Life's Buffet - Make it JaZzy and SpIcY, please!

My Super Angels

2009-07-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

I'm in the midst of marking my students essays and it's heart-warming to know that many of them named their parents as inspiring people in their lives.

Whenever I mention Mum as the person who has greatly impacted my life, I always feel almost apologetic for not mentioning Dad. It's like I'm relegating Dad's kindness and unconditional contributions to the family. You might have felt this way too...no??

My dad is a wonderful husband and father and I love and care about him a lot. However, unlike Mum who is chatty and animated, Dad is a quiet man whose favourite spot at home is the green-cushioned rocking chair at the corner of the living room. He always seems to be deep in thought and rarely gets distracted by the noise from the television. (I'm chatty and am always thinking -- so I communicate my thoughts verbally. Best of both worlds?? :-D)

According to dictionary.com, the definition of 'inspire' is an act of arousing a specific positive feeling and thought in others. How can one do that? The two ways that work for me would be through both words and actions.

Bearing this in mind, I think it's only fair to say that both my parents are my good role models but Mum, being the more expressive one who always shares her knowledge with me, advises me and becomes the mediator whenever Dad is **upset with me, befits the definition of an inspiring person.

I hope by declaring my love and appreciation towards Dad in this blog and explaining why Mum naturally pops up in my head whenever I think of a person who has inspired me, will somehow purge my guilt for not honouring him with such accolade. :-/

(Dad as seen with my second niece, Khairina. I admire him for his loyalty towards Mum and sense of responsiblity towards our family; he was our sole breadwinner who managed to raise our big family comfortably. Thanks, Dad!:-))

(**) - Parents will forever feel the need to correct their children. So, you're not alone in getting nagged by your parents. Adults, like your teachers still get it too. Not kidding!:-p

Mad About English!

2009-07-11T21:17:00.000-07:00

CHINESE PEOPLE are becoming increasingly enthusiastic with speaking English, and efforts to improve English-language proficiency mean that at some stage this year, China will become the world’s largest English-speaking country.

We'll watch this in class someday! I'll go to HMV to get the dvd for this movie.

Budding Writers (Good Essays SA1 - Free Writing)

2009-07-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

Two students who scored 22 and above for this section have e-mailed me their essays to be share with everyone. Thank you, Ivy (2E2) and Brandon (2E3). These are original versions, not even minor editing was done. Why? This is to give you a general idea of essays that befit a particular mark range.

Ivy scored 22/30 (correct me if I'm wrong) for this essay. Let's read it first and find out why at the end of this essay.

Title: "A good intention that did not reap good results" by Ivy Teu

It was the last day of school before the long vacation. I bore with the long, tiring school hours. Finally, the last bell rang. Everyone rushed out of the classroom after saying goodbye to the teacher. They were like bees while the main gate was like honey. I, at last, dragged myself out.

I felt energetic all of a sudden. It was going to be the holidays! I thought to myself. I skipped happily home, thinking of what I would be doing for the holidays. Out of the blue, something brown caught my eyes.

"What's that?" I asked myself. Nevertheless, curiousity kills the cat. I walked towards that unknown object. "It's a wallet!" I exclaimed. I picked it up and searched for any identity. It was Tom's. "How could I return this to him since I did not know where he lives?"
An idea struck me. I could keep it during the holidays and return to him when school reopened! What a clever idea.

School reopened after a long break. From what I saw, Tom was very disappointed and sad. It might be the loss of his wallet. Maybe it was a precious thing to him. As his good friend, I wanted to cheer him up. Hence, I placed the wallet in front of him. At first, he was very startled. Soon, he was back to his normal self - the cheerful one. He was jumping with joy. I was happy for him too.

However, happiness did not always last long. He turned to me. He started fuming and I knew he was angry at that very moment. He flooded me with questions. "Why did you take my wallet? Where did you find it? Is this all a prank? Why did you have to do this to me? James Ang, I did not know you are such a person." He was like an active volcano, going to erupt any moment.

I was shocked. My mind went blank. I was like an empty cup - so hollow and empty. I did not know what to say. Blame my brain for not functioning very fast that minute, I lost the chance to explain.

From that day onwards, Tom treated me as if I was invisible. I had learnt my lesson. I finally understood what "good intention does not always reap good results" means. My result turned out bad.

Ms Zuraida's comments:

Strengths

Language - Consistent use of tenses, grammatically correct sentence structures, sentence variation (simple + complex sentences used effectively) and basically, a smooth read.
Punctuation - Ivy uses correct punctuation even for direct speeches.
Spelling - Accurate
Vocabulary - Simple with a few metaphors used (examples, "He was like an active volcano, going to erupt any moment" and "I was like an empty cup - so hollow and empty".) This adds value to her essay as it makes it more descriptive and interesting. It's good to know Ivy has applied what she learnt in the classroom. :-)

Another aspect that captures my attention is Ivy's writing voice. With this, her ideas are communicated effectively, the mood is set and I could imagine her feeling as she was going through this experience. Remember what I said before?? Good writers not only stir our emotions but create powerful images in our mind.
(Find out more about 'writing voice' --- http://www.go-essays.com/articles/effective_writing/find_your_writing_voice_2006090760)

Now, let's look at Brandon's essay. With 27/30 marks, Brandon was the level's highest scorer for this section!

Title: "The Price He Paid" by Brandon Lim

“Get down!” screamed Sergeant Beckett, as numerous rockets roared past their position. He and his specially-selected squad of commandos had the task of infiltrating the enemy’s stronghold and sabotaging it from within.

After the barrage of rockets passed, Beckett cautiously motioned to his squad to get up and follow him. They then slowly made their way to their destination on foot.

The weather was cold and wintry, rendering the night impossible for travel, allowing Beckett and his men to have a breather in one of the many caves littered around the landscape.

After trudging through the snow for several days, the men finally reached their destination and had begun carrying out their dirty work.

However, as one of Sergeant Beckett’s men was planting an explosive charge in an ammunition cache, several hostile guards caught sight of his olive-green uniform and hastily opened fire. The soldier whose name was Corporal Keegan, was soon shot in the leg and immobilized.

A gargantuan firefight then erupted between the commandos and the hostile forces, throwing everyone into utter chaos.

Amid all the carnage and killing, Sergeant Beckett realized that Keegan was missing. Plucking up every bit of courage he had, Beckett charged headlong into the ammunition cache, hoping to find Keegan.

“Oh man! I thought you guys were not coming back! Thank you!” said Keegan breathlessly. Beckett then put a bandage on Keegan’s wound and heaved him up on his shoulder, so as to carry him to safety.

Luckily, the entire squad managed to escape without any casualties except for Keegan. The operation was deemed a success as the explosives charge that Keegan had planted was properly wired and was detonated, leaving the enemy without ammunition.

Several months later, Beckett and his squad were once again putting their lives at stake on a top secret sabotage mission in a different region.

As usual, Beckett and his squad easily made it past the guards at the gate and through to the enemy base.

