My first day at school

My mother accompanied me to school on the first day. Other parents accompanied their children
as well. We all waited in front of the school office.
Soon a teacher came and led us to some classrooms. There we were put into four separate
classes. This was when some children began to cry as the parents were not allowed into the
classrooms. I did not cry because I had been to kindergarten before. Actually my mother went
home soon after for she knew I would be all right.
It was an enjoyable time for me as I got to know my new classmates. The teacher was very busy
writing down our particulars so we had plenty of time to ourselves.
Meantime some children continued to sob while their parents looked in anxiously through the
windows.
Soon recess came. Some of us headed for the tuck-shop while the rest headed for their parents. I
bought a drink with the money my mother gave me. Getting to know my new friends had made
me thirsty.
After recess we went back to out classroom and my new friends and I managed tocoax two boys
to stop crying. In fact, soon we were laughing and playing together. Once in a while the teacher
had to tell us to keep quiet as we were making too much noise.
Still some parents looked in anxiously through the windows.
Finally the bell rang for us to go home. Some of us were very relieved to be reunited with our
parents. I too was glad to see my mother waiting for me at the school gate. I had made many
friends. It had been a wonderful first day at school.
sob
tuck-shop
coax

to cry noisily
A shop where candy and other sweets are sold
to persuade someone gently to do something

Road safety
Everyday many people are involved in road accidents. Some are killed. Many more are injured
or maimed. So it is important for us to learn to use the roads properly and safely. No sane person
would like to be involved in an accident.
As the roads are very busy nowadays, we should be very careful when crossing one. It is safer to
use a pedestrian crossing or an overhead bridge whenever one is available. Never cross a road
by dashing across it. That is inviting trouble. If there are no crossings, then we must look
carefully right and left and cross only when it is safe to do so.
Some of us take the bus to school. It is important that we do not try to get on or off a bus while it
is still moving. I tried to get on a moving bus once. It dragged me a short distance and nearly ran
over me. I was lucky to escape with only some scratches on my legs. Also we must not fool
around while in the bus. A suddenly lurch can send us knocking our heads against something
hard.
Using a bicycle can be dangerous too. We must pay attention on the road and never cycle too far
out to the middle of the road. We must obey all traffic rules. Also we must make sure our
bicycles are in good condition with working brakes, lights etc.
These are some things we can do to avoid accidents. However there is no guarantee that we will
never be involved in one. The important thing is to stay alert at all times while using the roads.
We must know what is happening around us. In that way we can take necessary action to avoid
danger whenever we see one. Road safety is very much up to how we use the roads. Use them
carefully and we may be able to use them for a long time. Use them carelessly and we may never
be able to use them again.
maim

to injure a person so severely that a part of their body will no

longer work as it should

dash

move quickly

lurch

to move in an irregular way, especially making sudden

movements backwards or forwards or from side to side

My Classmates
We are a noisy lot, that is what our teachers say about us. This is largely due to Ah Keong. He is
the noisiest of us all. His voice is like that of a bull frog but volumes louder. It seems that he
cannot talk softly. Actually he does not talk, he shouts. Perhaps his living with his family of ten
children has something to do with it.
In this noisy bunch lives a boy who hardly ever opens his mouth. This is Padma, the boy who sits
next to me. He is such a gentle and soft creature that one would think that he is a sissy. This is
not so. No one dares call him one for he is a member of the school's Karate Club.
Then there is Doris, our class monitor. She sits right in front of the teacher's table. She is such a
model student that all the teachers love her. We all love her for she does not boss us around.
She has given up doing that long ago. All she does is to make sure that the teachers have
sufficient chalk and that the classroom is clean.
Right at the back of the class sits our class sleepy-head. Mat seems to need more sleep than
others. He catches cat-naps in between lessons. The astounding thing is that he can fall asleep
almost instantly. The moment the teacher leaves after a lesson, Mat's snores start up and we
know he is at it again. Remarkably he wakes up when the next teacher arrives.
Every class has a clown. Our class has Jack, otherwise known as "Jacko The Clown". He is
always up to some prank or other, putting tails on the boys' pants, frogs in the girls' desks and
powdered chalk on the teacher's chair. So when we hear a girl scream or see men-teachers
strolling around with chalk on the seat of their pants, we know that Jacko has struck again.
The other classmates too have their own unique personalities. Each contributes his or her part to
our class. All in all we are a group of young children who perhaps are a bit noisy at times, but on
the whole are well-behaved and pleasant to be with.
sissy

boss around
astounding

a boy who other boys dislike and laugh at because they think he
is weak or interested in activities girls usually like, or a person
who is weak and cowardly
Tell someone what to do, give orders
very surprising

My favourite time of the day

My favourite time of the day is between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. This is the time when the sun is
setting and the air is cooling down. At this time I either go for a stroll, play some games or sit
quietly watching the activities around me.
Sitting quietly doing nothing in particular is what I like most.
The compound surrounding my house is a fairly large one. So my father has planted many trees
in it. Birds of all sorts come to the trees in the evening to sing their sweet songs. I just sit under
my favourite rambutan tree and listen to these lovely songs.
However I cannot just sit quietly all the time. My parents sometimes ask me to mowthe lawn or
help them in some gardening tasks. These I do gladly for the air is nice and cool. Working under
a hot sun is one thing I do not like. In the evening the sun is soft and gentle. It is pleasant
to potter around the garden then.
Other times I might go out for a stroll or play games with my friends.
Again it is pleasant to stroll around or play games when the sun is not hot in the evening. In fact
many people come out of their houses to breathe in the cool evening air and to relax a bit, unless
it is raining. This is the time of the day when the playing fields, parks and other recreational
areas are filled with people. I guess it is not only my favourite time of the day. It is many
people's favourite time as well.
mow
potter

stroll

to cut plants
to move about without hurrying and in a relaxed and pleasant
way
to walk in a slow relaxed manner

A Journey by Car
My father bought a new car one day. We were all very excited. He promised to take us to Melaka
to visit my grandparents the coming Sunday.
Sunday morning was bright and breezy. We hopped into the brand new car and soon we were
heading out of Petaling Jaya towards the expressway. My mother sat in the front passenger seat
while my father drove. I sat behind with my younger sister.
As it was Sunday the roads were not very busy. Soon we were on the expressway travelling at a
leisurely pace. My father is a careful driver and he does not drive too fast or dangerously. This
proved to be good for there was a speed-trap manned by the police along the expressway. I saw
some cars stopped by the police. They had obviously been speeding.
Driving along the expressway tend to be monotonous. I actually fell asleep once we passed
Seremban.
When I awoke, we were already at the Ayer Keroh toll gate. My father paid the toll and steered
the car towards Melaka Town. On the way we passed many interesting sights. My father
promised to stop by on our way home. We had to visit our grandparents first.
We left Ayer Keroh and all its factories behind as we journeyed into the town itself. Like all
towns, there were many cars and other vehicles. Also there were many tourists. Melaka has many
places of historical interest and thus this was not surprising.
Finally we arrived at my grandparents' house in Klebang Besar. The journey had taken about two
hours. We stepped out of the car. My grandparents greeted us happily.
expressway

monotonous
stop by

a wide road built for fast moving traffic travelling long distances,
with a limited number of points at which drivers can enter and
leave it
staying the same and not changing and therefore boring
to visit someone brief, usually on the way to another place

A Picnic by the Sea

Teluk Kemang is about 12 kilometres from Port Dickson town in Negeri Sembilan. It is a
popular beach where many people go to and relax on.
It was on one of the days of the Chinese New Year holidays that we had a picnic at Teluk
Kemang. I went there with my uncle and his family. There were five of us, my uncle, his wife,
their two young children and me. My uncle drove us there in his car.
We arrived there at about ten in the morning. The beach was already crowded with other
holiday-makers. Anyhow we managed to get a place in the shade of a large tree and we put our
things there. My aunt laid out a mat for us to sit on.
In double-quick time we were enjoying ourselves in the sea, except my aunt. She just sat on the
mat watching us.
The water was cool and refreshing and I loved splashing it on my cousins. However the hot sun
above can be quite uncomfortable. So after about an hour or so, my uncle told us to sit in the
shade for a while. The sun was getting increasingly hot. So we reluctantly came out of the sea.
In the shade of some trees we built some sandcastles.
Time passed so quickly. Soon we heard my aunt calling us to have lunch. We ran to her and
helped ourselves to the delicious curry she had brought. Then we had several glasses of ice-cold
drink from the Thermos flask.
After lunch we played a while more in the sea. The sun was just too hot. So we walked over to
one of the hotels nearby and washed ourselves with clean freshwater.
When we returned, my aunt had already packed everything in the car. So all of us got into the car
and my uncle drove us back home to Seremban.
lay out
mat
In double quick time

to arrange something on a flat surface

a small piece of cloth
very quickly

My Hobby
My hobby is reading. I read story books, magazines, newspapers and any kind of material that I
find interesting.
This hobby got started when I was a little boy. I had always wanted my parents to read fairy tales
and other stories to me. Soon they got fed up and tired of having to read to me continually. So as
soon as I could, I learned to read. I started with simple ABC books. Soon I could read simple
fairy tales and other stories. Now I read just about anything that is available.
Reading enables me to learn about so many things that I would otherwise not know. I learned
about how people lived in bygone days of magic and mystery. I learned about the wonders of the
world, space travel, human achievements, gigantic whales, tiny viruses and other fascinating
things of our world.
The wonderful thing about reading is that I do not have to learn things the hard way. For
example, I do not have to catch a disease to know that it can kill me. I know the danger so I can
avoid it. Also I do not have to go deep into the jungle to learn about the tiger. I can read all about
it in a book.
Books provide the reader with so much information and facts. They have certainly helped me in
my daily life. I am better equipped to cope with living. Otherwise I would go about ignorantly
learning things the hard way.
So I continue to read. Besides being more informed about the world, I also spend my time
profitably. It is indeed a good hobby.
bygone

happening in a past time

cope with

to deal successfully with a difficult situation

informed

having a lot of knowledge

A birthday party
Fiona is my neighbor. She turned twelve recently and her parents held a birthday party for her. I
was one of those invited.
The party began at about three in the afternoon. There were about twenty of us children gathered
in Fiona's house. We were all dressed in our best clothes. Everyone, especially Fiona, wore a
happy smile.
We gave our presents to Fiona and she happily opened them. It must really be exciting to receive
all those presents.
After that Fiona's mother served us soft drinks and delicious tidbits. We then played some
games like "Musical Chairs" and "Treasure Hunt". The winners were given prizes.
At about four-thirty Fiona's mother brought out the birthday cake. It was beautifully decorated
with pink and white icing. Twelve colorful candles sat in the middle of the cake. We all sang
"Happy Birthday" to Fiona after which she blew out the candles and cut the cake. We clapped
out hands eagerly.
We helped ourselves to slices of the delicious cake. Then we continued our games.
Finally at about six in the evening the party came to an end. We were all tired but happy. The
parents of the other children came to collect them. I helped Fiona and her mother clean up the
mess we made. After that I walked home which was only two doors away.
dressed
titbit / tidbit
clean up

wearing clothing of a particular type

small item of pleasant-tasting food
to make a person or place clean and tidy

My favorite TV cartoon characters

My favorite cartoon character is Dishonest John, or DJ, for short. Dressed in black and uttering
his famous "Nyak, ah, ah" laugh he makes life difficult for all those around him. However, as
always, he will be outwitted and all his devious plans will fail. So every week I watch him go
about his antics only to lose in the end. He is such a character that many of my friends have even
adopted his laugh.
Another favorite character of mine is Big Baby Huey in the show "Casper The Friendly Ghost".
Huey is such a overgrown lumbering but innocent baby duck who goes around happily
defeating the bad guys without really trying to. He is quite a sight to watch as he sucks on his
milk bottle and then knocks the lights out of the sly fox who tries to take advantage of him. It is
bad luck for anyone with bad intention, for soon Huey will show him that it does not pay to do
bad things.
There is one more character who is my favorite. He is Yogi Bear who lives in Jellystone National
Park. This lovable rascal and his little buddy Boo Boo Bear always seem to be getting into
trouble with the park ranger. Yogi's favorite pastime is pinching food from the park's visitors.
The ranger's unending task is to stop Yogi from doing it.
All in all, cartoon characters are great fun. They show us what people can get up to. I am sure all
of us who watch these shows are entertained by them.
devious

not straightforward

lumber

to move slowly and awkwardly

rascal

One that is playfully mischievous, dishonest person

Things I like to do
I like playing the guitar. Though I am not very good at it and am still learning, I can play some
tunes. I spend quite a lot of time playing the guitar so much so I get scolded sometimes by my
mother. I suppose I do tend to spend a bit too much time with it. Anyhow, playing the guitar is
very enjoyable.
I also like taking evening walks around my neighborhood. In the evening the air is cool and
refreshing. The children are busy playing and the neighbors are friendlier. So I take
leisurely strolls, sometimes stopping to play with other children and sometimes stopping to chat
with the neighbors.
Another thing that I like doing is getting up late in the morning. During weekdays I have to get
up early or I will not get to school on time. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, it is so
pleasurable to just lie in bed in the morning without having to get up and hurry to school. Again I
tend to lie too long in bed and my mother has to come and tell me to get up.
Listening to the radio and watching television are also things I like to do. Of course I do not
listen and watch everything. I only tune in to my favorite programmes and enjoy myself while
seated on my favorite chair.
There are other things that I enjoy doing too but there seems to be not enough time to do them
all. So I generally just stick to doing those I mentioned plus any others that I have time for.
stroll
stick to

to walk in a slow, relaxed manner

to limit yourself to doing one particular thing

Fruits of Malaysia
Malaysia lies in the tropics and is blessed with plenty of rain and sunshine. Many types of trees
and plants grow here. Among them are those that bear delicious fruits.
The "King of Fruits" is without doubt the durian. It is an oval-shaped fruit about the size of a
rugby ball. Its skin is green or yellow and covered with many sharp thorns. Inside, however, the
yellow flesh is soft and sweet. Its smell is very strong. The locals love the durian, but foreigners
find the smell hard to bear.
The durian is a seasonal fruit. It normally is in season twice a year. So are other fruits like the
mangosteen, langsat, duku, rambutan and mango. We consume these fruits in great quantities.
Other fruits like the papaya, pineapple, banana and star fruit are not seasonal. They are
obtainable at all times. Again we consume these fruits in large quantities. In a hot country like
Malaysia, fruits provide us with much needed water and other nutrients that are vital for health.
Often the fruit-stalls are crowded with people waiting to buy a slice of papaya, pineapple or
watermelon to quench their thirst.
We are lucky to have such a huge variety of fruits. In addition to that we get imported fruits like
apples and grapes, but they are usually more expensive. So we spend our money mainly on local
fruits. I would say that it is money well-spent.
the tropics

the hottest area of the Earth

langsat

East Indian tree bearing an edible yellow berry

quench

to satisfy your thirst by having a drink

An Accident
The road in front of my school is a narrow one. It is also very busy. Every afternoon when school
is dismissed the road becomes almost impassable as children, bicycles, cars and buses jostle and
struggle to use it. Sometimes a policeman is there to help things out, but generally chaos reigns
and we have to be careful not to get involved in an accident.
A few accidents had already occurred. I was a witness to one.
If happened just after school. As usual the road was an utter mad house. Children were running
across the road to get to their cars and buses. Cars and buses honked angrily at them.
Just then I saw a young boy make a dash across the road. There was a loud blare of horn, a
squeal of brakes and I saw a car knock into the boy. He fell as though his feet were swept from
under him.
Fortunately the car was not moving very fast and the driver managed to stop the car before a
wheel could run over the fallen boy.
All traffic stopped. I ran over to the boy and saw blood on the road. He was bleeding from a cut
on his head. A man came and examined the boy. Then he lifted the boy and carried him to a car.
They sped off, presumably to the hospital.
Many people surrounded the driver who looked dazed and bewildered. A policeman came to
calm things down.
As there was nothing I could do, I turned and walked down the road carefully. It was terrible to
witness an accident. I certainly would not like to be involved in one.
jostle

to knock or push roughly against someone in order to move past

them

dazed

very confused, unable to think clearly

bewildered

confused

A Fire
It was twilight time. I was watching television in my house when I heard an explosion. More
followed. So I went outside to see what the matter was.
A column of dark billowing smoke told me the story. There was a fire raging a short distance
away.
I got onto my bicycle and pedalled in the direction of the smoke. A couple of kilometres later I
came upon the fire. It was a row of motor-workshops and they were burning furiously.
The police and fire department had already cordoned off the area. I watched from a distance. A
crowd had already gathered and we gaped with amazement at the spectacle presented by the
burning shops.
The fire rose to about twenty metres and it lit up the whole area even though the sky was already
dark. The firemen desperately sprayed streams of water into the fire to control it. Now and then
explosions can be heard as gas cylinders blew up in the intense heat.
For more than an hour the fire raged. I could see anxious people trying to get near the workshops
only to be held back by the police. They were obviously the shop-owners trying to save their
shops. Actually they could do nothing but wait for the fire to be extinguished.
Finally the blaze died down and darkness enveloped us. The workshops were totally razed. Only
red-hot embers remained where they once stood. The crowd thinned and I too got onto my
bicycle and cycled home.
cordone off

gape

ember

If people in authority, such as the police, cordon off a building or area,

they put something around it in order to stop people from entering it
to look in great surprise at someone or something, especially with an
open mouth
a piece of wood or coal, etc. which continues to burn after a fire has no
more flames

A Robbery
Sam helps his uncle look after the latter's sundry shop. Business is brisk and Sam is kept busy
most of the time.
One evening at about 8 p.m., just as Sam's uncle was about to close for the day, two men on a
motorcycle stopped outside. They got off and walked into the shop. Sam thought that it was odd
that they should be wearing dark glasses at night. Anyway who was he to question what another
should wear?
Sam was about to ask the men what they wanted when both of them drew pistols from their
pockets. One pointed a pistol at Sam and the other at Sam's uncle. Sam froze and stared at the
pistol pointed at him. He could not believe his eyes. These two were robbers wearing dark
glasses to conceal their identities!
The next moment Sam and his uncle were made to lie face-down on the floor. Sam heard the
cash register ring and the drawer open. Then he heard a shuffling of feet, the roar of a motorcycle
starting up and suddenly all was quiet.
Sam looked up. The robbers were gone. Sam shook his uncle who was still prostrateon the
floor. They got up. Sam's uncle ran to the cash register. The robbers had taken every cent from it.
The robbery had happened so quickly. It took less than a minute for the robbers to come and
vanish with the day's takings.
Sam's uncle shook his head. At least the robbers did not harm them. The only thing left to do was
to inform the police and let them handle the case. As for Sam, he learned to be wary of strangers
who wore dark glasses at night.
brisk
conceal
prostrate

active
to hide something
lying with the face down and arms stretched out

A Busy Street
Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur has got to be one of the busiest street, if not the busiest, in
Malaysia. To be in it just once is to know the meaning of the word "busy".
I happened to be in it a few days before the Chinese New Year. On both sides of the street were
hawkers with all sorts of goods for sale. Fruits, cakes, fireworks, food and other things were
displayed openly for people to come and buy. The five-foot ways were not big enough, so the
hawkers and their customers actually spilled into the narrow street itself making it
a hazardous place for drivers and motorcyclists. Every few seconds a horn sounded as the
vehicles crawled cautiously among the throng.
There were so many people there that if I had not been with my father I would probably have got
lost. My father knew his way around. So I held on tightly to his hand as he led me through the
crowd. A number of times I nearly knocked into someone, or rather, someone nearly knocked
into me. Everyone seemed to be in a rush and nobody seemed to care whether they trampled on
another.
We were there to buy some cakes for the New Year. At the shop we had to wait a long time
before we could pay for what we wanted. The shop was crowded with other shoppers.
After our purchase, we made our way carefully out of the street. Once outside, the air felt so
much fresher. Though we had to walk some distance to our car, it was so much more pleasant
than walking among the crowd of frenzied shoppers along the busy street.
hazardous
throng
trample

dangerous
a crowd or large group of people
to step heavily on something or someone, causing damage
or injury

My favorite subject in school

My favorite subject in school is Mathematics. It is my favorite because I never have difficulty
with it and always get good marks in tests.
I suppose I am lucky to be born with a clear-thinking brain. So ever since
young,manipulating numbers and figures came easy to me.
The wonderful thing about Mathematics is that, besides some formulae, there is nothing else to
remember. Every step in solving a problem is done logically. Other subjects like History and
Geography require a lot of memory work. Remembering dates and other facts is hard work
compared with the ease and simplicity of mathematical reasoning.
While Mathematics is simple to me, some of my friends have great difficulty with it. I do not
really understand why. They get stuck with simple problems and often give up. So I help them
out when I can.
The one advantage I have in being good in Mathematics is that I do not have to spend a lot of
time on it. Homework and tests are a breeze. So I have plenty of time left over to study other
subjects. Sometimes I feel sorry for my less fortunate classmates who get scolded in class for not
completing their Mathematics homework.
Anyhow I have come to realize that human beings can be so different in their abilities while they
look similar otherwise. Some of us are lucky to be good in some things. Others may not be so
lucky.
manipulate
reasoning

breeze

to control or influence skillfully

the process of thinking about something in order to make a
decision
something which is easy to achieve

