DANAU TOBA

  

         

Danau Toba adalah sebuah danau vulkanik dengan ukuran panjang 100 kilometer dan lebar 30 kilometer yang terletak di Provinsi Sumatera Utara, Indonesia. Danau ini merupakan danau terbesar di Indonesia dan Asia Tenggara. Di tengah danau ini terdapat sebuah pulau vulkanik bernama Pulau Samosir.

            Danau Toba sejak lama menjadi daerah tujuan wisata penting di Sumatera Utara selain Bukit Lawang, Berastagi dan Nias, menarik wisatawan domestik maupun mancanegara.

Sejarah

Diperkirakan Danau Toba terjadi saat ledakan sekitar 73.000-75.000 tahun yang lalu dan merupakan letusan supervolcano (gunung berapi super) yang paling baru. Bill Rose dan Craig Chesner dari Michigan Technological University memperkirakaan laut.

Kejadian ini menyebabkan kematian massal dan pada beberapa spesies juga diikuti kepunahan. Menurut beberapa bukti DNA, letusan ini juga menyusutkan jumlah manusia sampai sekitar 60% dari jumlah populasi manusia bumi saat itu, yaitu sekitar 60 juta manusia. Letusan itu juga ikut menyebabkan terjadinya zaman es, walaupun para ahli masih memperdebatkannya. Setelah letusan tersebut, terbentuk kaldera yang kemudian terisi oleh air dan menjadi yang sekarang dikenal sebagai Danau Toba. Tekanan ke atas oleh magma yang belum keluar menyebabkan munculnya Pulau Samosir.

Tim peneliti multidisiplin internasional, yang dipimpin oleh Dr. Michael Petraglia, mengungkapkan dalam suatu konferensi pers di Oxford, Amerika Serikat bahwa telah ditemukan situs arkeologi baru yang cukup spektakuler oleh para ahli geologi di selatan dan utara India. Di situs itu terungkap bagaimana orang bertahan hidup, sebelum dan sesudah letusan gunung berapi (supervolcano) Toba pada 74.000 tahun yang lalu, dan bukti tentang adanya kehidupan di bawah timbunan abu Gunung Toba. Padahal sumber letusan berjarak 3.000 mil, dari sebaran abunya.

Selama tujuh tahun, para ahli dari oxford University tersebut meneliti projek ekosistem di India, untuk mencari bukti adanya kehidupan dan peralatan hidup yang mereka tinggalkan di padang yang gundul. Daerah dengan luas ribuan hektare ini ternyata hanya sabana (padang rumput). Sementara tulang belulang hewan berserakan. Tim menyimpulkan, daerah yang cukup luas ini ternyata ditutupi debu dari letusan gunung berapi purba.

Penyebaran debu gunung berapi itu sangat luas, ditemukan hampir di seluruh dunia. Berasal dari sebuah erupsi supervolcano purba, yaitu Gunung Toba. Dugaan mengarah ke Gunung Toba, karena ditemukan bukti bentuk molekul debu vulkanik yang sama di 2100 titik. Sejak kaldera kawah yang kini jadi danau Toba di Indonesia, hingga 3000 mil, dari sumber letusan. Bahkan yang cukup mengejutkan, ternyata penyebaran debu itu sampai terekam hingga Kutub Utara. Hal ini mengingatkan para ahli, betapa dahsyatnya letusan super gunung berapi Toba kala itu.

Kerusakan lingkungan

Pada bulan Mei 2012 Pemkab Samosir menerbitkan surat keputusan (SK) Bupati Samosir No 89 tanggal 1 Mei 2012 tentang Pemberian Izin Lokasi Usaha Perkebunan Hortikultura dan Peternakan seluas 800 hektare di Hutan Tele, di Desa Partungkot Nagijang dan Hariara Pintu, Kecamatan Harian, Kabupaten Samosir, Sumatera Utara kepada PT Gorga Duma Sari (GDS) yang dimilik seorang anggota DPRD Kabupaten Samosir, Jonni Sitohang. Kemudian dilanjutkan dengan Izin Pemanfaatan Kayu (IPK) yang diberikan oleh Kepala Dinas Provinsi Sumatera Utara melalui SK Kepala Dinas Kehutanan dan Perkebunan Kabupaten Samosir Nomor 005 Tahun 2013. Ketua Pengurus Forum Peduli Samosir Nauli (Pesona), Rohani Manalu menyatakan bahwa ijin yang didapatkan ini membuat PT GDS melakukan penebangan atas kayu kayu alam di dalam hutan tanpa memiliki AMDAL. Rohani juga menyatakan bahwa akibat lain adalah terjadinya longsor dan banjir yang menimbulkan korban jiwa.

