ENGLISH SPM PAPER 1

Continuous Writing
1. A HORRIFYING SWIM
It was a school holiday. Rahman woke up at the crack of
dawn and headed for Ah Chongs house. The boys had agreed
to meet Sean and Sasi, their classmates. It was a perfect day
for a swim. Although they were all strong swimmers,
Rahmans mother had cautioned him against going for a
swim. A week earlier, their neighbour's son had nearly
drowned in that river.
Splash! Hassan dived off the rock into the inviting river.
The water was deep but he was not worried. After all, he was
an excellent swimmer and a certified lifeguard. He knew the
waters in the area well as he often swam there. He
persuaded the rest of the boys to follow him up to a higher
waterfall. They clambered up the boulders. Lets jump! an
exhilarated Rahman shouted. The boys plunged in together,
screaming in delight.
Suddenly, Sean was tumbling out of control. The water
smashed him over and over again. The current had smashed
the other boys against a rock and they managed to pull
themselves out from the raging water. At first, they could not
see Sean. Then, as the waves subsided, they saw Seans half-
submerged figure, face down. Rahman dived into the water
immediately. He knew that every second counted. Swimming
strongly, he got to Sean in no time. With Sasi and Ah Chongs
help, they managed to pull Sean out of the water and onto
the rock.
Oh God, let him not be dead! Rahman pleaded. Sean
looked so blue. The others stood, paralyzed, not knowing
what to do. Rahman grabbed Seans wrist but he could not
feel any pulse. He remembered what his teacher had told
him. A drowning victim had to receive artificial breathing
within four minutes or he would die. With his lifeguard
training in his mind, Rahman immediately drew Seans head
back and clamped his mouth over him. He began pumping
breath into Seans lungs as Sasi compressed Seans chest
while keeping count. Suddenly, Sean gurgled and threw up.
They continued breathing and pumping. Keep going. One of
us has to go for help. Sasi, you are the fastest. Run home and
get help. Ask someone to call for an ambulance. Quick.....
After thirty minutes, and what seemed like a lifetime,
Rahman felt something moved against him. Seans leg had
jerked against him. He felt for a pulse. Seans breathing....
Rahman cried. Just then, they heard an ambulance. You are
going to be alright he assured Sean. Within minutes, the
paramedics had lifted him to the ambulance and headed for
the nearby hospital. At the hospital, the boys were so
thankful that Sean was going to be alright and they had saved
his life. Rahmans mother gave him a stern lecture. Rahman
felt bad and regretted not listening to his mother.
2. Write a story that begins with 'I did not know what
happiness was until...'
I did not know what happiness was until my aunts
caring words sank into me on my graduation day. There she
was sitting on the front pew, looking at me with loving eyes,
47 under the weather
ill; unwell.
Susan was feeling under the weather yesterday, so she
decided not to go to work."
48 until you're blue in the face
forever
You can advise him until you're blue in the face, but he wont
change his ways.
49 wet behind the ears
inexperienced and naive.
I do not think Suresh is suitable for this project. He is still wet
behind the ears, having only joined us last month.
50 wishy-washy:
without an opinion of one's own.
You better check with the other members. John can be wishy-
washy at times.
42 rain cats and dogs
Rain heavily
Its raining cats and dogs now. You better leave later.
43 read someone's mind:
know what someone is thinking.
I can read your mind. I know you are very hungry and I have
ordered pizza.
44 rub someone the wrong way
irritate someone
I cannot stand Robert. He seems to rub me the wrong way
every time we discuss something.
45 sleep on it
take some time to think about something before making a
decision.
You should sleep on it first and we will discuss again
tomorrow.
46 To make his own bed; now let him lie in it.
Someone has caused his/her own problems; he/she will have
to solve them himself/herself.
He insisted that he should take up the project alone. So, he
has made his own bed, let him lie in it.
proudly as I stood on the stage giving a speech. She was my
angel. She protected me and cared for me since the demise
of my parents.
