WELCOME TO MR ZUKI'S CLASS

Seven-year ‘exile’

2012-01-18T08:13:00.003+08:00

By MOHD NOOR ASWAD

TO sacrifice and to serve – these are the characteristic of heroes.

I’m not a hero, I have too many flaws. But I don’t deny that I had always wanted to be one. Ever since the days when I was growing up in the sleepy hollow of Anak Bukit in Kedah. Everyone I knew there wanted to be a hero.

But then life takes over and we settle into our regimented lives and earn money to be a good consumer and rakyat.

I, too, settled into this routine. My dream of heroes was confined only to the movies and comics – until tragedy struck.

In 1999, my mother, Faridah Khalid, suffered a stroke. Half her body was paralysed and she couldn’t move or talk properly. All she could do was lie on her bed. Her pain was not just physical but also emotional.

You see, my mother is a strong career woman. She was dedicated to her job. She is also an out-going person. People around her love her and she is always the centre of attention. For her to suddenly be robbed of mobility and speech was devastating.

When news of her stroke reached me, I rushed home. Seeing her helpless numbed me. It hit me at that moment – I had to do something. I had to take care of her. After all, I was the eldest of her three children and should take the lead.

So I resigned from my job in Kuala Lumpur and went back to Kedah to take care of my mother.

I had another motive, you see – I wasn’t close to her. I had grown up hungering for her affection as I didn’t feel loved by her.

Maybe it was because I wasn’t the best in school, or I wasn’t the best child of hers. That was how I felt, rightly or wrongly.

So I wanted to prove to my mother that I was worth something. That I would take care of her when she needed me. And that time was now. So I just went home and did it. I fed her, washed her, cleaned her and kept her company. I was the one who took her for therapy after she regained movement.

It wasn’t easy. People whom I thought were my friends abandoned me. No girl wanted to be with a jobless guy taking care of a sick mum. My siblings were busy with their careers.

Sure, my father was around but he was busy with work. I also wanted to prove to him, too, that I wasn’t as useless as he thought I was.

Heard about kicking a guy when he’s down? Well, ridicule and put-downs came my way. Like vultures, there are people who will circle you in your weakened state, waiting to see you fall. I saw the worst of human nature.

Looking back, I don’t know how I survived. I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. All I could do was hold on to faith, and hope that things would get better.

After seven years, I got a job offer in KL. Mother had fully recovered by then and she gave me her blessings to go.

In 2007, when I returned to work at the age of 35, there was a gap in my resume. Thankfully, I got the job.

I am no hero in comic book terms, or like in the movies or politics. The only thing I am proud of is that I am a hero to my mother – that is enough for me.

As a family, we grew up poor. But my mother never complained about life to her children. Growing up, I never felt, or was made to feel, that we were poor.

That’s one of the most important things about my mother which I remember till today. Yeah, she rocks my universe!

Essays for my school magazine 2011

2011-08-08T11:28:00.003+08:00

Salam,

I was assigned by Madam Principal to edit the essays submitted to our school magazine. So, here are some compositions that I have collected from my students.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE ESSAYS!

Manglish classics

2011-07-06T11:10:00.000+08:00

LET’S COMMUNIC8
By ALEX CUMMINS

Although widely used by English-speaking Malaysians, some phrases such as ‘going outstation’ would be puzzling to outsiders.

In this first article in the Let’s Communic8 column, I want to take a little time to examine the fascinating subject of Manglish.

Manglish is used to describe the unique blend of English and a number of other languages spoken in Malaysia as well as old fashioned language left behind from colonialism.

This manifests itself through phonology (sounds), lexicon (vocabulary) and grammar.

Much has been written on the subject of Manglish, but in this article I only want to point out a few of what I call the “Manglish Classics”.

As a big fan of Manglish, the aim of this article is not to criticise it, but to make you aware that certain words and phrases might be unrecognisable or confusing to non-Malaysians. Instead of paying attention to grammar or phonology, let’s just focus on some of the main Manglish phrases.

Have a look at this statement: Next week I’m going outstation.

What do you think is Manglish about it? Most of the students I have taught will change it so that it reads “I’m going outstation next week”, thinking that the “Manglishness” lies in putting the time phrase first.

However, the Manglish is actually represented by the word “outstation”. Try saying “next week I’m going outstation” to a Londoner and they might start wondering what you would be doing outside the station for a week!

The word “outstation” itself is a colonial relic left by the British and cannot be found in any of the major contemporary dictionaries such as Oxford, MacMillan, Cambridge or Longman.

Often used by KL-ites to refer to anywhere outside of the capital, it is similar to the concept of “Baan Nok’” – meaning “up country” used in Thailand to refer to anywhere outside of Bangkok.

So how can we rephrase “outstation” to make it more international? You could use “out of town”, “out of the office”, or simply “I’ll be away next week”. Or, you could just say where you are going!

So, what are some of the other classics? How about:

Can you slow the volume?

When I ask people to rephrase this, they usually come up with “lower the volume” or “reduce the volume” – collocations which would be unusual to native speakers and would sound too formal.

If your next door neighbour played techno music at 4am, you would probably not go round and say “Can you reduce the volume?” You would be more likely to scream “Can you turn that rubbish down!”

So, we can use “turn up” or “turn down” to refer to the volume of music, gas, or even the temperature of the air con.

On a philosophical note: if you are too cold, do you “turn up” or “turn down” the aircon?

Most Malaysians would say “turn up” referring to the temperature, while most English people would say “turn down” referring to the speed or power of the motor.

Here’s another classic phrase which has to be at the top of my list: “Sorry I’m late, I met an accident”.

This phrase always makes me think of an introduction: “Alex, meet accident; accident, this is Alex.”

Outside of Malaysia, a more natural alternative would be “I had an accident” or “I was in an accident”.

Otherwise, there might be some confusion as to whether you saw an accident or you were in one.

The last Manglish classic that I want to look at is the use of the word “chop”.

The first time I came to Malaysia and was asked by a delivery man in my office if I could “chop him”, I was understandably confused, as the only “chopping” I knew involved a knife. It’s lucky I didn’t reach for the nearest meat cleaver – not that we have many in the office!

Instead, I stamped his delivery sheet with the company stamp, and from that day on understood that “chop” meant “stamp”.

Some other classics that are commonly used are:

· Shift house – instead of move house;

· Can I lend your book – instead of borrow your book; · Pass up my paper – instead of hand in;

· Show – instead of film;

· Blur – instead of confused; and

· Bluff – instead of lie.

There are many more Manglish Classics, not to mention the way that Manglish affects grammar and vocabulary. I hope you are not too blur!

The writer is a trainer with the Professional Development Unit of the British Council in Kuala Lumpur.

Hello, are you listening?

2011-07-03T10:59:00.001+08:00

Let's Communic8
By Alex Cummins

Apart from basic etiquette, one must make it a point to communicate clearly when speaking on the phone.

CAN you hold for a while Mr Alex?” the call agent asked before hanging up and leaving me slamming my phone down. Sounds familiar?

Everybody has encountered this kind of scenario on the telephone; whether it is dealing with telephone banking, trying to talk to someone from IT support or simply trying to book an airplane ticket.

When so much of our daily lives are spent on the telephone these days, being an effective communicator on the telephone is vital. So whether you work in finance or IT solutions, here are a few tips to help improve your telephone skills.

Address correctly

Remember to address the person you are speaking to correctly. Be aware that for most European countries we address the customer or client with his or her title plus the family name. So, instead of being Mr Alex, the correct way to address me would be to say the family name as in this case Mr Cummins.

What if I were a woman? Would I be Miss Cummins or Mrs Cummins? The answer would of course depend on my marital status, but what if you did not know? The answer would be to address me as Ms Cummins (pronounced as “muz”’).

Addressing someone as Mrs when they are unmarried can cause great offense as I found out for myself when working for a company, a long time ago.

If you are unsure of how to address someone in a service role, using Sir or Madam can be a way to get round the problem.

Most of the time we use the telephone to exchange information. Whether it is to “‘meet me at KLCC at 8 pm” or “please can you give me your full telephone number and address”, there seems to be endless room for error.

Problems can be created by the sender, listener or the environment. These can range from anything like a noisy office (environmental) to mispronunciation (sender/ listener).

The effect of getting an information exchange wrong can result in missing an appointment or losing a client. How can we make sure that we take down information correctly?

·Ask for repetition. Never be shy to ask for repetition on the telephone: “Could you repeat that please?” Sometimes you may feel shy to ask for repetition and are afraid that you may annoy the person on the other end of the line.

However, you will save yourself considerable heartache in the future if you can get the details right first time. Remember that if you ask for repetition, then repetition is what you will get!

This may not be appropriate if you want the person to spell something for you. Also, try to avoid saying “repeat again” and “repeat back” as these are redundant prepositions.

·Ask for spelling. “Could you spell that for me?” alleviates the problem of trying to guess a confusing spelling.

·If you want to double check that you have taken down details correctly, ask the other person if you can read back what they have just said: “Can I read that back to you?” When spelling a word, use a standard system (like Alfa , Bravo, Charlie, etc) or use a system that is familiar to the listener (K for Kuantan might not be suitable for non-Malaysians).

Listen actively

Don’t zone off and start playing with your favourite iPhone application while you are on the phone.

Make sure that you are actively listening to the other person. Use verbal nods to encourage the speaker, “uh-huh”, “right” and “yes”.

Ensure that you have understood what the person is saying by summarising: “OK, so you want an aisle seat on the outward flight”. Ask for clarification if you are not clear: “What do you mean by the SMTP server?”

And, you can even paraphrase what a speaker has said to demonstrate that you have really listened to them: “So you are saying that I need to login my bank details before the security number”.

Never assume or presume on the phone, especially if you don’t know the caller. What might start off like a routine call may in fact be something entirely different.

Etiquette

Lastly, don’t forget some basic phone etiquette. Bid farewell to the person who has called you or whom you called. Even if you had called the wrong number, it doesn’t hurt to apologise and say “bye”.

Also, ask before you put someone on hold: “Would you mind if I put you on hold for a moment Sir?”

Try not to make the person hold “for a while”. You might think that the caller doesn’t mind listening to the recorded music, but listen to any song 20 times on a muffled line and you might just lose your rag!

The phone needn’t be an enemy at work. Treat people with respect and remember: just because you cannot see someone, doesn’t mean they won’t hear you slouching in your chair grumpily.

Hang on — got to dash — the phone is ringing!

Alex Cummins is a trainer with the Professional Development Unit of the British Council in Kuala Lumpur.

The table is big enough

2011-06-16T10:31:00.000+08:00

By RASHEFFA RASHID

Eating together in the kitchen is as good a chance to bond as a family outing.

I AM grateful to Allah that I have great parents who have given me every freedom to make choices in life. They worked hard to make ends meet. I get that drive from them, to be a hard-working and responsible human being.

To me, whatever little we can afford is a luxury, especially compared to the poor and unfortunate.

But something was lacking in our family of four – family outings. I think the first and last outing we had was last year, during the fasting month. The buka puasa meal I arranged turned out quite nice. I saw both my parents enjoying themselves. I was happy to see them happy; I felt a bonding.

We haven’t had any outings this year because my dear father was in hospital due to his heart problem. Alhamdulillah, he is kicking and rocking now. I admire his never-give-up spirit, which has made him a stronger person today.

So why did we not have family dinners or luncheons over the years?

One of the reasons could be that it was just not our family culture to do so. Another reason could be my father was always comfortable eating at home, apart from his busy work schedule.

But my brother and I, the “eating out” generation, are more excited about having our meals at the restaurants. We do try to push our parents into going, too.

Mother finds it interesting, once in awhile – probably because we insist. But my father still subscribes to his rather conventional thinking – home is where everything is. He is right.

Sometime last year, while having lunch at home, we found that our kitchen table couldn’t fit the three of us. Father said: “We need a bigger table.” I said: “You’ve only realised that now?

His reply: “You are wrong. We never got a bigger table because no one was here. Only you are at home now. Next year your brother will graduate and come home. Then we’ll get a bigger table so we can all sit and eat together.”

I was touched by what he said. He was right again.

I had been away studying since 18. After returning for a year or two, I was transferred to another city for a few years because of my job.

My brother is also away, pursuing his studies. Even when we were back for the holidays, we would be making plans with friends.

We never spent Sundays at home even though my father used to say: “It’s Sunday. Let’s eat together!”

If we were around, we would join him, but I found myself sitting at the dining table in the living room, or choosing to eat later. Why? Simply because the kitchen table was never big enough.

But after that lunch together and father’s comment about the table being too small, we got a new one this year.

It is bit bigger than the old table, but I still find myself squeezed in the corner. What can I say? Maybe the kitchen area is smaller now?

Today I realised my parents were lonely without us. That was why father said what he did about the table.

Today I understand he always wanted us to come home and at least have a meal with him. Whether the table was big enough or not was never an issue.

But it was an innocent excuse for us not to eat at home. We failed to see how our parents felt, or what they wanted from us – just some togetherness.

When children grow up, they forget about their parents’ little needs. I was one of them. Maybe living away from family has made me like that. Sometimes I fail to see the little things.

I had this picture in my mind that outings with the family create togetherness. Maybe I saw the excitement other families had during their outings and holidays. It seemed fun to me.

Now I realise not everyone has to do the same thing to find happiness within herself.

I have realised that a family bonds not only by spending time outdoors. Having a decent meal at home can also make a big impact.

My father is happy that both of us are home now. He was right when he said: “Only now, everyone is home.”

What he means is that when we were not around, the table was enough for him and mother.

I have no regrets about leaving my career to settle back home with my family because, had I not, I would never have known if the table was big enough. And I realise the fact that you never know how long we will have each other.

The table is always big enough. It is up to us to find ways to adjust.

Love, undiluted

2011-06-11T10:02:00.000+08:00

By MICHEAL TEO

A young man’s cup runs over with the sacrifices his parents have made for the family.

SINCE I started my tertiary studies in Sintok, Alor Setar, I have had little opportunity to go back to my hometown in Labis, Segamat. The bus journey takes about 10 to11 hours, so I only go back when I have a long holiday, about every three months. Inbetween those trips, being separated from my parents has made my feelings of love for them grow deeper.

Both my parents are rubber tappers, so they need to wake up early every day. One day, when I was at my friend’s house, his parents, who also are rubber tappers, told me that my father had fallen into a drain in the estate from his motorcycle. He had not had enough sleep the previous day so he couldn’t concentrate while riding.

After I heard about the incident, I felt so guilty because my father had never spoken about it.

When I was nine years old, my mother was bitten by bees while picking cocoa. Mum picks cocoa for others to earn extra for our family since the money from tapping rubber is hardly enough for our daily expenses.

As mum cried in pain, my heart felt like it had been strangled by a rope – why did she need to suffer all this?

I still remember once when I was injured in my head after being hit by a stone thrown by another kid. The next day, I noticed that mum had cleaned the wound and put some medicine on it before going to the estate early in the morning. Every time I reminisce about that, my heart will feel warm and touched by her love for me.

To relieve my parents’ burden, I will do the housework every time I go home during my semester break. I also go to the rubber estate to help my father as he is getting old.

Working in the rubber estate is very tough as we have to put up with mosquitoes. Every day my father will take two shirts with him so he can change after one gets soaked in sweat.

The thing that rubber tappers fear most is the rain – they have to stop working if it comes suddenly. Sometimes the rain is unpredictable and it will incur a loss to them. This is because the price of the latex depends on its density. If rain gets into the latex, its price will decrease.

I had the experience of being drenched by rain while helping my father collect the latex. We had to do it fast, before the latex was washed out of the container by the rain. At that moment, I could see the helpless desperation in my father’s eyes. After hours of hard work, the rain can ruin the harvest in just a few seconds.

All this time, I have not had enough courage to tell my parents how much I love them because I feel shy about saying those words to them. I can see and feel their love and care for me

Although my parents cannot afford to give me a luxurious life, they have provided me a comfortable life which is filled with so many happy memories. The sacrifices they have made for our family are uncountable. Mum, dad, I love you both.

The anguish of a ‘forgotten’ child

2011-06-06T09:55:00.001+08:00

By CHRISTOPHER FERNANDEZ

When children are neglected at home, they sometimes seek the company of other adults for parental love and guidance.

PEI PEI was over the moon. She had passed the recent SPM exams with flying colours and wanted to take me out to celebrate.

I was Pei Pei’s English tutor. I agreed to meet her at a shopping mall for an inexpensive meal. When we met for lunch at an eatery, she was gushing with enthusiasm over her results. This was another feather in my cap as I had tutored her from the time she was in Year Six.

As she began to unfold her plans for the future, I recalled in a little reverie how I had begun this project of getting her to excel in her English.

I was teaching at a language centre and Pei Pei’s parents were my students. They were seeking permanent residence status in New Zealand, and wanted to meet the criteria for English language proficiency by achieving a certain standard in the International English Language Testing System.

When they achieved their goal, they had insisted I tutor their daughter. I had no qualms. I proceeded to work with Pei Pei to brush up her English language skills. How time flies! She was now planning to sit for her pre-university studies at a local college and most likely move on to New Zealand for tertiary studies.

While she was unveiling her plans to me, my mind slipped into another reverie. I began to reflect on how the onset of teaching her unfolded.

Being rich, Pei Pei’s parents rewarded me handsomely throughout my six-year stint in cash and in kind.

But as I began to work with her, I noticed that she had a withdrawn nature. She went about her studies and her life at home in a blunt, almost expressionless way, devoid of any feeling.

This behaviour aroused my concern. Whenever I appeared for my twice-a-week, two-hour session, I hardly saw her parents.

They were the absentee parents and the role of bringing her up was thrust onto her grandmother and the maid.

Business for the parents who ran a motor spare parts factory was booming. Not only were several of their relatives roped in to assist in reaping the spoils, they ventured into distributing the spare parts throughout Malaysia and within the Asean region.

In the process of amassing their wealth, Pei Pei hardly saw her parents as they travelled frequently throughout the region. But they never failed to lavish her with all the material comforts they could afford her and she was growing up with a settled view that this was the way life for every child.

Missing parents

When I began to query her on missing her parents and their presence, she seemed quite indifferent and also somewhat uncertain as to her feelings over their constant absence.

Alhough she was a brave and stoic girl, I felt only sympathy for her.

On the rare occasions I chanced to meet her parents, I did not hesitate to voice my concern over the plight of Pei Pei and suggested to them to try and make as much time for her as possible.

My initial attempts were met with interest, but as time passed the parents began to avoid me and I think they thought of me as going beyond my position as tutor as to “interfere” in the affairs of their household.

But they allowed me to tutor her as she was beginning to make steady progress. But what I feared then began to take place, albeit, also in steady fashion. Pei Pei began to see me as a father figure and someone she could trust, confide and relate to as a responsible adult.

It came to such a point that the maid even began to insinuate that “I was the man of the house”. But it was a situation not of our making. Pei Pei began to grow and she also began to bond with me in a way that was unexpected.

Soon I began to feel like a thief as the remaining years of my service progressed. While I have no children of my own, I had not bargained to get into a situation such as this.

I felt I was robbing the parents of the exclusive filial devotion of their daughter.

What it evolved into was that Pei Pei quite happily paid lip service to her parents but kept the true communication with me. This “arrangement” seemed to go down well with her.

But it was an arrangement that came to the attention of the parents only towards the close of my tenure as tutor, and this was when they realised the bond that had grown between us was stronger than her bond with them.

It all seemed so silly to me. If only they had paid heed to me and taken my suggestions seriously from the beginning, it would not have come to such an awkward situation. I feel for children who are in the care of child minders and day care centres while parents try to pile up the wealth.

I can empathise with the fact that making money is very important in a world of rising inflation.

But to achieve the material gain and sacrifice seeing your child grow up – worse still, losing their filial piety to others – is a terrible and painful loss which can never be regained, as time has ticked away.

As I mused over my lunch, Pei Pei was as chatty as ever and carrying on with endless details of her future plans.

This was also something she never did with her parents; her tongue never seemed to wag and she always seemed to clam up in their presence.

I also observed how she spoke, her gestures and mannerisms, the facial expressions, her tone of voice and accent, the overall body language, and it struck me in a certain frightening way of how a tutor had such a deep impact and influence on her life.

The tutor obviously had overpaid his dues in the relatively short span of six years, or so I thought. It was just then that her phone beeped.

Upon answering, she told me her parents were waiting downstairs for us to finish lunch. It was just as well as I downed the last few morsels of my lunch and went downstairs to meet her parents. They looked sullen but greeted me politely and announced quickly that they had to rush off for another appointment, saying that they regretted not being able to spend time with me.

I thought, how ironic, that even throughout the years that their daughter was growing up, they also never had time for her. For some reason, this thought created a sharp tinge of pain in me.

My thought at this point was that there really must be more to life, and we must learn to create the space and time for people we like and love in our life.

Perhaps it all boils down to managing our time and sorting out our priorities so as to consider who and what counts and matters to us most in life. By now I should have thought that the parents would have realised that they can’t possibly have “everything” in life.

I suppose the world is not enough for people who greedily seek more and more. But watching the three of them bid me farewell and walk away, I thought to myself, again with a twist of irony, what more did they really need?

They had everything. But in the same ironic way it puzzled me that they were unaware and blind to this reality.

As I walked away towards the car park, I realised that I was like a godfather to Pei Pei.

As I continue my journey as a teacher to the young, I wonder if there will be other times when I will be called upon to play the role of a godfather.

Looking at the way our world is changing and the direction it is taking, I feel certain that there are students who share Pei Pei’s predicament.

These children who are neglected will always look elsewhere for love and attention.

Keepin’ em posted

2011-06-01T09:27:00.002+08:00

There is now a new generation of teachers who share their thoughts and communicate with students through blogging.

IT IS a “place” where she expresses her thoughts and feelings freely and to Saodah Ajil, the writings on her blog are a reflection of herself.

Hailing from Kelantan, this teacher likes sharing educational articles and inspirational sayings with her students and her own brood of children at saodahajil.wordpress.com.

She adds that she also loves to express the beauty she finds in prayer, children and education on her blog, as they are inspiring.

While keen to improve her proficiency in English, she is also proving the point that older, “motherly” teachers like her can be tech-savvy too.

Similarly Cyril Dason, a young teacher, who is also into blogging says “it’s good for networking and putting my thoughts out there. I also have students reading my blog and it’s a platform to share my knowledge with them”.

Cyril blogs voraciously in http://cyrildason.com about his personal thoughts but sometimes offers his followers a dose of current issues together with automotive and tech news.

The ICT (Information Communication Technology Literacy) teacher in Kuching who also heads the fraternity of Sarawak Bloggers — http://sarawakbloggers.com, says that it is exciting to get to know people and see how their life is different from his. “My close friends at the moment are mostly from the blogging circle. Not all of them are teachers though – some are executives, CEOs (chief executive officers), varsity students and even people involved in health care. On top of that, blogging helps improve my English.”

Blogging expands one’s social network and allows an individual to vent their feelings, says Caroline Charles, who adds that in the end, one is addicted to sharing their daily thoughts on his or her blog!”

This young teacher from Keningau, Sabah, says that she first began blogging to record the progress of her chemotherapy sessions while being treated for Persistent Thropoblastic Disease.

Blogging to her was so therapeutic that she continued even after her treatment had ended.

“I blog mostly about my personal life that revolves around my passion for beauty, travel, weddings, dog, shoes, shopping, books and self-reflection. I had so much to blog about my students that I finally created another blog just for school-related entries.” Her blogs are : http://carolchs.com ; http://kaychs.blogspot.com and http://caitleya.blogspot.com.

She also reflects on what she has written. “Once the year is up, I look through my posts and note what I have and haven’t achieved. This helps me put my life goals back on track.”

Amanda, another young teacher, blogs to air her opinions on current issues and trends. In addition, she writes her own poems. Her blog www.amandachristinewong.blogspot.com is also an invaluable teaching tool because she uses it to post literature notes for her students. Content-wise, teachers have to be careful.

“As a teacher, I have to watch what I write,” agrees Amanda. “As a role model, it’s tough to be pure in heart, words and deed. And that’s where the problem lies. No sensitive issues! It’s a complete oxymoron to want to speak my mind, and at the same time be polite about it!”

Her principal can read her blog too! While she toes the line somewhat, Amanda feels she needs to remain “real” to her students who understand only too well where her angst comes from.

Meanwhile, Muhd Radin Muhd Imaduddin, who is currently attached to the Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development Division, blogs to move forward with the times.