Akibat penebangan hutan Tele, lumpur hasil erosi di atas tanah bekas penebangan tersebut telah menyebabkan pendangkalan sungai-sungai di sekitar Danau Toba.

Program penanaman sejuta pohon yang digerakkan pemerintah Provinsi Sumatera Utara pun dikatakan tidak efektif karena banyak pohon yang mati karena tidak dirawat. Hal ini menyebabkan tiga aktivis lingkungan Sumatera Utara, Marandus Sirait, Hasoloan Manik (Kalpataru), dan Wilmar Eliaser Simandjorang (Satya Lencana Karya Satya, Toba Award, Wana Lestari) mengembalikan semua piagam penghargaan yang pernah diberikan pemerintah Provinsi Sumatera Utara, Kementrian Kehutanan, dan Istana Negara.

Menteri Lingkungan Hidup Balthasar Kambuaya telah melayangkan dua surat rekomendasi agar Bupati Samosir Mangindar Simbolon sebagai pemberi izin usaha dan penanggung jawab agar memberikan sangsi administratif berupa penutupan aktivitas usaha. Setelah surat pertama tidak digubris, Bupati Samosir menjawab surat kedua dengan menyatakan bahwa perusahaan tidak melanggar sehingga tak layak tutup. Karena Bupati tidak melaksanakan rekomendasi Kementrian Lingkungan Hidup pun memberlakukan Pengambil Alihan Wewenang (Second Line Enforcement) dan menutup sementara aktivitas PT GDS. Setelah Kementrian Lingkungan Hidup turun langsung ke lokasi berdasarkan temuan bahwa keputusan tidak digubris dan Pemkab menyurati PT GDS untuk menaati surat keputusan PT GDS pun menghentikan semua kegiatan operasional dan menarik alat-alat berat di kawasan tersebut berdasarkan pengakuan Direktur GDS Jonni Sitohang.

AIR TERJUN SUMBER PITU

         

   Malang masih menjadi primadona akan tempat wisatanya. Kota berhawa sejuk ini menyimpan banyak potensi wisata bernuansa alam yang belum terjamah. Salah satunya air terjun Sumber Pitu. Obyek wisata ini belum banyak dikenal masyarakat sehingga suasananya masih alami. Ngalamers wajib memasukkan Air Terjun Sumber Pitu ke dalam list tujuan wisata selanjutnya

            Sumberpitu adalah sebuah tempat wisata alam yang terletak di desa Duwet Krajan, sekitar 7 km sebelah timur Kota Tumpang. Pemandangan alam yang cukup indah, daerah perbukitan yang banyak tanaman Apel dan sayuran. Sumberpitu terdapat mata air yang jumlahnya banyak sekali, selain mata air juga terdapat goa peninggalan masa lalu dan terdapat pula sebuah air terjun yang diberi nama RINGIN GANTUNG, karena disitu terdapat pohon beringin yg menempel pada dinding tebing air terjun.

            Sumber Pitu berasal dari mata air yang muncul di tujuh titik yang hampir berdekatan. Uniknya, mata air coban ini berada di tebing dan air yang keluar dari tanah langsung menyembur sebagai air terjun yang jumlahnya sangat banyak. Debit sumber air di Sumber Pitu mencapai 1.600 L/detik. Mengingat banyaknya sumber dan debit air yang keluar tersebut, kemungkinan coban ini merupakan sungai di bawah tanah. Masyarakat setempat percaya bahwa Sumber Pitu masih ada hubungannya dengan Gunung Bromo. Air terjun ini sering digunakan masyarakat dari luar desa sebagai tempat ritual. Mereka percaya bahwa air yang langsung keluar dari tanah dan menyembur merupakan air suci. Banyak orang yang datang membawa botol dan diisi air untuk dibawa pulang atau diminum langsung.

            Untuk mencapai air terjun Sumber Pitu, bisa ditempuh dengan menggunakan kendaraan roda dua maupun roda empat. Lokasinya masih satu jalur menuju Coban Pelangi dan Gunung Bromo.   Bila menggunakan kendaraan umum, dari pasar Tumpang naik angkutan kota jurusan ke Gubugklakah kemudian turun di pertigaan balai desa Wringinanom. Di sini terpampang spanduk dan foto air terjun Sumber Pitu. Lokasi air terjun masih sekitar 3 km lagi. Dari sini, Anda harus belok kiri sampai menemui Balai Desa Duwet Krajan, lalu Ngalamers bisa melanjutkan perjalanan dengan berjalan kaki sekitar 2 km.

