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Tuesday 27 April 2010

A black-out

Topic: A black-out

I was doing my homework one night when the lights suddenly went out. The flats in the opposite block were also in complete darkness. I knew at once that there was a black-out in my area.

While my parents groped about the flat, looking for candles, I found my way to the window. It was pitch black outside as it was a moonless night. Flickers of candlelight were just beginning to appear in the other flats.

In the road below, I could see the headlights of vehicles piercing the darkness. A traffic jam was already setting in as the traffic lights had stopped working. The drivers were hooting impatiently at each other.

After lighting the candles in our flat, my father took his torch and went out to check the lifts. I followed him. As we had expected, all the lifts had stopped working. Unfortunately, some people were trapped in one of them. A group of firemen were quickly called to rescue these people. After helping the firemen, my father and I returned to the flat.

We carefully locked the doors and windows and then went to bed. The next morning, I quickly tested the light. I was relieved to find it working. Like many others, I find black-outs most inconvenient and frightening.

One of tourist attractions of your country

Topic: Describe one of the tourist attractions of your country

Sentosa is one of the many tourist attractions of Singapore. This beautiful isle is situated about half a kilometer south of Singapore and is accessible by cable car or ferry.

The Coralarium on Sentosa is a must for all visitors. It consists of a high coral pylon under which are massive sea-water tanks. These contain live corals, spongers, fish and other forms of local marine life. A magnificent collection of sea-shells is also on exhibition here. The visitor can learn about the remarkable life-history of the shell-fish and their use in mythology, art, religion and medicine.

The visitor will find the man-made swimming lagoon on the isle an excellent spot for relaxation. It is safe for swimming, and the beaches fringing the lagoon are ideal for picnicking. For those interested in camping, there is a special camping site close to the lagoon. Camping equipment is also available for rental here.

For Siloso, another highlight of Sentosa, is of historical interest. This fortress was built in the 1880’s as part of Singapore’s coastal defenses. The visitor is allowed to walk through its underground tunnels and chambers and climb up its watch-towers and gun emplacements.

These are but few of the interesting features of Sentosa. The visitors to this isle will enjoy themselves immensely because it is both educational and recreational.

How to save water

Topic: Talk about the various steps you take to save water in your country.


Not long ago, we suffered a long dry spell in Singapore. The water level in the reservoirs fell rapidly because the people did not cut down their consumption of water. As a result, there was strict water rationing.

To avoid such a situation from happening again, we must learn to use water sparingly even when there is enough of it.

The newspapers, radio and television constantly teach us how to save water. We are repeatedly asked not to use clean water to wash our homes and cars or to water our gardens. Clean water is needed for more important purposes.

Many people waste water by forgetting to turn off the taps or by letting them drip. Taps must always be shut tight after use. Taking a shower wastes quite a bit of water, too. We save water if we use a dipper instead.

Yet another way of saving water is to turn on the taps only a little when washing at the sink.

It is the duty of every Singaporean to save water in every possible way and at all times. By doing so, we will not suffer so badly in the event of a water crisis.

A frightful experience

Topic: Write a short story on the topic “A frightful experience”

It was almost twelve at night. I was returning home from a late film show. There were no buses, so I had to walk all the way home.

As I was feeling rather tired, I decided to take a short cut through back alley. As I approached the back alley, I noticed that it was dark and still. Nobody seemed to be around.

I hesitated for a moment, wondering whether I should take it. I thought of taking the longer but well-lit route, but my tired legs said no. Taking a deep breath, I plunged into the alley. I walked very fast, glancing nervously all around me.

Just as I reached the darkest part of the alley, someone suddenly grabbed me from behind. A rough hand was clapped over my mouth and my arms were pinned to my sides. I struggled violently but I could not break loose.

“Don’t struggle or we’ll kill you!” a harsh voice growled into my ear. I kept still. A hand went through my pockets swiftly. My wallet was taken, ad my watch snatched off my wrist.

