Shao Xuan
(Term 3 Post #5)
19 August 2011
Reflections on Term 3 Language Arts Test
I feel that I have not done very well for the Reading and Reasoning this time. I think this is because I did not answer to the question and occasionally went off the topic. I also feel that I did not study enough of the Merchant of Venice because I was unable to answer the questions at the end and thus overall did very poorly. I will try my best the next time and do more practice papers to bring up my answering skills to a decent level by the end-of-year exams so that I can score better.
16 August 2011
Speech Literary Devices
The following are common speech literary devices:
Alliteration
Repetition of the same sounds in the beginning of several words.
Eg. He was so fast and furious that he finished first in the race.
Anaphora
Repetition of the same word or phrase in the beginning of several clauses.
Eg. We will put this forth, we will try our very best, we will succeed!
Antistrophe
Repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of several clauses.
Eg. He tried extorting money, but to no avail. He tried to steal, but to no avail. He tried every possible mean, but to no avail.
Aporia
Feigned expression of doubt.
Eg. He was quite uncertain about it, "Was that really true?"
Antithesis
Opposed ideas in a parallel construction.
Eg. Not that I hated him, I just did not like him.
Assonance
Repetition of the same sounds in words.
Eg. How do you like to be true?
Hendiadys
Use of two words connected by a conjunction, instead of subordinating one to another.
Eg. There is no need to be terrified and be fear for the worst.
Metaphor
Implied comparison achieved through a figurative use of words.
Eg. As he heard the news, he rocketed off to see him.
Oxymoron
Paradox.
Eg. We must fail this time to succeed.
Personification
Attribution of personality to an impersonal thing.
Eg. The toilet tap started to cry.
Simile
An explicit comparison using 'as' or 'like'.
Eg. He flew like the wind.
Shao Xuan
(Term 3 Post #4)
My View on Trustworthiness
Trustworthiness is how much you believe someone's stand and viewpoint and whether you trust that it is true. Trustworthiness of a person depends on a few factors.
Firstly, whether a person can be trustworthy depends on his confidence. If a person start stammering while trying to convey his message, people will lose their trust in him because he does not sound convincing enough. Losing confidence means that he will start to fidget around and maybe start to stammer. By not being confident, the person shows that he himself does not strongly believe in his argument, so how can he even expect other people to believe him?
Next, whether his argument is logical. No one can believe someone when he says something that is illogical. It will sound contradictory and his argument will most likely fall apart. It will also not make sense to the people who are listening to him and not long later they will get confused. This is going to make his statements not convincing.
Following that, it is best to provide concrete examples like figures and data to support the argument. This will make it more easy to believe the statements. It also proves that the arguments made are true. A good critical thinker however, will know that the data provided will only be one-sided and not to believe the argument solely on the examples given.
These three factors are what determines the trustworthiness of an article. Of course there are more than these three, but these are the basic ones.
Shao Xuan
(Term 3 Post #3)
15 August 2011
Book Review: The Labors of Hercules by Agatha Christie
Author: Agatha Christie
Title: The Labors of Hercules
Published in: 1984
"The Labors of Hercules" is a series of 12 short stories, about a world-famous detective Hercule Poirot. Poirot is shown as an old man who is about to retire, but cannot resist the temptation of solving difficult crimes, thus embarking on his final 12 mysteries. The stories go through weird and funny twists and turns, before finally revealing the mastermind and how the whole plot had happened.
I like this book because the detective, M. Poirot, is a very smart and agile one, and can solve mysteries up to the highest order. Though complicating, but he manages to unravel all the question marks of the story slowly. The best part, is that the whole story is featured in his viewpoint, and so we do not know the outcome of the story until Hercule Poirot solves the mystery.
There is one case which I particularly like. Hercule Poirot, had just received a case of an expensive stolen picture. He is then assigned to find the picture but at the same time, comes across another mystery. It actually seems like these two cases are totally different, but as it comes to the end of the story, the two cases just seem to merge, and the mystery of the missing girl seems to have some connection to the mystery of the missing painting. The outcome had surprised me a lot.
To read the rest of the book, which I strongly recommend, you will find out the details of the abovementioned case and the other 11 cases which are very amusing. Go and grab the book now!
(Term 3 Post #2)
Reflections on Merchant of Venice
There are many people, after reading the Merchant of Venice, who think that Antonio is a 'saint', while Shylock is the mother of all evil. But personally, I know that Antonio should be depicted as the good guy while Shylock the bad, but I can't help but sympathize for Shylock. Just because he chose, or probably passes down from his ancestors, to be a Jew, he has to suffer the discrimination of Christians. Even though Antonio spat on him and despised him, it was because Antonio was prejudiced against him and not because Shylock offended Antonio in any way. Furthermore, in the end where Shylock, Antonio and Bassanio went to court, even though Shylock was wrong to obtain a pound of flesh from Antonio, basically Shylock had a right to do so. And that was also because Antonio and Bassanio did not return him the money that he had lent to them. Additionally, Shylock did not even plot against them even though he knew that there was a very small chance of a shipwreck of Antonio's ships, he did not do anything scheming at all. This shows us that Shylock is not as bad as we have pictured him. Maybe people should consider and put themselves in Shylock shoes, probably we will feel even a tad of compassion for him.
(Term 3 Post #1)
15 May 2011
My Busy and Hectic Life
I believe that most of the people I know already have very tight schedules everyday especially those in sports CCAs, and now, it is my turn to experience it. Last year wasn't so bad although there were some days where homework kept me awake until 1.30 am in the morning, considering the fact that it requires me to wake up at 5am to arrive at school on time. On Tuesdays, I have Youth Flying Club until 5.30, on Thursdays the occasional Top Gun Academy programme till 5, and on Wednesdays and Fridays I have Robotics until 5.30. Additionally, there is still iCouncil, and my piano lessons every Sunday. However, I can count my lucky stars as competitions that suddenly pop out are nicely staggered for me for all of my activities. My Robotics competitions are in January, May and September, while my Youth Flying Club competitions are from October to November. My piano exam for this grade and the previous grade are all during July, and council camps come in March, June and December. As you can see, everything has been fitted nicely into the year for me. Anyway, taking on all these programmes, I think what makes me go on is the mindset that all of these activities are plain fun. For example, I enjoy Council work because it is usually interesting and helps the student body. Youth Flying Club is enjoyable because the simulations and control line is out of this world. And Top Gun Academy is awesome due to the fact that there are dogfights at the end of the session. And piano allows me to play beautiful music. On top of everything, most importantly, it allows me to have more friends and broaden my social circle. And since now I sleep less I have adapted to doing so everyday, and catching up my sleep on weekends which is not so hectic.