As an orphan, it was not easy for me to get
acquainted to strangers. I had built a wall over the years to
protect myself from being hurt. The fatal incident of a
robbery left me broken and shattered. I could vividly
remember the bloody tragedy. After my tuition class on
Friday night, I came home in my friends car. When I arrived, I
felt strange as mom and dad did not lock the door and left
the gate wide open. Quietly and suspiciously, I walked into
the house sensing something terrible might have happened.
In front of the doorstep, to my horror were my parents and
twin brothers sprawling right across the carpet. I was
paralyzed with fear. Blood was oozing. Mom and dad were
lying on their stomachs holding each others hands. My twin
brothers were heavily injured with slashes of knife cuts on
their heads and back.
Wh-whats going on? I asked with a quivering voice.
Mom, dad, Habil, Qabil please wake up, I pleaded but
they were motionless. It was a very horrifying scene. I found
myself screaming and howling hysterically. My neighbours
who came to help. The ambulance and police arrived within
minutes but they were too late. I was so shaken that I could
not stop crying. Not even the paramedic could calm me
down. I was escorted to the hospital. Somehow, they
managed to contact my aunt. Her hug and consoling words
relaxed me a little. I was given a sedative jab and I fell asleep
instantaneously. When I woke up, she was right there by my
bedside. I felt safe and secured in her presence.
The police came to interview me. My aunt was with
me all the while. I was kept away from the press and
television for weeks for fear of my recurring hysteria. The
doctor-in-charge put me in a psychiatric ward for half a year,
under close observation to help me cope with the terribly
haunting tragedy.
After six months in the psychiatry unit, I was finally
discharged and reported as being in a stable condition. I went
back to the house where the killing took place. It was a very
emotional experience. Tears kept rolling down my eyes. I
could not stop it. However, I was quiet and not hysterical
anymore. My aunt was there holding my hands and rubbing
my back, giving me all the moral support and love she could. I
packed my belongings, took the family pictures hanging on
the wall and put them in my bag. I was put under my aunts
custody.
My parents and siblings were brutally killed in a home
robbery. The prime suspects were two middle aged man. My
parents were shot whereas my twin brothers were stabbed
to death. It was reported that about RM20,000.00 worth of
money and jewellery were stolen. They were finally arrested,
convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Despite that,
the life of my loved ones could not be returned.
Hawa you must let go off the past. Dont keep that
hatred in your heart. Do not disappoint your late parents. You
have a bright future ahead of you. Stay focused in your
studies, pass with flying colours and live your life to the
fullest. Realize your dreams of joining a forensic team. Make
your parents and siblings proud of you. Its not the end of the
37 make up one's mind
decide what to do
Moses has to make up his mind whether to continue his
studies or take up a job.
38 on the dot
exactly at a given time.
If you do not come on the dot, we will leave without you.
39 (on the) cutting edge
using the most recent technology
This car boasts of having a cutting edge technology. It has a
computer and tracking system.
40 pull someone's leg
tease someone by trying to make her/him believe something
that's untrue.
She pulled my leg when he said that he had quit his job to get
married.
41 Rain or shine
no matter what the weather
"We're leaving for Cameron Highlands, rain or shine."
The company is in the red. We have to stop some of the
workers if the situation continues.
32 keep an eye on
check something regularly.
Please keep an eye on the children while I go to the bank.
33 keep one's fingers crossed
hope for the best.
He is keeping his fingers crossed while waiting for the results
of his interview.
34 lend someone a hand
help someone.
Can you please lend a hand at the relief centre for the flood
victims?
35 live from hand to mouth
survive on very little money; have only enough money
to pay for basic needs.
Ros and the children live from hand to mouth after the fire
destroyed their house.
36 make a mountain out of a molehill
make something seem much more important than it really is.