He started his blog in 2004 because as a member of PEPIAS (Persatuan Pelajar Islam Selangor), he was dissatisfied at what was achieved in small circle meetings.

While his blog allowed him to compile and organise the essence of their discussions, it died a natural death when he was posted to Sarawak in 2007, where online access was denied to him.

A year later, upon his transfer back to Peninsular Malaysia, he revived his blog and even got students to improve its “cosmetic” appeal.

“Why blog?” I ask him. “Why not?” he replies, “it’ is free, isn’t it? Besides, it’s easy to create, enhance and maintain. For its very flexibility, I love blogs.”

For Radin, his blog is not only his “personal space’’, but also a platform where he can open up to his students and be more available for them.

“I think today’s youngsters need mentoring, and in order for us to reach them, we need to be seen as people who understand their concerns.

“A teacher’s blog opens up channels of communication between him and his students and allows them to know how approachable he is.”

Radin directs his students to his blog whenever he sees them struggling with a particular issue.

“In my blog,” he reveals, “there are a wide variety of sayings and articles – both religious and secular – which can motivate and inspire my students.”

In complete agreement is Guru Cemerlang (excellent teacher) Rahmah Sayuti. However in her case, she focuses on teacher development. The tagline for her blog www.engoasis.blogspot.com is the “thinking teacher”.

She believes “teachers should think about what they do and why they do it.”

A professional blogger, Rahmah uses her blog to help “create more awareness” while “sharing the best practices in the teaching business” with “linking useful materials for teacher development.”

She is justifiably proud when she tells me that her post on the tried and tested “basic sentence patterns in English” has been downloaded 5,674 times since 2008!

In fact, the ideas and links that she has been posting so far are so useful, that one ardent fan described her as a “gift” to the teaching world.

To sum up, blogs today are fast becoming a way to open up the world of teachers to others.

So, the question is whether to blog or not to blog?

Our Prime Minister in his keynote address at the First Malaysia-Asean Regional Bloggers’ Conference in Kuala Lumpur last month, said that it was important to learn from the views and constructive criticisms of bloggers as this would help build a better Malaysia and future for all of us.

“The relationship must be based on mutual respect. We might not agree all the time, but we cannot be disagreeable,” he said.

“The government-knows-all” era is over, he added, reminding bloggers that they should know better than to trespass the line between posting their honest views and spreading lies and half-truths.

How to embed an document into your blog entry?

2011-05-26T09:15:00.002+08:00

saja nak cuba

Advantages and disadvantages of using Internet

2011-05-03T22:01:00.002+08:00

Nowadays almost everyone in the world have had a contact with computers. A great part of them has been using international computer’s net known as Internet.

I think using internet has more advantages then disadvantages. First of all, Internet provides access to a lot of information. Some of them are very useful in your job other helps in your hobby. Searching the net with Google, you can find everything you want. You can also do shopping using Internet. Of course it has no sense to buying a roll, but if you need something inaccessible,you will be able to buy it in Internet shop. You need only to select what you want, fill in some forms and click 'ok'. In a few days you will get what you have ordered directly to your home, without going anywhere. You can pay with your credit card, pay postman when you get the package, or transfer money from your bank account.

Nowadays almost every bigger bank offers transferring money with Internet. It is more faster then going to the bank and filling blankets. Transferring money in traditional way takes about a day, using Internet you can do this in few seconds even in Saturday and Sunday evenings. What’s more internet banks give you insurance against unauthorized transaction. Some people thinks that their money can by easily stolen by hackers. It isn’t true because the easiest way to steal your money from internet bank is breaking to your house and stealing you card of codes. Internet banks have very good protections witch make them practically unbreakable.

Next advantage of internet is email. Internet mails get in a few seconds in their destinations. It is very important when you want to send something for example to Australia. Of course you can send not only texts. You can email whatever you want, movies, photos, songs, computer programs etc. Costs are very important advantage of emails. Sending an email is much cheaper then phoning, or sending normal letters.

Beside a lot of advantages, Internet has some disadvantages too. First of disadvantages is that people who spend too much time sitting in the front of computer can easily gets ill. Radiation emitted by computer’s screen is harmful to eyes. People who spend too much time at their homes (because they needn’t go anywhere, they can do everything using Internet) are getting weaker. Sitting a for long time is also harmful to the spine.

Second disadvantage is that Internet can by addictive. Some people just can’t live without it. They have no real friends and when Internet is down they are getting furious.

Internet has some opponents but more and more people treats Internet like telephone, or radio. They use it for fun and work, and I think at present living without internet would be quite difficult.

Dear Shawn....From Nurul

2010-12-21T08:57:00.000+08:00

Dear Shawn,

How are you doing, buddy? I heard from the news that winter is just around the corner in your country. I hope that you will be fine and dandy like the last time I saw you during my last visit in Canada. Thank you for having me in such a short notice. In return for your family hospitality, I am going to share with you my unforgettable experience of hiking Gunung Tahan during the last school holiday.

It all started when my big brother, Johan, bugging me to go with him on an exciting adventure at Gunung Tahan. Of course, I agreed because four days with nothing to do but being surrounded with nature does sound a lot better than four days with nothing but dirty dishes to wash. Plus, Johan can really drive me up the wall to get what he wants and I mean literally up the wall. So, I went along with Johan who seems too enthusiastic about the trip. My parent who worried about us phoned in our bachelor uncle, Khairi, who happens to live in Pahang. After all the preparations were made, we departed in the morning of 18th of December hoping to catch the early flight to Pahang.

The journey to Pahang was filled with turbulences and it is not the plane that caused them. I had troubles in keeping my brother to sit still so that we do not get kicked out of the plane. Luckily, it was not long before we were greeted by the cheerful smile of our uncle Kairi. We shared stories and made small talks along the way to the mountain which are mostly about safety precautions and some ground rules. One of the stories told by our uncle Khairi which piqued our interest is about ‘orang bunian’ which supposedly to be the mysterious inhabitants of Gunung Tahan. Being a doubting Thomas that I am, I found it hard to believe but it does give some kicks to the adventure when we finally arrived.

We set up camps at the foot of the mountain and rest for the day to get the extra energy needed to climb to the peak of Gunung Tahan the next day. It seemed that we will be joining other groups of hikers for safety. When the Sun rises at the crack of dawn, we wasted no moments in climbing to the top of the mountain since we cannot see in the dark and we got less than 12 hours of sunlight. The journey was not as difficult as I expected and it is actually quite fun to talk with all the people and get to know them. During one of our breaks, I spoke to a couple who has already climbed Gunung Tahan twice and this time they are celebrating their 15th honeymoon together. Guess what? Both of them are from Canada just like you. Their names are Jack and Anna Smith and both of them are 45 years old.

I had a very good time with the couple. They always think about the well being of others and speaks Malays fluently which you not often find among foreigners. I also found out other interesting things about them. Behind her beauty, Aunt Anna is actually an experienced survivalist while Uncle Jack is actually a botanist despite his tough appearance. It is true that you cannot judge a book by its cover.

Along the journey, I somehow developed a very strong bond with the couple. They told me that they have a daughter named Joanna in college and I told them about my wonderful family and about you too. They also taught me how to read map, how to fish, how to know which plant is edible, basically everything they know. We even took pictures together when we reached the peak of Gunung Tahan. The view at the peak was indeed magnificent but what made it so special is that I can share the view with my new friends.

We bid our farewell at the airport since they too are going back to Canada to meet up with their daughter. I do not feel sad to say good bye to them because we share our home addresses so that we can keep in touch with each other by writing letters. My uncle and my big brother are both happy that everything worked out well for me on this vacation. Now, I have three pen-pals from Canada that I can write to every month thanks to my big brother.

In the present, I am turning over a new leaf by studying hard in school so that one day I might be able to further my studies to overseas and then I will be able to meet you, Jack and Anna in Canada. So, until then, I will keep on writing to all of you as best as possible. Please send my best regards to Mr. Roland and Mrs. Julia Spencer for me. Take care of yourselves and I will see you again in the next letter.

Finding true friends

2010-10-22T10:27:00.001+08:00

A friend in need is a friend indeed however a friend that you do not need is a friend that is always in some kind of needs that can only resulted with your loss and your friend’s gain. For examples, they asked for your money with ever-so-loveable excuses such as forgot my wallet, ask for a ride home to avoid using up their car gas, claiming the glory for the work you have done for them, leave you with the bills whenever all of you were eating out and even cheat on you by selling you ‘good conditioned’ and ‘brand new’ junk just to make more money than it really worth. A quick and effective solution is to find a good psychiatrist or find new friends. If you do not have the money to have more than one session with a good shrink then I suggest you take option number two. Now here comes the big question of the day, how to find new friends?

Like any quest for discovering something valuable such as friends, you must first equip yourselves with the right tools for the job. The first tool you are going to need is self-confidence. If you show any lack of confidence will only shows how weak you are and most likely to result with you becoming a pushover to every ‘friend’ you made.

The next tool is your appearance. It is always better to just be yourselves than pretending something that you are not but please, for the sake of humanity, keep in mind that what you wear does not end up giving people negative perceptions about your upbringing and moral values. I give you a tip, a person with normal clothes has more friends than a person wearing a shirt with death and blood written all over it and a person wearing their little sister’s baby clothes though it does gets the attention of the wrong kind of people that you definitely do not want them staring at your body.

The last vital tool is having an approachable atmosphere around you. I am not talking about spraying perfumes or colognes to your body but that is a good advice if you have foul body odor that can even makes road kills commit suicide. I am talking about being calm and not showing a face of desperation or an angry face of a wild animal ready to strike upon contact. That way, people will come to you like flies attracted to the light. Warning!!! People repellant may come in handy.

After you are all set, now comes the hard part; hunting a creature called friend. The kinds of friends you choose are crucial to the success rate of you finding one true friend. The most reliable method to differentiate the carnivores, omnivores and herbivores from a herd of friends is by looking each of these creatures ‘special’ traits. ‘Nocturnal’ like to skip school during the day and loiter all night while ‘Parasites’ tend to drag you towards the path of self- destruction such as chain-smoking, drugs abusing and many more.

With the tools aforementioned, the success rate of catching a friend is very high if you played your cards right. A little precaution though, the friend you have ‘caught’ is a wild animal and the only way to tame it is by being a true friend yourselves. You cannot find true friends if you yourselves are such terrible bastard. Always be there for your friends, do not take advantages over them, be their voice of conscience, support them whenever you can, do not spoilt the friendship just because of a little disagreement and most important of all is to share good times together.

RIVER POLLUTION

2010-10-20T19:15:00.001+08:00

River is very important because it can provide clean water and can act as a main source of protein to human beings. Most of the drinking water consumed by the people of the world originates from the river. If the river has been polluted, then the tarnished river water needs to be filtered through a series of intricate and money-consuming process. The picture above clearly shows that the pollution of water happened because of the ignorant act of dumping rubbish and toxic waste materials into the river by the irresponsible people.

The major factor that leads to river pollution is none other than the carefree attitude of throwing garbage into rivers by the very community itself. This selfish attitude is usually done by the inhabitants who live nearby the river. These kinds of people would just simply throw out their own garbage into rivers without thinking about the consequences of their action. In this era of globalization, rivers are now considered by many as a big old thrash. Some of the people who use rivers as a convenient place to dump their stuff give lame excuses to justify their action such as that the public thrash can provided being too far from their houses. They are too lazy to even find a trash can because according to them it is too much of a burden and is very tiresome. So, they decide to take the easy way out by throwing the garbage into the pure and clean rivers and causing them to become murky and toxic.

Besides that, factories illegally dump their toxic waste materials also play a role in river pollution. The toxic wastes pollute the river water by decreasing the pH of the water to a dangerous level. The low pH of the river water can cause harms to humans and can be very poisonous to the aquatic life. Most of the factories which dump their toxic wastes into the river are from big corporation with a lot of cash.

Massive oil spills can also cause water pollution. This usually occurs because there is a leak which will then burst out in oil barrel. Since the water has a higher density than the oil, the latter will float on the surface of the water. Eventually, this will affect the growth of the aquatic plants and also become a death trap to all animals both the fish and the birds.

All in all, each and every one of us is bound by the duty to preserve the rivers from any sort of pollution. As one of God's creations who has been given intelligence, we are responsible in guarding the river water because it is indisputably one of god’s precious gifts.

Jointly done by Pak Su and his top student, Amirul Husainy ………

28 July 2010

Loitering

2010-10-19T10:24:00.001+08:00

Loitering is a despicable act that expresses the lack of appreciation towards time. Time is like platinum since gold is outdated. Loitering is more like a disease, to cure a disease; first you must understand it in order to concoct the remedy. A wise man once said, ‘knowing your enemy is half the battle won’.

The obvious cause of loitering among teenagers is that they have an abundant amount of time. To prevent teenagers from wasting time, making independent after school project is a creative way to jog the mind while having fun with learning as well. It will be even better with friends and family members.

Lack of enforcement of the law is also part of the problems as it only encourages more people to loiter. With the presence of an authority figure, loiter can be prevented and other problems that came along with it such as gangsterism, prostitution and many more.

In any case of bad discipline such as loitering, bad parenting always seems to be the main focus. Parents can really help by becoming part of the solutions instead of the problems by giving proper guidance to their sons and daughters. Of course, it has to begin at home and best when they are young.

Influences from the fellow peers are also a major factor that contributes to the drastic increase of loitering among teenagers. The solution is simply be wise when choosing a friend and be wiser when being a friend. That means it is all in your own hand my dear bewildered reader.

To sum up, for many problems, each has its own brand of solution. Loitering also has a perfect remedy designated especially for it. All we have to do is take the first step forward for every journey begins with a single step.

by Amirul Husainy bin Abdul Manan

Class 5 KRK 1

English marks for the 2010 SPM Trial

2010-09-01T12:33:00.004+08:00

5 RADON

1. AMIR HAMZAH BIN ABDULLAH 14
2. AMIRUL BIN MOHD NAWI 40
3. MIRFAZRI BIN MOHAMAD AZMI 26
4. MOHAMAD IERWAN BIN ISMAIL 18
5. MOHD SHAUQI BIN SOLAHUDDIN 13
6. MUHAMAD FAKRUDDIN BIN RAMLI 22
7. MUHAMAD FARID BIN ISMAIL 16
8. MUHAMAD NOR ZAIDI BIN MOHD NORDIN 12
9. MUHAMMAD HANIF AZIZI BIN MOHD AZHAN 34
10. MUHAMMAD ISWARLY AZLY BIN IZANI 40
11. NUR AFIZUDDIN BIN AZMI 9
12. SYAZUAN AZRAN BIN ABD RAZAK 17
13. NORBARIAHILANI BINTI KHAIRI 22
14. NORHASLIZA BINTI AZMI 34
15. NORSHAZLEEN BINTI MOHD SABRI 36
16. NUR MUSTAKIMAH BINTI MOHD NAWI 23
17. NUR RASHEDAH BINTI CHE FAIZO 21
18. NURUL AKMA BINTI MOHD ABDUL KHOZIL TH
19. NURUL SUHANA BINTI MOHAMED RAZANI 53
20. RAZUWANI BINTI YUSOFF 15
21. SITI NURMADIANA BINTI AWANG 15
22. SITI SYAZWANA BINTI MOHD SAUFI 8
23. SITI ZULAIHA BINTI ISMAIL 46
24. WAN NORAINI BINTI AB MALEK 13

----------------------------------------------

5 AURUM

1. AHMAD FAIZ BIN ZAHARI 31
2. MOHAMAD FAIQ BIN MOHAMAD SHUKRI 35
3. MOHAMAD KHAIRUL AZAM BIN HASHIM 13
4. MOHAMAD RUZAIMI BIN BIN MOHD ZAIN 36
5. MOHAMAD ZULKARNAIN BIN MOHAMAD RIDZWAN 37
6. MUHAMMAD ALIF RAHIMI BIN MOHD ASRI 18
7. MUHAMMAD SHAHIDEEN BIN AHMAD SHAHRIZAN 49
8. WAN MOHD FAKRUL AZIM BIN WAN ALI 34
9. FATIN FARHANA BINTI CHE HAZMAN 38
10. NIK ANIS AFIEZAH BT NIK ATAN 31
11. NOR IZNIN IRFA BINTI SHAARI 48
12. NORAMIRA BINTI MOHD RIDZUAN LEAN 39
13. NUR AFIQAH BINTI MAHUSSAIN 48
14. NUR AKLIMA BINTI MOHD ZUKI 21
15. NUR AZYAN BINTI MOHAMAD 52
16. NUR FAZDILAH BINTI MOHD ABDUL MANAF 39
17. NUR HAFIZA BINTI MAT DRIS 26
18. NUR HIDAYU BINTI SHAMSUDDIN 43
19. NUR ISHAMI RAIHAN BINTI CHE MOHAMAD 43
20. NUR SHAIZON AMIRA BINTI MOHD SHALLAH 36
21. NUR ZUHAFIRA BINTI ZULKIFLI 39
22. NURU HAYAH BINTI MOHD FAUZI 35
23. NURUL NABIHAH BINTI MOHD NASSIR 41
24. RABIATUL ADAWIYAH BINTI ISMAIL 38
25. RINA SYAFILLA BINTI NAZRI 44
26. SYEERYZA BINTI MUHAMMAD BAHRAIN SURIN 41
27. WAN NURUL ATIEQAH BINTI WAN ANWAR 51

--------------------------------------------

5 KRK 1

1. AHMAD FATHUL HAFIZ BIN AHMAD ZAILANI 59
2. AMIRUL HUSAINY BIN ABDUL MANAN 89
3. AZWAN BIN AIRUDDIN 58
4. EZZAT NOR AZAM BIN ABDULLAH HADI 59
5. MOHAMAD FAIZ BIN MOHAMAD 61
6. MOHAMAD FARUQ AFNAN BIN KAMARUDIN 47
7. MUHAMAD FIRDAUS BIN IBERHIM 52
8. MUHAMMAD ALIF BIN AMINUDDIN 63
9. MUHAMMAD FERDAUS AFIFIE BIN JOHARI 74
10. MUHAMMAD HANIF BIN MOHD NASAN 48
11. WAN AMIRUL NAZRAN BIN WAN AHMAD 62
12. CIK MARINA BINTI NASIR 63
13. EMY NOOR FATIEN BINTI ABDUL FATAH 76
14. NOOR AMALIA BINTI SHAARI 73
15. NOOR SHAZLIEN AZUA ANIS BINTI SHAHARUDDIN 60
16. NOR AIMI AMIRAH BINTI MOHD SUHAIMI 64
17. NOR AZMINA BINTI MUHAMAD 55
18. NOR HAZIRAH BINTI CHE ISMAIL 55
19. NOR SYAIRAH BINTI MOHAMED 57
20. NUR FARHANA BINTI GHAZI 64
21. NUR FATIHAH BINTI HAMZAH 60
22. NUR SHAHIRAH BINTI NAWAWAI 44
23. NURAKMAL HIDAYAH BINTI MD YUSOFF 54
24. NURUL FATIHAH RAIHAN BINTI HAJI MOHD NAWI 43
25. NURUL SYAHIDA BINTI SULAIMAN 63
26. UMMI AISYAH BINTI ABDUL GHANI 51
27. WAN FARAH NOOR ASYIKEEN BT W. HANAPI 53
28. WAN UMMI AMNI BINTI WAN ASRI 73
29. ZAINIRAH BINTI MOHD ZULKIFLY 61

---------------------------------------------------

EST (5 KRK 1)

1. AMIRUL HUSAINY BIN ABDUL MANAN 80
2. MUHAMMAD FERDAUS AFIFIE BIN JOHARI 76

Lend me your ears

2010-03-04T08:31:00.002+08:00

By WAN NUR ATIKA HADI HO

Silent reflection enables a student to tune in to the world.

GROWING up is not easy for me. People can see that I live a normal life, but no one knows what is always going on deep in my heart.

As a hearing-impaired person, my world is silent. I keep counting the days to being an adult and try to imagine how my life would be like in the future.

I cannot remember much of what happened when I was small. But I still remember the stories my mum told me about those days.

Mum said that one day, when I was three, I sat in front of the television set watching a show. She was sitting behind and she called out to me.

But I did not look back, the way other children would. I just focused on the TV.

Curious about why I didn’t respond, my parents took me to the clinic nearby.The doctor checked me but did not find anything unusual.

But mum did not feel relief. She was still worried, so she and my father decided to take me to the hospital. There, the doctor diagnosed that I lost my hearing in both ears and needed to wear hearing aids.

Now 18 years later, the hearing aid is my best friend.

I wear a scarf, so people do not know about my problem. I have tried to be independent and stand on my own. But sometimes I fail. Often, I need people to stand by me. To lend me their ears and transfer information to me, slowly, in text form so that I can understand.

I am afraid of being alone. But I’m trying to learn.

I am thankful for my family and eternally grateful for having parents who always understand me. My parents love me so much I could never repay them. Deep inside I always cry because the love my family has shown is so beautiful that I do not want to trade it for anything.

I still remember my UPSR examination.The night before the first paper, I could not sleep because I did not think I would do well. When I woke up, I saw that my parents had written something on my white board hanging on the door.

Mum wrote: “Good luck, Ika.” And my father wrote, “It’s okay if you cannot get A, at least you try your best.”

I will never forget that. I knew that even if I failed my exam, I could still smile because I would have done my best. The effort was much more important than the result itself.

I am now doing my degree in a local university. I’m still trying to adapt to campus life. It’s not easy – English is a major problem.But I believe I can go through this.

My family is there and I am surrounded by amazing people. So, keep silent please. I am trying to listen better to the world.

Back to school

2010-02-21T10:58:00.003+08:00

By ANN MARIE CHANDY

A new teacher learns from her students.

RETURNING to school after 25 years has been quite the adventure. Only this time, I am here as a teacher, not student.

After spending almost two decades working in the media business, I made the (some say mad) leap into teaching English to upper secondary students this year.

Luckily for me, my current principal was gracious enough to grant me this opportunity to walk in the footsteps of my late parents, both of whom had taught all their lives.

My first month was tumultuous to say the least. I was always on top of things in my previous job, but in my new position, I felt horribly lost, confused and even a bit regretful at having left my comfort zone.

Here at school, I face a swarm of teenagers who are usually simultaneously apathetic and arrogant every day. I wake up at the break of dawn and am on my feet till 5pm at least. Adding to my agitation is the fact that I have to handwrite my lesson plans!

At first, this was frightful to me as I have not handwritten anything since ... well, since I left school! Yet now, a month later (yes, you can pat me on the back for having survived January), I am starting to enjoy getting acquainted with my pen again. All those memories of learning how to write in cursive, way back in Standard Three, have come rushing back.

In fact, each time I walk along the corridors of the next-door primary school, something tugs so hard at my heartstrings that my eyes well up with tears. It’s like a gloriously nostalgic trip down memory lane, and I quietly soak up all the good vibes.

The highlight of my month, however, has to be – without a doubt – the annual Sports Day that took place recently. Yes, Sports Day came early this year because of logistical reasons I will not delve into here. The important thing is, I’ve not felt this way in a long time.

It began with the run-up to the day. Being one of the cheerleading teachers for Green House meant I had to stay back in school on Fridays to supervise (for safety reasons more than anything else). Although annoyed at first, I soon grew quite fond of watching the team in action, led by team captain Wan Nee.

The cheerleaders, I must say, have to be one of the most independent groups in school. From the get-go, they knew what they wanted to do and how they were going to do it. And they had a single-mindedness that would make Glee’s Sue Sylvester proud.

When the big day arrived, the kids on my team gave it all they had but, sadly, they didn’t earn a place on the podium. What was inspirational for me, however, was the way in which the team handled its defeat.

In fact, all the teams were so supportive, clapping, cheering, commiserating and congratulating one another in a spirit of togetherness that I have not seen in a long while. These kids really were all one big happy family – yes, there were tears when they lost, but only for a minute or two. And then it was time to cheer on their classmates.

While some felt hard-done-by by the judges (me included!), not once did I hear these children grumble or complain inappropriately. In fact, I had to take my cue from them and accept the fact that the judges’ decision was final. That was a humbling experience!

Sports Day also made me fonder of my students. Each time I saw one of them participating in an event – the long jump, march past, 4x100m relay – my heart felt it was about to burst. And I know I say this at the risk of being ridiculed by all and sundry. But I say it sincerely.

You just have to hand it to guys like Lawrence and Bryan who were able to flex their muscles in the tug-of-war one minute and then, in the next, cheer and chant like there’s no tomorrow on the cheerleading squad.