            Selama perjalanan, Ngalamers akan disuguhi pemandangan yang eksotik. Antara lain pemandangan perbukitan yang banyak ditanami apel milik warga, lahan sayur-sayuran, tebing dan bebatuan yang sangat memukau. Wisatawan juga akan melewati sungai yang jernih dengan beberapa air terjun kecil di sepanjang perjalanan. Bahkan, jika beruntung Ngalamers akan menemukan beberapa monyet berkeliaran.

            Perpaduan antara keindahan, kedamaian, tantangan, serta panorama yang ada di Sumber Pitu sungguh memikat pengunjung yang datang. Tujuh air terjun setinggi sekitar 70 meter di tengah hutan melahirkan pesona luar biasa. Di dekat sumber ada hamparan rumput lebat yang bisa digunakan untuk bersantai.

BENDUNGAN KARANGKATES

Bendungan Karangkates terletak di kecamatan Sumber Pucung, 40 Km arah selatan Kota Malang. Di bendungan ini, para pengunjung bisa menikmati keindahan danau buatan sembari berperahu ataupun memancing.

            Bendungan Karangkates atau biasa disebut Bendungan Sutami terletak di desa karangkates, kecamatan Sumberpucung. Air dari bendungan ini berasal dari sungai Brantas dan telah dibangun sejak tahun 1975-1977 dan digunakan sebagai Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Air.

            Selain digunakan sebagai PLTA, bendungan ini telah menjadi salah satu obyek pariwisata di Malang dan telah dilengkapi dengan beberapa fasilitas seperti wahana olah raga, tempat pemancingan ikan, lapangan tenis hingga lapangan golf.

            Wisata Karangkates mempunyai dua lokasi taman wisata, yaitu taman wisata Karangkates yang terletak di sebelah utara bendungan Sutami dan taman wisata Bendungan Lahor yang terletak di sebelah selatan Bendungan Lahor.

SOAL BAHASA INGGRIS (60 SOAL)

Situation 1 : Rangga and Maya are telking about Maya's childhood

Rangga : I heard that you were born in Singapore. Is that true ?

Maya   : Yes. I (1) .... my childhood there.

Rangga : What about you little brother, Farid? Was he also born there?

Maya   : Yes. But, (2) .... we moved back to Indonesia.

Rangga : I see. So, how (3) .... your childhood back in Singapore?

Maya   : Well, there's not much I remember. I was 5 years old at that time. But, I do remember that my parents and I used to (4) .... to a big bookstore.

Rangga : It's so you, always amazed by books. By the way, can I borrow some of them?

Maya   : Of course.

Rangga : Thanks. I wish I (5) .... many books like you do.

1. A. spent

   B. spend

   C. am spending

   D. will spend

2. A. when two months old, he was

    B. when was he 2 months old

    C. when he was 2 months old

    D. when 2 months old, was he

3. A. is

    B. were

    C. was

    D. are

4. A. going

    B. went

    C. gone

    D. go

5. A. had

    B. have

    C. has

    D. have had

Situation 2 : Adi and Ali are talking about transportation.

Adi : Where are you going, Ali ?

Ali  : I'm going to Depok by train. Do you know (6) .... ?

Adi : I think you'd better not (7) .... the train now.

Ali  : Would you mind (8) .... me why, Adi?

Adi : I just heard on the news that there was a train accident in Pasar Minggu

Ali  : So, what (9) .... I do?

Adi : Take a taxi. It's more expensive, but it's safer.

Ali  : You're right. Oh .. I wish I (10) .... my motorbike.

6. A. where is the train station

    B. where the train station is

    C. is the train station where

    D. the train station is where

7. A. taking

    B. take

    C. to take

    D. took

8. A. to tell

    B. told

    C. tell

    D. telling

9. A. should

    B. would

    C. may

    D. will

10. A. don't sell

     B. didn't sell

     C. hadn't sold

     D. haven't sold

Select the options which best completes each sentence!

11. Vina became .... poetry after she had read Rendra's poems.

 A. interesting in

 B. interest in

 C. interested in

 D. to be interest

12. The lecture on environment was neither interesting .... challenging.

 A. or

 B. and

 C. but

 D. nor

13. My father .... a chain smoker. He smoked at least four packages a day.

 A. used to be

 B. uses to be

 C. is used to be

 D. using to be

14. The examinition is not only easy .... fun.

 A. but

 B. but also

 C. or

 D. nor

15. Sam is .... student I have had this year.

 A. the more diligent

 B. most diligent

 C. the most diligent

 D. more diligent

Select the options which best complete the passage.

