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1

Road Safety

Why think of road safety at all? It is because of the accidents that occur everyday on the road,

in which all sorts of vehicles and human beings and even animal are involved. These

accidents mean loss of life and loss of property and more often than not obstruction to traffic.

In this age of speed and fast moving vehicles and with the congestion on roads, these

accidents have became almost an everyday affair. So unless everybody is educated on the

importance of road safety, the loss and the sorry spectacles cannot be avoided.

revention is better than cure. This holds good even in the matter of road accidents. !ccidents

are due to many causes and may occur under different circumstances. The simplest but at the

same time dangerous perhaps is people slipping down on the road caused by an orange or a banana peel. Without meaning any harm, "uite innocently a person may throw away the

orange peel or the banana skin on the road or the sidewalk. When a person, walking briskly,

steps on, it he or she will slip down ending in fracture of bones and sometimes even more

dangerous than that. So people must take care they do not throw the pealings on the road but

should deposit them in a dust#bin. In some countries the offenders are severely punished. The

second cause of accident is due to careless crossing in busy roads. While crossing one must

look to the right and left for moving vehicles and then cross.

Where there are $ebra crossings on the road for the pedestrians to cross, one should cross

along them. %ne should keep to the margin of the road while walking and the vehicles must

keep to their lanes in busy streets.

In the case of accidents involving vehicles there are many causes. %ne is trying to overtake

and very often taking risk. !nother is wrong &udgment in crossing. Sometimes it may be not

caring for the signals. In crowded streets accidents may take place in a snap second because

one does not care for the signal. 'Stop, look and go' is the best precept( it will save vehicles

from accidents. )ut where one takes a foolish step, the result is the inevitable accident. *ay

riding may be another cause. Riding two or three abreast is always dangerous. +specially one

must be aware of this. Scooter riders become victims of road accidents. )ut if they &ust wear

the helmet as re"uired by law they could easily avoid fracture and hence death.

ery often the cause of accidents is the failure of the brake system which means the owner ofthe vehicle does not bother to keep the machine in good condition. )y attending to the vehicle

regularly a lot of miseries could be avoided.

Road safety is a matter of education in which the school can play a significant role. Through

scouting, Red -ross and social education classes, children can be taught the importance of

observing the rules of the road. -hildren must be taught their limbs and lives are very

valuable and they must not take risk, especially when leaving the school. !s soon as the bell

goes children rush out and accidents do happen. nder the circumstances the teachers must

feel it their duty to regulate the traffic near the school. The police can cooperate with the

school in this respect.



2

To make the people road conscious, the mass media can play a useful role. The newspaper, the

wall poster and the cinema and now the T come in handy. Shots in the cinema or T

emphasi/ing the importance of road safety can be highlighted. There may be speeches over

the radio by the police officials. 0uring peak hours in crowded areas, the police may direct

the traffic and ask people to keep to their lanes.

The young and the reckless

Who or what make up for the highest number of road accidents on the roads ? What are the

contributory factors and what can be done to reduce road accidents ?

Statistics compiled by the Royal 1alaysian olice revealed that the highest rate of deaths and

accidents are among those aged 23 and 45 followed closely by those between 43 and 65.

Together, they made up for 57.58 of deaths on the roads. The statistics covered the period of

three years from 499: to 4993.

The ma&ority of road accidents involved young adult motorcyclists. 1otorcycles are

considered to be the most dangerous form of transport. It is often described as an unprotectedmode of transport. ;oung motorcyclists are therefore the most vulnerable on the roads.

<urthermore, it is also regarded as a relatively "uicker and cheaper way of getting around. It

takes an average of 69 to 65 minutes to get from one point to another in the =lang alley. In

terms of cost, motorcyclists spend less than R127.99 a week. )esides, there is no need to pay

toll, an added bonus and savings.

)esides the factor of the motorcycle itself, there is the young blood factor to be considered.

They speed. They beat red lights. They overtake and performindiscriminate lane change. They

perform stunts on the roads. They get thrills from being macho and dare devils.

It is a common tendency for the young throughout the world to underestimate their road craft.

They think their refle> actions are "uicker and their driving skills are better than most.

Some younger people think they are invincible. They think nothing will happen to them. It

can happen to others but not to them. -ompared to the older people, the young are reckless,

impulsive, fearless and immature.

!nother interesting aspect to note is that although there is a tendency for young road users

between 23 to 65 to show high#risk behavior, they also make up a high number of road users.

aturally there is a higher representation of them in the overall statistics.

!nother factor that is often ignored is the machine itself. The vehicles may not be road

worthy, being poorly maintained or of inferior "uality. ! further consideration is road and

weather conditions, "uite beyond the control of mere mortals.

The introduction of a new driving curriculum by the Road Transport 0epartment to include

defensive driving skills may help reduce accidents and bring about a breed of mature youngdrivers by year end @499AB.

Wikipedia defines defensive driving as a form of training for motor vehicle drivers that goes

beyond the mastery of the rules of the road and the basic mechanics of driving. It aims to

reduce the risk of accidents by anticipating dangerous situations despite adverse conditions or

the mistakes of others. Cearners learn a variety of general rules as well as the practice of

specific driving techni"ues. 0efensive driving skills are available for both motorists and

motorcyclists. It is hoped that defensive driving courses can help wipe out the fallacy that you

are king of the road, you rule the road once you are behind the wheel.

%verall, 1alaysian road users do lack basic road courtesy. -hanging the attitude and the

mindset may go a long way towards reducing fatal road accidents.



3

Success

!sk anyone young or old what he wants to achieve in his life. The answer is most likely

DsuccessE. +veryone wants to reach what he or she aims for. +veryone wants to be recogni/ed

for his or her talent or efforts, to win over others or overcome circumstances to attain this

precious thing called success. nfortunately, some may focus so much on success, that they

do not care how they get it.

To me, success is not something I want so badly that I would want to achieve itby hook or bycrook . Some people desire success so badly that they use "uestionable means to achieve it. If

I were to do that, I would lose my integrityand self#respect in the end.

If success were to be my top priority in life, I might neglect other aspects of life that are

important. <ocusing too much on achieving success would make me overly competitive. I

would become insensitive to othersE feelings and not even regard people as people but only as

a means to my reaching my goal. I will lose peopleEs friendship and respect which would

leave me lonely and unhappy.

If I allow success to be all#important to me, failure to achieve it will affect me deeply. It

would not be easy to deal with disappointment and dejection. Since my days and hours areconcentrated on achieving success in what I want, there would be a great sense of emptiness if

I do not achieve it. This is another reason why it is unwise to be too preoccupied with success.

I believe that success is not something we should think about too much. Rather, success is

something that comes naturally when we do our best in whatever we do. If we do our best and

fail, we still feel good

about ourselves. We then learn from our mistakes and try again. !nd that is how success will

come to us. I doubt we can avoid it when we try our best and use our past e>perience to help

us make better decisions.

Fence, my idea of success is that it should not be our main focus in life. We should not make

it so important that we do not care how we achieve it. We should not focus on it so much that

we forget other

by hook or by crook in any way necessary whether right or wrong

integrity moral uprightness

dejection feeling of unhappiness and disappointment



4

Tomorrow

Tomorrow. What crosses your mind when you think of tomorrow? Some people think of the

future literally as the ne>t day. To others, it means the unknown. To me, it signifies hope. Cet

me tell you a story.

+very day, on the way to and from school I pass by a childrenEs hospital. %ne morning, as I

was hurrying to school, I noticed a child staring out of a small window on the first floor. The

ne>t minute I tripped and sprawled on the ground. !s I slowly pulled myself up and dusted

myself off, I looked up again and saw the child laughing. In spite of my situation, I was

pleased to have made someone laugh. I bowed as though I were a performer. The child

clapped and waved at me. !s I stepped closer, I saw that the girlEs head was bald, a sign that

she was a cancer patient. I "uickly waved one last time to her before hobblingoff towards the

school.

The ne>t morning and the ne>t, I looked out for the little girl and waved to her, doing a little

&ig &ust to make her laugh. I thought about her and wondered what her life must be like.

ETomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, -reeps in this petty pace from day to day.E Those

lines from a Shakespearean poem I had learnt in school came to my mind. Was that how thechild lived from day to day?

I felt the urge to visit the child. I went to the hospital and looked for the room facing the road.

I found the little girl. She was thin and pale. When she saw me, her eyes widened with

recognition and she welcomed me with a shy smile. I talked to her a bit and learnt her name,

Suki. The nurse who saw me talking to her later told me that Suki was a leukemia patient. Fer

navy officer father was a widower and was on duty outside the country. The nurse encouraged

me to visit Suki so that she would not be so lonesome. !s I was leaving, Suki called to me,

DTomorrow?E I understood and said, E;es, tomorrow.E

!fter that, I popped in to visit Suki after school every day. We played card games, Scrabbleand read together. +ven though, Suki was only ten, I found that I could get along with her

very well. I was not visiting her out of pity. I really looked forward to her company. !t the

end of each visit, she always asked, DTomorrow?E and my reply was always, E;es, tomorrow.E

Two months later, Suki told me the good news. She was well enough to be discharged from

hospital. %n the day that was scheduled for her father to take her home, I visited her one last

time. She gave me an envelope and said that it contained her email address. I promised to

write. !fter Suki left, I opened the envelope. It was a short letter. Suki thanked me and told

me how my answer to her "uestion ETomorrow?E had given her hope from day to day. She

believed that she recovered because of this. !t the end of the letter, she wrote DTomorrow?E

followed by her email address. I smiled and said to myself, E;es, Suki, tomorrow.E



5

sprawled lying spread out in an untidy way

hobbling walking with difficulty

popped in went somewhere "uickly for a short time

Memories

It is cold under the blanket. I am resting on a bed, I know. It is totally dark. Why? There is

nothing to do. I am left with &ust my thoughts and memories.

I remember when <ather came home with a big bo>. 0aniel and I were so e>cited as we

watched him open the bo>. Fe took out colorful bits and pieces which he assembled into a

ride#on car. 0aniel and I fought to be first to try it out. )eing the older and stronger one, Iwon. I sat down and pushed with my feet and the car rolled forward. I remember laughing

with delight while 0aniel wailed. %ur father made sure 0aniel had his turn. It was our

favorite toy for two years and the cause of many "uarrels too.

0aniel. I wonder where he is, my brother who is &ust a year younger than I am. When we were

in primary school, <ather bought us bicycles. We learnt to ride the bicycles "uickly. 0anielEs

sense of balance was not good so he fell off his bicycle twice as often as I did. I remember the

day when we could go cycling in the park together. 0aniel was steady enough but he did not

like to go too fast as he could not stop properly. Sometimes I would race ahead and then

double back to let him catch up. It was fun for both of us.

%ur old bicycles are still in our backyard. I have not used mine in the past two years. ot

since I got my motorcycle. I remember the day I became the owner of this powerful machine.

It was my seventeenth

birthday. <ather took me to the motorcycle shop to pick the model I wanted. It was the most

e>citing day of my life. I became independent. I could go anywhere I wanted. 0aniel was

envious but did not fuss because I startedferrying him wherever he needed to go after I got

my license.

I remember when 0aniel turned seventeen and became bolder. Fe wanted his own motorcycle

but he had to prove to <ather that he was not afraid to ride on his own first, so he practiced on

my motorcycle. I watched him like a hawk, afraid that he would damage my precious

possession or in&ure himself. I remember the day we rode to the park for him to practice. The

ground was wet after a shower. I watched him from the pavement. I remember ... my phone

ringing ...I was taking it out of my pocket ...I heard 0anielEs voice screaming, EI canEt stopGE.. .I

looked up ... and 0aniel was heading straight at me on the motorcycle.

I cannot hear anything now. o, wait, I think I can hear someone weeping. It sounds like

0aniel or <ather. I try to call out to him but my body will not respond. Fow long have I been

here? ! long time, it seems. There is nothing to do, but to sift through my memories again.



6

assembled to fit together the separate parts of something like a toy

ferrying taking someone from one place to another

sift to e>amine carefully

Happiness

The shiny big car stopped beside !hmidEs stall. ! man dressed in designer clothes and

shoes got out and ordered a bowl of cendol . !hmid e>pertly shaved some ice into a plastic bowl and poured syrup and coconut milk over it. Fe handed it to the customer with a cheerful

smile and thanked him for the payment. !fter finishing the dessert, the man asked !hmid,

EFowEs business?E !hmid replied that business was slow because it was the rainy season. EThen

why are you so happy?E asked the man.

With a wide smile, !hmid said, DIEm happy because IEm alive and well.E

E)ut you might earn very little money today. Fow can you smile like that?E

!hmidEs smile widened, EItEs all right. When I think of my family waiting for me, IEm happy.E

The rich man replied sadly, EI wish I could find happiness like you.E With a sigh, he got into

his car and drove away.

Cike the rich man, everyone seems to be searching for happiness. They try to find it through

their achievements, material possessions, friends and entertainment. Some look for it by

taking drugs and getting involved in crime. )ut truly, the secret to happiness lies in

the cendol sellerEs reply.

If you en&oy each moment and each day as it comes, you will be happy. <ocus on the present.

The past is over, so do not dwell on what might have been. Tomorrow is yet to be so there is

no point worrying

ahead of time. ;ou are alive. )e thankful and en&oy the day. Smile often.

!hmid the cendol seller did not have much money but he was contented with what he had. If

he compared himself to his customer who dressed so well and drove a lu>ury car, he would be

unhappy. So another secret to happiness is not to make money your goal in life if you want

happiness. Those who think that having more money will make them happy will find that

money is never enough. They look at what they have and they desire more. They focus all

their time and energy in gathering wealth and they never en&oy what they have. Fow can they

be happy then?

The other secret to happiness !hmid shared with his customer is to treasure relationships.



7

=nowing that you are important to someone will make you feel happy. ;ou should invest time

to build and strengthen relationships with family members and close friends if you want

happiness. If you neglect the people in your life, you will end up sad and lonely even if you

were to become a great success.

Fappiness is not as difficult to find as some people think. !ll you need to do is to be thankful

for and to en&oy the present, to avoid making money the top priority in life, and to treasure

relationships.

designer clothes and shoes

clothes and shoes that have the logo or label of a well#

known fashion designer

dwell on think a lot about something it would be better to forget

contented satisfied



8

Colors

Imagine a world without colors. If you see only shades of grey around you, wouldnEt you find

it dull and boring? Would it make you feel gloomy and that everything is ugly and

uninteresting? I am "uite certain you would say yes to all these "uestions. We humans love

colors.

We love colors because colors make our world beautiful. !ll things on earth have their own

colors and hues. +ven things of the same type may have many shades and colors. <lowers, for

e>ample, come in many colors. Roses come in a variety of colors such as white, yellow, red,

pink, orange and even blue. The sky changes in color depending on the time and the season.

The contrast between the colors of things makes the world more visually interesting. 1anlearnt from nature, and so the things that man make come in a variety of colors too. <or

e>ample, mobile phones today come with a selection of colored covers so that users can

choose the color they like best. They can also change the color of the phone whenever they

wish.

-olors can also convey meanings. Red is the color of blood. So it traditionally signals danger.

That is why danger signs are always red. Fowever, red also represents energy and passion or

love. ;ellow is the color of sunshine so yellow signifies happiness. Hreen is the color of

leaves and so it gives the impression of freshness, growth and safety. )lue is the color of the

sky and the sea. )lue represents calmness, wisdom and truth. )esides these four primary

colors, other colors and shades are also associated with specific meanings. Fence, colors arecarefully chosen when dressing or when coloring a design in order to convey anon-

verbal message.

-olors in fact have a strong effect on us. They can make us feel positive or negative. They can

affect our mood. They can change our feelings towards an ob&ect or place. Restaurants use

bright colors like red, yellow and orange to garnish their dishes because these colors increase

the appetite. +ach of us may find that we like certain colors more than others from young

because the colors that attract us make us feel good. %nce we recogni/e the colors that have a

positive effect on us, we should surround ourselves with those colors.

To end, we should be thankful that our world is so colorful. The variety of colors makes ourworld beautiful. The different colors are associated with certain meanings and can convey an



9

unspoken message. -olors do have the power to influence our emotions so it is essential to

recogni/e which colors affect us positively.

hues shades of color

associated connected to

non-verbal without words

My goal in life



10

! man who has no goal is like a ship without a rudder, so says Thomas -arlyle, a Scottish

author. I agree. +veryone needs to have a goal in life. Faving a goal gives us a purpose and

focus in life. To set that goal, I asked myself what I want to do for myself, my family, and my

country. <inally, I have arrived at the answer. I want to make the world a better place by

giving off my time, my talent and my wealth.

There are many things in the world that need fi>ing. There are people dying of hunger. There

are people without homes. %ur rivers are being poisoned. Hlobal warming has made world

climates go haywire. Some countries are on the brink of war. This is only the beginning of

the list. Is there anything an ordinary person like me can do? ;es. I can contribute my time by

&oining organi/ations that champion worthy causes. Whatever I become in the future, I will

make sure I spend a portion of my time to volunteer for a cause.

To make the world a better place does not mean I have to be a king or a president. I can still

achieve my goal by using my talent to highlight things that need changing. I have a flair for

photography. I will use my skill to capture pictures that will send a powerful message to theworld to do something, to help, to change, or to correct. ! picture paints a thousand words.

1y photographs will promote awareness of issues and problems that need peopleEs attention.

)y creating this awareness, some of the problems may be solved.

I will work hard to gain wealth but not for wealthEs sake. I am confident that I will do well

because of my determination and perseverance. The reality is that funding is important in any

effort to solve the problems facing the world. ot only will I work at raising funds for worthy

causes but I will contribute a portion of my wealth to support efforts to make life better for

others less fortunate than I.

Faving this goal in life makes one thing clear to me. I will not live not only for myself but for

others. I must do my best in everything I do from now on starting with my studies. If I am

going to make the world

a better place, I have to work hard. I am a ship with a rudder and hard work is going to get me

to my destination.

go haywire become disorderly

on the brink almost in a very new, dangerous or e>citing situation

flair natural ability

What does it mean to love



11

+verybody wants be loved. +very child, woman and man longs for love. =nowing that

someone in the world loves you gives meaning to life, gives you strength to face troubles,

warms your heart and makes you feel you can achieve anything. )eing loved is important.

+"ually important is knowing what it means to love.

If you love someone, you would be willing to make sacrifices for that person. ;ou would

always put that person first. Take for e>ample a parentEs love for a child. ! loving mother

would make certain that the child is given the best even if it means that she has to sacrifice her

own needs and wishes. ! child would be willing to sacrifice a &ob with good prospects in

order to stay near his parents and take care of them in their old age. Willingness to sacrifice

time, money, effort and personal dreams is an indication of true love.

If you love someone, you would believe in him or her. +ven if everyone else doubts your

loved one, you would still have confidence in your beloved. <or instance, the world may look

down on a child who has learning difficulties but his parents would continue to believe that he

will improve. They would encourage their child and help him to achieve his full potential.%ne good e>ample of such a case is the mother of !lbert +instein. !lbertEs schoolteacher said

he would never succeed in life because he is a slow learner. )ut !lbertEs mother did not stop

believing in her son. She took him out of school and taught him at home. -an you imagine

what would have happened if !lbertEs mother had listened to people and stopped believing in

her son?

If you love someone, you would be loyal to that person. ;ou would not speak badly of your

beloved. ;ou would not turn against him or her &ust because he or she made a mistake or hurt

you. In fact, you would defend and protect your beloved. ;ou would not allow your loved one

to be hurt by othersE words and criticism. ;ou would stick by your loved one even if the whole

world were to abandon him or her.

Cove is a funny thing. It is wonderful to be loved and it is even more wonderful to love

someone. If you have not truly loved someone before, your life would be incomplete. CoveEs

reward is happiness.

make sacrifices give up something important for someone

prospects chances of future success

indication sign

!eauty



12

D)eauty is only skin deepE it is said. This means that a personEs appearance is not as important

as his character. ;et it is strange why people and especially women are willing to spend a

fortune on making themselves more attractive physically. The cosmetics and skincare industry

is a multi#billion dollar business. This is true across the world. The reason can only be one,

and it is that beauty has its advantages.

