo pressed the bell persistently this time, feeling an urgency sweeping over her. Her fingers trembled as she kept jabbing at the button as if her life depended on it. She could hear the intercom ringing on the other side of the door but still no one answered. Yasuyo felt herself going weak and placed her other hand against the door frame to steady herself. She decided to turn the knob and to her surprise, the door opened. What she saw behind it made her turn and r un down the stairs as fast as she could. It was not until she had reached the lobby that Yasuyo realised she had not stopped screaming. 45 50 Taken and adapted from ‘The Final Curtain’ by Keigo Higashino

GMS(S)/4NA /EL /P2 Insert/Prelim 2024 5 Section C Text 4 The article below is about the revival of live music concerts in Southeast Asia. Read the article carefully and answer Questions 13-17 in the Question Booklet. 1 Long sinuous lines of enthusiasts eagerly await their chance to purchase coveted concert tickets; digital queues swelling to millions, passes swiftly snatched up in unprecedented haste – these narratives regularly grace the diverse landscapes of social media platforms and news channels this season. 2 As the world cautiously reopens its borders to save industries devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, live music is experiencing a resurgence, attracting throngs of enthusiasts eager to obtain coveted tickets for live performances by their favourite bands or vocalists. T his rapid resurgence has extended to Southeast Asia, where numerous international acts are embarking on regional tours, seeking to reconnect with their passionate fan base. 5 10 3 A quick look at the number of concerts happening in 2023 highlights an interesting trend: the preference for international artistes to hold concerts in certain countries within Southeast Asia. Singapore, in particular, is a popular destination of choice with its developed infrastructure. Taylor Swift’s choice of Singapore as the sole Southeast Asian country for her concerts and Coldplay’s six shows in Singapore versus just one show each in other Southeast Asian countries highlighted this preference. Singapore has a well-developed network of flights, roads, and sea rou