However this time, the entire squad was supposed to enter the target area with Keegan, so as to eliminate any hostile threats and prevent a huge firefight from erupting again.

The plan was however, compromised again due to the fact that the enemy had doubled their number of mobile patrols. This time, one of them would not make it out alive.

A security lockdown was then activated, closing all the doors and locking them. Having around twenty seconds before the doors were closed, the squad tried their best to hurriedly escape.

Soon, only Beckett and Keegan were left. With only a second to spare, Keegan reluctantly pushed Beckett through the opening, leaving himself in the enclosed room.

The enemy then began to flood their compound with water from a nearby river. Corporal Keegan’s life slowly seeped away as he drowned in the room, while the rest successfully escaped, including Beckett.

It was a horrible way to die, but Keegan did it as a sacrifice so as to let the rest escape. He paid the ultimate price while trying to replay Beckett’s kindness.

He paid the price of death.

Ms Zuraida's comments:

Strengths

Similar comments to what I've said about Ivy's essay with regard to Language, Spelling, Punctuation and Writing Voice. Brandon, however has a stronger vocabulary and his essay theme is more mature, revolving around war. I think his creativity in writing is the result of extensive reading and exposures to various genres.

I have given you my feedback, now it's your turn to think and reflect. How can Ivy and Brandon heighten the interest level of their essays? How can they add value to them so that in future, they can achieve a perfect score of 30/30??? Possible?? :-D

Sec 2E2/3 and 3N1

2009-07-06T03:40:00.000-07:00

Please remember to bring your colourful marker pens tomorrow as we are going to do mind mapping. I'm changing the topic from "My Idol" to "A Person Who Has Inspired Me" as I think the latter is more meaningful. Furthermore, it is related to an article in RD which you will be getting this week. Not much changes from the previous title so don't fret. :-)

Happy Youth Day!

Michael Jackson - Lesson to Learn From His Demise

2009-07-05T07:32:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, we live in a society who treasures people only after they're gone. So much praises being sung to the late King of Pop lately. Ever since he passed away ten days ago, the media have been painting glowing tributes about him. Isn't it too late? Too much damage had been done.

Destiny and God's will aside, perhaps it's the accusations and criticisms that had led to his pre-mature demise. Beneath the glitz and glamour, Michael Jackson had a sad life story. Lives of fame often come with trade offs.

It's easy for us to judge him and call him with all sorts of unpleasant labels. However, we must remember that there are always reasons behind every action, so there were reasons for him to do what he did. Do we know the complete story to warrant us the rights to judge him?

Up to this point in time, some people are still talking rude stuff about him. I say rude because...while it's never a sin to speak our mind, it's always a shame to spit on anyone's grave. At least, be thoughtful to his grieving family and let his soul rest in peace.

Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't be complaining about the media singing praises about him then. But, wouldn't it be much better if those words of gratitude were said when he was alive? Afterall, hadn't he done a lot of major contributions to the world through his music?
(Browse this website to find out more : http://spinearth.tv/report/michael-jackson-artist-philanthropist-humanitarian)

If there's one thing I'm reminded from his departure, it would be to treasure our loved ones while they are around. It is a cliche and seems almost unnecessary to mention, but the business of our lives often makes us forget about those who matter to us. When I say 'us', I am referring to myself too. :-)

Do you think our parents know that they mean the world to us (although we often grouse when they nag:-)) ? Do you think our siblings know that we treasure them (although we sometimes have our squabbles:-))? What about our friends? Do they know that their loyalty and listening ear are highly appreciated?

If we don't express our feelings through words or actions, how would they know? Or are we too egoistic to do that? If that's the case, shedding our tears when they're already gone might be the only option. By then, it will be too late, way too late.

Think about it.

p/s: Among all MJ's song, this is my favourite. The melody is soothing and the lyrics, meaningful. It tells us that we can still extend our love and support even with physical separation. Isn't that sweet? :-) By the way, the woman in the video is his ex-wife, Lisa Marie Presley. Enjoy....

Let The Good Times Roll!

2009-07-02T04:30:00.000-07:00

"I love my bag! I can carry it around and show it off to my friends, hug it when I'm feeling cold and smell it when I'm bored.".....Errrr really????

Who is she? "I'm iSHY. Go away!"

Teachers at AISS have a lot of hidden talents. We're just very humble and most of the time, let the students bask in the limelight. :-)

Bling bling footwear that costs $16 only. Bought it 5 mins before pedicure at PINK. Nice?

My soon-to-be-thrown-away hardy cellphone which has served its purpose for 3 years. iPhone..here I come!!

Top photos --- AISS' Angels :-)

5N2's Angels and Demons :-p *joke*

Arvin and Azlan looking very determined to represent Singapore in the next Olympic.

Edwin and Dave flaunting their legs. p/s: Arvin ---> 'thier' or 'their'??? :-p

Tips For More Love ;-p

2009-06-28T06:54:00.000-07:00

Hello, Everyone!

I'm not sure about you but I do not know where the time has gone! It went so quickly this holiday and we'll soon be back to the swing of things or should I say, back to the grind! June has been an eventful event for me, lots of ups and downs. In any case, I hope all of you had a well-rested holiday. At least I managed to get my mind and body rested. :-)

Anyway, have you ever felt that love is lacking in your life? Read on to find out about how to create more 'love' in the air!

There's a lot of truth in the old adage, "kindness begets kindness". I think being kind creates a ripple effect that indirectly causes people to be kind to us as well.

How is kindness related to love?

To quote what Dalai Lama once said, "When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace."

Random acts of love and kindness don't have to be displayed through big actions that make drastic changes to the world, but through a simple gesture, sincere smile and pleasant words that make our hearts smile.

If you don't believe me, why not try saying this to the taxi driver before you get down from the cab: "Thank you, Uncle. Have a NICE day." Say that sincerely and give him a warm smile. :-)

Observe how he reacts. Based on my experience, even the grumpiest taxi driver I have met will give me a second look, smile and wish me back.

Another simple act of kindness is to offer our seat in the MRT or bus to special people who need it more than we do. Again, observe how the person reacts.
More often than not, he or she will beam from left to right and express his or her appreciation to you.

One of my unforgettable experiences is an old lady saying 'thank you' to me profusely and her frail body kept turning back to smile at me even after she got out of the train.

Next, is an old man who said, 'Thank you so much. God bless you." It's a wonderful feeling to have someone praying for us, don't you think? :-)

Why do I keep mentioning about old people? Well, I encounter more old people than pregnant women (and disabled people) these days. The population in Singapore is ageing, remember? :-) Also, I have a soft spot for old people. Maybe because they possess a certain kind of warmth and calmness. Looking at them also never fails to remind me of my beloved ageing parents.

That aside, it is not recognition and gratitude that make me feel good, but the fact that I've made someone feel happy, even if it is for a few minutes of their lives. Measuring the number of positive responses I get, kindness does inspire others. It also causes others to feel more loved and appreciated.