The haunted house

Everyone says that the old house at the end of the road is haunted. It used to be the residence of a
rich family but now none of them would stay there. So the house is vacant and uncared for. The
compound is filled with over-grown weed and grass.
My friend Jack and I decided to find out once and for all if what people said was true. So one
evening, we bravely entered the house and prepared to spend the night there. We brought along a
powerful torchlight, two sleeping-bags, some food and drinks, and a portable stereo set.
The early part of the night was no trouble at all. We sat on our sleeping-bags and listened to our
favourite music.
Twelve midnight came. We felt a bit sleepy. So we switched off the stereo set and crawled into
our sleeping-bags. However sleep was impossible. There seemed to be a heavy atmosphere
hanging around us. The darkness was oppressive and there was a strange soft whining noise
coming from upstairs.
We dared not go up to investigate the noise. So we lay quietly in our sleeping-bags and hoped
that the noise would go away. But it would not go away.
Actually it got louder and louder. Then it sounded like someone moaning. Jack hurried out of his
sleeping-bags and switched on the torchlight. We could see nothing except the walls of the
empty living room we were in.
Suddenly there was a loud crash from upstairs and the moans turned to screams. We screamed
too and ran out of the house as fast as we could, leaving behind everything that we had brought.
The hair on the back of my head stood on end for hours afterwards.
We never dared to go back into the house, not even in the daytime. My uncle had to go
and retrieve the things we had left behind there.
So, is the house haunted ? All I can say is that if you want to know, go and find out for yourself.
whining

long, high, sad sound

make sb's hair stand on end

to make someone very frightened

retrieve

to find and bring back something

My First Ride on a Ferry

The first time I ever rode on a ferry was when I took one to cross from Butterworth to Penang
Island. My family and I had gone to Penang for a holiday.
We arrived at the Ferry Terminal just as the sun was setting. My father paid the fare at one of the
toll-booths and we were ushered into a lane. We had to stop behind a row of cars to await the
arrival of the next ferry.
Presently a light yellow ferry arrived. Cars and motorcycles sped out of it. Then the green light
came for us to board. My father carefully drove the car onto the lower deck of the ferry. It was an
exciting new experience for me. I noticed the words "Pulau Undan" on a wall of the ferry.
As soon as the ferry was filled with cars and motorcycles on the lower deck, it left the terminal
and proceeded towards the island. I stood at the front end of the ferry and watched the
water churn and twirl as the ferry cut through it.
I could see the island a short distance ahead of us. To our left spanned the Penang Bridge. The
setting sun cast a red glow on the whole scene and I must say that it was beautiful.
My sister and I climbed up the stairs to the upper deck. It was filled with passengers who either
sat on the seats there or loitered around the area.
Soon the short ride ended. We hurried back down to the lower deck and got into our car when we
saw Penang Island loom closer and closer.
Finally the ferry docked and my father followed the row of cars out of the ferry. The car bumped
a bit on the uneven ramp but soon we were on Penang itself. My first ferry ride was over.
usher

to show someone the way

loiter

to move slowly around or stand especially in a public place

without an obvious reason

ramp

an artificial slope

The day I won a prize

I was never a great athlete but I managed to win a prize once.
It happened on a School Sports Day when I was asked to represent my house in the Long Jump.
There were no other suitable ones, and I, being the tallest of my friends, was promptly sent to the
Long Jump pit. My house-master reckoned I might have a chance to win.
He was right. I did win, but not first prize. I only managed second place, coming behind
someone who was at least five centimeters shorter than me.
We were each given three jumps. There were about ten of us competing for the prizes. When my
turn came I ran down the lane as fast as I could and took off at the board. I thought I jumped very
well but it was a foul jump. So I waited for my next jump.
I saw the other competitors leap like gazelles into the sand-pit. One particular boy, the eventual
winner, was built like a tank. He was not tall, but his legs were muscular and strong. So when I
saw him make his jump, I knew that no one else would be able to beat him.
No one did. I managed my best jump of 3.65 meters and that was nowhere close to his best. The
other competitors did much worse.
I was delighted to collect my little plastic prize from the Headmaster. It was the first time I had
ever won anything. My house-master patted me on my back. I smiled happily as I went home to
show the prize to my parents.
reckon

to take for granted without proof

gazelle

small swift graceful antelope of Africa and Asia having

lustrous eyes

pat on the back

A word or gesture of praise or approval

The day I lost my wallet

When I was seven years old, I was given a small wallet to keep my pocket-money in. It made me
feel grown up and I carried it proudly in my hip pocket.
One day, during recess in school, I discovered that my wallet was missing. I searched all my
pockets but could not find it. There were a couple of ringgit or so in the wallet and without it I
could not buy anything to eat.
I was close to tears. It was not so much because of losing my precious wallet but because I might
get a scolding from my parents. Anyhow I went hungry that day.
After recess I was in no mood to study at all. I kept thinking about how I lost my wallet and what
my parents would do to me. How was I going to explain the loss? I did not know whether
someone had pinched it from my pocket or it had merely fallen out. I prayed that someone would
find it and return it to me.
My prayers came to nought. Fortunately I did not have to pay to get on my school bus. My fare
was paid for monthly.
When I told my mother about my loss, she was clearly angry. I received a long lecture about my
carelessness. When my father came home, I received another lecture. Also I was told that there
would not be any more wallets for me until I got older.
So for the rest of the year and two years following, I carried my pocket-money (which became
only a ringgit) in my pocket, without any wallet. I am glad to say I never lost any money again. I
had learned to be more careful. It is not pleasant to lose something and then get scolded for
losing it.
ringgit

A basic unit of currency in Malaysia.

mood

A temporary state of mind or feeling

nought

nothing

An autobiography of a motocycle
I was made in a factory in Penang. I was one of a number of 100 c.c. motorcycles that was sent
down to Kuala Lumpur to be sold. So I found myself waiting patiently in a shop for someone to
buy me.
A few weeks later, a man came and bought me for his son. The boy was barely seventeen but his
father was rich and could afford to buy me. I was chosen mainly because of my beautiful red
colour and that I could go quite fast.
My young owner was a reckless rider. He rode me carelessly all over town, putting me in grew
danger. Many times I thought for sure that it was the end but somehow he managed to escape.
However, he tried one stunt too many. On that fateful day my owner took me out on a reckless
ride. His object was to overtake every vehicle in front of him. After a few near misses he finally
made a mistake and he slammed head-first into the back of a lorry. I slid uncontrollably under
the lorry.
That was the end of him.
I was salvaged from under the lorry, repaired and sold again to a middle-aged man who delivered
newspapers for a living. So for the next five years I was made to run thousands of kilometres
carrying loads of newspapers.
The hard work took its toll on me, and despite several repairs, my owner decided that it was
time to retire me. I was too worn-out to be of any use anymore. So I was sold to a motorcycle
shop where the owner stripped me of my parts.
Today I am nothing but a bare frame without any wheels. I await the day when I will be sold
for scrap. That would be the end of me.
reckless

take its toll

scrap

doing something dangerous and not caring about the risks and
the possible results
If something takes its toll, it causes suffering, deaths or
damage
old cars and machines or pieces of metal

The Newspaperman
The newspaperman delivers newspapers to us and many other houses in the neighborhood. I hear
his motorcycle every morning when he comes to deliver the daily paper. He comes promptly at
6.30 a.m. every morning, rain or shine, unless something extraordinary prevents him from doing
so.
He is so regular and prompt that I do not need any alarm clock to wake up. At six-thirty, the
neighbors' dogs start barking as he arrives and I know it is almost time to get up for school.
Though he comes every day, I do not get to see him. I only pick up and read the newspaper he
had left at the door. I only see him once a month when he comes to collect the bill.
Promptly on the first of each month, at six-thirty in the evening, he shows up with his bills. This
time he rings the door bell and I usually have to go and pay him. My mother will have got the
money ready one day earlier and instructed me to pay him.
He never smiles. He merely gives me the change, put the "PAID" chop on the bill and goes off to
the next house. It appears that his regular, almost regimental, rounds of newspaper delivery has
made him behave like a robot. He is very efficient, very prompt and does not smile. That is
certainly very robot-like.
Nevertheless, I appreciate his reliable service. For one thing, I am never without the daily paper.
Some of my friends complain that their newspapermen are very unreliable. Not so with mine, he
is the best.
rain or shine

no matter what the circumstances

regimental

like the act of a group of soldiers

A day in the life of a bus driver

The alarm rings. It is six o'clock. Maniam gets up wearily. It is the start of another day ferrying
school kids to and from school.
At six-thirty, after a hurried bath, Maniam starts his old 22-seater bus and moves off. He goes
along a regular route picking up children to send to various schools. By seven, all the regular
children, except one who is ill, is on the bus. Maniam drives carefully through the busy roads.
He stops at four different schools, dropping off some children at each. He plans his drive
carefully so as to reach the last school by seven-thirty. Otherwise some children will be late for
school and he gets the blame.
At seven-thirty two, his bus is empty and the roads are magically less congested. Most of the
children are in the classrooms. Maniam stops by at a stall to have his breakfast.
Come eleven-thirty, he picks up other school children for the afternoon session. By twelve-thirty
he has sent all the children to the schools safely.
At one o'clock he collects his first batch of children from a school. Then he proceeds to three
other schools to collect the others. After collecting the children he sends them home.
Maniam has lunch at home and takes a nap. At three o'clock he cleans up the bus.
At six in the evening, Maniam goes on his last round of collecting the children from the schools.
He safely sends them home by seven thirty. Then Maniam goes home, takes a bath, has dinner
and watches television for a while before retiring to bed. Thus end yet another day in the life of a
bus driver.
wearily

very tired

drop off

to take someone or something to a particular place, usually by

car, as you travel to a different place

nap

a short sleep

Danger at home
Our home is usually our favorite place to spend time in. However many accidents occur at home.
There are dangerous things in the house and we should be aware of them. Thus we can avoid
unnecessary pain or injury.
Electricity runs many of our home appliances. It is a very useful thing. It is also a very dangerous
thing if used carelessly, for it can kill. Electrical sockets and power points are to be handled with
utmost care. Young children should never be allowed to go near them. Unless we are very sure
of what we are doing, repairs should only be done by a competent electrician. It is only too easy
to get electrocuted. Old or faulty appliances should be discarded. If used, they are likely to start
a fire somewhere or kill someone who touches it.
The kitchen has many dangerous things. Sharp knives can draw blood, mishandled gas-cylinders
can explode, hot water can scald and stoves can cause nasty burns. Flies and rats can
contaminate food. Thus the kitchen is not a place to be careless in. If we are careful and know
how to handle things there, then the chance of an accident occurring is lessened.
The biggest danger in a bathroom is when the floor is slippery with water or soap. I have heard
of many incidents of people, especially old folks, falling in the bathroom. Sometimes the fall is
fatal. Often it leaves the victim bedridden. Utmost care is needed here.
Finally the medicine cabinet should be inaccessible to young children. Dangerous drugs and pills
can look like sweets to these young ones. If taken, the consequences can be disastrous.
Other dangers do exist. It is up to us to watch out for them.
electrocute
scald
bedridden

to kill someone by causing electricity to flow through their body

to burn the skin with boiling liquid or steam
Confined to bed because of illness or infirmity

The importance of physical exercise

Each of us has a physical body made of muscles, blood, bones and various other living tissue.
When any of these are injured or not working properly then we get ill. Nobody likes to be ill. So
it is important that we keep our body healthy.
Exercising the body is one way of keeping it healthy. If we do not exercise then our muscles
become weaker and we are less able to do things properly. Also the bones can become weaker
and thus break easily.
There are many types of exercises that we may participate in. We may play badminton, football,
netball or whatever games that we prefer. We may also jog, walk, swim or climb a mountain.
Older folks prefer less strenuous exercises like Tai Chi, Yoga or a leisurely stroll in the park.
For the really fit young people, there are rock-climbing, gymnastics and other physically
demanding activities.
We exercise to keep the body healthy. However there are some who overdo things and end up
injuring themselves. It is fine to jog for a few kilometres. It is madness to jog until we are
exhausted. Also they are people who become addicted to their exercises. They become unhappy
when they are unable to exercise or when they lose to someone in a competition.
Exercise is important. No exercise may result in a weak body. Too much exercise may result in
injury. Neither extremes are good. It is up to us to be sensible in exercising.
strenuous
stroll
sensible

using a lot of physical or mental effort or energy

to walk in a slow relaxed manner
having an awareness or understanding of a situation

A visit to the market

I accompanied my mother to the central market to buy some groceries that she needed for the
coming New Year.
When we arrived at the market we could not find a place to park the car. So we waited patiently
for about ten minutes before someone vacated a parking space and we moved in.
Coming to the market just before a festive season was not a pleasant experience. The whole town
seemed to be there. Everyone had things to buy. So the prices of things shot up. Worst of all, we
had to struggle to get these things.
So we made our way carefully through the various sections buying vegetables, meat, fish,
noodles, spices and other food stuffs. We had wanted to buy some prawns too but they were all
sold out, despite their sky-high price.
The bags got heavier and heavier. The crowd got thicker and thicker. The noise and heat
was overwhelming. As we had nearly done all the shopping, I told my mother that I would wait
for her at the car. I could not stand being among hundreds of aggressive shoppers anymore.
I lugged the bags wearily to the car and breathed a sigh of relief when I reached it. The air
smelled sweet and cool. I was glad to be outside.
Fifteen minutes later my mother emerged from the market. She looked exhausted. We put the
groceries in the boot, got into the car and drove off with the air-conditioner at full blast.
sky-high
overwhelming
at full blast

describes a price or charge that is very high

so strong as to be irresistible
at full power

Power failure
One evening just as I was getting ready to watch a cartoon show on television, there was a power
failure. The television set just went blank, the lights went off and the fan slowed down and
stopped. As it was getting dark, I hoped that the power would berestored soon but it was not to
be so.
Soon darkness enveloped the neighborhood. We hastily lit candles so that we could find our way
around the house. As we had only three candles, my mother sent me to the sundry shop nearby to
buy more.
"Sorry, no more candles", was what the shopkeeper told me. The neighbors had bought up all the
candles. At home my father managed to dig out two kerosene lamps. We lit these too and kept
the darkness out.
Without the fan running, it was oppressively warm. Furthermore there was nothing to do but
wait for the power to come on again. All of us sat quietly in the living- room. We had grown so
dependent on electricity. Without it we felt so uncomfortable. I used a book to fan myself.
Finally it was time for bed and still there was no power. Nevertheless I groped my way to my
room, changed and lay quietly in the darkness. It felt so strange without the familiar lights
around me. Anyhow I fell asleep after a while.
The power came back on only at dawn. By then we did not need it anymore.
go off
restore
oppressively

stop running
to return something to earlier good condition
causing anxiety

Water supply disruption

We take so many things for granted at home that we do not appreciate them until they become
unavailable. One of these is the water supply to our house.
Disruptions to the water supply do occur now and then. However there was one that was the
worst.
It began one morning when we got up to prepare for the day ahead. All the taps, except one in
the bathroom connected to the water tank above the bathroom, were dry. So we had to patiently
wait our turn to use the only tap with water.
We did not feel the pinch until evening when the water tank above the bathroom ran dry. My
mother had a small tank of water stored in the kitchen, but that was only for cooking purposes.
So none of us could have a bath or even wash our hands. Whatever little water we had in various
little containers was used sparingly. We began to be careful not to waste water.
That evening a water-tanker from the waterworks arrived to supply us with water. We ran out
gratefully with our buckets to collect as much water as we could. Soon all our buckets were full.
At least we could wash ourselves that night.
We were very careful when we used the water we collected. We could not afford to waste any.
The next morning, there was still no water from the taps. So again we used the limited water
frugally.
Finally the water supply was restored at about four in the evening. It was wonderful to see rustcoloured water gushing out of the taps. It took a while for the water to become clear. Anyhow
we were glad that we had normal water supply again.
take sth for granted

feel the pinch

gush

to believe something to be the truth without even thinking

about it
Be affected by hardship
To flow forth suddenly in great volume

Visiting a durian orchard

My cousin has a durian orchard about five kilometers from town. I visited him once during a
fruit season.
I reached the orchard at about 9 o'clock in the morning after having cycled all the way from my
house. My cousin was waiting for me in his modest little wooden house in the middle of the
orchard.
Around the house, about 5 acres of it, was the orchard.
There were hundreds of durian trees all over the orchard. Clusters of durians hung on the
branches. There must be thousands of these spiny fruits.
Suddenly a loud crash sounded from a distance. I was startled. However my cousin said that it
was only a ripe durian dropping from a tree. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I followed him to
where the sound came from. To my delight I found the fruit among the undergrowth. I picked it
up and carried it back to the house.
There were dozens of other durians piled up at the back of the house. My cousin had collected
them earlier. They were for a buyer who was coming later. Anyway my cousin opened a couple
of them and I enjoyed eating the delicious flesh inside.
So I spent the morning picking up fallen durians. It was a great time for me. Only the
mosquitoes, which kept attacking me, spoiled the fun somewhat.
At about noon, I bade farewell to my cousin after thanking him for the wonderful experience in
the orchard. I then cycled home.
cluster
spiny

pile up

a group of similar things that are close together

Bearing or covered with spines, thorns, or similar stiff
projections
gather together

Grandma
Grandma is 88 years old. Her hair is snowy-white, skin wrinkled and teeth all but gone. She is
also quite deaf. Otherwise she is strong and active, often arguing with my mother over who
should mop the floor.
The doctor said she has Alzheimer's disease. In other words, she is senile. It is a sad fact but true.
The one glaring symptom of her disease is that her memory is very bad. She cannot remember
things or gets them all mixed up. So she forgets where she has kept things and often will
frantically search for them. Then she forgets what she is searching for, which adds to her
frustration. When she misplaces her spectacles, she will donsomeone else's pair and happily go
about the house. How she manages to see with the wrong spectacles baffles me.
As much as she cannot remember recent things, she can recall her younger days vividly.
She rattles off the names of people she knew then and get my name and other family members'
wrong. She cannot remember whether she just had dinner but can remember an event that
happened fifty years ago. Sometimes she can be very difficult. Her being almost deaf does not
help matters either. We have to speak loudly for her to hear.
Sometimes she says we are scolding her. We shout to say we are not scolding her, which makes
things worse. We got her a hearing-aid. She would not wear it.
In between bouts of crankiness, she sometimes seems normal. But this seems to get lesser as her
disease progresses. So we do our best to keep her out of harm's way. We lock the medicine
cabinet and doors and hide dangerous things from her. It would be disastrous if she swallowed a
bottle of pills or got lost while wandering in the streets. The latter has happened before. A kind
neighbour brought her home.
It is unfortunate the last years of her life has to be like this, but it is so. We can do nothing but to
help her along as much as we can.
senile

don
rattle off

showing a lack of mental ability because of old age, especially a

lack of ability to think clearly and make decisions
to put on
to say or read aloud very quickly a list of names or items

An unpleasant experience
The evening was very pleasant as we strolled to the "Glutton's Square" where we intended to
have our dinner. The sun was setting and the air was cool.
John, Aileen and I sat down at a table. The stall-owner came and we ordered some fried mee.
Soon the large plate of piping-hot mee arrived and we happily put some into our bowls and
began eating.
It was delicious.
John, the talkative one, still managed to say an unintelligible word or two between gulps of food.
Suddenly John winced as his teeth came against something unchewable. Cursing, he spat out the
contents of his mouth onto the table. "What the heck!" he cursed again.
Much to my disgust, John ran a finger through the half-chewed food. Then, uttering a cry of
triumph, he picked up a staple from the food.
Aileen and I immediately stopped chewing and expelled the food from our mouths. The thought
of eating staples was revulsive. I wondered if I had already swallowed some staples.
With a fork, Aileen searched through the rest of the mee on the plate. She found two more
staples and a short length of raffia string!
Goodness, I thought, what other rubbish was there in the food?
We summoned the stall-owner to our table. His smile vanished when we showed him the staples
and string. Then he apologized for the matter, said that we did not have to pay and furthermore
would make a fresh plate of mee for us, free of charge.
We got up, showed him our sour faces and walked off. I, for one, seemed to have lost my
appetite.
piping hot
wince

revulsive

very hot
to show pain briefly and suddenly in the face, often moving the
head back at the same time
A sudden strong change or reaction in feeling, especially a
feeling of violent disgust or loathing

Confined to the house

It all began with a blister on my lower eyelid. I happened to rub it accidentally and it was
painful.
Soon after blisters appeared on my hands and neck. I suspected that I must be coming down with
something. My mother examined me and immediately pronounced "chicken-pox". I had come
down with chicken-pox.
She took me to the doctor's to make sure. The doctor said that what I needed was rest. He gave
me a two- week medical certificate and some pills to keep down the fever.
Two weeks! I had to stay in the house for two weeks.
Very quickly more blisters appeared all over my body. I even had some in the throat, which
made swallowing difficult. To make matters worse, I began to get bouts of fever. At times when
the fever was raging, I seemed to drift into a kind of limbo. Things became hazy and I was not
sure whether I was dreaming or awake.
I had a look in the mirror and saw that my face was grotesque. Red blisters covered the whole
face. I wondered if I would be scarred permanently.
So I stayed in the house and did nothing. It was not too unpleasant except for the fever and the
extra care I had to take not to break the blisters accidentally. Nobody came to visit me. I was
forbidden to visit others. It was customary to remain out of sight when one had chicken- pox. I
had no choice but to comply.
The days passed. Slowly the blisters dried into dark scabs which flaked off after a while, leaving
behind little red scars. The flakes fell on the floor, on the bed and among my clothes.
For two weeks I remained confined to the house. At the end of the period, my appearance had
improved enough for me to go back to school. The little scars remained there for a few more
months but I was glad my enforced stay in the house was over.
blister
bout
limbo

a painful red swelling on the skin that contains liquid

a brief period of illness
an uncertain situation that you cannot control and in which there
is no advancement or improvement

Something unexpected
The routine of following lesson after lesson can be very tiring. Recess time always seems so far
away. The bell rings. One teacher leaves, another appears. What we need is a break from
the monotony.
One morning, we were a lesson into the routine when I felt that it was going to be just another
day of endless studying. After what seemed a long time the bell rang for the second period. The
Mathematics teacher left. Next would be Geography with Mrs. Singham.
The short break between the going of one teacher and the coming of the next was when we had
the opportunity to talk and have some fun. It usually lasted a minute or two, sometimes more.
This time no teacher appeared even after five minutes. We were having a great time. Ten minutes
-- Mrs. Singham still did not appear. Our monitor went out in search of her. A few minutes later,
he returned to announce that Mrs. Singham was absent. We cheered. This was unexpected, but it
was welcome.
So for forty minutes we literally fooled around. The monitor could do nothing. What a good time
we had. The bell rang again. Forty minutes of fun seemed so short, but it was great while it
lasted.
Again no teacher appeared. It was another case of an absent teacher. We cheered even louder
because it was ,a double-period which meant we were free until recess.
Altogether we had one hundred and twenty minutes -- two hours, of no lesson. It was unexpected
of course and I have to say I enjoyed it very much. I would not mind having more of this
unexpected thing.
routine
recess

monotony

a habitual or fixed way of doing things

( US ) in school, a period of time between classes when children
do not study
staying the same and not changing and therefore boring