!ttractive people are more popular generally. )eauty draws a positive response from

the beholder. This is obvious with children. <or e>ample, based on observation, there is a

tendency for adults to treat good#looking children better. This favorable treatment continues

into adulthood, as attractive people are more likely to be chosen for leadership positions and

given more opportunities. )eing well#treated gives attractive people more confidence and

they perform better. It is found that tall, slim and handsome or beautiful people get promoted

more easily and get better paid too.

!nother important benefit that good#looking people en&oy is that they find a husband or wife

more easily. It is a fact that people are first attracted to outward appearance. This initialattraction may then develop into romantic feelings and a serious relationship if the couple find

that they are compatible with each other. )eauty, then, attracts more suitors, leading to more

choices for a life partner.

%n the other hand, beauty has a number of disadvantages as well. <irstly, a good#looking

person tends to attract unwanted attention from all kinds of people. The admirer may have bad

intentions and cause problems for the target. There is also unwanted attention in the form of

&ealous peers. !nother problem faced by good#looking people is that they may not be taken

seriously. It is thought that beauty and brains do not go together. Fence, attractive people may

not command respect even when they deserve it because of this prejudiceagainst them.

)esides, good#looking people may rely too much on outward beauty and neglect character

building. Cife for them has always been easy, so they may not learn to be independent and

strong.

While every individual should take care of their outward appearance and look their best, they

should not neglect their inner beauty or character. They should not place such importance on

beauty that they become proud and arrogant, forgetting that physical beauty is indeed, only

skin deep and will not last.

beholder person looking at you

compatible suit each other, have similar ideas and interests

prejudice

a dislike of a person, group or custom especially when it is

based on their race, religion and gender

My ideal life partner



13

I am only seventeen. I doubt I will need to think about marriage in the near future. Fowever,

that does not mean I have not thought about the person I would like to marry one day. The

person whom I think is fit to be my life partner would have some very important "ualities.

<irstly, he would be faithful and loyal to me. ! person who is faithful is trustworthy anddependable. Fe will not cheat on his loved ones. Fe will be protective, and he will not do

anything that will make his partner feel insecure. This is very important in a relationship. !

wife must be able to have full confidence in her husband or else she would become suspicious

and &ealous. ! marriage cannot survive under such circumstances. Fence, faithfulness is an

essential "uality in a husband.

!lmost as important as faithfulness is patience. 1y ideal husband would be very patient. Fe

would not lose his temper if I kept him waiting for an hour. If I cannot keep up with him, he

will slow down for my sake. If I were to lose my cool, he would remain calm. This is an

important trait because I am an impatient person. If both of us were impatient types, we would

end up "uarrelling all the tune. !n impatient man is rude and inconsiderate and I would not beable to respect him, much less be attracted to him.

1y ideal husband would have a good sense of humor. eople with a good sense of humor are

fun to be around. They do not look at life so seriously nor do they get weighed down by

troubles. Instead, they have a positive outlook on life. They are able to laugh at themselves

and they are sporting. I love being with jovial people like that. So the man I would want to

marry would be able to see the funny side of things. Fe would be able to comfort me when I

am feeling down and make me laugh.

In a nutshell, the three "ualities of faithfulness, patience and having a good sense of humor

are essential for a relationship to last. Too often, young ladies are attracted to good looks and

great wealth. hysical

beauty will not last and wealth can be lost. It is the three "ualities described here that will help

us weather the storms in life. I am not sure if my ideal man e>ists but I hope he is

somewhere on this earth and that we will meet one day.

lose my cool become upset and angry

jovial &olly



14

My favorite day of the week

+veryone looks forward to the weekend. %n Saturdays and Sundays, there is no school and

people do not have to go to school or go to work. %f the two days, I love Saturdays better.

Saturdays are magical days, full of promise from the moment you open your eyes in themorning and reali/e that there is no reason to rush. ;ou have the lu>ury of la/ing in bed a bit

longer, and even snoo/ing

for another hour. %r you can &ump out of bed and get started on a day of total freedom.

)asically, it is a day where you get to choose what to do, unless you are one of those

unfortunate souls whose weekends are packed from dawn to dusk with activities ranging from

tuition to archery lessons. <ortunately, my parents are not fanatical about achievements so I

get to spend the day as I wish. 1ost of the time, I would decide how to fill the hours only

after I wake up. 1y decision is largely dependent on my mood. It is not all play though. I

would spend a couple of hours on household chores to help my mother out. !fter that, I would

&ust recline on the sofa and read, or lie on my bed and listen to music.

I love Saturdays also because that is the day I get to meet up with my friends who are not

from the same school. They would be my primary schoolmates and childhood friends.

sually, we would do some window shopping and then go to a mamak stall to have tea and

chat. It is because we are able to meet on Saturdays that our friendship remains strong. Since

we are all from different schools, it is fun to share about school life. This is something I look

forward to every week.

Saturdays are better than Sundays for me because it is also a family day for us. %n Sundays,

we have to visit our grandparents or visit relatives which can be a little boring for me. )ut

Saturdays are reservedfor &ust my family. We go to the supermarket together to shop for groceries. 1other makes a

point of cooking dinner for us on Saturdays because she gets home too late on weekdays to

cook a full meal. Sitting together for a meal is a special time for us to catch up with one

another. )esides, motherEs cooking is far better than any restaurant food, and she goes out of

her way to make us our favorite dishes. It is something that makes my Saturdays so much

more special.

There is no doubt that my favorite day of the week is Saturday. It is a day that is free of stress

and allows me to do anything I wish. It is a day for meeting up with friends and it is a day

when my family gets to spend some precious time together.

fanatical overly fi>ed on something

recline lie down

goes out of her way makes e>tra effort



15

Write story ending with " # $$$ They never e%pected to be so richly rewarded$&

0er Cun followed his mother to the market as usual. It was a chore he en&oyed because the

market was such a vibrant place. There was always something interesting to see.

That day, 0er Cun caught sight of a middle#aged man with unkempt hair and old clothes. Fewas a beggar. Fe held out a wooden bowl and passers#by dropped in coins. 0er CunEs mother

put a small coin into the bowl as she passed him by. Fis eyes followed the mother and son as

they set off for home. !s 0er Cun and his mother turned into the narrow path that led to their

house, he suddenly reali/ed that the beggar was following them. 0er Cun told his mother

about it. !larmed, she "uickened her steps and as soon as they got inside their house, she

locked it. 0er Cun peered out the window and saw the beggar sitting on the ground near the

gate. Why did the beggar follow them? 0er Cun wished he knew.

!fter a couple of hours, 0er CunEs mother became concerned for the poor beggar. Fe had not

moved from his spot. She gathered up her courage and went to ask the beggar to leave. )ut

the beggar merely looked at her with a gentle smile. Worried that he would fall ill with nofood and water, she sent 0er Cun to give him a bowl of rice and vegetables and some tea. The

beggar ate and drank. Then he lay down

under a tree to sleep. 0er CunEs mother was at a loss as to what else to do. She was &ust a poor

widow with a young son. Since the beggar refused to leave, she and 0er Cun built a little

shelter for him. Fe seemed content with whatever they gave him.

! week passed and one day, 0er Cun found the beggar gone. 0er Cun and his mother

searched for him but he was nowhere to be found. ot long after that, a car stopped outside

0er CunEs house and two well#dressed men got out. 0er Cun and his mother wondered who

they were. The men introduced themselves as lawyers representing a 1r -heong. They

e>plained that 1r -heong wanted to repay 0er Cun and his mother for taking care of him. 1r

-heong was a millionaire who had once been homeless. ow that he was rich, he liked to

look for deserving people to help. Fe would disguise himself as a beggar and when he met

someone who was kind to him, he would give that person a sum of money.

The sum of money 1r -heong gave to 0er CunEs mother was enough to make their life more

comfortable and to give 0er Cun a university education. 0er Cun and his mother could not

believe their good fortune. They treated the beggar well out of compassion. They never

e>pected to be so richly rewarded.

unkempt uncombed and untidy

at a loss pu//led

disguise to change oneEs appearance so as to hide oneEs identity



16

Write story ending with " # $$$ They winked at each other secretly$#

The twins rubbed their hands with glee as they thought of the surprise they were planning for

1otherEs 0ay. Fow pleased and proud 1other would be when they brought her breakfast in

bed. They planned to make <rench toast and chicken porridge. They had watched their mother

in the kitchen. There was nothing to it. *enna and *eff knew e>actly what to do.

The big day dawned at last. The alarm rang at 3 a.m. The pair crept down the stairs to the

kitchen. They decided to boil the porridge first. They put some rice into a pot of water and left

it to boil while they made the <rench toast. *eff broke two eggs into a plate and added in some

milk. *enna found the bread and put two slices into the egg mi>ture. e>t, *eff turned on the

second stove burner to heat up the frying pan. +verything was going smoothly until *eff

started frying the bread. The pan was too hot and the bread turned black within minutes. *enna

threw the burnt piece into the sink and put in the other slice of bread. This time, she turned

down the fire so it cooked nicely.

Then *eff noticed the pot cover starting to move. The ne>t minute, the porridge boiled overand put out the fire. *enna panicked. Thankfully, *eff stayed calm and turned off the gas. )ut

the stove was a mess now. *enna told *eff to wipe up the sticky stuff so they could continue to

cook the rest of the porridge. )ut *effEs hand touched the hot burner and he gave a yelp of

pain. *enna made him put his hand under the tap. Then she caught the smell of burning. %h

dearG The piece of bread in the pan had turned black as well.

!s the twins looked around them in dismay, their father appeared in the doorway. %ne look

and he knew what they were up to. Seeing their crestfallenfaces, he told them to clean up the

kitchen while he helped them make breakfast for 1other. The twins cheered up and did as

told. Within an hour, the kitchen was cleaned, and <ather had made some egg sandwiches and

cooked some oat porridge. Then he sneaked back to bed. The twins prepared the breakfast

tray, adding a card they had made, and then carried the tray upstairs to their parentsE bedroom.

The twins woke their mother up by hugging her and yelling EFappy 1otherEs 0ay, darling

1ummyGE 1other hugged the twins. Fer eyes widened at the sight of the breakfast tray. She

shook <ather who was pretending to snore. Fe feignedastonishment when he saw the

breakfast. 1other bit into a sandwich and said it was the best she had ever tasted. *eff

immediately wanted to have a bite. *enna caught her fatherEs eye and they winked at each

other secretly.

dismay

worried, sad feeling when things donEt turn out the way you

want them to

crestfallen downhearted

feigned pretended to feel



17

Write a story ending with #My first day at school was truly unforgettable#

I am really dumb. I have never thought that about myself, but after what I have &ust done, no

other description fits. Fow could I have messed up my first day at the school, my first &ob, socompletely ?

*ust half an hour ago, the sun was shining, the birds were singing. I stood by the side of the

hall to help keep an eye on the ;ear %ne pupils. Fow can helping teachers to fetch and carry

and keeping an eye on such cute seven#year#old children be difficult? I could see "uivering

lips and some tears rolling down fat cheeks. I would think the doting parents standing outside

the hall, trying to control their feelings as their beloved children trotted into their classes,

would be the real problem.

The morning passed swiftly. !ll I had to do was to bring the pupils to the toilet a couple of

times. Then the bell rang for recess for the ;ear %ne pupils. ! teacher and I led the little onesto the canteen. !fter every child had settled down to their meal, I moved to the back of the

canteen. Suddenly, a half#eaten sandwich went hurtling across a table. It went smack on to a

boy. <ace red with anger, he hurled his bun across. It hit another boy. ! war was declared. It

waspandemonium.

The food went flying. The boys screamed. The parents shrieked. The teachers yelled. There

was utter chaos. The principal came running. 1r. Tan ducked as a blob came in his direction.

Fe slipped on the mess and knocked into the two cleaners who came running to the scene

with their brooms, mops and pails. I could not control myself. I laughed and laughed. +ven

when 1r. Tan was sitting on the floor glaring at me, I laughed so hard that tears rolled down

my cheeks.

%f course, I was punished. I was told to clean up all the mess. <irst, I had to help disperse the

children who were sniveling and bawling. !fter that, I had to clean up the canteen. The reason

given was the two cleaners were in&ured in the fall. There was food splattered on the walls, the

ceilings and the floor. I only finished scraping every bit of mess at 3.99 p.m. <inally, the

principal was waiting for me. DIEm afraid you donEt have to come back tomorrow. ;ou did not

supervise the children sufficiently, causing distress to all.E ! letter of immediate dismissal was

then given to me.

1y back was aching. 1y hands were stiff with all the detergent I had to use. 1y head wasspinning. I was traumati/ed by all the mess, some of which was still stuck to my hands and

legs. 1y first day at the school was truly unforgettable.

doting showing that you love someone so much

pandemonium

a situation in which there is a lot of noise and confusion

because people are e>cited, angry, or frightened

disperse to spread across or move away over a large area



18

Write a story based on the line #'f only she had listened to me$#

EThe air is so polluted. 1oreover, you have &ust recovered from that dreadfulfever. 1ake sure

you stay at home.

E;es, added Hrandmother. EWeEll &ust hop out for a minute. ;our aunt and uncle are feeling

poorly. !nd your young cousins are critically ill. ItEs an epidemic that we are having.

EThe scorching heat is unbearable, warned 1other. EStay home. ItEs cooler. %beyGE frowned

1other as she glared at her youngest daughter.

E0onEt do this. 0onEt do that. 0onEt go there. 0onEt go out. I am suffocated in this dark damp

corner. I can scream !nd scream she did.

EWhatEs the row?E asked Fermit as he popped his head into the room.

DIEm so bored. ThereEs nothing to do.

DWell, young girls are not supposed to be gallivanting around. ;ou are supposed to stay home

and..

D%ne more word and IEll shriekGE screeched *eanie.

DleaseG +noughGE Fermit was heading off when *eanie ran after him.

DFeyG Where are you going? Take me with you. ETo the city, of course.

DI want to go. I have been like a prisoner in the house. !ll because of a little fever. I am

suffocated by all the constraints and the dos and donEts and ..

D+noughG +noughG Stop whining.E

DI heard so much of the new development in the neighborhood # the gigantic new factory that

has &ust been opened. -ould you ..

Do. SorryG IEm not going there. !nyway, your mum would kill me if I were to take youanywhere near there. )ye. )e good.E

*eanie screamed until her voice came out in a croak. Fowever, she was determined to have

her way. She walked as fast as her short legs could carry her. Cooking left and right, she

trotted towards the direction of the spewing smoke.

It was sweltering. )ut her eyes glistened e>citedly when she caught sight of the towering

chimneys and then the factory itself. *eanie went further down the road, keeping to the grass

verge. She was determined to go and have a look at the factory as her family members had

forbade her to do so. DThis will show them not to treat me like an infantGE she thought to

herself.



19

)efore long she could feel herself getting dehydrated. Fer skin seemed so hot, as though it

was on fire. *ean started panting. Hasping for breath, *eanie felt faint and lost consciousness.

It was evening when *eanie was found. EThere are so few of us black#eyed litter frogs left.

!nother tragedy. We will be e>tinct soon, sighed Hranddad wearily.

EIf only she had listened to me, sobbed 1other. EI repeatedly warned her contaminants enter

our body easily. The pesticides and pollution will kill us. Fumans destroy us.

dreadful very bad, shocking

gallivanting

en&oying yourself and not worrying about other things you

should be doing

sweltering e>tremely and uncomfortably hot



20

( blessing in disguise

1y fists were clenched. Furt and angry, I glared at my mother. She whispered softly, EThis is

the best chance for an education, 0ear. )ehave yourself.E I did, not because of my mother or

any need for studying or the threat that I might have to be fostered out like my two younger

siblings. It was the promise of food in my stomach that stopped me from fleeing the Fouse of

Sunlight.

1y father had died of a heart attack two years ago. The once comfortable life that we ## my

two younger sisters and I ## had became a thing of the past. 1y mother barely made enough as

a cleaner to pay the bills left behind by my father and to put food on the table. Then, her

diabetes worsened and she had to go on dialysis.

I was accepted into the welfare home. I hated it. It was a torture having to live with eight

others in a dormitory. There was absolutely no privacy. 1y space was invaded by seven

strangers who seemed oblivious that I needed to be alone. 1y motherEs words EHet an

education and we will have a chance to be a family again. ;ou are our only hopeE kept me

from shattering the early months.

I detested the rigid and structured hours. We all had to be up by 5.99 am. rayers, cleaning,

washing. %ff to school. Then back to the prison. rayers, washing, preparation for school,

e>ercise, cleaning the compound. rayers, cleaning, more study time. It was a nightmare.

%ne day, feeling especially sorry for myself, I huddled in my corner and refused to help clean

the compound. !fter a while, my dormitory mate, Ceela, gave me a shove and arms akimbo,

muttered, EStop wallowing in self#pity.E

When I refused to answer her, she reminded me of all we have learnt at the Fouse of Sunlight.

Faving to do things on our own has taught us to be independent. Why, we would survive

anywhere. DWhere else, *oey, could we get free tuition, free clothes, free accommodation, free

lessons in life, free...E

E<ood, I smiled.

Ceela is right. The Fouse of Sunlight has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I have learnt

the value of discipline and education. It is indeed a house of hope for me.

a blessing in disguise

something that seems bad or unlucky at first, but results in

something good happening later

oblivious

not conscious of something, especially what is happening

around you

huddled to hold your arms and legs close to your body



21

)escribe a frightening e%perience in your life

It was one of those days, humid and sweltering. I looked behind me, there were dark

menacing#looking clouds and a stillness that preceded a storm. I looked at the swirling leaves

on the roads and in the gutters and "uickened my step home. Rain fell in big fat drops.

When I ran into the house, the wind was rattling the window frames and battering the roof.

!s I hastened to close the windows, I shivered at the sound of the howling wind. Suddenly,

there was a loud crash. I &umped with fright as the front windowpanes were shattered. Rain

lashed in. I "uickly pushed the furniture ne>t to the window to the other corner of the room.

!cross the street, I saw rain coming down like a great sheet and flinging itself upon the town.

I stood dumbstruck and looked out at the street. Water was rising so fast and poured out ofthe drains into the street. -ars broke down and stalled, and, honking and hooting went on

without stopping. ! massive traffic &am would build up in &ust minutes.

)efore I could close my ears to the ceaseless noise, there came a great din. The giant tembusu

tree in front of my house had snapped. !nother flash of lightning showed the angsana trees by

the side of the street were uprooted. I was speechless with terror.

I raced upstairs to my room. It was in the nick of time. Thunder roared and lightning flashed

and there was an outage. E%h noGE I wailed as I huddled under the blanket in total darkness,

trembling with fear and cold, and waited for my parents to get home. I always had a horror of

storms and this one showed atureEs wrath.

!s abruptly as it began, the freak storm ended. I crept out of bed and looked out of the

window. The sight left me as shattered as the landscape. )ranches and tree trunks were

scattered to the left and right of the streets. There were giant craters where the trees were

wrenched whole from the sidewalks.

The whole scene reminded me of one of those disaster movies. It would take all of us forever

to clear the streets, the debris and the trees. It had been a most frightening e>perience.

rattling cause something to make a noise like a series of knocks

dumbstruck so shocked that you cannot speak

in the nick of time at the last possible moment



22

Write a story beginning with" #' could hear footsteps following me$$$#

I could hear footsteps following me. I stopped and turned to see who it was. The dim street

lamp did not allow me to see far and it looked like I was alone. I could not hear anything other

than my heart thudding away. Was it my imagination?

