Theme : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

TOPIC : MOBILE PHONES

Section c
(25 marks)

Questions 26 – 31 are based on the following passage.

1 Just like any other modern devices, the mobile phone has become an
indispensable part of our lives. These days, we trade our phones for
newer units, with sharper colour screens, digicams as well as more
polyphonics ringtones. We seem to be getting new phones faster than
getting new clothes. However, not all mobile phones go back to the 5
market to be resold when the owner decides to get a new unit. Some
are left at home to rot in the drawer while others are sent to the garbage
bin, a practice which, at the end of the day, adds to the growing volume of
toxic waste in our country’s landfills. The fear by environmentalists is that as
millions of mobile phones are disposed of with other trash, the possibility 10
exists for their toxins to be released into the air and even ground water.
Mobile phones are full of pollutants such as lead (primarily from
2 soldering), arsenic, antimony, beryllium, copper, nickel, mercury and
brominated flame retardants. Older phone models use nickel-cadmium
batteries which contain cadmium, a toxin and suspected carcinogen. 15
Therefore, the fear of the environmentalists is genuine.
Even if Malaysians want to do the ‘right thing’, most are just too
engrossed to figure out the right way to get rid of their phones. A private
3 college student, who likes to follow the latest trends when it comes to
mobile phones, disclosed that when she buys a new one, the old one goes to 20
her favourite charity.
The managing director of the Petaling Jaya Community Centre’s
Environment Centre said that unfortunately it is not often that his office gets
4 unused or old mobile from the public. The few times that it does
receive mobile phones, the units are totally unusable and irreparable and 25
there’s nothing that can be done apart than tossing them into the centre’s
‘scrap metal’ bin to be sold for their weight . If there are any that can be
used, they are sent to the shop to be repaired.
Nokia Malaysia offers a wide range of electronic waste management
services including recycling, processing and refining. According to Nokia, a 30
5 typical mobile phone recycling process involves the material being shredded
into scrap. Metal and plastic parts are then separated. The metals are sold to
metal refineries, where they are melted and purified for reuse. However, the
recycling rate of plastics is low, partly because recovered plastics often
contain impurities. Fortunately, most recycled plastics are suitable as a fuel 35
replacement for oil. In addition, the plastic scrap can also be turned plastic
benches and fences.
Nokia encourages its mobile phone users to send mobile phones which
are beyond repair to them for proper disposal. If not stored in the correct 40
conditions, old and unused phones batteries may leak and toxic chemicals
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 will be released into homes. Even if stored in the best conditions, what
happen to these phones eventually? One day, they will probably be discarded
with the trash and end up in landfills.
Mobil phone sales continue to climb, making it unlikely that the 45
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number of used phones will decline. All too often the one you used to love and
take everywhere with you, is now left at home., in a drawer, unwanted and
abandoned. However, attitudes are beginning to change as awareness and
education grow. Ongoing campaigns by various governments as well as by
companies and organizations within the telecommunication industry can and 50
will help prevent old mobile phones from making their way to landfills.
7 Hence, it is our social responsibility as users to help protect the environment
for future generations. Remember: reclaim, reuse and cycle for a greener
earth.

(Adapted from The Star, 8 Jul 2004)

Answer all questions.

26. (a) In paragraph 1, why do people trade in their mobile phones for newer units?

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[1 mark]

(b) Not all mobile phones are traded for newer units. What happens to most of them
when owners get a new one?

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[1 mark]

27. (a) From paragraph 2, give two reasons why mobile phones are considered dangerous?

i. .....................................................................................................................
[1 mark]
ii. .....................................................................................................................
[1 mark]

(b) From paragraph 3, find a word which has the same meaning as preoccupied.

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[1 mark]

28. In paragraph 4, when happens people donate their hand phones to the Petaling
Jaya Community Centre’s Environment Centre?
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 i. ...................................................................................................................
[1 mark]

ii. ...................................................................................................................
[1 mark]

29. From paragraph 5, state one use of recycled plastics.

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[1 mark]

30. In your own words, state how can educate the public to recycle their mobile
phones.

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[2 marks]

31. This article describes the threats posed by mobile phones to the environment and
the solutions to the problems.

Based on the text, write a summary on:

 The dangers posed by improper disposal of mobile phones

 How they are recycled

Your summary must

 be in continuous writing
 not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below
 use materials from lines 8 to 43

Begin your summary as follows:

Unused mobile phones pose a threat to the environment by ...

[15 marks]

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Kertas Soalan Tamat

SKEMA JAWAPAN

THEME : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TOPIC : MOBILE PHONES

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 NO SUGGESTED ANSWERS LIFTING/SOURCE EXAMINATION
TIPS

26 (a) They want sharper colour screens, Lines 2 – 4

digicams and more polyphonic These days, we trade our
ringtones. phones for newer units, with 1 mark
sharper colour screens,
digicams as well as more
polyphonic ringtones.
26 (b) They are left in drawers or sent to Lines 6 – 7
garbage bins Some are left at home to rot 1 mark
in the drawer....landfills
27 (a) Full of pollutants. Lines 12 – 14

Mobil phones ....... flame 1 mark

retardants.

Old phones use nickel-cadmium Lines 14 – 15

batteries which contain a toxin
and a suspected carcinogen. older phone models .......... 1 mark
suspected carcinogen.

27 (b) engrossed No lifting of sentence Only one word

must be given
1 mark

28 (i) Tossed into the centre’s scrap Lines 23 – 26

metal bin The few times ....for their 1 mark
weight
28 (ii) Sent to a shop to be repaired if Lines 26 – 27
they can be used
The few times .... for their 1 mark
weight

29 Fuel replacement for oil/ plastics Lines 34 – 35 Any ONE

benches / plastic fences answer
Fortunately, ......... for oil.
Lines 35 – 36 1 mark
In addition, ....... and fences.
30 By running campaigns Any acceptable
/advertisements/ locate collction answer. Marks
centres at Mall or public places/ awarded will
be only 2 @ 0
rewards for sending in old mobil
phones, etc.

SUMMARY

POINTS

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 DANGERS POSED BY IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF MOBILE PHONES

1 Growing volume of toxic waste (in our country’s landfill)

2 Possibility exists for toxins to be released into the air

3 And ground water

4 Full of pollutants

5 Nickel-cadmium batteries contain cadmium, a toxin (and a suspected carcinogen )

6 If not stored in correct conditions, (old and unused phone) batteries may leak

7 And toxic chemicals will be released into homes

HOW THEY ARE RECYCLED

8 The old one goes to charity

9 The material is shredded into scrap

10 Metal and plastic parts are then separated

11 The metals are sold to metal refineries

12 Where they are melted

13 And purified for reuse

14 Recycled plastics are suitable as fuel replacement for oil

15 Plastics scraps can be turned into plastic benches and fences