Ways of improving my English

Today, English is used widely. It has become the most popular language of communication
between countries and in many fields of human endeavor. So it is important that we learn to use
English. Otherwise we will be at a disadvantage.
The only effective way of improving my English is to use it, as often as possible.
In school, the only time when English is used is during English lessons. That certainly is not
enough. So wherever possible I speak English with some friends and teachers who will or can
speak English with me.
Reading book, magazines and newspapers are good ways of improving my English. On the
whole they are grammatically correct. We may speak incorrect English andget away with it. Not
so with printed words, they have to be correct. Through reading, I learned how to use correct
English in writing and speaking, though at times I still speak the broken English that many of us
speak here.
Watching television and listening to the radio are two more ways of improving my English.
English as it is spoken by the English, Americans, Malaysians and others aredistinctly different.
So I continue to use English, that is, hear, read, speak and write it. Some of my friends only hear
and read it. They can hardly speak or write it, but I will not be like them. I will try my best to
master it.
endeavor
get away with
distinctly

an attempt to do something
escape the consequences
clearly noticeable

Freak weather
Early one morning when it was still dark, I woke up suddenly. I felt very cold. The funny thing
was that I had the blanket on but I still felt cold. I could not get back to sleep because of it. So I
got up and put on extra clothes. Only then did I managed to get to sleep again.
When dawn came, I woke up to find that my nose was freezing. The rest of the body was
comfortably warm under the blanket, but the head, especially the nose, felt like ice.
Anyhow I got up and immediately felt the cold air around me. I shivered. It was extraordinary
that it should be this cold in the tropics. I checked the thermometer. It read 19 degrees Celsius.
Goodness, I thought, this was really unusual.
Outside the sky was obscured by thick mist. Again this was unusual. On my way to school, my
clothes actually got damp as moisture settled on me. It was cold and damp. The sun was well
hidden. I could not even see where it was.
Most of my schoolmates and the teachers had extra clothes on. The others shivered.
As the day progressed it became more pleasant. Mist still hung all around us. It was strange
having lessons in the unusual conditions.
Only at about 12 noon did the mist clear and the sun shone through. Even then the atmosphere
was pleasantly cool.
It was a freak weather but it was enjoyable while it lasted. It gave me an idea of how it was like
in a cold country. How nice it would be if we had this type of weather more often.
freak

very unusual or unexpected

shiver

shake slightly because of cold

damp

slightly wet

Places I like to visit

First of all, I would like to visit the moon. By the time ordinary people can visit the moon, I will
probably be very old or dead. Anyhow it would be quite an experience to walk on the moon. It is
said that there is no air or water there and our weight is many times less. I certainly would like to
see how high I can jump and how fast I can run on the moon. These are all wishful thinking, of
course.
To be realistic I can only visit places on earth. There are the Seven, and other, Wonders of the
Earth and I like to visit them all, if possible. After hearing about the marvels of The Pyramids Of
Egypt, The Great Wall Of China, The Taj Mahal, The Leaning Tower Of Pisa, The Colosseum
Of Rome, Stonehenge in England and others, it would be great to actually be there and
experience these things first-hand.
However, before all these places, I would like to visit Disneyland first. Which kid would not like
to? There are so many things to see and do. It would be great fun.
Right now I cannot visit any of these places. The first reason is the lack of money. The second is
I am too young to go on my own and I do not know anyone rich enough to take me there.
So they remain places I like to visit. Who knows, I might get to visit some or all of them in
future, or not at all. Only time will tell.
wishful thinking

the imagining or discussion of a very unlikely future event or

situation as if it were possible and might one day happen

Some funny people I have met

The first funny person that comes to mind is a man who sits on the branch of a tree by a road and
shouts at the cars that pass by. He is mad of course but it still is strange that a madman should
shout at passing cars. He never seems to notice me somehow when I pass by on my bicycle. For
him it is only cars. He shouts with such gusto and pleasure. I always laugh when I see him at it.
Then there is this man in baggy snorts and Japanese slippers who rides his motorcycle with only
the right side of his buttocks on the seat. The left side hangs out. This makes his motorcycle lean
at an awkward angle as though he is about to fall, but he does not. Perhaps he has a large boil on
the left side of his buttocks. Whatever the reason, I have seen him ride the way he does many
times. He looks so funny, but dangerous.
Running a sundry shop near my house is a short and stout man whose body shape and
movements resemble that of a penguin. I do not mean to be derogatory but he always reminds
me of that bird. However he runs his shop well and I get a lot of things from him.
Finally there is a dandy who dresses in the most outrageous outfits I have ever seen. The colour
combination he chooses for his clothes are, to say the least, horrible. Only he dares to wear a
purple shirt with green trousers and a pink tie. Often I see running around on his motorcycle
wearing those loud clothes. He works as a salesman for some company. Perhaps those clothes
help him to get, or maybe shock, customers.
gusto

derogatory
dandy

great energy, enthusiasm and enjoyment that is experienced by

someone taking part in an activity, especially a performance
showing strong disapproval and not showing respect
a man, especially in the past, who dressed in expensive, fashionable
clothes and was very interested in his own appearance

Pests in the home

The biggest pest in the home is the mosquito. I notice that there are at least 3 different kinds of
mosquitoes. Some bite in the daytime and some at night. Some are large while some are tiny, but
they have one thing in common -- they bite. So we use mosquito repellents, coils, nets and sprays
to keep them at bay, but somehow they still manage to get past our defenses.
I am very sensitive to mosquito-bites, so I sleep under a mosquito-net. Some people seem quite
unaware of their presence and do not seem to know that they have been bitten. Well, these are
lucky people until they come down with malaria or dengue-fever.
Another persistent pest is the common rat. These animals are very active during the night,
looking for food everywhere. They eat anything, even soap. So any food left uncovered
overnight is likely to be contaminated by these pests. Furthermore rats make nests in nooks and
corners of the house. They nibble into floorboards, ceilings and even electrical wiring. They are
really a big nuisance.
Cockroaches too are pests. They have the habit of crawling all over the place. Sometimes they
even crawl onto one's body. These dirty little creatures contaminate food too. They also emit a
strong stench. It is never pleasant to encounter them.
There are other pests like flies, ants, moths and assorted bugs. It would be nice it we can get rid
of them but it is obvious we cannot. They are here to stay. The only effective way to minimize
them is to keep the house clean. In this way they have less places to breed and less food to eat.
The less pests we have in the home, the more pleasant the home is.
keep at bay

every nook and corner

stench

If you keep someone or something at bay, you maintain a safe

distance from them.
every part of a place
a strong unpleasant smell

Teachers' Day
One day every year, we celebrate Teachers' Day in honour of the teachers who spend so much
time teaching us so many things.
This year, Teachers' Day began with a school assembly in the hall where the headmaster
delivered a speech. After that we adjourned to our classes, not to have lessons, but to enjoy
ourselves.
My classmates gave a small party for the teachers who taught us. Each of us contributed a small
sum of money to buy cakes, drinks and other titbits. On that day we arranged the chairs and
desks so that they surrounded an empty space in the middle of the classroom.
So began a round of eating, drinking and playing games with the teachers. Most of the teachers
were very sporting and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was so different from having lessons.
The other classes gave parties too. So the teachers had to move from class to class and participate
in the fun. I would think that this was quite tiring on the part of the teachers but they managed it.
After all it was their day to enjoy and have fun.
One class even gave a short play for their teachers. I did not get to watch it as I was busy tidying
up the classroom after the party.
All in all it was a great day. The whole school was immersed in an atmosphere of gaiety. So
when the school bell rang for dismissal I felt a little sad that it should end, but end it must. The
day was over and we went home tired but happy.
adjourn to somewhere

titbit/tidbit

immerse

to finish doing something and go somewhere, usually for a drink

and some food
a small piece of interesting information, or a small item of
pleasant-tasting food
to become completely involved in something

A frightful experience
I had to walk through an area filled with undergrowth to get to the shop. It was not too
unpleasant except that I had to keep to the narrow footpath and not blunder into the bushes.
Buying some flour from the shop seemed harmless enough. The shop was the nearest one and
my mother reckoned I was old enough to run a simple errand for her.
Suddenly I heard a growl from within some bushes. A ferocious dog appeared in front of me
with its fangs bared. I froze. If it were to attack me I knew I could not fight it. I had heard that if
you keep still, a dog would not attack.
It worked. The dog came up to me and sniffed me all over, but it did not bite me. I trembled with
fear but dared not move.
After a while it lay down beside me. I thought it was safe to go, but the moment I moved a leg it
stood up and growled fiercely again. I was trapped! The dog would not let me move. What could
I do?
I waited in fear. As long as I remained still, I was all right, but how long could I stand there like
that? My feet were already feeling numb.
Then I had an idea. The shop was just a short distance away. I shouted "Help! Help!" with all my
might. The dog looked confused but did not attack me.
The shopkeeper heard my shouts and came to investigate. The dog, which was obviously his,
wagged its tail and folded back its ears. He quickly brought a chain and tied it to a post. I was so
relieved. The shopkeeper apologized and gave me a free packet of flour.
What a frightful experience it was. Anyway I never had anymore trouble with the dog. The
shopkeeper kept it tied up at all times.
undergrowth

run errand

ferocious

Low-growing plants, saplings, and shrubs beneath trees in a

forest.
a short journey either to take a message or to deliver or collect
something
fierce and violent

The way we eat

The way we eat our food is habitual. This means that we are usually not aware of it. I have
noticed some of the ways people eat and they range from elegance to gluttony.
My father slurps his soup. It is disgusting but we dare not say anything. He will be sorely
offended if we did. On the other hand my mother is so gracefully in her ways. It is a pleasure to
watch her daintily scoop the food up into her mouth and then chew it slowly and gently.
A fat friend of mine literally gobbles up his food. He eats at least three times as much as I do in
about half the time that I take. While he is eating, he is totally oblivious tohis surroundings. He
puts the food into his mouth as fast as he can, chews a couple of times and then swallows. It does
not matter whether he is using a spoon, chopsticks or his hands. He is skilled with all. After
finishing, he sits up, gives a couple of burps and rubs his belly. It is all very disgusting, but at the
same time it is very amusing.
Another friend of mine, a thin one this time, hardly, eats at all. He sits at the table and, halfheartedly picks up the food with a fork. He says he has no appetite. No wonder he is so thin.
Then there are many who talk while they eat. So little pieces of food and drops of saliva start
flying. Only a sharp "Shut up and eat!" can silence these talkers. They usually shut up but only
for a while.
How do you eat your food? Do you eat quickly, slowly, like a glutton, sparingly, daintily or
noisily? Do you lick your fingers, spoon or plate? Are you aware of how you eat?
gluttony
slurp

oblivious

when people eat and drink more than they need to

to drink a liquid noisily as a result of sucking air into the mouth
at the same time as the liquid
not aware of something, especially what is happening around
you

The garbage collectors

It is incredible how much rubbish we throw into the garbage bin. It always seems to be full. A
garbage bin is never nice to look at and get near to. The smell can be quite strong. So we are very
thankful to the garbage collectors who come and remove the garbage.
They normally come thrice a week. If they miss a day or two, then the garbage bins in my
neighborhood overflow onto the road. This invites stray dogs and otherscavengers. Only when
the garbage truck comes again is the problem taken care of. So we can see how important these
garbage collectors are.
When they come, they usually make a lot of noise. Often they are moody. We bear with them
because theirs is not a very pleasant job. It is dirty and smelly. Besides, God knows what sort of
rubbish they have to handle every day. How they can stand the filth and stench I do not know.
Perhaps they are used to it. I know for sure that they do not love their jobs. Who would?
Nevertheless, they do come regularly to perform an important job. On festive occasions we give
them gifts, usually small amounts of money, as a token of appreciation for a job well done.
Granted they are noisy, dirty and sometimes cranky, but how else can they behave when they
have to do work that most people would not touch? Nobody would like to work as a garbage
collector.
Anyhow someone has to do the dirty job. The least we can do is make their job easier by keeping
our garbage in proper bins and showing them a little appreciation now and then.
scavenger

a bird or animal which feeds on dead animals which it has not

killed itself

stench

strong and unpleasant smell

cranky

easily irritated or annoyed

A close brush with death

It was raining cats and dogs. Fortunately we were in a car and my uncle, who was driving, had
the situation under control.
We passed slowly by an oil-palm estate. The driving rain made visibility poor. So my uncle
drove very carefully. He had all the lights on. So did the other drivers. I could make out little
blobs of light on the other cars through the white sheet of rain.
Overhead, black clouds hovered ominously. It felt as though they were about to fall on us at any
moment. Lightning streaked across the sky and onto the distant hills. The ensuing thunder
rumbled unceasingly. Some flashes of lightning came uncomfortably close and the resulting
thunderclap was deafening, even with all our windows up.
All of a sudden a bright flash of light blinded us and a very loud crack made me lose my
bearings. The next thing I knew was that my uncle had stopped the car and his face was pale
with shock. I too was in shock. What had happened?
For a long agonising moment I struggled to collect my scattered wits. Then my uncle pointed a
trembling finger at something outside the car. I looked in the direction and saw an oil-palm some
ten metres away literally split in half through the middle. It was scorched black and smoking. I
then realised that it had just been struck by lightning.
If the lightning had struck us instead, we would be scorched black and smoking too. Still
trembling, my uncle quickly drove away from the danger zone. We had just had a close brush
with death. It was close, too close for comfort.
rain cats and dogs
ominously
lose one's bearings

rain very heavily

suggesting that something unpleasant is likely to happen
lose one's position or situation relative to one's surroundings

Preparing for an examination

The Final Examination are just a couple of months away. It is important that I do well. So I shall
have to prepare for it. In other words I need to revise and study what I have learned through the
year.
First of all I have to prepare a time-table of study so that I can divide my time properly to the
various subjects. I shall have to devote more time to the subjects I am not so good at.
I shall have two study periods a day, one from three to four in the afternoon and the other from
seven to nine in the evening. I cannot study all the time for my mind will not be able to cope with
it. So I must have some time to indulge in games and other forms of recreation. Then I can
return to my studies with renewed vigor.
I am not very good in Geography and History. So I have to spend more time with them. These
two subjects require memorizing of many facts. In order that I remember the facts I need to do a
lot of reading. Only then the facts will remain in my head. Also I need to read attentively or the
facts will tend to be forgotten quickly.
Other subjects require less memorizing. So I am all right with them. I only have to keep in touch
with them and I should pass without any problem.
One last thing is necessary. I shall have to cut out time-consuming activities like socialising with
friends, window shopping, watching videos and listening to pop-songs. I can do these things
again once the examinations are over. Meanwhile it is 'action stations'! There is a battle to be
won.
devote
indulge

vigor

to give all of something, especially your time

to allow yourself to have something enjoyable, especially
more than is good for you
strength, energy or enthusiasm

Punished in School
I was totally shocked when the teacher threw my exercise book at my face. She stood there
glowering at me with her huge eyes. What had I done?
Next, the boy beside me got the same treatment. One by one the teacher repeated her nasty
actions on a total of five boys. The whole class was dumbfounded by her sudden outburst of
anger. We were merely kids and were terrified of her. The fact that she was the headmaster's
wife did not help matters.
Then we were sent to the headmaster's office. The five of us did not know what we had done
wrong, but it must be something terrible. Still, we walked bravely into the office.
"You are all trouble-makers, aren't you?" the headmaster began. We looked at each other. What
trouble did we make?
"I hear you never do what the teacher tells you. You are disobedient," continued the headmaster.
We protested but were told to shut up. Chong, my classmate, had his hands in his pockets and the
headmaster said, "Manners maketh a man. You've got no manners boy." Chong hastily took his
hands out and stood at attention.
Then the headmaster went on to accuse us of not doing our work properly, being ill-mannered
and noisy, among other things. He was wrong most of the time. I admit that our work were not
top-class material but the accusations were grossly exaggerated or totally unfounded.
Anyhow each of us received a cut of the headmaster's cane. It did not hurt that much. What hurt
was the injustice done onto us. We were punished for flimsy reasons but what could we do? We
could do nothing but walk slowly back to class and try to get along with the tyrannous teacher.
dumbfounded
flimsy
tyrannous

so shock that you cannot speak

weak and difficult to believe
oppressive

Teachers, good and bad

Having been in school for a number of years now, I have come across many types of teachers.
Some are good while some are not so good.
The good ones are those who put effort into their work. They care for the welfare of their
students. They genuinely want to teach us what they know. So despite their weaknesses we love
and respect them.
Our present class teacher, Mr. Loga, is a model teacher. He not only teaches us English, but more
importantly, what it means to be a human being. He is invariably patient, very approachable and
always has a practical solution to any problem anyone may present to him. We are grateful for
his guidance and advice.
On the other hand, our Mathematics teacher, is the worst of the lot. He comes in half-drunk and
with a cigarette in his hand. Normally he just sits at the table and tells us to do exercise this or
that. Sometimes he does not come at all. Rarely does he teach. When he does, it is almost
impossible to follow him. His hands tremble and his speech is incoherent. So we are left to our
own devices. Fortunately for me Mathematics is not too difficult. So I can cope, even without a
teacher. Unfortunately for some, it means the difference between passing or failing. So some of
them have resorted to taking private tuition.
In between these two are the other teachers. Some are good in some ways and bad in others.
However all of them are predictable. So we know what to do when in their presence. The good
ones we appreciate and respect. The bad ones we tolerate.
It is not for me to judge the teachers. They run their lives as they see fit. I wonder what they will
write about us if they were to write an essay entitled "Students, Good And Bad".
approachable
tremble
incoherent

friendly and easy to talk to

to shake slightly
expressing yourself unclearly

Teachers, good and bad

Having been in school for a number of years now, I have come across many types of teachers.
Some are good while some are not so good.
The good ones are those who put effort into their work. They care for the welfare of their
students. They genuinely want to teach us what they know. So despite their weaknesses we love
and respect them.
Our present class teacher, Mr. Loga, is a model teacher. He not only teaches us English, but more
importantly, what it means to be a human being. He is invariably patient, very approachable and
always has a practical solution to any problem anyone may present to him. We are grateful for
his guidance and advice.
On the other hand, our Mathematics teacher, is the worst of the lot. He comes in half-drunk and
with a cigarette in his hand. Normally he just sits at the table and tells us to do exercise this or
that. Sometimes he does not come at all. Rarely does he teach. When he does, it is almost
impossible to follow him. His hands tremble and his speech is incoherent. So we are left to our
own devices. Fortunately for me Mathematics is not too difficult. So I can cope, even without a
teacher. Unfortunately for some, it means the difference between passing or failing. So some of
them have resorted to taking private tuition.
In between these two are the other teachers. Some are good in some ways and bad in others.
However all of them are predictable. So we know what to do when in their presence. The good
ones we appreciate and respect. The bad ones we tolerate.
It is not for me to judge the teachers. They run their lives as they see fit. I wonder what they will
write about us if they were to write an essay entitled "Students, Good And Bad".
approachable
tremble
incoherent

friendly and easy to talk to

to shake slightly
expressing yourself unclearly

My first acting role

The first time I acted in a play was when I was in Standard Three. Come to think of it, it was the
only time I acted in a play.
I was chosen to play the role of a farmer. Rathi, the prettiest girl in class, played the role of the
farmer's wife. So I felt a little elated about my role.
We spent a whole week rehearsing the play. Learning the lines by heart was tedious. The first
rehearsal was a disaster as we fumbled our lines again and again. After half a dozen rehearsals
we managed to get things right. It was all very tiring.
The script required me to climb up a mango tree to pluck some mangoes. Obviously we could
not put a mango tree in the classroom. So we improvised by hanging a mango by a string from
the ceiling with a ladder below it. Those were the props, placed right in front of the blackboard.
Finally the day of the play came. I went on stage, rather, in front of the classroom, with my
fellow actors and actresses and performed our parts. Everything went smoothly. We never got
stage-fright, thanks to our rehearsals and familiar audience of fifteen children. About half the
class were the performers, the rest audience.
Now, a few years later, I cannot remember a single line of the play. The only thing I remember
clearly is that I enjoyed eating the mango during the play.
elated

extremely happy and excited

fumble

to do something awkwardly

improvise

When actors or musicians improvise, they perform without fixed

speech or music, making it up as they perform it

Crew Cut
The day I went to school with a crew cut, I was greeted by roars of laughter and plenty of
comments. I really looked funny with a crew cut but I was forced to have my hair cut that way. It
was my foolishness and my cousin's fault that it happened. Here is how it happened. The
monthly ritual of visiting the barber to get my hair cut was tedious. Long hair was like a sin and
mine was beginning to cover my ears. My cousin reckoned that he could save me some money if
I let him cut my hair. He assured me that he knew how to do it properly. So foolishly I allowed
him to use a pair of scissors on my hair. After five minutes of his handiwork, one look in the
mirror told me that it was a disaster. His scissors had created havoc on my beautiful hair! I
protested but he assured me that he had not finished and the finished product would be great. It
became even worse. The cut was so uneven and haphazard that I had no choice but to visit a
real barber to correct the damage. The barber laughed and said that the only remedy was a crew
cut. So I reluctantly agreed to it. The final result was that my hair looked and felt like bristles,
being only two or three millimetres long. At least it looked better than the mess my cousin made.
I found that a crew cut was not too bad after all. I did not have to comb my hair and my head felt
much cooler. As for the laughter and comments, they stopped after a while.
crew cut

haphazard
bristle

A crew cut is a type of haircut in which the hair is cut very

short.
having no particular pattern or order
a short stiff hair

At a shopping complex
My mother and I took the lift from the second level of the underground car-park to get to the
ground floor of the shopping complex. The moment we stepped out of the lift we were greeted
by a blast of cool air and the blare of music from a music shop nearby. The car-park was dark
and gloomy. The ground floor was bright and lively.
We were at the foyer of the huge shopping complex. There were many people there. I could see
a goldsmith's shop, two music shops, a pharmacy, two book stalls, a video shop, an optician's
shop and a large super- market.
Two very old guards sat in front of the goldsmith's shop. They were nodding off. I wondered if
they could cope if robbers were to come to the shop. It did not look like they could.
A "cheap sale" of clothes was going on in the middle of the foyer. The crowd there was so thick
that it was impossible to get near the clothes. We walked past the mad crowd and into the
supermarket.
There were rows and rows of goods in the supermarket. We picked out the things we wanted and
put them in a trolley. When we had finished I pushed the trolley to the check-out counter where
my mother paid for the things we took. Fortunately there were few people in the supermarket.
The cheap sale had attracted the crowd. So it did not take us long to buy what we came for.
We came out of the supermarket and passed the mad crowd. I noticed that one of the old guards
at the goldsmith's was actually snoring! Anyhow we proceeded to the lift and left the shopping
complex.
gloomy
foyer
nod off

dimly lighted
a lobby or entrance hall
Fall asleep momentarily, doze

A painful lesson
Our bodies are made of flesh and bones. Anytime any part is injured we feel pain. So we try to
avoid injury as much as we can. Usually it takes a painful lesson to teach us to avoid injury. The
following was a particularly painful one.
I, like any young child, love to run around as quickly as I can. It is fun. However, there is danger
of falling down which can result in painful injuries.
One day while playing "catching" with some friends I happened to run down a hill. I found that
running down a hill was easy and I could go very fast. At the spur of the moment I decided to
see how fast I could go. So I ran with all my might.
Alas, I ran too fast for my legs to keep up. One moment I was running, the next I fell sprawling
onto the tarmac road. The shock was horrible as I scraped along the hard surface of the road.
The pain was intense as I lay on the road writhing. My hands, legs and face were bleeding from
the many parts where my skin had been scraped off. When my friends came to help me they
were horrified to see me in such a bloody mess.
Anyhow they summoned help and I was taken to the hospital. There they cleaned and dressed
my wounds. All the time I felt as though I was on fire.
I suffered for two weeks thereafter every time they changed the bandages. It was terrible.
I learned my lesson. It is foolish to run down a hill.
at/on the spur of the moment

a decision, action, etc. that is sudden and done without

any planning

scrape

to rub against a surface

writhe

to twist, as in pain or struggle

How I spent the weekend

Nothing extraordinary happened last weekend. It was just like any other ordinary weekend.
I got up later than usual on Saturday morning. After breakfast I went over to my friend Arul's
house and spent some time reading comics there. Arul has tons of comics. His father buys the
latest for him. Being his friend, I get to read them too.
We read comics till lunch-time. Then I went home, had lunch and took an afternoon nap. Taking
an afternoon nap is a pleasure that I can indulge in only on weekends. On weekdays I do not
have time for it.
The rest of the afternoon I helped my father in the garden uprooting weeds and trimming
the hedge. We continued until darkness fell. After that I had my bath and dinner. After dinner I
watched television until it was time for bed.
I got up late too on Sunday morning. For breakfast I had cornflakes with milk while listening to
the radio. Then I spent the rest of the morning doing homework.
Again I took a nap after lunch. Then I finished up my homework.
By the time I was done with the homework it was already evening. So I took a strollaround the
neighborhood. It was a great feeling to be able to relax after all the homework had been done.
After dinner, I packed my books in my bag and went to bed early. I had to get enough sleep
otherwise I would fall asleep in school the next day. Thus ended yet another weekend.
indulge

to allow yourself to have something enjoyable, especially more

than is good for you

hedge

In gardening a hedge is a row of woody plants, generally of one

species, used to demarcate spaces.