I was returning home after a late music lesson. 1y parents were attending a neighborhood

watch meeting so I had to get home on my own. The distance from my music teacherEs house

to my home was &ust

599 meters. The street was darker than I had e>pected but I was not very worried about the

short walk home. I was busy thinking about my upcoming music e>am when I became aware

that I was being followed.

I continued on my way, alert for any sound. There it was again, the sound of someone walking

behind me. <ear gripped me and I hurried on. 1y house was &ust around the corner. I decided

to run. To my horror, whoever was following me began to run too. I glanced behind me and

saw a dark figure catching up with me. The ne>t instant, I ran into a dustbin by the road and

fell flat on my front. I felt a hand grip my arm and I screamed in panic. The hand released my

arm and I pushed myself off the ground, getting ready to run again. I found myself looking at

a startled young lady dressed in a dark tracksuit.

e>t moment, there was a rush of footsteps and someone calling my name. To my

astonishment, my parents appeared together with a few people I recogni/ed as our neighbors.

The young lady who looked an>ious at first now seemed as relieved as me. We were

all shepherded to our house which was &ust two doors away. !s my mother put ointment on

the bruises on my arms and legs, I was asked to e>plain why I ran away from *agdeesh, the

young lady. !fter listening to me, *agdeesh laughed. She told us that she was new to the

neighborhood. She had gone &ogging that evening. %n the way home, she was walking behind

me when she heard footsteps followingher and she decided to run when she saw me run. It

turned out that what she had heard was the neighborhood watch grouppatrolling the street.

When I fell, she went to help me up, which unfortunately led to my screaming out in fear.

The night ended with us having supper together. Indeed, it was a strange introduction to the

neighborhood for *agdeesh. Fowever, after that, we became firm friends.

thudding beating hard

shepherded guided

patrolling

going around an area or a building at regular times to check

that it is safe and there is no trouble



23

Write a story beginning with " &The old man turned away sadly $$$&

The old man turned away sadly as his eyes filled with tears. oor 1r 0ev, thought Indra

sympathetically. !nother day went past and there was still no sign of his family. Indra

wondered how children could be so heartless as to abandon a parent like this.

Indra recalled the day the old man was admitted to her ward. Fe was thin and frail. Fe could

not produce his identity card but he could remember the number. The hospital tried to contact

his family using the phone number he gave them but it was in vain. Fe was treated for a lung

infection and was now recovering. Soon, it would be time for him to be discharged. Where

would he go then? Fe did not look strong enough to fend for himself. Indra threw down the

file she was holding as anger rose within her.

DWhatEs the matter?E asked oh, IndraEs colleague.

DIEm &ust upset about old 1r 0ev,E she replied. oh nodded with understanding. She had been a

nurse much longer than Indra. She had seen many cases of abandoned old people and she had

learned to control her feelings.

E0onEt worry too much, the hospital will contact the welfare department. 1r 0ev will be

placed in an old folksE home,E oh said, and patted IndraEs arm comfortingly.

Indra sighed. EI know. ItEs &ust that the old chap really longs for his family to visit him. Fe

cleans and tidies himself every morning and sits up to wait e>pectantly. ;ou can see theeagerness in his eyes whenever the door opens. !t the end of the day, he goes to sleep with

tears in his eyes. It makes me cry inside.E

oh shook her head sadly. DFe needs a miracle.E

Two days later, the doctor confirmed that 1r 0ev was fit enough to be discharged. Indra was

informed that the welfare officer would come to take 1r 0ev to an old folksE home the ne>t

day. With a heavy heart, Indra helped 1r 0ev to get ready. Fe was still a bit weak, so she

put him in a wheelchair to take him down to the hospital lobby where the welfare officer was

waiting. Fer eyes were misty when she saw how sad the old man looked as they got into the

lift. The lift doors opened at the ground level and she pushed the wheelchair out carefully.

E!ppaGE a voice cried out. ! middle#aged woman rushed forward and embraced the old man in

the wheelchair. )oth of them began to weep. India smiled through her tears. It was the miracle

she had prayed for.

Indra left the scene of the reunion and went to look for the welfare officer. She was eager to

tell him the DbadE news that his trip to collect 1r 0ev was a wasted one.



24

in vain without success

discharged allowed to leave the hospital

with a heavy heart sadly

Write story beginning with " #!y morning* (fi+ knew what he had to do $$$#

)y morning, !fi" knew what he had to do. Fe had not slept a wink but had sat in the

verandah all night thinking. Fe stretched his stiff body and went back to his room. Fis brother

!ffin was still asleep.

It was Saturday and there was no school. !fi"Es mother asked him to run some errands for her.

%n his way out, he glanced at his motorcycle which was parked at the side of the house. Therewas no hiding the broken front lamp and the dent and scratches on the side. !fi/ s+uared his

shoulders and went to complete his errands.

It was late morning before !fi" was free to carry out his plan. Fe marched down the road to

Than Fa&i %smanEs house. When he arrived and called out the customary greeting, Fa&&ah

!niya appeared at the

doorway and greeted him warmly. She invited him in and served him tea and some cakes.

!fi" nervously asked to speak to Tuan Fa&i %sman. She told him that Tuan Fa&i was out but

would be home very soon. Sure enough, the elderly man returned in ten minutes.

!fi" cleared his throat a few times while his host waited patiently. <inally, he blurted out thathe had come to own up. EIEm so sorry. I was careless yesterday and knocked into your parked

car in front of the post office,E !fi" said.

Tuan Fa&i %sman looked at the 2A#year#old youth, surprised. ESo, you are saying that you are

the culprit who dented my car and then ran away?E

!fi" went red. Fe nodded. EIEm sorry for not telling you earlier. I was too frightened.E

The elderly man smiled and said, E)ut youEre not too frightened to confess now?E

!fi" said uncertainly, EI could not sleep last night thinking about it. I knew I had to do the

right thing.E

Tuan Fa&i %sman was silent for a minute before saying in a kind voice, D;ou think that it is

the right thing to cover up for your brother?E

!fi" went pale. DI ...I...you know the truth?E he stammered.

Tuan Fa&i %sman smiled, D;es, !ffin told me himself &ust half an hour ago.E

The elderly man e>plained that !ffn had met him at the tea stall and told him everything, howhe had ridden his elder brotherEs motorcycle without permission and lost control of it,



25

resulting in the minor accident that dented Tuan Fa&i %smanEs new car.

!fi" now looked beseechingly at his host, DWill my brother be arrested?E

E!h, I see, you are trying to protect your brother. o, I will not be reporting the accident. ItEs &ust a small dent.E Seeing !fi"Es relieved e>pression, he went on, DFowever, I hope that your

brother will learn from this. !s for you, remember that it is unwise to hide the truth.E

!fi" thanked Tuan Fa&i %sman for his kindness and then set off home happily. Fe was glad

the truth was known. Fis brotherEs courage in making a clean breast of everything made him

happy and proud. Fe knew he could look forward to a good nightEs sleep.

had not slept a wink had not slept at all

s+uared his shoulders

made his back and shoulders straight to show you are ready

or determined

making a clean breast of admitting to wrongdoing



26

Write a story ending with " #$$$ We shook hands and became friends$#

The house ne>t door had been empty for more than a year. Then one day, workmen arrived

and started to clean and paint the place. 1y siblings and I were curious about who would be

moving in.

We did not have long to wait. ! week after the house was spruced up, a lorry arrived. Wewatched with interest as the movers carried the furniture into the house. The furniture looked

e>pensive. %ur new

neighbours must be wealthy people. Fowever, it never occurred to us four children that rich

people may not be interested in befriending us. %ur house badly needed a new coat of paint.

We were clean and tidy # most of the time # but our clothes were clearly old and worn. <ather

drove an old car that we could hear coming down the road long before it was in sight. We

were simple, ordinary people.

When the new occupants arrived in a big and shiny car, we jostled one another to get a good

look at them from our bedroom window. 1other had forbidden us from hanging around our

gate. She said ournew neighbours needed privacy, whatever that was. ! beautifully dressed lady got out of the

car. To our delight, we saw a boy and a girl about our age following her into the house. They

did not look e>cited to move into their new home though. That did not deter us from wanting

to get to know them.

The ne>t evening, we were playing hide#and#seek in the garden when we spotted the boy and

the girl watching us. 1y siblings and I went to the fence that separated our gardens. 1y eldest

brother =ian called to the pair. They looked at us unsmilingly. Their mother appeared ne>t,

took one look at us and shooed the two into the house. We were disappointed to have

such snooty neighbours. We decided to leave them alone after that.

It was two weeks later that we heard screams coming from ne>t door late one night. <ather

picked up a stick and ran over to the house. 1an followed suit. They found the boy and the

girl weeping beside their mother who was lying at the bottom of the staircase where she had

fallen. She was unconscious. <ather called for an ambulance which arrived within minutes

and took the patient to the hospital. <ather brought the children back to our house. 1other fed

them some hot soup to calm their nerves. The children, whose names were in and ora, told

us that they had &ust returned from Indonesia. Their father was still there. <ather helped them

to contact their father who assured them he would catch a plane and &oin them as soon as

possible.

in and ora stayed the night with us. 1y sister and I had to give up our room to them but we



27

did not mind. )efore they went to bed, we shook hands and became friends.

spruced up to make neat and attractive

jostled pushed and elbowed to get into position

snooty snobbish or proud

Write a story ending with " #$$ ' wished ' had not got out of bed that morning$#

It was a day that began like any other day. If it had not, I would have stayed in bed and the

rest of the day would not have happened.

I reached school at the usual time. The first lesson was in the science laboratory. 1r =annan,

our chemistry teacher, marched in and e>plained about the e>periment we were to carry out.

1y partner Ru +m and I set to work. Falfway through, we noticed a couple of mos"uitoes

flying around us. This was the first time we noticed insects in the lab. %ne of the mos"uitoes

landed on my arm. Instinctively, Ru +m smacked my arm hard to kill it. It made me drop the

bottle of ammonia I was holding. The bottle broke and the pungent smell of the ammonia

spread all around us, making us choke. +veryone dashed out of the lab coughing and gagging.

The lab assistant had to clean up the mess. 1r =annan was "uite angry at our carelessness. Fe

gave the entire class demerit points. Ru +rn and I wished the ground would open up and

swallow us. To make matters worse, we had to suffer the killer looks directed at us the rest of

the day.

)y recess, I was beginning to forget the unpleasant incident and was &ust en&oying my food.

Then the boy ne>t to me stumbled as he was getting up and spilled his bowl of leftover curry

noodles all over me. I picked bits of noodles and beansprouts off my clothes while he

apologi/ed over and over. I went to the toilet and tried to wash the curry out of my clothes and

my hair. The bright orange stain refused to come off my white shirt and the smell was still

"uite strong. The only consolation was that I could change into my sports clothes.

With the two disasters keeping me preoccupied, I almost forgot about the inter#house

basketball semi#final in the afternoon. We played against Red Fouse which was a strongopponent. We were neck and neck right till the final minute and then the golden opportunity

to win was given to my team because of a foul. +veryone watched eagerly as I took the free

throw. !s the ball flew towards the hoop, I held my breath. The ball hit the metal ring and

bounced away. Red house yelled with &oy as my team groaned. It could not be happening, I

thought. Fow could I have missed? )ut I did. 1y team membersE disappointment was

unbearable to me. That was the final straw.

I slunk home as "uickly as I could. I avoided my family members, got cleaned up and went

straight to bed. I wished I had not got out of bed that morning.



28

pungent having a strong smell

neck and neck even or very close in a competition

slunk to move without wanting to be noticed out of fear or shame

Write a story beginning with " #The whole class burst out laughing $$$#

The whole class burst out laughing as 1ohi rushed into the classroom. Fe was a strange sight.

Fis half#buttoned white shirt revealed a red striped py&ama top underneath, and instead of

white school shoes, he had on a pair of bright green sandals that were two si/es too big. The

physics teacherEs hand fro/e in the middle of writing a formula on the blackboard.

1ohi mumbled, Sorry, teacher,E and scuttled to his seat. 1r Tan glared at the rest of the

students. The chuckles "uickly subsided. 1ohiEs classmates always looked forward to

1ondays. ine times out of ten, they would be entertained by 1ohiEs late arrival and his odd

appearance which usually included inappropriate clothing. That day, it was the py&ama top

and the green sandals.

1ohi lived &ust a street away from the school. Fe walked to school daily. Students passing by

in buses would yell his name in unison &ust to see him &ump and stop in his tracks. When he

spotted the merry bunch in the bus, he would wave good#naturedly. !lthough 1ohi was

likeable, he was too lost in his own thoughts to make friends. Fis classmates found him

amusing but they ignored him most of the time. %nly Famed, who sat ne>t to 1ohi, tried to

be his friend.

The following 1onday, 1ohi did not turn up at school. Fis classmates were a little

disappointed but "uickly forgot about him. !fter school, Famed decided to walk over to

1ohiEs house to check on him. !s he approached the gate, he could hear violin music. 1ohi

must be listening to music, he thought. The gate was not locked. Famed let himself in. Fecalled 1ohiEs name a few times but there was no response. The music played on. Famed

peered in through a window. Fis eyes widened in surprise. In the middle of the living room,

1ohi was playing the violin. Fis eyes were closed in concentration as he drew the bow over

the strings e>pertly. Fe played flawlessly, so much so that it sounded like a recording. Famed

left "uietly.

When TeacherEs 0ay came around, Famed had a plan. It was the tradition of the school to

have a concert for the teachers. +very class had to contribute an item. Famed convinced the

class to let 1ohi perform. Short of ideas, the class agreed. %n the day of the concert, both the

teachers and students were surprised to see the schoolEs clumsiest student walking on stage

with a violin. When he started to play, the audience fell silent. *aws dropped. !s the last note

ended, there was a moment of silence. Then the audience erupted into thunderous applause.



29

1ohi became a sensation and had many fans in his final year of school.

Today, 1ohi and Famed are the best of friends. 1ohi is on a scholarship pursuing music in

!ustria. Some days, he still arrives to class wearing an inside#out shirt or a pair of

mismatched shoes.

subsided became less loud

stop in his tracks stop moving suddenly

flawlessly without a mistake, perfectly

The pros and cons of watching television

%ne topic that has always been controversial is whether television is good or bad for us. 1any

parents have condemned television as being nothing more than an Didiot bo>E, while others

have spoken much about the benefits of television. I believe that the truth lies somewhere in

between. While watching television does have many benefits, it also has some drawbacks.

The main benefit of watching television is that it enables us to learn new things. rograms

such as ational Heographic supply us with a lot of information about nature, history, culture

and science, while others, like -, provide us with news of what is happening around the

world. Watching drama series is actually "uite educational too as it shows us human behavior,

the effects of common social problems such as family breakups, alcoholism and racialdiscrimination and how to deal with such issues. )esides educational value, television also

provides us with entertainment right in our homes. It is a convenient and an ine>pensive way

to spend some of our leisure time.

!lthough television can be beneficial, watching television also has its drawbacks. %ne of

these drawbacks is that watching television makes us less healthy if we spend too many hours

on it. While watching television, most people are sitting down or otherwise rela>ing.

<urthermore, people tend to snack when they watch television. The lack of e>ercise and

additional calories from unhealthy snacks can lead to weight gain and even obesity.

!nother problem with television is that not all the programs are good for the viewers and

especially young viewers. Some of the modern shows portraynegative values like selfishness,

cruelty, vanity, &ealousy, dishonesty and evenvengefulness and hatred. 0esperate Fousewives

and 1ean Hirls are two e>amples of such shows. These shows seem to say that gossiping,

taking revenge and having e>tramarital affairs are normal and acceptable. They may influence

young people who watch them to do the same. That is why parents and adults should ensure

that children only watch programs with positive values.

To conclude, watching television does have both pros and cons. It is up to us to choose what

we watch carefully and only watch in moderation, so that we may en&oy the benefits without

risking the drawbacks.



30

portray present

vengefulness the desire to harm someone who has harmed us

in moderation within reasonable limits

Having too much money is a bad thing

1ost, if not all, people would love to have a large amount of money dropped into their laps.

They say this because they feel that money can solve almost all their problems and worries.

Fowever, while it may be true that having money can take care of your basic needs like food

and a place to stay, having too much money is bad for your body and your soul.

<irstly, having too much money can lead to a deterioration of values. )ecoming rich can

make a person proud and arrogant. The rich can afford flashy cars, branded clothing, and

&ewellery. They always look well#groomed and so they become vain and proud. utting too

much value on material things makes a person shallow and uninteresting. They think highly of themselves and look down on others who struggle to make ends meet. In addition, the rich

are used to solving their problems with money and they can no longer tell right from wrong.

They begin to think that whatever they do is right. Fence, having too much money can change

your personality, destroy your moral values and make you an unlikeable person.

Secondly, being very wealthy can affect relationships. ! wealthy man will attract insincere

people who try to befriend them for personal gain. This leads to suspicion and mistrust of

others which can affect relationships with family and friends. ! rich man can end up being

"uite lonely as he does not know who his true friends are. Faving too much money can

destroy relationships and lead to loneliness. In other words, too much wealth may lead to

unhappiness.

)esides that, having too much money can lead to poor health and an early grave. We know

that the wealthy can afford to eat good food regularly. There is nothing to stop someone who

has the means from indulging in whatever he likes, be it e>otic meats or e>pensive sweets.

nless he is disciplined and health#conscious, a rich man is likely to eat too much rich food

which may harm his body. -oupled with lack of e>ercise due to his being driven everywhere

and having everything done for him, he is likely to develop some critical illnesses such as

heart problems and high blood pressure.

In conclusion, since having too much money has such serious negative effects, it is "uite

obvious that having too much money is a bad thing. evertheless, the same is true of having

too little money, which is the reason why we should aim to simply have enough, and be



31

thankful for what we have.

deterioration weakening

indulging allowing oneself the pleasure of doing something

make ends meet have enough money for oneEs needs

( frightening e%perience

It was an unusually hot day. +>hausted after football practice, I headed to the bus stop to wait

for )us 224 which would take me home. I was beginning to drift off to sleep when I saw the

bus arriving. The sun was in my eyes and that was probably the reason why I got onto )us

226.

I was glad to get a seat. Within minutes, I was slumped against the window, fast asleep. When

I opened my eyes, it was dark outside. I was the only passenger left on the bus. I could not

recogni/e the part oftown we were passing through. I pressed the bell and the bus stopped. I planned to hop across

the road and catch a bus going the opposite direction. Fowever, I found myself on a "uiet

street with a row of shops that were all shuttered. Ikicked myself for not asking the driver for

directions.

!s I was wondering what to do, a motorcycle came down the road. The rider looked at me as

he passed and then stopped a short distance away. I went to him and asked him how to get

back to Taman =lang tama. Fe smiled and nodded. Fe patted the back seat and said that he

would send me home. Without a second thought, I climbed up behind the rider. Fe turned the

motorcycle around and headed in the direction I wanted. We travelled for about 25 minutes

and the surroundings still looked unfamiliar to me. The rider made a few turns and I knew Iwas hopelessly lost. I asked him where we were going. Fe did not answer but increased his

speed. (larm bells started to ring in my head.

I tapped the man on the shoulder and told him to stop. Fe leant forward and went at high

speed now. Then he slowed down to turn into a dark and narrow road that led into an oil palm

plantation. I had had enough. I &umped off the vehicle and fell onto the ground. The man

turned around and rode towards me. I swung my school bag at him and he lost his balance and

fell off his motorcycle. Without looking back, I &ust ran and ran. When I dared to stop, I found

that I was on a properly tarred road. -ars were passing by. I was relieved to see a ta>i and

waved frantically, praying that it would stop. It did. I got in and gave the driver my house

address. I was shaking uncontrollably.



32

When my family learnt what had happened, they were horrified. 1y parents told me that I

should have &ust looked for a public phone and called home when I was lost. I knew I had

been foolish. It was a frightening e>perience which I hoped would never happen to me

again. 't#s better to be safe than sorry,

kicked myself wished I had or had not done something

alarm bells started to ring when you reali/e something is wrong

better to be safe than sorry

it is wise to be careful and protect yourself from risk rather

than to suffer afterwards

(n embarrassing e%perience

I knew this dreaded day would come sooner or later. It came too fast and there I was, in the

sterile waiting room of the dental clinic, miserable with butterflies in my stomach.

