Answers for Week 2

English Synthesis and Transformation:

Q1. Helen prefers playing computer games to reading. 

Ans: Helen would rather play computer games than read.

• Explanation:

Prefer (verb --> continuous form) to (verb --> continuous form)

example: Prefer walking to running, prefer taking the bus to riding on the train


Rather (verb --> any form except continuous form) than (verb --> any form except continuous form)

example: Rather smile than frown, rather walk home than take a lift from him.

Read this link if you need more details on prefer __ to ___ and rather ___ than ____ rules.


Q2. We did not believe that Amy said that.

Ans: None of us believed that Amy said that.

• Explanation: 

In this case here, the tense of the verb is in past tense. If we are to use the present tense, none is usually accompanied by a singular tense, e.g none of us is going, none of us believes


Q3. He did not keep his promise. It upset me.

Ans: The fact that he did not keep his promise upset me.

• Explanation:

The past tense and participle tense of upset is still upset.


Q4. The toy is expensive. It is a waste of money to buy it.

Ans: To buy such an expensive toy is a waste of money.


Q5. Victor asked his brother, "Have you decided what gift to buy for James?"

Ans: Victor asked his brother if/whether he had decided what gift to buy for James.

• Explanation:

Remember the rules for direct to indirect speech:

1. Look at the tense of the verb outside of the speech. If it is in present tense, you do not need to change the tense of the verb in the direct speech.
2. If it is in the past tense, you have to change the tenses in the direct speech, present to past tense, past tense to past participle tense.
3. If the speech is a question, when you change from direct to indirect speech, the subject comes first followed by the verb, e.g 'Have you decided?' --> 'He had decided.'

Science Answers

Answer for 2(a)

She was trying to make a magnet by the electrical/electromagnetism method.

Explanation:

By passing electricity through a magnetic material, it could be turned into a magnet.

Answer for 2(b)

She did not coil the wire around the iron nail several times. She needs to coil the wire around the nail about 20 times. 

Explanation:

The nail did not become magnetised because the wire had not been coiled several times around it. If she coils the wire several time around the nail, it will become an electromagnet and pick up the paper clips. 

**To note:

A magnet cannot be attracted to a magnetic object. It is the magnetic object that is attracted to the magnet. Do take note of this when writing your answer. 

Answer for 3(a)

A: South Pole

B: North Pole

Explanation:

The magnets stay afloat because the are repelling one another. As such, based on the concept that like poles repel and since the bottom of C is the South Pole, the top of C is the North Pole. Bottom of B should also be the North Pole. The top of B is thus the South Pole and the bottom of A is the South Pole.

Answer for 3(b)
Take out the centre/middle magnet, flip it over so that the North Pole is facing upwards and then place is back into the centre/middle position.

Explanation:
Based on the concept that unlike pole attract one another, we need to let the unlike poles of the magnet face one another. We can do that by changing the direction of the poles in the centre/middle. The centre magnet must be arranged so that its North pole faces upwards and South pole faces downwards. In this way, all the unlike poles of the magnet face one another and attraction between the poles take place.

Until next week, study hard!

Sincerely,

Mr Nelson Ong