Materi Pembelajaran
Task 1
Read the text below, then answer the question that follow.
Since August 1945, the Indonesian post office played a great role in the people’s struggle
for independence. The proclamation had been issued in Jakarta for a month but there was no
sign that the colonial government would surrender the post office to the Indonesian
government. In Bandung, the young employees of Pos, Telepon, and Telegraf (PTT), the
official name of the company at that time, held a meeting. They talked about the hand-over of
the post office from colonial government to the republic government. They decided on two
strategies, asking the colonial government to surrender the post office to them in peaceful
way or taking over the office by force.
The next day, two PTT employees were sent to meet the colonial postmaster general.
They talked for more than 4 hours but they did not reach any agreement that satisfied the
youths. The young employees then, decided to take over the office by force. On 27
September 1945, helped by the people in the neighborhood, the PTT youth went into the
building. The colonial employees could not do much and handed over the office peacefully.
At 11 o’clock, a statement was read to proclaim that the Post Office belonged to Government
of Republic of Indonesia. On the front yard of the office, some youths raised the Red and
White flag signifying that the Post Office now belonged to the Government of Republic of
Indonesia. Indonesia Raya was then heard in the vicinity of Indonesian Central Post Office.
The PTT youths did not stop there. After securing the Central Post Office, they helped other
youth bodies in the taking over of the Railway Office, the Power Department, and the
Military Installation. The last was an important place because it was place for producing guns
and ammunitions. These youths, first, asked the colonial employees and soldiers to surrender
the buildings peacefully. Their appeals were turned down. So, they climbed over the walls,
went into the offices, and occupied the places by force. By the end of the month, almost all
important offices were occupied by Indonesian youths.
On the tenth of October, however, the colonial soldiers tried to take back the offices from
the youths. They raided the city in tanks and battle trucks. Heavy shooting went on for two
months and Bandung became Lautan Api. The PTT youths fought hard and were able to
defend the Central Post Office. Four young employees were killed in the struggle to defend it.
Their sacrifice, however, was not wasted. They had been able to defend the sovereignty of the
free Repubilk Indonesia. (Bambang Sugeng.2009. Contextual English 2 for Grade XI of
Senior High Schools Physical Sciences and Social Sciences Majors. Surakarta: PT. Tiga
Serangkai Pustaka Mandiri)
1. Can you predict, the story above is mostly about….
a. Indonesia Raya and the Red and White flag
b. The proclamation of the Indonesian independence
c. The four heroes killed during the 1945 war
d. The struggles of the Indonesian young employees
e. Bandung became Lautan Api
2. Would you please predict, the main idea of 3rd paragraph is….
a. The youths’ sacrifice was not wasted
b. The colonial soldiers tried hard to get back the offices
c. The PTT youths fought very hard
d. There were four young employees were killed
e. Finally, Republik Indonesia was free
3. Try to clarify, the verb turned down (P.2) must mean….
a. False
c. agreed
e. not accepted
b. successful
d. not written on paper
4. Try to clarify, the verb raided (P.3) is similar meaning with….
a. Rode
c. Battled
e. Surrendered
b. Raised
d. Mastered
5. Try to clarify, the pronoun they (P.2) refers to….
a. The youths
b. The Postmaster General and his employees
c. Two PTT employees
d. PTT employees and Postmaster General
e. Indonesian heroes
6. Try to find the answer, the whole story takes place in….
a. One month
c. two months
e. ten days
b. Three days
d. three months
7. According to the story, Bandung became Lautan Api up to the month of….
a. July
c. September
e. November
b. August
d. October
8. Try to find the answer, the Indonesian youths took over almost all these offices….
a. By climbing over the wall
b. From the front door
c. From the front yard
d. By force
e. Peacefully
9. Try to find the implicit information, the statements below are stated in the text,
EXCEPT…
a. The Red and White flag was raised in almost all important offices
b. Indonesia Raya was heard in the vicinity of the Indonesian Central Post Office
c. PTT was first mastered by the colonial government
d. There was less than 5 young employees were killed in the struggle to defend the
Central Post Office.
e. Finally, the Central Post Office was had been able to be dominated by the youths.
10. We can summarize from the text that….
a. We don’t care what ever the way to defend the sovereignty of the free Republik
Indonesia
b. We, the youth generation, must keep struggle to defend our beloved country
Indonesia
c. We must pay the heroes’ sacrifice by payment
d. Don’t forget to the history
e. Let the day by the day
Exercise
1. Can you predict, the story above is mostly about….
Answer
The struggles of the Indonesian young employees
Short explanation:
Untuk mengetahui isi teks secara keseluruhan pembaca harus seharusnya
mengetahui inti dari setiap paragraf. Berikut adalah inti pada setiap paragraph.
Paragraf 1 menceritakan tentang para pemuda yang bekerja di PTT mengadakan
pertemuan untuk merebut pusat kantor pos.
Paragraf 2 menceritakan tentang usaha para pemuda yang bekerja di PTT untuk
menguasai pusat kantor pos secara damai atau bertempur.
Paragraf 3 menceritakan tentang pertempuran antara penjajah dan pejuang untuk
menguasai seluruh tempat atau kantor yang dikuasai penjajah.
2. Would you please predict, the main idea of 3rd paragraph is….
Answer
The colonial soldiers tried hard to get back the offices
Short explanation:
Pada paragraf ketiga, dijelaskan bahwa penjajah berusaha meraih kembali tempat
yang dulu dikuasai dengan pertempuran.
3. Try to clarify, the verb turned down (P.2) must mean….
Answer
Not accepted
Short explanation:
“turned down” pada paragraf 2 yang berarti penolakan dalam bahasa Indonesia,
kata ini sangat cocok dengan “Not accepted”. Sekilas kita bisa mengklarifikasi
dari kalimat sebelumnya dimana para pejuang meminta untuk menyerahkan
gedung2 yang dikuasai para penjajah, namun reaksinya permintaan tersebut
ditolak.
4. Try to clarify, the verb raided (P.3) is similar meaning with….
Answer
Battle d
Short explanation
“raided” pada paragraf 3 yang berarti menyerang. Kata ini sesuai dengan
“battled” yang berarti menyerang juga. Kita bisa mengklarifikasi kata ini dari
kata yang muncul sesudahnya. Biasanya, penulis memberi gambaran dengan kata
kunci yang ada muncul sebelum atau sesudah kata ini berada.
5. Try to clarify, the pronoun they (P.1) refers to….
Answer
PTT employees and Postmaster General
Short explanation:
Pada paragraf kedua tertulis “The next day, two PTT employees were sent to
meet the colonial postmaster general.” Kemudian dilanjutkan dengan subjek
“they”, hal ini sudah sangat jelas bahwa “they” merujuk pada kata “PTT
employees and Postmaster General”.
6. Try to find the answer, the whole story takes place in….
Answer
three months
Short explanation:
Setting waktu ini meskipun tersirat namun bisa di jawab dengan menghitung awal
peristiwa terjadi dan akhir kejadian. Dimana peristiwa ini dimulai dari bulan
Agustus dan berakhir pada bulan Oktober. Dari Agustus ke Oktober berjumlah 3
bulan.
7. According to the story, Bandung became Lautan Api up to the month of….
Answer
October
Short explanation:
Pada paragraf ketiga dijelaskan bahwa Bandung menjadi lautan api pada bulan
Oktober. Ini berarti bahwa informasi tersebut tersurat di teks.
8. Try to find the answer, the Indonesian youths took over almost all these
offices….
Answer