1y parents told me to sit up, stop wringing my hands and to take deep breaths to keep calm.

It worked. I was calm for maybe two seconds when I heard my name being called. I pretended

to be deaf but my mother nudged me to get up. I forced myself to step forward and promptlystumbled over a toy left lying around by some kid. 1y clumsiness got me the attention of

everyone in the room. )eing scrutini/ed by that many pairs of eyes was too much and I

scuttled towards the consultation room as fast as I could.

I had refused my parentsE offer to accompany me. I meant to show them that I was brave

enough to face the ordeal on my own. I regretted it. Thankfully, I forgot my an>iety as I

looked around the dentistEs room. Tools of different si/es were arranged neatly in a tray on the

tiny table which was connected to a chair with buttons and a light hanging right over it. I

avoided looking at my dentist in the eye as I took my spot on the chair shakily. I almost

&umped out of the seat when all of a sudden the chair moved and I was lying down facing the

bright yellow light.

The dentist spoke in a soothing voice behind her mask. +verything was going smoothly and I

was "uite proud of myself. Then disaster struck. I was picking up the cup of water placed ne>t

to the chair for patients to rinse their mouths when I caught sight of the dental drill. anic

related to a bad childhood e>perience involving the drill kicked into me and on refle>, I spat

out the rinsing water, right into the surprised dentistEs face.

I apologi/ed profusely as I tried desperately to wipe away the water with a tissue, only to

knock down the tray of instruments. The sharp instruments went flying and something that

looked like it could have poked a hole in my eye flew past centimetres from my face. The

dentist tried her best to disguise her annoyance with a very fake smile. I pulled off the tissue

napkin around my neck and bent over to pick up an instrument. Somehow, my head bumped



33

the overhead light in the process, sending it swinging directly at the dentistEs head. It knocked

her off her chair and she ended up half#conscious on the floor.

!s the dentistEs assistants went to her aid, I retreated from the room. 1y parents were standing

near the door, alarmed by the commotion. Without a word, I dragged them to the e>it. I knewthey would find it hard to believe what &ust happened. It was the most embarrassing

e>perience I ever had.

wringing pressing and twisting

ordeal a difficult e>perience

profusely in plentiful amount

( day ' wish to forget

! day I wish to forget. That would be the day when everything that could go wrong did go

wrong. It was a day that began like any other day. If it had not, I would have stayed in bed and

the rest of the day would not have happened.

I reached school at the usual time. The first lesson was in the science laboratory. 1r =anan

our chemistry teacher marched in and e>plained the e>periment we were to carry out. 1y

partner Ru +rn and I set to work. Falfway, we noticed a couple of mos"uitoes flying around

us. This was the first time we noticed insects in the lab. %ne of the mos"uitoes landed on my

arm. Instinctively, Ru +rn smacked my arm hard to kill it. It made me drop the bottle of

ammonia I was holding. The bottle broke and the pungent smell of the ammonia spread all

around us making us choke. +veryone dashed out of the lab coughing and gagging. The lab

assistant had to clean up the mess. 1r =anan was "uite angry at our carelessness. Fe gave the

entire class demerit points. Ru +rn and I wished the ground would open up and swallow us.

)ut no, we had to suffer the killer looks directed at us the rest of the day.

)y recess, I was beginning to forget the unpleasant incident and was &ust en&oying my food.

Then the boy ne>t to me stumbled as he was getting up and spilled his bowl of leftover curry

noodles all over me. I picked bits of noodles and beansprouts off my clothes while he

apologi/ed over and over. I went to the toilet and tried to wash the curry out of my clothes and

my hair. The bright orange stain refused to come off my white shirt and the smell was still

"uite strong. The only consolation was that I could change to my sports clothes.

With the two disasters keeping me preoccupied, I almost forgot about the inter#house

basketball semi#final in the afternoon. We played against Red Fouse which was a strong

opponent. We were neck to neck right till the final minute and then the golden opportunity towin was given to my team because of a foul. +veryone watched eagerly as I took the free

throw. !s the ball flew towards the hoop, I held my breath. The ball hit the metal ring and



34

bounced away. Red Fouse yelled with &oy as my team groaned. It could not be happening, I

thought. Fow could I have missed? )ut I did. 1y team membersE disappointment was

unbearable to me. That was the final straw.

I slunk home as "uickly as I could. I avoided my family members, got cleaned up and wentstraight to bed. I wanted to forget that day. I wanted to go to sleep and wake up to a new day,

hopefully a day when everything would go right.

slunk to move without wanting to be noticed out of fear of shame

killer looks looks that show strong anger

the final straw

the lat of a series of unpleasant incidents that makes you

feel you cannot take anymore

( narrow escape

! holiday in enang was an annual affair for my family. 1y parents grew up in enang and

are very fond of enang food. In 0ecember every year, we would drive up to the island to

spend three days visiting their favourite food haunts.

This year, we started our &ourney up north on a <riday morning. The drive up was punctuated

by stops at )idor town and =ampar so it took us si> hours to reach our destination. We always

stayed at one of the hotels in )atu <erringhi. The beach is &ust a short walk from the hotel

entrance and our rooms have a lovely view of the sea. We spent our first evening playing on

the beach. !fter dinner, we returned to our rooms to play monopoly. 1y parents have a rule

for our holidays which is that we were to spend time doing things together. There was to be no

T and no Internet.

The ne>t morning, we went to )ukit )endera and then spent the rest of the afternoon in town

visiting our favourite hawker stalls. !s we were having tea at a coffee shop, we overheard people talking about an earth"uake near Sumatera, an island in Indonesia. We headed back to

the hotel and then went to the beach. We took a walk along the beach, picking up seashells

along the way. Suddenly, I noticed a strange thing. The sea seemed to be retreating from the

shore. I called my father to look at the curious occurrence. 1y father took one look and went

pale. We saw a grey line in the distance moving towards the shore. It seemed to grow taller by

the second.

1y father shouted at us to run back to the hotel. Fe grabbed my hand and pulled me with him.

%ther people on the beach also began to shout and run. !s we reached the hotel lobby, we

heard a roaring sound behind us. 1y father pushed us towards the stairs. We reached the first

floor when we heard the roar of rushing water and glass breaking. I screamed when I saw

water rising &ust below us. 1y father yelled at us to keep climbing. The water level rose so



35

fast that it wet my feet as I ran the last few steps to the third floor. We stopped on the fourth

floor and looked down at the swirling water below us. It had stopped rising. !fter some

minutes, it began to drop.

We waited a long time before going downstairs. The hotel lobby was unrecogni/able. Therewas dirt and broken furniture scattered everywhere. Some people who were caught in the

tsunami were either unconscious or groaning with pain. I reali/ed then what a narrow escape

we had had.

retreating withdrawing or moving back

lobby a hall at the entrance of a building

swirling moving in a spinning motion

My hero

We had gathered at CinaEs house to watch the greatest race of the century # 1ichael helpsversus -avic in the 299#meter butterfly. It was to us the greatest event in the )ei&ing %lympics

4997 as we were all in the school swimming team, our forte # the butterfly stroke.

Falf of us were for -avic, the other half, helps. 1e # my hero of course. %ne who is

courageous, persistent, not one to cave in under pressure. )eing tall and good#looking is a

plus point of course.

ECooks like hleps will not be getting his seventh medal, I muttered to 0ayang as I chomped

on my popcorn. helps was the seventh slowest of eight swimmers.

EI told you, Ra&amoni continued happily, Ethat man is not a machine. 59 meters mark. Fow canhe...E

E)e "uiet. Cook, heEs picking upG Fe has another 59 meters more to go.

E-ome on -avic( yelled *une. D-ome on man. ;ou can do it.

ECook at helpsG Hosh, heEs pushing himself so furiouslyGE

We started shouting to encourage our heroes. 1y admiration for helps grew. Fe had not

given up. It was a race to the last. It was unbelievable. They wereabreast. The crowd in the

ational !"uatic -entre started shouting EhelpsG helpsG helpsGE



36

EhelpsG helpsGE I yelled. -avic lunged for the wall underwater. helps swung his arms and

seemed to be making a half stroke. Ehelps touched firstGE I shrieked e>citedly.

We saw both swimmers spin around and stare at the video screen. There was a minute

of palpable tension as the electronic numbers rolled. There was one second of absolutesilence at the -entre and in the room. 1y heart was racing and thumping so hard. The results

flashed across the screen.

helps had won by 9.92 second at 59.57 secondsG Fe did the impossibleG I danced round the

room, pounded the table and &umped for &oy. I screamed and screamed. What a featG Fe had

won by a hairEs breadth. ! fingertip.

That man is a machine. Cook at the breadth of his chest and the length of his arms. The

greatest of swimmers. The one without parallel. 1y hero.

cave in to agree something that you were against before

abreast

two or more people who are ne>t to each other and moving

in the same direction

palpable so obvious that it can be seen or known

)escribe the most enjoyable weekend you have e%perienced

Tina and I had a fabulous time in Terengganu last weekend. !ccommodation was free # we

stayed in a relativeEs house # and we had the sun, the sand and the sea.

TinaEs auntEs house was a stoneEs throw from the beach. The moment we reached the house,

we flung our bags down and headed for the beach.

It was spectacular. The sea seemed luminous. It was so early in the morning that there was no

one else there. The beach seemed to have been washed clean by the tide and no one had

walked on it e>cept the little crabs and the gulls.

!fter the incessant noise of the city and the overnight trip on the train, the silence was utter

bliss. +n&oying the warmth of the sun, both of us &ust sat on the sand and watched the waves

roll gently on the shore. <ar out on the distant hori/on were some fishing boats. It really was

the perfect start for the weekend. Tina waded into the shimmering blue and green sea,

&umping to avoid the foam breaking on to the shore. I ran on the wet sand, en&oying the feel of

it under my bare feet. E-oeeGE I answered the gulls and gave a cartwheel in sheer &oy.

!untie Cis was waiting for us with freshly cooked nasi dagang . The aroma welcomed us as

we stepped into the house. !fter the scrumptious brunch, !untie Cis said it was time to paint

the town red. The first stop was the =uala Terengganu market. It was fun e>ploring floor

after floor of local delicacies and crafts. There was keropok lekor that we sampled at the foodcourt. We drooled over the hand#painted batik fabric and bought colorful batik pants and T#



37

shirts. %f course !unt Cis bought packets and packets of dried fish and keropok for us to

bring home with. The wet market on the ground floor had an intriguing array of fruits and

vegetables in all shapes and colors that we had never seen before. The best part was the duku

langsat . There were mountains of them and I had never tasted such big succulent and

sweet duku langsat before. !untie Cis had to put a stop to our fruit tasting. D+noughG ;ourstomachs will burst soon. =eep some place for other local delicacies.

%ur ne>t stop was =ak ;ahEs where we sat down for plates of their famouskeropok and tea. It

was wonderful. !untie Cis had to drag us out of the shop to a batik factory. There we tried our

hands at batik painting and created our own masterpieces. We also saw songket weaving and

appreciated the fine craftsmanship.

We went home for dinner after that. !unty Cis reminded us we would celebrate +arth Four

E9J by having a barbe"ue dinner under the stars. It was truly a memorable e>perience having

dinner underneath thousands of stars, listening to the lapping of the waves and ncle ShahEs

stories of old Terengganu.

The ne>t morning we set off to the turtle hatchery near =uantan. We were beside ourselves

with e>citement when we were allowed to release little turtle hatchlings into the sea. It was an

incredible e>perience to watch the week#old hatchlings waddle into the sea. I held my breath

when a huge wave swept the little ones into the sea and whispered a prayer for their safety.

!ll too soon it was time to take the train home. %n the way home we talked and talked of our

unforgettable weekend in =uala Terengganu. We had left for =uala Terengganu e>hausted and

burnt#out. ow, we left it refreshed and filled with a "uiet &oy.

scrumptious tasting e>tremely good

paint the town red go out and en&oy oneself

drooled over

to show e>treme and sometimes silly pleasure while looking

at someone or something



38

What can you do to save the environment

The world around us is in danger. The +arth faces problems of global warming and massive

pollution. %ur rainforests are disappearing. !nimals in the rainforests are in danger of

e>tinction. So are our natural resources. Fow can one person save the environment?

There are many things that we as individuals can do to stop the destruction of the

environment. We should take green steps, that is, change our habits and lifestyles to stop

polluting and harming the world around us. !fter some contemplation, I know what I can do

to contribute towards saving our environment. I will practise the 6Rs # reduce, recycle andreuse # my dictum in life. I will not be part of the use#and#throw society.

<irstly, I can reduce consumption of paper by using handkerchiefs. This will definitely save

many trees. +very kilogram of paper I do not use can save 4.5 kg of greenhouse gases. I will

also say EoE to plastic bags. lastic is not biodegradable. Fow many times have we read from

the newspapers of fish being choked to death because of plastic bags? I will instead carry a

cloth bag with me to carry all my shopping.

!s a result, there will be less littering and pollution. 1oreover, I will add to my EoE list of

disposables, especially Styrofoam and polystyrene containers. !gain, I will go everywhere

prepared. <or my takeaways, I will bring my own tiffin carriers and containers.



39

This will definitely reduce the amount of rubbish I throw away. %f course, it can be "uite

inconvenient but Elittle drops of water make the mighty oceanE.

!nother e>ample of what I can do is to reuse. I will use paper on both sides, reuse any paper

and cards. I will creatively reuse wrapping paper, ribbons, birthday cards. +very ton of paper Ireuse will save seventeen trees.

I can also do a compost from my kitchen and garden. !ll the leftover food and garden

trimmings can form mulch and enrich the soil. %ld toothbrushes can be used for cleaning

shoes and walls and a hundred other things. To do this alone is difficult, so I will get the help

of my mother and the rest of the family.

Instead of an individual effort, it becomes a family or class effort. It is more effective this

way. <or e>ample, if I can convince my EgangE to separate paper, plastic, glass and metals for

recycling, it will really help to reduce the emission of methane. Still another e>ample is

computer recycling. !s we change our computers and other related electronic products "uite"uickly, we should send them to recycling companies that speciali/e in such work. *ust

throwing them away will cause a ma&or problem of disposal.

There seems a lot to be done. I will start today. I will get my family and my friends to

participate in +arth Four. %ne small step toward saving the environment.

dictum

a short statement, especially one e>pressing advice or a

general truth

compost

decaying plant material that is added to soil to improve its

"uality

mulch

a covering of decaying leaves that is spread over the soil in

order to keep water in it or to improve it



40

Health is more important than wealth

If you were to ask people what they needed to be happy, two of the most common answers

would be health and wealth. )oth are definitely necessary for happiness. Fowever, if you

could only have one, which is more important? It is my opinion, health wins hands down.

<irstly, health is more important than wealth because if you are physically fit, you will have a

sense of well#being. That means that you will feel happy. Wealth does not necessarily do the

same. 1any people mistakenly think that they would be happy if they had a million ringgit.

They think that having more money will solve all their problems. %n the contrary, it has been

found that being wealthy can actually rob you of your peace of mind. Rich people suffer from

more stress, an>iety, suspicion and unhappiness.

)esides that, wealth is of no use without health. To understand this, we must look at why we

gather wealth. The purpose of doing so is to be able to supply our daily needs and make

ourselves happy by spending on lu>uries. Without good health, no matter how much one

spends on material things, that person will not be able to en&oy them to the fullest. <or

e>ample, a person who is unwell would not be able to eat everything he wants to even though

he could afford to buy the most e>pensive food. ! person who is bedridden will not be able

to en&oy vacations in e>otic places even if he owned a private plane. Therefore, health is more

important than wealth as wealth is useless without health.

!nother point in favour of health is that if you were healthy, you would be able to gain

wealth. The reverse is not possible. If a person is healthy, he would be able to find work or



41

carry out investments that could eventually make him wealthy. Fowever, for a person who is

wealthy but ill, even the best medical care that money can buy may not guarantee the return of

that personEs health. This fact alone is sufficient to support the view that wealth is less

important than health.

In a nutshell, health is indeed more important than wealth for the reasons e>plained above. %f

course, the ideal situation would be to have both health and wealth. )ut if you had to choose,

pick the one that gives you the greatest amount of happiness.

wins hands down wins easily

bedridden unable to leave oneEs bed because of illness

reverse the other way around

Should school uniforms be banned

%ne of the many complaints students in our country have about school is having to wear

uniforms. Some parents share this view, and thus have campaigned for school uniforms to be

banned. Fowever, I disagree, as school uniforms serve many useful purposes that make them

an important part of our education system.

%ne reason why school uniforms should not be banned is because they

preventdiscrimination and bullying based on economic status. Without uniforms, the rich

would dress better than the poorer studentsmaking the difference in their economic status clear. This could lead to discrimination. It

would encourage undesirable attitudes such as pride and arrogance, envy and &ealousy, and

also bullying. niforms help make all students appear e"ual.

)esides this, school uniforms help schools avoid the problem of inappropriatedressing.

1odern fashions include clothing that is revealing. Such clothing is unsuitable for a school

environment. It would be difficult for the school authorities to enforce rules of dressing

without school uniforms. +ven in countries where dress codes are enforced in the place of

school uniforms, such as the S!, teachers face many problems with students wearing

inappropriate clothing to school. School uniforms are the best solution to this problem, and

thus should not be banned.



42

! section of people argue that school uniforms make the school boring due to lack of variety.

Fowever this is not a good argument. When there is too much variety, it can lead

to distraction. ot only will students be spending too much time decking themselves out for

school every day but they will also be distracted by what their friends wear. This will take

their attention away from what is important, that is, their studies. Therefore, having schooluniforms would be beneficial to studentsE performance in school, as it would enable them to

better focus their attention on studying.

To conclude, school uniforms should not be banned as they serve a number of important

functions in schools. Fowever, given the fact that they are an additional cost to studentsE

families, care should be taken

that the purchase and upkeep of uniforms is not an undue burden to less fortunate students.

discrimination unfair treatment of people

inappropriate not suitable

distraction lack of attention

laying electronic games is a waste of time

+lectronic games include video games and computer games that are played on special devices

like the well#known laystation or a computer. Hames like !ngry )irds and highly detailed

simulations such as 1odern Warfare are very popular with youngsters. Some of these games

are so entertaining that even adults play for hours on end. Fence, many people view

electronic games negatively and claim that they are a waste of time. Fowever, I think that

electronic games are not a complete waste of time.

<irstly, electronic games actually help develop some important skills from fine motor skills to

critical thinking skills. Fave you seen how good children are at manipulating the controls on

their keyboards and game consoles? Research has shown that playing these games improves

hand#eye coordination. %n top of that, many of the electronic games are mentally challenging.

They re"uire "uick thinking to resolve problems, and clever strategi/ing to win against other

players or the computer itself. laying these games therefore has intellectual benefits.

Secondly, playing the right kind of computer and video games can be educational. It improves

the playersE skills and knowledge in various sub&ects. laying a game that is based on

historical events leads to the player learning dates and names without even reali/ing it. There

are many simulation games involving role playing that allow the player to gain some



43

valuable e>perience in handling real life and work situations. <or e>ample, there are games

where the player runs a restaurant or a hospital. This sort of activity helps enrich knowledge

and skills. Fence, playing electronic games is certainly not a waste of time.

Thirdly, everyone needs some form of entertainment for rela>ation. laying electronic gamesis &ust another form of recreation which helps the players relieve stress. It is similar to playing

a board game or cooking. The time spent is rewarded with a sense of well#being. In fact, it is a

cheap and convenient way to keep oneself entertained. layers can choose to play on their

own or play with friends. They can play in their own homes so no e>tra cost for transportation

or rental of space or e"uipment is necessary.