stroll

a leisurely walk

Turning over a new leaf

Ah Keong was the naughtiest boy in class. In fact I would say that he was the naughtiest in the
whole school. He always seemed to get in trouble with the prefects and teachers. The prefects
avoided him and the teachers had a hard time controlling him.
He was destructive to say the least. Our classroom did not have a single window pane. He had
broken them all. Over in a corner lay a heap of broken desks and chairs, the result of his
handiwork. He had been caned twice in front of the whole school for his misdeeds but he
remained unrepentant. I was sure that he would be sacked from school if he carried on like that.
One day Ah Keong's mother died. For a whole week he was absent from school. When he
returned he was totally changed. I nearly did not recognize him. For a moment I thought we had
a new classmate, but it was Ah Keong all right, well-groomed and neatly-dressed.
Not only had his appearance change. His behavior also changed dramatically. He became the
most well-behaved boy in class. No longer did he break chairs or anything else. The teachers and
prefects were visibly shocked, but they were glad for it.
It was a miracle that Ah Keong turned over a new leaf. One day he confided to me that it was his
mother's death that changed him. He realized how horrible he had been just before his mother
died. So he made a promise to his mother at her deathbed to behave himself. This promise he had
kept.
I am glad for him. He is now a pleasure to be with and one of my best friends.
turn over a new leaf

change one's conduct or attitude for the better

unrepentant

Having or exhibiting no remorse

well-groomed

in good order or clean condition

Visiting a book fair

A Book Fair was being held in the Town Hall. So one morning our teacher said that we were
going to visit it. We cheered loudly for it meant that there would be no lessons for the day.
We lined up outside the classroom. Then we marched in pairs out of the school, up the pedestrian
bridge, down the other side of the road and into the Town Hall just a few hundred meters from
our school.
At the Town Hall we were told to behave ourselves. If we wanted to buy any book, we were to
take it to our teacher. Then we gleefully buried ourselves among the vast number of books on
display there.
There were so many books there. It was impossible to look at all of them. So I spent my time
browsing mainly among the books on wildlife and nature, my favorite.
As much as the books were wonderful, the price was discouraging. I could not afford to buy any
of them. I would have to ask my mother to buy one for me later on.
Time flew. Two hours seemed like two minutes. Soon our teacher told us toassemble at the front
door. There she helped those buying books pay at the counter at a special discount. Not many of
us bought books. They were too expensive. I did not buy any.
After paying for the books we lined up and marched back in pairs to school.
gleefully

happily

time flies

time passes quickly

assemble

to come together in a single place

How I can stop wasting things in the house

We are lucky to live in a rich country where we have many things at our convenience. However
we tend to be wasteful.
Electricity is one thing we waste most. Lights, fans, radios and other appliances are kept on even
when no one is using them. I make it a point to switch them off when I do not need them. It takes
less than a second to throw a switch but to some people even this seems a difficult task. Anyhow,
not wasting electricity reduces the bill appreciably. Thus we do not have to pay for the electricity
we do not use.
The other wasted commodity is water. Leaky pipes and faucets plus the negligence of leaving
taps running all contribute to this wastage. Fresh water is precious, so it is not to be wasted. It is
only a simple matter of shutting off a tap after use. I make sure I do this.
Another big wastage is food. My mother used to cook so much food that much of it was simply
thrown away. She knows better now. I pointed out to her about how we wasted food. She
realised it and now cooks only what we can eat. The garbage bin used to be filled with half-eaten
cakes, fried chicken and things we thought we could eat but could not. It is not so anymore.
Besides, we do not waste money on food we throw away.
We waste other things like tissue paper, clothes, soap, talcum powder and aerosolsprays. All
these cost money. In short, we waste the money we work so hard to earn.
It is definitely better not to be wasteful. I discover there is a simple method of not wasting things,
which is -- use only what we need. Do not touch what we do not need. In this way we can stop
being wasteful.
faucet

a device that controls the flow of liquid

talcum

a powder, usually having a pleasant smell, put on the skin to

make it feel smooth or to help it stay dry

aerosol

a metal container in which liquids are kept under pressure and

forced out in a spray

Games I like to play

The games I like most is badminton. All it takes is a willing partner, two rackets and
ashuttlecock. We do not even need a net. After all we simply enjoy hitting the shuttlecock to
each other. My sister and I spend hours doing this just about everyday. We are not going to be
world champions. It is simply great fun.
We used to do this with two old toy rackets. Since then our father had bought us two real,
although cheap, rackets. I must say we enjoy the game even more. Sometimes even my mother
comes to join in the fun when she has the time for it.
The other game I like to play is table tennis. We have an old table, two bats and some balls. So
on some days we play table tennis instead. This is a game that requires more skill. We cannot
even hit the ball onto the table half of the time. This can befrustrating. So we go back to
badminton which is far easier and more fun.
Since we play outdoors we are at the mercy of the weather. We often have to pause when the
wind is too strong. It is difficult to hit the shuttlecock properly when the wind blows it away.
Sometimes it rains, making it impossible to play.
I do play other games in school like basketball and football. Somehow they do not seem to be
much fun. So I stick to badminton and table tennis.
shuttlecock

a small light object with a rounded end to which real or artificial

feathers are fixed and which is hit over the net in the game of
badminton

frustrating

making you feel frustrated, discouraging

at the mercy of sb/sth

to be in a situation where someone or something has complete

power over you

Walking in the rain

As I descended the steps of the bus, I saw dark clouds in the sky. It looked as though it would
rain.
I walked briskly toward home which was a good kilometre away. My mother had warned me
about getting caught in the rain. I might catch a cold or something. I wondered if I could get
home before it rained.
As if in reply to my thought the rain came down. I wanted to run for it but my heavy schoolbag
discouraged me from doing so. So I walked on. Soon it was raining cats and dogs.
In a short while I was drenched from head to toes. Instead of feeling miserable I was actually
enjoying it. The feeling of cool water running down my wet body was quite pleasant.
Finally I reached home. My mother was shocked to see me soaking wet. She hurried me to the
hot shower after which I put on clean dry clothes. She was worried that I might get sick.
Well, I did not. In fact I felt great, having had such a wonderful experience walking in the rain.
briskly
drenched
soaking wet

quickly
wet with water
thoroughly wet, totally wet

A visit to a doctor
One morning I woke up with a very sore throat. I could not swallow without feeling great pain. I
told my mother about it.
She decided that I should skip school that day. She was going to take me to see a doctor.
At 9 a.m., my mother and I took the bus to town-to see our family doctor.
We waited for a while at the clinic before I got to see the doctor. Dr. Lee examined me carefully.
I had a slight fever and other symptoms that indicated that I might be coming down with
influenza. So he gave me an injection and prescribed some oral medicine for me. He also wrote
me a medical certificate so that I could be absent from school for a couple of days.
By the time we reached home, my throat was definitely not as sore as it was before. The injection
must be doing its work.
I took the oral medicine diligently and after two days of rest I was well on my way back to
health again.
skip
symptoms
diligently

not attend
signs of disease
without fail, perseverance in carrying out a task

The air we breathe

The air we breathe is a mixture of many gases, of which oxygen is the most important. If we
were not able to breathe this precious air for even a few minutes, we would die. Thus air is vital
to us.
Air is vital too to the plants and animals that live on earth. We are all surrounded by air. Our
bodies live and move in it. Thus it is important that the air remains clean and pure.
Alas, modern man has polluted the air. By constantly emitting poisonous gas andfumes into the
air from his factories and other devices, man is threatening his very own survival. The air we
breathe now is filled with unnecessary and harmful pollutants. If this is allowed to increase then
one day we may not have any more clean air to breathe.
The choice is ours. Stop polluting the air and we live. Keep polluting the air and we allperish.
emit

to send out a beam, noise, smell or gas

fumes

gas, smoke

perish

to die

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

It was a happy day for Shireen because it was her birthday. Her father had promised to get her a puppy as a pet.
Shireen was delighted to see so many puppies at the pet shop. One puppy, however, was different. It was trying to
get up but could not. It just looked pitifully at Shireen. The pet shop owner explained that it was crippled.
Shireen immediately decided to buy the puppy. She named it Braveheart. Her father tried to persuade her against it
as taking care of a crippled puppy was not an easy task. Shireen however, was adamant. Shireen fed Braveheart,
combed its fur and played with it every day after school. They became inseparable. The puppy soon grew bigger.
One night, Braveheart suddenly heard a soft swish in the grass. It sprang into action. There was a snake !
Braveheart confronted the snake and growled. The snake did not want to retreat either so they fought.
Shireen's father switched on the verandah lights to see what all the commotion was about. Braveheart caught the
snake by its head and kept swinging it around until it was dead.
By then, everyone was downstairs. Shireen rushed out and embraced Braveheart. She noticed that Braveheart was
bleeding so they took it to the veterinarian. Fortunately, it was nothing serious.
They went home that night and gave Braveheart a east fit for a king. The crippled dog which was considered useless
had saved its beloved mistress and her family.
spring into action
retreat
verandah

to quickly start performing necessary activities.

to go away from a place in order to escape from fighting
a raised, covered, sometimes partly closed area, often made of wood,
on the front or side of a building

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

Mei Ling came from a poor family of five children. Her parents were hawkers. They lived in
a run-down low-cost house. Often they had only potatoes to eat.
Each afternoon after school, Mei Ling and Boon Keong would sell cakes at the bus station. The
area was noisy and hot but they did not mind. They only hoped that they could finish selling their
cakes as quickly as possible.
At about 7 o'clock, Mei Ling and Boon Keong would go home, bathe and have dinner. After
resting for a while, they would do their homework. Mei Ling would often study until 2 o'clock as
she wanted to get good results for her A level examination.
Finally, the results were released. Mei Ling could only hope for the best. When she arrived at
school, she was surprised to see all her friends rushing out to greet her and embrace her. she had
scored 5A's! Mei Ling could not believe her ears until she saw her result slip with her own eyes.
As she walked home that day, she was extremely happy but also sad. She knew that it would cost
a lot to study in the university. Her family encouraged her to continue her studies and promised
to help her in any way they could. Wishing to lighten her family's financial burden, Mei Ling
gave tuition when she was an undergraduate.
After four years in the university, Mei Ling finally graduated. All her family members were
present at her convocation and they were very proud of her. Mei Ling found a good job in a big
law firm and it was her turn and duty to give encouragement and financial support to her younger
siblings.
run-down
convocation

buildings or areas that are in very bad condition

a large formal meeting

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

The house was full of merry-making as the eldest son was getting married. Older relatives were
catching up with the latest among themselves while children were playing. Unknown to them,
two men were watching them from a clump of bushes just beside their house.
Night approached and the house was soon empty. The two mysterious men quickly drove up to
the house. They were dressed immaculately in suits. They got out and one of them started to pick
the lock. A neighbor came out to investigate but then assumed that they were just relatives of the
groom who had forgotten to take some things. After picking the lock, they reversed the car into
the compound.
The door was promptly opened and the whole house ransacked. The bride's tea ceremony
money and jewelry were all taken away. Not satisfied, the thieves started carting the television,
hi-fi and video player into the car. Then they drove off.
When the house owners returned, they were shocked to see the gate wide open. The door of the
house was also slightly ajar. They rushed in only to realize their house had been ransacked. The
police were informed and a report was made. About $10,000 worth of money, jewelry and goods
had been stolen. Nothing could be done as there was no point in crying over spilt milk. they just
had to be more careful in future.
clump
ransack
ajar

a group, especially of trees or flowers

to search a place or container in a violent and careless way
describes a door that is slightly open

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

Abila waved goodbye to her parents as they drove off. They were going for a dinner with some
friends. Abila decided to stay at home as she had a lot of homework to do.
As she settled down to do her homework, the lights suddenly went out. The house was in pitch
darkness. Abila hoped that the electricity supply would be restored promptly but it was not.
She groped her way to the kitchen, and switched on the gas stove. With the light, she went in
search of candles.
A strong wind was blowing. Unknown to her, the window curtain in the kitchen caught fire. The
fire had spread quickly to the adjoining curtains when Abila came back with the candles. She
rushed to the bathroom to get water to put out the flames but her efforts were in vain.
Not knowing what else to do, Abila shouted of help. Her neighbors were already at her doorstep
as they had seen smoke coming out of her house. Meanwhile, somebody had informed the firebrigade. They quickly switched off the gas stove and then tried to put out the fire. The fire
however, was out of control so they all rushed out of the house.
The fire-brigade came at that moment and the firemen took another hour to put out the fire. Only
the left wing of the house could be saved. Abila cried because she knew that she was the cause of
the fire.
When her parents returned, she explained what had happened. They forgave her but made her
promise to be more careful in future.
in vain

unsuccessful

put out

to make something that is burning, such as a fire or cigarette, stop

burning

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

The heavy rain for the past few days had wreaked havoc in Selama village. Many villagers were
waiting for evacuation. As they waited for their turn, they could see some of their belongings
which were not secured properly being washed away.
The rescue boat came with two rescue workers. A woman and her two small sons stepped in.
They carried their barest necessities with them. The younger son was barely 5 years old and he
was playing with his teddy bear. Suddenly, the teddy bear fell into the water. It was quickly
swept away by the current. The little boy tried to reach out for it and fell into the water too. The
mother screamed in horror when she realized what had happened.
One of the rescue workers dived into the water. The little boy was struggling and crying. He was
also getting weaker and was drowning. The other people in nearly boats were too petrified to do
anything. The rescue worker swam as fast as he could tot he little boy. At last, he reached him.
He coaxed the little boy not to struggle but to relax. Everyone clapped when the little boy was
reunite with his mother. The mother thanked the rescue worker profusely for saving her baby.
A week later, the rescue worker was presented with a medal for his bravery in rescuing the little
boy. When interviewed, he said humbly that he only did what he had to do.
wreak havoc
petrified
coax

cause destruction or chaos

extremely frightened
to persuade someone gently to do something

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

After a tiring day, the hostelites were hoping to have a sound sleep. However, in the middle of
the night, many woke up groaning in pain. They were clutching their stomachs and vomiting.
The hostel warden was immediately notified and he came promptly.
Sizing up the situation, he knew that it was food poisoning. The affected students were sent to
the hospital for out-patient treatment. the more serious cases had to be admitted. The unaffected
students were sad to see their friends suffering. After much reassurance by the warden that their
friends would be all right, they went back to sleep.
A report was made to the health authorities. The health inspector came and took samples of food
from the canteen. He put the different types of food into separate plastic bags. The health
inspector was not very happy with the condition of the canteen. the bins were full of rubbish.
Flies were flying everywhere and the drains were clogged. He ordered that the canteen be closed
for a week until the results of the tests were made known.
The canteen operator was found guilty of operating unhygienic stalls and was fined $300. A new
canteen operator took over. He was very hygienic. He wore a cap when cooking and used
disposable gloves when preparing food. there were no more flies as empty plates were quickly
cleared away and rubbish thrown. The hostelites were very happy. They could now have peace
of mind when eating.
size up
clogged
hygienic

to examine something
become blocked
clean

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

After a tiring day, the hostelites were hoping to have a sound sleep. However, in the middle of
the night, many woke up groaning in pain. They were clutching their stomachs and vomiting.
The hostel warden was immediately notified and he came promptly.
Sizing up the situation, he knew that it was food poisoning. The affected students were sent to
the hospital for out-patient treatment. the more serious cases had to be admitted. The unaffected
students were sad to see their friends suffering. After much reassurance by the warden that their
friends would be all right, they went back to sleep.
A report was made to the health authorities. The health inspector came and took samples of food
from the canteen. He put the different types of food into separate plastic bags. The health
inspector was not very happy with the condition of the canteen. the bins were full of rubbish.
Flies were flying everywhere and the drains were clogged. He ordered that the canteen be closed
for a week until the results of the tests were made known.
The canteen operator was found guilty of operating unhygienic stalls and was fined $300. A new
canteen operator took over. He was very hygienic. He wore a cap when cooking and used
disposable gloves when preparing food. there were no more flies as empty plates were quickly
cleared away and rubbish thrown. The hostelites were very happy. They could now have peace
of mind when eating.
size up
clogged
hygienic

to examine something
become blocked
clean

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

During the school holidays Aminah, Kirin and Helma decided to go on a trip round the
countryside. After making sure that they had brought everything they needed, they set off on
their bicycles.
They were in high spirits. Flowers were starting to bloom again and the fresh smell of grass was
very refreshing. Kirin suggested exploring the fort that was situated on top of the hill. They had
never been there before although they had heard many stories about the fort. The fort had a rich
history It was formerly used for defending the whole town from invaders.
When they reached the foot of the hill, they decided to get off their bicycles. They were singing
and pushing their bicycles uphill at the same time. Soon they reached the fort. They could not go
in, however, as the door was locked.
Therefore, the three friends found a shady spot to have their picnic. They gobbled down the food
as they were very hungry. The sky was turning dark so they decided to make a quick dash home.
After clearing up, they set off.
As they were cycling downhill, suddenly Helma lost control of her bicycle. She crashed into
Aminah who was also traveling at high speed. Both of them were flung off their bicycles.
Fortunately, they only suffered superficial wounds. They hobbled along the road until a motorist
offered them a lift to a clinic. They were disappointed that their adventure had to end like that.
in high spirit

hobble

If someone is in high spirits, they are extremely happy and

enjoying themselves
To walk in an awkward way, usually because the feet or legs are
injured

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

Krishnan was very happy as he had scored 4A's and 4 B's in his PMR trial examination. He knew
his father would be very proud of him. Suddenly, a car drive up alongside him. A man rushed out
and placed a handkerchief to his nose. Krishnan felt very dizzy and fainted. The man then
dragged him into the car and his partner quickly drove off.
When Krishnan woke up, he was in a small dark room. Something ran across his legs. To his
horror, there were rats in the room! Krishnan could not move much as his legs and hands were
tied. even his mouth was gagged. Then he heard two voices outside. They were bargaining with
his father over the ransom. Krishnan wriggled nearer to the door. the exchange was to be made at
the abandoned shack near the mining pool - without any police interference.
Krishnan realized he had to escape somehow. He pretended that eh had stomach-ache
and hollered in pain. The kidnappers rushed in to see what had happened. Krishnan begged them
to send him to the hospital. Fearing that Krishnan might die before they got their ransom money,
they agreed.
As they approached the clinic, the kidnapper cut the ropes on Krishnan's hands and legs. At the
traffic-light junction, Krishnan made a dash for it. He opened the car door and ran quickly
towards a policeman nearby. the kidnappers could not do anything except to make a quick
getaway.
Krishnan's family were relieved to have Krishnan back. The kidnappers were later caught and
sentenced to jail.
holler
ransom

To shout loudly
a large sum of money which is demanded in exchange for someone
who has been taken prisoner

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

Seng Hui looked at his examination results slip with a heavy heart. He had failed his first
semester examination. He knew that he had disappointed his mother who had worked hard to
support him.
The new semester started and classes went on as usual. One day, Seng Hui was asked to bring a
pile of history books to the staffroom. To his surprise, there was nobody there. As he put the
books on the teacher's table, he suddenly noticed something jutting out of the record book. The
words "Final semester Test" were written on the paper.
Seng Hui was too stunned to do anything. Here was his chance to at least score an A in History.
As Seng Hui's hand reached out for the paper, he knew that he could not do it. It would be
cheating himself. His mother had been teaching him the value of honesty and hard work since he
was young. tough they were poor, his mother had always emphasized that the labors of hard wok
were rewarding while dishonesty would only bring misfortune.
Seng Hui quickly turned away to leave the staffroom. He was shocked to see his History teacher
standing here at the doorway. She had been observing him for about five minutes. She was
pleased that Seng Hui had decided not to cheat. As a result, she offered to tutor him after school.
He accepted her offer. He also did not hesitate to approach her for help in the other subjects.
The final semester results were out at last. Seng Hui was delighted as he had scored 2 As and 3
B's. He thanked his History teacher and then rushed home to tell his mother the good news. His
mother was very proud of him. Seng Hui was glad that he had listened to his mother's advice.
a heavy heart

a feeling of unhappiness

jut

to (cause to) stick out, especially above or past the edge or surface
of something