So, continue to spread your love and kindness to people around you. It is very infectious and you will soon realise that you are surrounded by kindness and people who genuinely LOVE and care about you. Thus, the world will be a happier place to live in.

To my dear students,

For this new school term, let me get the kindness-ball rolling and let you feel my teacherly-love --- I wish all of you good health, peace, happiness and success. Let's support each other in whatever we do so that our tasks will run smoothly with less annoyance and stress.
Have A Blessed Life!:-)

So, do you think my tips are useful in helping you improve your love life?:-)

Peace out and see you tomorrow!

Your Love Guru
Ms Zuraida

(Note: Sincerity is very important. If we expect extrinsic gains out of our 'kind' act, we will feel frustrated easily if we don't get the response that we expect. Our actions will also be inconsistent and people can see through us. Oh, when we smile make sure our eyes and the whole face radiate too. :-))

I LOVE WIMPY KID!

2009-06-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

Heyy! This is the book that I'm currently reading. I haven't finished reading it but as you can see, it's obvious why this book appeals to me --- it's cute, light-hearted and funny. Who says we have to read intense books all the time (although, I admit reading such books makes me feel clever! he he) ??? The most important thing is to expose ourselves to all sorts of genres, read books that interest us and not kill our interest in reading. I'll give a review about this book soon. :-) p/s: The school holiday might be extended to stop the H1N1 virus from spreading to more people. I hope they'll find an effective OINK-ment to eradicate this virus.

Twitterina!

2009-06-18T19:21:00.000-07:00

Hi! Have you ever felt like expressing yourself but too lazy to type a lengthy post??? It always happens to me. So, what I've done is to create a Twitter account so that I can make it short and snappy. I can also share useful links for my followers to read. Turn to the right. ------>>> Can you see it?? :-)

Reminder to all - Situational Writing

2009-05-11T01:39:00.000-07:00

Just a brief one here: Remember to elaborate your suggestions and opinions. It means, write about 3 sentences for each suggestion/opinion/idea and NOT just sketchily in one sentence.

3N1

When I marked the descriptive essay that all of you just wrote (The Most Embarrassing Day Of My Life), I noticed that most of you began the essay abruptly. Have a proper introduction please. Refer to the Omega Essay Beginnings handout that was given to you last term (it should be in your file).

The Day I Was Floating About In a Bubble - Timothy Foong (2E2)

2009-05-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

(Please come back for comments on Timmy's essay :-) )

“I hate my life!” I screamed as I flung a half eaten apple towards the wall. I heard a gratifying thud as it fell into a crevice, deprived of all the attention from the world, unnoticed, and neglected like me. Situations at home started to go downhill when father was caught keeping a mistress, and since then, quarrels and fights were frequent visitors at home. After every argument which only seemed to be superfluous they had, mother would seek solace in her room, while father would be by the window, with a cigarette in between his fingers. As for me, I would stay in the sanctuary of my own room, pretending that everything was normal. The silence of the house would be deafening.

That day, I sat by the beach with the sky stretched overhead bright and glorious, its expression broken only by the occasional spiral of a seagull. The waves rushed ashore to sweep off the topmost layer of sand, the palm trees danced to the rhythm of the sea breeze, tranquil and peaceful. The sight of innocent kids having fun with bubbles distracted my attention, I gazed at the beautiful bubbles which were multi-colored under the sun, wishing I was a bubble, free from troubles and loved.

I must have dozed off on the white sandy shore that was as soft as a loaf of freshly baked bread, when all of a sudden, I felt this impeccable sense of relief, as though I defied gravity, I looked all around, to my surprise, I saw the sandy shore, the turquoise waters and the graceful palm trees from top view! I touched the walls of my surrounding, a slimy membrane! I must have guessed it, I was in a bubble! I began to be extremely careful in case I fall to my own sadistic death. A sudden change of wind direction caused me to fall back on the surface of the bubble, I bounced right back up as though I was on a trampoline. The air inside the bubble scented very much like soap, there was a tinge of freshness. I was as free as a bird flying in the sky.

As I floated aimlessly around, I felt as though I conquered the world, I felt at the top of the heap, looking down at the creations of Mother Nature, the Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef. I carried on my journey, the bubble was like my vehicle, the sky colour turned into a piercing shade of crimson, I gazed downwards at the magnificent marvel below me, over a thousand metres of strong steel slope towards the sky like a stairway to heaven. I was in Paris! Right above the Eiffel Tower! A glance at this construction was enough to take my breath away! It was as stunning as I would ever imagine it to be! My life was like heaven!

Looking at the panoramic sceneries of this Earth, I had my share of perpetual peace, life has never been better. After what seems eternity, my bubble started to descend slowly, back to the realms of where I truly belong. This experience of a life time was like diamonds, precious and beautiful. I was abruptly woken up by the barking of wild dogs, as I flicked my eyes open, night had fallen and I was back to the harsh, cruel reality, being thrust back into the bone chilling cold.

585 words -23rd March 2009

My Experience of Being an Electronic Game Character - by Neil Brian (2E3)

2009-05-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

(Please come back for my comments on Neil's essay:-) )

The harsh cold wind blew against me and my squad mates as we trudged through the bottom of a snow canyon. The cold air slithered through my helmet like a snake and it brushed my ears. We left a trail of deep foot prints on the pearl white snow, soon be covered again by the snowfall.

I looked up at the sky of this extraterrestrial planet. The atmosphere was that of Earth. The sky was like an empty light blue paper. I breathed in the chilling air and it made my teeth chatter. I wondered why I had to be sent to fight a war with hostile aliens instead of being with my family back home at Earth. I heaved a sigh and the air as warm as bread toast came out of my mouth

We started to pass by some big rocks and I looked back at the sky once more. Some large clouds started to gather; it swirled to form a giant spiral and gets darker, looked like a snowstorm is brewing. Soon, heavy snowfall started falling down hard on us. My helmet visor was covered with snow. Even if I cleared my visor, I could not see past the thick fog and snow flying madly all around like busy bees. I saw my squad mate signal to a cave. I made my way towards the cave but my heavy boots sank into the knee deep snow.

I refrained myself from panicking and I used my remaining strength to reach the cave. I was a limp dog and crawled my way through. I finally arrived at the mouth of the cave and I fell on the ground due to fatigue. I used up so much energy just dragging myself here through the snow. I panted and sweat dripped. I stood back up again and looked back at my squad mates who are also panting, as exhausted as me. I stared at the rapidly falling snow. A flash of light struck at the corner of my sight, I heard thunder roaring with anger.

I was so engrossed at the familiar natural event that I forgot I was not on Earth. Time flew like kites on windy day as I was mesmerized by the spectacle of snow, wind and light. My friend alerted me and soon I found out the snowstorm was over. We stood up on our feet again and moved forward like a pack of wolves.
We went back to the area of big rocks that stood like giants. I was on the lead of the squad and ‘Zoom!’ went past a purple spike right past my face. I was surprised and held back. I looked at my radar and saw some red dots. I looked around and saw a pack of alien soldiers heading towards us. They rushed at us like animals and growled.