And what about Jordan, who is never easy to handle in class but who shone like a rough diamond when he took part in the track and field events? Sports Day made me see these kids in a whole new light.

I was in awe at all the hard work that went into the organisation of the events: Blue House won for House Decor with its clever take on the 3D movie Avatar, calling itself “a new race of champions”, and Yellow House were the overall Champions, having led the points table from the time Standard Tests were held a week in advance.

And Red House’s march past theme, Matador, was a stroke of genius!

While the Red House team was in training, I would cringe each time the kids were verbally whipped into action by their coach, Miss L; it brought back my own memories of taking part in march past parades and being terrified of my “commander”.

On Sports Day, however, when the Red House team took the gold, these same children who had what seemed like the fear of God in them while training, were all over Miss L, bear-hugging and almost knocking her over because they were so elated.

Sports Day really brought home to me what it means to be back at school again.

Sure, life is not going to be a bed of roses here. After all, these children have tantrums every now and then (more now than then, it seems!), and they may not always want to sit in their seats and pay attention when you want them to. But once you accept that you aren’t always going to be on the same page with them, you start to notice that underneath all those raging hormones, these kids are pretty great to be amongst.

They are accepting of each other’s flaws; they are bright-eyed and brainy; they are determined and creative. They are full of hope and dreams. Out there in the “real world”, the order of the day usually comprises a whole lot of backstabbing, gossiping and a**-kissing. Here in school, things look mighty different.

For this 42-year-old jaded ex-journalist, a whole new world is unfolding in so many exciting ways. And I intend to savour every bit of it.

Ann Marie Chandy was a journalist for 19 years before recently making a life-changing decision to switch careers. She now teaches English at Sri KDU Secondary School in Kota Damansara, Selangor.

Tiger lady

2010-02-19T11:13:00.000+08:00

By TEH SU-CHING

When you’re a Chinese girl born in the year of the Tiger, you have to do a fair bit of roaring and clawing.

I AM a Tiger lady and proud of it. But growing up as a Chinese girl born in the year of the Tiger was challenging, to say the least.

The first time I realised that was at the funeral of my Ah Chor (great-grandmother). She was over 80 and had eight children and countless grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

When it came time for some Taoist rites for Ah Chor, I was ushered upstairs at my granduncle’s house in Macalister Road, Penang. It had something to do with my being a Tiger!

As a kid, I was afraid of the dark and ghosts, and for some reason, robed Taoist priests made my hair stand on end. So there I was, age six, alone upstairs with wooden beams creaking around me and the drone of prayers below.

I was the eldest daughter of the eldest son of the eldest son of Ah Chor. For that reason, she loved me. I have scant memories of her, except that she always wore shiny black pants and starched blue tops with cheongsam-like collars. She also smelt funny from the opium she took every day.

My Ta Por Chor (great-grandfather) owned junks which carried goods between Amoy (the port in Fujian, China) and Penang. On one of the journeys, he brought his family over to Malaysia.

Ta Por Chor was ahead of his time – he got Ah Chor to unbind her feet! But the pain was so unbearable that she had to resort to drugs for the rest of her life.

Funnily enough, it was my traditional grandparents who did away with a lot of the pantang (superstitions) observed by the Chinese.

After grandfather died, my illiterate grandmother insisted that we should celebrate the Chinese New Year that followed. It was against custom, but she said he would be happier if the family came together as he loved merry-making and enjoyed seeing us as a team, with all our noise and energy. I couldn’t agree more.

Many Chinese families don’t think like grandmother. At weddings especially, Tiger babies are not welcome in the marital bedroom, much less allowed to rest their bums on the wedding bed because we man-eating beasts can also devour babies.

But annoyingly undeserved, over-loved Dragon children (boys preferred, naturally) can roll over the red bedsheets and break the red paper wrapped around the enamel potty to retrieve an ang pow, as the bride and her relatives await the groom’s arrival.

I have tried to argue that I was born at 12.15pm, which made me a sleeping Tiger (apparently this clever creature does not hunt in the heat of mid-afternoon) and therefore, not at all garang (fierce). Alas, traditional (I hate this word!) belief dictates that a tiger is a tiger, slumbering or prowling.

I only really felt special as a Tiger when my youngest aunt got married and I was asked to be her maid of honour. My father is the eldest of 10 siblings and his youngest sister is only a decade older than me.

Being dolled up for the wedding was such a treat. I had grown up as a tomboy and did not care to groom myself. I did not wear pink and looked awkward in a dress. (Well, there were awkward teen years.)

My aunt was marrying into a family of Tigers, including the patriarch and matriarch of the clan. So they had no qualms about my being one. I was elated and glowed that day. For once, I had been chosen not in spite of my being a Tiger, but because of that.

In school, the Tiger kids were usually the most rowdy bunch in the canteen, the most territorial on the school field, the most opinionated (think Hobbes of Calvin and Hobbes) in class, and the most dominant in extra-curricular activities. Like Tigger who roamed around 100 Acre Wood, we could never sit still.

I remember how we fought hard to have our very first ever year book. Our vice-principal first said no, but we fought tooth and nail until she relented. The end product was most basic, but it was a labour of love. I remember fondly how everything went without a hitch – from the photography to the layout, to rallying about 300 Form Five students to put it together.

Year books are now an annual thing in Convent Green Lane, Penang, and people have forgotten that it started with Tiger-tastic us.

Despite all the prejudices against the Tiger, it was great growing up as one. I think, generally, our nature is not offensively nasty or in-your-face mean. Tigers are ferocious in the things they seek and the passions they embrace. If a Tiger takes up a cause, it is unlikely that she will be half-hearted about it.

National Geographic did studies and found that in a fight between a Bengal tiger and an African lion, there is a 90% chance that the former will win, mainly because of its intelligent, well-thought-out moves, as opposed to the lion charging blindly. Tigers also have more flexible muscles than lions. But whilst most experts agree that it is the more dominant cat, the latter wins when it comes to courage.

In matters of the heart, I can attest that Tigers are weak; we only summon up courage when cornered and have little or no choice.

I have a tiger claw encased in silver and worn as pendant. It belonged to my mother, who got it from her mum. I used to wear it round my neck to work off evil spirits and make me braver (didn’t work).

I no longer wear the tiger claw, nor did it I give it my daughter. I’d thought of throwing it away but it’s like an heirloom now. I do not condone the killing of tigers for anything, but I will keep this part of the creature, which is a part of me.

Eleven years ago, I toyed with the idea of a Tiger baby. I was 24, but had just married at the end of the year, so it was not meant to be. I thought since I’d done pretty okay, it would be great to show my little girl all the wonderful things about this creature.

Now, I’m into my third Tiger cycle. Should I?

Hooked on hope

2010-02-07T08:48:00.001+08:00

By KEJORA MAWADDAH

An imperfect child shows his mother that all is not lost.

June 2008

WHAT makes a woman perfectly happy? Tying the knot with her loved one and having a baby?

Of course! That’s how I feel now.

Calvin is perfect, from head to toe. He’s rich, and everything that a girl wants. I’m lucky! Marrying him makes me feel complete.

I touch my belly; it’s almost six months now and baby is moving. I always communicate with him.

“Hello mummy’s boy. How are you?” I ask. Calvin wants a boy and when the scan confirmed that, he was ecstactic.

The door opens and I turn.

“Hey, how are you?” Calvin says, hugging me from behind. He’s just back from the office.

“I’m fine.”

“How’s our baby?” he asks, touching my bump.

“Why not ask him yourself?”

Calvin kneels before me and puts his ear on my belly.

“Hello, baby. Daddy’s here. Hello....” He laughs and I join in.

September 2008

I deliver on the day the doctors calculated. Calvin says the baby looks like him. He’s been holding him all day. I smile even though I still feel weak and tired. He gives Daniel to me to breastfeed. That’s the name chosen by Calvin’s father; it means smart and cute.

I don’t know about names but as long as Calvin is happy, I’m fine. As I look down at Daniel I cannot believe the seed of our love is in my arms.

“Yes darling, he looks exactly like you,” I say as tears roll down my cheeks.

January 2009

We attend a musikgarten class in Petaling Jaya as we have been told the programme is very good for babies and new parents. It stimulates baby’s brain cells through music while nurturing the bond between parents and child. Throughout the 30 minutes, Calvin is next to me, watching Daniel smile and laugh. It looks like he’s enjoying the session. Seeing both of them happy is the perfect moment for me.

February 2009

Madam Wong at the music centre notices that Daniel does not respond like the other kids, especially when his name is called. Calvin and I have not been aware of this. She suggests we take him for a checkup.

We’ve seen four different doctors but we’re not satisfied with their diagnosis: They say Daniel is deaf and mute.

Calvin is badly affected by the news. He blames me for what has happened, saying that I must have a genetic defect. He says his family has perfect genes, so it must be my side. I ask my parents if we have anyone with genetic problems and they say, “No!”

My husband is not himself any more; he seldom touches Daniel or even looks at him. And every day, his words torture me: “This is your fault! I wasn’t supposed to marry you. We’re shouldn’t be together!”

He slams the door in the middle of the night and leaves the house. I hear Daniel crying in the next room. I pull out a blanket and wrap it around him. I try to calm down him by singing some song, and tapping to it, like how Calvin and I did at the musikgarten. When I gaze into his innocent eyes, I wonder if he can understand me.

July 2009

For two weeks now, Calvin has not been home. Every time I phone him, he either hangs up or switches off his mobile. I lie back in bed with the radio on. Loud. I know Daniel is sleeping, but who cares. He’s deaf. Suddenly a Jay Chou song comes on the air, and one phrase of the lyrics seems to speak to me: “What’s wrong? You’re tired? Where is our promised happiness?”

I reach for a pillow, cover my ears and sob. I miss Calvin dearly.

August 2009

Daniel tries to take a few steps but keeps falling down. Calvin comes home after a month of avoiding us, but not for good. He is packing all his stuff. As Daniel plays on his mat, I sit quietly a distance away. I feel bad for him.

Calvin comes down the stairs and stands in front of me. “I have signed my part of the papers. After you’re done, just pass them to my lawyer. He will settle everything on my behalf.”

He puts an envelope on the table, picks up his bags and walks towards the door. I close my eyes; I dare not watch him walk away from me and out of my life. I knew this was coming, sooner or later

As I hear the door close, I open my eyes and burst into tears.

I’m all alone now. This is not my perfect ending. I cry and cry....

Suddenly, I feel someone touching me. I turn and there is Daniel, tapping my back and holding his blanket. I am surprised that he can understand what I’m going through. Then, it just hits me – I am not alone!

Cradle of love

2010-01-31T20:34:00.002+08:00

By ANU GAITHRI SUBRAMANIAM

A young woman learns about mothering the hard way.

FOR as long as I can remember, my mother has always been my strongest supporter. She cheered me on when I was holding two jobs to ensure my university tuition fees were paid. She cried when I made the dean’s list. She is always there when I need a shoulder to cry on.

The best thing about my conservative Indian mum is that she has never stopped me from doing what I want – from wearing short skirts to choosing the course for my Masters. She is always happy to stand on the sidelines and be the proud mum.

So when we had our first major fight, it was both heartbreaking and frustrating for me.

I had my life all mapped out, right until 80 (or so, I hope, with details like whom I was going to marry and how I would still be a stunner at 60!). But what I didn’t share with mum was the plan to adopt a little girl before I got married.

I love kids, more than anything else in my life. When I turned 27, I wanted to adopt a baby and give her the opportunity to have what I had struggled for. But all my efforts to apply for one failed, given the fact that I am single and there were other eligible parents. But I didn’t give up, and started enquiring through friends, grabbing at every chance available.

Then it happened: a friend of a friend sent a message to say that a young, professional was looking for a home for the baby girl she was carrying. She wanted someone to pay for her delivery and confinement. I was elated; this had to be my child! I immediately thought of a name for her.

My hands were trembling when I dialled the NGO involved, not quite knowing what to expect. The voice on the other end of the line greeted me pleasantly and I felt at ease immediately. We exchanged information and I was given the mother’s details.

“The final decision is hers,” Miss Susie said.

I couldn’t wait, so I called her immediately. We spoke for a while and it become evident that the mother was quite like me, a young professional, except that she had fallen in love with the wrong man and made a wrong decision. And she was extremely confused.

We chatted for a while and become pally quickly. But soon, the problems began. The mother became very clingy with me, She couldn’t eat; couldn’t sleep; the man didn’t call her (yes, she was still in contact with her boyfriend); she had no money at all.

I sympathised and made extra efforts to help. I told her to give me a missed call and I would phone her back. I told her she could phone me whenever she was upset. Soon, I became a full-blown agony aunt who was at her beck and call.

She wanted me to trace her boyfriend’s number to investigate who else he was calling! I didn’t mind it all, as her baby was my priority. But the more I spoke to her, the more it became evident that she was not willing to give up the child. Neither did she have the resources to raise her. With no support from her family, she was relying on me to tell her what to do.

Now, I was no expert in this. I was just a woman who had worked hard and could live comfortably now. And I felt I was capable of raising a child.

But I didn’t know how to trace phone calls, or what advice to give her. Slowly her problems started to affect me even as I prepared, mentally, to welcome her baby into my home.

And when I found out that she was not willing to give up her baby, it broke my heart.

Mind you, I was not happy about separating the mother from her child. I had always told her that she was welcome to see her baby, any time.

I started having sleepless nights and my work suffered for it. I began having panic attacks and felt an almost unstoppable urge to beg her to give up the child although deep down in my heart I knew that she loved her too.

And the fights began at home. Mum was not happy about my wanting to adopt a newborn.

“No one is going to believe you when you tell them you adopted her. They will all say it is your child,” she yelled.

“I don’t care what people think!” I yelled back.

Mum tried to match-make me with some eligible men, but I refused to budge. Instead I stopped telling her what was happening in my life. But one night, when the situation became unbearable, I spilled everything out.

That night, mum taught me the most valuable lesson I will ever carry with me throughout my life – learning to let go. She simply told me to pray and let it go. Just like that.

Gradually, I ignored the calls and messages. I quietly stopped all contact with the mother and cut myself off from anything to do with her. And I had my closure.

I still don’t know if I made right the decision, or that I have failed the baby. But I know that doing the right thing is always hard – it is the only thing I should do.

And I still believe my little girl is out there, waiting for me. For once, I agree that mothers know best.

Utterly Hospitable!

2010-01-24T17:54:00.002+08:00

By KUNBEK

A recent hospital stay turns out to be an unexpectedly pleasant experience.

I AM writing this as I have no better way to thank the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre for the fine treatment I received there recently.

It starts with a medical issue, of course – bleeding from the vagina (it’s okay, the word can be mentioned; half the world has one of these, you know).

Post-menopausal bleeding has to be investigated. So, with a referral from my GP, I presented myself at the centre’s Klinik Ginekologi.

Who would have thought a stay at Universiti Hospital would be a pleasant experience? – File photo Left: ‘The devoted sister’ (left) and the ‘Mandarin Cassandra’ are just two of the many interesting people the writer met during her time in UH. – Writer’s photo

I was seen by a fine young doctor, forthright and observant, who took his time to read the notes and “check everything”, then acted with dispatch and arranged for me to be admitted (on a cancellation).

The issues were clarified from the outset, and his “first impression” turned out to be correct.

Later, in the ward, I met a succession of proficient female doctors who had everything in hand.

The nurses do talk a bit, but in the course of constantly reviewing each case over their clipboards. Medicine rounds were unrelenting and I had my blood pressure taken more times in two days than in 10 years of my life.

To my surprise, there was a thick file on me, though I’d appeared at the clinic just once before, briefly; there was some information on the hospital’s intranet as well.

The UH (to give the centre it’s old name, Universiti Hospital) system is, to a sufficient degree, sensitive to its patients. These doctors have ears. They are that most desired thing in doctors – accessible. And they go over the procedure beforehand. They explain, in effect they teach, inform, assure.

And there is communication throughout the system.

A professor walks in surrounded by white-coated students who gather around the bed opposite in which lies a young Indonesian woman.

There’s a Socratic-style dialogue about the signs they observe in the patient, and how from these signs and symptoms they may anticipate the “gynaecologic histopathological findings” in tissue samples taken afterwards....

(I did not get all of the good professor’s words, but arrived at the above after checking with my brother and sister-in-law in Sydney, Australia, who were among the fifth batch of graduates from Universiti Malaya’s Faculty of Medicine.)

“So what do you have to be?”

“Logical.”

“Correct and logical!”

At this moment, it dawns on me that the hospital is backed by the full expertise of medical academia in this country. (You may be a dot on that landscape, but you’re in their sights.)

It all goes ticker-tick. Doctors have their rounds, nurses have their rounds, cleaners have theirs. We are four to a room in air-conditioned Ward 10U, with a picture window and an attached bathroom, cleaned, as was the entire floor of the ward, every couple of hours or so by the girl with the little yellow trolley.

That place is alive, it positively hums with life. The bed works. The toilet works. The bell-pull works. Everything works in that constant traffic flow from specialist room to specialist room. The roster works. And the people who make things work, who stay at their stations, the anaesthesiologist, the radiologist – well, they are the salt of the earth.

As for the hoi polloi, that’s the best part of it all. Three of us girls took a walk to find the x-ray room. My two companions were to have hysterectomies. There were sick beds parked in the corridor that was being renovated. I saw neat improvisations: a wooden block pulley to lift an endangered foot a mite off the bed, cloth strings.

I met people who told me stoically, smilingly, their history of illness. You get a sense of how people battle for life. You see the detail that reveals to you something of that life, here in peaceful Malaysia.

The three girls in my room linger in my memory: a lovely Indian girl, a Malay doctor with a devoted sister who slept in a chair all night, a warm-voiced lady married to a Hokkien, who steadfastly refused to admit to Indian ancestry (“I’m Malaysian, no, I’m just a Malaysian”). I hope they have long since recovered.

And how will I ever forget the little lady who came to see me out of the blue? Leaning on a staff (well, an umbrella), her head in a kerchief, she scanned my face and murmured, in the manner of a Mandarin Cassandra, “It is your destiny!”

I thanked her but did not inquire further, since half the fun is in not knowing the plot. But I can tell you that “Cassandra” looked uncharacteristically cheerful about my prospects! (Cassandra was the prophetess daughter of King Priam of ancient Troy.)

What about the food? Well, okay, this isn’t the Hilton, but it’s five-star compared with what most people on Earth have to eat. There’s even a menu.

And as things were, I gave each of the girls a roll of toilet paper as a parting gift (a friend brought me some). And the sanitary pads are archaic, a type not seen since the mid-20th century (the kind that makes you feel humbly grateful you ever reached menopause).

So? So you are glad they are not splashing money about. When you see the bill, you get a pleasant surprise. For consultations, ultrasound scans, ECG, chest x-ray, blood tests, medicines, two nights’ stay with food in the semi-private UH.... What? RM350! Now, where in the world would you get that?

I am not the keenest patient, but UH didn’t let me go until they had given me the full works, including a follow-up appointment for three weeks after and a projected mammogram in March. I had a small op known as “hysteroscopy and D&C” as the last of a string of more serious ops. Two surgeons did it together, one of them a professor. They found a polyp in my uterus which was marched off to the labs to check for cancer and pre-cancer.

And now I am home, with my little problem solved, not to mention with better knowledge than before. And when I look out of the window of my flat on Bukit Kerinchi in KL, I feel that bit happier and more secure when, casting my eyes to the extreme left, I see the plain grey blocks of our excellent Universiti Hospital.

Note: My results were normal. Thank you, UH.

Then and now

2010-01-19T19:44:00.003+08:00

By K.L. QUAH

Everyone says that life will never be the same after a baby – and how right they are.

IT’S been a year since it happened.

I almost lost my baby when I was five months pregnant due to vanity. I was kickboxing and lifting weights five times a week to look like a yummy mummy until, one day, I started to bleed heavily after a step aerobics session. (I wrote about this ordeal in a story titled Perfect love, published in this column in September 2008).

Today, my baby is a healthy, bubbly nine-month-old. The nightmare of having my doctor tell me that I needed an operation to save my pregnancy is now overshadowed by the joy of seeing baby Ian’s smile. Labour pains? What labour pains? Was it nine hours? Really?

I am totally exhausted from juggling a full time career as a lawyer as well as being a new mother, and yet I am totally exhilarated each time baby Ian achieves another milestone.

I am worn out, physically and financially, but the love I feel for him is so overwhelming that the adrenalin keeps me going.

And oh, did someone tell me to enjoy the three-month bedrest I was ordered to take preceding the birth because life was never going to be the same ever again? Boy, that person sure knew what she was talking about!

Those days, I would call the office and take leave whenever I had a late night. These days, I still get up and go to work even if baby Ian kept me awake the entire night.

Those days, I would plan my holiday and mark my leave months ahead by filling up the annual leave forms. Now I have learned that nothing can be planned in advance. Those nicely filled forms would probably have to be cancelled and I am more likely to call the office frantically in the morning asking for emergency leave as baby had fallen ill.

Those days, I would nag at my husband for not spending enough time with me. These days, I would rather just spend time with baby and no one else (I think hubby feels the same way, as he has not complained. Hmm…)

Those days, I would reject all invitations to go out during weekdays as I needed an early night to be efficient at work the next day. Now I know if I reject those invitations, I would never find time to catch up with my friends and family.

Those days, my bathroom was filled with trashy magazines and daily newspapers. These days, my bathroom is filled with mother and baby magazines.

Those days, the last thing I read in the newspapers was supermarket advertisements. These days, that’s the first thing I look out for to find cheap disposable diapers.

Back then, I would spend hours Facebooking, uploading pictures, sending teddy bears and tiaras to my friends, feeding and playing with my online rabbit. Now, the only time I Facebook is to upload baby Ian’s pictures (my profile picture is his picture anyway) and to update my status to “Baby Ian cut his first tooth today!” or “Baby Ian is sick today.”

Those days, I spent three hours a day, five days a week, in the gym. These days, an hour of exercise a week is a luxury. And I have recently terminated my gym membership.

Those days, I would window shop for hours, browsing through stores for shoes and clothes, and follow that through with a nice piece of cheese cake and coffee at Secret Recipe. These days, I go directly to the kids department and head home immediately to spend more time with baby Ian.

Coffee and cake? Those three-in-one instant coffee and pre-packed chiffon cakes from the hypermarket come in handy when you are dealing with a crawling baby who puts anything within his grasp into his mouth (inedibles included).

No, it is not easy. I am humbled by mothers who can deal with a few children, all a few years apart in age.

I have had my “what have I done to my life?” days, especially in the early weeks. There was a time when he woke up every hour through the night for feeds. And the first time he slept through, I kept awake to check every half hour if he was breathing!

There were days when all I needed was sleep after a rough day at work. But baby Ian has developed separation anxiety and can only be consoled by my presence and attention.

Life will never be the same again, but I am certain that all the changes have been worthwhile. I have never been so tired in my life, yet I’ve never been so emotionally fulfilled.

Baby Ian has taught me patience and the ability to accept that I cannot plan everything perfectly. He has taught me to take life easy, and not to fret over small things.

He has also taught me to appreciate the little things in life like rolling on the bed with him instead of worrying about when I can upgrade my Wira.

I am calmer when handling difficult clients at work, as baby Ian has taught me that I cannot please everyone all the time. I no longer get all panicky and stressed when I am overwhelmed with more documents in my “in” tray than “out” – he has taught me to do one thing at a time.

Above all, baby Ian has taught me how to love unconditionally. I love you, baby Ian, and it doesn’t matter whether or not you will take care of me in my old age. Mummy will love you till the end of time anyway.

Time to come home

2010-01-10T09:01:00.002+08:00

By NAGA R. AMPALAM

After decades of seeking his fortune abroad, a lawyer finds what he needs most at his doorstep.

AS is my habit I was early for my appointment. The pattern I had established was to arrive a few minutes early, take stock of my surroundings and gather my thoughts before attending to the issue at hand. It had a calming effect on me – shutting out the unsavoury headlines of the day which highlight man’s inhumanity to his fellow men, the tottering economy and, not least of all, the challenging cases crying for attention at my firm.

The tasteful reception room was a quiet reflection of its famed location – Harley Street. The pile carpet, the originals on the walls, the handmade furniture and subdued lighting spoke volumes for the tenant’s good taste. A discreet polished brass nameplate had the name and academic and professional credentials of its occupant.