Susila is making a mountain out of a molehill. I am sure the
boys are perfectly capable of looking after themselves.
world. Im still here for you, she advised and encouraged
me. but I cant forget them. Why me? Why my family? I
asked knowing that there was no answer to that.
Who said that you must forget them? God loves
them and that is why He took them in His care. You should be
grateful that He still wants you to live their legacy, to care for
the unfortunate. They would be sad if you keep wasting your
youth away, she rationalized with me and gave me a big hug
to comfort me and take my doubts away.
Fortunately, her caring words and actions awakened
me. I picked myself up from feeling worthless and hopeless. I
was only fifteen then. However I strived hard and I
succeeded.
Today, I am celebrating freedom. Freedom from the
bondage of anger and hatred. And I am celebrating this new
joy, this new me with my loving aunt. Without her support, I
would not have made it.
3. Continuous Writing: LOVE / End a story with: "....
and so I became a better person."
In everyone's life, there are different experiences;
one of them is the first love. My first love was dazzling yet
aching. Every time I go back to those memories, my eyes
water and i feel like i could have done so much better. My
story began five years ago, when I was only Form 1 in SMK
Perimbun. I was inexperienced and naive, I thought that
there was no heart break in this world.
Nurul was my classmate that I had known since
January 2009. At first, i did not really know her until one day i
got her phone number and texted her. I realise we had
'chemistry' because whenever we discussed some topics, we
always agreed with each other's ideas. We found a great
combination between us. Day by day we became closer, like
twins; we became best friends but nothing more, nothing
that i wanted. Her life was mine, her thoughts were mine, she
was my world and she did not even know.
She was the prettiest and the quietest girl in class. A
special thing about her was she had such perfect smile. When
she smiled, her beautiful two-round eyes also smiled and was
able to make other people as happy as Lark with her adorable
smile. Whenever she stared at me, it made my heart skip a
beat for i had never seen anything so breathtaking. She was
also kind and always made me feel glad every time she was
with me.
Life was not a bed of roses. A month later, before we
could enjoy this friendship, our classmates started to suspect
that we were too close. Very, very close. They started to
misunderstand and talk about us. She was received the worst
effect. She was so sad and up a gum tree with this
inconvenient situation. This misunderstanding became
critically serious.
She made up her decision. Our relationship had to
end especially when we were in school. She did not want
people to gossip further about us. I knew it was hard for her
Please give a hand to the poor old lady. She is trying to cross
the road.
The gardener has done a wonderful landscaping job. Lets
give him a hand.
28 Hard-headed
have one's hands full stubborn; inflexible; unwilling to
change.
Its pretty difficult to get Simon to change his mind. He is
hard-headed.
29 have one's hands full
extremely busy
Peggy usually has her hands full in the beginning of a new
school term.
30 in the black:
profitable; not showing a financial loss.
The company is back in the black after suffering from great
losses the last two months.
31 in the red:
unprofitable; showing a financial loss.
feel sad and depressed.
Rita is feeling blue because she has not heard from her
boyfriend for a long time.
23 fire someone
dismiss someone from a job because of poor performance.
Lokman might be fired if he continues to be late for work.
24 get it
understand something (often negative).
I dont get it. Could you please explain it to me again?
25 get on one's nerves
irritate someone; make someone upset.
His constant chatter is getting on my nerves. Please tell him
to keep quiet.
26 get out of hand:
become out of control; become badly managed.
The situation is getting out of hand. The relief centre can only
hold forty people but we have one hundred people to care
for.
27 give someone a hand
i. help someone.
ii. applaud someone
to do that, but all I could do was accepted her decision. I
accepted it because I wanted to save her from this
encumbering problem.
Day by day, Nurul started to change. She did not
smile like before. She turned to be sad and went to pieces.
Then i knew, i really had lost my old Nurul who always made
me smile and laugh. I changed when her attitude changed. I
became the quietest boy in class and always showed a fake
smile to others. I pretended I was happy but the fact, i was
not.
Everyday i underwent this life without her smile.