I'm expecting more that is going to happen in Sec 3, but I'd rather take care of the second semester first, before thinking about the next year.
(Term 2 Post #10)
My Love and Passion for Aviation
One of the main aspects in my life is aviation. Since Primary 4 if I remembered correctly, I started to develop an interest for aviation and flying.
I just love it.
As such, I took up a second CCA Youth Flying Club, hoping at the end of the day to obtain a PPL (Private Pilot's Licence) and become a commercial jet pilot. Before this, I was banking on being a chef as my occupation as I grew up.
Before loving aviation, I had definitely sat on an airplane. However, my point of insight was only limited to the cockpit doors. After the 911 crash in America, all cockpit doors had to be closed and fitted with bulletproof material. Unfortunately I did not have X-ray vision. Anyway, my inspiration came from a show called "Seconds from disaster", a documentary series on uncovering the final seconds from any disaster, from air crashes to gas pipe leak explosions. The episode I watched was a Amsterdam Air Crash where flight El Al 1862, a B747 cargo jet, took off and crashed into the side of an apartment block because an engine fell off, and unfortunately hitting another engine, resulting in the loss of two out of four engines. Seeing the cockpit for the first time, I thought that flying a plane would be very difficult because of the many operating panels that the cockpit contains. Continuing on, I started to watch more documentaries on flying like "Air Crash Investigation" and "Aircrash Confidential". These documentaries unravel mysteries that caused the fall of a particular airplane.
Then when I entered Hwa Chong, there was Youth Flying Club, and so I joined it. It is very fun, considering the fact that there is simulation flying, and control line flying. It has really motivated me to get that PPL which I now really desire. Earlier this year, I had even purchased a flying simulator which we use in Youth Flying Club, "Microsoft Flight Simulator", and also a joystick that I can use to fly it.
Term 3 Sabbaticals, I picked Aviation Science. It is lucky that we have a sabbatical for flying. Our wonderful instructor, Mr Alan Yeo, had taken up the role of introducing us to aviation. It was an amazing course, and even after the sabbatical is over, there is still a "Tao of Figher" (also known as Top Gun Academy) programme held almost every Thursday to allow us to train our flying skills and at the end of the day, having a mass dogfight which entices everybody.
Ever since that documentary I watched in Primary 4, my direction in life has changed. I hope that when I turn 16, I can obtain my PPL (even before my driving license) and one day, fly my own plane.
(Term 2 Post #9)
14 May 2011
Term 2 Blog Comments
1. http://blogofdavidwho.blogspot.com/2011/05/japan-crisis.html?showComment=1305387009916#c6136782146576756007
3. http://isandcastler.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-05-02T19%3A26%3A00%2B08%3A00&max-results=1
7. http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2058180424681527240&postID=263700479312497203&isPopup=true
Right I have gotten smarter and took down the URLs as I commented on their posts :D
Reflections on Term 2 Language Arts Test
This term's test required us to write an expository essay. There were 3 options, social media, adolescence, and arts, and apparently I took the first option: Social media - a blessing or a curse? Discuss. I think I did not do so well and got only a borderline pass because the language I used was too confusing. I think the content was alright but I used too complicated vocabulary which resulted in some confusion. I hope that next term, I can make my points clearer and not be so muffled and confusing. That will also probably pull up my content marks as well because this also resulted in the unclarity of my points and elaboration.
(Term 2 Post #8)
Structure of a Straight News Article
When we are writing a straight news article, we usually have to follow the inverted pyramid structure. This makes the journalist place the most important information at the very start and then slowly put less information at the bottom.
First, we start with the headlines. It is mostly printed in big font on the newspaper to capture the readers' attention. It can be up to 10 words in total and it provides enough information, though it is very short. It also acts as a hook to the reader to interest him.
Next, there is the summary lead. Journalists usually spell it as "lede" so as to not confuse it with the metal lead or other homonyms. This contains the who, what, where, when, why and how about the incident. It provides the reader with very important background information as well.
Following the summary lead, comes the rest of the body paragraphs. In these paragraphs, sentences are an average of 20 to 28 words and paragraphs are much shorter than in essays. These paragraphs explain the story in much more detail, providing quotes from people. They also contain some related events and the preceding happenings and follow-up actions following the event.
Lastly comes the final paragraph and the ending. This features more of related events and also gives implications in the future because of the event.
Most journalists use this structure when they are drafting articles for the newspaper. Though there have been critics on the structure, it is indeed a very useful tool to most journalists.
(Term 2 Post #7)
12 May 2011
Parts of the Straits Times Newspaper
The Straits Times newspaper is made up of 9 different sections to serve different readers on their interest. Let's break down the newspaper into these 9 sections to analyse what the sections are exactly for.
Prime News
This is usually the cover of the newspaper because it contains breaking news that readers are interested in. The articles are usually less than a day old and it is meant for people of all ages and occupations to read. The news is mostly major and it is more solemn than articles in other sections.
Singapore
This holds most of the hard news like politics, government, laws and policies. It also touches on the current problems and issues in the Singapore community and is directed towards anyone who is interested in Singapore’s affairs.
Asia
This section is meant for news in our region and continent and also more on political issues. It also contains some articles on the different stock markets within Asia.
World
This section features global news and more about global powerhouses and influential countries like Japan, China and the USA. It provides an update on global news. Occasionally, it shows the inter-country relationships like the strains between two countries or the partnership of a new project.