Apart from the receptionist there were two others in the waiting room; a young lady of generous proportions and rare beauty that would, undoubtedly, stand the test of time. She was immaculately dressed in a light-weight suit with matching shoes and handbag, which complemented her complexion – she radiated good health. In stark contrast, beside her was a child of about five, a startling image of the woman, but with very pallid skin.

They went hand in hand into the surgery, leaving me to my devices. Twenty minutes later the child emerged, followed by her mother who was sobbing uncontrollably. I was taken aback by this turn of events; my mind was trying to fathom the situation when the receptionist cut into my thoughts.

“Dr Owen will see you now, Sir.”

Jack and I had been friends since our university days some four decades ago, when we shared some of the most outrageous experiences. Following medical school he had gone on to do post-graduate studies and, within a few years, had become a highly respected oncologist. He married a Malaysian whom I had introduced him to and their home in St John’s Wood was my link to all things Malaysian and Asian.

This was my 10th consultation with Jack in as many months; I would sit across from him at his oak table and with professional detachment, he would outline his prognosis on my case. He would painstakingly go beyond the call of duty, leaving no question unanswered.

As I walked towards where he stood, he gestured me to a coffee table and deep chairs set in an adjoining alcove. I immediately understood the reason for the change in routine – he was going to discard professional detachment and adopt a soft approach.

Speaking slowly and gently Jack went over all the tests, procedures and treatment I had undergone and the results observed. He also made references to related medical research and my options for the future. At length, he finished and leaned back in his chair. I had the inevitable question for him and he answered it, looking me in the eye.

“Six months, perhaps a year.”

When I stepped out into the street, it was to witness the distressed lady and her child getting into a taxi. Suddenly, the unexplained episode in the surgery was patently clear; I felt sorry for Jack who, on this fine spring morning, was the unfortunate harbinger of dread, on possibly two counts.

“It is time to go home,” I told myself.

Recognition and praise

Within a week I had wrapped up my affairs in London, in preparation for my departure. I resigned from the firm I had joined some 30 years ago; set up a trust fund to finance research on cancer treatment; gave away most of my wardrobe to the Salvation Army; distributed all my collectables to friends who would appreciate them and wrote a common letter to the numerous friends, colleagues and associates I had come to know over 43 years.

I smiled wryly to myself on realising the whole process was that much easier because I was a bachelor. I left the most difficult task to the last – a letter to my brother and sister explaining the circumstances of my health and my desire to return home.

As I settled down for the long flight home, my thoughts strayed back to when I had left Malaysia for tertiary education abroad. First class honours followed by the bar examination and chambering opened the doors to a leading legal firm.

Hard work fuelled by the affirmation of others and the intoxication of praise drove me into a state whereby my work merged with my self. I was promoted to partner in a record eight years and had served as managing partner for the last five. I devoted my entire time to the firm; there were several relationships but none that led to the registry.

Back where I started

At the airport I hired a limousine for the 200km journey to my family home. As we rounded the bend in the road, I saw the village where I had spent my youth. Thatched roofs had been replaced with cement tiles, and satellite dishes sprouted from just about every rooftop. The long arm of technology had indeed reached this remote valley, aided by the country’s robust economy. Did I really have to travel afar to seek my fortune?

Even before the limousine could come to a halt, youngsters started crowding around it. Some looked curiously into the tinted windows as others checked out their grimy faces in the waxed paintwork.

As I stepped out, I was acutely aware of my designer clothes and glasses. One is expected to be old and wise, but I appear to have been denied the latter quality. As I paid the driver, I could see the questions on his face. But his professional training prevailed and we parted company on that note.

I hauled my weary bones up the garden path, the same path I had galloped as a child. Out of the corner of my eye, I could make out faces peering from windows. Word must have got round that I was ill and had come home.

Did they feel pity for me? Surely they would not equate me to the prodigal son; had I not provided for my family these last four decades? As these thoughts crossed my mind I recalled the poet Thomas Gray, who summed up success by saying, “the paths of glory lead but to the grave”.

Surely that could not be my little brother running down the path? I then realised he must be the nephew I’d never met. And then they were all there at the top of the steps leading into the living room – my only sister looking every bit like my long-dead mother, my brother with receding forehead and a likeness of my late father, and children who I presumed were my nephews and nieces. There were hugs, kisses and tears; very few words were spoken and even fewer were called for.

In the morning, the pain came back with a vengeance. I sat on the verandah, downing painkillers with steaming coffee and watched people go about their business.

I first saw her when she turned the corner into our road; there was no mistaking the athlete’s stride and the petite profile. She lifted the latch of the gate and let herself in.

At closer range I rediscovered her laughing eyes, dimpled chin and a mouth with corners curved in a smile. Her hair had greyed in places but that added to her beauty.

As I rose to take her extended hand, I stole a glance at her other hand. My furtive attempt did not go unnoticed; she looked down at her fingers and back into my eyes.

“No. Never have been. You neither, I believe,” she said, ever so softly.

The full meaning of her words sent waves of agonising pain through me. I opened my mouth to say something, but she hushed me. As she took my hand and pressed it against her cool cheek, the pain ebbed and I felt an overwhelming sense of love.

Tears and fears

2010-01-03T22:22:00.003+08:00

By NURUL LEE

A mother’s behaviour on results day prompts another to ask what we really want for our children.

THERE was excitement in the air. Parents were busy chatting but they could hide their anxiety. Amidst the laughter, I could see the worry in their eyes. They say the eyes show your real emotion. Well, there sure was a lot to worry about.

It was the day the UPSR (Year Six examination) results would be released. Sleepless nights, pounding hearts, unfinished chores ... These exam-results syndromes are normal for kids and their parents.

The hall was abuzz with activity. Pupils laughing with their peers or talking non-stop as their eyes searched for their parents. Some pupils sat looking at their busy friends. They looked pale, as if someone had squeezed the air from their lungs. Some parents stood outside the hall, preferring the fresh air to the “stress-tinged” air inside. Couldn’t blame them.

Now I was among the anxious parents. I sat way behind my daughter, who was seated in the middle row with her friends. She looked back, saw me and waved. I nodded. Half an hour earlier, she had called me frantically on the phone to ask what time I would be in her school.

As the teachers walked in with papers in their hands, the noise subsided. A brief analyses of the year’s results was read out by the coordinator for Year Six and there was applause from the parents. Then came the moment of truth ...

Pupils who had scored straight As were called out one by one and each of them stepped up on stage grinning from cheek to cheek. When my daughter went up, I felt just fine, but she was crying madly. I wondered why; maybe she did not expect to score 5As. Anyway, I said a thankful prayer quietly.

After the last name was called, what I saw made an impact on me. One mother just dashed from the back of the hall to the front, crying. For a moment I thought she was parent of the last pupil on stage, but I was wrong.

She hugged her daughter seated in the front row and consoled her, saying it was all right that she had not scored all As. Her kid was crying. This mum kissed her daughter’s forehead and walked straight to the back of the hall, wiping her tears as she walked. She did not care about the other parents looking at her.

I was thinking: How much pressure do we put on these 12-year-olds? Why must they endure the stress of trying to achieve perfect grades?

Is it wise to push them to the limit? All they did was study, go for tuition, and do endless homework and countless practice questions. Where was the joy and fun that they rightfully needed?

I don’t remember going through all that in Year Six. I ran, played and learnt how to cycle. I rode my mum’s big bicycle till I fell and hurt my knee. And I still can laugh about that. My parents never put pressure on me to score. Whatever the grades on my report card, they just smiled and signed it. They knew I studied hard and played like mad, too …. just like my peers then. I didn’t have any tuition.

Comparing my days and now, I see so much has changed. Society looks up to top scorers without realising we are actually creating unbalanced pupils. At Primary level, why can’t we just let them enjoy their life, like we used to?

To those who got straight As, congratulations. But what about the others who did not? Their self-esteem would have dropped a notch and this would affect with them throughout their Secondary school life. And we’d start blaming them again. Is that fair?

My daughter did not want to go for the school tuition before the UPSR. All she did for the past nine months was watch TV. Ask her about the Indonesian, Korean or Malay dramas and she could relate them as if she was the writer of the scripts! Ask her about school work and she would say it was somewhere in her bag!

I told her that if she wanted 5As, she would have to work on it herself. She just gave me that innocent grin and I often wondered what she was thinking about.

As a parent, I think scoring top marks is not the main thing in life. How you cope with problems that may crop up throughout your life is more important. Survival skills are more important than just chewing school texts and regurgitating them in an examination.

So, let your kids be kids. Let them play, run, cycle and climb trees. They will be children only once in their lifetime, so don’t rob them of their childhood. Don’t send them for tuition from Year One or push them away from us by telling them to score all As or else …

Let’s teach our kids how to be human, how to interact with others, how and why they should obey God’s rules, how to help others and recognise “bad people”. Teach them how to survive in this cruel world! Reflect on how things were in our young days and ask, “Are we being fair to our kids today?”

Moon swallows

2010-01-01T08:09:00.001+08:00

By G.E.T.

At a pier in freezing cold, wondrous sights can warm the heart.

I WILL do what you usually do. Don’t let my presence stop you from your normal activities,” I told my friend Clive, whom I was visiting. After all, what could be better than a spontaneous day at Lossiemouth in Scotland.

“Really?” he asked.

“Yes, really!”

“Okay. Let me check out some information on the Internet, and I’ll tell you what I normally like to do.”

Clive came back and said: “It’ll be high tide at 2pm today, so we’ll go fishing on the pier.”

“Fishing in winter! This sounds like fun!” I exclaimed!

“However, we’ll have to get the bait first,” he said, with a twinkle in his eyes.

In Malaysia, bait means cacing or earthworms, which we can get easily at any pet fish shop.

“Let’s go get them then!” I said eagerly. I was soon to find out how wrong I was when he drove us, not to the shops, but the beach. Opening the boot of his car, he took out a shovel and a little container.

“What are we doing with these?”

“Getting some bait! I’ll show you.”

“Oh no! Don’t tell me we’re digging for earth worms?”

“No, we’re not digging. I am digging,” he said, stressing the “I”. “I dig. You pick them up. And they’re not earth worms. These are lug worms.”

“Me, pick up the worms? No way!”

“Hey, didn’t you say ‘I’ll do what you usually do’?” He seemed to take great enjoyment in reminding me about what I’d said. “This is what I usually do, and you wanted to be part of my normal activities. Come on, you’ll have to get the bait before we go fishing.”

“Oh well,” I thought. “Thank goodness I’ve got these gloves on. I surely won’t touch those grubby worms with my bare fingers!”

With the lug worms in the little container, we drove to the pier. It was freezing cold. The temperature was about 5°C, but with a 30km wind, it felt more like minus 20.

I soon realised my thin jacket was not going to keep me warm enough. My ears started turning blue and my teeth were chattering but I was not going to admit defeat. Clive looked from the corner of his eye and grinned like a Cheshire cat.

After an hour of tossing the line into the rough sea, he said, “I think you’re bad luck. I’ve always caught fish here. But today, there seems to be no fish.”

Trembling in the biting cold, I couldn’t retort: “Hey, if there’s no fish, why are there so many swallows dipping into the water?”

The wind was howling and all I could think of was, “I’m freezing cold and he thinks it’s fun.” I was beginning to wonder how long more he would fish.

Then, amazingly, the moon came up – at 3pm! What a sight! Dipping swallows and a full moon in the afternoon. I realised then that my name in Mandarin – Moon Swallow, a literal translation – made some sense at long last. I had always thought it didn’t have any relevance, unlike most other Chinese names.

Suddenly, out of the grey winter sea, a pair of dolphins flipped, jumped and twirled. It was a sight to behold. It was as if they knew they had an audience and were dancing just for me. For half an hour, I was charmed by their grace.

As I watched them, the cold didn’t seem to matter much any more. I was mesmerised. Clive remarked that he had been fishing at the pier for a long time and had never seen the dolphins.

Somehow, the joy they exuded in their dance rubbed off on me. I felt as if a ray of sunshine had beamed bright in my soul and warmed my heart. I will always remember that feeling.

Soon, the dolphins glided away. I finally decided that I could take the cold no more.

“I’m going for coffee in the cafe,” I yelled at Clive.

“Ha, ha, ha! Can’t take the cold?” he laughed, with a tinge of victory in his voice. “Go on. Maybe without you around, I might have more luck fishing.”

Walking into the cosy seaside cafe, I was greeted by the aroma of fresh brewing coffee. What a relief! I could feel the blood surging back to my fingers and ears. As I sat and sipped my coffee, all I could think about was the beautiful dolphins dancing in the sea.

Aunty, we’ll miss you

2009-12-29T20:04:00.003+08:00

By UMA PARAM

A mother-in-law that was a close friend.

THE first time I met Madam Rassamah K.S. Maniam was at her home in 1979. Our second encounter was a few years later, during Christmas. She had prepared a fantastic spread and we had the chance to relish her delicious cooking.

She was my sister’s mother-in-law. I had no inkling then that she would become my mother-in-law in 1988.

Soon after our marriage, my husband was posted to the Middle East and we lived there for over 10 years. When Aunty, my mum-in-law, came to stay with us, she was surprised that I was not as talkative as my sister and she could not communicate with her two lovely granddaughters. They were not conversant in Tamil and she could not speak English.

She was forlorn for awhile, but in next to no time, she realised that I am an excellent listener. We complemented each other; she related all her stories and I listened with interest.

Aunty shared many secrets with me as she loved talking about her past. She had excellent health. I called her “sweet 16” in Tamil and she would beam happily. When she was not chatting, she would keep herself busy reading the Tamil Nesan; woe betide us if we bought another Tamil newspaper by mistake.

Still, she felt something was amiss, as she could not converse with my daughters. On her third visit, I told her to use Malay with the girls as they had picked up the language in school. Aunty immediately launched into pidgin Malay and found she had two captive listeners.

“Lu dengar, Apuchi cakap ah ...” she’d begin her stories, with sign language thrown in for good measure. Thus began the strange saga of a Tamil-speaking grandma and her English-speaking granddaughters.

Whenever Aunty came to stay, you could be sure of two things. One would be loud chatter because of her hearing impairment, and my front porch, back yard and bins would be spotless. She loved gardening. She was fearless and could exterminate cockroaches with her bare hands. She would come running whenever I screamed when I saw them and then admonish me for being scared of such a tiny insect, and laugh heartily.

Aunty was lucky in that she could eat anything and remain slim. She loved everything I prepared for her and would ask, “Enna samayal?” (What is cooking?) the moment I headed towards the kitchen. Sometimes, I would surprise her with spaghetti bolognaise, lamb chops, steak ... whatever took my fancy and she would gamely try everything. In later years, I had to mince the cooked meats and vegetables as she had difficulty chewing and digesting.

In the last couple of years, her health deteriorated rapidly. Last year, when she had to give up many of the food she enjoyed due to her illness, she told me that she missed the Nyonya food that I once catered specially for her. It saddened me to hear that.

There were two things that Aunty used to say which I remember well. One was, “Kan parta, kai saiyum”, directly translated as “whatever the eyes sees, the hands will do”, meaning that if you see something needs to be done, don’t wait for others to tell you to do it. This is something she used to tell my daughters often.

The other is something she laughingly shares with my daughters: “Sapitte sapitte toongguwom” or “eat, eat and sleep”, meaning she had nothing do in my home except to eat and sleep.

Aunty taught my daughters some basic Tamil, both written and spoken, and used to heap praises on them when they managed to write simple Tamil words. She always said with pride, “Your daughters are just like me, very active and helpful.”

As her stays with us started in her sunset years, she always felt that she had done nothing for me. However, what she did not realise was that the most important thing she had given me was the gift of her wonderful son as my husband.

Even towards the end, Aunty put up a brave front and smiled whenever she saw us. She had undergone hip surgery, cataract removal, a breast cancer operation and radiation treatments within the last few years. But she had to be hospitalised again, for the fourth time, after another fall. Even then, she was alert and interacted well. She was lucid and told me to take care of my health and my family.

That was the last time I saw her alive. She was too weak to proceed with surgery and at 2pm on Sept 27 this year, she passed on.

My mum-in-law – the prayer warrior, intercessor, storyteller and protector – was not at all the stereotypical mother-in-law but remained a close friend to both my sister and I. She loved us a lot and the feeling was mutual. We can all learn from her. She will remain forever in our memories.

Taking credit for another’s effort

2009-11-22T09:31:00.001+08:00

By MALLIKA VASUGI

There are teachers who pass off the hard work put in by their colleagues in completing a task as their own, without feelings of guilt or remorse.

PUT two or three teachers together and chances are that after some time the topic of conversation will inevitably veer towards school-related matters.

It doesn’t matter whether you are all attending a wedding dinner, house-warming party or a wake. It doesn’t even matter whether you all know each other. You already know that the lady in the green baju kurung three places in front of you in the buffet queue, and the one with the clingy child are both teachers.

So while waiting for your turn to get some nasi tomato, you exchange a few comments about the bride’s make-up, express your disapproval at the short red dress someone is wearing, and then of course you begin the real discussion. How bossy the new ketua bidang (department head) in your school is, or how you are about to get a new principal. It happens all the time.

Why! You could be in hospital waiting to get your appendix out and generally feeling sorry for yourself, when the nurse informs you that the patient they had just wheeled in – yes, the one with the bandaged right leg – is a cikgu just like you.

Suddenly you don’t feel so alone anymore. Between the doctor’s rounds and the nurses taking your temperature, you manage to share a few school stories about the principal’s pet or the recent hysteria episode in your school.

Therefore it was hardly surprising that during a week-long course I attended lately, despite loud proclamations of going out to unwind and ‘get away from all school-related stuff’, the conversation during tea made a round turn back to teaching.

Mrs Tan, who taught English in all-girls secondary school, was telling us about the unhappy situation she was facing in her English panel.

According to Mrs Tan, the newly-appointed head of the subject panel in her school had an inborn talent for passing off other teachers’ work as her own.

“You know,” said Mrs Tan, “we other teachers in the English panel work so hard to prepare teaching modules or revision papers or action plans. And at the end of it, we see all our months of hard work, beautifully bound and labelled with her name on top.

No appreciation

“She takes sole credit for everything done by others in the panel ... even if it is through our own initiative. And what is worse is, she does not even have the grace to utter one word of appreciation to us during the panel meetings.”

We could sense the bitterness in Mrs Tan’s voice.

“Perhaps the rest of you should inform the principal or the senior assistants,” suggested Aida, another teacher.

“It’s our word against hers,” said Mrs Tan flatly. “And she has a flair for wheedling up to the bosses that none of us have. I guess one really has to be born with that.”

“Would that be a form of plagiarism?” asked Aida. “After all, it is taking credit for someone else’s written work.”

“More like a lack of integrity,” said Mr Rajan, who had been rather quiet till now.

“As for plagiarism, I think that word needs redefining in our education system. What with all these cases of people getting other people to write their assignments and even theses for them.” He gave a derisive laugh.

“It can be quite lucrative, or so I’ve heard – this ‘service’ they render; the writing of assignments and papers. I hear they charge by the chapter.

“I won’t say the thought hasn’t crossed my mind. Especially when this friend of a friend told me how much they are earning. But…” he paused and there was a cynical look on his face. “something always stops me. Call it conscience, call it integrity, call it whatever you will. Maybe I’m stupid but I know I couldn’t sleep easy at night if I complied”.

We must have looked surprised because Mr Rajan laughed again and said: “Where have you people been living all this while? This thing has been going on for so long that it is almost an open secret.”

“It’s true,” said Mrs Tan. “Sad but true. Gone are the days when people actually used their own thinking skills. Now everything is ‘adopt and adapt’. It’s really OK to research material from other sources now with the Internet and all. As long as acknowledgement of the author is done.

“But I tell you, what is done now is like wholesale copying. Cut and paste all the way, that’s what it has become.

“Look for work done by someone else, change a word or two, present it in another form, put your name to it and, voila, all the hard work and time spent by someone else’s research has now become yours.”

“Saves so much thinking time doesn’t it?” said Mr Rajan. “Imagine all the shopping and holidays one can have with time saved. Makes you wonder why you even bother with all this creative and critical thinking in our students’ learning. Might as well introduce a new subject in the curriculum: ‘How to effectively pass off someone else’s work as your own and not be caught.’ They could give A’s for that kind of thing.”

I suppose it is not an easy task. On one hand, we have to encourage our students to do independent research and use the various resources that are available. And at the same time, we have to warn them about plagiarism and that it is not alright to take someone else’s work and pass it off as their own.

We need to talk to them about intellectual property, about how important it is to begin thinking for themselves and not to ride on someone else’s opinions or thoughts. And we need to teach them about integrity.

Not just the way it is taught, as a lesson from a textbook but as something that should be ingrained in our beings.

And perhaps we should begin feeling relieved instead of frustrated when our students hand in work that is laden with errors, instead of a beautifully written piece copied from somewhere, because at least we know that the work is real.

It is authentic, and it is proof that learning is taking place – even if the process is laboriously and painfully slow.

The maddening crowd

2009-11-20T11:36:00.000+08:00

I AM studying in Lower Six this year. My school is a premier school in Johor Baru.

The reason for my writing this letter is that a new system has been adopted in all schools with Form Six classes throughout the country. The system requires all Lower Six classes beginning 2009 have to stay back until 3.30pm compared to 1.10pm in previous years.

Every afternoon, Lower Six students will be divided into groups and each group will be given a specific topic relating to a current issue and discuss among themselves.

Later, each group will be given the chance to present their topic on stage in front of their fellow classmates.

I am not totally against this idea as I understand that this is part of the Education Ministry’s initiative in boosting the level of confidence and enhancing communicative ability among school students while doing presentation.

I also understand that it is very pertinent to start and nurture students from young before they embark themselves into the commercial sector when they graduate.

But please be rational and reasonable. The moment we reach home, most of us will be dead tired.

Not to forget the amount of assignments given by our teachers and we have to complete everything on time. By then we would be too tired to study.

Another woe is that we are only given an hour for our lunch break before we begin our presentation; it is impossible for students to head home to have a home-cooked meal and then rush back to school.

Most of us will not be able to eat at home as we are not living nearby.

Therefore, students are left with no other alternatives but to patronise nearby mamak stalls for their lunch.

Needless to say, food sold at mamak stalls can be unhealthy and unhygienic.

On the other hand, transportation is a major problem for most of us.

Left with no other immediate solutions in sight, we have to rely on public transport like buses.

And mind you, most of us are not living nearby and thus, walking back home will be out of the question and too dangerous for us students considering the disturbingly high number of snatch theft cases across the country.

There was once when I had no choice that I had to walk back home from school and believe it or not, I was robbed midway!

Till now, that incident still haunts me.

Please take note that life in Form Six has never been easy.

It is undeniable that life in the sixth form can be pretty daunting and challenging.

An ample amount of time is needed for us to carry out constant revision.

Therefore, I would sincerely like to implore to the Education Ministry to seriously reconsider its decision.

The ministry fails to see the light that whatever theyre doing is in fact making our lives even more miserable, stressful and very depressing.

Will this result in good achievement in the STPM exams?

Last but not least, I would also like to take this opportunity to call upon all Lower Six students and hopefully, concerned parents out there who are equally against of the idea of Lower Six students staying back till 3.30pm, to express their dissatisfaction.

STRESSED OUT STUDENT

Via e-mail

Know your text

2009-11-15T10:38:00.001+08:00

SPM English
By JUGDEEP KAUR GILL

This week, we will look at the last question in Section D of the 1119 English paper. Question 34, which is based on the novels studied, carries 15 marks – 10 for content and 5 for language. It is quite easy to obtain marks for this question if you know your text well.

Knowing the text means knowing the plot, characters, themes, moral values and messages or lessons conveyed.

Knowing the plot means knowing the events, the sequence of events and details of the events. You should know what causes an event to occur. You should also know whether an event triggers other events and the effect an event or events on characters.

Knowing the characters means knowing the people in the story. You should focus on their characteristics – their physical, emotional and mental attributes. We learn about a character from what the author says about him or her, what other people say about him or her, or we may have to infer these characteristics from the character’s behaviour, actions or thoughts. Make sure you know your text well enough and are able to provide relevant and accurate information to support a point you make about a character.

Knowing the themes means knowing the main ideas that are conveyed in the novel. A theme is usually expressed as a statement about life. Some themes are explicit while most are implied, which means that they are not revealed directly.

Likewise, moral values or lessons may be conveyed explicitly or be implied.

