How to Get Band 6 in MUET?

由 **Giraffe** 周四七月 23, 2009 4:27 am

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 section asI always find cutting down on words the tricky part. As a formerdebaterand public speaker, I needed no preparation for the speakingsection,but only took part actively in class discussions and since I'mquite achatterbox (and 99% of the time I converse in English, so thathelps.)

As for the writing section, once again I did not prepare or look outfor ' 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/fictionpiecesa week. That helped me build a tremendous vocabulary bank andalso helped me with the subtle nuances of the English language, allowingme to add flair and flavour to my writing.

As for the objective section, I got a perfect score here (135/135, Ithink?) by simply being careful and using every minute I had to go overthe questions.
MUET Tips
The only tips I have would be :

* Read as much as you can, not just forthe exam, but for your own enrichment and enjoyment. This is seriouslythe best way to prepare yourself forMUET, as it helps you understandthe finer nuances of the language and the subtle meanings and slight butcritical differences in the meanings of similar words.
* SpeakEnglish as much as you can. I speak English all the time (and I mean ALLthe time) and this has helped me to speak clearly and confidently. Evenif you're weak in it,persist at it. There is no better way to betteryourself in this area than by speaking the language.
* Participatein the UNSW(University of New South Wales) International Competitionsfor Schools,English. It is an international competition that Iparticipate in every year, and I find it extremely useful as they giveyou detailed descriptions of your mistakes, how proficient or accurateyou are compared to the rest of the country, and how you rank amongstthe students in your country.

I've been taking part in it for 3/4years now, and every year I rankamong the top 2% of the country,getting a Distinction. I find it to bevery useful as it is MUCH TOUGHER than MUET, and is great help for yourobjective section,although it does focus on literature and 'deeper'pieces compared to MUET.
* Getinvolved in English based activities. I was actively involved in publicspeaking and debating in my secondary school, and this helped to furtherrefine and polish my English speaking skills (plus it helps with thecounter arguments during the speaking test - quick rebuttals always savethe day!). Also getin volved in drama as this helps you think creativelyand also to express all sorts of emotions/convince the audience etc.

MUET Experience
My MUET experience was pretty ordinary. I missed my Band 6 the firsttime by a mere 4 points and that was pretty upsetting - I breezedthrough the objective part too quickly, I think, causing me to losethose much needed marks.

Second time around, I was more careful. I made sure I went through myobjective session thoroughly and also drew on my National Serviceexperience and knowledge to make my essay on fire arms convincing. Ipracticed the speaking section with a group of people on the same levelof eloquence and intelligence (such as other national level bestspeakers + drama champions), ensuring that I wasn't just out talking therest, but actually facing a challenge with answering their sharp andincisive questions and also thinking on my feet.

When I got my Band 6, I was elated, as it wasn't just a scrape throughbut a comfortable score of 273. I knew I could do it, and I wish I hadbeen more serious during my first try as it would have saved me RM 60,hee.

Allin all, it was a pleasant journey that was not taxed byarduous preparation. technically, I had been getting ready for it allalong, asI read a lot, speak English all the time, enter Englishrelated competitions and get involved in English related schoolactivities. I'm glad that it has all paid off - the Band 6 truly was theicing on thecake.

About the Author
MichelleTam is currently an Upper Sixer in St. Paul's Insititution,Seremban.She is an outgoing, creative person who is highly enthusiasticabout all life has to offer, yet practical, sensible and mature whenoccasion calls for it, due to the many responsibilities shouldered inthe past(Asst Head Prefect, Editor of the The Paulian, Sports HouseCaptain,Cheer Team Captain etc etc).

She is also an avid reader and writer, as she loves anything andeverything to do with the English Language. She takes part in as manywriting competitions as she can,garnering Highly Commended's in theinternational Royal Commonwealth Essay Competition and emerged as runnerup in the Oxford-Cambridge Essay Writing Competition in 2005, am theschool's drama team's script editor (they are going to the nationals inLangkawi!) amongst a few achievements.