I pulled out my gun from my holster. I gripped on it and felt its metal surface, cold as ice, and its heavy weight. I aimed my gun at the group and start shooting as I strafed from side to side. I pulled the trigger and shot a round of bullets. The gun recoiled and I tried not to fall. A myriad of purple and grey projectiles shot in all directions like a busy intersection. Unfortunately, I should have not wasted time seeing that and one purple spike pierced through my armor. My skin was a marshmallow on a stick. I moaned and pulled out the spike. Blood started flowing out of a point like a leaking pipe.
I continued on battling. I saw my squad mate throw a grenade and it exploded right at the group. The explosion was a mixture of smoke, fire, snow and bodies. I heard the aliens scream and shout as they were flung through the air. We finished off the battle.

My squad and I looked at the aftermath of the battle. The white snow was littered with grey bullets and purple spikes, dead alien bodies with pool of blood. We advanced and found another group at a camp site. I heaved a sigh of relief and felt safer as we came together.

I headed to the medical post. As they bandaged my wound, I started thinking. It was surprising how much I have gone through. I have experienced the cold air, the snow, the raging snowstorm, bullets, explosions and blood. All of that by traveling from Point Alpha to Point Bravo, but I knew there were more to come, as the war was not over yet.

Reminder - Comprehension

2009-05-05T06:28:00.001-07:00

Still on the topic of time management --- Remember to answer the easy questions first so as to avoid spending too much time on the difficult questions.

City of Joy (2E) - Comprehension & Summary

2009-05-05T00:32:00.000-07:00

Comprehension

8) He would not have to wait long to get a client at Park Circus.
9) It means ‘I did not have the slightest inkling’.
10) ‘It was quite insane.’
11) Hasari had escaped from one dangerous situation, but had ended up in another situation that was just as dangerous.
12) He placed it on the seat.
13) The shafts were shaking violently.
14) Pulling the rickshaw with the two fat passengers was an impossible task.
15 a) unmoving
b) focused
c) moved
d) reason
e) signaled / attracted the attention / signaled to stop and take one somewhere

SUMMARY
1) Went to bazaar
2) Asked traders and transporters for work
3) Tailing overloaded carts so that he could replace any coolie who collapesed.
4) Sold his blood
5) Fainted in the process
6) Became a rickshaw puller
7) Waited at Park Circus for his first customer, but thinking of pulling his rickshaw in the heavy traffic
8) Immobilised his limbs
9) Bought sugarcane juice to boost his energy
10)had no clue where his first passenger’s destination was so she guided him
11) petrified of the heavy traffic, he moved slowly
12) Difficulty in balancing th rickshaw because of the various obstacles on the roads
13) Did not know how much to charge
14) Had two overweight passengers
15) He could not balance the vehicle, which trembled violently
16) Unable to pull it
17) Women abandoned his rickshaw for another

Exam is FUN -- NOT??

2009-05-04T02:20:00.000-07:00

All the best in your exam, Kids! Stay calm and confident. Have enough sleep and eat well. :-) Most good things in life are not easy to achieve, so never never give up and believe that you can.

SA1 - Time Management (for all levels)

2009-05-01T21:06:00.000-07:00

Students often complain that they didn't manage to finish their work on time. As a result, they get low marks for submitting an incomplete exam script. Remember that all sections are equally important so it is wise to not neglect one section because you're focusing on the other. The breakdown if time below is just a suggestion but in any case, please keep track of the time. It is also very important to proofread and edit your work.

Paper 1 - 1 hr 40 mins

1 hour for Section 1 (Continuous Writing)
-5 mins planning (brainstorming, planning with graphic organiser)
- 45 mins to write

40 mins for Section 2 (Situational Writing) - Shorter time is needed because the number of words is fewer than Section 1
- 5 mins planning (brainstorming, planning with graphic organiser)
- 35 mins to write

Proofreading and Editing
- 10 minutes

Paper 2 - 1 hr 45 mins

55 mins to focus on Comprehension
- 10 minutes to read (I recommend you to scan through the questions first before you read the passages)
- 45 minutes to answer the questions

40 mins to focus on Summary Writing

10 mins to check both Comprehension and Summary sections.

SA1, Paper 1 - Sec 2E

2009-05-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

Section 1

Please be reminded that you won't be tested on expository essay and argumentative essay. Essay topics will be based on narrative (which includes personal narrative - story that is based on your own experience) and descriptive.

A one word topic (like what we have done before. Remember the essay on 'Temptation?) will be included and please AVOID writing an EXPOSITORY essay based on it. WRITE A STORY. End it with a reflective note and link it back to the topic to wrap up the essay.

REMEMBER TO USE SIMILES, METAPHORS, PERSONIFICATIONS AND CONCRETE WORDS to make your essay more descriptive and interesting. ALSO, PLAN YOUR ESSAY AND ATTACH A GRAPHIC ORGANISER TO IT.

Section 2

To help you to be more focused in your revision, let me assure you that nothing new will be tested. Everything that we have done in class is relevant. Usually, for Sec 1 and 2, you'll be tasked to write either one of the following: formal letter/informal letter/report/proposal (we'll talk more about this in class but don't panic, nothing new actually).

You'll focus on more challenging text types such as speech writing, newspaper report, newsletter article in Sec 3 and Sec 4.

Sharing Time! (Students' Descriptive Writing Extracts)

2009-04-21T23:46:00.001-07:00

This entry is posted especially for my 3N1 and 5N2 students (2E2 and 2E3 students already have the hard copy as these are done by them :-)). Read through the extracts carefully and take note how the writers have successfully incorporated figurative language (simile, metaphor and personification) in their essays.

DESCRIPTIVE WRITING

After reading through your modified version of essay extracts, I have short-listed and compiled the well-written ones to be shared with the whole class. Figurative language (simile, metaphor and personification) and concrete words are incorporated making them not only descriptive but interesting to read. Well-done, pupils! :-)

A Day Out With My Idol

1) As I tapped the desk according to the beat and rhythm of the music, I soon found my troubles slowly dissipating (concrete word) and letting the waves of sound flow through my mind. The drums and guitars playing in the background were trying hard to comfort me and tell me everything would get better (personification). It seemed to me that the singing and shouting was a way for me to let out my troubles.

Jiaqing, 2E3

2) ...the drums and guitars fitted each other perfectly like the last pieces of the jigsaw puzzle (simile) making the song melodious and highly entertaining.