An analysis of the aspects tested since 2004

GUIDELINES FOR ANSWERING QUESTION ON THE NOVEL

Read the question carefully. Ask yourself what is required of you. Underline key words or phrases in the question so that you cover every aspect required.

Spend about five minutes planning your answer. A well-planned answer is one which is thought out and organised. Points are clearly advanced and the line of thought or argument is easy to follow. In other words, the answer should be smooth flowing. There is no irrelevant information or deviation from the question. Your answer should have an introduction, a body and a conclusion. Do pay attention to paragraphing. You may leave a line between paragraphs.

Display a sound knowledge of, and engagement with the novel. Provide relevant details to support your answer. Do not make the mistake of merely retelling the story. Remember, the examiners have read the texts. What they want to see is your engagement with the text.

As this is a language paper, focus on using correct language. Use simple sentences if you cannot handle complex structures. What is important is that you convey your ideas clearly. Do pay attention to spelling and punctuation, and write neatly and legibly. When we respond to literary texts, we usually use the present tense but if this is not possible, you may respond in the past tense. The important thing is to be consistent.

Be careful when answering questions on moral values. Many students confuse characteristics with values. If a character is brave, the value is bravery. Likewise, if a character is wise, the value is wisdom. Remember to use adjectives for character traits and nouns for values. Do not mistake negative values for moral messages. Students have been known to say that one of the moral values or messages in The Pearl is greed. The value/ message conveyed is one should not be greedy.

Let’s consider the strengths of the answer. The answer is well structured.

It has an introduction, a body and a conclusion.

The introductory paragraph conveys the idea that there are several lessons to be learnt from the novel but only one lesson is chosen as required by the question and that lesson is that we should not be greedy. The next sentence conveys what greed can do to a person.

Before the effects of greed are discussed, it is important to mention briefly what Kino’s life was like before the discovery of the pearl.

This is to show how Kino and his life changed as a result of desiring something to the extent that he misplaces his priorities. The paragraphs which follow convey the problems and losses that poor Kino has had to suffer.

The conclusion conveys the idea that Kino too realises how wrong he was and that Steinbeck had deliberately given the story a sad ending so that we, the readers, can learn something from this tragic tale.

Remember, this is only a sample answer.

This is not the only way to write an answer.

Common pitfalls

Some candidates do not read the question carefully. In this question, for instance, you are asked for one lesson but some candidates have been known to write about more than one lesson. This clearly shows failure to understand the requirements of the question.

Some candidates tend to retell the story. As mentioned earlier, the examiners have read the text. There is no need for you to narrate the story.

Some candidates also show that they have no clear understanding of the text. They only know about some events, and not in detail at that. This is due to not reading the text. It is important for you to read the text several times so that you know the story well. Also, you may gain new insights every time you read the text. Good luck!

This is the last segment of the SPM English series.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT A SAMPLE QUESTION.

Write about a lesson you have learned from the novel you have studied. Support your answer with details from the text.

The novel The Pearl by John Steinbeck conveys several lessons to the readers. One lesson which I have learnt is that we should not be greedy. This is because greed is a destructive force.

Initially, Kino is a happy and contented man although he is poor. He is not bothered by the lack of material comfort in his life. His only material possessions are a canoe and his brush house.

However, when he finds the pearl he becomes ambitious. He desires things which he has never considered before. He wants new clothes for himself, Juana and Coyotito. He also wants to marry Juana in a church. He wants a harpoon and a rifle. Most importantly he wants an education for his son, Coyotito.

However, his desire for these things soon becomes an obsession. When he is attacked the first time, Juana advises him to get rid of the pearl because she believes that the attack was triggered by the pearl. He refuses to listen to Juana and is adamant on keeping the pearl. When he is attacked a second time, Juana again tells him to throw the pearl away but he refuses to listen. He is intent on getting a better life for himself and his family.

Unfortunately, after these attacks, he becomes suspicious of everyone. When Juana quietly creeps out of the house to throw the pearl away, he follows her and is able to stop her before she flings the pearl out into the sea. Angry, he lashes out at her and beats her viciously, punching her in the face and kicking her in the stomach. His determination to keep the pearl makes him lose his senses. He beats up the one person who has been very supportive of him.

Things become worse for him when he accidentally kills a man in the third attack.

The people who are after the pearl are also driven by greed. They too become destructive. They destroy his canoe and burn his brush house. Kino, knowing that his life and that of his family’s are at stake, has no choice but to flee. He heads towards the mountains and he is pursued by three trackers who will stop at nothing to get hold of the pearl. The pursuit ends with Kino killing all three trackers.

Unfortunately, his son Coyotito is also killed by a stray bullet.

Changes a must, to move forward

2009-11-13T13:08:00.001+08:00

RECENTLY issues were raised through letters in StarEducation regarding long school hours for the sixth form classes. In the transformation of the Form Six programme, only 60 minutes have been added to the previous Sixth Form Time Table.

The Education Ministry has conducted meetings with principals, teachers (sixth form classes), representatives of the National Union Teaching Profession (NUTP), state education officers and the public.

There are no issues for long school hours as it only involves sixty minutes of additional time, which the school principal can fit into the time-table with some adjustments.

The ministry has issued a circular regarding the flexibility in scheduling the time table dated October 16, 2009 (KP (BPSH-SPDK) 201/005/02).

As for extra-curricular activities, all students (including sixth formers) are required to attend these activities, which are conducted every Wednesday or any other day suitable to the clubs or uniformed bodies.

Sixth formers are seen as mature students among other students and teachers. Since Form Six classes are conducted in schools, it is perceived to be part of the secondary school education by teachers and the public.

Its syllabi are of equivalent standard to the pre-university programmes offered in colleges (‘A’ Levels) and matriculation.

In 2008, the Education Ministry made some changes to the organisational structure of the sixth form programme.

To strengthen the competency among sixth form students, the Education Ministry added soft skills as this is considered crucial in preparing them to cope in a working environment or when they further their studies.

The research element has been added and at the end of one-and-a-half years of learning, students will have the experience of producing an academic paper.

This element consists of two parts, which involves doing research (field study) and presentation of their findings.

Students in the lower sixth form will be given guidance on how to pick the topic, carry out literature reviews by making use of resources, how to collect manageable data, how to analyse these data by making use of their knowledge learnt in the General Paper (Pengajian Am), a compulsory subject in Form Six.

As for research, for the first half of Upper Six, students will be supervised by their teachers until the paper is completed, while in the second half, they will present their research.

These exercises are intended to enhance the students’ soft skills in doing work systematically, making informed decisions or opinions made based on facts and data and learning the skills of using resources.

Lastly, the presentation is to enhance their confidence, self-esteem and acceptance of criticism.

The scope of the research is open, and it can be subject-based. The inclusion of these soft skills are beneficial to the students in line with the National Education Philosophy.

At present, the Form Six programme consists of four (4) STPM subjects, Malaysian University English Test (MUET) and extra-curricular activities (see Table 1).

Research/colloquium is an additional element in the new programne. See Table 2.

On service matters, the ministry has placed Form Six teachers who were on DG41 scale to DG44, DG48 and DG52 (sixth form teachers, sixth form senior assistants and school principals) respectively according to their position.

The approval from the Public Service Department (PSD) to the grades given for DG44, DG48 and DG52 academic sixth form teachers involve the following responsibilities as shown in Table 3.

For the scheduling of the timetable for the sixth form class, the school administrator is given the autonomy to plan according to the facilities (classrooms and laboratories) that are available; and number of subjects offered to the Form Six students. The administrator must also comply with the components stated in Table 2 and Table 3, besides considering the students’ welfare.

As mature students, the students must be prepared to adapt to life in universities and colleges. The ministry hopes the public and especially teachers (in the Sixth Form) are open to the slight adjustment when conducting lessons for these future undergraduates.

The education system has to transform if Malaysia is to be at par with the rest of the developed countries.

TAN SRI ALIMUDDIN MOHD DOM

Director-General of Education

Putrajaya

A+ way to get the best of the best in SPM

2009-11-09T15:18:00.002+08:00

PUTRAJAYA: Starting next year, a new system will be used to calculate the merit points for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia 2009 school leavers and the examination’s equivalent for admission into public institutions of higher learning.

Higher Education Department director-general Datuk Dr Radin Umar Radin Sohadi said the change was in line with the Education Ministry’s new A+ pass level for SPM 2009 school leavers next year.

“The system is introduced to accept the best into the public institutions of higher learning (IPTAs) and to distinguish the difference between A+, A and A-,” he said at a news conference here yesterday.

Using this new system, a student scoring A will be categorised as A+, A or A- with merit points of 18, 16 and 14 respectively, compared to the previous 1A and 2A.

He said grade 3B would be changed to B+ and have a value of 12 merit points, 4B changed to B (10), 5C to C+ (eight), 6C to C (six), 7D to D (four), 8E to E (two), and 9G to G with no merit points.

However, Radin Umar said the new method would also take into account the special entrance requirement to ensure that earlier students who obtained grade 6C (credit) were not moved to a lower grade.

“The processing, calculation of merit points, university entrance requirement, programme entrance requirement and candidate selection will be carried out in two ways, which are the current method for SPM 2008 school leavers and those before that, and the latest method for SPM 2009 school leavers.

“This way, chances of earlier SPM school leavers to further their studies at the IPTAs are not affected.”

He said the implementation of the new merit calculation method would be made known to everyone during the Higher Edu-cation Carnival 2010 with the cooperation of the Education Ministry, from January to March next year in 10 selected zones nationwide. — Bernama

Tackling 1119 English

2009-11-07T11:22:00.001+08:00

SPM ENGLISH WITH JAGDEEP KAUR GILL

PAPER 2 of the SPM 1119 English Language paper is very manageable. In fact the questions have become so much easier over the past five years.

All in there are four sections and you are given a total of two hours and 15 minutes to complete this paper.

Section A comprises 15 multiple-choice questions and carries 15 marks; Section B consists of ten questions and carries 10 marks; Section C consists of 10 comprehension questions which carry 10 marks and one summary question which carries 15 marks; while section D is devoted to the literature component and carries a total of 25 marks (5 marks for the questions on the poem, 5 marks for the short story and 15 marks for the novel)

As with Paper 1, good time management is crucial.

I would suggest you allocate time for the different sections as follows:

Section A - 10 minutes for the first eight questions

- 10 minutes for rational cloze

Section B - 15 minutes

Section C - Reading Comprehension

- 30 minutes - Summary – 40 minutes

Section D - 30 minutes

The first part of Section A consists of eight questions on a variety of stimuli.

The stimuli are often referred to as graphic materials and short texts.

These can be in the form of advertisements, notices or signs, memos, graphs or charts, short extracts (like news reports, book/movie reviews), instructions and even cartoon strips.

Basically, these test your comprehension ability at a very elementary level.

Remember, vocabulary is also tested here and not in the rational cloze.

The stimuli given vary from year to year. Below is an analysis of the stimuli given for the past five years:

GENERAL GUIDELINES

● Always read the question first not the stimulus. When you read the question first, you know what information to look for in the given stimulus.

● Use key words in the question (or stem) to guide you. Highlight these key words so that you know what to focus on.

● Highlight or underline the evidence you find in the extract to make sure your answer is correct.

● Read all the options given. Do not jump at the first possibly correct answer you see. Choose the option that best meets the needs of the question.

● If you are unsure of the correct answer, use the elimination method, by crossing out incorrect answers.

● Make educated guesses only as a last resort and never ever leave a question unanswered.

The sample questions below mirror last year’s SPM questions.

1. According to the chart above, which town will have heavy rain throughout the day?

A. Kuching

B. Alor Setar

C. Kuala Lumpur

D. Kota Kinabalu

In the above question, you need to be able to interpret the graphic and written information.

The legend tells you what each image represents.

You need to know that the phrase ‘heavy rain’ refers to a thunderstorm and that a thunderstorm is a storm of lightning and thunder usually with rain and strong winds.

You also need to know the phrase ‘throughout the day’ refers to the whole day. In the chart, a.m. means before noon while p.m. means after noon.

Having analysed the information, you need to be able to interpret the chart given.

In option A Kuching will be cloudy before noon and it will only rain after noon.

Thus, A is incorrect.

Option B is also incorrect as Alor Setar will have clear weather before noon.

Option C is also incorrect as Kuala Lumpur, like Alor Setar will have clear weather before noon. It will only rain after noon.

This leaves us with option D. The chart shows that there will be thunderstorms in Kota Kinabalu before noon and also after noon. Therefore, option D is the best answer.

THE farewell dinner organised by SMK Seberang Pulau for its former principal was a great success. Pn Latipah Mahmood, 50, had put in for early retirement due to health reasons.

In her speech, she thanked the teachers and staff for their commitment.

2. In the report above, the phrase put in can best be replaced with

A. asked

B. agreed

C. allowed

D. appealed

The above question requires you to identify the meaning of the phrasal verb put in. In this case you need to read the whole article and ask yourself what the phrasal verb means in the given context as put in has several meanings.

From the text you know that Pn Latipah has retired early although she is only 50 years old.

This means she must have asked for or applied for early retirement.

All the options given show some form of action.

A is the correct answer as she needs to get permission before she can choose to retire early.

B is incorrect. If Pn Latipah had agreed to an early retirement, it suggests that she was asked to do so. In other words, it was not her own decision.

C is also incorrect as the principal has no power to allow for her own early retirement.

D is also incorrect as the word appealed suggests that she pleaded for early retirement.

Let’s see if you can answer the following questions .

EDUECO – Cares for the Environment

KUALA LUMPUR: A new supermarket chain, Ecofriend Sdn. Bhd. is setting a good example that other supermarkets should follow. It has decided to use paper bags to reduce the use of plastic bags which do not decompose easily.

If customers insist on having plastic bags to pack and carry their groceries, the supermarket will charge them 50 sen for each plastic bag. Customers who bring their own reusable fabric.

1. According to the newspaper report above, what will Ecofried Sdn. Bhd. do to help care for the environment?

A. Provide reusable fabric bags for all first-time customers.

B. Charge 50 sen for biodegradable plastic bags.

C. Give free vouchers to all customers.

D. Use paper bags to pack grocerie s.

Little India along Jalan Tengku Kelana in Klang is the biggest Indian street in Malaysia. It is popular among local and foreign tourists. Shoppers are literally spoilt for choice as there are several rows of shops with stalls on the sidewalks and backlanes.

The fierce competition among shop owners means lower prices for consumers. A variety of items such as saris, stainless steel pots, colourful accessories such as bangles and necklaces, and textiles are sold here.

The best time to visit this

2. From the extract above, we know that Little India attracts tourists because of its

A. low prices

B. unusual stalls

C. display of lights

D. variety of accessories

3. From the cartoon strip above, we can say that the tourist was surprised because

A. Malaysians speak fluent English

B. Malaysians learn English at school

C. the woman was able to speak fluently

D. the woman had spent many years abroad

Exploring character and theme

2009-11-05T17:08:00.002+08:00

Sunday October 31, 2004

SPM English: Lesson 14

By JENNY TAN

Last week we looked at how to tackle plot and setting in the novel. This week we will explore character and theme. Let’s look at a typical question on character and your personal response to it.

CHARACTER

Question 1

a. Which character do you admire in the novel you have studied?

b. Explain why you admire this character. Support your answer with evidence from the novel.

Model answer:

a. I admire Juana in The Pearl by John Steinbeck.

b. In the story, Juana is Kino’s wife. I admire her for several reasons. Firstly, I admire her for always putting her family first. In the story, she is described as being always the first to rise and the last to retire. In fact, Kino could never remember seeing her eyes closed when he awakened. She always saw to her family’s needs before her own.

Besides that, she was a woman of strong principles, who knew how to stand up for her beliefs when it mattered. For example, when Coyotito was stung by a scorpion, she insisted on going to see the doctor even though Kino had said that the doctor would not come. When Kino was too caught up by the pearl and its promises, she was the first to recognise that the pearl was evil and told him so. “This pearl is evil. This pearl is like a sin! It will destroy us.” Yet, she submitted to Kino when he insisted on continuing his pursuit of the riches the pearl promised to bring.

Kino described her as his “patient, fragile wife” but it was he who marvelled at her iron will. When Kino refused to listen to her, she took matters into her own hands. She tried to throw the pearl away while Kino was asleep. Unfortunately, Kino caught her doing it and punished her by beating her up. Despite this, she continued to be a pillar of strength for Kino. She followed Kino to the mountains and refused to part ways even though he insisted that she went on ahead without him. Here, her loyalty to and unwavering support for Kino are to be admired.

When Coyotito was later killed and Juana and Kino decided to head back home, she did not even blame Kino for all the troubles that they had experienced. Kino decided to throw the pearl back into the sea and handed it to Juana. However, she rightly insisted that he threw it himself so that he could come to terms with all that had happened. Juana is truly a remarkable woman.

NOTES

a. Remember to name the character as well as the novel you are going to write about.

b. Give at least three to four reasons why you admire this character. Remember to quote from the novel itself to lend support to your reasons. You should not quote from the synopsis of workbooks but rely on the original text when giving evidence.

Remember to answer the question in the form of an essay. Use connectors to link your paragraphs.

THEME

Another important question to consider is the theme.

Question:

a) Identify one of the themes from the novel you have studied. b) Describe this theme and give evidence from the novel to support your answer.

Model answer:

a) One of the themes explored in The Pearl by John Steinbeck is the destructiveness of greed.

b) Greed pervades the lives of the doctor, the priest, the villagers and anyone who hears about Kino's discovery: “The Pearl of the World”. This greed eventually thwarts Kino's hopes, causes the death of his son and nearly destroys his relationship with his wife.

We see greed in the doctor’s treatment of Kino. When Kino brings his son, Coyotito to see him, the doctor exclaims, “I am a doctor, not a veterinarian.” Then, he tells the servant to ask if Kino has any money and turns Kino away when he finds out Kino only has eight misshapen pearls. Yet, when he hears that Kino has found the pearl, he claims that Kino is “a client of mine.” He comes to Kino’s house to frighten Kino into letting him treat Coyotito. He gives the child a capsule of white powder which makes him more ill.The doctor returns an hour later to give Coyotito some ammonia to make him well. Then he asks for money, pretending not to know of Kino's precious find.

Others are also interested in Kino when they hear about the pearl. The shopkeepers hope he will buy their old stock, the beggars hope for his generosity and the pearl buyers hope to buy cheaply and make a handsome profit. The pearl buyers collaborate to cheat Kino by setting a low price for his pearl. Everyone dreams of Kino’s pearl and eventually he becomes everyone’s enemy.

When the priest hears that Kino has found the pearl, he immediately thinks of church repairs and so on. He pays a visit to Kino and tries to remind Kino that he should remember to be grateful now that he will become a rich man.

Finally, we see how greed destroys Kino when he refuses to throw the pearl away even though Juana keeps telling him that the pearl is evil. He even hits Juana when she tries to throw the pearl away. He becomes a violent murderer, shooting one of the trackers between the eyes. Subsequently he loses his son, a tragedy which forces him to finally throw the pearl back into the sea.

PREPARING FOR THE EXAM DAY

1. Check your timetable for the exact date of each exam paper. Students have been known to miss their exam due to carelessness.

2. Make a checklist of all the things you need to bring such as your identity card, your examination slip, stationery and so on. Buy a few good ballpoint pens and 2B pencils, eraser and a ruler. Do not use liquid erasers as they can be messy or the erased item may resurface a month or two later and cause you to lose marks. Stick the checklist on your mirror to remind you so you do not need to panic unnecessarily. Get someone to help you wake up if you are a heavy sleeper.

3. Just before the exam, do not try to cram any new facts into your tired brain. This may cause you to have a blackout. Just keep cool and do not be worried if there are still some things you do not know or cannot remember.

4. Some of you may find that praying before the exam has a calming effect. During the exam, divide your time carefully for each question. Do not worry if there is one particular question you do not know. Answer some other question first. The answer to the first one will come back to you later. For Paper 1, do not spend too much time elaborating on question 1 till you do not have time for question 2. Remember that question 2 carries 50 marks. Take some time to plan your answer. Do not answer immediately even though others around you may be writing furiously. Leave some time for checking. Try to eliminate mistakes in spelling and grammar.

For Paper 2, make sure you do not spend too much time on the first few sections. Section D carries a lot of marks.

5. After the exam, do not discuss the answers with your friends as worrying about your errors might affect your state of mind for the other papers. Use the time to study for the next subject instead.

We have come to the end of our series. I would like to thank all who have e-mailed me and would like to wish everyone the best in your examination. Stay healthy and pray always.

Literature made easy

2009-11-04T14:04:00.002+08:00

SPM English
By JUGDEEP KAUR GILL

Section D of the 1119 English paper focuses on the literature component and carries 25 marks. All in, there are 3 questions: Question 32, 33 and 34. Questions 32 and 33 carry 5 marks each while Question 34, which is on the novels, carries 15 marks. By now, you should be familiar with the six poems, five short stories and one of the three prescribed novels. The literature component is not as difficult as it seems. You need to know and understand all your texts well. Do not focus on a few selected ones as it is difficult to pinpoint which poem or short story will be tested. You must engage with them on a personal level. If you are able to respond to the texts by bringing in your own knowledge and experiences, you will be able to have a better understanding of them.

Do discuss the texts with your teacher and friends. Do not be upset if your interpretation is different from someone else’s. Remember, no two people will have exactly the same interpretations. What is important is that you should be able to prove your interpretations with textual evidence. You might have noticed that there is a common thread among some of the texts.

For instance, the idea of having to make choices and its consequences is explored not only in the poem The Road Not Taken but also in the short story The Necklace and the novel The Pearl. Mathilde Loisel could have told her friend Madame Forrestier the truth but she chooses not to.

As a result she endures ten years of hardship. Likewise, Kino chooses to keep the pearl despite his wife’s warnings and loses everything in the end.

Below is an analysis of the texts tested since 2004:

Guidelines for tackling poems and short stories

· Read and understand all the six poems and five short stories.

· Pay close attention to the language used by the writer to convey his ideas and thoughts.

· With short stories, make sure you know the plot well. Also, focus on characterisation, themes, values and messages conveyed by the writer.

· With the poems, make sure you understand the literal/denotative meaning as well as the figurative/connotative meaning. The former is the dictionary meaning while the latter is the inferred or implied meaning.

· There is no harm in knowing some of the common literary devices (metaphors, similes, personification, onomatopoeia) employed in the short stories and poems.

· Remember, the answers to the first three questions on the poem and short story can be found in the extract given.

· The fourth question is usually a personal response question and the answer is teased out of candidates. This means you need to know the poem or story well in order to tackle this question. (This is where engaging with the texts is important).

Let’s look at some sample questions.

Drinking milo,

Nyonya and baba sit at home.

This was forty years ago.

Sarong-wrapped they counted

Silver paper for the dead,

Portraits of grandfathers

Hung always in the parlour.

a. Where are nyonya and baba?

at home [1 mark]

b. What are they doing?

counting silver paper for the dead [1 mark]

c. Which word means ancestors?

grandfathers [1 mark]

d. Do you think it is important for us to remember our ancestors?

Give a reason for your answer

Yes, because they are an important part of our past/ we should respect the for what they have done for us/we would not be here if not for our ancestors

No, there is no point in remembering our ancestors as we should concentrate on our present

[2 marks]

*Any answer that is logical is acceptable here

Reading Tennyson at six

p.m. in pajamas,

Listening to down-pouring

rain; the air ticks

With gnats, black spiders fly,

Moths sweep out of our rooms

Where termites built

Their hills of eggs and queens zoom

In heat.

We wash our feet.

For bed, watch mother uncoil

Her snake hair

a. What is the persona wearing?

Pyjamas [1 mark]

b. Which phrase tells you that it is raining?

down-pouring rain [1 mark]

c. Name one creature that comes out of hiding during the monsoon season.

gnats/black spiders/moths/termites [1 mark]

d. In your own words, explain what the speaker means when she says ‘watch mother uncoil her snake hair’?

She notices that her mother’s long hair uncoils like a snake when it is untied [2 marks]

See if you can answer the following questions on the short stories.

But one Sunday, having gone to take a walk in the Champs Elysees to refresh herself after the labours of the week, she suddenly saw a woman who was leading a child. It was Madame Forestier, still young, still beautiful, still charming.

Madame Loisel felt moved. Should she speak to her? Yes, certainly. And now that she had paid, she would tell her all about it. Why not?

a. Why did Madame Loisel go for a walk at the Champs Elysees?

To refresh herself (after the labours of the week) [1 mark]

The answer is found in the line “… having gone to take a walk in the Champs Elysees to refresh herself after the labours of the week…”,

b. Who does the word her in the extract refer to?