%n the other hand, it cannot be denied that electronic games can be addictive leading to

players spending too much time playing and neglecting their work, studies and relationships.

Too much time spent on anything is not good. There are some games which teach negative

values such as violence and dishonesty. laying such games would be a waste of time. layers

need to choose games that have educational value so that the time they spend on those games benefits them.

In conclusion, playing electronic games has many benefits and so, cannot be regarded as a

waste of time. Fowever, to benefit from playing such games, one must be disciplined and not

spend too much time on this pastime as well as pick games that have educational value.

for hours on end for many hours or a long time

fine motor skills ability to use the small muscles especially on the handtogether with the eyes

simulation imitation of the real situation

Sports should be compulsory in school

hysical education and sports activities are part and parcel of the 1alaysian school

curriculum. Fowever, sports is not compulsory for all students. ormally, only students who

are e>ceptionally good in certain sports will receive training and participate in competitions.

In my opinion, sports should be made compulsory in school because participation in sports

activities has many benefits for students.

The first thing that comes to most peopleEs minds when they hear the word EsportsE is e>ercise.

Sports provides students with e>ercise that leads to good physical health. ! recent news report

said that obesity among 1alaysians is on the rise. It is commonly known that the best way to

avoid becoming obese is to e>ercise regularly. evertheless, there are some students who do

not like e>ercising. <or this group, making sports mandatory in schools would be an ideal way

of making sure that they get the e>ercise needed to stay healthy.

)esides improving physical health, participating in sports also teaches students important soft

skills and values. Ceadership skills, discipline and perseverance can all be learnt through

sports. Teamwork is also a valuable thing to learn through sports. In team sports such asfootball, basketball or volleyball, players must learn to work together and cooperate with one



44

another in order to succeed. These important

lessons that can be learnt through sports lead to the well#rounded development of children and

teenagers.

%n the other hand, some people feel that making sports compulsory in school would lead tosome negative conse"uences. Sports is mostly about competition. This might make youngsters

focus too much on winning and become overly competitive. Fowever, in my opinion, this

provides a good opportunity for young people to be taught how to compete in a fair and

honest manner. They should also be taught that it is not winning but trying oneEs best that

matters. +>periencing healthy competition in school will help prepare young people for the

working world which is a competitive place after all.

In conclusion, sports has many benefits for students. Taking part in sports promotes good

health, develops soft skills encourages good values and prepares young people for the

competitive environment they will face when they leave school. Fence, it only makes sense to

make sports compulsory in school.

part and parcel of an important part of

compulsory must be done by rule

soft skills good "ualities that are not related to knowledge

The chief forms of leisure in your community

I live in a kampung near 1ersing on the east coast of *ohor. There are some very beautiful

beaches. The people in the kampung are very friendly and closely knit.

I would like to tell you about our favorite pastime, kite flying. In fact, the whole communityloves kite flying. 1y father used to take part in international kite flying contests. =ite flying is

purely for fun nowadays.

We make everything from scratch. The whole family is involved and it is the work of the

men in the family. sually one of us together with our neighbors will get together to make the

EwauE. We first start with the frame. It is made of a special bamboo. !fter the bamboo is cut

into lengths carefully, the strips are tied into position. 1y &ob is usually to help my brothers

cut out and paste the paper. When we have pasted the third layer of paper, we will usually

compare our kites with the others in the neighborhood. We love ak !buEs decorations and

ornaments of mythical birds.

Then it is time to fly the kites. +veryone would gather along the beach or the football field in



45

front of the community hall. 0uring weekends and school holidays, we will fly our kites. It is

e>citing to see gigantic kites soaring in the sky.

These days, we watch a lot of television for rela>ation. The womenfolk particularly en&oy

soap operas. They love =orean drama serials the most. They will talk about the stories andcharacters whenever they meet. The grannies will warn the young girls about the danger of

going to such dangerous places as pubs, "uoting the serials they are presently watching. E0onEt

be like...E is something we hear all the time. In fact, our dinners are timed in such a way that

their view time is not interrupted and not a single part of any episode is missed.

The menfolk will not mumble too much for they have the football fever. The +nglish remier

league, the <! -up, the -hampions league, &ust to mention a few. They will gather in a few

houses to watch matches. They will cheer and shout encouragement and booG The ne>t few

days they will discuss the performance of their favorite teams at mamak stalls.

The one time that the menfolk and womenfolk watched television together was the )ei&ing%lympics. +ven until today, an unintentional mention of sain )olt will make most people

including my mother beam and talk about the ama/ing athlete.

! lot of people in our community also like to do gardening. In fact, =ampung Suria is famous

for its herbs. Selasih, mint, kunyit, misai kuching # you name it, we have it. +arly morning

and evening you will see us in our little plots of land. We will be weeding, trimming, putting

fertiliser, watering the herbs and vegetables that we grow for our own consumption. We are

the organic pioneers. We even have a contest annually. It could be the biggest pumpkin or the

most bountiful bitter gourd harvest. It is all in good fun.

Times had once been difficult for the residents of =ampung Suria. Cearning from the past

e>perience, being self#sufficient, taking delight in living a simple lifestyle and en&oying oneEs

pastimes have long been most peopleEs philosophy of life. This is why the senior citi/ens of

=ampung Suria are always in good mood and health.

from scratch

from the beginning, without using anything that already

e>ists

mumble

to speak "uietly and in a way that is not clear so that the

words are difficult to understand

beam to smile with obvious pleasure



46

Why we should e%ercise

! healthy person is a wealthy person. Wealth is here measured in terms of the personEs

physical well#being so that he or she is able to go about and carry out day#to#day tasks easily.Fe or she will look good and feel good. To attain this, physical e>ercise is a must.

<irstly, e>ercise ensures our good health. 1odern#day chronic diseases like heart problems,

diabetes and certain cancers are all caused by the lack of e>ercise. -onversely, any one having

these ailments will recover better if they include e>ercise as part of their daily routine.

!nother instance why we need to e>ercise is doctors link the lack of e>ercise to many people

having one form or another of insomnia. 1oreover, when we sleep better, we have better

resistance, to infections. This has been proven by astronauts. 0uring missions, their bodies

physically deteriorate.

Their bones, internal organs, and cardiovascular system are all negatively affected. Fowever,



47

it has been found that e>ercise reduces the changes significantly.

!nother e>ample of how e>ercise helps us to feel better is it gets rid of obesity. It burns off

the calories. In our push#button lifestyle, we have become "uitesedentary. EWhy walk when

we can take the carE seems to be the way of life for all of us. owadays, even shopping isdone online. 1oreover, we seem to be only e>ercising our fingers as we play computer

games, surf the et and press the control button

to change the channel to our favorite television program. !dd that to the 1alaysian favorite

pastime of eating, it is no wonder that our young have bellies and double chins.

Castly, students should e>ercise at least three times a week for at least twenty minutes per

session, as e>ercise is a good stress buster. +>ercise stimulates different brain chemicals. %ne

of those chemicals is endorphin which makes a person become less stressed and more

cheerful. Students preparing for their e>aminations are therefore able to concentrate better. !s

a result, they will do better in their e>aminations.

In conclusion, regular e>ercise is an effective way by which we can not only feel younger, but

look younger.

insomnia the condition of being unable to sleep, over a period of time

deteriorate to become worse

sedentary little e>ercise or physical activity

Today#s youths have more freedom than before

! common complaint among teenagers today is about having too little freedom. The usual

response from their parents is that they had even less freedom when they were young.

nfortunately for the average teenager, their parents are usually right. TodayEs youths do have

more freedom than before, especially in the three areas of knowledge, communication and

money.

TodayEs youths have more freedom to find and e>change information. The main reason for

this is, of course, the invention of the Internet and other forms of information technology.

;ouths are free to obtain information from websites like Wikipedia and FowStuffWorks. They

are also able to share information with one another easily through blogs and other wikis. This

new information freedom was not available to most of the previous generation. Therefore,



48

youths today definitely are freer to get and share information than before.

)esides that, youths today have more social freedom than before. Social networks like

<acebook, Whatsapp and Skype running over the Internet allow young people to make new

friends and communicate with friends more easily than ever before. While the previousgeneration did have access to telephones, todayEs youths often own mobile phones, which

gives them not only the ability to speak with friends wherever they are, but also share

pictures, music and videos with them easily. This has enabled todayEs youths to have more

freedom in their social life.

<inally, youths today have more freedom with their money. In the olden days, children had to

ask their parents for money whenever they needed to buy something. 1odern parents are

more likely to give their children a lump summonthly for their pocket money. arents today

are more educated and believe in teaching their children how to manage money from a young

age. %nce they have decided on a reasonable amount of allowance for their child, they leave it

to their child to decide on how to spend that money. Fence, modern parenting allows youthsmore say in managing their money.

In conclusion, youths today do have more freedom than before. This is clearly seen in their

increased freedom to access information, along with more social and economic freedom.

Indeed, youths have little to complain about if they compare the level of freedom they en&oy

to the restricted lifestyle of their parentsE teenage years.

lump sum an amount of money given in one payment

restricted limited

City life is better than country life

In almost every country, more and more people have migrated from the country to the cities.

eople seem to think that living in the city is better than living in the country. Hiven a choice,

I would choose to live in the city too and I have strong reasons for this.

%ne advantage of living in the city is that life is more convenient. Hetting around the city with

public transportation is easy. Some complain about the traffic &ams in the city but I think that a

little delay is better than having to walk or cycle for long distances as people do in thecountry. Schools in the city are generally better e"uipped. The choices for furthering our



49

studies after secondary school are aplenty with the large number of colleges in the city.

Hetting medical attention is easy as the big hospitals are located in the cities. In addition,

gettingprovisions is convenient with shops at every corner where you can buy &ust about

anything.

Civing in the city is definitely more e>citing than living in the country. Within the city, there

are all sorts of places to visit, including shopping malls, theme parks, museums and cinemas.

!lthough some of these may also be available in some parts of the countryside, it is

commonly known that the best ones with the best facilities are located in the city. Those living

in the city have easy access to and a wide variety of ways to entertain themselves.

%ne main reason why people leave the country to start a new life in the city is because it is

easier to find &obs in the city. In the country, economic activity is limited to agriculture and

cottage industries. In the city, there are opportunities to build a career in a wide range of fields

such as the services industry, management, sales and marketing. Carge international

companies set up their offices in the cities, which provide city people with more employmentopportunities. +arnings are also higher in the city and people can en&oy a better lifestyle.

%f course, living in the city has its downside as well. eople earn more here but they also

have to spend more because everything from rental to food is more e>pensive in the city. The

environment is noisier and more polluted than in the country. The crime rate is higher in the

city. The busy lifestyle of city dwellers also leads to more stress. )ut then, living in the

country has its share of problems too. In my opinion, the advantages of city living outweigh

the disadvantages.

In summary, city life is more convenient and e>citing than country life. !lso, there are more

career opportunities in the city. These advantages are sufficient to persuade me to spend the

rest of my life in the city.

aplenty more than enough

provisions food supplies

downside negative aspect

To cane or not to cane

We have often heard of the adage ESpare the rod and spoil the child. EHiving si> of the bestE has

been accepted as a way of instilling discipline in schools. I do not agree.

Some so#called e>perts claim corporal punishment is a good way to prevent students from breaking rules and committing offences, especially repeat offenders. Seeing their schoolmates

getting the cane will deter others from smoking or any wrongdoing.



50

Fowever, how physically punishing a student can help correct undesirable behavior is beyond

me. It will make problematic students become more aggressive and violent. It merely

reinforces the notion that violence is the way to solve problems.

! few educationalists say that corporal punishment in schools is a form of preparation for reallife. Wrongdoing has to be punished. Students have to be taught to be responsible for their

actions. In my opinion, caning would only affect the childEs ego and self#confidence. Students

who have problems learning will withdraw into their shells and lose whatever little self#

confidence they have. They will live in an environment of fear. Fow often have we heard of

children pretending to be sick to avoid school? The humiliation and shame of being caned,

especially if in front of your friends will result in psychological scars. They will become more

resentful and delin+uent.

! caning schedule is part of the school regulation # what warrants one stroke of the cane, what

offence gets two and so on.

%n the other hand, there is no guarantee that caning can be imposed properly. It can be

abused. There has been little research done on the effectiveness of corporal punishment in

schools. ! better alternative is counseling. Removal of privileges is another way. School

authorities and teachers have to be firm with their dos and donEts.

In conclusion, the !merican !cademy of aediatrics urges parents, educators, school

administrators, school board members, legislators, and others to seek the legal prohibition of

corporal punishment in schools and to encourage the use of alternative methods of managing

student behavior. I agree.

instilling

to put a feeling, idea or principle gradually into someoneEs

mind, so that it has a strong influence on the way they think

or behave

corporal punishment the physical punishment of children

delin+uent behave in a way that is not acceptable by other people

How to deal with stress

Fave you ever felt stressed? Well, you are not alone, as every person in the world has to face

stress at one time or another. Since stress is a part of life, it is essential to learn how to deal

with it. Fere are some strategies for dealing with stress and pressure.

1ost of the time, stress is a result of feeling overwhelmed. To get rid of this feeling, keep



51

yourself organi/ed. <or e>ample, you could keep a daily organi/er and plan your activities.

Het your priorities straight and focus on things that are really important. 0o not get caught up

in minor issues that only create additional work for you. )reak tasks down into manageable

bits and tackle them one by one or step by step. roper planning also helps you avoid the

stress of doing things at the eleventh hour$

)esides that, taking time to rela> can help you ease stress. 0oing things that you like such as

listening to music, taking a walk or reading a book can take your mind off things that bother

you. +ven doing nothing at all can be beneficial. !fter a short break, you will feel refreshed

and more able to tackle a problem or a piece of work. %f course, make sure that taking a break

is not an e>cuse for putting off your work. This would only cause you more stress when you

have to rush to finish your work in the end.

<inally, do not set such high standards for yourself and others that it leads to dissatisfaction

and pressure. If you aim for perfection all the time, you will end up frustrated and stressed

out. Cearn to slow down, let go and look at the positive side of things. If you aretoo uptight about something, you will not be able to think clearly and make good decisions.

In addition, you could hurt the people around you. <ocus on what has already been done and

what is good. Then, negative stressful feelings will disappear.

In conclusion, stress may be unavoidable but it need not make life miserable for you. There

are many ways to reduce and deal with stress such as the three strategies shared here. Cife

gets better once stress is controlled.

overwhelmed strong feeling of being unable to cope

at the eleventh hour at the last possible moment

uptight tense, irritated

)rug abuse

!ccording to the World Fealth %rgani/ation, almost 3 percent of the worldEs population has

abused drugs. !lthough this percentage seems small, it actually represents millions of peoplewho have abused drugs. This statistic is very worrying because of the harmful effects of drug



52

abuse. We need to find effective ways to fight this problem.

0rugs like heroin and cocaine have destructive effects on a personEs health. The drug user may

face heart disease, liver and brain damage, and kidney failure. 0rug users who share needles

to in&ect themselves with drugs face a high risk of being infected with !I0S. !lso, the brain

damage caused by drugs is known to cause mental problems such as paranoiaand hallucination. <urthermore, the negative health effects of drugs are not only limited to

the drug user. If the drug addict is pregnant, there is a high chance that the unborn child will

suffer mental and growth retardation.

0rug also has an adverse effect on society. ! drug addict will do anything to get more drugs.

The addict often commits crimes to get enough money to sustain his habit. The money spent

on drugs may then be channeled to crime syndicates, which could use the money to fund other

illegal activities. nfortunately, drug abuse creates a group of people who are unable to work

or study, and thus unable to benefit society.

-learly, solutions must be found to resolve the issue of drug abuse. <irstly, the young must beeducated on the dangers of drug abuse to prevent them from e>perimenting with dangerous

substances. Secondly, there needs to be more effective law enforcement to stop the

distribution of drugs. 0rug pushers must be caught and severely punished. In addition, drug

addicts need to be given help to get rid of their addiction. )etter ways need to be found to

rehabilitate them so that they can keep away from drugs and become useful citi/ens again.

To conclude, it is a sad fact that drug abuse is a serious problem in many countries around the

world. 1ore efforts are needed to stamp out this problem. The individual, the public and the

authorities must work hand in hand in order to rid society of the terrible effects of drug

abuse.

hallucination seeing or hearing things that are not there

stamp out stop in a forceful way

hand in hand closely together

roblems youths face today

It is not easy to be a youth living in the 42st century. Why do I say so? Cife cannot be sodifferent from our parentsE time, can it? )ut it is. The new challenges facing youths today are



53

brought about by the changes in society and the modern lifestyle.

! ma&or problem youths face today is linked to todayEs competitive education system. <rom a

young age, we have to spend hours of our day studying first at school, then at tuition classes

leaving us little time to rela> and play. The e>am#oriented school environment gives us no

space to pursue our interests. We are constantly reminded that we have to perform well inorder to compete for a place in a good university. Trying to meet the e>pectations of teachers

and parents causes us great stress.

!nother serious problem facing young people today has to do with the electronic media.

<irstly, there are plenty of addictive computer and digital games that vie for our attention.

1any youths have given in to temptation and find that they are unable to stop playing late into

the night. Similarly, youths get addicted to social networking on sites like <acebook and

Twitter. The result is difficulty &uggling their online social activity and other important tasks

such as studying.

These modern times have also created ma&or problems for youths in the area of moral values.;oung people these days are confused about what is right and wrong. %ur parents and

teachers may teach us traditional values. )ut in reality, societyEs moral standards have dropped

drastically. This is reflected in television reality shows that encourage selfishness and

backstabbing. o one bats an eyelid nowadays at the increasing violence and loose morals

shown in movies. eople live together before marriage. 0ivorce and abortion is no

longer frowned upon. -riminal actions are glamori/ed. It is no wonder that we are confused.

1aking decisions has become a big problem for us.

!ll in all, life for the youth of today is more challenging than before. Some of the main

problems we face are the competitive education system, the allure of the electronic media and

the confusing moral standards. When we make mistakes, parents and teachers have to guide

us, not scold and punish us. atience and understanding will ease our burden and encourage

us to communicate more meaningfully with the adults who care about us.

bats an eyelid shows surprise or shock

frowned upon thought to be bad or wrong

allure attraction, temptation

(re small families better than large families

Carge families were normal many years ago. It is no longer so. TodayEs families usually



54

consist of only two or three children. There are many reasons why people have chosen to have

less children and smaller families today. Small families definitely have several advantages

over large families.

<irstly, small families can have more comfortable lives. With fewer people living under one

roof, there is more space for everyone. -hildren in large families often have to share roomswhile those in small families can have their own rooms. There is also more peace and "uiet in

the home of a small family with less people competing over space, privacy and which T

channel to watch. 1oreover, with less members in the family, less money is needed for basic

necessities such as food and clothing. There is more money for better "uality

furniture, gadgets, bigger cars and holidays.

! second reason why small families are better than large families is that the children will get

more attention from their parents. This means that their emotional needs are more easily met.

They feel loved and are happier and closer to their parents. <urthermore, parents with two

children would have more time to guide and teach each child compared to parents with half a

do/en kids. !s a result, the children will be more mature and disciplined. Such children alsodo better in their studies.

In addition, the children in small families have e"ual opportunities compared to those in large

families. 1oney and other resources are shared out among fewer children. +ach of the

children will probably have the chance to go to university. In large families, it is usually only

the eldest or the smartest who will get such opportunities.

Therefore, there is no doubt in my mind that small families are better than large families. I

think small families en&oy a better "uality of life. ot only that but each child will benefit

from the loving guidance of the parents and have e"ual opportunities in life. That is why I

personally prefer a small family.

basic necessities food, water, clothing

gadgets small mechanical devices

mature like an adult

.veryone should learn a foreign language

ot many people are interested in spending time, money and effort to learn a foreign language



55

these days. They think that knowing their mother tongue and +nglish Canguage is good

enough. This is a pity because there are many benefits in learning a foreign language. I feel

strongly that everyone should learn at least one other foreign language in their lifetime.