Yoke Heng, 2E2

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The Day When There Was No Sun

1) ….I was looking at the sunflower and soon realized that I had been counting the number of petals on the flower over and over again. (descriptive expression) … Being an outdoor and sporty person, I felt awkward as I was unable to feel the warmth of the sun.
(more descriptive than the original expression)

Fannie, 2E2

2) Life in the hospital was like counting beans, it was so boring. (simile)

Vina, 2E2

3) Dull. The one word that can only be used to describe my feeling now. In the room, there was this gloomy feeling and even the sunflower was looking at the floor miserably. (personification)

Jun Jiu, 2E3

4) I was trapped in this four sided-matchbox. (metaphor: referring to the hospital room)

Name: ____________, 2E3

5) Lying down on the soft hospital bed, looking at the smiles of the sunflower, (personification) I looked back in my life thinking of all the fun at the volleyball court passing the ball around with hope, determination and confidence. (descriptive expression)
…I was a sporty person who used to go jogging in the early morning while listening to the soft whispering of the leaves (personification) and inhaling the fresh air. However, now I had to stay indoors and rest while looking at the grey gloomy walls that would bore me out with the persistent ignorance of my presence (descriptive expression). I would then hope for the sun to come out and exclaim it to be a fresh and bright new day. (personification)

Jiaqing, 2E3

6) It was queasy, as though there were pricks on my butt (descriptive expression) and I could not sit properly.

Timothy, 2E2

7) Life in the hospital was as boring as life in the prison (simile). I felt tied to the bed (descriptive expression) that I could die. Being a sporty person, the sun and outdoors were my best friends (personification).

Mandy, 2E2
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My Experience of Being An Electronic Game Character

1) With a blow as strong as a huge boulder (simile) delivered right on her head, she died.

Shaoyan, 2E2

2) I felt that I was as energetic as a fully charged battery (simile), ready to fight the Mukaz. Only this time, I was well-armed with weapons, shield, armour and helmet, which made me looked like a soldier ready to fight for my country. (descriptive expression)

Yoke Heng, 2E2

3) …I slowly walked into the dark gloomy dungeon which wanted to chase me away with its traps. (personification) As I advanced even closer to where Mukaz resided, I started to tremble. I had begun having second thoughts but knowing that I had come so far into this wretched place I had no other choice but to continue on. Filled with a sudden burst of determination, I charged right to her and swung my shining blade to her. (descriptive expression) She started to run, but now my blood-thirsty sword would not let her off (personification). She was now at a dead end. I advanced towards her menacingly and with all the vengeance and hatred I pierced my blade right into her head. (descriptive expression) Her death had made the dungeon start to cave in and I found myself running for my dear life.

Jiaqing, 2E3

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The Day I Was Trapped In A Coca-Cola Can

1) …I sat up as straight as an arrow (simile)and found that I had turned into a miniature self. I could see the design on the floor tile and the walls seemed far from reach (descriptive expression). I climbed up my dressing table with much difficulty like a dog climbing a tree (descriptive expression). I looked for a ruler. I placed myself beside it and was surprised to see the number that stared right back at me (personification). TEN CENTIMETERS!

Tay Min, Wee Seng and Neil Brian, 2E3

2) I looked around anxiously. It was so dark that I could not even see my fingers (descriptive expression). The silence made the atmosphere cold and eerie. I stood up, legs wobbling like jelly (metaphor). My hands felt numb and were covered with cold sweat like melting ice. I took a step after much hesitation because I would never know what would be in front of me (descriptive expression) since it was as dark as charcoal (simile) and I could not see a thing….

Wan Yun, 2E3

SA1 - SUMMARY (IMPORTANT)

2009-04-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

This is an IMPORTANT REMINDER TO EVERYONE! Exam is about 2 weeks from now but I better mention it now since it is on my mind.

MARKS WILL BE DEDUCTED IF THE NUMBER OF WORDS IS NOT INCLUDED AT THE END OF YOUR SUMMARY. MARKS WILL ALSO BE DEDUCTED IF YOU LIE ABOUT THE NUMBER OF WORDS.

Please convey this message to all your friends regardless what class/level they are from as this rule applies across the board.

By the way, I hope all of you had a *kick ass weekend! Have an AWESOME week ahead! Looking forward to the Labour Day holiday ...another long weekend. Yippeee! :-D

* Note: Kick ass means awesome. It's a slang, which is fine to be used in informal situations but not in formal situations.

Let's Honour The Top 3 Students From Each Class For CA1 (ENGLISH)

2009-04-15T01:26:00.000-07:00

Lol. This is wayyyy overdue and I'm so sorry for not updating my blog as often as I should. It amuses me though when I realised that some of you are talking to each other via my chatbox.

Alrightee. Here goes the TOP 3 students from each class (DRUM ROLLING...):

2E2
1) Shafiqin - 79
2) Fannie - 76
3) Kok Teng - 75

2E3
1) Jiaqing - 79.5
2) Brandon - 76.3
3) Brian - 74.7

3N1
1) Nurazizah - 76.9
2) Angeline - 76.3
3) Nanthini - 70.3

5N2
1) Shahih - 62.9
2) Yong Wee - 59
3) Mervin - 58.5

Congratulations to all the pupils who have done well. I hope you'd share your knowledge and secret formula with your friends so that all of you can be happy and successful together (and not the other way round)!:-)

For students who have tried and have been doing their work consistently but have not done well, don't be downhearted. Probably, you've not found the formula that works for you so keep learning and trying.:-) Learning new things can be uncomfortable and annoying but it also means that our brains are working.

For students who have been very playful and lazy, I have nothing much to say but would like you to reflect on this quote, "There are not shortcuts to ANY PLACE WORTH GOING". To express it simply, it means we need to struggle and work hard to achieve our goals. To express it in an equation-- "Harwork + Intelligence = Success".

Enough said. See you tomorrow!

Tuesday's Random Thought

2009-03-17T06:43:00.000-07:00

I like my blog's new look. It's pink and Mdm Ilysa commented that it looks 'homely'. So, welcome to my Homely Home...Page :-).

What a wonderful massage I had today. First and foremost, it's relatively cheap. I only paid $36 (original price is $98) for an hour massage in Spa Elements, which is located in Cathay. I tagged along Mrs Raj who got some sort of spa promotion offered by UOB.

Secondly, the therapist was nice; there was no hard selling and she pampered me with her gentle yet firm strokes. :-)

Talking about 'strokes', I hope none of you got any stroke of the cane from your parents for bad results. :-p For those of you who did well for CA1, congratulations and keep up the good work. *Clap, clap, clap!* Otherwise, spend some time reflecting. Perhaps, you need to modify your study method, improve your time-management or you've just been plain lazy. :-p

Let me tell you this --- It's TOTALLY normal to have Lazy Spells. We are complex beings and our moods constantly change. Besides, such feeling might be a signal sent by our overworked bodies telling us it's time to rest. However, such spell should not prolong or there will be a lot of negative consequences. If this is the case, find ways to motivate yourself. Well, I'm not going to talk at length on ways to motivate yourself. Just let me know if you need that extra push or maybe you don't need to --- I WILL GO TO YOU, like I have to offer you some dose of Vit M as students who are 'deficient' in this usually stand out.:-S

Like most educators, my way of motivating varies depending on the student and situation; sometimes I use soft approach, sometimes I use hard approach. It is when we use the latter that we become 'unpopular'. Students will start to label us with all sorts of colourful adjectives and worst still, post on their blogs unflattering pictures of the teachers that they secretly took in the classroom (Oh..the horror!). :-/

One day, I think I should blog about the blogging etiquette and the risks of internet defamatory. However, soon in my next post I'm going to do some honouring to students who have done well in their English CA1. :-) Most importantly, right now I'm going to immerse myself in some tender loving care, go to bed and give myself a dose of Vit S, which spells S L E E P! Gd night, everyone! Zzzzzzz

Form Class 5N2 - CNY 2009

2009-03-14T20:34:00.001-07:00

Finally found time to upload these photos. :-)

The artistic girls behind the decoration are Aishah, Aisyah, Chian Sing and Tienyin (4th and 5th pics). Although we didn't win, I think they've done a great job in coming out with a simple yet aesthetically pleasant decoration, which was conducive for learning and teaching (not cluttered, gaudy and over the top).