Madame Forestier [1 mark]

The answer is found in the line before the reference “Madame Loisel felt moved. Should she speak to her?”

c. What can you conclude about Madame Loisel’s feelings about having settled the debt?

She is pleased that she has settled the debt/There is a sense of pride in

having settled the debt. [1 mark]

You have to conclude this from the lines “Should she speak to her? Yes, certainly. And now that she had paid, she would tell her all about it. Why not?”

d. Do you think it was right of Madame Loisel to speak to Madame Forestier?

Give a reason for your answer.

Yes, I think she did the right thing because she had nothing to be ashamed of anymore.

No, speaking to Madame Forestier only revealed that the ten years of her life

had been wasted because the necklace had been an imitation. [2 marks]

*Any answer that is logical is acceptable here

Remember the answers to the first three questions can be found in the extract. Only the fourth question requires some interpretation/reflection on your part.

Finding meaning in the novel

2009-11-03T17:05:00.001+08:00

BY JENNY TAN

LESSON 13

THIS week we shall look at the question on the novel in Section D. This question carries 15 marks as compared to nine marks last year. Therefore, more attention should be given to this section.

Let’s take a look at what you should know before the exam (as discussed in Lesson 11). You should be able to:

- write out the plot or the sequence of events in the text, that is, give the synopsis of the story.

- give a personal response to the text

- describe the setting of the text

- describe the characters in the story

- explain the themes and message in the story

- discuss values explored in the text

- relate the story's events, characters and values to one’s life

Thus, any of the skills described above could be tested in the examination. Thus far, questions have been set on characters twice and one question on moral values. Let’s look at each requirement carefully.

Plot

The plot is the sequence of events in a story. In the novel you have studied, the main character (protagonist) has a certain motivation but obstacles arise which may prevent him from achieving his goal. Thus, a conflict arises. A series of events brings him to the climax of the story and finally, the complication is resolved and brings the story to a close.

Note: A question on plot has not been tested in the exam yet.

Probable questions:

1. Describe the plot of the novel you have studied.

2. Briefly recount the story of the novel you have studied, giving evidence from the text to support your answer.

3. Describe the sequence of events in the novel you have studied.

Model answer:

Jungle of Hope by Keris Mas

The story is about a group of traditional farmers in Ketari and Benus who are solely dependent on traditional farming. Pak Kia’s farm is threatened by floods.

At the same time, a mining company is interested in taking over the land. The family has to decide whether to continue staying on in Bentong or leave for the jungle to open up new land.

Pendekar Atan has been given the task of getting all the farmers to agree to sell their land. All have consented to do so except Pak Kia.

A conflict arises between Pak Kia and his brother, Zaidi over the planting of rubber trees on their ancestral land. Pak Kia finally sells his land and moves to Janda Baik with his family while Zaidi decides to move away from traditional farming.

He decides to adapt to the demands of the new way of life which is influenced by the British and the Chinese. He learns to grow rubber and do business successfully.

In Janda Baik, Pak Kia and family face many hardships as they open a new settlement. Pak Kia’s son, Karim is unhappy with the move as he has to stop school.

Pak Kia suffers when his baby daughter dies. A crisis occurs when he is attacked by a wild boar but Karim manages to save him and kills the animal. In the meantime, Pak Kia feels hopeful and he is determined to survive with his family in Janda Baik.

The villagers of Janda Baik work together and manage to endure their hardships. Three years on, Karim matures to become a promising young farmer. Pak Kia and family have made a success of their new venture.

Setting

The setting of a story is the time and place where a story takes place. The physical details of a place tell us about the values, ideals and attitudes of a place in the story.

Setting reinforces the message of the story and reflects the characters of the story as well. For example, the disgusting behaviour of the doctor in The Pearl by John Steinbeck is reinforced by the description of his home and his dreams of Paris. It emphasises the vast difference between the rich and the poor in the story.

Note: A question on setting has not been tested in the exam yet.

Probable question:

Describe the setting of the novel you have studied and its importance to the story.

Model answer:

The Pearl by John Steinbeck

The story is set in the ancient city of La Paz in Baja, California. The people who live in the settlement on the outskirts of the town are native Mexican-Indians. They are poor fishermen and pearl-divers who are closely-knit. They live in brush houses with a small sleeping area and a fire pit.

In La Paz, the descendants of the Spanish people who conquered Mexico 400 years earlier are rich, just like the doctor.

Their homes are made of stone and plaster. Kino could see the “green coolness of the garden with a little splashing fountain”.

The setting emphasises the vast disparity between the rich and educated in the town and the poor uneducated villagers.

Other important elements of the setting are the sea, the gulf and the desert of which Steinbeck has cleverly created a series of contrasts. For example, the sea provides an income for the natives.

It is rich with different kinds of colourful animals and plants. The gulf, on the other hand, is hazy and cannot be relied on. Outside La Paz is the sandy desert which is dry and hot, but at night, it is abuzz with the sounds of desert animals. The mountains are a refuge for Kino and his family.

However, it is also a place of tragedy, where Coyotito is shot.

Thus, it is evident that Steinbeck uses these places to show the contrast between Kino's happiness and moral dilemmas.

Contrast is also shown in the description of Kino’s attire and the doctor’s. Kino wears worn-out clothes (the thousand washings of his clothes) and sandals while the doctor adorns himself with red watered silk from Paris. Juana wears a torn and tattered skirt. They are described as “poverty people”.

Finally, songs are an ever-present feature in the novel; useful in setting the mood of its characters. For example, when Kino is safe and contented, we can hear the Song of the Family.

When he senses danger or evil, he hears the Song of Evil. This happens when he sees the scorpion about to attack Coyotito or when he is pursued by the trackers.

The Music of the Pearl can be heard when Kino finds the pearl and dreams of a better future for his family. He hears the Song of the Enemy when he is unable to sell his pearl because the pearl buyers have set too low a price it.

Next week, we shall look at themes and characters. In the meantime, here’s a revision exercise for those of you who are reading The Pearl by John Steinbeck.

More on summary writing

2009-11-02T14:03:00.001+08:00

LAST week, we had a look at reading comprehension and summary writing. Here is question 31 which could not be included in last week’s article due to space constraints.

31. Based on the passage given, write a summary on:

- the reasons the writer and her husband migrated to Malaya, and

- the problems the writer and her husband faced in Malaya.

Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the original meaning.

Your summary must:

> be in continuous writing form (not note form)

> use materials from lines 21 to 46

> not be longer than 130 words including the 10 words given below.

Begin your summary as follows:

My husband felt that migrating to Malaya was the only ...

Answers to summary writing

Below are the sentences taken from the passage, and the summary points are in italics.

First uncle had mortgaged the land to a local bank many years ago when the crops had failed.

He was too old to work the farm alone and my husband was not interested in farming at all, having spent most of his growing years in Malaya.

Worse still, due to the outstanding mortgage payments first uncle was heavily in debt and

the banks had refused to give the farmers any more loans

My husband often left me alone because he had to work outstation.

I was extremely lonely as I had no one to talk to.

Our only neighbours were some Malay families and I could not talk to them because I did not understand a word of the local language

In those days, there was no electricity supply.

The wooden house we lived in had no piped water, either

For a while, we led a quiet and happy life that is, until the tin mine ceased operations and my husband lost his job

After three months, my husband had still not found a job.

He finally gave in to the demands of second uncle and his wife.

My husband had to scrub the drains and

cut the grass on their five acre piece of land

Meanwhile, I had to do all the tedious household chores.

Here is a sample summary using phrases and sentences from the passage.

My husband felt that migrating to Malaya was the only solution because his uncle had mortgaged the land (reason 1) and he was heavily in debt (reason 2). Moreover, the banks had refused to give farmers any more loans (reason 3). Besides, my husband was not interested in farming (reason 4). However, life in Malaya was just as difficult. My husband often left me alone (problem 1) when he had to work outstation. I was extremely lonely (problem 2). I had no one to talk to as I did not understand the local language (problem 3). Worse still, there was no electricity supply (problem 4) or piped water (problem 5). Things became worse when my husband lost his job at the tin mine (problem 6). We had no choice but to move to Kuala Lumpur. After three months, my husband was still without a job (problem 7).

(125 words)

Tackling poetry in Section D

2009-11-01T16:00:00.001+08:00

SPM English: LESSON 12

By JENNY TAN

I am sure by now you are aware that only one poem will be tested in Section D of Paper 2. Make sure you have a complete understanding of all the poems so you are prepared for any one of them. This can be done by reading all the poems carefully and finding the meanings of difficult phrases and words. If possible, paraphrase the poems. This week, we shall look at two poems in detail to help you revise for the exam.

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

by Robert Frost

Stanza 1

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;

Stanza 2

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,

Stanza 3

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.

Stanza 4

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 travelled by;

And that has made all the difference

Notes:

Stanza 1

The persona came across two roads in a forest in autumn. He felt sorry that he could not choose both roads. He looked as far as he could to see where one of the roads led. The under-growth (low-growing plants and shrubs beneath trees in a forest) prevented him from seeing further.

Stanza 2

Both roads seemed equally fresh and inviting that morning as no one had passed by yet. However, he decided to choose the second road only because fewer travellers had used it. Yet, after having taken that road, he felt it might have been just the same.

Stanza 3

He thought he could keep the first road for some other day. Yet, deep down, he knew that as one thing leads to something else, there might not be another opportunity to take that first road.

Stanza 4

The persona mused that one day in future he would probably realise he would have no regrets choosing the road less travelled by because it would have made his life more meaningful.

Answer the following questions:

1a. Where is the persona in the poem?

b. What season is suggested in line 1, stanza 1 above?

c. What is the decision the persona has to make?

2a. Explain the line ‘In leaves no step had trodden black’ in your own words.

b. Why did the second road have the better claim?

c. What did the persona find out about the second road after he had chosen it?

3a. What does the persona hope to do with the first road?

b. Why did the persona doubt that he would ever come back?

c. Which stanza of the poem do you like best? Give a reason to support your answer.

New format for lit

2009-10-30T16:54:00.000+08:00

BY JENNY TAN

IN the new SPM English format, the literature questions are now found in Section D, Paper 2. You are required to answer one question each on a short story, a poem and a novel.

This section is very important as it carries 25 marks in Paper 2. If you look at the learning outcomes of the literature component, you will have an idea of what will be tested.

The outcomes state that students should be able to:

- write out the plot or the sequence of events in the text;

- give a personal response to the text;

- describe the setting of the text;

- describe the characters of the text;

- explain the themes and message of the text;

- discuss values explored in the text;

- relate events, characters and values to one’s life;

- paraphrase poems; and

- give a synopsis of a text or summarise a text.

Read the story and know the plot well. Mark important phrases and passages. Know the characters and the rest of the learning outcomes mentioned above. Practise answering as many questions as possible.

We shall start with the short stories this week.

Due to time and space constraints, I will only discuss two stories. Read the short stories again before attempting to answer these questions. I have provided the suggested answers at the end of this article.

THE NECKLACE

Synopsis

Mathilde is married to M. Loisel, a clerk. She is discontented with her life and yearns for a fancy life among the rich and famous. One day, her husband brings home an invitation to a ball. She is unhappy because she has nothing proper to wear. Her husband gives her money for a gown but she is still unhappy as she has no jewellery. She borrows a diamond necklace from her friend, Madame Forestier. At the ball, she is a great success. However, when she gets home, she realises she has lost the necklace. Loisel searches everywhere but cannot find it. They replace the necklace and spend the next 10 years to settle their debts. Mathilde turns into a coarse, common woman. One day, she meets up with Madame Forestier and tells her the truth. To her dismay, she discovers that the necklace that she had borrowed was only an imitation.

Read the extracts from the short story The Necklace and answer the questions that follow.

1. She was one of those pretty and charming young girls who sometimes are born, as if by a slip of fate, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no expectations, no way of being known, understood, loved and wedded by any rich and distinguished man; so she let herself

a) What was Mathilde like when she was young? (1m)

b) What does the phrase ‘..so, she let herself be married to a little clerk..’ suggest about Mathilde’s marriage? (2m)

c) Do you think Mathilde made the right decision about marrying someone from the same social class? Give a reason for your answer. (2m)

2. Mathilde suffered ceaselessly, feeling herself born to enjoy all delicacies and all luxuries. She was distressed at the poverty of her dwelling, at the bareness of the walls, at the shabby chairs, the ugliness of the curtains. All those things, of which another woman of her rank would not even have been conscious, tortured her and made her angry. The sight of the little peasant who did her humble housework aroused in her despairing regrets and bewildering dreams. She thought of silent antechambers hung with Oriental tapestry, illumined by tall bronze candelabra, and of two great footmen in knee breeches who sleep in big armchairs, made drowsy by the oppressive heat of the stove. She thought of long reception halls hung with ancient silk, of the dainty cabinets containing priceless curiosities of little coquettish perfumed reception rooms made for chatting at five o’clock with intimate friends, with men famous and sought after, whom all women envy and whose attention they all desire.

a) Why did Mathilde suffer ceaselessly? (1m)

b) Give two pieces of evidence from this extract that suggests that Mathilde was discontented and unhappy with her life? (2m)

c) Do you think Mathilde was right to feel discontented with her life? Give a reason for your answer.

“Yes, I have had a very hard life, since I last saw you and great poverty – and that because of you!”

“Of me! How so?”

“Do you remember that diamond necklace you lent me to wear at the ministerial ball?”

“Yes. Well?”

“Well, I lost it.”

“What do you mean? You brought it back.”

“I brought you back another exactly like it. And it has taken us ten years to pay for it. You can understand that it was not easy for us, for us who had nothing. At last, it is ended and I am very glad.”

Madame Forestier had stopped.

“You say that you bought a necklace of diamonds to replace mine?”

“Yes. You never noticed it, then! They were very similar.”

a) What happened to Mathilde to cause her great poverty?

b) What happened at the end of the story?

c) What do you think is the message of this story?

What makes a good summary

2009-10-28T14:00:00.001+08:00

BY JENNY TAN

LESSON 9: Writing a summary

LAST week, we looked at how to tackle the summary question. We learnt how to select and retrieve relevant information from a passage. We also looked at some examples on how to present the information smoothly and accurately.Let us look at some answers for the question I gave on summary writing last week. The question required you to summarise the steps taken by the mother to ensure that her children succeeded in life. The sample answers have been given a rating of poor, average and excellent to give you an idea of what examiners look for.

Model summary A: Poor
My mother took several steps from the beginning. Firstly, she made sure we attended the English-medium school. We needed money for transport, food and school fees but somehow she always managed. She made sure we attended school every day and no television was allowed after dinner. She also made sure we took opportunities of the various co-curricular activities organised by the school. She listened to us practise our story-telling competitions endlessly. We went on trips to various cities and organisations. She became friends with the teachers and made presents for them. She would never tolerate a single complaint of ours concerning the teachers. She allowed us to play and roam freely. She taught us to make do with what we have. She always reminded us that we deserve a better life and never give up.
(135 words)

Comments: This student has lifted whole sentences straight from the passage. However, these sentences have not been properly linked. Be careful that you do not resort to wholesale copying as you might miss out on some points or exceed the word limit.

Model summary B: Average
My mother took several steps from the beginning. Firstly, she sent us to the English-medium school instead of the Chinese school as many students failed to do well there. Then, she ensured that we attended school every day and revised our work at home. She also sent us to any co-curricular activities organised by the school and paid for the trips by borrowing from our uncle. She made friends with our teachers and was also active in the Parent Teacher Association. She allowed us to roam freely so that we could enjoy our childhood. We learnt to make do with what we had. She taught us not to give up. She believed that we would do great things and this motivated us to improve ourselves. (130 words)

Comments: This student has lifted some phrases form the original text and reorganised some of the points. However, there is only a limited attempt to rephrase.

Model summary C: Excellent
My mother took several steps from the beginning. Firstly, she sent us to the English-medium school instead of the Chinese school as many students failed to do well there. Then, she ensured that we attended school daily and saw to our revision at home. Besides that, she encouraged us to attend the school’s co-curricular activities and paid for trips with borrowed money. She also made friends with the teachers and showed appreciation to them. She was also actively involved in the Parent Teacher Association. Unlike other parents, she allowed us to roam freely or pursue our own interests. She taught us to be contented with what we had and to be persistent, never giving up when we failed. Her belief in us made us strive and succeed in our lives.
(130 words)

Comments: This student has made a sustained attempt to rephrase the original text in his or her own words. Some phrases are retained.

Writing a summary

2009-10-26T13:49:00.000+08:00

By JENNY TAN

THIS year, the summary writing question is based on the reading comprehension passage. You are required to summarise a portion of the passage in 130 words. A total of 15 marks will be given for content as well as language.

What is summary writing?

It is a shortened version of a text.

It should only include the main ideas from the original text and not your response to those ideas.

The main ideas must be expressed in your own words as much as possible.

Here’s a summary question for you to try. You will need to refer to last week’s comprehension passage.

The writer’s mother wanted all her children to go to university.

Summarise the steps she took to make sure they succeeded.

Your summary must

be in continuous writing (not in note form).

not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below.

use only material from paragraph 3 to paragraph 8.

Credit will be given for the use of your own words, but care must be taken not to change the original meaning.

Begin your summary as follows:

My mother took several steps from the beginning. Firstly, she …..

HERE'S HOW WE DO IT

STEP 1: Read the question and determine what is required.

In the question above, you are required to summarise the steps the mother took to make sure her children got into university.

Look out for reactions, feelings, benefits, advantages or disadvantages, problems, causes and effects.

STEP 2: Select the relevant information.

Read the text or the section required. Mark the sentences or paragraphs which you are required to summarise. Go through each paragraph, sentence by sentence, asking yourself which information is relevant or important. Underline important sentences or phrases. The real challenge is to pick out what is relevant to the question.

Let’s look at paragraph 3 and 4.

The first step she took was to make sure we attended the English-medium school instead of the nearby Chinese school which the other villagers’ children attended. Many of these students failed in the examinations or dropped out of school.

We needed money for transport, food and school fees in those days, and although money was hard to come by, she always managed. The villagers laughed at her. They thought that she was foolish for having such lofty dreams for us.

The summary is about the steps taken by the writer’s mother to ensure her children's success. So, the first sentence is relevant. Since you only have 130 words for your summary, you cannot afford to copy everything. For the first point, I would underline the following sentence.

Point 1: The first step she took was to make sure we attended the English-medium school instead of the nearby Chinese school which the other villagers’ children attended. Many of these students failed in the examination or dropped out of school.

In the second paragraph, the relevant point is that the mother always managed to provide for her children.

Point 2: We needed money for transport, food and school fees in those days, and although money was hard to come by, she always managed.

Here, I would leave out the next few lines as it is about the villagers’ views about her mother and not on the steps her mother took. Many students make the mistake of copying irrelevant parts and end up missing out on points for content.

Go through each paragraph and mark out all the important points. You should leave out examples, repetitious points or supporting details, as they are not necessary to the summary. List all the important points you have marked out on a separate sheet of paper.

STEP 3: Paraphrase (rephrase in your own words) the information and reorganise it.

Examiners look for students’ ability to organise and paraphrase the text given. As far as possible, do not lift or copy the words straight from the passage. Students usually copy every single word and end up losing points for language. While you are not expected to change every word of the text, you are expected to try to reorganise and rephrase certain parts of it in your own words. Look at the list that you have made. Try to condense long and complex sentences into shorter ones.

Point 1 above could be summarised as below:

Firstly, she made sure we attended the English-medium school instead of the Chinese school as many students failed to do well there.

It could be condensed further as below:

Firstly, she sent us to the English-medium school instead of the Chinese school as many students failed to do well there.

Many students who are weak in English try to reorganise the information by copying parts of sentences or phrases and stringing them together.

As a result, they end up not making any sense at all.

So, the tip here is if you are weak in English, stick to copying whole sentences. If you are good in English, do some paraphrasing but do not go overboard by misinterpreting the meaning of the text.

Let’s look at some sentences to paraphrase.

Apart from school, she also made sure we took advantage of the various co-curricular activities organised by the school. She listened intently to us as we practised for our school story-telling competitions. She made sure we attended every camp organised by the Scouts and Girl Guides. She paid for our trips to various towns and visits to organisations. I suspect that she had borrowed some money from our rich uncle to ensure that we never missed out on these activities. Looking back, those trips really opened up our minds and showed us another way of life.

This paragraph could be summarised as below:

She encouraged us to attend the various co-curricular activities organised by the school and paid for our trips with borrowed money.

All the other points are supporting details about the activities organised and they are not important to your summary.

STEP 4: Insert links between sentences.

Once you have got all your points organised and rephrased some of them, it is time to write them out in a paragraph. As you may be rushing for time, Step 3 and Step 4 may be done simultaneously. Make sure that the connection between your sentences is clear and logical. Ensure that the sentences flow smoothly from one to another. Use linking words such as therefore, but, because, however, besides that, and so on.

Example:

Firstly, she sent us to the English-medium school instead of the Chinese school as many students failed to do well there. Then, she ensured that we attended school daily and saw to our revision at home. Besides that, she encouraged us to attend the co-curricular activities organised by the school and paid for our trips with borrowed money.

Notice how I have joined the sentences with Then and Besides that. You do not have to do it for every sentence. You could also use relative pronouns such as who, which, whose and that.

STEP 5: Adjust the length of the summary

If you have exceeded the word limit of 130 words, read the summary once through and check to see if you could leave out any information that is not essential. You could also try shortening certain words or phrases. Do not delete chunks of important points as a short cut. Try to write your summary within the limit of 125 to 130 words as any word after that is not counted.

Example:

i. She made sure we attended school every day.

She made sure we attended school daily.

ii. Mother also believed that if she became friends with the teachers, we would stand a greater chance of succeeding in our education.

Mother believed that if she befriended the teachers, we would have a better chance of success.

Next week, we shall look at a few model answers to this exercise. I shall also set you a few more exercises.

Substantial Section C

2009-10-25T11:48:00.002+08:00

SPM English by JUGDEEP KAUR GILL

Today we will take a look at Section C of the SPM 1119 paper. This section, which carries a substantial 25 marks, is divided into two parts, reading comprehension and summary writing. 10 marks are allocated for reading comprehension and 15 marks for summary writing.

Guidelines for reading comprehension

1. Read the whole passage through once to get a general idea of what the passage is about. Do not worry if you come across unfamiliar words. Sometimes, it is not necessary to understand every word you read.

2. Do read the passage a second time, if necessary. The second reading helps you take in the details and improve your understanding.

3. Read the questions carefully. Use cue words in the questions to help you answer the questions. These can be the “wh” words (what, when, where, why, who, whose, how) and action verbs (identify, find, list).

4. Questions sometimes contain words found in the passage. Use these words to help you identify the part of the passage where the answer can be found.

5. You do not have to answer questions in complete sentences (look at the sample answers given).

6. You can lift words, clauses or sentences from the passage to answer questions. You do not have to use your own words unless you are told to do so. Moreover, there is a danger in paraphrasing – you might alter/distort the meaning expressed in the passage and hence lose precious marks.

7. For questions on vocabulary, if you are asked for a word, then give only ONE word and nothing else. Make sure you spell the word correctly. If you are asked for a phrase, then give the relevant phrase. If you copy the sentence where the word or phrase are found, you must indicate the chosen word or phrase by underlining it or putting it within quotation marks.

8. Some questions require you to use your own words and you must do so.

9. Do pay attention to the tense (and sometimes pronoun) used in the questions when formulating your answers.

Pitfalls to avoid

1. Do not give more than the required information. Sometimes, students copy chunks from a passage, giving two or more sentences. This only highlights their weakness – failure to understand the question and/or text.

2. Do not give two or more answers to a question. Some students write down all the possible answers to a question just to be on the safe side.

3. Do not waste time paraphrasing answers unless you are asked to do so.

Summary writing

The question on summary writing is based on the same text used for reading comprehension. This should be a boon as you would be familiar with the text after several readings. Despite this, many students are not comfortable dealing with summary writing.Their fears stem from their inability to identify informtation relevant to the answer. Some are also worried that they may not be able to put the information together into a coherent paragraph. Weak students have an additional problem to grapple with – language. While these concerns are genuine, there is no reason to fret as these problems can be easily overcome with proper guidance and help from teachers.