Money
"Money" provides additional details to the aspect of stock market in the "Asia" section. It also contains information on major investments. This section is more aligned to businessmen, entrepreneurs and investors. It shows how the economy is by analysing it.
Review
There are general topics from journalist's perspectives here, and these topics pose questions that require debate to get an answer, though sometimes an answer is not found. This section is meant for the intellectually-inclined audience because it mostly requires critical thinking and analysis due to the difference in viewpoints.
Sports
As the heading says it, this is entirely about sports. Frequently the headlines are about football and expensive games, like golf. Mostly reported are famous sports teams and the section also reports game results. However, it is biased towards the majority of sports fans because they want to attract as much audience as possible.
ST Forum
Most of the time, this section talks about government policies and because of this it is more about complaining on the policies the government has implemented. This is a public platform for Singaporeans to speak their viewpoints, and as such, many people take it to their advantage by using it as a threat.
Life!
Life! is for recreational reading purposes, and so there are different themes everyday of the week. On Monday it is people, Tuesday is travel, Wednesday is film, on Thursday there is arts, on Friday music, Saturday both cars and interior designing and finally Sunday there is food.
(Term 2 Post #6)
GE2011: Should Opposition Parties Give Up?
This recent General Elections has brought up strong competition, and indeed, the percentage of votes for the PAP has dropped to an average of 60%. However, the remaining 40% is not enough for the opposition parties to win. In GE2006, there were only 2 seats in parliament given to the opposition, one WP and one SPP. Now in GE2011, all 6 are given to WP. We can see that at this rate, it would almost take forever for the opposition to find the majority of seats. Should they give up?
Remember not long ago there were the middle eastern protests? This was all because of the government taking control of the country for a very long time. Not long later, they started to fight back. We can see in the future, if the PAP remains in power for the next 20, 30 or even 40 years, will the peace still be in our nation? I am not so sure that Singapore's citizens would be happy to see the opposition having only 6 seats in parliament considering the fact that 40% of Singapore supports the opposition.
This brings me to the fact that the PAP has already been in power for 50 years. As they are already in power, they at most certainly have the ability to change policies in Singapore. Let me give you an example which is my personal anecdote. In GE2006, my area was under the Sembawang GRC. However, due to the fact about the PAP knowing that the opposition would come back strong, they knew that they were going to be defeated if they did not do something about it. They especially knew the most vulnerable areas that were almost lost, including Nee Soon East GRC. Thus a strategy that they implemented, was to "cut off" a small portion of the pro-PAP Sembawang GRC, which was where my area was, and "give" it to Nee Soon GRC. This balanced the two GRCs and gave the PAP a leading edge and I believe that that was how they had won by a small margin.
So, is the everlasting power that the PAP had in the first place the reason why the opposition parties are unable to win support? No, I should put it in a way that the opposition has garnered support, but it is the PAP's cunning tactics that have led these opposition parties to be disappointed once again.
Will Singapore ever be able to have a fair political competition like the USA, with only two main parties, the Republicans and Democrats? Maybe even, these opposition parties would come together and with one force, defeat the PAP. Or, will we be like North Korea, brainwashed by the PAP and forever live under them? Maybe it is time for all Singaporeans to consider their political future.
(Term 2 Post #5)
09 May 2011
Reflections on Singapore General Elections 2011 (GE2011)
This can be said as the first general elections that has caught my attention because I was probably too young to understand politics then. More exposed to such an event, this has been exciting enough to watch the results until 2.30 am at night.
Well, as far as I have been told, the opposition parties have come prepared and geared up to take over more of the SMCs and GRCs that the PAP governed for what seemed forever. All but Tanjong Pagar were contested by opposition parties. Of course, there were some strategies both the PAP and the opposition parties took to try to win support.
Firstly, let's discuss the PAP strategies. Lee Hsien Loong had apologised for various policies he had implemented. On first sight it might look that he had made a wrong move by admitting that the PAP had been making incorrect decisions, but looking on the other side, it lets the population know that Lee Hsien Loong is humble and they understand that they are not the most powerful and the proudest.
Now look at the opposition. It is very obvious that they are trying to place their powerhouses at other GRCs to gather support, namely Low Thia Kiang and Chiam See Tong. Well this is a big risk executed because if these two fail to win enough votes, they may risk losing both sides. When the results came out, it has shown that Low Thia Kiang had garnered enough support to allow him to be an MP. This was unfortunately not true for Chiam See Tong. Losing by a margin of 13%, what is the reason that he had lost? Moreover, back in Potong Pasir, he had placed his wife as the MP for the SMC. Is his wife capable of continuing the sole lifeline of the SPP? Results have shown that she had lost by a marginal 1%. We can see that it is not because of Lina Chiam that residents are voting for SPP but because of the foot mark Chiam See Tong had made in this SMC. This is why it is so close, though Sitoh Yih Pin eventually emerged as victorious.
From the above, we can see that this strategy from the opposition is quite successful. But rethink about this, maybe, this strategy is unsuccessful, maybe they were as good as dead as they tried to do so. Maybe it's because of the speech that Lee Kuan Yew "tried to help" George Yeo that resulted in this outcome. Lee Kuan Yew had mentioned that Aljunied voters had 5 years to 'repent' if the GRC fell into the hands of WP. He had also said that he will 'deny upgrading funds' to the GRC if the Workers Party governed it. This has probably created great fury on the voters as it makes Lee Kuan Yew look like he is threatening them. This has thus made all the voters support the Workers Party instead.
So, will the opposition continue to implement this strategy in GE2016? Will the same effect happen? Or will the PAP finally get 100% seats in parliament? We do not know. All we can say that if the PAP finally achieves 100% seats, many people will indeed be unhappy.
(Term 2 Post #4)
02 May 2011
Newspaper Writing: Tom Robinson's Foiled Attempt to Escape
The Maycomb Tribune
August 28, 1933
SUNDAY: Famous nigger Thomas Robinson dies after a violent case of shooting. He was shot by a total of 17 times during exercise period serving his time in jail. Tom Robinson, charged for raping Mayella Ewell, is left dead after a bullet hit him following the shots in the air while trying to escape.