March Holiday Homework for Sec 2E2 and 2E3

2009-03-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

Hello, Kids!

Here goes your holiday homework. Ermanda and Margaret are getting excited and they can't wait to do their homework. Such model students they are. :-p Sorry for the delay, I was in school today to proofread the Achievement Day's programme booklet.

It's holiday, so let's write about something fun and creative. Since we are going to do descriptive writing next term, why not start writing one now? :-)

Choose one of the following titles:

1) A Day Out With My Idol
2) My Experience of Being Trapped In A Coca-Cola Can
3) The Day When There Was No Sun
4) The Day I Was Floating Around In a Bubble
5) My Experience of Being An Electronic Game Character

How To Write A Descriptive Essay

More than many other types of essays, descriptive essays strive to create a deeply involved and vivid experience for the reader. Great descriptive essays achieve this affect by using detailed observations and descriptions.

When writing a descriptive essay, you often have a particular reason for writing your description.

Example: Imagine that you want to write a descriptive essay about your grandfather. You've chosen to write about your grandfather's physical appearance and the way that he interacts with people. However, rather than providing a general description of these aspects, you want to convey your admiration for his strength and kindness.

This is your reason for writing the descriptive essay.

To achieve this, you might focus one of your paragraphs on describing the roughness of his hands, roughness resulting from the labor of his work throughout his life, but you might also describe how he would hold your hands so gently with his rough hands when having a conversation with you or when taking a walk.

As you write your descriptive essay, the best way to create a vivid experience for your readers is to focus on the five senses.

sight
sound
smell
touch
taste

When you focus your descriptions on the senses, you provide vivid and specific details that show your readers rather than tell your readers what you are describing.

Planning your descriptive essay:

What or who do you want to describe?

What is your reason for writing your description?

What are the particular qualities that you want to focus on?

Drafting your descriptive essay:

What sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures are important for developing your description?

Which details can you include to ensure that your readers gain a vivid impression imbued with your emotion or perspective?

Revising your descriptive essay:

Have you provided enough details and descriptions to enable your readers to gain a complete and vivid perception?

Have you left out any minor but important details?

Have you used words that convey your emotion or perspective?

Are there any unnecessary details in your description?

Does each paragraph of your essay focus on one aspect of your description?

Are you paragraphs ordered in the most affective way?

(Source: Modified from http://www.writeexpress.com/descriptive-essay.html)

Further Instructions and tips:

1) Write a 350 to 550 word essay.
2) Plan first before you write, therefore I would like to see a mind map attached to every essay. As usual, marks will also be awarded for every mind map.
3) Use PAST TENSES throughout your essay.
4) Avoid ending your essay by saying, "...it was just a dream" ----This is such an anti-climax.
5) End your essay with a reflective note; explain what you have learnt from the experience.
6) Remember, this is NOT A NARRATIVE ESSAY. Therefore, the focus is on your observations and NOT STORY LINE. To be more specific, your essay should consists 70% descriptions and 30% story.
7) Any other queries, feel free to ask me. You can post your questions on my blog's chatbox. :-)

That's it! Do your holiday homework to exercise your braincells but don't forget to block at least two days to just relax and have fun as your brain also needs to be re-charged!:-) Tomorrow, I am going to school in the morning and then chill out at the spa for a two hr massage. ;-p

Check this out! - A Highly Recommended Website

2009-03-03T18:05:00.000-08:00

Hi, Students

Here's a useful website for those who are preparing for debates or planning to write an argumentative essay--------http://www.idebate.org

Well, even if you've no intention to do any of these, it's good to skim through this website to gain general knowledge.

There are various topics to choose from and the points are clearly organised based on their pros and cons. Besides, the contributors are all experts in their own field so the arguments are all strong and valid.

Good Essay - 'Temptation' by Mandy, 2E2.

2009-03-01T19:20:00.000-08:00

My dad was sitting on the couch beside me. Calm and serene as he always was, he was flipping through the day's newspaper lazily. As I turned around and tried to start a conversation with him, I realised it was not as easy as I thought it would be; my eyes zoomed in automatically on the temptation.

There it was, staring back at me.

I gasped, as it moved in rhythm with the wind that was blowing from the fan. My father turned, his confused eyes met mine. I muttered a "nothing" and quickly turned to face the television, trying to distract myself from even thinking about it.

It worked. And my, was I proud at my self-control.

The television happened to be showing my favourite programme: The Amazing Race. For the entire hour, I was so absorbed in the programme. My mind was so occupied, I did not even notice that the temptation had moved.

So be it, I thought, as I moved to my computer.

Tick, tock, tick, tock. As the clock ticked, it was not long before three hours had passed. And before long it struck me hard. I was still thinking of the temptation.

Oh no.

I had distracted myself for so long, it would not hurt to try for a few more hours, till I got to bed...

However, there it was again, glaring back at me, as if daring me to do something, anything. "No!" my mind chided. Again, it looked at me smugly. Every inch of me was itching to prove me wrong.

I buried my face in the cushion, trying desperately to stop myself from looking at it.

I could not stand it anymore.

Dad froze as I reached for it, fingers closing around it.

"There! Got it!" I exclaimed excitedly. As it lay helplessly in my palm, I laughed vaingloriously, as if to tell it it had lost the fight.

Dad gave an exclamation - of pain - and stared at the strand of white hair in my palm.

I chuckled and skipped away, my crowning victory clutched in my hands.

(Number of words: 350)

Ms Zuraida's comment: In its simplicity, Mandy's essay kept me guessing. The storyline is not complicated and unlike most essays, there's only one object of temptation here - her father's grey hair. :-) Mandy has also successfully described how she felt and what she was thinking about when she was lured by it and was trying to resist it. This is the integral part for this topic, which many students neglected.

2E2, 2E3 and 3N1 - General Pattern In Students' Narrative Essays entitled 'Temptation'

2009-02-19T17:23:00.000-08:00

GRAMMAR

1) Inconsistent Use of Tenses which confuses the reader with regards to the sequence of events. Since it is a narrative essay recounting about past events, the Predominant Tenses to be used is Past Tenses.