          My daughter, Sinta plans to go abroad to continue her studies. She has planned this since she was in Junior high school. However, thinking of letting Sinta live alone in foreign country (16) .... me a lot. Once I got (17) .... afraid of the idea that I asked her to change her mind. Sinta smiled at me and explained to me nicely (18) .... she wanted to go abroad. The way she convinced me showed (19) .... Sinta was not a little girl anymore.

          Sinta, has always been a good daughter since she was a baby. I was (20) .... when she was born. I gave up my job to stay home and take care of her. Little Sinta was neither trouble (21) .... a burben to me. She learned things quickly and always made me (22) .... . I taught her the alphabet and children songs. Sinta grows more beautiful and (23) .... everyday. She has become a (24) .... and independent person. I (25) .... I really do not have any reason to worry.

16. A. has scared

     B. scaring

     C. was scaring

     D. scares

17. A. so

     B. very

     C. such

     D. too

18. A. when

     B. why

     C. whom

     D. which

19. A. when

     B. why

     C. that

     D. who

20. A. exciting

      B. excite

      C. excitedly

      D. excited

21. A. nor

     B. or

     C. and

     D. but

22. A. laughed

      B. laugh

      C. to laugh

      D. laughing

23. A. smart

      B. smartest

      C. smarter

      D. the smartest

24. A. care

      B. cares

      C. cared

      D. caring

25. A. guess

      B. am guessing

      C. guessed

      D. have guessed

Select the options which best complete the sentences!

26. ..... the onions into small pieces before you fry them.

 A. stir

 B. cut

 C. boil

 D. mix

27. On independence day, most citizens, especially children, ..... games.

 A. deal with

 B. look after

 C. participate in

 D. look for

28. The bedroom was dark so I asked my brother to ..... the broken light bulb.

 A. fill

 B. break

 C. throw

 D. replace

29. Nowadays, many banks help their customers to buy houses in ....

 A. installments

 B. agreements

 C. appointments

 D. arrangements

30. My friends and I have .... some rooms in Hotel to celebrate New Year's Eve.

 A. borrowed

 B. reserved

 C. gone

 D. done

31. Hotels always try to ..... good service to their customers.

 A. take

 B. satisfy

 C. use

 D. provide

32. My aunt, who is a Sundanese, love uncooked or .... vegetables.

 A. sweet

 B. sour

 C. raw

 D. hot

33. Dona would like to .....  a job as secretary.

 A. apply for

 B. receive

 C. send in

 D. make

34. I should congratulate Santi because she got her ....

 A. holiday

 B. promotion

 C. proces

 D. entertainment

35. Dina had traffic ..... last week, she had to be hospitalized.

 A. regulation

 B. jam

 C. accident

 D. light

Select the options which the best complete the dialogs!

Situation 1 : Ani is asking Lia on how to use ATM

Ani : Lia! I have never used an ATM card before. Could you show me to withdraw money from it?

Lia : Sure. First (36) ..... your ATM card and enter your PIN number. Then, read the menu on the monitor and (37) .... "Withdrawal"

Ani : Hmmm... so I push this button, right?

Lia : Correct. Now select the (38) ..... of money you want withdraw. Take the money and wait for the (39) .....

Ani : Thanks. it sounds easy.

Lia : Don't (40) ..... to take out your card.

36. A. go

      B. adjust

      C. send

      D. insert

37. A. touch

      B. erase

      C. count

      D. turn

38. A. weight

      B. sum

      C. quality

      D. account

39. A. bill

      B. prescription

      C. receipt

      D. paper

40. A. think

      B. want

      C. move

      D. forget

Select the options which best complete the passage!

          The problem of looking after old people is grater today than never before. It is difficult for old people to be (41) ..... cared for by their children because quite often the children go out to work. Another problem is that nowadays the (42) ..... between two generations in one house is often difficult, with three generations, it will be almost impossible.

          Bearing this in mind, I (43) ..... that old people should be the state's responsibility, not the family's. They should be supported (44) ..... , so that they can end their live without (45) ..... about money. If they wish to live in their own homes, but they (46) ..... special care, they should get it from a government nursing system.

          In many countries, old people can live in (47) ..... homes, public money should be spent on building such home and (48) ..... facilities. Even better would be old people's flats or bungalows grouped together and under the (49) ..... of a trained staff.