Before this, we always texted and called each other to talk
about some random things. We shared everything and
laughed like we did not have any problem. But now,
everything had gone.
Even though we still contacted one another, i did not
feel her existence. Sometimes, i wanted to blame those who
made this situation difficult and those who were unpleasant
with my friendship. But, i could not do that. My body fell, i
was on my knees. Praying.
Since then, we barely talked to each other even we
were classmates since Form 1 until we were in Form 5. 1 Adil,
2 Aktif, 3 Aktif, 4 Alfa and 5 Alfa. These were the name of our
classes from Form 1 until Form 5, from we were a childish
thirteen until we were a 'matured' seventeen. We only talked
on our birthdays or when we really needed to and it was
basically about school matters. There were no more random
funny conversations that made us laugh out loud. No more.
However, whenever i caught her staring at me in class, it still
gave me the goosebumps.
I tried to forget everything about her, but i just could
not. As much as i wanted her to vanish from my life, she
would not go, and every time i saw her , i fell for her even
more. Once again becoming the boy that i once was.
My love for her is like the waves in the sea, it comes
and it goes. Her name is now carved in my soul for she is part
of who i am now. She makes me upset but she also makes me
laugh. She was my first love and as much as i want that part
of my story to end, deep inside i know that it isn't over.
However, i know that i have to accept everything that
had happened. I'm blessed because my Lord put her in my
life, ergo i would know how does heart break feels like. This
also made me realised that i have to forget everything about
love for a while, focused on my studies and try to makes
some new friends without falling for them.
I had accepted this situation and have done all of it.
Let bygones be bygones, my effort pays off now. I was not
longer in the sad mood all the time, i got a lot of friends and
so I became a better person.
4. Forgiven
I stood motionless and looked at the solid, dark
brown wooden door. The house was painted white, and black
You are becoming a couch potato. You need to get out and
do some exercise.
18 Don't count your chickens until (before) they hatch
(they've hatched)
Don't assume that something will happen until it has
happened.
I think you should not count your chickens until theyve
hatched. Wait till the boys win the competition this Sunday.
19 drop someone a line
write to someone
Do drop me a line when you have time.
20 drag one's feet delay;
take longer than necessary to do something.
Why are you dragging your feet? You should have finished
your homework by now.
21 an eager beaver
a person who is always willing to volunteer or do extra work.
Rahim is an eager beaver. He is the first to volunteer for any
job to be done.
22 feel blue
The labourers call it a day after working for five hours on the
field.
13 can't make heads or tails of something
can't understand something at all;
find something confusing and illogical.
I cannot make heads or tails of your notes. Were you sleepy
during the class?
14 catch one's eye
attract one's attention/interest.
This colourful advertisement caught my eye when I was in the
bus.
15 change one's mind
decide to do something different from what had been
decided earlier.
David did not go to Australia. He changed his mind when he
heard that his mother is ill.
16 cost (someone) an arm and a leg cost a lot;
be very expensive.
This car costs him an arm and a leg. He has to get another job
to help pay for it.
17 couch potato
someone who spends too much time watching TV.
on the wooden beams and window panes. It looked huge and
expensive from the outside. I had to make my mind up
whether to knock or press the bell. I turned to face the
garden. I thought about going back to my car and drove
home. Home. That was where I wanted to be; or was it where
I would be after I knocked the door? I sighed and walked to
the side where there was a wooden bench by the beautiful
garden. I could see that the woman in the family loved the
garden. The smell of white lilies reminded me of the florist
down the road on Sixteenth Street. I sat on the sturdy looking
wooden bench, trying to figure out what I would say if
someone was to open the door. I wished I did not find out
where she was so that I would not have three sleepless nights
thinking of why she left me, whether she was looking for me
or whether I should be angry.
I was abandoned at Bliss Home when I was barely
four. They said they found me playing joyfully in the
playground, innocently thinking that I was sent to school.