One of the guards described what happened. He said that Tom “just broke into a blind raving charge at the fence and started…
Sentenced to jail for raping Mayella Ewell, Tom
Robinson tried to break out of jail when he was shot.
…climbing over, right in front of us.” It was said that 17 shots were necessary as fewer shots could not ensure death.
Witnesses say that there had been efforts to warn and stop Tom from trying to escape. A guard, Alex Carter, 31, said, “If he had two good arms he’d have made it, he was moving so fast.” The body has been taken to the black church already.
This has been the first time in 44 years that someone (excluding Tim Johnson) has been shot and killed. This will change Maycomb’s history that there has been a shooting in 1933.
01 May 2011
How to Write an Expository Essay
An expository is different from a narrative. A narrative is something like a story where there are characters, setting, theme, plot and climax. However, an expository does not have these elements. It is not a story but a descriptive essay which does not specifically refer to a particular event. It is general though it can have different perspectives and viewpoints. A narrative is either first, second or third person perspective; in an expository there is also first, second and third person viewpoints, however there are also certain criteria we must take into consideration before embarking on the essay. If the essay is about a personal experience, it is written in first person. If it is directed at the reader, a second person is used. A third person is the most common as it talks about others and not directly at the reader. Second person viewpoint is not used as it can occasionally be rude as if instructing the reader to execute something or so.
This is how an expository should be written:
Introductory paragraph: It starts with a hook which engages the reader to continue reading the article. Hooks include definitions of key concepts, quotes, unusual stuff, a statistic, anecdotes, a shocking statement, an interesting fact or even a question. Following it is the link to the thesis. It connects the hook to the thesis. Before the thesis itself, there must be the basis for the thesis, only after does the thesis appear.
Body Paragraphs: These are the main supporting paragraphs for the thesis. Commonly 4 to 5 of these are used in an essay, and they follow the PEEL structure (Point, Evidence, Elaboration and Link). The point is the topic sentence which is a brief overview of the paragraph. Following is the examples and explanation to back up the topic sentence. Finally there is the link to show how the evidence links back to the topic sentence and ultimately the thesis. This process is repeated 4 times.
Conclusion: To end the essay, this paragraph sums up (not summarizes) the whole essay and links it back to the thesis and answers the question if necessary. It can also provide the reader with future implications and even pose a closing question.
So that is how an expository essay should be written.
(Term 2 Post #3)
Types of Expository Essays
In my primary school days, writing was as simple as narratives. I had heard of expository as another form of essay in areas such as comprehension exercises, but never would I have detected a pattern amongst different types of expository. Term 2 2011, I have learnt the different types of expository and what to look out for when writing them.
Analogical Essay
The analogical essay is when we describe a factor and use another to support the main factor. It compares the supporting factor alongside to the main factor. It finds common elements of both factors. This type of essay can be used for almost anything so long as the writer can find two points that are different, but in a way, related.
Cause and Effect Essay
This type of essay describes the reasons and the results of a particular action. It is mostly used in physics and chemistry science as it describes the changes when something is done to the experiment. There are 3 subdivisions of this essay: multiple causes for one effect, one cause for multiple effects or a domino chain. The first describes the causes, the second describes the effects and the last, a chain of events that are caused by the previous.
Classification Essay
Classification essays basically state a general topic and provide all the examples under the topic. This actually is a classification essay on its own. It states how it is going to classify in the essay in the first paragraph then goes on to classify the points. Most of the time the writer classifies the factors according to characteristics of the factor.
Compare and Contrast Essay
Each paragraph in this type of essay is to describe not only the differences but the similarities of two different aspects. Many of these types of essays are poorly written because of their wrong structure. The following comparison is not supposed to be mentioned in the previous one, and so is always wrong. We use compare and contrast essays when we want to take opinion on a decision.
Processing Essay
Found in scientific writing, a processing essay is used to describe how to do a something or how a thing is done. It is described using the "what", "when", "which", "why", most importantly "how" and the less used "who". Definitions and processes are both described in the essay. Also, transition words are used most often in this type of essay as they describe the time and sequence of the process.
Example Essay
The final essay is the example essay, where the main support is given examples and statistics in every paragraph. This is better written as a short essay as if it is too long it would probably be boring. It can make a clear argument though it is simple, and can be very persuasive.
When we write our expository essays, we have to identify exactly which type of essay the question is prompting us to write, and if not, we would possibly go off course and leave the main topic. Thus it is very important to decide what essay it is.
(Term 2 Post #2)
29 April 2011
Track and Field Finals
Two days ago, the track and field finals were held at Choa Chu Kang Stadium on the 27th of April at 2 pm. We were dismissed early at 12 noon and went over to SALT Centre to take our positions in taking a class there. Me and a few councillors took charge of class 1I3. Apparently we were the last class to leave as we had to await a few Sec 4s to board the same bus which also was the last bus.
Finally we arrived at the stadium at around 2.15 pm. All the classes were seated in the stadium when we entered and thus we had to be satisfied with the back row. It was a little far but still quite clear. In the meantime, there were some high jumps and javelin throws already taking place. Soon later the track events started and the main point of focused on the track. It started off with 100m sprints.
Majority of the competitors were from Hwa Chong as other schools did not send many athletes over. In the first we were lagging behind because our track and field team was not so good at sprints but rather long distances. It moved over to the 400m and then the 1.5km.
In the 1500m race there was one of my classmates participating, Sheu Xiang. We were screaming and cheering for him as he took of and he made outstanding performance by getting 5th position. Excellent job!
We had to urge the secondary 1s to cheer as they were mostly unenthusiastic and very reserved when it came to cheering. We had to cheer in their faces to get them to move. I wonder why this batch of Sec 1s are not as enthusiastic as other levels...