The next minute, I was pushed roughly to the ground. As I lay there, gasping for breath, I heard the footsteps of the robbers thudding away.

I was badly shaken with fright. My heart was beating wildly and my whole body was trembling. Slowly, I got up and dragged myself home. Even since that night, I vowed never to take that short cut again.

Unpleasant person I know

Topic: Write an essay about an unpleasant person you know. Say why you find him or her unpleasant.


There is a provision shop not far from my house. Its owner, Mr. Tan, is the most unpleasant person I have ever met.

What I find most unpleasant about Mr. Tan is his sullen nature. He glares at everyone and hardly ever smiles. He shouts when he talks and is so rude that people just avoid him.

I dare not go to Mr. Tan’s shop because of his bad behavior. Whenever I do, I find him in a foul temper. He gives me a mean look and snaps at me. He is never polite to me, unlike the other shopkeepers I know.

Mr. Tan is rather impatient, too. He walks away while I am still telling him what I want. He mutters angrily as he packs my purchases. When I pay him, he snatches the money and strides off without a word of thanks. That is all his manners I know.

Although I can buy almost everything in Mr. Tan’s shop, I hardly ever go there. I find Mr. Tan just too unpleasant for my liking.

Monday 26 April 2010

Describe your favorite haunt in your school.

Topic: Describe your favorite haunt in your school.

Outline:
1. Describe the place and the surrounding scenery.
2. Describe what your friends and you do in the place.
3. Describe how you feel whenever you are in the place.


My school is situated on top of a hill in the middle of the city. Therefore, it has a breathtaking view of skyscrapers, luxury hotels and the sea. In fact, there is a spot in a secluded part of the school which two of my closest friends and I discovered, from where we can get the best of this view.

This viewing gallery is on the roof of the school’s highest building. By creeping through the emergency exit and climbing a vertical ladder, we are greeted by an awesome sight. No one can see us up there and this has become our haven.

My buddies and I spend countless hours there talking about life and the universe. From this advantage point, the cars and people look like toys. There is much movement. Cars and endlessly flowing in the streets as people walk about swiftly. We often try to guess what these busy people are like, where they live and whether they are happy. We have seen the most beautiful sunsets from up there. The kaleidoscope of colors takes our breath away. The view is especially enchanting after a heavy downfall.

Sometimes when I am troubled, I searched for comfort here. After looking at the vastness of the sky, I realize that my problems are small in comparison. Why should a person get so upset by things which are merely minor inconveniences?

This little hide-out of ours is the best thing about my school. The cozy comradeship that we share up on the roof adds much to the attraction of the haunt.

Describe an occasion when you were unfairly treated

Topic: Describe an occasion when you were unfairly treated

Outline:
1. Describe how you used to think that both boys and girls are always treated as equals.
2. Describe how you heard about the leadership training course and the criteria for selection.
3. Describe how you trained hard to be fit and how you felt confident of being selected.
4. Describe how you felt when you found out that the course was designed only for boys.
5. briefly conclude that you now realize the existence of sex discrimination.


As a young girl, I was given every opportunity to excel. If I was interested in a particular sport, the training was always available. My parents believed that girls are as good as boys any day. Therefore, though I had read about sex discrimination, I never thought it would be happen to me.

When I heard that the Youth Development Council was organizing a new leadership training course, I was very excited. The teacher-in-charge told us that the criteria for selection were pretty strict – a good extra-curricular record, excellent academic results and good physical fitness were required. As a consequence, I started training by jogging every day, doing hundreds of sit-ups and push ups and consuming a highly nutritional diet. With my fitness baked by excellent academic and extra-curricular records, I was certain that I would be selected. However, I was shocked to learn that the course was designed only for boys. I felt a deep sense of injustice.

I was so aghast at the unfairness of it all that I wrote a letter of complaint to the Youth Development Council. The reply came some months later, expressing their regret and informing me that they would organize a separate course for girls the following year. This hardly pacified me as I knew I would be too old to join the course then.

Since this incident, I have realized that there are times when girls are at a disadvantage.