UNIT 1: A VISIT FROM A PEN PAL (English 9)

2. LISTEN AND READ

Lan's Malaysia pen pal, Razali Maryam, was staying with Lan last week. Maryam is from Kuala Lumpur. Maryam and Lan have been pen pals for over two years and they correspond at least once every two weeks, but this was their first meeting.

On Maryam's first day in Ha Noi, Lan took her to Hoan Kiem Lake. Like Kuala Lumpur, Ha Noi is a busy modern city. Maryam was really impressed by the beauty of the city and by the friendliness of its people.

Over the next few days, the girls visited Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, the History Museum and the Temple of Literature, as well as many beautiful parks and lakes in Ha Noi. On Friday, Maryam wanted to visit the mosque on Hang Luoc Street. Lan used to walk past the mosque on her way to primary school. However, this was Lan's first visit. She enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere while Maryam was praying.

"I wish you had a longer vacation," Lan said to Maryam at the end of the week. "Yes, I wish I had more time to get to know your beautiful country better. Lan, would you like to come and visit the next summer?" Maryam asked.

"That would be great! However, it seems very difficult for me to have a trip abroad. It all depends on my parents. Anyway, we'll keep in touch".

5. READ

Malaysia is one of the countries of the Association of Sound East Asian Nations (ASEAN). It is divided into two regions known as West Malaysia and East Malaysia. They are separated by about 640 km of the sea and together comprise an area of 329,758 sq km. Malaysia enjoys tropical climate. The Malaysian unit of currency is the ringgit, consisting of 100 sen.

The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur and it is also the largest city in the country. the population in 2001 was over 22 million. Islam is the country's official religion. In addition, there are other religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. The national language is Bahasa Malaysia (also know simply as Malay). English, Chinese, and Tamil are also widely spoken. The language of instruction for primary school children is Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, or Tamil. Bahasa Malaysia is the primary language of instruction in all secondary schools, although some students may continue learning in Chinese or Tamil. And English is compulsory second language.