          To sump up, I (50) ..... that looking after old people should be the responsibility of the state.

41. A. normally

     B. properly

     C. possibly

     D. eventually

42. A. partnership

      B. relationship

      C. cooperation

      D. organization

43. A. imagine

      B. predict

      C. think

      D. force

44. A. mentally

      B. physically

      C. religiously

      D. financially

45. A. worrying

      B. talking

      C. remembering

      D. realizing

46. A. insist

      B. need

      C. order

      D. enforce

47. A. unusual

      B. extraordinary

      C. special

      D. uncommon

48. A. dictating

      B. escalating

      C. promoting

      D. providing

49. A. supervision

      B. declaration

      C. independence

      D. preference

50. A. discuss

      B. know

      C. argue

      D. believe

Read the passage carefully!

One of the thousand of families who have left their villages to look for a living in Jakarta gave up the struggle yesterday. After two desperate days trying to survive on the streets of the capital, they collapsed, starving outside a major of building.

"We are not beggars, we want work, " said 45 year old Samat Bangkit as a passing youth offered them 5000 rupiah. But with empty stomach, no money, and a sick daughter, he took the money. A girl offered 10.000 rupiah and a post reporter did likewise.

Before using the money to buy train tickets home to his native village in Central Java, Samat told the story of how he gambled the family's last 10.000 rupiah on trying to make it in Jakarta but found it too hard.

Samat, his wife and small daughter left their village because of the long season and arrived at Gambir railway station. Samat had managed to make a little money selling balloons in Central Java for four years, and he immediately spent the 10.000 rupiah he had on balloons. In reach Jakarta, surely he could expect to sell enough to feed the family.

For a whole day, in baking heat, Samat walked between Kampung Melayu and Menteng offering balloons to passers-by. He just earned 2000 rupiah. That evening hunger forced them to spend the money on some rice to eat before falling asleep, still hungry, underneath a bridge.

Yesterday morning they started walking from Kampung Melayu towards the station, still trying to sell the remaining balloons. But heat and hunger overcame them and they collapsed in front of the Artaloka Building.

Gratefully accepting the money donated by passers by. Samat announced that he and his family were giving up their attempt to make it in Jakarta.

"I've had enough, I am going home. At least there we have relatives and neighbour. Here we have nobody, " he said.

51. Why did Samat come to Jakarta?

 A. to escape from his parents

 B. to visit relatives

 C. to find a job

52. How did Samat try to make it?

 A. by selling balloons

 B. by gambling his money

 C. by begging in the street

53. Which statement is true about Samat?

 A. he like to live in Jakarta

 B. he needs money

 C. he is rich

54. Why did they head for the station?

 A. they wanted to find a better place to sell balloons

 B. they were going to start begging

 C. they were giving up their attempt to survive in the city

55. Why did they stop in front of Artaloka Building?

 A. they were too weak and tired to go on walking to the station

 B. they thought that it was a good place to sell the remaining balloons

 C. they wanted to ask people some money to buy tickets to go home

56. How did they get money to buy tickets?

 A. by selling the remaining balloons to passers-by

 B. by accepting gifts from people who talk pity on them

 C. by using the last of the money they had brought from their village

57. How many paragraph are there in this passage?

 A. 7

 B. 8

 C. 9

Richard is the eldest of the Kartono's children. He is 27 and works as a sales representative for an office equipment firm in Jakarta. His wife, Sheila, died last year in a car accident. Their five-year-old son, Kevin, is just about start to school.

When his wife died, Richard went to live with his parents who have a house in Bekasi. His mother, Murti, gave up her job to look after Kevin so that Richard was able to carry on working.

A year later, Richard wanted to find a house of his own so that his mother could go back to her job, and so that he and Kevin could start to build a new life.

One day he saw an advertisment for a small house in Jatibening, an attractive suburb in East Jakarta, not too far from his parents. The price was reasonable and there was a good school nearby where he could send Kevin. He told his parents about his plan one evening after work.

At first his parents disagreed with Richard's plan because they would see Kevin less often. But after Richard convinced the parents and promised to visit them once a week, the parents agreed and supported the plan.

58. The following statements are true, except ....

 A. Richard has to raise his child alone

 B. Sheila had an accident

 C. Kevin will move to a new school

 D. Kevin's grandparents already passed away

59. Murti is Kevin's .....

 A. mother

 B. grandmother

 C. aunt

 D. niece

60. Richard plans to .....

 A. work abroad

 B. get married again

 C. move to a new house

 D. continue his study