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

Mak Som was an old lady in her seventies. She was often seen collecting unwanted boxes from
the rubbish bins by the roadsides. She would then cart them away to be sold on her old bicycle.
Many villagers had offered to take her in but she refused. She wanted to be independent. At
night, she would be sleeping with a torn and tattered cloth as her blanket on a bench in the park.
One day, the village headman called a meeting. They discussed Mak Som's condition and
decided to build her a wooden house as a surprise gift. After buying the necessary materials, the
men started work. even the children were eager to help. They liked carrying tools or just fetching
things for the workers.
Mak Som was curious and asked the women what was happening. The women
saidsheepishly that a villager's relative was moving in and the men were merely helping to build
a house for him.
When the house was completed, the village headman decided to call a meeting at the new house.
they informed Mak Som that the village headman had something important to announce and that
she had to be present.
When Mak Som came, she was given the seat of honor. The village headman then announced
that the new house was a gift of the villages to Mak Som. she did not want the house at first
saying that she did not have the money to repay them. After convincing her that it was a sincere
gift of love from the villagers, she finally accepted. With tears of joy, Mak Som thanked
everyone of the villagers. The villagers were glad that they had done their part for this elderly
member of their community.
sheepishly

in a shy way

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

One weekend, my parents decided to bring my brother and I to the recreational jungle. We were very excited as we
had not been there before. My brother and I talked about all the bears, tigers and reindeer we were going to see. We
really thought that a recreational jungle was like any other jungle.
When we arrived, we dashed into the jungle, wanting to explore its length and breadth. We obediently followed our
parents at first but found it boring. Just then, a rabbit rushed out. I screamed in delight and ran after it. My brother
followed quickly behind. We kept running, always keeping our eyes on the rabbit. The rabbit got tired of running
and decided to hide in its burrow.
It was only then that we realized that we did not know where we were. The trees looked unfamiliar and there were
no more jungle paths for us to follow. We were scared as we realized that we were lost. Night was approaching and
the hooting of the owl sent shivers down our spines. I began to cry as I was feeling tired, hungry and sleepy. My
brother comforted me by letting me sleep on his lap. I soon fell asleep dreaming of bears waiting to eat me up.
Suddenly, I woke up. My brother was shaking me and telling them to get up. We could hear voices coming our way
! We shouted with all our might that we were lost. We soon saw beams of light from countless torches. Then we
heard our parents' voices. We were safe! My brother and I ran to our parents and embraced them emotionally. We
were so happy to see them again that we vowed we never wanted to be separated from them ever again.
burrow
send shivers down sb's spines
vow

a hole in the ground dug by an animal such as a rabbit, especially to live in

to make someone feel very frightened
to make a determined decision

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

A blind man was playing his harmonica under the overhead bridge. That day his music was sad
because three boys were annoying him. Suddenly, the three rowdy boys became quiet and ran
off. The blind man heard footsteps chasing them. He wondered why.
"Hand over your money now. You still owe me $50," a gruff voice said.
"I do not have any money. I've spent it all already. The blind man over there has a lot of money,"
the younger boy said.
"Don't play with me. Give me the money now or you will regret it."
Sounds of fighting followed. The blind man was shocked after listening to their conversation. He
told himself he had to report that to the police. By coincidence, his policeman friend, Rahman
passed by. The blind man quickly told him the situation. Rahman asked for reinforcement
through his walkie-talkie. He blew his whistle repeatedly. When the younger boys saw him, they
tried to run away. Another two policemen who came to help Rahman managed to catch the boys.
The extortionist was charged in court. The younger boys however were let off with a stern
warning not to associate with bad company again. They apologized to the blind old man and
promised to turn over a new leaf. Nowadays, you would often find them bringing snacks for the
blind man to eat. All would be chatting away like long lost friends.
rowdy
walkie-talkie

extortionist

noisy and possibly violent

a small radio held in the hand which is used for both sending and
receiving messages
a person who obtains something by force or threat

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

August 24 was the birthday of Cathy's mother. Cathy wanted to give her something very special.
She had been searching for the appropriate gift but none was to her liking. At last, she saw one. It
was a beautiful pearl necklace. Her mother would look lovely wearing it. Then her eyes noticed
the price tag -- $800! Her shoulders droopedand she walked home feeling very disappointed.
That Sunday, Cathy and her family went to the beach. As she was walking on the beach, she
noticed a very beautiful shell, smooth and of a soft red hue. She had an idea. She was going to
make her mother a necklace using sea shells. Cathy then began hunting for similar looking
shells. She would need to collect as many shells as possible before she went home.
When she reached home, Cathy washed the shells carefully. Then she laid them out to dry. At
night, when everyone had gone to sleep, Cathy started stringing the shells. She wanted the shell
necklace to be as beautiful as the pearl one she had seen at the shop.
At last, the necklace was ready. She placed it in a box and wrapped it up. The next day was her
mother's birthday. Early in the morning, she presented the box to her mother. Her mother was
delighted to receive such a beautiful and delicate gift. she promised that she would wear the
necklace at her birthday party. everyone admired the beauty and uniqueness of the necklace.
Cathy was very pleased with herself especially when they praised her for being creative.
droop

hang down heavily

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

It was a beautiful day to go fishing so Veera decided to do just that. He packed up a few things,
got ready his fishing rod and bait and set off. When he reached the beach, he hired a sampan
from his fisherman friend and rowed out to sea. The water was clear and calm.
It was his lucky day indeed for he caught a lot of fish. Veera felt very happy and satisfied. Then
he decided to call it a day. The clouds had begun o turn dark and there were flashes of lightning
in the sky. Veera tried to row back to shore but the current was very strong. He threw out his
catch to lighten his load but it did not help.
Just then, a big wave overturned his sampan. The next minute, he was in the sea, gulping in a lot
of water. Each time a wave came down hard on him, Veera feared for his life. He could only
pray that help would come soon. Then the sea became less stormy and Veera fell into a fitful
sleep clinging onto the sampan for dear life.
The next morning, the sea was calm again. Veera was still hanging onto the sampan. He was
feeling very weak and his throat was parched. Suddenly, he saw a boat coming his way. Veera
gathered all his strength to shout and wave to the crew. At last, he was spotted. They sent down a
lifeboat for him.
They wrapped him up in a blanket and gave him a hot drink. The captain told him that his
fisherman friend had alerted them about him after he failed to return last night. Veera could only
thank the captain, his crew and his fisherman friend for saving his life. When they reached the
shore, his wife and children were there waiting for him. He embraced them emotionally and was
grateful to be alive.
call it a day

Stop a particular activity for the rest of the day

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

One weekend, Ali and his family went to the zoo. They bought him an ice-cream and he ran
ahead of his parents to greet his animal friends. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks. There was a
new addition to the zoo. The sign said that it was an orangutan.
Ali laughed in delight and started jumping up and down. To his surprise, the orangutan imitated
his actions. When Ali scratched his head, the orangutan did just that too. Ali was so happy that
he decided to share the ice-cream with the orangutan.
Ali stretched out his hand, offering the ice-cream to the orangutan. It immediately grabbed his
hand and would not let go. Ali would not let o either for he wanted his ice-cream back. Ali's
parents who were coming his ay, shouted to Ali to let go of his ice-cream. The zoo warden who
heard the commotion came to see what was happening. He quickly took a stick and rattled it
against the orangutan's cage to distract it. Another warden threw some food into its cage.
Fortunately, the orangutan decided to let Ali go. Ali was crying for his hand was bleeding. His
parents comforted him as well as they could. The zoo wardens applied some medicine on Ali's
hand and bandaged it. They told Ali not to feed the animals in the zoo ever again.
commotion
rattle

a sudden short period of noise, confusion or excited movement

to (cause to) make a noise like a series of knocks

Write a short story based on the pictures below in not less than 100 words.

Serina had just finished her tuition. It was 9 o'clock. She hurried home as she felt it was going to
rain.
Halfway, it started pouring. Serina was both wet and cold. Just then, lightning flashed across the
sky followed by a deafening clap of thunder. Serina placed her hands to her ears as she was very
scared. She decided to make a run for it. The strong wind however, slowed her down.
Suddenly, lightning struck a tree just ahead of her. A branch snapped and fell across her path.
Serina could not stand it anymore and started to cry. She wished her parents would come to
fetch her as usual but they were at a dinner in another town.
The rain blew stronger and Serina began to sneeze. Then she herd a car coming her way. It was a
police car. The policemen asked Serina what had happened. Serina explained the situation to
them and they decided to send her home.
When Serina got home, her parents were at the gate. They were surprised to see Serina coming
back in a police car. After listening to Serina's explanation, her parents thanked the policemen
for going out of their way to help. Their dinner had finished early and they were just going to
fetch Serina when they saw the police car.
Serina was sent to bed. She knew that she would never forget that eventful night.
stand it

tolerate it

eventful

full of incidents

What to Do During a Fire Drill

With the help of the pictures below, describe the procedures you follow during a fire drill.

When you hear the school bell ring continuously for one minute you will know that this is a fire
drill and you must take the appropriate steps.
Quickly line up outside your classroom. Do not make too much noise. Wait for your class
monitor to check on attendance.
The class monitor should call out all the names in the class register. He should take note of all
those absent so that he can give the names to the teacher.
Walk in an orderly manner to the main entrance. Do not push or giggle at this time. All drills
should be taken seriously. Each class will follow an assigned route to the assembly area.
Assemble in the school field. Your position should have been assigned to your class earlier and
your class monitor will lead you to the spot. Do not move away at any point.
Your teacher will check the register. Remain quiet until told to return to your class.
A fire drill is an important part of school procedures and should be taken seriously.

How to use Equipment

With the help of the diagrams and the instructions in the manual, explain to your mother how to
use a fire extinguisher.

The most important parts of a fire extinguisher are the handle, the cylinder and the nozzle.
In order to release the chemicals, you must press the handle. So, first, remove the locking pin.
Next, hold the cylinder upright. Now, stand about three meters from the source of the fire. Pick
up the nozzle and aim it at the base of the fire. Squeeze the handle for the chemicals to be
released. You have to move the nozzle from side to side. Keep on pressing the handle until the
fire is completely out. Make sure of this. It is possible for a fire to start again if it is not
completely out.
If you cannot control the fire or if it spreads, you have to ask someone for help to call the Fire
Department. While waiting for the Fire Brigade to respond get yourself out of the house. Inform
the neighbors to take precautionary measures.

Smart Studying
"Studying smart" is a phrase often used by students, parents and teachers to mean "studying in an
intelligent and effective way"
Not all methods of studying are intelligent or effective. For example, a person who does not pay
attention in class or who does not do his homework on time is certainly not intelligent. He will
not learn effectively and his grades will suffer. The result of this is that he will not be able to
keep up with his peers. Even if he goes for private tuition he will be always trying to catch up, if
he ever does at all.
So the first thing about studying smart is to pay fullest attention when a lesson is first being
taught in class. Your learning will be quick and effective. Ask questions if there is anything that
you do not understand. The teacher will be pleased to help. Do your homework and assignment
on time and you will never have a backlog of work. You are ever ready for the next lesson.
Furthermore, being up to date with your school work means you do not have to take private
tuition on any subject. this saves money and you will have time for leisure or recreation.
Revision books and guides are aplenty these days. Use them with care. Having more than one
revision book per subject is waste of money. Also learning from too many books only serves to
confuse you and take up precious time.
Finally, know the format of the examinations and practice the previous years' questions to
familiarize yourself with them. When the actual examinations come, you will know how to
handle the questions.
peers

a person who is the same age or has the same social position or
the same abilities as other people in a group:

backlog

a large number of things that you should have done before and
must do now

A madman
Every town seems to have at least one madman running around loose. It is no different in my
town. There is one madman that I encounter almost every day.
He is young and slim, but like all mad people that I have encountered, he is filthy. He probably
has not taken a bath for years. His waist-length hair is matted and coiled. He wears what's left of
a T-shirt, frayed and with many holes. One can only guess what the T-shirt's original color was.
Now it is simply dirty brown. It is the same with his shorts.
He is a dark-skinned fellow but the filth on his body makes him look much darker. Combined
with his clothes, he is just a walking piece of grime and filth. People give him a wide berth
wherever he goes.
While his appearance is bad, the body odor is worse. The stink becomes noticeable from about
two meters. Anything closer than that will nicely fit the phrase "stinks to high heaven". For one
thing, he will never ever find people crowding around him. He will have maple personal space
wherever he goes. Nonetheless he does not get to go into buses, shops or public places where
people gather. He gets shooed away, for obvious reasons.
Despite his unpleasant appearance and smell, he is a pretty harmless fellow. He goes 'happily'
walking around town every day. Blazing sun or driving rain does not seem to bother him. He
could be dry as a bone on one day and wet as a drowned rat on another. A normal person would
have suffered a heat stroke or caught pneumonia, but this madman seems immune to
normal afflictions. Rain or shine, he can be seen walking on the streets, muttering to himself or
taking with some invisible person.
I suppose it would be a matter of time before the authorities round him up put him away
somewhere. Meantime he just goes around town reminding clean, normal and harried people
what it means to be filthy, mad and be without a care in the world.
filthy

extremely or unpleasantly dirty

grime

a layer of dirt on skin or on a building

afflictions

something that makes you suffer

Describe an exhibition that you have visited

The book exhibition was held from Friday to Sunday in the town hall. It was jointly organized by
the Education Department and a local book shop. On the very first day, I walked over to visit the
exhibition immediately after school was over.
There were already many people at the exhibition. Most were school children like me.
The good thing about exhibitions is that usually there are free gifts and items on offer. This
exhibition was no different. At a counter near the entrance, I registered to be a member of the
book shop and I received a small calculator as a gift.
Inside the hall proper, I was amazed by the number of books on display. There were books on
computers, science, technology, music, cookery, travel, business, self-help and general interests.
Other types of publications include encyclopaedias, maps, novels, greeting cards, magazines and
children's books. Also available were computer software, compact discs and other items
published in electronic media. The town hall was fairly large yet every bit of space was made use
of to display the items. Most of the items were arranged in shelves or on tables.
I noticed that there was a crowd over at a corner. So I ventured closer to have a look. As
expected, items were on offer there. No wonder there were so many people. Slowly I inched my
way into the crowd to look at the items.
After looking though the items, I purchased a CD entitled "Our Solar System and Beyond". It
was a good buy.
Next I moved on to less crowded areas and look at the books. There were many that I would love
to get my hands on but alas my financial status did not allow it. So I browsed through as many as
I could. In that way I happily whiled away a whole afternoon.
Time passed quickly. My watch showed 5.00 p.m. and I had not even seen half of the exhibition.
Anyhow I had to get home before my mother started wondering about me. I would have to come
and visit the exhibition another day. So reluctantly I stepped out of the town hall and walked
towards the bus stop.
while away

to spend time in a relaxed way

The Internet
The Internet began in the Eighties. Today it has grown to become a major means of
communication. Websites and emails, things that were unheard of just two decades ago, are
quickly gaining in popularity and usage.
Via a computer, a person can access the Internet and the numerous websites in it. There are
websites on just about anything anyone can think of. Information, files, photographs, video clips,
computer software, games etc can often be obtained free or for a fee from some websites. Online
shopping, banking and other services make it acinch for an ordinary person to perform regular
chores from the comfort of home or office.
A very popular feature of the Internet is the use of email. Using email, persons at any part of the
world can communicate with one other in an instant. The cost of sending an email is almost
nothing. On top of that, files and pictures can be attached and sent together with the email.
Despite its obvious usefulness, negative things are also present on the Internet. Viruses, worms,
Trojan horses and other harmful programs wait to strike at the unwary user. Accessing the
Internet without the protection of an anti-virus program or firewall is a sure way of getting
infected. The result of infection varies from a simple obscene message on the screen to the
complete erasure of the files and records in the computer.
Then there are sites that promote pornography, anarchy, terrorism, Satanism, black magic and
other threats to the well-being of our world.
Using the Internet is no different from dealing with our daily living in the physical world. We
sue it but we take precautions to avoid the obvious dangers and negative elements in it.
cinch

extremely easy task

Cheating
Cheating has become a very common activity in our modern society. Many people indulge in this
practice to make a quick buck without too much effort.
There are many instances where innocent people have been made to part with their money by
confidence tricksters selling "magic stones" and charms that will bring prosperity to the users.
After paying exorbitant sums for these fake articles, thegullible buyers ultimately realize that
they have paid hard-earned money for worthless pieces of junk.
Then, there are the big-time crooks. These people set up huge counterfeiting operations to
produce imitation goods. Branded clothes, handbags, belts and other accessories are copied
closely and produced at a fraction of the genuine articles' cost and sold as originals. Even
toiletries and over-the-counter medicine and are beingunscrupulously imitated.
Lately, there has been a rise in the manufacturing and selling of pirated compact discs. All forms
of CD's are being pirated: audio CD's, video CD's and computer software. CD piracy has become
such a big business that both the entertainment and information technology industries are
alarmed at this trend that cuts deeply into the profits of the legitimate copyright holders.
It seems impossible to stop all these cheating activity. The authorities are doing their best to curb
such practices but we must also do our part. We should not let greed or superstition make us
victims of confidence tricksters, never patronize dealers of ill repute that sell imitation goods as
originals and keep away from touts and pedlars that hawk pirated compact discs.
exorbitant
gullible

unscrupulously

unreasonably high
easily deceived or tricked, and too willing to believe everything
that other people say
behaving in a way that is dishonest or unfair in order to get
what you want

A visit to the night market

Describe the scene at a night market that you have visited
Every Thursday from 6.00 p.m to about 10.00 p.m, a night market is set up on the road in front
of a row of shop houses near where I live. There are many vendors plying their wares at the night
market, and it has become a regular thing for me to visit the night market.
One Thursday evening at about 7.00 p.m, my sister and I paid a visit to the night market. It was
not completely dark yet but the vendors had already lit their portable fluorescent lamps. From a
distance the lamps seemed to add brilliance to the living sea of human bodies that
had congregated at the market.
We stepped into the market carefully as there were many people there. In fact, we had to be
careful not to knock into the other shoppers. Our first stop was the food stalls. There were
vendors selling cakes, biscuits, buns, dumplings, dim sum, noodles and many other local tidbits
and delicacies. we bought some buns and dumplings for my parents and other siblings at home.
We then walked over to the fruit stall to buy some fruits. Next to the fruit stall, a medicine seller
had set up shop and was talking himself hoarse extolling the efficacy of his medicine to halfinterested shoppers. Poor man, if he went on like that, he might need the medicine himself,
whatever it was good for.
Next, we stopped and bought some vegetables at our regular vegetable stall. That was the last
thing we needed to buy. As it was still only 7.30 p.m. we decided to walk around a bit and look
at the things on sale.
There were people selling toys, pirated video CDs, clothes, belts, books, posters, mobile phone
casings, balloons, crockery and all sorts of goods. Business seemed to be good for most of the
vendors. There was no shortage of buyers. Everyone seemed to have something to sell or to buy.
The sight, sound and smell of the market were really quite intense. So after spending another ten
minutes or so in the market, I yearned for the peace and quiet of home. So I motioned to my
sister to go home.
Together we walked carefully out of the night market and headed home.
congregated

to come together in a large group of people

extolling

to praise something or someone very much

motioned

to make a signal to someone

The garbage truck

There is no mistaking the sound of the approaching garbage truck that comes thrice weekly to
collect the garbage from the houses in our area. The roar of the diesel engine compounded by the
puffing sound of black smoke from a broken exhaust pipe is a clear signal for residents to bring
out their garbage. Furthermore, the local dogs add to the din with their confounded barking each
time the truck comes.
The yellow garbage truck comes almost half-loaded with garbage already collected. I remember
that it was new about a year ago but constant usage makes it look old and filthy. I guess it cannot
help but be filthy for all the garbage it holds. The yellow paint is now a dirty brown. Five men
are perched on its side.
The truck stops near my house. The men alight and go about collecting the garbage bags from
the houses. They dump the bags into the back of the truck. The driver then operates the device
that compresses the garbage deep into the middle of the truck. It is a wonder how much garbage
the truck can hold.
When the garbage is being compressed, foul-smelling liquid leaks onto the road as a result. This
is a small inconvenience that we have to put up with. Anyhow the garbage is compressed within
a minute. The men hop on the truck and off they go to another part of the housing estate to
continue their garbage collection.
It is a small but important event in our lives every time the garbage truck comes because it takes
away the garbage that would otherwise clutter up our living space. There were occasions when
the truck did not show up as usual and we know how bad things can get. Bins overflow and the
foul stench of rotting garbage is quite unbearable. Dogs, crows and rats rummage through the
rubbish and distributing it all over the neighborhood. The return of the garbage truck s like
heaven sent. We breathe a sigh of relief when it comes.
Stinking and dirty it might be, but the garbage struck is a very necessary part of our lives.
clutter up
stench
rummage

to fill something in an untidy

a strong unpleasant smell
to search for something by moving things around carelessly

Describe an encounter with a stranger

I first saw her standing by the roadside. For a moment she looked like a normal old lady wanting
to cross the road. Then I noticed that she was hesitant about crossing even when the road was
clear.
Quickly I walked over to her and offered my hand. She took it. But as I tried to lead her across
the road, she resisted and said, in English, "I want to go to church."
Well, I had assumed wrongly she wanted to cross the road whereas she wanted to go to a church
on this side of the road. Still, why was she standing by the roadside appearing to want to cross ? I
looked in the direction of the church and saw her problem.
Between us and the church's entrance was a kerb meant for pedestrians to walk on, but
inconsiderate people had parked their motorcycles on the kerb making it impossible for anyone
to walk on it. She was forced to walk along the road, and she did not seem to be able to cope
properly.
She was at least seventy and showed signs of geriatric degeneration. Her steps were small and
uncertain. She should not be out on her own. Anyhow I led her by the hand step by step along the
road towards the church. On the way I suggested she get a walking stick. She replied that she
already had one given to her by her daughter. She said that she was just too shy to use it in
public. I would never have guessed that an old person could be shy, but I guess they are still
human, despite their age.
The reason for her to go to church was to attend a function that was being held there that
evening. It took about three minutes for us to walk the thirty or so meters to the entrance. There
one of her church members recognized her and came over to greet her. The old lady thanked me
for helping her.
I nodded my head, released my hold on her hand and headed off to where I was going originally
before I encountered her.
kerb/cure
geriatric
headed off

the edge of a raised path nearest the road

relating to old age
to start a journey or leave a place:

The scene at a shopping complex

It was Saturday. There was a good movie playing at the Cineplex on the top floor of Terminal
One Shopping Center. Cathy, Shelly and I intended to catch the 12.30 show.
We met at the entrance to the shopping center at about 11.30 a.m. The complex had opened
about an hour and a half ago and already it was teeming with people. Most of them were
youngsters like us. We were out in town to have some fun and enjoy the weekend.
On the ground floor was a huge stage that was being prepared for some charity show later on in
the evening. Workers were busy decorating the backdrop and setting up the props for the
occasion. Someone was testing the public address system and the sound coming from the giant
speakers was very loud. So we moved away from the stage and rode the escalators up to the top
floor where the Cineplex was.
A long queue had already formed in front of the box office. Cathy volunteered to get the tickets.
Shelly and I agreed and we gave her our money. So while Cathy joined the queue, Shelly and I
went over to the food stalls and bought some popcorn and drinks.
The crowd on the top floor swelled and the queue grew longer. we were glad that we were early.
Judging by the length of the queue, there was a possibility that some of them were not going to
get tickets.
Cathy still had some people in front of her, so we decided to visit the shops nearby. We
wandered into a bookshop. The shop was having a sale and many items were offered at 20 to
70% discount. I looked at some novels but decided I could not afford any of them despite the
discount. Shelly picked up some stationery but decided to put them back when she saw the long
queue at the checkout. The movie was going to start soon and there would not be enough time to
pay for the stationery.
We left the bookshop. It was already 12.25. So we walked to the entrance of the Cineplex. Cathy
was already there with the tickets.
We gave the tickets to the usher at the entrance. With popcorn and drinks in our hands, we
walked into the Cineplex to watch the movie.
teeming with
props

to contain a large number of people

objects used by the actors performing in a play or film

Describe what you think it would be like to spend some time on the moon
To date, only some astronauts have been to the moon. Certainly I would like to spend some time
on the moon, but that seems to be impossible for the moment. Anyhow, based on what I have
read about the moon, I can imagine what it is like to be on it.
There is no air on the moon. The implications are obvious. I will always nee to wear a spacesuit
that has its own air supply. Never will I be able to walk around in T-shirt, shorts and sandals.
Without a spacesuit, my eyeballs and other organs will possibly explode because there is no
atmospheric pressure to help maintain their size and shape.
Secondly, there is no water on the moon. So there are no rivers, seas, ponds, rain, snow, clouds,
thunder or lightning. The moon is a pretty desolate and silent place. In fact, it is lifeless as no
living organism as we know it can survive there. So there will not be any other animal or
vegetation on the moon, just rocks an sand.
Another consequence of the absence of air and water on the surface of the moon is that the sky
will always appear black. There are no clouds and air to produce the effect of a blue sky that we
so familiar with on earth.
The force of gravity on the surface of the moon is about one-sixth of that on the surface of the
earth. This means that I will only weigh one-sixth of what I weigh on earth. Thus I should be
able to jump much higher and further than on earth. I can imagine breaking the world's highjump and long-jump records with every step I take. As gravity is low, movement will occur in
actual slow-motion.
It would certainly be quite an experience to be on the moon. Things are quite different compared
to those on earth. still I think I prefer things here on earth where my body is made for. I don't
want to be wearing an oversized spacesuit and living in contained quarters indefinitely. It is far
better back on earth where I am bale to run free on the beach, take a dip in the sea or simply lie
back on the cool grass and look at the moon.
desolate

a place that is empty and not attractive, with no people or

nothing pleasant in it

A busy eating place

It was about twelve thirty when Gary and I arrived at the newly-opened chicken-rice shop. We
expected the place to be packed with people but what greeted us at the shop was beyond
expectation.
The twenty or so tables in the shop were fully occupied. There were at least a hundred people
crammed in the shop and the sound of a hundred voices talking at the same time
was reminiscent of the market place. The place had air-conditioning but it was obviously not
strong enough to cope with the crowd there. I saw some diners wipe their faces with tissue paper
as the hot food caused them to sweat. We waited outside the shop in the midday heat and
sweated as well.
It took about fifteen minutes before we could get a vacant table. it was a small table placed
against a wall but it was better than nothing. Gratefully we sat down but had to wait again for a
waitress to take our order.
The shop was clearly short-staffed. They had only three waitresses. But I could understand that it
was their opening day and they had not expected such a crowd. The waitresses could hardly
cope. So we sat down for another five minutes before a waitress came to take our order. Then we
waited for the food to be brought.
Anyhow there we were, sitting in a noisy, not-so-cool, air-conditioned chicken-rice shop. It was
not exactly an ideal place to have lunch but we just wanted to try the food.
Eventually our order arrived and we set about having our meal. The chicken rice was only
average. We had expected it to be something special after reading about the 'special chicken rice'
in the newspaper. It was not excellent, but it was not bad either. Certainly it was nothing special.
So we quickly finished our meal, paid for it and left the shop.
At the entrance there were still people waiting to have a taste of the 'special' chicken rice. Well,
we have had our taste and they would have theirs in due course.
reminiscent of sth/sb
in due course

making you remember a particular person, event, or thing

at a suitable time

Keeping a healthy lifestyle

Living a healthy lifestyle is the top priority for many people. Yet, today because of our busy
schedules and hectic lives, we are unable to live a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle includes
eating balanced meals, having regular exercise, getting enough sleep and having some
recreational activities.
Taking balanced meals with the right amount o carbohydrates, proteins, fruits and vegetables is
vital for a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise will not only keep your body trim and fit but it will
also reduce your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. Exercising on a daily basis for at
least 30 minutes per day will do wonders for your health.
You should sleep for about 7 to 8 hours a day. Doing so will help your body toreplenish itself.
Lack of sleep will make you feel tired. It will also affect your concentration. Take part in
recreational activities. There should be a balance between work or study and leisure. Remember,
"All work and no play makes lack a dull boy".
A the same time, keep away from unhealthy habits and activities. Stop smoking as it is harmful
to health. Not only doe smoking cause life-threatening diseases like heart disease and lung
cancer, it will also cause wrinkles and lead to premature aging.
People who live a healthy lifestyle tend to be healthier, live longer and are happier. On the other
hand, people who do not live a healthy lifestyle are prone to illness and stress.
hectic

full of activity, very busy

replenish

to fill something up again

prone to

likely to suffer from an illness or show a particular negative

characteristic:

A hit-and-run accident
It was the school holidays ! For many youngsters it was a time for fun and games.
In one particular housing estate, the children enjoyed riding their bicycles around the area. The
housing estate in which they lived in was relatively quiet and it was quite safe to ride their
bicycles on the road, but as young boys go, they can tend to get a bit reckless sometimes, too
reckless for their own good.
The residents of the area were usually careful when they drove their cars. Even so there were
several near misses as the drivers had to avoid the reckless young children on their bicycles. The
children had no knowledge of traffic rules and they did pretty much as they pleased. Their
parents never educated them about road safety. In effect, the young cyclists were just accidents
waiting to happen. It was just a mater of time before something tragic happened.
One evening as a group of five children was tearing down a road on their bicycles, a van
suddenly shot out of a side road right in their path. The driver was obviously a stranger to the
area and did not see the danger until it was too late. He braked hard and swerved his van in an
attempt to avoid hitting the young cyclists. Tried as he did, he could not avoid hitting the leading
cyclist. The front end of the van collided with the young cyclist with a sickening crunch. The boy
was flung onto the road.
The van stopped and the driver opened the door, but he did not get out. Instead he closed the
door, reversed his van from the fallen boy and the wrecked bicycle, engaged a forward gear and
sped off. He did not want to hang around to deal with the angry residents knowing full well that
he might be bashed up or perhaps even killed.
It was just as well that he fled for soon the residents ran out of their houses and onto the scene of
the accident. the boy was still alive. One of the men lifted him up, put him into a neighbor's car
and took him to the hospital.
For more than an hour after the accident the angry residents milled around the area uttering
curses. However nobody had noted down the number of the van. All they knew was that it was
driven by a young man, nothing more. To this day the identity of the hit-and-run van is
unknown. The accident victim is alive but walks with a limp. Although the incident was not a
pleasant one, it at least has a positive effect. The young cyclists do not ride recklessly around
anymore. Their parents do not want a repeat of the accident.
bashed up
hit-and-run

walks with a limp

being hit violently

a road accident in which the driver who caused the accident
drives away without helping the other people involved and
without telling the police:
to walk slowly and with difficulty because of having an injured or
painful leg or foot:

HIV infection and AIDS

HIV, short for "human immunodefiency virus" is a virus that progressively destroys the body's
immune system. It does so by killing or damaging cells of the body's immune system.
In the early stages, HIV infection may have no symptoms or just symptoms of a flu-like illness.
However as the disease progresses, the symptoms become progressively more severe. This may
take several years to manifest.
AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is the advanced stage of HIV infection. The
body's immune system has been largely destroyed and it is susceptible to many life-threatening
diseases and certain cancers.
HIV infection reached world wide epidemic proportions since emerging in the 1980s.
Transmission is mostly done through unprotected sex, the sharing of syringes or needles, and
from infected mother to baby during pregnancy or birth. However there is no evidence that the
infection can be spread through saliva or casual contact.
In the final stages of disease where the body has practically no immune system, all sorts of
opportunistic infection can affect the body. The inevitable result of this is death.
Precautions that can be taken to prevent HIV infection include having no unprotected sex
especially with someone you do not know well even if he or she shows no symptoms of
infection. Also do not share or repeat the use of needles and syringes. The best thing to do is to
not to have multiple sex partners and not to take drugs. AIDS is a killer. Your life is too precious
to take chances with it.

Describe the things that irritate you the most

First on the list of irritating things is traffic jams. Going to town on weekends or holidays is
never enjoyable because of the perpetual traffic jams that choke the streets.
The inability to move freely is already bad. To make things worse, there are irresponsible or poor
drivers who cut across lanes without signaling, stop suddenly or generally do not seem to be
aware of the danger they cause to others or to themselves. Then there are idiots who talk on the
mobile phones while driving, or kids who stick their heads out of the window, kids who sit on
their daddy's lap, and one day I saw a man actually shaving in his car while we crawled along !
The top offenders are definitely the motorcyclists who weave in and out of traffic without a care
for their own safety. No wonder they top the list of road fatalities.
Finally reaching our destination brings no joy either because usually there is no place to park. So
when we go to town, we go in pairs, one to drive and the other to get down to do whatever is
necessary. Otherwise we stay home and avoid the irritation.
The second most irritating thing is inconsiderate people. Examples are people who throw rubbish
on sidewalks, roads and out of moving cars. Out of sight and out of mind for them, but how
about others who have to put up with the rubbish or clean it up ? Sadly the worst offenders are
occupants of luxury cars. God knows what is behind the tinted windows, probably some spoiled
brat and their indulgent parent.
Mobile phones ringing in public places are also very irritating, especially when the owner
suddenly become oblivious to their surroundings when they answer the call. More than once I
have been bumped into by phone-wielding buffoons who seemed to have become temporarily
blind. And they don't even apologize.
As the world's population grow and grow, it is inevitable that irritations will also grow as we
fight for living space. There is really no permanent solution, only a temporary one and that is to
keep way from the sources of irritation as much as possible.
choke

to fill the road so that nothing can pass through

indulgent

allowing someone to have or do what they want, especially when

this is not good for them

oblivious

not conscious of something, especially what is happening around

you:

Describe a lion dance that you have watched

Chinese New Year is a time of festivity for the Chinese, and one of the ways of celebrating it is
to have a lion dance in front of the house or business premises. A lion dance is believed to bring
luck to the place.
It was the eighth day of the New Year. My friend, who has a computer shop in town, invited a
troupe of lions to usher in the year at his shop. A one-ton truck carrying the troupe arrived at the
premises at 9:30 a.m. The troupe had two lions, one red and the other yellow. The performers
were young men and boys from a local Chinese association.
quickly the performers donned the lion costumes. Each lion costume had two performers inside
it. The big drum rolled and the cymbals clanged. The lions started dancing to the pulsating beat.
They performers were very skilful as they pranced around in mock combat. The thunderous beat
of the drum soon attracted a sizable audience in front of the shop.
The dance went on for about ten minutes as the drum kept the tempo going. The performers must
be really fit to keep the action going at the frantic pace.
My friend had hung two red packets at a height of about three meters above the door of his shop.
These red packets were prizes for the lions. They will have to reach up and take the packets. So
after the round of dancing, the red lion reached up to take one of the packets. this was
accomplished by having the front performer stand on the shoulders of the back performer. It was
by no means an easy feat, but they performed well in getting a red packet. In similar fashion the
yellow lion reached up and took the second red packet.
After claiming their prizes, the two lions stage a final round of dancing. When the dance
concluded, the spectators gave them a hearty round of applause. It was a fine performance.
The members of the troupe then had snacks and drinks that were prepared for them. Finally the
troupe packed their things and got on their truck to go and stage another performance somewhere
else in town.
pulsating
frantic
feat

very interesting and exciting

almost out of control because of extreme emotion
something difficult needing a lot of skill, strength, courage, etc. to
achieve it

Describe a time when the health authorities carried out fogging in your area
Dengue fever is an ever-present threat in our country and often the health authorities carry out
fogging to destroy the adult Aedes Egypti mosquitoes that carry the disease-causing virus.
We heard that one of our neighbors was hospitalized with dengue fever. Two days later, just as
the sun was setting, a van carrying officials from the Health Department arrived in our
neighborhood. Two uniformed men went round the houses informing the occupants that they
were carrying out fogging in the area, including inside each house. everyone was to come out of
their houses.
Two other men, each armed with a fogging machine and wearing a gas mask, then proceeded to
fog the area.
The machines made a very loud wailing noise and produced huge amounts of smoke. This smoke
was the very substance that killed mosquitoes, or for that matter, many small insects that come in
contact with it. It had a slightly pungent smell to it and we were advised not to breathe it in. After
all it killed mosquitoes and insects. It was definitely not good for us to breathe it in.
The men went from house to house fogging the compound and the inside of each house. As all
the occupants had to come out, some elderly residents were helped out by younger ones. So for
about half an hour, all the residents in our neighborhood stood or sat outside while they watch
the men fog their houses. During that time, neighbors exchanged stories and news about the
dengue situation and the victim who was still in hospital. It was actually a bit of a social event
for the residents.
The smoke dissipated after the men left. Then house by house, the occupants returned to their
homes that would be free of mosquitoes for a day or so. The residual smell was tolerable. It was
a change from having to put up with irritating mosquitoes on most days.
Fogging was an effective way of destroying mosquitoes but it did not eradicate them, for soon
the larvae that were living in water would soon emerge as adult mosquitoes to bite and possibly
endanger us once again.
dengue fever

tolerable
dissipated

an infectious disease of the tropics transmitted by mosquitoes and

characterized by rash and aching head and joints.
of a quality that is acceptable, although certainly not good:
to gradually disappear

In a dilemma
Write a story telling what you did when you found yourself in a dilemma.
We were having a history lesson with Mrs. Lee. She was droning on and many of us must be
feeling utterly bored. I, for one, was wishing that time would pass faster. Anyhow as she turned
her back to write on the blackboard, I saw Becky throw a piece of chalk at her. The chalk hit her
on the head.
She turned round, picked up the chalk and looked at the class. "Who threw the chalk ?" she
demanded.
Her eyes glared at us. "Now who did this ?" she demanded again. There was no answer.
She looked around the class and finally her eyes stopped on me. She pointed her finger at me and
said, "You, stand up and tell me who did it !"
I was in a dilemma. I did not know what to do but I remained quiet.
"All right, you, you, you and you," she pointed out some of my classmates, all boys, "Stand up !
Who did it ?"
They stood up but incredibly nobody said anything. We were all in a dilemma. To tell the teacher
was to betray our classmate, and to not tell her was to disobey her. Both choices were unpleasant.
Tension rose. A minute later, she said to those standing, "You follow me to the headmaster's
office." So we trudged behind her to the headmaster's office. Becky was one of us.
We did not wait long at the office. The headmaster gave each of us a cut on the palm. I did not
know whether I had done right or wrong I only knew that I did not know what to do when faced
with the dilemma. Fortunately I never had to face that again, because Becky stopped his
mischief. He had to, for we would have bashed him up if he repeated it.
in a dilemma

trudged

bashed

a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two

different things you could do
to walk slowly with a lot of effort, especially over a difficult
surface or while carrying something heavy:
to hit hard

A silly mistake
Write a story in which the character made a silly mistake and then had to cope with the
consequences of the mistake.
Juliana had a million things to do every day. Looking after the daily needs of a husband, a
toddler and two school-going children was a full-time job. She had to cook the meals, clean the
house, wash the clothes, fetch the children to and from school, do the shopping and do many
other things that a wife and mother had to do.
The sheer workload that she had to deal with sometimes caused her to make silly mistakes. She
made one such silly mistake when she was preparing dinner one evening. In her rush to get
dinner ready she forgot she had already put salt into the curry chicken she was making. So twice
she put salt into the curry. It was way too much salt. the curry was inedible.
She did not know that she had made the mistake until dinner began. The surprise look on the
faces of her husband and her children when they tasted the curry told her of her mistake. Tears
welled in her eyes. What a silly thing to do, but it was done.
Her husband Raymond was very understanding. He knew how much Juliana had to do every day
and her mistake was unintentional . He got up, hugged his wife, and said, "No need to get upset.
I tis just a mistake. Let us go for dinenr tonight." The children sounded their approval.
So together they cleared the dining table, changed their clothes and drove out to town to have a
nice dinner at the dried chicken restaurant.
inedible

not suitable as food

Facing up to a bully
Write a story in which the person who was bullied finally faced up to the bully
Derek was in Standard One and he was a well-mannered boy. His parents taught him to behave
himself in school and not to fight with other boys. However his mild manner was wrongly
perceived as weakness by some of the rougher boys. So one of them, an overweight boy that
stood at least two inches taller than Derek, took to bullying him.
It began with shoving. Then the bully started hitting Derek as and when he felt like it. Recess
time became an unpleasant time for Derek for the bully and his cronies would come looking for
him. He did not fight back nor did he tell his parents or teachers because he did to want to cause
any trouble. So he endured the bullying, for a few weeks.
Gradually the bullying got worse and Derek knew he had to face up to the bully, for better or for
worse. So during recess one day, he stood in the shade of a tree and waited for the bully to show
up. True to form, the bully came. This time Derek was ready. He held a short stick hidden behind
his back.
The bully came with clenched fists but before he could land a punch, Derek lashed out with his
stick on the bully's legs. The bully cried out in pain and collapsed on the ground. Derek raised
the stick to strike again but stopped when he saw that the bully was crying and begging him for
mercy.
Teachers and prefects arrived to see what the commotion was all about. He and the bully were
taken to the headmaster's office and each given two cuts for fighting. It was worth it. The bully
never troubled him again.
shoving

to push someone or something forcefully

endured

to suffer something difficult, unpleasant, or painful

commotion

a sudden short period of noise, confusion

Write a story about an event that changed a person's life

Once of the things about Aaron was that he could never sit still. He was young and full of life,
always running around doing things and being busy. Never did he suspect that one day all these
things would end.
Aaron's school life was a productive one. As he was blessed with a strong and healthy body, he
excelled in sports and games. His forte was the short sprints. He was fast and one of the best in
the state. In studies he was no laggard either. He performed well enough in his studies to secure
a place in a university.
Life in the university was one big round of fun and studies. The three years there earned him a
Bachelor of Arts degree. On graduation he landed a lucrative job in an international company.
Life was certainly good to Aaron, or so it seemed.
Three months after beginning his career, he bought a car. It was a second-hand car that had been
modified for speed. The car fitted Aaron's personality well. It was fast. he drive it at breakneck
speeds along the expressways, risking his life and the lives of other road users. He imagined that
he was the best driver around and he was immune to accidents.
One day he overtook a tanker but got too close to it. The rear end of his car touched the tanker
and his car was sent somersaulting into the crash barrier in the middle of the expressway. Aaron's
car was a complete wreck but miraculously he survived thehorrendous accident.
They took him to hospital where the doctors treated him for cuts and bruises. There was one
thing they could do nothing about. His spine was broken and he was paralysed from the chest
down.
The accident marked a major turning point in Aaron's life. From then on he could no longer run
around as he pleased. He had to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. He had to sit still
whether he liked it or not.
The first three months of his new enforced living was the hardest to bear. He sank to the depths
of depression. Everything has changed. He lost his job, his car and the life that he was used to.
He ahd to face up to reality and adjust his life accordingly. It was not going to be easy but he had
no choice. He had to get out of his self-pity and take whatever action to make his life worth
living again.
forte
laggard
hrrendous

a strong ability, something that a person can do well

someone or something that is very slow
extremely unpleasant or bad

Describe a concert, variety show or a show performed on stage

On the weekend before Christmas, a large shopping complex in my town organized a show for
disabled and underprivileged children. The show was held at the foyer of their complex building.
Disabled and underprivileged children from several homes in town were ferried to the complex
where they were seated in chairs in front of the stage that was decorated for the occasion. Also
present were some local dignitaries, parents and members of the public.
At 8:30 p., the concert kicked off with a rousing dance routine by members of a dancing school.
These young dancers danced and pranced with such skills and coordination that left the audience
wanting for more. At the end of the dance, the thunderous applause from the audience showed
how much they appreciated the performance.
By then the foyer was filled to capacity. Shoppers and visitors stopped to watch the show.
Next were songs by some local singes and members of church groups. they performed
remarkably well and got the audience, especially the young children, to sing along with them.
The spirit of Christmas was well and alive a the show.
As in all Christmas celebrations, Santa Claus made his appearance. Few people would have
guessed that the jolly old gentleman was, in real life, the rotund complex manager Mr. Dennis
Ong. He really played the part of Santa Claus well. Dressed in a red costume and sporting a huge
cotton beard, he came on stage with sacks of toys and gifts, much to the delight of the little
children who clapped their hands in appreciation.
One by one, the children were ushered onto the stage where they received a gift each from Santa.
Two of the children were on wheelchairs but that did not deter them from joining in the fun and
joy. As there were many gifts, Santa also invited young members of the public to go on stage to
receive the gifts. Soon all the gifts were distributed.
Finally all the performers cam eon stage to sing "Silent Night". Many members of the public
sang along as well. It was a short but meaningful show. For the disabled and underprivileged
children, it was indeed a happy occasion.
foyer

