The document provides guidance on synthesizing information and answering cloze passage questions, noting the importance of identifying word classes and clues in passages. Examples are given of changing between direct and indirect speech, passive and active voice, and filling blanks in cloze passages. Readers are advised to read questions first before passages and use connectors and TAPS when answering comprehension questions.

1. SA1 revision
Synthesis & Transformation
Cloze passages
Comprehension
Mr Abel Kok

2. Synthesis
1. There are 3 main types of synthesis &
transformation questions: Connectors, direct to
indirect and passive to active.
3. NOTE: Do not apply the learning points for each type
across the three types of questions.
5. Use a highlighter for direct to indirect speech to
highlight the words.

3. Synthesis
Peter gives his sister a pen. His sister is elated.
_____________________so ______________________.
What do you think of this answer?
Peter gives his sister a pen so his sister is elated.
Answer should be:
Peter gives his sister a pen so she is elated.

4. Synthesis
Sue said, “I will like to go Malaysia tomorrow.”
Sue said that__________________________________.
What do you think of this answer?
Sue said that I will like to go Malaysia tomorrow.
Answer should be:
Sue said that she would like to go Malaysia the following day.

5. Synthesis
Sue says, “I will like to go Malaysia tomorrow.”
Sue says that__________________________________.
Answer should be:
Sue says that she will like to go Malaysia tomorrow.

6. Synthesis
The man took a lot of money.
A lot of money________________________________.
Answer should be:
A lot of money was taken by the man.

7. Synthesis
Someone took a lot of money.
A lot of money________________________________.
Answer should be:
A lot of money was taken.

8. Synthesis
Some took a lot of money from the drawer.
A lot of money________________________________.
Answer should be:
A lot of money was taken by the man from the drawer.

9. Synthesis
Tim dislikes Science. Mary dislikes Science too.
Neither________________________________.
Answer should be:
Neither Tim nor Mary likes Science.

10. Synthesis
Tim dislikes Science. Tim’s friends dislike Science too.
Neither________________________________.
Answer should be:
Neither Tim nor his friends like Science.
NOTE: The verb must agree with the second subject, in this
case, ‘friends’.

11. Do remember to use the following
ways to tackle cloze passages in
the future.
•Know your word classes
•Look for clues in the passages

12. Cloze passages: Look out for clues.
• The accident was a fatal one. The victim was
________on the spot.
• We were lucky to escape punishment from the
________. The teacher decided to ________. us on the
account that it was our first offence.
• The python is a ferocious predator. It will gobble its
prey in whole after strangling them to death. There
will be no escape for small ________ like the rabbit or
the chickens once enshrined in its coil. ________
bones will be ________ in a matter of seconds.

13. Answers:
• The accident was a fatal one. The victim was ______on the spot.
• The accident was a fatal one. The victim was killed on the spot.
• We were lucky to escape punishment from the ______. The teacher
decided to _____ us on the account that it was our first offence.
• We were lucky to escape punishment from the teacher. The teacher
decided to forgive us on the account that it was our first offence.
• The python is a ferocious predator. It will gobble its prey in whole
after strangling them to death. There will be no escape for small
______ like the rabbit or the chickens once enshrined in its coil.
______ bones will be ______ in a matter of seconds.
• The python is a ferocious predator. It will gobble its prey in whole
after strangling them to death. There will be no escape for small
animals like the rabbit or the chickens once enshrined in its coil.
Their bones will be crushed in a matter of seconds.

14. Try this:
Bip was a grey dragon. He wanted to live in the zoo at
the king’s castle. But the zoo wanted an orange dragon.
_____1____, Bip ate orange crayons, orange
pencils, and orange paint. However, he was still
____2_____ . He was sad and tears trickled down his
cheeks.
A small boy saw Bip. “Don’t ____3_____ ,” he
said. “I’ll help you.” He took Bip to a pool. He put
something ____4_____ the pool. The water turned
bright orange!
“Try it,” the boy told Bip. Splash! Bip jumped in.
He stayed all ____5_____ .
The next day Bip went to the _____6____ .
“Come right in,” the zoo keeper said. “We have
looked everywhere for an ___7______ dragon like
you!” Bip was ecstatic.

15. Answers:
Bip was a grey dragon. He wanted to live in the zoo
at the king’s castle. But the zoo wanted an orange
dragon.
Therefore, Bip ate orange crayons, orange
pencils, and orange paint. However, he was still
grey. He was sad and tears trickled down his
cheeks.
A small boy saw Bip. “Don’t cry,” he said. “I’ll
help you.” He took Bip to a pool. He put something
into the pool. The water turned bright orange!
“Try it,” the boy told Bip. Splash! Bip jumped
in. He stayed all night.
The next day Bip went to the zoo.
“Come right in,” the zoo keeper said. “We
have looked everywhere for an orange dragon like
you!” Bip was ecstatic.

16. Do remember to use the following
ways to tackle cloze passages in
the future.
•Know your word classes
•Look for clues in the passages

17. Examination skills for Comprehension skills
• READ the questions first then the
passage.
• USE Connectors (especially for important
key words)
• USE TAPS
Other comprehension skills: Main idea ,
sequencing of events.