After three years, I found out that my mother left me at the
orphanage because she had to go and find my father who left
us when I was two. I was devastated, knowing that my
mother left me to strangers. Funny, I thought, how
manipulative and contradictory adults could be when it
comes to giving advice. Those at Bliss Home took good care of
me and made me realise that I was still lucky to be able to
enjoy life. Sister Lisa was one of those who managed to make
me see that I should make the most of myself than being
miserable, grieving my unfortunate life; thinking nobody
loved me. I stayed there till I was 12, when I was then
transferred to Rouston Public School. Well, Sister Lisa thought
it was a good school. Spurred by Sister Lisas determination to
give me life, I did my best in Rouston and would go back to
Bliss Home during semester breaks or Christmas to be part of
the family. Well, I was not sure whether I knew the meaning
of that word, but Sister Lisa convinced me that I was part of
them when my presence was usually welcomed by freshly
baked apple pie and mince meat. Then we would all sit in our
warm huge and rather aromatic dining hall. I could still smell
Marthas mouth-watering Yorkshire pudding and roast beef
in the kitchen whenever I visited Bliss Home.
It was 8 years ago when I started digging files and
tailing endless documents to find out who my biological
parents were. Blessed, I found where my mother lived but
was reluctant to go and see her. I knew it would shake her
down to her knees and she would beg forgiveness for leaving
me; that she was young and naive; that she would not have
managed looking after me on her own. Even worst, my
presence would stop her heart; that she would collapse
unconsciously, leaving me feeling guilty instead. Sister Lisa
was the one who insisted. At the end of the year, I eventually
gave in but forbade her from calling Mom to inform that I
was coming; in case I changed my mind. She gladly agreed
and even packed me cheese and tomato sandwiches for the
journey. I was skeptical when she said that Mom would be
waiting for me. If mom knew where I was, why didnt she
come and find me?
My thoughts were interrupted by a butterfly flying
right in front of my nose. I looked back at the house to see if
anyone noticed my presence. Silence. I glanced at my watch
but I forgot what time I arrived, so I did not know how long I
7 beat
exhausted; very tired
I need a break after this. I'm beat!"
8 beat around the bush
evade an issue; avoid giving a direct answer.
Stop beating around the bush! Just tell me what happened to
my car.
9 bite off more than one can chew
take responsibility for more than one can manage.
Mrs Lee finds it difficult to finish all her work. She has bitten
off more than she could chew!"
10 blow one's top
become extremely angry.
My father blew his top when he found out I had taken his car
without his permission.
11 burn the midnight oil
study/work all night or until very late at night.
Johan is not ready for the test. He will have to burn the
midnight oil."
12 call it a day
stop work for the day.
50 IDIOMATIC EXPRESSSIONS
1 ace
Get an "A" on a test, homework assignment, project, etc.
I heard that Susie aced the test yesterday
2 As easy as a pie
very easy
The test was as easy as a pie.
3 at the eleventh hour
at the last minute; almost too late.
He finished the project at the eleventh hour and he nearly
lost his job.
4 all ears
eager to hear what someone has to say.
Tell me about your latest trip overseas. Im all ears.
5 be broke
be without money.
I need to borrow some money. I am broke.
6 be on the go
be very busy (going from one thing or project to another).
I am very tired. I've been on the go since 5 in the morning.
was there. I stood up and walked back to the sandy path
leading to the house. I stopped at the wooden door again
wishing it was an automatic door so I did not have to decide.
Spotting a shadow by the window on my left, my heart
pumped. Somebody was at the window and was walking
towards the door. I found it very hard to swallow a big lump
in my throat as my heart thumped against my chest. I thought
that I was the one who would be unconscious.
Hi, can I help you? asked the girl who was standing
in front of me with a huge grin. I swallowed hard while
admiring her curly blonde. Seeing that, I knew she must be
Moms daughter. She looked 15, lean and has beautiful
brown eyes. Pretty.
Yess.. Ermm yeah.. I was looking for Mrs Collins.