a large open area just inside the entrance of a public building

rousing

making people feel excited and proud or ready to take action

rotund

(especially of a person) round or rounded in shape

Bad company
Write a composition on how to spot and avoid bad company.
Mixing with bad company is what every youngster should avoid. The reason is simple. In such a
company, sooner or later the youngster will be exposed to activities that are possibly unhealthy,
unwholesome, antisocial, dishonest, illegal or even criminal. Once exposed, the negative effects
can last a long time, perhaps for a lifetime.
The company you keep will determine largely what you do, how you think and where your life
will proceed. In other words, keeping bad company will eventually ruin your life.
Bad company is not hard to spot. For example if your friends smoke, then chances are you will
catch on. If they take alcohol or drugs, chances are you will be tempted to give them a try. One
try leads to another and it will not be long before you are hooked. Alcoholism, lung diseases,
AIDS or a miserable life may in store for you. So for your own wellbeing, it is better to avoid
such friends. There is no need to make enemies of them. Just avoid them.
If you mix around with friends who vandalize public property, shop-life, scratch cars
or extort money, then it is time to call it quits with them. Such behavior will lead to more
serious offences and it is a matter of time when you are on the wrong side of the law. Get out
quick before it it too late.
Make friends with good and decent people. keep away from bad company.
vandalize
extort
call it quits

to intentionally damage property belonging to other people

to get something by force or threats, or with difficulty
to stop doing something

The problems of being in debt

Neither a borrower nor a lender be -- so goes the famous saying from Shakespeare. How true it
is. Being in debt is one of the heaviest burdens for anyone to carry. The borrower of money, no
matter how small or large the amount, owes the lender. And until the debt is paid, the burden
weighs down the borrower, sometimes terribly.
When my father was young, he bought a house after he got married. He took a loan from the
bank to pay for the house, and for the next thirty years, he had to work hard to repay the loan.
There was a period when he was out of work, and our family had to dig deep into whatever
savings we had to service the loan. Those were difficult days, and I could see my parents age
visibly. My mother had to find work in a factory to help make ends meet. Anyhow the days are
easier now with my eldest brother and sister working. My father says it will take another five
years to repay the loan completely. What a relief that would be when the time comes.
There is an uncle of mine who is perpetually borrowing money from anyone who would lend
him. It is not that he does not work, but somehow he misuses the money by spending it on
unnecessary things. The terrible thing is that he almost never repays his debt. Our family has to
bear the burden and this is really unpleasant.
Once he borrowed money from some moneylenders and missed out on the repayments. The loan
sharks came looking for him and threatened his life. We again had to dig up whatever we can to
pay these people off so as to prevent any serious thing from happening to him. We hope that he
has learned his lesson. If this sort of thing should happen again, I doubt that anyone can help him
out. He has practicallyexhausted what we have saved.
Despite the problems of being in debt, borrowing and lending is still necessary in this world.
Banks give loans to borrowers to set up their businesses or to buy houses and cars. The
government and other bodies give loans to student to further their studies. Family members help
one another out in times of financial need. So borrowing and lending is part and parcel of
living. The important thing is to repay whatever that is borrowed. Only when repayment is done
are the problems over. Certainly it is best not to be a borrower or a lender, but then who can be
sure that they will not become one ?
perpetually

always

exhausted

to use something completely

part and parcel

to be a feature of something

Write a story which involves a blind or disabled person

The sun was setting as Samuel sat in his car near the railway station. He was waiting to pick up
his nephew from the station. As he had found a place to park and the air had cooled down, he
decided against getting out fo the car. His nephew knew where to find him.
The road that passed by the railway station was a busy one but there was a single lights-operated
crossing that periodically turned green for about ten seconds for the pedestrians. As if by magic
all vehicles stopped before the crossing every time this happened.
Presently Samuel saw a blind man walking very slowly on the other side of the road. There was
no one else on the other side. On reaching the traffic lights, the blind man stopped. It appeared
that he wanted to cross. Samuel was curious to see how a blind man managed a crossing like this.
The lights turned green for the pedestrian and the vehicles stopped, but the blind man did not
move. Ten seconds passed and the vehicles sped off again. Three times in a row the lights turned
green for the blind man to cross but he did not. Obviously he was not going to make it on his
own.
Samuel got out of his car and crossed over to the other side of the road at the next change of
lights. He asked the blind man whether he wanted to cross the road. The blind man nodded. So
when the lights changed again, Samuel quickly helped the man cross the road. It took more than
ten seconds but the waiting vehicles did not move until the duo had crossed safely.
Once across, Samuel asked the blind man where he wanted to go. The man said he wanted to go
to the canteen. Canteen ? He must mean the canteen in the railway station. So Samuel took the
man by the hand and led him to the canteen. On the way he met his nephew Tony. On seeing his
uncle with the blind man, Tony offered to take over the task of leading the blind man.
At the canteen, the proprietor came out and took over. The blind man was one of his relatives.
He thanked the helpful duo and led the blind man inside.
Having done what they could, Samuel and Tony headed towards their car. They were glad they
could see. Being blind was certainly a big handicap.
in a row

one after another without a break

A talk on road safety

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.
Today I want to talk about the importance of road safety.
Many people think that accidents only happen to other people. They talk as though they are
immune to it. But accidents can happen to anyone, and when it happens on the road, the
consequences can be severe or even fatal. An experienced road-user has this to say. "You may
take a thousand risks and get away with it every time, but it takes only one accident, just one, to
cause you injury or death."
How true this is. I once had a friend who was a daredevil motorcyclist on the road, risking his
life and that of others with his reckless attitude. Well, he must have cheated death more than a
thousand times but it took only one accident to end his life.
Most accidents are caused by the errors of the road-users. Very infrequently does vehicle defect
or mechanical failure cause an accident. Usually it is the person using the vehicle who is at fault.
A person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs is not fit to be using a vehicle because
his or her judgment is compromised. The person may behave erratically or dangerously on the
road and hence the increasing the chances of causing accidents. Many drivers involved in
accidents tested positive for dugs or alcohol. So do not drive if you are under the influence of
drugs or alcohol, and do not sit in a vehicle driven by such a person. Better still, keep away from
drugs or alcohol. They are not of no benefit to you at all.
Know all traffic rules and obey them. If you see people speeding recklessly, jumping queues,
jumping red lights, parking illegally etc., please do not follow their example, or try to teach them
anything. Leave them alone or make a report to the police. Don't try to deal with them on your
own because that would likely create conflict. There have been cases of driver bashing up others
because of a misunderstanding. Don't become a victim of such conflict. If you are involved in an
accident, remain calm and don't argue with the other party. Just call the police and let them
handle the situation.
In a more serious accident, injuries or death may have occurred. Again remain calm and call for
assistance if you are able to. Otherwise wait for assistance to arrive.
The best policy however, is to avoid accidents, for in an accident, it does not really matter who is
right or wrong. What matters is who is left.
Read safety is your responsibility
daredevil
cheat death

a person who does dangerous things and takes risks

to succeed in staying alive in an extremely dangerous situation

'Smart' traffic lights

Traffic lights are important components of the road systems of a town or city. Their importance
becomes obvious when they stop working. When this happens, the junction at which they operate
is then reduced to chaos as drivers curse and swear to try to get across.
Despite their importance, some traffic lights, especially older ones, are not 'smart', meaning they
turn n or off at fixed predetermined intervals regardless of whether it is midday or midnight. It is
fine at midday when the roads are packed and waiting for one minute at a red light is normal.
However waiting for one minute at a red light at midnight when here are no vehicles around
seems like forever. One is tempted to beat the lights.
Fortunately in my town, the planners have installed 'smart' traffic lights that change their lights
according to the absence or presence of cars near the junction. This works very well, especially
in the night. One does not have to wait forever for the lights to change.
The 'smart' traffic lights have detectors buried just under the road just behind the line where
vehicles stop at the lights. The detectors are hardly visible but if one is observant, one can see a
rectangular box on the road about the same width and length of a car behind every line. Each
detector can detect any vehicle that stops on top of or passes over it. When this happens, it
indicates to the control box to change the lights to green as soon as possible. So the lights stay
red or green according to the traffic volume registered by the detectors. It is pleasing to arrive at
an empty junction to see the lights quickly change to green when one stops behind the line. One
does not have to wait long.
The only setback to this system is that many drivers are not aware of the detectors. Some stop
beyond the stop line or before it and wonder why the lights do not change to green for them. The
detector did not register their presence so the lights do not change quickly.
I suppose 'smart' traffic lights require smart drivers as well. My parents know the drillwell. So
we never have problems at the 'smart' traffic lights.
setback

something that happens that delays or prevents a process from

developing

drill

an activity that involves repeating the same thing several times

A long night
Write a story in which the character had to go through a whole night without sleep.
Little Susie had been complaining about a stomachache for the whole day. The family doctor did
not think that it was serious and sent her home. However in the evening her condition got worse
and Carrie, her mother, was very worried.
At nine in the night, Carrie decided that they should go to the hospital and see a doctor there. So
here husband took her and Susie to the hospital. At the hospital, the doctor examined Susie and
diagnosed her as having acute appendicitis. He arranged for immediate surgery. Things moved
quickly and the hospital staff got Susie ready for the operation.
They wheeled Susie into the operation theater while Carrie waited outside. Her husband returned
home to be with their other two children who were waiting for news of their little kid sister.
An hour later, Susie was wheeled out of the operation room. The doctor assured Carrie that the
operation was successful. There was no complication. Carrie was so relieved. Thank goodness
she decided to come to the hospital.
Carrie's husband came back to the hospital to see if things were okay. He was also very relieved.
As there was nothing else that he could do, he returned home to look after the children. Carrie
remained in the hospital with Susie. The hospital provided a reclining chair for Carrie to sleep on
but sleep was impossible. She was just too concerned for Susie.
The next morning dawned bright and cheery. It had been a long stressful night, but everything
turned out well.
appendicitis

complication

an illness in which the appendix is infected and painful and

usually needs to be removed in an operation
an extra medical problem that makes it more difficult to treat an
existing illness

Mistaken identity
Write a story based on how someone was mistaken for another person
Thomas was driving his car along a quiet country road with his friend Paul on the passenger seat.
Paul's arm was in a sling as he had broken it a few weeks ago.
The quiet drive suddenly turned into a nightmare when a car with three men in it overtook them.
The man at the back seat pointed a gun at Thomas and motioned him to stop. Horrified, Thomas
had no choice but to comply. He stopped by the roadside. The two friends sat petrified,
wondering what that was all about.
Quickly, the three men in the car got out. All of them had guns which they pointed at the two
friends. One of them cried out in a loud voice for the two friends to get out of the car with their
hands up. Again they had no choice but to comply. Paul, of course, could only raise one hand,
the other being in a sling.
One of the men took out a badge and identified himself as a police officer. His menfrisked Paul
and Thomas. Satisfied that they were unarmed, he demanded to see the friends' identity card.
Paul and Thomas handed their ICs over to the police officer. the officer scrutinized the cards.
"Sorry, we apologize for the inconvenience. we thought that you were someone else. We are
looking for a desperate fugitive with a broken arm and we had to check you out," the officer
explained. With that they left the two friends.
It took a few minutes before Paul and Thomas regained their composure. It was just a case of
mistaken identity, and it was a really frightening one.
frisked

composure

to use your hands to search someone's body when they are wearing
clothes to see if they are hiding illegal objects or weapons
the feeling of being calm, confident, and in control

Snatch thieves
Write a story that involves a snatch thief.
It was lunch time in the city. Sally and two of her colleagues left their office and walked towards
their favorite restaurant a short distance away. Sally had a handbag slung over her shoulder.
At a crossing, they waited for the light to turn green. When it did, Sally, her colleagues and many
other people crossed over to the other side of the road. Suddenly from the traffic that had stopped
at the crossing, a motorcycle leapt forward. Two men were on it. In a flash, they were beside
Sally and the pillion rider grabbed her handbag. The force of the grab sent Sally tumbling to the
ground. The strap broke and the pillion rider held the handbag in his hand. The rider turned the
throttle and the motorcycle sped off down the road, weaving between other vehicles in their rush
to get away.
Fortune did not favor the thieves. A few seconds later, they crashed into a tanker in the middle of
the road. The two men were sent flying, hitting other vehicles before falling on the road. They
lay motionless.
The whole sequence of events occurred in less than fifteen seconds. In that time, two distracted
drivers crashed into the vehicles in front of them. Finally all traffic stopped. Some men rushed to
the thieves and pulled them to the roadside.
Sally sat on the kerb with her colleagues by her side. She was badly shaken by the whole
incident. She had some cuts and bruises on her body. Otherwise she was all right.
pillion

kerb

a seat or place behind the person riding a motorcycle where a

passenger can sit
the edge of a raised path nearest the road

Getting lost
Write a story in which the character lost his or her way while going to an unfamiliar destination.
Ten years had passed since Fannie and her friend Laura left school. Fannie used to wonder how
Laura was until they chanced upon each other in the market one day.
Fannie promised to visit Laura the coming Sunday morning. So on the appointed day, Fannie
drove her car into the housing estate where Laura lived. Ten years was a long time and the oncefamiliar surroundings had changed drastically. Everything seemed strange. Fannie tried to look
for familiar landmarks but she could not see any.
She drove in the direction that she thought was the way to Laura's house, but the more she drove
the more she realized that she did not know where she was. She was lost. It was incredible how
she could lose her way in a place that once she knew like the back of her hand, but the fact
remained that she was lost.
There was only one thing to do, and that was to call Laura and ask for help. Thank God for the
mobile phone. She parked her car by a mini market and made the call to Laura. Laura said she
would come to the mini market.
A few minutes later, Laura appeared in her car. Fannie was very relieved. She followed Laura to
her house where the two friends renewed their friendship over a cup of tea.
chanced upon

something happens by chance

How do you spend your free time ?

Free time is when all my homework and chores have been done for the day and I am "free" to do
things that I enjoy doing.
Usually I spend time watching television. As my favorite TV shows come on at specific times, I
make sure that I finish my homework and chores well before the shows. Otherwise I will have to
miss them. Mostly I manage to watch the shows but sometimes extra homework or chores may
cause me to miss a show or two, but it is rare. Anyhow if I know that I am definitely not able to
catch a show in time, I will just set the video recorder to tape the show so that I can watch it
later.
Another thing that I do in my free time is potter around in the garden with my mother. She
plants a fair bit of flowers and I enjoy helping her take care of them. It is a pleasure to feel the
soil, prune the plants, remove the weeds and do the little things that help the plants grow better.
It always fills me with wonder to watch seedlingsgerminate, sprout leaves and eventually grow
to produce beautiful flowers.
Pottering around in the garden also taught me many things about the insects, butterflies, snails,
caterpillars, centipedes, millipedes and other small creatures that inhabit the place. These
creatures are mainly harmless and watching them go about their 'chores' always fascinates me.
In the evening when the weather is fine, i sometimes go for a stroll around the neighborhood
with my friends. This is the time when most the neighbors have come home from work or
school. We say hello to those whom we know. They are mostly friendly people and they
acknowledge our greetings. Once in a while we come upon unfriendly neighbors but we just
ignore them and carry on.
In the night, I usually do a bit of reading before going to bed. Books are like little treasure chests.
A lot of information and knowledge are to be found in them and all it takes is a bit of time spent
reading them. This is certainly a very beneficial way to spend my free time. After a spot of
reading, it is time for bed and on to another day.
potter

germinate

to move about without hurrying, and in a relaxed and pleasant

way
to start growing

The pleasures and displeasures of shopping

In our modern cities, we find hundreds of shopping complexes, centers, malls, arcades,
supermarkets, mini markets -- all catering for the apparently endless streams of people whose
only pleasure in life seems to be shopping.
While I do not deny that shopping has its pleasures, I must add that shopping also has its
displeasures, perhaps even more than the pleasures.
An example of the pleasure of shopping is to find a perfectly fitting pair of jeans for half the
usual price, only after spending one hour of displeasure going through a huge pile of garments
dumped at the discount section of the shopping center. What more, there are a dozen other
people rummaging through the garments as well. Worst still is that you have to buy two
garments in order to qualify for the half price. In effect you end up buying something you are not
particularly interested in.
The interior of shopping centers are usually attractively decorated and the air is cool. However as
modern shopping centers are so huge, it would be an impossible task to visit even a fraction of
them in one day. Furthermore, parking costs escalates the more time you spend in a shopping
center. Time is money -- money flowing out your pocket the longer you leave your car in the car
park.
A great displeasure occurs when you want to get something but do not know where to get it. So
you consult the map that they display in the premises. It takes time to go through the map and
finally when you find the shop you want, you discover it is four floors from where you are. So
you trudge along up the escalators until you reach the shop only to find that what they have is
not exactly what you want.
The most displeasurable part of shopping is checking out. Often there are long queues of people
all wanting to do the same thing. So you select what seems to be the fastest line only to find
some idiot ahead is having problems with the cashier.
Finally when all the shopping is done and you have got very good deals for the things you have
purchased, you lug your heavy bags to the car and go home. That is not the end of the story
though. On reaching home, another story begins. You will have to unpack the stuff you just
bought. That is another displeasure and another story.
rummaging

trudge

to search for something by moving things around carelessly

and looking into, under, and behind them
to walk slowly with a lot of effort

A grouchy or grumpy person

My granduncle is the grouchiest person I have ever met. I have never seen him in a happy mood
or heard him speak in a gentle voice. It is always a scowling face and a harsh grating voice. I
usually keep my distance with him and avoid contact as much as possible, although sometimes it
is not possible.
He is my grandmother's younger brother on my mother's side. My mother used to tell me that he
has had a hard life. He became the breadwinner of the family when he was in his teens after his
father died. He worked all his life in the construction business as a bricklayer and mason. It was
probably through his hard toils and labor that he developed his very grouchy personality. He is
in his sixties now but still goes out to work wherever he finds it.
He is not tall but his limbs are exceptionally long and his hands and feet are exceptionally large.
I suppose it is this combination that gives him exceptional strength for I have seen him carry two
bags of cement, one in each hand, with apparent ease. A normal man would be struggling with
just one bag. Often his workers would reap his wrath when they are unable to keep up with his
work, or his strength. Four-letter words and the worst profanities under the sun would come out
in torrents. The workers just keep quiet for none of them would dare to stand up to him.
How his wife and children tolerate him is a mystery to me. He and his wife lives together in the
same house with his son and family. There are altogether six people in their three-room house
that is just opposite mine. Frequently his harsh voice would come across as he chastises a family
member, or the family dog. No one argues back. They know it is futile.
Most mornings I see this grouchy man get into his beat-up old car on his way to work just as I go
to school. Wishing him good morning is a waste of breath for he never answers. So I have given
that up. It is better to leave him alone to scowl as much as he wants. Perhaps one day he will stop
his grouchy ways, who knows.
grouchy
profanity
chastise

easy annoyed and complaining

an offensive or obscene word or phrase
to criticize someone severely

Describe a time when you did not heed a good advice and what the consequences
were.
I was at my friend Rick's house to do some mathematics homework together. Rick's is a whiz
with mathematics and he helped me complete the homework in record time.
As it was getting towards dinner time, I decided to head on home about two kilometers away.
Outside the house I could see thick black clouds and flashes of lightning in the eastern sky. There
was huge storm going on there. So I got on my bicycle to get home before the storm struck us.
Rick's mother came out, saw the distant storm and told me not to cycle home. She said that she
would send me home in her car. It was better not take the risk of riding the bicycle on the busy
main road in the middle of a storm. It was dangerous. I declined her offer, thanked her and
pedalled off before she could say any more.
Just as I got on the main road, the storm struck. Raindrops came thick and fast. In seconds I was
soaked to the skin. I looked for shelter but could see none. Fortunately my books were in a
plastic bag and they should be fine. So I decided that since I was already soaking wet, I might as
well go all the way home on my bicycle.
The road was fairly quiet as it was out of town. Some cars and lorries passed me kicking up
spray. I could not get any wetter so I did not mind. I had only one thing on my mind and that was
to get home.
It was foolish of me to do cycle under such dangerous conditions as visibility was very low. One
moment I was going along quiet nicely, the next I found myself lying in a puddle of water beside
the road. The road was covered with water and I did not even realized that I have left it and had
fallen into a hole. Fortunately the hole was not very big but it was very wet. I picked myself and
the bicycle up and groped in the pool for my books. No plastic bag would have saved the books.
They were wet through and through. I should have listened to Rick's mother's advice. now I
still have more than a kilometer to go in the rain. As it was dangerous to cycle, I pushed my
bicycle all the way home.
groped
through and through

to feel with your hands when you can't see easily

completely

Write a story about how a robbery ended tragically for the robber
I sat down on a row of chairs. There were not many people in the bank on the Tuesday afternoon.
So I figured that I would not have to wait long for my turn.
Suddenly I heard someone shout behind me. instinctively I looked around and was shocked to
see two gunmen brandishing handguns and telling everyone in the bank to get down on the
floor. I obeyed quickly. I was too stunned to feel any fear. I just lay down on the floor like the
other customers.
I could not see anything except the floor tiles next to my face but I heard harsh voices shouting,
the sound of someone being hit and some death threats being uttered. It sounded like the robbers
would not hesitate to shoot anyone who did not comply.
From the corner of my eye I caught the sight of a pair of moving boots. For the first time I felt
fear. The boots must be that of one of the robbers ! Anyhow the boots disappeared from view for
a moment, reappeared and then disappeared again. I heard the trampling of feet and I knew that
the robbers were making their escape. It did not take them long to do their dirty business.
I raised my head and had a momentary glimpse of two figures running out of the bank door.
Another figure flashed past my view and I realized that it was a security guard. He was holding a
pump gun in his hands ! I got up to have a better view.
The security guard ran out of the bank just as the robbers were making their getaway on a
motorcycle. The motorcycle sped off just as the guard leveled his gun and fired at the fleeing
duo.
Even in the bank, the sound of the shot was deafening. From my position I saw the shot hit the
pillion rider smack on his back. There was a spray of blood and the body went limp. As the
motorcycle accelerated, the pillion rider was flung backwards onto the road in a lifeless heap.
The guard fired another shot at the remaining motorcyclist. The shot missed the target but
shattered the back screen of a car nearby.
By then I was out of the bank watching the real-life action. So were other customers. It was just
like in the movies except that it was for real. The guard ran up to the robber that he had shot and
examined the slumped figure. There was no sign of life. The guard then picked up a bag that the
robber had dropped. No doubt it contained the loot.
I watched the scene until the police arrive about ten minutes later. After I went home as there
was no point hanging around I could do my banking at another time.
brandishing
trampling

to wave something in the air in a threatening or excited way

to step heavily on something

The price of greed

Write a story that would fit the above title.
Paul looked at the board. The price of the shares he bought yesterday had risen by 46 cents. Wow
! He took out his calculator. He had bought 3,000 shares. Multiply that by $0.46 would net him a
profit of $1,380. Wow again ! He had made that amount in just one day.
The share market had been bullish for several weeks now and many people like Paul was getting
a piece of the action. Rumors were rife that shares would keep rising indefinitely. It was the
chance of a lifetime to make some serious money. In order to buy more shares, Paul took out a
loan of $200,000 from a bank using his retail business as collateral.
For the whole of the following week, Paul joined hundreds of speculators in the stock exchange,
buying up shares that kept rising. Paul's wife warned him about the consequences of a fall in the
share prices, but Paul was confident that he could make his bundle and get out before the prices
dropped.
Prices kept rising. Paul estimated his profits to be in the region of $300,000 already. if the trend
continued, he would have half a million in two weeks and a million in a month. He was confident
that he would be a millionaire in a month's time.
Two weeks later, indeed Paul's total shares were worth more than half a million dollars, and the
share prices were still rising. His wife advised him to sell and take the profit, but he refused. Just
two more weeks and he would be a millionaire, two more weeks !
The drop cam every suddenly one day. At first Paul thought it was just a temporary fluctuation in
the share prices. He held firm, confident that the prices will rebound upwards. it did the
following day and Paul regained confidence. Then the prices fell again, and again. In three days,
he had lost all his profits plus part of his capital. If he sold then, he would have made
a dreadful loss. No, he would hold on. the prices would rise again.
One month later, Paul had lost almost everything. Share prices had reached an all-time low.
There was despair all round.
In his greed for riches, Paul lost all his savings and now owed the bank to the tune of $200,000.
Fortunately he had his retail business to fall back on. He would have to work extra hard to pay
off the bank.
Some speculators were not so lucky. They were reduced to bankruptcy. Such is the price of
greed.
make a bundle
dreadful
fall back on

to earn a lot of money

very bad, shocking
to use something for help because no other choice is available

