Georgetown is the capital city of Penang Island located in Malaysia. It has a population of over one million people from various ethnic groups. The city experiences several environmental problems due to rapid development and lack of land such as flash floods, traffic congestion, pollution, and landslides. Some key causes of these issues include Georgetown being located in a low-lying area, insufficient roads, poor public transportation, increasing number of vehicles, dumping of rubbish, and oil spills from ships.

1. EnglishLanguage Form2 Exercise 1
Able toidentifycause andeffectrelationshipsinalineartextbyextractingspecificinformationto
complete agraphicorganiser
Readthe followingtextandanswerthe questionsthatfollow.
Georgetown
Georgetown,the capital of PulauPinang(alsoknownasPenangIsland),islocatedatthe north-
easterntipof the island.Skyscrapers,single-storeyedresidentialhouses,modernapartmentbuildings
andslumsare foundinthiscity.Itspopulationof more thanonemillionismadeupof the majorethnic
groups in Malaysia. The island is linked to the mainland by the famous Penang Bridge which is 13
kilometres long. There is also a ferry service between the main and the island.
Pulau Pinang is a small island and because of its rapid development, there are many
environmental problems.Thereisnotenoughlandandsolandhastobe reclaimedfromthe sea.Much
of the reclaimed land is just a few feet above sea level.
Georgetownitself islocatedinone of the lowestlyingareasonthe island.Manyparts of the
city experience flash floods after a downpour. Flooding in Pulau Pinang is a serious problem now,
especiallyinareassuchasJalanP.Ramlee inthe citycentre.Trafficcomestoastandstill andthereare
long queues for buses and taxis.
Anothermajorproblemistrafficcongestion. Traffic congestion in the city is also caused by:
 poor public transportation - bad driving habits
 insufficient and narrow roads - inadequate traffic control
 the increasing number of vehicles
Other environmental issues are:-
 landslides - haze and pollution
 oil spills from ships - flash floods
 the dumping of rubbish - waste from factories
PulauPinangneedstotake care of itsenvironmentandpaymore attention totheseproblems.
(adapted from textbook)
Sample instrument
Complete the graphic organiser below.
Common problems in
Georgetown

2. Sample answer
Cause
 Notenoughland
 Locatedin one of the lowest
lyingareas
 ________________________
 The dumpingof rubbish
 ________________________
 ________________________
Effect
 _________________________
 ________________________
 Traffic jams
 _________________________
 Water pollution
 Airpollution
Common problems in
Georgetown

3. Cause
 Notenoughland
 Locatedin one of the lowest
lyingareas
 Bad drivinghabits
 The dumpingof rubbish
 Oil spillsfrom ships
 The increasingnumberof
vehicles
(acceptany suitable answers)
Effect
 Land has tobe reclaimedfrom
the sea
 Flash floods
 Traffic jams
 Land pollution
 Water pollution
 Airpollution