The last race ended not long after and then we had learnt that Hwa Chong had clinched the championships for all A, B and C division boys! We were so excited that we did many cheers and finally sang the school song as we felt proud of the athletes who achieved outstanding results. Everyone was so delighted as it was the 11th consecutive year for the B and C division boys to attain championships! That is a day we will truly remember.
(Term 2 Post #1)
18 April 2011
A day in the life of World War II (Diary Entry: Online Lesson T2W5))
14 February 1942
The Japanese stormed through the front doors into the hospital. I was there at the cashier making payment for my outpatient services. However, the Japanese stabbed the British who were guarding the door. The next thing I could remember was that they started stabbing a lot of people, regardless of doctors or innocent civilians, rich or poor, healthy or not. When they came towards me, there was another man right in front of me. He was the next to be stabbed and I knew if I were to stone there dumbfounded I was sure to be the next victim. I thought for a while and collapsed as the man did. Fortunately, the Japanese overlooked me and proceeded towards the inside of the hospital. When I sensed the all-clear, I slowly crawled inch by inch towards the door. As I was safely at a distance from the hospital, I ran all my might towards the British soldier on the walking on the road and I described the events to him. He dashed away and I sat on the floor. Not long after I dosed off.
Descriptive Paragraph 18th April 2011
Photo - 2:14
Dust filled the air as the men crashed onto the ground. The sense of panic filled the air as the explosives were about to detonate. Those who were left behind would be blown to pieces of crushed cookies, charred beyond recognition. Several of them were shouting at the top of their lungs to get out of the way. It was a difficult task to land properly as the only landing areas had rough surfaces like wood which would easily give them splinters. Once on the ground, they dashed as fast as they could away from the scene to an area which would be safe.
10 April 2011
Term 1 Blog Comments
1. http://blogofdavidwho.blogspot.com/2011/02/comprimise.html#comments
2. http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3195791864599768105&postID=7735260403870028824&isPopup=true
3. http://garena-luck.blogspot.com/2011/02/to-kill-mocking-bird-characters.html#comments
4. http://mysec2lablog2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/compromise.html#comments
5. http://persevereandprosper.blogspot.com/2011/02/when-would-i-use-first-person-or-third.html#comments
6. http://joellye1997.blogspot.com/2011/02/touching-story-boy-who-never-had-good.html#comments
7. http://tsaimingchinlablog.blogspot.com/2011/01/prejudication.html
8. http://lablog2i2.blogspot.com/2011/02/poem-of-scoutto-kill-mockingbird.html#comments
9. http://zhaoboning.blogspot.com/2011/02/mississippi-burning_28.html#comments
10. ???
3. http://garena-luck.blogspot.com/2011/02/to-kill-mocking-bird-characters.html#comments
4. http://mysec2lablog2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/compromise.html#comments
5. http://persevereandprosper.blogspot.com/2011/02/when-would-i-use-first-person-or-third.html#comments
6. http://joellye1997.blogspot.com/2011/02/touching-story-boy-who-never-had-good.html#comments
7. http://tsaimingchinlablog.blogspot.com/2011/01/prejudication.html
8. http://lablog2i2.blogspot.com/2011/02/poem-of-scoutto-kill-mockingbird.html#comments
9. http://zhaoboning.blogspot.com/2011/02/mississippi-burning_28.html#comments
10. ???
Aaaargh!!! I can't find the last post so I'll have to sift through everyone's blogs AGAIN to find it......... =.="
02 March 2011
Racism here in Singapore
Racism exists everywhere and I believe that there is no way racism would ever disappear. There is bound to be racial inequality no matter what place, what time. Even at a playground, or on a bus, or at an convention, there are people who discriminate other races, it is just whether they display it physically or just mentally.
On the bus especially, there are seats where 2 people sit together. Sometimes, I witness that just because a person is not of the same skin colour as us, they do not sit together. I am not sure whether the same happens in other countries, but I think a high chance it is, and Singapore is no exception.
On the whole, though we cannot eliminate racism, we can however, try to minimize it as far as possible so that the community and society would be fair to those who are presently racial discriminated.
On the bus especially, there are seats where 2 people sit together. Sometimes, I witness that just because a person is not of the same skin colour as us, they do not sit together. I am not sure whether the same happens in other countries, but I think a high chance it is, and Singapore is no exception.
On the whole, though we cannot eliminate racism, we can however, try to minimize it as far as possible so that the community and society would be fair to those who are presently racial discriminated.
(Term 1 Post #10)
Hwa Chong Institution Annual Cross-country 2011
This year's cross-country run was held on 23rd February 2011. An increase of 600m, we had to run 3.6km this year. These were one of the days where we could come in PE attire. After putting on our tags and doing a quick warm up, we waited for what seemed like a day, but was only 45 mins. Finally, we proceeded to the starting mark. What I thought was unfair was that 2 other consortiums started 30m ahead of us because they came down later. I hope that next year it would be more equal. So we started off after the horn. One thing I realised after years of running, even if I sprinted in the start or not, it did not really matter because in the end I would end up equally tired. So I took a head start in the mass run. When I reached the carpark, I saw a few of my classmates competing in the race sprinting down the slope. I stretched out hi-fives and gave each other encouragements. Soon after, I approached the boarding school. It was my first time entering boarding school and I found out that it was really big. Then I grabbed a bottle of NEWater and drank a few sips before running off again. After exiting boarding school, I made a turn back into the driveway. Last year it was more interseting when the route took us out of school. But this year, they changed it back to up and down the driveway again. So up I went, round the carpark and down, and then onto the track. I made short goals as advised by my teacher, and finally near the finishing point, I dashed to the end without stopping. Tired and sweaty, I plodded myself towards the water cooler.
After the run, we wanted to buy some can drinks but it was sold out. Luckily, the Milo van came and hordes of people rushed towards the van. We noticed later, so it was already crowded when we got there. I took the first 2 cups after a long struggle through the crowd, and then after seeing Jerry using some strategy (taking Milo from the side of the van), I managed to take some Milo more effectively, and even helped Ming Chin take some :DD
I had a very good experience that day as it tested my endurance and trained my physical abilities. I cannot wait for next year where I would have such exciting experiences again!