2) Beginning a sentence with the word 'But' when the students should have used 'However'. Doing the former is only allowed in informal writing and direct speeches.

Mechanics

3) Many students are not clear what punctuations to use in direct speeches.

4) Capitalization - A handful of students use small letters for beginning letters for names.

5) Many students use contractions such as "doesn't", "couldn't" and "wouldn't" in sentences. In formal writing we should spell in full such as "do not", "could not" and "would not".

VOCABULARY

6) Using the word 'guy' which is informal instead of 'man' or 'boy'.

Content

7) Conclusion - Does not tie in the storyline. A good conclusion is linked back to the topic by narrating the lesson the character has learnt with regards to caving in to temptation.

Examples of good conclusions are:

- "Jim realised that his temptation to steal caused him to get into trouble and worry his parents and made a promise to himself to think through the consequences before taking any action." (Nanthini - 3N1)

- "Tom realised that temptation had driven him to glue-sniffing before and promised himself that it would never happen agai. He told himself that he would think twice before doing something he is doubtful about. He does not want to go through the same ordeal again." (Joanna - 3N1)

8) Plot is not fully developed. For example:

"She was tempted to steal. She forged her boss's signature".

What the writer should have done is to describe the character's dilemma and how she felt and thought when she was considering to steal.

9) A lot of 'telling' and very little 'showing' and 'describing'.

For example:

"He is handsome."

"She was angry."

How to Write Good Conclusions for Argumentative and Expository Essays (For Sec 5N2)

2009-02-12T23:48:00.001-08:00

7 Wonders of the World - Assignment for Sec 2E2 and 2E3

2009-02-06T00:16:00.000-08:00

Part A
Choose a wonder of the world that you and your partner/members like best. The 'wonder' that you choose can come from any category. Include the following details (as much as you can) in your presentation:

1) When was it created?
2) Where was it created?
2) Why was it created?
3) Who initiated it?
4) How was it created?
4) What material was used? What was special about it?
5) What was unique about its physical appearance?
6) What is the interesting story behind it? Why is it mysterious?
7) Why did your team choose it as a favourite?

Part B
Choose a potential wonder of the world that might be appreciated by people living in the 22nd Century. Include the following details (as much as you can)in your presentation:

1) When was it created?
2) Where was it created?
2) Why was it created?
3) Who initiated it?
4) How was it created?
4) What material was used? What was special about it?
5) What was unique about its physical appearance?
6) What is the interesting story behind it?
7) Why would people living in the 22nd Century find it mysterious? What would they be thinking about when they discover it?
8) What category will you include it in? (Be creative!:-))
7) Why did your team choose this out of all the other great inventions and creations in the millennium? Why does it deserve such honour and recognition?

Presentation
- You can either type or write it out.
- Minimum paper size is A4 and maximum is A3.
- Ideas can be expressed in continuous or concept map form.
- Since I intend to display your work in the classroom for sharing purposes, please make it as presentable as possible.
- I might choose some groups to give an oral presentation of their work. So, be prepared. :-)

Further Instructions
- Complete this assignment either in pairs or threes.
- Deadline is next Friday, 13.2.2009.
- Language used : i)Part A (Predominantly Past Tenses)
ii)Part B (Predominantly Present Tenses, particularly Future
Tense)
iii) Adjectives

Objectives of the assignment:
- To encourage students to explore their inquisitive mind and do a mini-research about a wonder of the world.
- To encourage students to be creative, think creatively and express their views persuasively.
- To apply appropriate language (for example, Past Tenses, Present Tenses and Adjectives) relevant to the context.
- To train students to work well with others and learn to resolve differences amicably and diplomatically.

Criteria
1) Originality

2) Attractiveness

3) Spelling and Grammar

4) Use of Graphics

5) Convincing Argument

At any time, please approach me should you have any queries. All the best, kids! :-)

Simple Plan - Save You

2009-01-28T01:04:00.000-08:00

"Save You"

Take a breath
I pull myself together
Just another step till I reach the door
You'll never know the way it tears me up inside to see you
I wish that I could tell you something
To take it all away

Sometimes I wish I could save you
And there're so many things that I want you to know
I won't give up till it's over
If it takes you forever I want you to know

When I hear your voice
Its drowning in a whisper
It's just skin and bones
There's nothing left to take
And no matter what I do I can't make you feel better
If only I could find the answer
To help me understand

Sometimes I wish I could save you
And there're so many things that I want you to know
I wont give up till it's over
If it takes you forever I want you to know

That if you fall, stumble down
I'll pick you up off the ground
If you lose faith in you
I'll give you strength to pull through
Tell me you won't give up cause I'll be waiting if you fall
Oh you know I'll be there for you

(Ahahaha)
If only I could find the answer
To take it all away

Sometimes i wish i could save you
And there're so many things that I want you to know
I wont give up till it's over
If it takes you forever I want you to know
(Oh)
I wish I could save you
I want you to know
(Ohohh)
I wish I could save you (oh)

Vocabulary Quiz for Sec 2E2, 2E3, 3N1 and 5N1

2009-01-22T01:50:00.000-08:00

Let's consolidate and assess your understanding on all the new expressions you have learnt these few weeks by having a Vocabulary Quiz. :-) Here's the schedule:
Sec 2E2 and 2E3 - Friday, 30th Jan 2009
Sec 3N1 - Friday, 30th Jan 2009
Sec 5N1 - Wednesday, 28th Jan 2009.

A list of words will be extracted from the following topics:

Sec 2E2 and 2E3

1) Start school later and let children sleep longer (Journal Writing 1)
2) ‘Waiting’ (From More Than Words 2)
3) ‘Actions’ (From More Than Words 2)

Sec 3N1

1) Start school later and let children sleep longer (Journal Writing 1)
2) When Clothes Help Make The War (Exam Practice 3 - Comprehension 1)
3) The same or different? (Journal Writing 2)

Sec 5N2

1) Start school later and let children sleep longer (Journal Writing 1)
2) Titanic (TYS, Comprehension 1)
3) The same or different? (Journal Writing 2)

EL Related Matter - Pronunciation - Stress

2009-01-18T23:44:00.000-08:00

Video shown during Secondary 5's SRP (first group) today. :-) This video explains which word in a sentence to stress on to create rhythm and expression. Keywords are 'content words', 'function words' and of course 'stress'. Explanations are clear, easy to follow and most importantly, not much preparation is needed on the teacher's part ;-p. To ensure active listening, I prepared a fill-in-the-blank mind map for the students.

Vocabulary - Denotation Vs Connotation

2009-01-16T23:46:00.000-08:00

Sandi's 3E1 - My Grandparent/s

2008-09-25T11:49:00.000-07:00

When I was young, I lived in Yishun together with my parents and maternal grandparents. However, my grandmother passed away when I was three, thus I do not have any impression of her. Ah gong, my grandfather who retired soon after my mother gave birth to me, spends a lot of fun and quality time with me and that has made me very close to him.