The importance of computers in the modern world

Computers play a huge role in the modern world. We can get an idea of how huge a role this is if
we examine some of the things in the modern world that we rely on and mostly take for granted.
Telecommunication, transport, banking and finance -- the most important features of the modern
world -- are heavily dependent on computers in order to function. A computer failure in any of
these areas can incapacitate it, and perhaps the other areas too. The consequences can be
anything from inconvenience to disaster. You may have experience the inconvenience of being
unable to withdraw money from a bank because its computer is 'down'. So you wait until they fix
the computer and you can withdraw money again. What happens if the down time should last
several days ? The inconvenience could turn to indignation for you and disaster some businesses.
Can you imagine what can happen if crucial computers fail in the transport systems, for example,
the airlines ? Flight schedules can be severely interrupted, passengers can miss flights or board
the wrong ones, or worst of all, accidents can happen. Air-traffic controllers rely on computers to
direct aircraft landing and taking off. In a busy airport, aircrafts take off and land within seconds
of each other. This is clearly impossible without computers.
Another area in which computers are very important is telecommunication. Today we
communicate with one another via the telephone, fax machine and the Internet. The ease and
speed of communication is unprecedented in the history of mankind. All we need is to press
some buttons or log on to the Internet and we get to communicate instantly with each other.
Physical distance matters little. Satellites, fiber optics and other devices make sure that we can
communicate from the comfort of our homes, anywhere in the world as long we have the
equipment to do it.
Certainly this is all fantastic, but what can happen if the computers stop working, even if it were
to be for a short while. Have you ever felt the exasperation of being unable to ring your friend or
retrieve an email ? We are literally plunged straight back to the days of our forefathers when
messages took days and weeks to reach their destination.
Computers are here to stay and their importance is undeniable. In fact, they areindispensable.
More and more they become part of our lives. Without computers, living will be like a hundred
years ago -- no email, no ATM machines, no credit cards, no Internet and no video games. For us
in this modern world, that would be unimaginable.
incapacitate
unprecedented
indispensable

to make someone unable to work or do things normally

never having happened or existed in the past
Something or someone that is indispensable is so good or
important that you could not manage without them

The problems of being overweight

Today, many men, women and children are overweight. This is the direct consequence of our
modern lifestyle where many physical chores and activities are taken over by machines and
energy-saving devices. No longer do we have to chop firewood, fetch water from the well, wash
clothes with our hands, or get on our hands and knees to scrub the floor. These are all taken care
of by gas stoves, piped water, washing machines, vacuum cleaners etc.
Also we do not have to hunt for our dinner, toil in the field, or herd the sheep. Modern machines
and farming methods have mostly replaced physical labor. So many of us, without the physical
exertions that burn up energy and keep us lean, become overweight.
At first glance, overweight people may not appear to have any problem, but behind their chubby
faces and pot-bellies, they are just medical time-bombs waiting to go off. An overweight person
has increased risks of falling prey to hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, cancer and
many other debilitating diseases. These potentially deadly conditions are in addition to the sheer
weight that the person have to lug around every day, making it hard to walk for a distance, climb
stairs, or even just to get up from a chair.
I know some overweight people and very one of them already has some kind of physical or
health problem. One of my classmates is grossly overweight. While we run and play in the field,
he just sits under the tree because he cannot keep up with us. He gets breathless easily and has to
rest. My overweight uncle spends most of his time in front of the idiot box munching yet another
box of snacks. He is a real 'couch potato'. Already he ahs had a couple of toes amputated because
of his diabetic condition. Yet he does not exercise or do something to reduce his weight.
Buying clothes off the rack is also another problem for the overweight person. They usually have
to have their clothes specially tailored. This incurs greater expenses. Furthermore the range of
clothes they can choose from is limited to the skill of their tailor.
Being overweight is certainly no fun, and is definitely hazardous to health. Unless the person has
some kind of illness that causes him or her to be overweight, it is possible to reduce one's weight
with proper diet and exercises. It is better to keep within the normal range and stay healthy as
much as possible. We do not need weight problems. Living is much more pleasant and enjoyable
without them.
toil
debilitating

hard work, especially work that makes you feel physical tired
to make someone or something physically weak

Dangers on the road

The roads of today are choked with cars, lorries, motorcycles and other vehicles. The congestion
has increased steadily over the years. The inevitable result of this congestion is the increase in
the number of road accidents. Every day many road users get injured or killed. The dangers on
the road are many. It is wise to know what they are and how to avoid them.
In towns and cities where the congestion is the greatest, pedestrians are the ones with the highest
risks. Flesh is no match against metal or plastic. To be hit by a vehicle almost certainly means
injury, or death. Sow hen crossing the streets, it is always better to use the pedestrian crossings
that are usually located at junctions, regardless of whether the crossings have light or not. Even
so be sure to observe the vehicles on the road before crossing. There are some drivers who do not
stop at pedestrian crossings. Cross only when you know it is safe to do so, not because the light
is green for you. If there are overhead pedestrian bridges, better still. Use them even though it
might be a bit inconvenient. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Dashing across the street anywhere you like is a dangerous act. You might get away with it a
thousand times, but it takes only one accident to put you down, temporarily or permanently. The
consequences are terrible, as accident victims will testify to.
"Speed kills", as the warning signs on highways say. How true it is. Accidents occurring along
the highways are frequently fatal. Sometimes entire families are wiped out in a single accident.
The vehicles are reduced to unrecognizable mangled heaps of metal. It is common to read about
how the fire department "took an hour to remove the bodies from the wreckage". Do not speed
on the road. This is the lesson to be learned.
Despite the horror, many road users have not learned the lesson. They continue to speed and
behave recklessly. This is especially so with young motorcyclists. With their devil-may-care
attitude and their illegal midnight races, they not only endanger themselves but other road users
as well. You will be well-advised to stay clear of them.
When on the road, know the dangers and avoid them. In the first instance, do not endanger other
road users with irresponsible behavior such as jaywalking, using the mobile phone while driving
and beating red lights. Irresponsible road users are the greatest danger on the road. Do not let
yourself be one.
wipe out
recklessly

jaywalking

to destroy something completely

doing something dangerous and not worrying about the risks
and the possible results
to walk across a road at a place where it is not allowed or
without taking care to avoid the traffic

Unexpected but good

What a fine day ! Mansor was sure that he would see his present on the dining table. It has been
like this for the past 15 years. His parents would place the present next to his glass of milk. He
had given hint after hint for the past month. He had even slipped pictures of the mobile phone
into his parents' briefcases. It was impossible that they would not get the message.
Nothing on the table ? They acknowledged his morning wishes and talked as if there was nothing
special about the day. His mother merely reminded him to clear his writing table.
Mansor quickly ran out of the house as he did not want his parents to see his expression. He was
disappointed that they have forgotten his birthday ! He would bebetter off if he joined his
friends at the Old Folks' Home. As he did not want his driver to know where he was going, he
called a cab.
He got down from the cab and realized how fine the weather was. The sun was shining brightly
as if to give him joy. The chirping of the birds lightened his heart. He walked with a spring in his
steps to the home. As he looked around, he saw people laughing and enjoying themselves. These
people were old folks, neglected by their children, yet they were happy. Why should he be sad ?
He went home and set about tidying his table, knowing that his mother expected him to respect
her wishes. Wait ! What's this ? An air ticket to Pulau Redang for a scuba diving course ! " We
prefer that you learn something rather than have the latest mobile phone. Hope this does not
disappoint.
He should have known that his parents would not let him down.
better off

to be in a better situation

set about

to start to do something

You have been asked by your teacher to give a talk on a book you have read. You have
decided to talk on a fiction book.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I am here today to give a book review. The title of the
fiction book I have read is Heidi. The author of the book is Johanna Spyri. I would highly
recommend that all of you read this book.
First, the plot is very touching. A young girl of five was left with her gruff and friendless
grandfather up in the Alps. However, there grew a bond between the two of them. Heidi loved
running around in the mountains with her friend, Peter, the goatherd and the goats. Then one day,
her aunt came back and forcibly took her back to the city to stay with the invalid daughter of a
rich man. Heidi pined for her grandfather and home in the Alps.
I also like the way the characters are drawn. I can feel Heidi's joy in running around the
mountains and her sadness being confined in a huge house. The other major characters are
Grandfather, Peter, Clara and Grandmother and Dete. The author describes each character so that
you can picture them in your mind.
Despite being intimidated by the strict and rigid housekeeper, Heidi manages to retain her own
identity and beliefs. This is a major theme of the book.
Another theme is the generosity of Heidi as seen against the selfishness of her Aunt Dete as well
as the housekeeper. The author's message is not to impose our ideas of what is proper or right on
others.
Though there seems to be a lot of emphasis on the importance of prayer, the story is fast-moving
and you will get immersed in Heidi's activities and problems. The story is well written.
Dialogue used is very effective. Johanna Spyri understands the world of the young and the
elderly.
Finally, this is one of the best novels I have read. I would recommend it to anyone of any age.
Find out for yourself what happens to Heidi.
Thank you.
gruff

(of a person's voice) low and unfriendly

pined

to become increasingly thin and weak because of unhappiness,

especially after the death of a loved person

immersed in

to become completely involved in something

My friends
I am a gregarious kind of person. I enjoy the company of friends. I can divide my friends
into fair-weather friends, buddies and true friends.
'Fair-weather friends' are those who come to you when they are in trouble. For example, Shah is
always saying, 'Oh Jay, could I borrow ten dollars, please. I'll return it tomorrow.' `That shirt is
really cool. I have a date tonight. Could I..: Another such friend is Ah Tan. `If you are a true
friend, you would let me copy your assignment. I had no time to do it. Just the first page. What
about the outline?' Of course if you are in trouble, they are the first to disappear.
Some of my friends share the same likes and dislikes as I do. For this reason, I like being with
my buddies, Az and Boon. We go for shows together. We watch almost everything related to
Star Wars and inter-space travel. We like watching football and are fans of Liverpool. During the
English Premier League season, we would discuss and dissect the players and the games for
hours each day. Boon, Az and I are bookworms and enjoy reading adventure stories, especially
those by Clive Cussler. We also love to hang out at Seng's Kopitiam. Their fried chicken is truly
crispy and fragrant. Once, we ate twenty pieces each. That was a record.
I am very lucky to have a special friend who is loyal to me, and always stands by me. My special
friend lets me simply be myself. I can be grouchy and grumpy and he understands. I can ignore
him and he does not sulk or retaliate. My true friend is Duke. Duke is a five-year-old mongrel,
who is intelligent, warm and loving. He waits for me at the gate to welcome me home. When I
feel depressed, he will play with me to cheer me up. If I am not in the mood, he will
just nuzzle up against me to comfort me.
Yes, I do enjoy being with my friends. However, I do agree that a man's best friend is still his
dog.
gregarious
fair-weather friends

nuzzle

liking to be with another people

someone who is a good friend when it is easy to be one and
who stops being one when you are having problems
to touch, rub, or press something or someone gently in a way
that shows your love

Write about a person who was very poor and later became successful.
Minah looked at her father with concern. He appeared tired. It was hard work indeed, getting up
so early to work in the farm and the returns were often very bad. The rains last night had wiped
out much of the harvest. Minah's family was very upset to see the fallen fruits and destroyed
vegetables. There was much gloom in the little wooden house they called home.
The whole family had to work on the farm to get enough vegetables and fruits to sell at the
market. Minah went to the nearby school in the morning and when she returned she would rush
through her homework before she helped her parents. They had no luxuries and there was very
little time to rest or do anything else. At times, Minah and her brothers had barely enough food to
eat.
Perhaps it was seeing her parents working so hard without any complaints or the sight of her
brothers sitting with their books late at night, but whatever it was Minah was determined to do
well in life. Minah's parents loved their children and encouraged them to work hard at school.
Her older brothers managed to complete their secondary education but Minah had a dream.
Every time she walked past the university in her town, she told herself that she would get a
degree. It was a burning desire that she nursed in her heart.
Minah did well in school and passed the exams with good results. Her teachers encouraged and
advised her to apply for a scholarship. Minah did exactly that. To her joy, she managed to get a
scholarship to study agriculture. It was a field that was close to her heart and it was no surprise
that she did brilliantly in the university. Minah took a job that paid well and was able to help her
family considerably.
Some years later, Minah started a research centre in a rural area and was able to employ other
people to work for her. Her centre did well and she was often invited to give talks to people
interested in this field. She presented papers on various aspects of agriculture and was soon
recognised as an authority on the subject. Minah had made it. She was a success.
wiped out
gloom

to destroy something completely

a situation in which it is nearly dark and difficult to see well

Cats
The domestic cat or house cat is a small domesticated animal that is beautiful and confident. It is
often kept as an indoor pet. Cats are often valued by humans for companionship and their ability
to hunt rats, lizards and all sorts of household pests. A genetic study in 2007 revealed that
domestic cats are descended from African Wildcats circa 8000 BCE, in the Middle East.
Since cats were cult animals in ancient Egypt, they were commonly believed to have been
domesticated there, but there may have been instances of domestication as early as the Neolithic.
According to research, cats are the most popular household pet in the world, and are now found
in almost every place where people live.
Cats have strong, flexible bodies, quick reflexes, sharp retractable claws and teeth that are
adapted to killing small prey. They are predatory in nature. Cats can hear sounds too faint or too
high in frequency for human ears, such as those made by mice. They can see in near darkness
and have an acute sense of smell. Like most other mammals, cats can't see colours the way
humans can.
Despite being solitary hunters, cats are a social species, and cat communication includes
mewing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling and grunting as well as other types of cat-specific
body language.
Just like dog shows, there are cat shows for pedigree cats. Breeding here is done in a controlled
manner, where only the best males and females are bred for a limited number of times. However,
failure
to control the breeding of pet cats by spaying and neutering can cause serious problems as cats
breed very rapidly. Furthermore, the abandonment of former household pets, has resulted in large
numbers of feral cats worldwide, requiring population control.
domesticated

retractable
spaying

to bring animals or plants under human control in order to

provide food, power, or company
to pull something back
to remove the ovaries of a female animal

Write a story that ends with: '... I am amazed at what people can achieve when they are
forced to.'
Sarimah was a normal kampung girl who had a normal upbringing. She worked hard at school
and also in her father's paddy fields. She was the top student in her class.
Unfortunately, her father suffered a heart attack and was confined to their home, unable to tend
the fields. Her six siblings, three boys and three girls were too young to understand. Sarimah
knew by the look on her mother's face that she would have to take over. At the young age of
sixteen she decided that she would not let her family suffer poverty. She forged ahead with the
harvest and made sure the livestock was well fed.
She got help from the local Mardi and Felda officers who gave her the financial and practical
backing. Despite her busy and complicated life, she still managed to continue with her
schoolwork. Her mother sold cakes and tended to the fruit orchard that supplemented their
income in the dry season. As she worked, Sarimah didn't neglect her siblings. She paid a kind
teacher in the village some money to tutor them. She started selling handicrafts obtained from the
local villagers at the weekend markets in K.L. There were times when she would cry herself to
sleep.
Soon she could manage the farm, orchard and her studies as she had engaged some Siamese odd
jobbers to tend to the fields. This gave her time to study and look after the family. Her business
evolved and she managed to study agribusiness in UPM. Nevertheless she returned to the village
and saw her siblings through college. Today, all of them have successful careers of their own.
Her father and mother now live a simple but comfortable life. Sarimah today is happily married
and has three children of her own. As she looks back on her past, she can't help but wonder
where she got the strength and resolve to do all that she did. She said to me once, 'I am amazed at
what people can achieve when they are forced to.'
upbringing

the way in which someone is treated and educated when they

are young

The Benefits of Joining the Interact Club

The Principal, parents, teachers and fellow students. Good morning and welcome to SMK Asia
Jaya's Open Day. I am Sandy Siew, President of the Interact Club. I am honoured and happy to
speak to you about the benefits of the Interact Club.
As you know the Interact Club was formed to support the international aspirations of Rotary
International, a well-known establishment that has carried out various social programs to
promote better understanding among people. Rotary's programs for students and youth can
change the lives of those who participate. Through these programs, young people can earn
scholarships, travel on cultural exchange, or help a community through a service project.
Firstly, you should join the Interact Club because it promotes understanding among people
of diverse backgrounds, cultures and religions. This is vital in a plural society like Malaysia.
Then, there is social responsibility. Our club visits orphanages, homes for the aged, and conducts
other activities such as clean-ups in public areas. This is to inculcate a love for our environment
which is being threatened by the ignorance and selfishness of the majority.
As I mentioned in my introduction, the Interact Club promotes sharing and caring through
networking. The captains of industry, businessmen and women, professionals and other working
adults from the Rotary community provide a strong network that spans the globe in supporting
young people with activities that promote sharing knowledge, culture and opportunities.
In conclusion, I feel that the Interact Club is a beneficial club to join with many advantages. So
on a parting note, I bid you welcome. Thank you.
diverse

different or including many different types

parting

done while leaving or separating

The school of the future

I think the school of the future will be a happy place. It will be a place where happy children will
be excitedly involved with learning activities which will benefit them greatly. They will be
studying in a healthy and clean environment.
The school building will be clean and inviting. Students will enjoy many facilities that
technology has brought them. Shuttles will take the children from one building to another. There
will be sky bridges connecting buildings and, therefore, students and teachers can access all the
different facilities easily.
All the classrooms will be equipped with facilities of technology so that learning will be an
exciting experience. There will be a chance to gain hands-on experience as students will get to
go on field trips regularly. Children will learn at their own pace and thus there will be less
pressure to keep up with others. A vibrant learning environment will make school an attractive
place of children.
Teachers will be facilitators and will assist children to acquire knowledge as robots or machines
cannot replace the human factor. Naturally, teachers will still be needed to teach human values
and emotional growth as machines cannot be a substitute in that aspect. Only human beings can
impart feelings and ensure that students understand their role in the world as caring and
responsible inhabitants of this planet.
The school of the future will make sure that the students leave school with the necessary skills to
fit the employment market and be good citizens of the country. Students must understand that
they have a role to play in this world. When they leave school, they must be good human beings
of whom the country can be proud.
hands-on

someone who has hands-on experience of something has done

or used it rather than just read or learned about it

field trips

a visit made by students to study something away from their

school or college

A Nightmare
"Don't eat just before going to bed !" my mother used to tell me. "You might get a nightmare."
How right she was. I never believed her until it happened to me.
It was on a night when I felt hungry just as I was about to go to bed. So I made myself a peanutbutter sandwich and a large cold glass of milk. After consuming them I went to bed.
Soon I drifted off into a troubled sleep. I dreamt that I was with a group of people looking for an
old woman. I was not sure why we were looking for her but we all seemed afraid of her.
Somehow we had to find her. So there I was, searching high and low for her in frightful places I
had never been before. Sometimes I seemed to be flying while at other times I seemed unable to
move. The whole atmosphere was one of fear, like a dreadful horror-movie in which I was a
victim.
After some searching I entered a darkened room and saw a figure sleeping on a bed. As I got
nearer the figure suddenly threw away the blanket, got up and stared at me. It was an ugly old
woman with shiny golden teeth. She raised her claw-like fingers and walked towards me.
I wanted to run but was unable to. I tried to scream but found that I could not. In horror I
struggled and struggled to get away from the frightful woman.
The next moment I gave a muffled yell and found myself panting on my bed. My goodness,
what a horrible nightmare it was! For a minute or so I lay on my bed not daring to close my eyes
for fear of falling asleep again and continuing the nightmare. Then I sat up on my bed until the
horrible feeling passed. From then on I never eat just before going to sleep.
drift off
search high and low
muffled

to gradually start to sleep

search everywhere for something
a quiet and less clear sound