Remember that summary writing in the context of this paper is largely a reading skill (as you are required to select relevant information in the text) with a bit of writing thrown in (as you have to string the points together into a unified text). The task is made easier for you as you do not need to summarise the whole text, only certain aspects (maybe one or two). Therefore, it is crucial that you read the question carefully and consider what information is relevant.

The allocation of marks for summary writing is as follows: 10 for content and 5 for language. Usually, there are more than 10 content points but you should be able to identify at least 10. I always advise students not to worry too much about paraphrasing. You should focus on getting marks for content, not language.

Guidelines for summary writing:

1. Read the question carefully. Ask yourself: “What am I required to summarise?”

2. Mark the first and last lines of the passage you are asked to refer to.

3. Then select information that is relevant to your answer. To do this, underline the relevant lines or ideas as you read the text. Always ask yourself: “Is this...” (For the summary below, you would ask: “Is this a reason tigers have become extinct? or Is this a measure that should be implemented?”

4. Look through the lines/ideas you have underlined. Sometimes an idea is repeated in another line by way of paraphrasing. Ask yourself, is this a repetition?

5. Summarise these ideas. You can combine ideas by combining phrases or sentences, or you may want to paraphrase ideas/sentences. However, make sure your sentences are complete sentences and not fractured bits and pieces.

6. If you cannot paraphrase ideas, see if there are words in the text that you can replace without affecting meaning. For example, you can use a pronoun to replace a noun.

7. If you are a weak student, do copy the complete sentence. This way, you will not lose marks for content or language.

8. Begin the summary with the 10 words given and remember that the three dots after the tenth word mean you have to complete the sentence with some relevant information from the text.

9. Organise the ideas/points in the manner in which they are found in the text. Do not waste time trying to rearrange ideas.

10. Adhere to the word limit. Writing more than the required number of words will not get you any marks. Anything far too short of the word limit means you lack content.

11. Pay attention to the tense (and sometimes pronoun) used in the given 10 words.

12. Write the summary in one paragraph. Some students are in the habit of drawing columns to facilitate counting of words. This is perfectly fine but do write your final draft in one paragraph.

Pitfalls to avoid

1. Do not include information not found in the text.

2. Do not include your own ideas or opinions.

3. Do not spend too much time paraphrasing as you might end up losing marks for content unless you can do so without altering/distorting meaning.

4. Do not repeat ideas. Sometimes, an idea is repeated in the text and you may not notice it as it may have been paraphrased.

5. Do not include material from other lines in the text.

Tackling Paper 2

2009-10-24T13:46:00.002+08:00

By JENNY TAN

For the past few weeks, we have been looking at writing essays for Paper 1. It is time to move on to Paper 2.
The format is as follows:
Section A:
15 multiple-choice questions on stimuli and rational cloze.
Section B:
10 questions on information transfer.
Section C:
5 questions on reading comprehension and 1 summary writing.
Section D:
Literature component
Poem: 1 question
Short Story: 1 question
Novel: 1 question

NOTE THIS

You have two hours and 15 minutes for this paper and you are advised to spend 25 minutes for Section A (15 marks), 25 minutes for Section B (10 marks), 50 minutes for Section C (25 marks) and 35 minutes for Section D (25 marks).

Since Section C and D carry the most marks, I would suggest that you tackle these two sections first before Section A and B. Students tend to spend too much time on Section A and B that they do not have time to answer the last sections well.

So, budget your time carefully. Leave out the questions that you are not sure of and come back to them later.

I will not be discussing Section A and B as these sections are quite easy and students usually do well in them.

In Section C of Paper 2, students are required to answer 5 questions based on a passage of about 800 words. This is followed by a question on summary writing based on the same passage.

This week, we shall look at the reading comprehension passage and the questions that follow.
Try the questions yourself first before you look at the answers for comparison.

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.

1. In my family, there was never any doubt in our minds as to who was in charge at home. Although my father was always around, my mother was the principal architect and engineer of our lives. From the day we were born, she had plans for each of us, and education was her top priority.

2. My mother also knew that all her children would go to university. She did not want us to end up like the rest of the villagers who were content to run the family business or work in the nearby factories. From the beginning, she took what she thought were the necessary steps to make sure we got there.

3. The first step she took was to put us in an English-medium school instead of the nearby Chinese school which the other villagers' children attended. Many of those children failed in their examinations or dropped out of school.
We needed money to pay for transport, food and school fees in those days, and although money was hard to come by, she always managed. The villagers laughed at her. They thought that she was foolish for having such lofty dreams for us.

4. While mother was illiterate, she made sure we attended school every day and we were not allowed to watch television after dinner. Instead, she made us sit at the long dining table with our homework or at least a book to read. She would thumb through our exercise books, frowning at each page that had a lot of errors.

5. Apart from school, she also made sure we were involved in the various co-curricular activities organised by the school. She listened intently to us as we practised for our school story-telling competitions.
She made sure we attended every camp organised by the Scouts and Girl Guides. She paid for our school trips to various towns and visits to organisations. I suspect that she had borrowed some money from our rich uncle to ensure that we never missed out on these activities. Looking back, those trips really opened up our minds and showed us another way of life.

6. Mother also believed that if she became friends with the teachers, we would stand a greater chance of succeeding in our education. She made presents on Teacher’s Day for every teacher who taught her children. She would never tolerate any of our complaints about them. She believed that if a teacher disciplined us, then it must have been because we did something wrong. Mother actively participated in every single Parent Teacher Association meeting by giving constructive criticism and useful suggestions. When my sister and I were successful in our examinations, she cooked nasi kunyit for all the teachers.

7. However, there was one thing which my mother did not do which the other parents in the school were pursuing relentlessly. They enrolled their children for piano lessons in the belief that it would give them an edge over others. Every free minute of their children's lives was filled with piano lessons. Mother believed differently. She made sure we had free time to play, so while my schoolmates were busy practising on their piano, , I was exploring the neighbourhood and playing childhood games with my peers and siblings. We enjoyed every minute of our childhood.

8. Mother also believed that in order to succeed, we had to make do with what we had. Although other children had new watches and playthings she taught us to be content with even our old pencil cases. When I complained about my limited wardrobe, she told me to be thankful that I had clothes to wear. Her message to her children was to press on and look ahead regardless of failure, and in time, we would be able to achieve our goals, including being able to afford a nice wardrobe. The most amazing thing about my mother was her belief that each of her children would accomplish great things in life. She always reminded us that we deserved a better life than the one she had and that anything is possible. As a result of her belief in us, we strove to be better and have ended up being successful in our lives. Although all her children ended up with professional degrees and doctorates, Mother is the one with the PhD in life.

QUESTIONS 26 – 30

Answer all questions. You are advised to answer them in the order set.

26. From paragraph 1, according to the writer,
a) Who is the person in charge of the writer’s family?
                      (1 mark)
b) What was considered as the main priority in the family?
                     (1 mark)
27a) “From the beginning, she took what she thought were the necessary steps to make sure we got there.” What does the word “there” refer to?
                     (1 mark)
b) What was the first step the writer’s mother took?
                     (1 mark)
28. From the evidence in paragraph 3, give two reasons why her mother did not want the writer and her siblings to attend the Chinese school in their village.
                     (2 marks)
29. Describe the mother’s view on knowledge and education in your own words as described in paragraphs 4 and 5.
                     (2 marks)
30. What was the effect of the mother’s belief on her children?
                     (2 marks)

ANSWERS

26 a. The writer’s mother.
b. Education was considered the main priority.
(This is a direct question which requires you to read for specific information. The answer can be lifted from the first paragraph.)
27 a. The word ‘there’ refers to going to the university.
b. She sent her children to an English-medium school.
(Refer to the first line of the paragraph for the answer.)
28. Her mother did not want to send her children to the Chinese-medium school in the village as many students had failed examinations and some had dropped out of school.
(You will have to sift through the information in paragraph 3 for the two reasons. Remember to give two reasons to qualify for two marks.)
29. Her mother believed that in order to be successful, one must be committed to pursuing knowledge and education relentlessly.
(This question requires you to describe the mother’s view in your own words. Try as far as possible not to lift from the passage.)
30. As a result of the mother’s belief in her children, they strove to be better and turned out to be positive and successful individuals.
(The key word of the question is “effect” and the answer is found in the last paragraph.)

Descriptive essays

2009-10-22T13:41:00.002+08:00

BY JENNY TAN

THIS week we look into descriptive writing where you may be required to describe a person, a thing, a place, or an event.

Typical questions:
1 Describe a teacher who has influenced your life
2 Describe a scene at a crowded bus station
3 My mother
4 My favourite person
5 My dream car

HERE'S HOW WE DO IT

Let's say you have decided to answer the first question.
Topic: Describe a teacher who has influenced your life

1. Brainstorm for points about the teacher.
* Appearance
* Personality
* What he/she has done for you (How has he/she changed your life or influenced you?)
Remember that the focus here is on the teacher who has influenced your life.

2. Add details that you feel should be included; write down the vocabulary and phrases.

3. Organise your points. Decide which characteristics of the teacher you will
emphasise. This is a subjective description as you will be giving your impressions of the teacher.

The essay:

Introduction: Describe her physical characteristics and your first impressions.
Body: His/Her characteristics and how he/she influenced you.
Conclusion: Describe what he/she means to you.
Look at my previous lessons on how to add descriptive details to make your essay come alive.

"OPEN” ESSAYS

In the examination, there is a short essay subject consisting of only one or two words, which is quite popular with students.
Typical exam questions:
1.        Dreams
2.       Friends
3.       Memories
4.       Teenagers
5.       Water
6.       Computers
7.       Time management
8.       Examinations
9.       Holidays
10.       Social Ills

Note this
These essays are “open” in the sense that no help or focus is given and students have to plan and concentrate only on certain aspects.

HERE'S HOW WE DO IT

There are many ways to tackle “open” essays. Let's look at some examples.
1. For the topic “Memories”, you could write a short story in which someone remembers certain things that happened to him. You could even write a story on a girl named “Memories” and it would still be accepted.

2. The essay on “Teenagers” could be planned as follows:
Introduction: Say something in general about people's impression of teenagers
Body: Discuss the problems faced by teenagers (including causes and effects) and give solutions
Conclusion: Close with an opinion or what you hope for.
The same treatment could be done for other topics such as “Social Ills” or “Water”.

3. For the essay on “Examinations” and “Computers”, you could discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the topics. This is by far the best way to answer a question if you ever run out of ideas.

4. One way of tackling the question on “Time Management” is to discuss ways to manage your time, pitfalls to avoid, and some advice.

PITFALLS TO AVOID

Be careful when you have to write about a plural subject such as “Dreams”. If you write only about a dream you had recently, you are not answering the question. The same goes for “Examinations” and “Memories”.

MORE ERRORS TO AVOID

1. Do not use “etc” or et cetera (meaning “and so on”) to list something in your essays. Example: She likes to play games such as badminton, table tennis, etc. ( X )
She likes to play games such as badminton, table tennis and tennis. ( / )
2. The verbs “happened”, “died”, “occurred”, “arrived” cannot be used in the passive.
Example: Something was happened last night. ( X )
       Something happened last night. ( / )
       My grandmother was died in her sleep last night. ( X )
My grandmother died in her sleep last night. ( / )

3. Do not use “about” with the words discuss, consider, describe, study and explain.
Example: We will consider about your application tomorrow. (x)
       We will consider your application tomorrow. ( / )

Let's look at a model answer

I can still remember the first time Mrs Pauline Kuah walked into my class. Clad in a modern kebaya with a matching handbag, she sashayed into the room and into our hearts. We had heard about our new English teacher but nothing prepared us for this little dynamite.

Mrs Pauline Kuah revolutionised the way I learn English. Instead of the dull chalk and talk method, she took us for walks and taught us to play language games. English lessons were transformed into a big game. Everything had points and everyone had to contribute. Even the hard core among us were not spared. She just swept us off our feet with her enthusiasm.

What struck me most about this petite and slender woman was her honesty. She calls herself 'WYSIWYG' - what you see is what you get. She did not lie to us if she did not know something. I could still remember the time when she had to teach us Mathematics. She told us that although she was only a step or two ahead of us, she would try her very best to teach us until another teacher came along.

She is also a very outspoken woman. She is not afraid to speak her mind to her superiors in order to fight for our rights. Once, we were all under a lot of stress and the school was organising a jog-a-thon just before our trial exam. We spoke to her and she immediately solved the problem by getting the jog-a-thon postponed. However, she did not spare us if we were wrong and most of us would rather die than face her "lectures".

She also taught me that action speaks louder than words. While some teachers shied away from the heat during Physical Education, she would make sure she was involved in the activity with us. During recycling campaigns, she did not hesitate to help us carry the newspapers. We were all inspired to work even harder for the project.

However, what struck me most about Mrs Pauline Kuah was her unending belief in us. She saw the potential in us to be good and by showing us a little attention and love, we were obliged to at least try to better ourselves. I was very lazy and rebellious when I met her. No one bothered to find out what was wrong with me. My parents were heading for a divorce. Mrs Kuah went after me relentlessly and I finally broke down and told her everything. I saw that she truly cared (for me and all the others with problems).

Come this December, I shall be leaving Mrs Pauline Kuah and the school. I want to express my deepest gratitude to her and to let her know that I shall never forget what she has taught me. I thank God that such a dedicated soul once entered my life and left footprints in my heart.

Note this:

The writer started out by giving us a brief introduction of the teacher. The use of phrases such as ' little dynamite' gives us an idea of the teacher.
The body of the essay gives us some characteristics of the teacher and how the teacher has influenced the writer.

Note that when the writer makes a general point about the teacher, she gives an example to make the point clearer. In the description of the teacher, the point made is, “She is also a very outspoken woman.” This is supported with an example: "Once, we were under a lot of stress and the school was organising a...."
In the conclusion, the writer closes by paying a tribute to her teacher.

Argumentative writing

2009-10-20T13:35:00.000+08:00

BY JENNY TAN

LESSON 6

This week, let's look at another type of essay called the argumentative essay. Here, you may be required to either state your stand on a certain issue (agree or disagree) or to present your point of view.

Some typical exam questions:

1.       Co-curricular activities are a waste of time. Do you agree?
2.       Large families make happy families.
3.       More land should be used for agriculture than for industry. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons to support you opinion.
4.       Parents do not spend enough quality time with children. Do you agree or disagree?
5.       Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of homework.
Question 1, 3 and 4 require you to make a stand and proceed to support this in a few paragraphs.
For question 2, you may present both sides of the argument before stating your stand.
For question 5, as you are required to discuss the issue, you should present both sides of the argument.
Let's say you have chosen question 1 – Co-curricular activities are a waste of time. Do you agree?

STEP 1: Analyse the question carefully to make sure you understand exactly what you have to do.

Topic: Co-curricular activities (The general subject)

The focus: Co-curricular activities are a waste of time. (The part you are asked to concentrate on)

The comment: Do you agree? (You have to make a stand whether you agree or disagree).

STEP 2:

Then, apply the acronym B.A.G. which stands for B – Brainstorm, A – Add supporting details and G – Get organised (as discussed last week in Lesson 5).

Brainstorm for ideas. Note down all the points you have about co-curricular activities. You should have at least four points. Let's say you have made your list below. Add supporting details.
Get organised. Throw out any ideas that are not relevant.
Decide the order of the points.

Co-curricular activities are a waste of time.
Your stand: Disagree
Why?
Benefits:
1. Provide a chance for students to learn about themselves.
2. Develop other skills not learnt in the classroom.
3. Provide leadership training.
4. Provide an outlet for students to rest and relax.

STEP 3:
The writing plan:
1. Introduction: Give some background information about the topic and state your stand.
Example: Co-curricular activities are non-academic activities taken up after school hours. Students are required to join at least one uniform society and a club. In my opinion, co-curricular activities play an important role in a student's life and it is certainly not a waste of time.

2. Body: Present your arguments to support your stand.
There should at least be three or four paragraphs with good topic sentences and supporting details.

Example: Firstly, co-curricular activities provide students with a chance to develop their talents in music, sports and other living skills. Some students are unable to shine in the classroom but they are superb athletes and musicians. Co-curricular activities provide an avenue for them to become fulfilled individuals.

3. Conclusion: State your stand again
Example: Many students and parents think that co-curricular activities are a waste of time which can be better utilised with other beneficial activities.
I certainly disagree with that. As we have seen, co-curricular activities play an important role in a student's life. They complement the activities of the classroom.
A well-planned co-curricular programme helps students become wholesome individuals. Thus, co-curricular activities are definitely not a waste of time.

*Remember to edit your work.
Read your first draft once through and check for the following:
a.       Have you arranged the points well? Are the most important points at the top, followed by the less important ones?
b.       Have you included only the important points and left out the irrelevant ones?
c.       Are there any phrases that are not very clear or sentences that are too long?
d.       Are there spelling mistakes?
e.       Have you used punctuation correctly?
f.       Are there any grammatical errors?

TASK

Write an essay on any of the topics given earlier. Make use of the writing plan above when writing out your essay.

Continuous writing

2009-10-18T22:59:00.001+08:00

SPM English with JENNY TAN

The continuous writing section, which carries 50 marks, tests a student’s ability to write a 350 - 500 word essay in one hour. Five choices will be given and students are normally given the following types of essays:narrative, descriptive, argumentative, reflective or factual.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

1. Choose a suitable question

Read each question carefully before deciding which one to choose. You must decide if you have enough points to write an essay of between 350 – 500 words. You will need to write at least four to five paragraphs.

2. Plan your essay

Many good students do not plan. Instead, they tend to write in a think-as-you-go manner. Consequently, they discover they have nothing left to say mid-way and they discard that question and start another one.

A plan will help you to stay focussedand not stray from the topic. For example, a student chooses to write on the following: “Describe the night market in your town”.

He starts well by mentioning the location of the night market, the vendors and the things sold. Then, he starts describing a snatch theft in the night market and how he ends up as a witness in the police station.

The student has not fulfilled the task required. He is asked to describe the night market and not an incident at the night market.

3. Check your essay

It is important to give yourself some time to check your work before handing in your essay. This is because your essay is assessed by impression marking, that is, the examiner reads your essay, notes down your good points as well as your mistakes, and allots a grade according to his impression.

THE NARRATIVE COMPOSITION

A narrative is a story with a sequence of connected events. It could be about a personal experience or an imagined event or events.

Let’s look at some typical questions:

1. Write a story about a man who returns to his home after many years.

2. The day I lost my temper.

3. Write a story ending with, “I shall never forget this day for the rest of my life.”

4. Write about an occasion when you got into trouble.

5. Write a story beginning with, “I could not believe my eyes?.”

YOUR ACTION PLAN: (1 hour)

A. Planning = 15 minutes

B. Writing = 35 minutes

C. Checking = 10 minutes

This plan is for those who are quite weak in English. For those who are proficient, you may only need 10 minutes for planning.

A. PLANNING

Let’s say you have chosen question 3: Write a story ending with, “I shall never forget this day for the rest of my life.”

1. Read the question carefully and underline important phrases. Pay particular attention to the ending.

2. Brainstorm for ideas and jot down notes. For exam purposes, the simplest way is to divide it into three parts:

i. Presentating the situation/characters/setting

What day was it?

Where were you?

What were you doing?

Who was there with you?

Choose one event or day which is unforgettable. Many students tend to describe a trip somewhere and the places they visited but nothing much happened that could be described as unforgettable. Do not describe more than one day.

ii. Conflict/Complication

- What happened first?

- How did it happen?

- Who was there with you?

What happened that was unforgettable? Is it going to be a funny day or a tragic day? Think how you will develop the story and how the events will unfold.

Use a simple time line (chronological sequence – first to last event). Those who are more proficient may choose to start from the final event (flashback).

iii. Resolution

- What happened as a result of the complication?

- What effect did this have on you?

- What is the outcome of the action or complication?

Point out a lesson learnt as the conflict is solved. Remember to include the last line as given in the question.

B. WRITING

Now that you have got the skeleton of your story, it is time to begin writing. Use connectors to link the events so that it flows well.

Some suitable phrases are:

It was very dark?.

I will never forget ?..

A few minutes later?.

Suddenly,?

When the disaster happened,...

(Refer to last week’s article for more transitional phrases.)

Use sensory details to reveal the events and to get the reader involved.

Example:

a. I went into the restaurant.

b. I walked into the restaurant.

c. I sauntered into the restaurant.

Sentence (a) merely states that I went into the restaurant while sentence (b) gives a little more information as to how I went into the restaurant. Sentence (c) is more specific as the word “sauntered” means “strolled” or “walked slowly”. Thus, sentence (c) is more effective in narrative and descriptive writing.

C. Checking

Read your essay through and check for the following:

- Is the spelling correct?

- Is the punctuation appropriate? Have you use too many commas in a sentence?

- Have you varied the length of your sentences? Does one thought follow the next in a logical order?

- Did you stick to the topic?

- Did you use words so that your reader could clearly visualise the incident?

- Did you use the appropriate tenses throughout your essay?

Make any corrections neatly.

Now, read the following model answer and see if you can identify the three parts of the action plan and how I use sensory details to make the story come alive.

It was a cool September morning. Early rain had cleared the skies to a golden hue. The occasional pit pat of the rain drops on the rooftop gutters lulled me to a dreamy stupor. Soon, I would have to get up as I had to attend a club meeting.

My brother, Alex had promised to give me a lift before he went to his office. As usual, we dropped by Permai Restaurant for breakfast. The town was just beginning to stir from its sleep as Alex swerved into one of the many empty parking lots. While he slotted some coins into the parking machine, I grabbed my handbag and sauntered to the restaurant, the aroma of teh tarik beckoning me.

Suddenly, I felt a strong tug from behind and before I realized it, my handbag was gone. I looked up and saw two men on a motorcycle. Then it hit me! Snatch thieves! I screamed but the sound was a mere whimper. I ran towards Alex, arms flailing. He jumped into his car and gave chase.

By this time, some workers from the restaurant who had realised what had happened brought me into the restaurant and gave me a hot teh tarik. Curious eyes followed me. I could not swallow. Why me? The thought of losing my handphone made me nauseous. I was vaguely aware that my arm was throbbing and I saw that it was swollen.

Twenty minutes later and what seemed like an eternity to me, Alex came back empty-handed. I was relieved that he was all right. He advised me to eat something. The thosai tasted like paper and I pushed the plate away. We headed for the police station nearby and this time, I kept close to Alex.

A kind elderly policeman took me into a room where I tried to narrate the incident. We saw several women complaining loudly to an officer. Alex told me they were also victims of snatch thefts. Somehow the thought that I was not the only victim comforted me.

Alex sent me to school with some money when I insisted on going. I sat bravely through the meeting without uttering a word. I waited nervously for Alex to pick me up but he was late. Mei, my friend, offered to walk me home. Each time we crossed a road, I clutched her hand. Each motorcyclist that came by looked suspicious to me.

That night, after saying a prayer with my mother, I finally broke down and cried. I could not sleep as images of those two men lurked in my mind but I was thankful that I was not hurt. I resolved to be more alert the next time. I struggled for a few hours before exhaustion took over. I shall never forget this day for the rest of my life.

(494 words)

Presenting the situation

What day was it?

Where was the writer?

What was she doing?

Events/complication

What happened first?

How did it happen?

What happened then?

The writer uses short sentences here to emphasise the event that took place quickly.

Notice the sensory details used here (in bold) to make the story come alive.

Each paragraph introduces a gap in time and the next event.

Resolution

What happened as a result of that event?

What effect did this have on the writer?

What is the result ?

Now, read the essay again and fill up the star diagram below with the sensory details used.

TASK:

Now, it is your turn to write. Look at the five questions again at the beginning of this article. Choose one question and follow the plan I have given. Many students e-mail their essays to me but I am afraid it is impossible to reply or correct every one of them. However, I shall try to address the errors and problems through my articles.

The nuts and bolts of essays

2009-10-16T23:13:00.002+08:00

SPM ENGLISH BY JENNY TAN

LAST week, we looked at how to write a narrative composition. Today, I would like to take you back to the basic structure of an essay.

This will help you to write other types of essays such as factual, reflective,argumentative, expository and open essays.

Let’s say we are going to write a reflective composition titled “What would you do if you had a lot of money?” Use the acronym B.A.G. to help you plan your essay.

B - Brainstorm for main ideas,

A - Add supporting details,

G - Get organised.

STEP 1 Brainstorm for main ideas

Write any idea that you may have concerning the topic above in the box provided.

STEP 2 Add supporting details

From the main ideas, add more facts or ideas that support each main idea.