The most obvious benefit of knowing another language is that you can communicate more

easily with people from different parts of the world. ;ou will be able to learn more aboutanother culture and form new friendships. Traveling to other countries would be easy. <or

e>ample, if you know <rench, you will be able to communicate with people in most +uropean

countries, -anada, !frica and even ietnam. In addition, you will be able to en&oy more

variety in entertainment and reading material. Imagine being able to read and understand

*apanese comics or to watch =orean drama without reading the subtitles.

Cearning a foreign language can also help you improve your studies. Students who learn an

additional language besides +nglish are known to do better in +nglish and 1athematics. This

is because the skills involved in learning a new language such as analytical skills are e"ually

important in learning other things. !s you learn a new language, you practise these skills and

become even better. This will help you when you study school sub&ects. So, learning a newlanguage for children could be as important as learning music or ballet.

<inally, the ability to communicate in another language is valuable when you want to get a

&ob. ;ou will have the edge over those who know fewer languages because you will be able

to deal with people from other parts of the world. )eing multilingual does not only make it

easier for you to find a &ob, but also makes you more valuable to your employer. This means

that your salary and your &ob prospects will be better too.

In conclusion, there are many benefits that come from learning a foreign language. Fence, I

strongly recommend that everyone learn an additional language. The benefits gained are

worth the time and effort spent.

mother tongue the language you first learnt

have the edge over be a bit better than

multilingual knowing more than two languages

Man#s best friend



56

0ogs have always been considered as manEs best friend since the beginning of time. In fact,

archaeologists have found remains of dogs that are 29,999 years old.

<irstly, dogs are companions and friends to man. They are well known for their loyalty and

unconditional love. ote what resident %bama chose for his daughters. It was not an election promise that made him get a dog for his daughters. resident %bama got them a ortuguese

waterdog. This breed is well known for being loyal and protective.

!nother instance of why dogs are manEs best friend is dogs are invaluable to man in their

work. Working dogs like the Siberian huskies and collies pull heavy loads across tracts of ice

and snow. Sheep dogs such as border collies move sheep away from danger. Similarly,

without the !natolian shepherd, many sheep would be destroyed by wolves and feral

domestic dogs. Ferding dogs are used by stockmen in sheep and cattle farms around the

world for mustering.

<urthermore, police dogs, sometimes called =J nits, are great assistants. They help trackor immobili/e possible criminals while officers arrest or investigate the scene of a crime.

Some are even specially trained for anti#terrorist units, as in !ustria.

In addition, some dogs help find lost people and animals. The St. )ernard is an e>ample of a

search dog. It was historically used in +urope in the case of avalanches and lost travelers.

Search dogs are used in lost person searches each year and have helped save human lives.

Thirdly, dogs help the sick and disabled. These therapy dogs visit people in hospitals and

nursing homes and provide cheer and entertainment. ! wag and a lick on their hands brings a

smile to the elderly in retirement facilities, the ill and in&ured in hospitals.

!ssistance or service dogs help people with various disabilities in everyday tasks. !

newspaper columnist, !nthony Thanasayan, in his column EWheel owerE has been writing

about how his friends have made significant changes in his life as a person born with a

disability. Fis dogs help him to open and shut doors, push his wheelchair for him. 1ost

importantly, they keep him from being depressed.

Intelligent, loyal and loving, dogs really do live up to their reputation as manEs best friend.

1any of us would be lost without our faithful companions.

mustering come together

immobili/e to stop someone from moving

live up to to be as good as something



57

The .arth in danger

In 4924, some people believed the world would end according to an ancient 1ayan

prediction. Thankfully, nothing happened. Fowever, we must reali/e that the +arth is, in fact,

in danger. This danger is not from asteroids or rogue planets, but from our actions and how

they affect the environment. There are three main threats to +arth and they are globalwarming, loss of biodiversity, water and air pollution.

Hlobal warming is caused by the release of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon

dio>ide into the air when coal and oil are burnt. These gases trap heat from the sun in the

earthEs atmosphere, causing temperatures to rise around the world and changing climate

patterns. In recent years, global warming has worsened. 1any parts of the world have

e>perienced unusual and e>treme weather resulting in drought, floods and dangerous

hurricanes.

!nother problem +arth faces is the e%tinction of plants and animals. In the past century, over

29,999 plant and animal species have died out, and about 45 percent of all remaining speciesis already in danger of disappearing. This can cause ecosystems to collapse. !s part of the

ecosystem, we humans would be severely affected as well. <or e>ample, the e>tinction of

certain species of wild corn has created a loss of genetic diversity, making corn grown in

farms especially vulnerable to diseases and pests, affecting our food supply. )ecause of this, it

is important that we recogni/e the danger of the e>tinction of plants and animals.

;et another danger that we face is pollution of air and water. +veryone knows the importance

of having clean water to drink and clean air to breathe. Fowever, many cities around the globe

are facing problems with dirty air. <or e>ample, in )ei&ing, -hina, air pollution grew to

such ha/ardous levels at one point that it was unsafe for people to go outdoors. !s for water,many people assume that there is plenty of water around, more than enough to replace the

polluted water. Fowever, few reali/e that only 6 percent of the +arthEs water is actually usable

without e>tensive processing. Thus, any water pollution at all is dangerous, and can have a

tremendously negative impact on our water supply.

To conclude, +arth is under serious threat from environmental damage. It is our responsibility

to take action to protect the environment. %therwise, the destruction of +arth is certain.

rogue planets planets that float freely in space

e%tinction ending of life, destruction

ha/ardous dangerous, harmful



58

)eforestation

It is reported that half the worldEs forests have already been destroyed. This widespread

destruction is due to deforestation. 0eforestation is the removal of a forest or group of trees

where the land is later converted to a non#forest use. -utting down trees is necessary for

manEs survival. Fowever, deforestation has a number of adverse effects on the environmentand needs to be controlled.

There are two main purposes for cutting down trees and one of them is to use the trees as

resources. +ssential items like paper, furniture and charcoal are all made from trees.

0eforestation is also carried out to clear land for farming and to make room for roads and

houses. !s the population grows, more of the forest has to be cleared.

!lthough deforestation is necessary up to a point, it has some negative effects on the

environment. <irstly, cutting down forests destroys animal habitats, leaving them with no

place to live. 0eforestation also allows erosion to occur which leaves the land vulnerable to

landslides and makes it difficult for plants to grow there. <inally, the removal of trees alsoworsens air pollution. Trees act as natural air filters that change carbon dio>ide into o>ygen.

When they are removed, carbon dio>ide can build up and pollute the atmosphere. Fence, it is

obvious that deforestation harms the environment.

0ue to the harm deforestation causes, it is necessary to control it. There are a number of ways

to do this. %ne of them is to make better use of farming land. This is so that we do not need as

much land for farming, and hence do not need to cut down so many trees. There must also be

laws to limit deforestation and these laws must be enforced strictly. %n top of that,

reforestation must be carried out systematically. This method involves planting new trees and

plants in areas where deforestation has occurred to replace what was destroyed.

To sum up, although deforestation must be carried out, it can harm the environment and must

be controlled. )eyond a certain point, this damage to the environment cannot be fi>ed. Fence,

we should do our

best to make sure that the damage is never too great to fi>.

converted changed

adverse harmful

vulnerable open to harm



59

The importance of a healthy lifestyle

Recently, it was reported that 1alaysia has the highest number of overweight people in

Southeast !sia. This tells us that 1alaysians have an unhealthy lifestyle. The 1inistry of

Fealth is trying to educate people about the importance of eating healthily and e>ercising

regularly. ! healthy lifestyle leads to good health. There are strong reasons why good health isimportant.

<irstly, good health makes it possible for us to lead a normal life and to work, study and play

freely. ! healthy body is essential for the physical activity involved in working or playing

with our friends. <or e>ample, to play football with your friends without easily getting tired,

you need to be healthy. !lso, scientists have found that healthy people concentrate better and

remember things better. This means that we actually study and work better if we have good

health.

Ceading a healthy lifestyle will also help us to live longer. !n unhealthy lifestyle that involves

eating too much or too little, having insufficient sleep, not e>ercising, smoking and drinkingalcohol is a one-way ticket to ill health and life#threatening diseases such as cancer, diabetes,

stroke and heart disease. These diseases are also known as lifestyle diseases because they are

often the result of the unhealthy way we live. eedless to say, these diseases would send us to

an early grave. Therefore, a healthy lifestyle is essential to a long life.

In addition, good health makes us feel good. Some may think that not being able to eat all the

food we like or having to e>ercise is too troublesome, and will cause us to suffer. This is not

true, as e>ercise and a healthy diet have both been shown to improve mood, and raise self#

esteem. <or e>ample, in the case of e>ercise, your brain releases natural painkilling chemicals

called endorphins during your workout which work to improve mood and relieve stress.<urthermore, being in good health helps us to feel happier about ourselves.

In conclusion, a healthy lifestyle is important as it helps us to lead full and normal lives, live

longer and feel happier. Therefore, a healthy lifestyle is something that everyone should take

care to practise.

one-way ticket that which will surely cause to happen

to an early grave cause to die before the e>pected time

relieve ease, make less severe



60

.%periences that have changed my life

Cife#changing e>periences? !fter some hard consideration, three stand out. They have the

most impact on me.

The happiest day of my life was my tenth birthday. !ll my friends had been up ETop )u/ Itwas a ride I had begged, pleaded and cajoled my mum to let me go. Fer reply was, E;ou are

too young to go alone. %n my tenth birthday, my sister said she would accompany me. It was

a great sacrifice on her part as Irin had a fear of heights. Cooking down a three#storey building

would make her retch. I was too giddy with happiness to reali/e what a great sacrifice my

sister was making.

I screamed and screamed with e>citement as we were thrown up and down, left and right,

round and round. It was utterly e%hilarating. I did not notice that my sister was utterly "uiet.

When the ride stopped, I turned round to see my sister rigid with terror. That e>perience stood

out in two ways. %ne, I loved the ride. It started my love affair with all rides. Two, I will not

forget that my sister would @and still doesB do everything for me.

I was still as giddy when I was in the last year of primary school. I was impressed with a girl

who claimed to be everything. I would hang at her very word and believe her utterly. %ne day

1olly claimed that she &ust walked through the graveyard alone in the middle of the night.

!nd that it was not the first timeG Why, &ust recently she ... I was her slave.

The scales fell from my eyes when we were trapped in a lift. We both lived on the thirteenth

floor. We were going home after tuition and I was listening to 1olly, entranced, when the lift

gave a sudden &erk. It creaked and plunged. Then all at once it stopped. The lights went off

and we were in total darkness. )efore I could utter a sound, I felt 1olly clawing my arm. Shewas screaming hysterically. EI canEt breatheG There is no airG We are trappedGE 1olly began to

wail and howl.

I was dumbstruck. Suddenly, the lights came on and the door opened. !s I moved to the door,

1olly pushed me away and dashed out of the lift. It was the most terrifying e>perience of my

life. When the lift started falling, I could feel my hands going clammy and my heart

hammering. I hate confined spaces. What was more frightening was 1ollyEs behavior. I could

forgive her panicking at being trapped in the lift and that the stories of her courage were mere

stories. I cannot forget how she shoved me out of the way to get to the door, or, that she

boasted to the world afterwards how cool and collected she was. I have since learnt to be

more discerning and not to be so gullible.

Recently I had a more traumatic e>perience that left me with nightmares. 1y cat was missing.

I went round the apartment looking for Sheba. I could not find her. The whole family split up

to go to look for her. She had been missing for three days.

I was downstairs, heading to the rubbish collection area when I thought I heard a faint

mewing sound. I hurried over. There was a huge carton. I peered into it and saw some

movement. EShebaG ;ou poor dearG Is it you?E

Then I saw it. Cying partially covered by the papers was a newborn infant. There were ants

crawling over it. I "uickly called my parents. Its eyes were close. Was it dead?



61

)y the time the police and the ambulance left, I was bawling. The baby had died. The poor

baby. The poor motherG To have to abandon her childG Why? I kept asking the "uestion.

These e>periences have left an indelible mark on me. CifeEs lessons have taught me to value

my family and to be responsible for my actions.

cajoled to persuade someone to do something

e%hilarating making you feel very e>cited and happy

gullible

easily deceived or tricked and too willing to believe

everything that other people say



62

What changes would you like to see in your town or city in the ne%t ten years

0eclared a city in 2JJ:, *ohor )ahru is a rapidly growing city. 1y wish list for *ohor )ahru

in ten yearsE time is simple # a city that is improved and developed based on the e>isting one. Ithink *ohoreans do not need a EmegapolisE but changes that benefit the ordinary man and

woman in the street.

<irstly, priority must be given to better planned roads and drainage. <loods occur every time

there is a heavy downpour. It has been flooding in *alan !ir 1olek and *alan ;ahya !wal

ever since I can remember. Recently housing estates like Taman *ohor *aya were also flooded.

In fact, before the city grows more organically, there should be an improvement of the present

infrastructure.

Secondly, we need a garden city. We should EgreenE the city. There are some parts of *ohor

)ahru that are lined with the trumpet flower trees. They are beautiful when the flowers bloom.This is a fine e>ample that should bereplicated elsewhere. Cocal species like

the tembusu should be more widely planted. In fact many flowering plants thrive in our

climate. !n e>ample is the bougainvillea. %therwise we will really become an urban &ungle #

pavements and more pavements.

The present parks should also be improved upon. Set up public sports and fitness grounds and

facilities for the young and elderly. %utdoor e>ercise e"uipment should be put up in all these

parks for the senior citi/ens to e>ercise and en&oy the fresh air.

In addition, there should be better public transport. I think there are enough cars on the roads.

In fact, cars should be banned from the city centre itself. %f course then, there should be more

public buses that provide regular and efficient service. There should also be underground train

services that link the people from one part of the city to the other. This will cut the massive

traffic &ams that plague *ohor )ahru. <urthermore, there should be pedestrian walkways and

bicycle lanes all over the city. This is one way to save the environment.

To ensure that *ohor )ahru moves with the other ma&or cities in 1alaysia, we should build

more facilities for the people. !n e>ample is libraries. The latestcensus figures indicate that

*ohor )ahru is fast becoming 1alaysias second largest city, with a population of over one

million. Fow many good libraries are there in *ohor )ahru? There should be a library in every

large residential area. Cet the children, even the toddlers, make the library their second home.There is also urgent need to have public health centers. ublic health care supported by state#

of#the#art e"uipment should be one of the first priorities of the city. What is available now is

too insufficient.

CetEs begin the work of EremakingE *ohor )ahru into a city where gracious living is a reality

now.



63

downpour a lot of rain in a short time

replicated to make or do something again in e>actly the same way

census to count the number of people living in a country

.ating out and eating at home

1alaysians are a fortunate lot when it comes to food. <ood is readily available especially in

towns and cities. There are hawker stalls along streets, restaurants, and food courts where a

great variety of delicious food is sold. eople have the choice of eating out or cooking their

meals at home. Three factors that affect the choice of eating out and eating at home are cost,

convenience and "uality.

In terms of cost, eating out is usually more e>pensive than cooking at home. <or e>ample,

buying the ingredients to cook a plate of fried noodles may cost less than half the price of a

plate of fried noodles at a restaurant. Restaurants and food stalls need to make a profit.

Therefore, they have to charge more than the actual cost of the food they serve.

The second factor that people consider when deciding to eat out or not is convenience. Faving

someone cook for you, serve you and clean up after you, definitely makes eating out more

convenient than eating at home. This is one of the main reasons why people opt to eat out. It

saves them the trouble of having to shop for the ingredients, doing the actual cooking, and

washing up afterwards. reparing a meal is also time consuming. So it is no wonder that busy

people prefer to eat out most of the time.

Kuality is the third thing to consider when choosing between home#cooked food and outside

food. aturally, food prepared at home use better "uality ingredients and is

more hygienic generally. In contrast, food served at stalls and restaurants is often not prepared

with such good "uality ingredients as this would reduce their profit margins. ery often,

flavour enhancers are also added to food along with too much oil and salt, which are not good

for health.

'n a nutshell, eating out is more convenient while eating at home is less costly and much

healthier. 1aking the choice is really not that hard as it &ust depends on what is most

important to you. If you dislike cooking, eating out is the solution. If you do not want to spend

so much on food, then cooking your own meals is the better choice. <inally, if health is your

most important concern, it would be better to eat at home.

opt choose

hygienic clean

in a nutshell summari/ed in a few words



64

0eading has many benefits

In recent times, reading as a hobby has taken a back seat to playing computer games and

watching television. This is especially true for teenagers today. 1ost of them find reading

books boring. In fact, young people should be encouraged to read more as reading has many

benefits that other hobbies may not have.

%ne benefit of reading is that it improves our language. )ooks are a great way to learn new

words and e>pand our vocabulary. When we read, we come across new words. The new

words become familiar as we encounter them repeatedly in our reading. We learn how to use

these words correctly and they become a part of our vocabulary. Faving a good vocabulary

enables us to e>press ourselves better both in speaking and in writing.

In addition to language, reading also improves our general knowledge. Through reading, we

can learn a lot about people, places and events among other things. ! person who reads a lot

may even know more about a country he has never set foot on compared to someone who has

actually visited the place. ! lot of information can be discovered in reading materials like

newspapers, maga/ines, travel books, instructional manuals and story books. Heneralknowledge is useful. It helps us to write and speak better. We become more knowledgeable

and more interesting people.

)esides improving our language and general knowledge, reading is also an entertaining

pastime and helps reduce stress. )ooks are creative works. They can open up a new world to

us. They stimulate our imagination and draw us into the world created by the book. 1any

readers find it hard to put down a book once they start reading. ! well#written story

is suspenseful and e>citing. The reader can hardly wait to get to the ending. This form of

entertainment is healthy and good for our minds.

In conclusion, reading is an entertaining hobby that holds many potential benefits for thereader. Reading is especially beneficial for students as it improves their language and general

knowledge which will help them perform better in their e>aminations. <urthermore, reading

helps lessen stress. These are sufficient reasons to take up reading as a hobby.

taken a back seat become less important or popular than something else

set foot on gone to a place, visited

suspenseful causing uncertainty and an eagerness to know what happensne>t



65

The importance of homework

Fomework is a ma&or part of every studentEs life. Fowever, many dislike homework, as it

keeps them from doing what they want at home. %ften, students will make e>cuses to avoid

doing any homework. Fowever, homework actually plays a very important role in educationfor a number of reasons.

<irstly, homework gives students practice in what they have learnt in class. Without this

additional practice, students will usually forget what they have learnt. The e>tra work will

also enable students to find out if they have understood what was taught during the lesson.

When the teacher marks the homework, the teacher will also be able to check if a student

needs help with a certain topic or concept. If a student has difficulty with a sub&ect, it will be

detected from his homework and the student can receive help before it is too late.

!nother benefit of homework is that it keeps students occupied in a productive activity.

Without homework, students will have a lot of time on their hands after school. They wouldmost likely spend their time on things which they en&oy but are not beneficial, such as playing

computer games and watching television. Fomework ensures that students do some studying,

which will help them do better in e>aminations. %therwise, their time would be wasted on

unproductive and even unhealthy pastimes.

)esides, homework is important because it promotes self#discipline. Fomework is usually

done at home where there is no supervision by teachers. nless students have strict parents

who monitor what they do, it is up to the students to decide when to do the work or even

whether to complete the task or not. With this, students would slowly become more used to

the idea of doing independent work without someone breathing down their necks. This

value will serve them well in the future, especially during work, where the ability to doindependent work is a pri/ed skill.

To conclude, homework plays a very important role in education, even though students like to

complain about it. It provides students with valuable practice in what they have learnt, it

provides students with a productive way to spend some of their time and it builds self#

discipline. It is clear then that students should not be la/y and should do their

homework diligently.