Ah gong taught me plenty of life lessons; he will correct me whenever I do something wrong and reward me when I do something right. When I was much younger, we always went for a stroll in the evenings. I would follow Ah gong to meet his friends at the coffeeshop. To make me happy he always treated me to a bowl of yummy iced desserts which my mother would definitely have disapproved as I was asthmatic but Ah gong always shrugged it off by saying that a little bit of something we fancy once in a while might do us good.

Occasionally, would also take me for a breathtaking ride on his well-polished green and black motorbike. Whenever he rejected my request to bring me for a ride, I would sulk like a spoilt child and ignored him. Being a soft-hearted man, he would relent and drop his motorbike keys in front of me to challenge me to grab it before he did.

“If you could grab the key before I do, I will take you for a ride,” he said with a hearty laugh.

Being young, my reaction was faster than his and I always managed to catch hold of it first. Ah gong always followed up on his words and I gleefully hopped on to his bike.

Things changed when I turned five. My parents said that we had to move to a new apartment in Sengkang and Ah gong was not going to move with us. I was also upset with Ah gong for not stopping my parents from moving to a place far away from him. I felt that Ah gong didn’t really treasure me.

Again, behaving like a spoilt brat, I decided to not talk to him anymore. In fact, I pushed him away when he tried to hug me on the day I was moving to my new flat in Sengkang.

Three months later, when I was waiting for my mother to fetch me from my kindergarten, I saw Ah gong. I was elated and wanted to hug him close. However, my pride stopped me from doing that.

As we walked to my flat together, I noticed that Ah gong looked bony. I assumed that he missed me too much. “Serve him right for not making me stay!” I thought as I threw my heavy bag to him. Ah gong jerked a little and then he walked behind me slowly. There was an awkward silence. I turned back and looked at Ah gong’s angular face.

“Ah gong, is there something wrong? Don’t you want me by your side anymore? Why didn’t you stop mummy and daddy from moving out?” I asked.

“I love you. I do not have many days left to spend time with you. I didn’t stop your parents from moving out because they wanted to send you to a good school. Also, I want to spend my last few days in my own home and that’s why I didn’t move in to Sengkang with you and your mummy and daddy,” Ah gong said while looking at me sorrowfully.

Ah gong also told me that he had lung cancer. At that time, I did not know what the illness was all about but what I knew was that it took a toll on Ah gong’s health. He became weaker and weaker and soon became bed ridden.

It was hard for me to accept it as Ah gong had always been fit. I also felt remorseful for being selfish and not put myself in Ah gong’s shoes.

I skipped school for so many days as my mum and dad stayed over at his place to look after him on the last few days of his life. Ah gong and I became close like how we used to be. The only difference was that, Ah gong could not bring me to the coffeshop and go on a motorbike ride anymore. Instead, I spent my time keeping him company on his bed and did little things for him like bringing him a glass of water and massaging his legs.

In a way, I am glad that I managed to rekindle our closeness before he heaved his last breath or I would live with more regrets.

Participant’s name: Sandi Tan (AISS-Sec 3E1-2008)

Shamini's 3E1 - My Grandparent/s

2008-09-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

To My Grandfather

I really want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking good care of me since the time I was born. When I was five years old, you were the one who introduced me to the outside world; bringing me to the playground every evening, taking care of me while I played joyfully.

You carried me on your shoulders and taught me how to play on the monkey bar, which gave me the confident to swing from one bar to another on my own. Not forgetting, you were the one who taught me how to cycle. Even though I was a bit slow at learning it, you had the patience to guide me. You rewarded me with twenty cents each time I managed to ride successfully to Chong Pang.

You also spent spoilt me with toys. You sacrificed your free time to accompany my sister and I to Yishun Swimming complex. I really enjoyed the swimming lessons that were taught by you. If not because of you, I would have not been able to overcome my fear of the water.

When I was seven years old, you bought me a pet chick. Out of folly, I accidentally killed it on the first day that I got it by squeezing it hard with my little fingers! Instead of scolding me, you bought me another pet which was easier to take care of, which was hamster, And it didn’t stop there. You have also bought me other pets such as birds and rabbits. I know you did this because you wanted to share your passion in animals with me. You are the reason which makes me love animals.

You will always be treasured in my life. There are too many things that I might not have the opportunity to learn if it is not because of you. You have enriched me with so many wonderful and meaningful experiences, which my parents did not have the time for as they were busy working.

Although I am a grown up girl of fifteen now and you have aged so much, you still buy breakfast for my family and cycle all the way to my house to deliver it. You do this out of unconditional love.

I want to thank you for your never failing love and care for me.

Love
Shamini
Your first grandchild.

Written by: Shamini
AISS-3E1 - 2008

Arun's 3E1- Why we should not download songs, movies, games or other materials from the

2008-09-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

‘Hope is nature’s veil to hide truth’s nakedness’ – Alfred Joseph. Many of us ‘hope’ that we would not be caught for illegal downloading despite knowing the high consequences. However, deep in our hearts, we do realise that illegal downloading is against the law and to download a material from the internet illegally is also highly risky. This essay will let you know the legal consequences and moral issue of illegal downloading.

Firstly, many of us have pursued the hobby of downloading materials from the internet. However, we have not realised or perhaps deny to realise that this is direct violation of the copyright law. Not surprisingly, the biggest violators of copyright laws are students. Those who have lawsuits brought against them are shocked to say the least. Many have questioned why they were not warned about the perils of downloading. However, with the rise of claims and the number of news reports reporting about such cases, no one can claim ignorance for long.

Many owners are fighting tooth and nail and are demanding restitution for illegally downloaded materials. But the question is that why are owners of those materials taking illegal downloading so seriously? The answer is simple. Illegal downloading cracks the owner’s rice bowl. The owner publishes the material on the net, so as when net surfers legally download those materials, the owner earns money. That might be the owner’s only source of income. But when we download those materials illegally, the owner does not earn much money that it might eventually drive his family and himself to the streets.

Illegal downloading might seem to be cool - but it actually means that you are simply stealing somebody else’s effort and time. The owner might have spent money, time and effort in publishing the material – but we simply download those materials for free. You steal the owner’s time, money. Effort and drive his family and him to the streets while you enjoy the illegally downloaded material. How much more injustice can you do to the owner? Illegal downloading is not much different from walking into a video store and putting DVDs and CDs into your pocket.

Currently, illegal downloading might seem to be an issue on the tip of the iceberg, but we must realise that it will not take long for the iceberg to melt and cause a disaster! If we every one realises that it is a great injustice to the owner and against the law, stopping illegal downloading, which is known to be getting blood out of stone might be possible. Movies, music and games are meant to be enjoyed, but there is a proper way in getting them. Be careful! You definitely would not want to be caught violating the copyright law!

Written by : Arun
Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School
English Language
Essay Writing – 3E1 (2008)