After the run, we wanted to buy some can drinks but it was sold out. Luckily, the Milo van came and hordes of people rushed towards the van. We noticed later, so it was already crowded when we got there. I took the first 2 cups after a long struggle through the crowd, and then after seeing Jerry using some strategy (taking Milo from the side of the van), I managed to take some Milo more effectively, and even helped Ming Chin take some :DD
I had a very good experience that day as it tested my endurance and trained my physical abilities. I cannot wait for next year where I would have such exciting experiences again!
(Term 1 Post #9)
Reflections on Term 1 Language Arts Test
Just after the test ended, I felt that I had used better language than I had used in all my previous writings. I had created better suspension by using various methods like dialogue. However, I think that my content was not that good because though I had mentioned compromise, much of the story was not about it. Thus I hope that in the next narratiove writing, I can incorporate even more descriptive language into the essay and also stick more closely to the question.
(Term 1 Post #8)
24 February 2011
Writing Dialogue
Dialogue is a must-have when we write our narratives, whether in first or third person narrative. We thus must make use of this opportunity to enhance the writing, giving the text a greater, richer feel that allows readers to "hear" what characters are saying.
When writing our narrative, we should release information one by one in each sentence. We can make use of dialogue to do so. When we use direct speech, we can change perspectives, and twist the story a little, which makes the narrative twisty and jumpy and more lively.
Also, when we decide on what the character says, we have to consider the character's personality, physical factors and other stuff that is related to the character. We also have to consider the alike things for his intended audience. The setting, mood and situation too plays a part in what the character says.
We should not put in random dialogue that are just to fill up space. There should be a meaning to it and help bring out the feel of the narrative. Redundant dialogue only make the context more confusing and gives the readers a hard, unplesant time reading the narrative.
Finally, interjections should not be used freely. They represent a meaning like other dialogue and too help us understand what the narrative is about. They can be used when someting sudden happens or when the character has to give a reply but has nothing much to say.
Some extra things is that we should mind the tense as it is really important for direct speech to be shown chronologically and make sense. We should also avoid vulgar speech, Singlish and colloquialisims.
When writing our narrative, we should release information one by one in each sentence. We can make use of dialogue to do so. When we use direct speech, we can change perspectives, and twist the story a little, which makes the narrative twisty and jumpy and more lively.
Also, when we decide on what the character says, we have to consider the character's personality, physical factors and other stuff that is related to the character. We also have to consider the alike things for his intended audience. The setting, mood and situation too plays a part in what the character says.
We should not put in random dialogue that are just to fill up space. There should be a meaning to it and help bring out the feel of the narrative. Redundant dialogue only make the context more confusing and gives the readers a hard, unplesant time reading the narrative.
Finally, interjections should not be used freely. They represent a meaning like other dialogue and too help us understand what the narrative is about. They can be used when someting sudden happens or when the character has to give a reply but has nothing much to say.
Some extra things is that we should mind the tense as it is really important for direct speech to be shown chronologically and make sense. We should also avoid vulgar speech, Singlish and colloquialisims.
(Term 1 Post #7)
A poem on Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose
Mrs. Dubose was plain hell.
She was two doors up the street from us,
Jem would either avoid Mrs. Dubose or
Walk the street with Atticus as
Dubose was unanimously the meanest woman who ever lived.
She was very old, spending most of the day in
Bed or a wheelchair. Rumours said that
She had a concealed CSA Pistol under covers.
Jem and I hated her. We would be raked by her
Wrathful gaze, subject to ruthless interrogation regarding
Our behaviour. We could do nothing to please her.
Jem concluded it was cowardly to
Stop at Miss Rachel’s front steps and wait.
Atticus would say
“Good evening, Mrs. Dubose! You look like a
Picture this evening.”
I never heard Atticus say a picture of what.
“Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse
Lawing for niggers!” Jem stiffened. He cut the tops of every
Camellia bush Mrs. Dubose owned and bent
My baton against his knee.
The result was a talk with Mrs. Dubose and she wanted Jem to
Read to him. So, Jem was in the house, and read Ivanhoe to Mrs. Dubose.
After a while, Mrs Dubose lay on her back with cords of saliva
Collecting on her lips.
The alarm clock went off and
We went home.
That routine happened every day until
Jem said he regretted tearing up her camellias.
We had not seen Mrs. Dubose for
A month already. Atticus had come back one night and said
“She’s dead.”
Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict.
She had died conscious and cantankerous.
She had disapproved of my doings.
She had given Jem her Snow-on-the-Mountain which
She treasured very much.
Mrs. Dubose had won.
She was two doors up the street from us,
Jem would either avoid Mrs. Dubose or
Walk the street with Atticus as
Dubose was unanimously the meanest woman who ever lived.
She was very old, spending most of the day in
Bed or a wheelchair. Rumours said that
She had a concealed CSA Pistol under covers.
Jem and I hated her. We would be raked by her
Wrathful gaze, subject to ruthless interrogation regarding
Our behaviour. We could do nothing to please her.
Jem concluded it was cowardly to
Stop at Miss Rachel’s front steps and wait.
Atticus would say
“Good evening, Mrs. Dubose! You look like a
Picture this evening.”
I never heard Atticus say a picture of what.
“Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse
Lawing for niggers!” Jem stiffened. He cut the tops of every
Camellia bush Mrs. Dubose owned and bent
My baton against his knee.
The result was a talk with Mrs. Dubose and she wanted Jem to
Read to him. So, Jem was in the house, and read Ivanhoe to Mrs. Dubose.
After a while, Mrs Dubose lay on her back with cords of saliva
Collecting on her lips.
The alarm clock went off and
We went home.
That routine happened every day until
Jem said he regretted tearing up her camellias.
We had not seen Mrs. Dubose for
A month already. Atticus had come back one night and said
“She’s dead.”
Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict.
She had died conscious and cantankerous.
She had disapproved of my doings.
She had given Jem her Snow-on-the-Mountain which
She treasured very much.
Mrs. Dubose had won.