STEP 3 Get organised

Look at all the points and determine which paragraph is stronger and should have top priority. Rearrange the points and put them into a list. Think of an interesting introduction and a suitable conclusion. Your basic structure should roughly look like this.

There are many ways to organise your essay depending on the types of essays.

i. Chronological order – according to the order of how the events occurred.

ii. Cause and effect – discuss the causes (reasons) first, then give the effect.

iii. Problem to solution – discuss the problems, then give the solutions

iv. Spatial order – describe from one spot to the next. This is suitable for descriptive writing.

v. Climactic order – starts with the least important to the most important.

vi. Reverse climactic order – starts with the most important to the least important.

WRITING THE ESSAY

1. IDEAS FOR INTRODUCTIONS

The introduction should be designed to attract the reader's attention and give her an idea of the essay's focus. Introduce your essay with an attention- grabber.

Here are some ideas:

1. Use some startling information or facts. Example: “A recent survey on teenagers who smoked revealed that 20% picked up smoking before they were 13.”

2. Use an anecdote.

- An anecdote is a short story that illustrates a point. Be sure your anecdote is short and relevant to your topic.

• Example: “Raj and his friends do not go home after school. They hang out daily at shopping complexes after school. They are just the tip of the iceberg of the=loafing syndrome.”

3. Use a question

• Example: “Do you know that Malaysians throw away 1.2 million tonnes worth of newspapers daily? For every 10 newspapers bought, only four are recovered for recycling.”

4. Use a general statement and lead to your topic.

• Use a few sentences to explain your topic in general terms, then lead the reader gently to your main of the essay.

• Each sentence should become gradually more specific, until you reach your point.

• Example: “Of late, there has been increasing concern about the impact of pollution on the environment and our society. How do we reduce pollution?”

AVOID THESE INTRODUCTIONS:

1. Nowadays, we hear of many snatch theft cases…

2. Everyone in this world needs a friend...

3. The dictionary defines a computer as...

These are overused and teachers are tired of reading them.

CONCLUSION:

The conclusion (in three or four sentences) sums up your points or provides a final perspective on your essay.

IDEAS FOR THE CONCLUSION

1. Express your hopes about the topic Example: “Finally, it is hoped that aspeople become more aware of the need to recycle, more will come forward and get involved in environmental issues.”

2. Call for action Example: “Shall we just sit back and wait till all our landfills overflow? Let’s get involved and do something to save our environment.

OTHER IDEAS:

- include a brief summary of the essay's main points.

- ask a provocative question.

- compare with other situations.

Tips to better paragraphs

1. What is a paragraph?

A paragraph can be divided into three different sections. The first section is the topic sentence which is usually at the beginning of the paragraph, the body and the closing.

The Topic Sentence.

The topic sentence tells you what the paragraph is going to be about, and how it relates to the subject of the essay and the previous paragraph.

Body Sentences.

Body sentences support the topic of the paragraph. There are supporting details and elaboration in these sentences.

Closing Sentence.

This sentence completes the idea expressed in the paragraph. It should also set up a connection to the next paragraph.

1) A good paragraph has only one main idea and one or two supporting details. Example:” First and foremost, I would buy a house for my parents, preferably a bungalow, in a quiet town. I would equip the house with the latest technology so that it would be a smart home. My mother would have a state-of-the-art kitchen as she loves cooking.

There would also be a robot to clean and vacuum the house. I will certainly make sure that my family is comfortably settled in this house.”

The main idea of the sentence is ‘buying a house for my parents’. The paragraph then describes in detail what the house would be like.

2. How to elaborate and add supporting details.

To support a topic sentence, consider some of these possible ways:

• Add examples

• Supply further details or explanation

• Tell a story that illustrates the point you're making

• Discuss a process

• Compare and contrast

Example: “Most word processing software gives you several options for printing. You can print a copy or several copies of the same document with different fonts. Besides that, you can also print a range of pages. What is more, you can even preview a document before printing it out. You can finally say goodbye to the good old typewriter.”

Topic sentence: word processing software - several options for printing.

Body sentences: (Supporting details): print a copy, several copies, different fonts, a range of pages, preview.

(Note that I have given examples and explanation to support my main idea.)

Closing sentence: End the paragraph by implying that now that you have the software, you can say goodbye to the typewriter.

3. Choice of words

i. Do not use tired words like ‘beautiful’ or ‘nice’. Use: magnificent, breathtaking, inspiring, fantastic, and so on.

ii. Do not pepper your essay with words that are superfluous. If a sentence means the same thing with a word taken out, take it out.

Don't write: Ever since Mr Tan came into my class, he transformed it, changing it so that it was altogether different from what it has been like before.

Do write: Mr Tan transformed my class.

(Here, give examples of how he did it.)

iii. Do not use words or phrases that are either unheard of or too bombastic.

Chin Yit, a student from Pahang wrote to ask whether using ‘beautiful words’ would gain her more marks. She had taken these words from a thesaurus. Her teacher is right.

She will not gain more marks as she is testing the examiner and boring her readers. Examples: propitious (favourable), ebullient (cheerful), affray (scuffle, fight)

New grade of A+ for SPM

2009-10-14T18:14:00.000+08:00

By KAREN CHAPMAN

PETALING JAYA: A new grading system for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) will be implemented from this year.

Education director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom said the change would provide a detailed breakdown of excellent candidates who obtained grade As in the examination.

“The change means there will now be a new grade of A+. Previously, the highest grade possible in the SPM was 1A,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Under the present system, students are graded as 1A, 2A, 3B, 4B, 5C, 6C, 7D, 8E and 9G while the new grades would be from A+ to G (see chart).

Alimuddin said the change was based on feedback from various quarters that the existing system did not provide a more detailed breakdown of excellent students.

“The change in the grading system will enable more qualified candidates to be chosen for training programmes and new scholarships, such as the one announced by the Prime Minister recently,” he said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said in June that a new category of Public Services Department scholarships would be introduced next year based purely on merit, regardless of race.

Alimuddin said the Cabinet approved the change in the grading system last month.

“This will not affect the examination at all as it only involves a change in the grades given,” he said.

He said school principals have been directed to explain the new grading system to students sitting for the SPM this year.

A sample essay entitled ‘A difficult life’

2009-10-11T10:34:00.002+08:00

By JUGDEEP KAUR GILL

“BEING illiterate is like a curse. It closes all doors to your life even before they can be opened!”

My mother’s words rang loud and clear in my mind.

She had literally been plucked from a remote village in India and brought to the then Malaya by my father, a man she had obediently married some sixty years ago.

Being the only daughter of a well-heeled man, she had believed that her aunt had got her a good match. My mother was fair, tall and willowy. Everyone had remarked on her big eyes and thick lashes when she entered her husband’s house as his bride.

The marriage celebrations had gone on for three days and she had yet to see what her groom looked like. As custom dictated, she had kept her head bowed and eyes downcast throughout the numerous ceremonies that went on during the three days.

The fact that her head scarf had been drawn low to cover her face did not make things any easier.

When she was finally introduced to her spouse, she was shocked. He was stocky and quite dark while she was as white as snow, by North Indian standards.

The fate that awaited her shattered all the dreams that her aunt had spun for her, the very aunt who had made the match.

Being the typical Indian bride, she became a dutiful daughter-in-law to her husband’s childless aunt and uncle who had cared for him ever since he had been orphaned at the age of seven.

Life was difficult as there was nothing of the luxury that she had been used to in her father’s house but she did not complain.

When her in-laws, asked her to pawn her jewellery to release their land from mortgage, she did so without question.

When her husband’s aunt insisted that she wove blankets for them, she did so submissively. After all, she was illiterate and her only skills included cooking, sewing and embroidery.

Six months later, her husband announced that they would be leaving India to seek their fortunes in Malaya. She cried for days but remembered her father’s parting words,

“Your husband decides your life for now. Go with God’s blessings.”

The trip to Malaya took almost a week by ship. All sorts of fears tortured her but she did not dare utter a single word for fear of displeasing her husband.

Upon arrival in Penang, they travelled to a little town in Perak where they lived with another uncle until her husband secured a job.

Life in Slim River was not easy. Her husband often left her alone, unaccompanied for days at times as he eked out a living as a lorry driver at a tin mine.

The kind Malay ladies, sensing her loneliness, tried to make small talk with her, despite knowing that she did not understand a word of the local language.

Undeterred, they slowly taught her simple words which she would need in her daily life. This life went on for three years.

There was no electricity or water supply. She did her washing and bathing by the river.

Despite her frail form, she could carry two pails of water all the way home for cooking and drinking. Every night, she cried herself to sleep.

A few months later, she gave birth to a daughter. Her husband had not been pleased and he had refused to see the new child.

He had expected his first born to be a son. His ego had taken a slight dent, but he did not know that there was a worse fate awaiting him – the tin mine ceased operations and he lost his job.

They had no money and no savings. Not about to give up, he decided to take her and their little daughter to the capital.

For the next few years, they lived with his second uncle and his wife who were also childless.

Life for the young couple was no bed of roses. Jobs did not come easily those days and after failing to secure a job, her husband gave in to the demands of his uncle and aunt.

For two meals a day, he had to wash the drains on the five-acre piece of land and cut the grass while she had to do all the tedious household chores.

Without fail, the old woman would insist that she scrub all the brassware (even though it had not been used) with ash every day before beginning the day’s chores.

She had to wash second uncle’s white trousers and white shirts by boiling them in caustic soda over a charcoal fire and then scrubbing then clean before ironing them using a hot coal iron.

Her daily chores kept her busy and she barely had time for her first-born.

The poor child was often hungry as second aunt did not provide them with breakfast. Deprived of essential nutrients, the poor little girl was thin, almost skeletal.

The young couple endured this terrible life for several years. Even when her husband got a job as a watchman she still had to submit to the will of second aunt.

The couple had a second child, a boy, but he died when he was ten months old. Three years later they had me, another girl. This time my father was not so disappointed. I suppose the hard life had made him more accepting.

“Why did you allow these things to happen, ma?” I asked furiously as she related her painful past.

I held her battered hands in mine; the cuticles were swollen and the nails had turned yellow due to all the washing with caustic soda.

“... because I was illiterate and I had no one.”

That was her simple answer. She had no options as she was financially dependent on others for every single need. She could not go out to work as her husband’s uncle and aunt had a reputation to maintain. They were the cream of the town. No one knew or even suspected that she and her husband were being ill-treated. Worse still, she had to tolerate all forms of verbal abuse.

“My father had never raised his voice. He showered me with love after the death of my mother when I was five.”

My father, who himself had lost his mother when he was twenty-six days old and his father when he was seven, could not do much.

I am now thirteen. I know mother is telling me these stories so that I will be resilient. I also know she wants me to study hard so that I will not have to have a difficult life.

As much as I admire my mother and her perseverance in the face of adversity, I will not allow a similar fate to befall me.

Details to ‘liven up’ essay

2009-10-11T10:31:00.002+08:00

By JUGDEEP KAUR GILL

Writing a descriptive essay is more challenging than writing a narrative essay. This is because it makes more demands on your ability to use language effectively. When writing a descriptive essay you should be able to portray people, places, things, moments or experiences vividly so that the reader can create a mental picture of what is being described.

In other words, you should be able to paint pictures using words. For instance, if you are describing a person, the reader should be able to visualise in his mind’s eye the person you are describing. If you are describing a place, then the reader should be able to see the place with his very eyes. Not everyone can handle a descriptive essay. You need to be competent in the language and you need an eye for detail. Besides, you should be able to appeal to the reader’s senses and evoke his emotions.

Techniques in Descriptive Writing

Use details to make your descriptions come alive.

Focus on evoking the senses. (sight, sound, smell, taste and touch)

Nouns, adjectives and verbs help the reader see and feel things.

A descriptive essay need not be boring and monotonous. Make use of a lively tone – show your own feelings, responses and reactions and let the reader feel them too.

Describe different aspects. If you are describing a person, do not limit your description to the person’s physical appearance. Include a detailed description of the person’s character and personality and how other people react to him/her. Include a detailed paragraph of an incident which highlights one of these aspects.
Before you begin writing a descriptive essay, you need to identify what you want to describe.
Consider the following topic:
My favourite teacher

If you are going to write about a favourite teacher, you might want to include his/her physical appearance. When describing his/her physical appearance, you can provide a general description of him/her or focus on important certain aspects which define his/her character. An essay of this nature would not be complete without a description of his/her qualities and how he/she interacts with his/her students.

Look at the two extracts below.

Extract 1

Mr L was my English Literature lecturer. He was thin and of average height. He was boyish looking. He spoke with an unusual accent. He was also quite sarcastic and some of the students did not like this. He did not like students coming in late to class. Some of us loved him but others hated him.

Extract 1 is a simple description of the teacher. Although there are several adjectives, the description is somewhat dull as the structures used are simple and repetitive.

Extract 2

The first time I entered his class, I, like many of the other students, was charmed by his boyish looks. A quick calculation told us that he was in his twenties. His straight black hair fell across his forehead when it was slightly long and his clear complexion enhanced his looks. For a Chinese, he had unusually big eyes and quite a sharp nose. He was always welldressed in a rugged sort of way. He was not outrageously handsome but there was something in him which definitely made him attractive His unusual accent mesmerised some of us but his sarcasm did not go down too well with others. You see, he did not approve of tardiness or sloppy work. The fact that many of us were working adults was not an excuse for lack of punctuality or delay in handing in assignments. Some of us grew to love him but some hated him.

Extract 2, on the other hand, is a vivid and interesting description which brings the character to life.

We can almost see him in our mind’s eye and this effect is achieved through the description of the person’s features that are prominent and striking.

Note the details about his overall physical description (boyish looks, in his twenties, not outrageously handsome, attractive, straight black hair, unusual accent), his facial features (unusually big eyes, quite a sharp nose), and his manner of dressing (well-dressed in a rugged sort of way).

Note his qualities (he did not approve of tardiness or sloppy work) and the feelings the students had for him ( His unusual accent mesmerised some of us but his sarcasm did not go down too well with others. Some of us grew to love him but some hated him).

The description of his physical appearance supports and reinforces the fact that he is likeable character but his values made him unpopular with some.

Some writers like to merge descriptive writing with narrative writing.

There is nothing wrong with this, as the description enriches the narration.

Letter of complaint

2009-10-10T22:39:00.002+08:00

BY JENNY TAN

This week we will look at writing a formal letter, another popular question for directed writing.

Question 1

Your class is unhappy with your school canteen. As the monitor of your class, you have been asked to write to your principal, to complain about the following:

- food left uncovered

- attract many flies

- food served is stale

- food too expensive

- oily plates and cups

- rude workers

- workers not properly attired

- dustbins not cleared daily

- same menu daily

In your letter, you would also like to offer three suggestions from your classmates:

- stringent checks

- cheaper food

- serve a variety of food

When writing the letter, you should remember:

- to set out the letter correctly

- to include all the points given

- to write in paragraphs.

(35 marks)

Look at the model answer below to revise the format of a formal letter and see how the points are elaborated.

The Class Monitor,

Form 5 Murni,

SMK Dato’ Kurnia,

34000 Taiping,

Perak.

Encik Abdullah bin Sani,

The Principal,

SMK Dato’ Kurnia,

34000 Taiping,

Perak. 11 AUGUST 2004

Dear Sir,

Unsatisfactory School Canteen

On behalf of the students of 5 Murni, I would like to lodge a complaint about the school canteen.

2. First and foremost, the food served is not covered and many flies can be seen hovering over the food. This may lead to food poisoning. Moreover, the canteen also serves stale food. The ‘nasi lemak’ turns bad by the time the upper forms have their recess. Last week, a few of us had diarrhoea after consuming food from the canteen.

3. Apart from that, the food is also too expensive. A small plate of fried mee costs RM1.50 and many poor students cannot afford it. Besides that, the canteen serves the same menu daily. The students are bored with fried rice and fried mee every day.

4. Another complaint is that the cups and plates are oily and not washed properly. The workers are also not appropriately attired although they have been told to wear aprons and caps. Moreover, these workers are rude to students. They shout at us and use foul language whenever they get angry. They also do not clear the dustbins and rubbish daily. This is very unhygienic. As a result, there is a foul stench whenever we eat in the canteen.

5. Thus, we would like to suggest that the school authorities make stringent checks on the canteen daily or weekly. They should also ensure that the canteen serves a variety of food at a reasonable price.

We would like to appeal to your sense of fairness and hope prompt action will be taken regarding these matters.

Yours faithfully,

(LAILY BT ROSLI)

5 Murni

Note how the points given are arranged into paragraphs and elaborated where needed.

The last paragraph states the action you want taken. This week, I would also like to focus on the elaboration and expansion of notes.

To elaborate on a point, you may:

- give a reason

- state one effect/outcome

- give details

- explain further with facts or statistics

- give an opinion

Let’s look at some examples from the model answer below.

1. food left uncovered - attract many flies

First and foremost, the food served is left uncovered and many flies can be seen hovering over the food. This may lead to food poisoning.

Since the two points are connected, I have decided to group them in one sentence. It is all right if you do not wish to use the exact words given but you must stick to the original meaning when writing. I have elaborated (underlined sentence) by stating one possible effect of the flies.

Remember that you only need to give a sentence or a phrase. Do not elaborate more than three or four lines. You will be wasting your time and effort.

2. same menu daily

Besides that, the canteen serves the same menu daily. The students are bored with fried rice and fried mee every day.

I have elaborated by giving examples of the phrase “same menu”.

Can you identify more examples of elaboration and the methods used?

Try the following exercise.

1. love holiday with family (give a reason)

2. Reading - good hobby - (give details)

3. government – worried about loitering culture (give facts)

4. Kuala Lumpur – busy, noisy but exciting (give details)

5. residential schools – better facilities (give examples)

I also want to draw your attention to the structures I used in the model answer.

Notice how I used First and foremost, Moreover, Apart from that, Besides that, Another complaint is and so on. These are transitional words and phrases which help to make the essay flow smoothly and to lead the reader from one point to another.

You can use many other transitional words and phrases to make your essay more cohesive.

To add to what you have just said: also, similarly, furthermore, in addition, then, moreover, in other words, in the same way

To use a specific example to support what you have said: For example, especially, for instance, to illustrate, as an illustration, such as

To show sequence: First and foremost, first, The second advantage is, Next, Another reason is, Lastly, Finally

To indicate that you are about to contrast what has just been said: but, on the other hand, yet, nevertheless, on the contrary, however

To indicate a conclusion: In conclusion, consequently, thus, therefore, in summary, therefore, as a result

Finally, try the following question.

Question:

A group of Form Five students from your school’s Environment Club would like to go on a camping trip. As the secretary of the club, you have been asked to write a letter to a resort to seek permission to camp at a nearby waterfall. Your letter should include the following points:

- state the purpose of your letter

- introduce your club

- teachers who will be accompanying the students

- number of students

- the date and duration of your camp

- activities to be carried out – boating,jungle trekking, nature study

- transportation

- promise to clear the rubbish

- will be responsible for first-aid and other safety precautions

Remember to set out the letter correctly and to use all the points given.

Your plan may look roughly like this:

Paragraph 1

- State the purpose of the letter.

- Introduce your club

Paragraph 2

- State the number of students and teachers going on the trip

- State the duration (how long you will be staying) and the dates

Paragraph 3

- Describe the activities

Paragraph 4

- Describe the travelling arrangements and include the promise to clear the rubbish.

- Add in the point about first-aid and so on.

How is your journal getting on? Many students have e-mailed me about their journals and I am very encouraged by your enthusiasm. Use your creativity and decorate your journals too. Do send me your journals and maybe, if space permits, I will publish them. Here are the prompts for your journal this week. Keep writing and stay cool.

Jenny Tan is a teacher of English and published author of several revision books.

Writing sentences

2009-10-04T10:43:00.002+08:00

SPM ENGLISH
By JUGDEEP KAUR GILL

AS promised last week, we will take a look at sentence types this week.

At the SPM level and beyond, it is crucial that you have some knowledge of the basic sentence types in English.

This is because your choice of sentence types reflects on your ability and maturity as a writer.

For example, if you use only simple sentences in your writing, your writing will not only sound monotonous but also choppy and immature.

Generally, English sentences can be categorised into four types - simple, compound, complex and compound-complex.

A simple sentence, which is also called an independent clause, contains one complete idea.

This sentence can be short or long, depending on the idea that is being conveyed.

Examples:

Vincent walks to school.
Vincent and Edward walk to school.

(This sentence is not a compound sentence as it expresses only one idea i.e. Vincent and Edward walk to school although it contains the conjunction ‘and’)

Edward met me at the train station.
Edward met me at the dilapidated train station near his house at 2 p.m.

(As you can see the second sentence is longer than the first sentence but they are both simple sentences as they express only one idea)

A compound sentence contains two independent clauses that are joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so).

You may use the mnemonic FANBOYS to remember these as each letter represents the initial letter of these conjunctions.

Both the ideas in a compound sentence are related and of equal importance.

Examples:

I watched a movie and my sister did the crossword puzzle.
Kenny wanted to play football but it started raining.
Mary was very happy with the tour guide, so she gave him a big tip.

A complex sentence contains:

one independent clause and
one or more subordinate clauses.

These clauses are connected by subordinating conjunctions or subordinators such as because, although, since, after, when, despite etc. or a relative pronoun such as that, who or which

Let’s take a look at some examples.

Example 1:
I enjoyed the cake that you baked.

In the sentence above, I enjoyed the cake is an independent clause.

An independent clause is a clause that can stand on its own. In other words, it is a complete sentence by itself.

that you baked is a subordinate clause or a dependent clause. A subordinate clause cannot stand alone on its own. It is like an incomplete sentence.

Example 2:
Tunku Abdul Rahman, who was our first Prime Minister, was born in Kedah.

In the sentence above two ideas are combined together. They are:

Tuanku Abdul Rahman was born in Kedah.
He was our first Prime Minister.
Tunku Abdul Rahman was born in Kedah
is an independent clause.
who was our first Prime Minister is a
subordinate clause.

Like a simple sentence, a complex sentence can be short or long as shown in the examples below.

He felt that he was not ready for marriage.
I agreed with her that the blue dress was pretty although I personally felt that it was hideous, to say the least.

A compound - complex sentence contains at least:

two independent clauses and
one or more dependent clauses. These clauses are connected by both coordinating conjunctions and subordinators.

Example 1:
I felt guilty about lying to him, so I
apologised when I finally had the chance.

The sentence above consists of the following clauses:

I felt guilty about lying to him. (independent clause)
I apologised to him. (independent clause)
when I finally had the chance. (dependent clause)

They have been combined using a coordinating conjunction ‘and’ and a subordinator ‘when’

Example 2:
Despite our mutual dislike for each other, we had to put aside our differences and make sure the project was a success because both our careers depended on it.

In the above sentence, several ideas have been combined together. They are:

We disliked each other.
We had to put aside our differences.
We had to make sure the project was a success
Both our careers depended on it.

The ideas have been combined using the following clauses:

Despite our mutual dislike for each other (dependent clause)
we had to put aside our differences (independent clause)
(and) make sure the project was a success (independent clause)
(because) both our careers depended on it. (independent clause)

Other examples:

My sister, who looks like a film star, has won numerous beauty competitions and appeared in several television advertisements.
The proposal, which Mandy had improved on over the weekend, was presented to the directors, but it was rejected because it was too costly.

Sentence Structures

Another important aspect of writing that you should pay attention to is how to write a variety of sentence structures. To be able to do this, you need to know that there are numerous ways of organising words to form a sentence. You also need to understand some basic structures in the English Language and how to use these structures to achieve the effect you want. However, this is something which cannot be learnt overnight but you can learn this to a large extent through extensive reading.

Look at the following structures. All three convey the same idea.

My grandfather is 78 years old and he is an active man.
Although my grandfather is 78 years old, he is an active man.
Despite being 78 years old, my grandfather is an active man.

Here’s another example.

Liza was the eldest and she had to shoulder a lot of responsibilities.
Being the eldest, Liza had to shoulder a lot of responsibilities.
Liza had to shoulder a lot of responsibilities as she was the eldest.

Try to express the following ideas in as many ways as you can.

1. It had rained non-stop for three days and Amir’s village was flooded.

2. The sudden storm caused terrible destruction as many trees were uprooted and roofs of houses blown off.

3. Nazmi refused to admit that he was wrong and this only made his parents angrier.

4. Myra is a gifted child as she can solve Year Six Mathematics problems easily.

5. The movie, Terrible Teens, did very well although it projected teens negatively.

You can check your answers with your teachers or your friends.