66

breathing down their necks watching very closely

diligently done in a careful and detailed way

Colors and health

It is a known fact that colors have an impact on our health. We use colors to describe our well#

being. We could be Ein the pink of healthE. Fowever, we could be Eoff colorE or we may be

Efeeling blueE Sometimes, you may catch us in Ea black moodE.

Research has found that colors can affect how we feel emotionally. If you go to a room that is

painted &ust black, it can lead to depression. +>perts have warned that we should avoid

decorating any room entirely in black, however much teenagers want to, especially during the

more troublesome years. ! room that is painted totally white is also depressing as white is

associated with sterile environments like hospitals and bathrooms. It can make the room feel a

bit cold and clinical, and the mood of the person will be low.

Research into the physiological effects of color has shown our spirit is lifted by warm colors.

Red, orange and yellow are the colors that energi/e and e>ude warmth. eople &ust feel

stimulated and better. -ool colors like blue and green are soothing and calming. 0octors often

use these colors to relieve tension and stress. )lue, for instance, is associated with tran"uil

surroundings. )lue light is used for a calming effect in some mental hospitals. %ther hospitals

are now using soft green, blue, peach and sunny yellow on walls and even sheets and gowns.

These colors seem to help patients to get well "uicker.

utritionists and medical researchers have emphasi/ed that we should imbibe Da rainbow ofcolors, that is to include all colors of fruits and vegetables in our diet to stay healthy. We

should consume fruits and vegetables of five different colors in each meal. This is why we are

encouraged to take green vegetables, tomatoes, pumpkins. The stronger the colors of the fruits

or vegetables, the more power#packed they are with natural anti#cancer nutrients and

phytochemicals. hytochemicals occur as color pigments in fruits and vegetables. They

contain antio>idants to help slow the aging process and reduce the risk of many diseases. So,

take your strawberries and bananas. They are e>cellent for our health.

So, donEt wait. Cook at your room and the clothes you wear and the food you eat. !re they the

right colors?



67

in the pink of health in very good health

off color slight ill

a black mood a very unhappy feeling

1our younger sister who is studying in a college is sharing a house with three friends$

1ou decide tow rite a letter to remind her of ways to take care of herself and to save

electricity bill$

Fow are you getting on with your course? ;ou have left us for &ust two weeks but it seems

like it has been a long time as we miss you very much. We are fine here but I feel a little bit

lonely. There is no younger sister for me to bully and to tell off about your untidy room or for

taking my things. <ather and mother send their love. They want you to be independent but at

the same time they miss the little darling.

I may sound a bit nagging here but I feel that I should give you some tips on how to keep safe

and how to save your money. Though you are sharing a house with friends of the same age,

they may be more safety conscious than you. Since this is the first time you are staying away

from the family, maybe you need to know a few more safety tips, be it at home or outside.

Fere are some ways of keeping safe. 1ake it a habit to switch off the lights and fans when

you go out of your room or when you leave the house. )y doing this, you can save the

electricity bill and thus save your money. 1ore importantly, you can avoid any incidence of

short circuit which can be very dangerous. Surely you are aware that short circuit is the main

reason for most houses caught on fire, right?

So, do not forget. !lways switch off electrical appliances and lights when you do not need

them. Turn off the computer when not in use. )y doing so, you can save the environment too

because electrical appliances emits heat when they are on.

Fave some plants in the garden if you can. These plants can help to swallow up carbon

dio>ide and dust while cooling the area around them. With a cooler environment, there is less

need for air#conditioning.

se public transportation whenever you can. Cess driving means less fuel and more savings.

-ar pool helps you to save too because you share the traveling e>penses. So you do not haveto pay everything all by yourself. 1ake sure to send your car for regular servicing as this will



68

keep your car more efficient so you do not need to consume much petrol.

!nother way to save money is to plan before you shop. 1ake a list and check it twice to save

money and minimi/e food waste. )uy only what you need and avoid buying that e>tra packet

of snack or soft drink. -heck the e>piry date when buying packed or canned foods. Thelonger the e>piry date, the better as this means the food is fresher. <ood with earlier e>piry

date may be on offer but this may be a case of penny wise pound foolish as you might be

forced to consume the food at a time when you do not need to. %ne may even overlook and

end up throwing away the item.

!nother tip which you, my younger sister needs is to keep healthy. I know you are la/y when

it comes to e>ercising. )ut, you need to e>ercise to have a good health. Try &ogging and

swimming. !s long as you do it regularly, you are on the road to good health. +at well.

<ollow a healthy diet like what you eat at home, whole#wheat grains, fruits, vegetable and fish

and you will stay healthy.

That is all for now. 0o write to us when you have free time. Cove from mum and dad.

)escribe an outing with a friend

%n Saturday morning, Fisham and I cycled to =ampung elayan for an outing in his uncleEs

boat. ak 1an, FishamEs uncle had invited us to go on a fishing with him and his friends. This

was an outing I will never forget.

We cycled to )ukit elayan. It was a long and winding stretch to the top. ! tiring

but e%hilarating ride uphill and the view from the top was spectacular. We stopped to catch

our breath and to en&oy the view. Then, we cycled downhill. The ride was easier as it was

going downhill to =ampung elayan a few meters away from the foothill. The way down had

a few sharp bends but it did not put us off. In fact,

I got so e>cited that I challenged Fisham to a race. Fe protested and warned me about

slowing down.

I turned a deaf ear to his warning and filled with e>citement, I /oomed down the hill and took

the sharp bends like a pro. Trees and open spaces whisked past and I felt on top of the world

without a care or thought for safety. *ust as I turned a bend, a car appeared on the other side of the road. I was shocked to reality andgingerly applied the brakes to slow down. )ut, the

brakes did not respond. I found myself spinning on and on down to the bottom of the hill.

ow, in front of me were a huge tree and a clump of bushes. I had to avoid hitting the tree or I

would end up with broken bones. I swerved and landed headlong into the bushes. ot e>actly

a soft landing but a safer oneG

Fisham caught up with me and hauled me up from the bushes. %n learning that I was none the

worse from the fall, e>cept shaken up, he gave me a hard glare and a good telling off . I

looked at him sheepishly and we had a good laugh at my foolishness. Cuckily the bicycle was

not badly affected e>cept for a bent fender. We cycled to ak 1anEs house and this time at a

leisurely pace.



69

ak 1an took us to the beach. We were helped into his boat and told to sit "uietly and do as

we were told. ak 1an said he did not want us to end up in the water. We were there to fish

not to swim. I smiled awkwardly recalling the mishap at the hill. Soon, we were a distance

away from the beach and the three men cast a net. They rowed the boat along dragging the net

behind the boat. !s usual, impatient to see the fruits of our labor, I stood up e>citedly askingabout the catch. )efore I could get an answer, I found myself in the water. The boat had

rocked and I fell into the sea.

<ortunately, I had a safety &acket on and it kept me afloat. ak 1an and his friends e>tended

an oar and helped me back into the boat. Fisham did not say a word. Fe glared at me while

ak 1an told me off about being impulsive and endangering my life. ! few minutes later they

pulled in the net and headed for the beach. They had a good catch. We had lunch at ak 1anEs

house and then left for home.

Fisham warned that he would not have any more outings with me until and unless I promise

to behave.

e%hilarating making you feel e>cited and happy

gingerly in a way that is careful or cautious

telling off

to speak angrily to someone because they have done

something wrong



70

Should parents allow their children to earn pocket money )iscuss

ocket money is money that we have and that we can spend on what we like without having

to account to someone. sually, as far as children and teenagers are concerned, pocket money

is given by their parents to help them pay for necessities. The amount of pocket money one

re"uires depends on what one needs to pay for. It also depends on how much the parents can

fork out. It may be given on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. Some parents attachconditions on what the money can be spent on.

-hildren can always ask their parents for money but there are limits. arents will say that they

have very few needs, other than food they have to buy in the school canteen. Fowever,

teenagers have more things to pay for like snacks, entertainment such as cinema tickets, 00

rentals, books and maga/ines when they go on an outing with friends. %ther items they need

to pay for may include mobile phones and phone credit, school supplies, public transport and

other travel e>penses, birthday and holiday presents and savings.

So, some teenagers may help their parents with household chores to supplement their pocketmoney. )ut, this is not advisable as it is wrong to attach a monetary value to tasks in the

household. They may however be able to look for some ways to earn e>tra pocket money. It is

more fun to earn your own money whatever the amount is. arents should and can allow their

children to earn pocket money.

There are several ways to supplement pocket money. -onsider taking on a steady part#time

&ob at a fast food outlet or a shop near your house. Felping your parents, neighbors or old

people in the neighborhood with their work, such as typing or running errands like doing

weekly shopping for them is another way of earning some pocket money. !t, times, one can

also do some mowing of the grass for the neighbor or looking after their home when they are

away. These are good neighborly act and perfectly sensible ways of earning some e>tra



71

money.

Tutoring other students is a good way of supplementing your pocket money. 0oing this helps

the students and in return you are indirectly doing revision. )abysitting for some neighbors is

another activity that is both useful where earning pocket money is concerned and developinga sense of responsibility. In many countries teenagers earn "uite a bit of money by offering to

babysit on weekends or for a couple of hours in the afternoon.

!sk your parents about &oining a car boot sale, rummage sale or posting items on e)ay or

another online auction site is another good way to earn some e>tra money. While you are

earning money, you are helping the family to clear theclutter in the house. 1ake sure

whatever you take to the sale is really not wanted by family members or you might end up

poorer and burn a hole in your pocket.

!llowing the teenagers to earn pocket money benefits both parents and the teenagers. The

latter learn to value money as they have to work hard to earn it. They learn to be independentand may appreciate their parents as the breadwinners. They also learn the importance of being

responsible for their work, either at school or part#time work. The former or parents will

reali/e that teenagers need their space to mature with confidence.

Whether parents should allow teenagers to earn pocket money depends on the family

circumstances. ocket money can be the bane of any teenagerEs e>istence. o matter how

much you get, it never seems enough. %f course this is the point of pocket money, to teach

you to budget and save and become responsible for your purchases. rove to your parents that

you are e"ual to the task and you &ust might be pleasantly surprised by the resultsG

rummage sale

a sale of a mi>ed collection of things that people no longer

want, especially in order to make money for an organi/ation

clutter @ a lot of ob&ects in B a state of being untidy

the bane of a cause of continuous trouble or unhappiness



72

Write a story beginning with the sentence* #' stood there dumbfounded and stared at her

$$$#

I stood there dumbfounded and stared at her with my mouth open and wondering if I had

heard correctly everything that she had said &ust now. Then, I fell back against the basin and

held my toothbrush tightly. What e>actly happened &ust now? 0id she really say all those

things? I was trying to understand what had &ust transpired.

lopG lopG The toothpaste dripped from my open mouth to my toes. That &olted me back to

where I was and what &ust happened. I was brushing my teeth and thinking of the test I had to

face in school when Rebecca barged into the bathroom. Without preamble, she looked at me

with such a look that if looks could kill, I would have died then. 'Sister dearest, if you think

you can get away with what you have done, think again. ;ouEve always been my idol, my

know#all older sister. IEve always looked up to you but now, you have dropped to /ero. I willnever look up to you again. ;ou .. you ... ' She stormed out unable to finish her sentence.

I "uickly cleaned up and rushed out of the room. 1um was at the top of the staircase looking

at RebeccaEs retreating back. She turned and looked at me with "uestion marks written all over

her face. I shook my head and rushed down the stairs. Rebecca had disappeared by then. I

would try and locate her in the school and talk to her. )ut, no. I couldnEt because we might

end up having a shouting match in school. !s the bus drew near the school, I still could not

make out the reason for RebeccaEs behavior. I tried to recall but there was nothing in my

actions in the past week that I could pin down.

When I reached school, my good friend, Su/y was waiting for me. I told her what had

happened this morning between Rebecca and me. She let out a loud laugh and chuckled non#



73

stop until I told her to stop it. She put her hands on my shoulder and sat me down on the

canteen bench.

';ou really cannot remember what you did to her?' Su/y asked shaking her head in disbelief.

'+ither you have lost your memory or you are getting oldG' Fer words calmed me and then ithit me. Rebecca was angry and she had the right to be. I had totally forgotten what I did five

days ago. I had submitted RebeccaEs name for the Spelling )ee -ontest. She had been

unwilling to do it when the contest forms were issued. I know that she was capable of doing

well in the contest and I had tried to persuade her. )ut, she had stubbornly resisted. So, I had

taken it on myself to submit her name and her name had been picked among all the entries to

represent the school. o wonder she was so upset.

I laughed heartily and did a little &ig with Su/y. That settled, I went to look for Rebecca. She

was talking and laughing outside her classroom. She did an about turn and was silent when

she saw me coming. I went up to her. I apologi/ed, congratulated and cajoled her until she

smiled and laughed at her unreasonable behavior in the morning.

She hugged me and apologi/ed and said, 'Thanks, sis, for having the confidence in me and

submitting my name. Sorry for behaving so badly this morning.' Things went back to normal

between us.

transpired

If it transpires that something has happened, this previously

secret or unknown fact becomes known

preamble talk or activity not connected with the most importantmatter

cajoled

to persuade someone to do something they might not want

to do



74

2ire

I glanced at the T screen and saw a burning house. The crowd was shouting and pointing to

the fire. I switched the channel and read a subtitle in 1alay 'Tembak G Tembak G' # the 1alay

word for '<ireG <ireG' )efore I could say anything, the imp of my brother called out, 'Hot you

thereG ShootG' %f course, 'fire' could mean 'shoot' in another conte>t. Reading a dialogue in

the papers, this sentence popped out, 'I will fire you if ....' <ire in this case means to be

sacked. The word fire has different meanings depending on the situation.

The history of fire will take us back to the days of the cavemen who lived in fear of wild

animals or who ate raw meat or uncooked plants. Cater, they used 'fire' to survive the dangers

of the wild and the cold. Feat from the sun was harnessed to make fire. <rom here, man

progressed to man#made fires. These were made from natural materials like wa>, keroseneand gas. With a mere flick of a switch we now get a lighted stove that burns from gas or

electricity.

<ire has made life more comfortable as the fireplace keeps the bones and body warm in

winter. <ood can be cooked and need not be consumed raw. Strange that when man has

discovered the power of fires to cook food, some people have decided to revert to eating

'raw' food. The *apanese like to eat their seafood raw. We have the meat eaters who like their

steak to be cooked 'rare' or 'medium rare' or 'well done'.

Then there is the barbecue and satay or having food grilled on open charcoal fire. We can also

have baked or roasted meat by cooking over fire. Fave you ever been to a campfire? )oyScouts, girl guides, cubs and rangers have wonderful memories of their camping days, sitting



75

around and singing and cooking over a campfire. Watching the logs crackling and the flinders

and ash flying into the air and the night filled with the happy chatter and laughter makes for

memorable school times.

Then what about the fires that are so huge that they destroy without mercy. ! house on fire, a building on fire or even forest fires lick and eat up everything in its path. o fire victim could

ever forget the uncontrollable fear of being caught in a fire and they will relive the nightmares

of a fire over and over again. We can tame fire to serve our human needs but a fire that is

allowed to bla/e away, uncontrolled, heightened by the forces of nature like hurricanes,

tornados and whirlwinds can destroy precious lives and property.

;et, knowing the force of fires, man has been known to play with fire. The ordinary

matchstick, the one touch lighter, the gas flame, the burning candle, the lighted cigarette when

used wisely, is manEs friend but abused or misused can become manEs worst enemy.

1ou attended a talk on road safety for cyclists and motorcyclists at the 0oad Transport

department$ The teacher in charge of the Safety Cub asked you to give a talk to

members of the club$ Write out the speech$

Hood morning to uan Famidah, teacher#in#charge and friends. Thank you for giving me the

opportunity to talk on road safety for cyclists and motorcyclists. !s you know, I attended a

talk of the topic last <riday at the Road Transport 0epartment. So I hope I can pass on the

message about road safety to all of you.

-yclists and motorcyclists are the main victims in road accidents. ;ou are more e>posed to

dangers than car drivers. So, it is important that you take precautions and observe road safety.

CetEs start with the cyclists. <irst, allow me to tell you what you should do before you go off

on your bicycle. Wear crash helmets and knee pads to protect your head and your knees.

<asten them properly for if you donEt they might come off and your head or knees will be

e>posed in case of an accident. Wear proper shoes instead of slippers as the latter can

get entangled with the pedals and your feet may slip as you cycle along.

The same advice goes to motorcyclists. ;our crash helmet is your first defence against head

in&uries. 1ake sure you buy the approved crash helmets. nlike cyclists, motorcyclist are

more likely to travel a longer distance and so face more potential dangers. Wear appropriate

attire like gloves and proper shoes. When you place your feet on the ground to stop at a &unction, compared to slippers, the shoes can give you better protection from the heat. If you



76

are wearing a &acket, button up properly as you do not want your &acket to flap in the wind or

be caught in any passing vehicle.

)oth cyclist and motorcyclist should check their vehicles before leaving the house. -heck the

back light, tyres and brakes to make sure they are in good working condition. 1otorcyclistsshould check their engines and fuel to make sure they have enough fuel for their &ourney. !ll

motorcyclists should switch on their headlights the minute they start their &ourney.

<inally, donEt speed on the road. Speed kills. 0onEt overtake recklessly. 1ake sure the road is

clear if you want to overtake. -yclists should not cycle two or three abreast. This applies to

motorcyclists too. Fave both hands on the bicycle or motorcycle and donEt use any handphone

while on the road. 1otorcyclists should use the motorcycle lanes along the ma&or highways.

%bserve all traffic rules and regulations.

I sincerely hope I have convinced you to be careful while cycling or motorcycling on the road.

;our life and that of other road users are too valuable for you to be careless.

Thank you for your attention and if you have any "uestions, feel free to ask me.

entangled being caught in something such as a net or ropes

recklessly

doing something dangerous and not worrying about the

risks and the possible results

abreast two or more people who are ne>t to each other and movingin the same direction

Write about a person you admire$

1y grandma used to live in a small farm 49 kilometers from the town where we stay.

Hrandma planted vegetables and flowers for sale. In addition she had a small fish pond where

she reared several species of fishes for her and the neighborsE consumption.

Hrandma left a mark on my life for what she was and what she did. ;ou know you love and

care for a person when you look at her and feel your heart brimming with a special kind offeeling. That is love and that is what I feel when I looked at Hrandma. She was a superb

grandmother. She was so adorable and every one of my friends loved her.

She would give us pocket money and fresh fruits whenever we visited her. +very holiday I

went and stayed with Hrandma. Sometimes a few friends came along. The minute I get to the

farm, Hrandma would make me forget all my worries and make sure I en&oy myself.

I learned to appreciate nature up close as Hrandma taught me to fi> a fishing line to catch

fish, identify bird calls and animal and insect sounds. She always said that there was no better

place for her than nature in the raw. She would wade into the river and even caught fish withher bare hands. Then she would let it go. I discovered the intricacies and techni"ues of

vegetable planting and floral cultivation. Hrandma can even predict the weather &ust by



77

smelling the air and looking at the clouds. The best times I have spent with Hrandma were

when we sat on the beach to observe the sunrise and sunset. The splendor of the sun made me

reali/e how lucky I was to have such a lovely lady by my side.

I always thought Hrandma was the one and only and different from other grandmothers I hadseen. <or her age and generation, she understood all of her grandchildren and listened to us

even when we grumbled about out parents. She was open#minded and I want to be like her

when I grow old. She was very supportive of whatever we, her grandchildren wanted to do.

She had even gone with us on some

of our nature hikes and adventures to isolated places. She always encouraged us to believe in

ourselves.

I remember clearly the times when Hrandma and I sat on the beach at midnight to wait for the

turtles to come up and lay their eggs. We kept very "uiet and as the turtles shed tears as they

did their egg laying, Hrandma shed silent tears too. She said that she felt sad when she

thought of the fate of those young turtles after the eggs hatched. 1ost of them never made itto adulthood.