23 February 2011
Sensory Imagery
There is a wide range of vocabulary in the English language, but I know that there are not many related to our senses. Actually, these rare words are important in helping us write our essay (see previous blog post: First-person Narrative).
Firstly, when students write essays and inject direct speech, they would use it like "'...,' he said." or "He said,'...'". That is already outdated and we must use more creative words to replace this. Instead of "said", we can replace it with "declared", or "mumbled" if it is soft, or maybe "hollered" if it is loud. Some other words are "growled", "whined", "stammered", "snarled", "whispered", "ordered", "announced" and "shrieked". These are the common ones which can easily fit into normal contexts of narrative essays.
After direct speech comes the indirect speech. In indirect speech, we cannot directly express how the surroundings are, thus we must use figurative language and their tools to help us describe. We can use metaphors, similes and personifications for that fact. That helps to brighten up the language and make the text more intriguing and interesting. Mixing a type of sense vocabulary with a different one, will result in undescribable results if done correctly.
Finally comes the action words. In narratives, there is a lot of action happening, especially in the rising action, conflict and climax. We need to know the appropriate words and apply them so that we can depict the scene in a flow of words. These words can also be divided into subgroups like fast and light sounds and actions, deep sounds and heavy actions, breaking sounds, quick-ending sounds, unhappy sounds, blowing sounds and awkward sounds and actions.
Even in narrative writing, we need to use imagery to assist us in bringing out the flavor of the essay, giving the reader a good feeling about the writing.
Firstly, when students write essays and inject direct speech, they would use it like "'...,' he said." or "He said,'...'". That is already outdated and we must use more creative words to replace this. Instead of "said", we can replace it with "declared", or "mumbled" if it is soft, or maybe "hollered" if it is loud. Some other words are "growled", "whined", "stammered", "snarled", "whispered", "ordered", "announced" and "shrieked". These are the common ones which can easily fit into normal contexts of narrative essays.
After direct speech comes the indirect speech. In indirect speech, we cannot directly express how the surroundings are, thus we must use figurative language and their tools to help us describe. We can use metaphors, similes and personifications for that fact. That helps to brighten up the language and make the text more intriguing and interesting. Mixing a type of sense vocabulary with a different one, will result in undescribable results if done correctly.
Finally comes the action words. In narratives, there is a lot of action happening, especially in the rising action, conflict and climax. We need to know the appropriate words and apply them so that we can depict the scene in a flow of words. These words can also be divided into subgroups like fast and light sounds and actions, deep sounds and heavy actions, breaking sounds, quick-ending sounds, unhappy sounds, blowing sounds and awkward sounds and actions.
Even in narrative writing, we need to use imagery to assist us in bringing out the flavor of the essay, giving the reader a good feeling about the writing.
(Term 1 Post #6)
First-person and Third-person Narrative
After analysis of the short stories "On the Run", "The Use of Force", "The Case for the Defence", "The Apprentice" and "Red Letter Day", I have finally understood the application for first or third person point-of-view to write my narrative.
When I write with a first-person viewpont, I mainly want to maintain a close distance betweeen the reader and the main character. This includes the main character's feelings, reasons for every action and emotions. Also, it is because I want the reader to be the main character's "eyes", who can view everything the main character is supposed to feel. That is why sensory imagery comes into place, and with appropriate corresponding feelings, it would make a good essay. Finally, I will use the first-person viewpoint when I want to describe the main character's psychological and mental changes. If I use other viewpoints, I would not sound as appropriate as if I were to use a first-person point-of-view.
However, when I write with the third-person viewpoint, it is because I want to describe physical factors better. With this viewpoint, I can reveal important information at anytime suitable, and I can also describe the setting of other characters, instead of just focusing on the main character itself. It is to give the story a whole "overlooking" feel. Also, I can change which character I want to talk about anytime, and I can even talk about objects.
Thus, when I plan for my essay, it is always advisable to choose which point of view to write in, so as to bring out the correct feelings.
When I write with a first-person viewpont, I mainly want to maintain a close distance betweeen the reader and the main character. This includes the main character's feelings, reasons for every action and emotions. Also, it is because I want the reader to be the main character's "eyes", who can view everything the main character is supposed to feel. That is why sensory imagery comes into place, and with appropriate corresponding feelings, it would make a good essay. Finally, I will use the first-person viewpoint when I want to describe the main character's psychological and mental changes. If I use other viewpoints, I would not sound as appropriate as if I were to use a first-person point-of-view.
However, when I write with the third-person viewpoint, it is because I want to describe physical factors better. With this viewpoint, I can reveal important information at anytime suitable, and I can also describe the setting of other characters, instead of just focusing on the main character itself. It is to give the story a whole "overlooking" feel. Also, I can change which character I want to talk about anytime, and I can even talk about objects.
Thus, when I plan for my essay, it is always advisable to choose which point of view to write in, so as to bring out the correct feelings.
(Term 1 Post #5)
22 February 2011
"Anyone is guilty who watches this and does nothing"
Discrimination is a type of bullying. Bullying exists in different sorts: physical, verbal, cyber and intimidation, but the main topic today is discrimination.
Discriminations is a result of prejudice, which is in turn caused by racial differences, skin colour, age, weight, height and other physical qualities.
When someone is being bullied because he is short, tall, fat or mentally challenged, the most likely is that he would be constanly surrounded by people who would taunt the person everyday. This is not because of anything else but because of his predestinied qualities which make him such a person. Thus, other people would think that the person is a weird or strange person and would try to avoid or attack him.
In the past when I saw someone discriminated against, I would just usually walk past and not do anything about it because I did not want to get myself in to trouble. Even worse, I know of some cases where others would join in to discriminate the person.
However in the present, I think that I should not just walk away only, but report it to an adult which will resolve the matter. I think that this would result in a better agreement and that they would get along together better.
Discriminations is a result of prejudice, which is in turn caused by racial differences, skin colour, age, weight, height and other physical qualities.
When someone is being bullied because he is short, tall, fat or mentally challenged, the most likely is that he would be constanly surrounded by people who would taunt the person everyday. This is not because of anything else but because of his predestinied qualities which make him such a person. Thus, other people would think that the person is a weird or strange person and would try to avoid or attack him.
In the past when I saw someone discriminated against, I would just usually walk past and not do anything about it because I did not want to get myself in to trouble. Even worse, I know of some cases where others would join in to discriminate the person.
However in the present, I think that I should not just walk away only, but report it to an adult which will resolve the matter. I think that this would result in a better agreement and that they would get along together better.
(Term 1 Post #4)
Reflections on the Singapore Short Story Essay
After drafts of the essay, the final product was finally completed. The story is about me, a chef sent to participate in an inter-continent cooking competition, together with my handy assistant. The conflict is developed when the chefs realize that they have messed up the ingredients. However, they persevere and finally come up with a dish that totally amazes the judges and wins them a special prize.
I am confident that I have met the criteria for a good story. Firstly, I have thought of the characters. The chefs are excellent in their area of expertise and expected to be the champions. They were all prepared, ready and confident, but with a little tinge of nervousness.
Also the theme "Identity" has been applied into the story setted in the Singapore Expo in the present day and age. The two characters displayed a good characteristic of Singaporeans which is the ability to come up with new solutions when they hit a hard wall.
I also have a developed conflict and a climax. The conflict here is that they suddenly find out that they have purchased the wrong or expired ingredients. Slowly they learn that more and more things are being messed up, and soon they are ready to give up, however a slight accident leads to a big chain of events. They have found out a way to solve the solution, and when they present it to the judges, there lies the climax. All the characters are so tensed up because they want to know the result of this competition.
At first when I started writing this essay, I wondered if this was a good idea because it was not really connected to a Singaporean identity. However, after hours of brainstorming and tweakings to the story, I finally decided on this plot. I think that i have made a correct choice because it had a great effect in the end. It was overall exciting and I also had an enjoyable time trying to craft this story.
I am confident that I have met the criteria for a good story. Firstly, I have thought of the characters. The chefs are excellent in their area of expertise and expected to be the champions. They were all prepared, ready and confident, but with a little tinge of nervousness.
Also the theme "Identity" has been applied into the story setted in the Singapore Expo in the present day and age. The two characters displayed a good characteristic of Singaporeans which is the ability to come up with new solutions when they hit a hard wall.
I also have a developed conflict and a climax. The conflict here is that they suddenly find out that they have purchased the wrong or expired ingredients. Slowly they learn that more and more things are being messed up, and soon they are ready to give up, however a slight accident leads to a big chain of events. They have found out a way to solve the solution, and when they present it to the judges, there lies the climax. All the characters are so tensed up because they want to know the result of this competition.
At first when I started writing this essay, I wondered if this was a good idea because it was not really connected to a Singaporean identity. However, after hours of brainstorming and tweakings to the story, I finally decided on this plot. I think that i have made a correct choice because it had a great effect in the end. It was overall exciting and I also had an enjoyable time trying to craft this story.
(Term 1 Post #3)
14 February 2011
An incident that I was in a group that was unkind to a someone
During primary school (when we were still immature), we had simple thoughts on these and those stuff. We were very subjective however, most of the time judging people by their first impression. There was one incident which led to us boycotting a classmate.
Then, we were in Primary 5. The classmate had already been with us for 1 year, but then we did not take much notice about him, until that year where he started to become irritating. He became more unhygenic and started to pester people. This led to the female classmates and selected males (including me) leaving that person alone.
The next year he became better and we came to our senses and tried to stop the ignoring and then we finally got along together again. So, what I learnt from this incident is that we should not ignore one person because he has weird qualites or something alike but try to understand that person better. I think that will make the society more friendly.
Then, we were in Primary 5. The classmate had already been with us for 1 year, but then we did not take much notice about him, until that year where he started to become irritating. He became more unhygenic and started to pester people. This led to the female classmates and selected males (including me) leaving that person alone.
The next year he became better and we came to our senses and tried to stop the ignoring and then we finally got along together again. So, what I learnt from this incident is that we should not ignore one person because he has weird qualites or something alike but try to understand that person better. I think that will make the society more friendly.
(Term 1 Post #2)
A poem that left a great impression on me
A poem that sunk deep into my mind was the first poem that I had encountered: The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
This poem was the first poem I had analysed. In the first read-through, I could not understand why there were random breaks in the middle of every sentence (now I know, enjambment) and why they did not rhyme as I expected them to be so in the first place. I thought this poem was faulty or something alike and was so tempted to choose another more sensible poem but then slowly I managed to decipher it and also learnt of all the figurative language which was very different compared to a normal prose. Now I can analyse poems with ease because of this initiating poem which led to the startup of my poem analysis. Thus, this poem left a huge impact on my learning journey in poems.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
This poem was the first poem I had analysed. In the first read-through, I could not understand why there were random breaks in the middle of every sentence (now I know, enjambment) and why they did not rhyme as I expected them to be so in the first place. I thought this poem was faulty or something alike and was so tempted to choose another more sensible poem but then slowly I managed to decipher it and also learnt of all the figurative language which was very different compared to a normal prose. Now I can analyse poems with ease because of this initiating poem which led to the startup of my poem analysis. Thus, this poem left a huge impact on my learning journey in poems.
(Term 1 Post #1)
26 January 2011
A Great Getaway
The scorching sun lay down on this secluded paradise, with limited inhabitants roaming this area. The sea gets its rich blue colour from the chalky sky. Palm trees crowd together on the white velvety sand; rocks form together in the big open sea, forming a magnificent sight. A boat passing by would look at its leafy and green inner area, while his gaze transfers to the warm, hot beach, which leads to the clear, open ocean. This top notch island would make a great getaway from the hectic and busy life of the city, where in here one could bask in sunlight, and listen to the gushing waves, while finally falling asleep...
24 January 2011
LA Home Learning 24th Jan: Teamwork
The background shows a classroom, and this shows education, which is a good place for learning values. Teamwork requires and indoor space which represents unity.
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