The ne>t morning, as we were playing in the sea, something dark floated up to where I was. I

screamed but Hrandma silenced me and bent to scoop it up. It was a young turtle which must

have got detached from its family. %ne of its legs had a small cut. Hrandma took it home and

looked after it. When the cut healed, I wanted to keep it as a pet but Hrandma advised against

it. It was better for the turtle to have a normal life in the sea. So we went to the beach and let it

swim away. That day, I learned to appreciate the creatures of nature.

Then, all of a sudden, HrandmaEs health deteriorated. It was heartbreaking to see her lying in

the hospital bed. Two months down the road, she breathed her last with a smile on her face.

1y Hrandma was definitely one of a kind and one I would change for all the money in the

world.

up close at close range

scoop

to move something with a scoop or with something used as

a scoop

deteriorated to become worse



78

arents and children should spend more time together$ )iscuss$

The family unit of parents and children is the most important aspect of our life. Some families

are big with at least four children while others opt for smaller family units of one or two

children. owadays, it is unusual for families to have more than three children especially

urban families. Whatever the number, a common complaint nowadays is Emy parents have notime for meE or Emy children prefer to spend time with their friendsE. This begs the "uestion

why or what is the reason for such complaints.

! very basic rule of parenting is that parents should spend time with their children. This is the

time when parents can show their love and care for their children, physically and emotionally.

Similarly, the children can show that they appreciate their parentsE love and this brings about a

strong parent#child relationship. )oth parties benefit.

Work commitment is one reason why parents do not spend time with their children. They are

the bread winners and always want their children to have the best. %ften both parents work to

support the family especially because of the high cost of living. Sometimes, mothers opt for acareer outside the home as they find the role of a homemaker too restricting.



79

This preoccupation with their careers means less time with their children. -onse"uently, the

children turn to their friends who are there to offer a helping hand and a shoulder to cry on as

and when it is necessary. They confide and open up to their friends more than their parents.

!nother substitute for their parents is the maid who is always there.

When parents get home from the office and the children from school, it does not mean that

they gravitate to each other with their problems. 1ost of the time, it is &ust a gruff, 'Fow was

your day?' and a mumbled answer. Then, they are on their own # mother prepares a meal,

father and children either in front of the computer or their ihones. They spend time together

at a meal but each is more absorbed in his or her own thoughts rather than what the others are

thinking about.

This scenario is inevitable and common and it is a disturbing aspect of our so#called

progressive society. What can both parties do to correct the situation? arents can reschedule

their activities with the aim of spending more time with their children. lan for holidays, real

holidays together. -hildren can also do some rescheduling and spend less time with theirfriends. Fave "uality time together doing the same things. Fave common interests like

watching a game of football or badminton together. !sk about each otherEs day sincerely and

listen to the replies attentively. This will help forge a close and healthy relationship and is a

good and effective e>ample of spending time together.

Spending time together whether as parents and children or among friends take effort and time.

Stay focused and you will reap the harvest of your efforts.

opt to make a choice, especially of one thing or possibilityinstead of others

preoccupation

an idea or sub&ect that someone thinks about most of the

time

confide

to tell something secret or personal to someone who you

trust not to tell anyone else

We eat to live$

<ood is any substance that we eat to provide nutritional support for our body. It usually

consists of plant or animal origin, that contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. We take them as sources of energy, to stimulate growth, and

maintain life.

It has been said that man does not die but that he kills himself by overeating. It is pu//ling

that food which sustains life can also kill life. What it means is that if we are given to

overeating over a period of time, our arteries can be clogged up with fats and we can die of

coronary diseases. What is true of the world is that some die of overeating while some others

die of starvation.

Fistorically, people obtained food from hunting and gathering, farming, ranching, and fishing,

known as agriculture. Today, most of the food energy consumed by the world population is

supplied by the food industry operated by multinational corporations using intensive farming



80

and industrial agriculture methods.

<ood sustains life. It is indispensable for life. If you go without food for a couple of days,

you will be like an invalid, immobile and incapable of doing anything. ;et, there are people

who go on hunger strike and risk death to plead a cause. Cadies who want to lose weight willcut down on their necessary food intake and suffer side effects. Some even have problems of

malnutrition. <asting or abstaining from food is practised for religious reasons.

The type of food that people take depends on the climatic conditions they live in and the type

of soil in the country. eople who live in the tropics and e"uatorial countries take rice as

their staple while people in temperate countries take wheat and potatoes for carbohydrates

and meat for protein. 1eat gives them the protein to withstand the cold weather. Religion

also determines the type of food people take. 1uslims do not take pork while Findus do not

take beef. Some people follow a vegetarian diet due to their religion. Still others will eat

anything and there are those who go to the e>treme of eating what they call e>otic meat, that

is, the flesh of rare and wild animals.

Some food has more nutritional value than others. While meat provides lots of protein,

vegetables contain a lot of minerals and vitamins. It is always advisable to follow a balanced

diet. <ood can be cooked in a number of ways # fried, steamed, baked or grilled. The way

food is prepared depends on oneEs taste and interest. While meat has to be cooked properly,

vegetables can be eaten raw or cooked.

<ood serves two main purposes # it satisfies hunger and provides nutritional re"uirements for

the body. It can provide pleasure and there are people who eat out of boredom. ! normal

healthy man will not re&ect food. The desire for food can be psychological and there are many

among us who become frantic when food is not easily available. To them, eating has become a

habit and they believe that without food at fre"uent intervals, they will lack energy and cannot

carry on with their work.

<ood is indispensable to life. We eat to live not live to eat.

indispensable

something so important that we cannot manage without

them

staple a main part of something

withstand to bear or not to be changed by something



81

Write a story with the concluding line#$$$$ '#m glad we did not turn my back on a fellow

man$ 3ne day he might do the same for us$#

Roland and I were participating in the Sabah !dventure -hallenge, a 259 km race. This was

the final leg of the challenge # hill trekking. The past two days had been hectic and physically

challenging and we had covered mountain#biking, orienteering, paddling and tubing. We had

come through the other activities in either the first place or second place. %n this last leg we

had to do &ungle trekking, followed by hill trekking.

The race had attracted us the minute we saw the advertisement. It would be like going into the

unknown where we would not know what lay ahead. We knew we would be challenged

mentally and physically. !fter signing up, we launched into a training program to be well#

prepared. %f course we hope to win. There was no let up in our training for the two months prior to the challenge. +very day we start our training with a hike up and down Hasing Fill,



82

cycling in the park and swimming. We have even attempted paddling and tubing in =ota

Tinggi river and waterfalls. We have a good relationship and understand each other well.

%n the last day, we were going uphill and as we went higher we could hear the sounds of

falling rocks and earth. We had outpaced the other pairs of competitors and were feeling a bithigh. !s we climbed higher, we saw a lone climber standing precariously on a ledge. We

signaled to him to be careful as we feared for his safety. Fe waved back and continued on his

climb. Rolandmuttered under his breath about some people not knowing their limit. I

understood what he was trying to say as I had been foolhardy at times before this too.

We pushed on but I felt a bit uneasy about the lone climber. Then, we heard a rumble, a

thundering cacophony of the sound of rocks, earth and trees. I looked back and the scene that

greeted my eyes stopped me in my tracks. We were &ust a few meters from the peak and I did

not want us to lose that advantage. +ven if I was willing to stop, I had to think of Roland. We

had to reach the end as a pair or we would be dis"ualified. !s I hesitated, Roland urged me to

move on. In that second, we heard a voice calling for help. Should we or shouldnEt we?Roland also hesitated. I could see "uestions and doubts in his eyes. The picture of victory

played in front of us. )ut, conscience overcame us and both of us, as one, turned back. We

could not leave a fellow man knowing he was hurt and that we might be the only people who

could help him.

When we reached the spot, we saw the man was badly hurt. Fis ankle was turning blue#black

and his hands were bleeding from a nasty gash. Fis forehead had a nasty cut and he was

almost unconscious. Together Roland and I pulled him clear from the rock fall and as he could

not walk on his own, Roland being the bigger of us two, said that he would carry the man. We

made our way downhill slowly to the finishing point. The crowd cheered us as we touch the

finishing line. We were still the first pair in, in spite of our delayG Roland and I e>changed

grins and I told myself EIEm glad we did not turn our back on a fellow man. %ne day he might

do the same for us.E

hectic full of activity, very busy

muttered to speak "uietly in a low voice

foolhardy brave in a silly way, taking unnecessary risks

)eauty

What we define as beautiful depends on who sees it # the young or the old, through the !sian

or Western eyes or the beauty gurus.

Cet me give an illustration. The =ayans are a tribe living near Thailand and 1yanmar. The

women wear brass neck rings. The longer the neck rings, the more beautiful they are regarded.

%n the other hand, the !sian world regards fair porcelain skin as the ultimate definition of

beauty. We are also influenced by the Follywood idea of beauty. Cook at !ngelina *olie,

*essica !lba or Salma Fayek. !ll have fantastic skin, long silky hair and huge sparkling eyes.

This can also be used to describe !ishwarya Rai, the reigning )ollywood "ueen. This gla/ed



83

blue#green#eyed beauty was once a 1iss World.

!nother criterion is she must be slim. !n e>ample is =eira =nightley. This beauty has become

very slim. The idea of a beautiful person as slim is especially so in the world of fashion. 1any

models are slim to the point of being skinny. Fowever, they have eating disorders. !s a result,some countries have tried to put a stop to this. In 4993, Spain was the first country to ban

models below a certain weight from 1adridEs <ashion Week. Italy has recently decided to

keep models who are sickly thin off the catwalk.

This is done not &ust for the health of the models. Teenagers and young adults look to the

models not &ust for fashion advice, but rather as the rules as to what fashion is. These young

adults notice how all of the models are skinny and therefore try to follow them. They think

that to be accepted and regarded as looking good, they too must be skinny. This may

inadvertently cause health problems for young women and men around the world as they

attempt to follow in the modelsE footsteps. This leads to poor diet, poor self#esteem and poor

health.

)eauty is also related to youth or looking young. This has given rise to aesthetic therapy. !ll

kinds of beauty treatments and miracle creams are in the market. Recently ew ;orkers

looking for a "uick beauty fi> risk death from unlicenced practitioners offering oil in&ections.

We have forgotten what -onfucius said E+verything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it. !

good e>ample is the anecdote of clay balls. ! man found many clay balls in a cave. Fe &ust

threw them into the sea. +ventually, he found out that there was a precious stone inside the

hardened clay ball, but had thrown away many. Inner beauty is something that we seem to

forget # because we do not see it.

The recent singing sensation who was dismissed by the audience and the &udges before she

could open her mouth is one such case. Susan )oyle is frumpy#looking, has bushy eyebrows

and fri//y hair. In short she is EuglyE compared to the other young and beautiful participants.

Fowever, she has a beautiful and fabulous voice. When she sang, she was given a standing

ovation by the audience and the &udges.

%f course, looks should have absolutely nothing to do with talent. )ut peopleEs perception is

such. We have placed so much importance on looks than character or "ualities of compassion

and kindness that are so important in our daily lives. %ne of the most beautiful persons in the

world is 1other Teresa. She spent her life in the slums of India to take care of the sick anddying. There are many like her, going around helping the destitute and sick and needy their

"uiet little ways.

In short, we should open our eyes to the inner beauty of a person, and remember the story of

the clay balls.



84

frumpy old fashioned, not attractive

standin

g

ovation

an occasion when the people in an audience stand up to clap at the end of a

performance or speech because they liked it very much

destitute without money, food, a home, or possessions

Fobbies



85

ECook at this, my father called me over.

EFey, itEs our hornbillG ItEs so beautifully drawn. %n such a tiny piece of paperGE I

was hooked.

I was si> years old when my father gave me my first stamp. ow I have threealbums. 1ost of my stamps were given by my parents and relatives. I also

e>changed some with my friends. I am especially proud of my album on

1alaysian wildlife. I remember waiting eagerly for the postman to come, hoping

to get a new stamp # one that was not in my collection.

The artwork had drawn me to collecting stamps when I was si> years old. Then I

started to look out for important personalities. I have stamps of our first prime

minister, Tunku !bdul Rahman, Kueen +li/abeth, my favorite actors and actresses.

I collect stamps from all around the world. Whenever an important event is going

to take place, I will rush to buy the first day covers. 1y most pri/ed possession is

the stamp commemorating our countryEs independence. Stamp collecting is awonderful hobby. I can learn about the history, socio#economics and important

personalities of a country.

I would not consider myself a philatelist( merely an avid collector of stamps.

When I am feeling down, a "uick flip through the pages of my album will cheer

me up. The stamps have sparked my interest in my other hobby, postcard

collecting. 1any of my friends sent postcards to me. I found the postcards as

fascinating as the stamps.

1y first postcard was one of the funicular train in enang Fill. 1y brother had

gone on a school trip to enang and had written home to tell us about his trip.

<rom then on, I would coa> or badger anyone who is traveling to get me a

postcard.

I have been lucky. 1any of my cousins travel widely. I have postcards of the seven

wonders of the world. They are now vintage postcards. Cike the stamps, these

postcards are windows to the past. I have a postcard of a rural scene of 1alacca # a

farmer and a bullock pulling a plough. !nother is of a tin mine in erak. They are

all part of a vanishing landscape. Such postcards give an insight to what was life

then. I once went to a postcard and stamp e>hibition. There was a collection of

postcards by Herman photographer !. =aulfuss who was based in enang in 2J99.It was a time of horse#drawn carriages and bullock carts and ladies holding

parasols. I would not have guessed it # if not for the postcards.

What is re"uired of a good collector is some creativity and an orderly system. 1y

hobbies have definitely made me neat and systematic. I learnt the hard way as

many of my stamps were torn because I was too impatient and careless.

1y hobbies have given me much pleasure. owadays my family and friends do

not ask me what I would like when they are traveling. They know the answer # EHet

me a postcard, please. !nd get it stamped, if you can.

Caughter



86

I was watching the crowd going EFo ho ha haE in a laughter yoga activity rather

sceptically. I was not in the mood to laugh, especially with a crowd of strangers.

)ut soon I was &oining them in doing the one#metre laughter and the lion laughter,

and from mere grimacing, I was genuinely laughing. !t the end of the 69#minute

session, I was perspiring. )est of all I felt good.

%ne of the earliest proponents of therapeutic laughter is 0r. William <ry, a

psychiatrist. %ne of his studies confirmed that 49 seconds of intense laughter, even

if faked, can double the heart rate for three to five minutes. 0r. <ry proved

that mirthful laughter provides good physical e>ercise and can reduce our chances

of respiratory infections.

In addition, he showed that laughter causes our body to produce endorphins that

are natural pain killers.

1y favorite spokesperson for laughter as the best medicine is 0r. Funter DatchE!dams. I saw the film on EatchE acted by Robin Williams and became a fan of

him. 0o you know he goes around as a clown to hospitals to make patients laugh?

Fe thinks that the role of a clown and a physician is the same. atch believes that

laughter is the best cure. In his opinion, every doctor should be a heart specialist #

a merry heart, that is. EatchE has inspired millions of people by bringing fun and

laughter into the hospital world. Fe has been a physician for nearly 69 years, but

he has been a clown for almost :9.

!nother doctor who strongly advocates laughter as a therapy is 0r. 1adan =ataria.

Together with his wife, he developed a range of laughter e>ercises that incorporate

elements from yogic breathing. These deep breathing e>ercises increase o>ygen to

our cells. !s a result, we flush stale air from our lungs. 0r. =ataria also discovered

that we could start with fake laughter but genuine laughter soon follows. Fe calls

this very uni"ue e>ercise routine, Caughter ;oga.

0r. =ataria includes childlike playfulness in his e>ercises. I could not believe my

eyes when the E!h SohsE and makciks and pakciks hopped like kangaroos and did

the penguin walk. There are many clubs in different residential estates in *ohor

)ahru that start the morning with Fo Fo Fa Fa FaG I am one such member of the

Ceisure 1all Caughter -lub. It is fun and I feel energi/ed.

sychologists and therapists are convinced of the healing power of laughter. To

"uote 1ark Twain, EFe who laughs lasts.E

grimacing

to make an e>pression of pain, strong dislike, etc in

which the face twists in an ugly way

mirthful laughter, humor, happiness

faked to make it look real



87

Write a story that ends with" #This made me realise how wonderful

my life is $$$#

I was born in 2J3: to a lower middle class family on the island of angkor. 1y

parents were fisher folk and we had a trawler that we used to eke out a living inthe Straits of 1alacca. I had four older siblings, all girls#my parents tried for

children until they had a boy. I was to take over the family business when I came

of age.

1y life was no lu>urious but ade"uate. I had a chance to go to school at the small

Tamil school on the island. the island was predominantly -hinese, most of whom

were well off . 0ays were spent either helping dad land his catch or indulging in

idle play with my friends, e>ploring the island.

<ortunately for me, the Feadmaster at the school, +ncik 0ollah, was a visionary.

Fe worked tirelessly with the small group of dedicated teachers to inculcate the

love for learning among the island children. There was a small library at the clan

association on the island that supplemented my voracious appetite for reading.

1eanwhile, my dad worked hard to put food on the table. When I went to

secondary school I found that my love for 1aths and Science paid off . I was the

top student in the school and my sisters had also e>celled in their studies.

%ne of my sisters had opted to become a teacher while two went on to study 1aths

at a local university. The youngest decided to get married to a local businessman

and settle down. She ran her own successful hair salon after a stint in Cumut as an

apprentice at a salon. I was the last to finish school and managed to score straight!s in the S1.

I had to go to Ipoh to study for my ! levels at a college. ! kind aunt took me in.

1y dad was already struggling to meet his obligations to my sisters. I decided to

work part#time to supplement my e>penses and managed to get a place in the

ational niversity of Singapore to study marine engineering. Soon I found

myself as a graduate looking for a &ob. I landed a prestigious position and am

currently pursuing a 1asterEs degree. 1um and dad lead a much more comfortable

life and my sisters are all happily married. Thinking on my past, this made me

realise how wonderful my life is.

eke out

to use something slowly or carefully because you

only have a small amount of it

well off rich

paid off If something you have done pays off, it is successful



88

Write a story that ends with " #How will ' e%plain everything to my

dad #

1y parents had planned to go to -hina for a long time. I was happy for them as

both of them had not met their many relatives in their village. I hoped they wouldhave a great time.

I was also happy for another reason. I was hoping to ask a couple of my friends to

go for a holiday and it seemed an ideal time to do so. !fter all, my parents would

not know about this at all. I planned with Ra/ali and Shan about the many things

we would do for those five days. We thought going to ort 0ickson would be

wonderful.

Thus, we planned for our holiday and roped in a couple more friends as well. =im

Seng and *erry were more than happy to &oin us. I had &ust passed my driving test

and was very keen to test my driving skills and of course show off to my friends in

my fatherEs new olvo. Cife was good.

%n the day my parents left for -hina, my friends came over in the evening. We

packed our stuff into the car and left for the beach hotel that we had booked. The

drive down was pretty smooth and my friends were "uite impressed by my driving.

I kept to a good speed and tried to remember all the rules I had to follow on the

road. We were at the hotel by late evening.

We had dinner and slept. The ne>t day we went swimming and played games on

the beach. We made friends with many other young people and had a great time. Ihad brought my fatherEs credit card and used it to pay bills. 1y fatherEs signature

was easy to imitate and I didnEt think my father would mind much.

%n the day we left, the bill had accumulated and was huge. I was a little nervous

but chose to ignore the feelings of guilt. We left ort 0ickson after lunch and

drove back late in the evening. The weather was

stormy and as I took a corner, the car skidded and struck a tree. We were in total

shock but no one was hurt. The car was wrecked.

We had to leave the car to be towed back and returned home feeling miserable.

Imagine our shock when we reached home. The house had been broken intoG+verything valuable had been taken. I sat down and cried. Fow will I e>plain

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