Hmm well, is this Mrs Collinss house by any chance?
Ohh yeahh.. Hmm..Moms upstairs. And I think shes
expecting you. Aunt Lisa told mom this morning. She smiled
pleasantly holding the door. Despite the dazzling big smile, I
could see the quizzical frowns on her forehead. I wondered
whether it was because I frowned first. Obviously Sister Lisa
must have had said something to Mom.
I waited. Looking for words, 1 folded my arms
unintentionally and looked away at the lilies, biting my lower
lips. I thought of saying that it was a big mistake and should
just walk back to my car. After all, it had been 25 years since
she left me. It would not change anything, would it?
Owh well, you must be freezing. Please come in,
shell be down in a minute.
She opened the door and took my left hand, looked
at me in the eyes as if to ask for permission and pulled me
inside. As I dragged my feet down the hallway, I could see a
family picture on the wall. Something stabbed me, right on
my chest. Deep. I could feel the pain that I felt years ago
when I found out I was left on my own, and was on the verge
of tears. Again, I thought of walking back to the door but I
brushed the thought away when I heard the footsteps. It
happened so quickly, I was not sure whether I was actually
there. My stomach tightened when I saw the hopeful look in
her eyes.
William, ohh its you. Ive been waiting for you for
what..like..30 years? I knew you would find me. See, its in
your nature. Being curious, that is.
Well, as if it was my mistake that she had to wait so
long. I thought I was supposed to wait for her to find me, or
at least she should have gone to Bliss Home to find out.
Silence. I could not say anything looking at her fragile face. I
noticed that her daughter was standing by the small coffee
table, looking out of the window expressionlessly, pretending
we were not there.
I looked at Mom pityingly and sighed. I was unsure of
what to say. As if to wait for me to invite her in her own living
room, she stood by the door and smiled awkwardly. Despite
the quivered smile, I could still vaguely recognise those
beautiful brown eyes when she smiled. Then, she looked
down at her hands, which she clenched and unclenched
nervously. I presumed that she was as uneasy as I was. After
The food sold at the canteen not only expensive but
lacks of variety. The menu is the same every day. For the past
five years, ever since the present canteen management took
over, students go back to the same food.
The hygiene and preparation of food leave a lot to be
desired. The food and drinks are not covered. They way
canteen attendants dress speak volume about hygiene. With
their lackadaisical attitude, the food they sell would one way
or the other become contaminated.
My fourth complaint about the canteen pertains to the
etiquette of the canteen workers. They are rude and
arrogant. They often shout at students. The students are
always on the receiving end of their bad moods.
We hope that conditions at the canteen will improve.
The canteen should provide better amenities. There should
also be a different menu everyday so that students will not
have to taste the same food day in and day out. Cleanliness
should be given top priority.
We hope that you will look into our complaints and
take steps to remedy the situation. The students are
prepared to boycott the canteen if their complaints go
unheeded.
Reported by:
Malik
Malik bin. Mohd Jalil
REPORT Report to Principal
To : Mr. Hasnan bin Jalal,
The Principal,
Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Permata
From : Malik bin Abdul
Date : 24 March 2011
Report about the School Canteen
I am writing this report is to draw your attention
regarding the school canteen. Many of the students of
Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Permata are unhappy about
the conditions at the school canteen. There were lots of
complaints regarding this issue.
In the first place, there are insufficient tables and
benches. Our school has a student population of over 1 000.
There is only one period of recess time for all forms. More
than 80 per cent of the students go to the canteen during
recess to buy food and drinks. Unfortunately, there are only
about twenty-five tables and fifty benches which can
accommodate less than half the number of students. As a
result, many students have to stand while eating.
a moment, I cleared my throat and forced a weak smile.
Seeing that, she ran towards me and hugged me. Sobbing.
Tears welled in my eyes. I closed my eyes, afraid that anyone
would see me, but I knew she was forgiven.
5. My Most Embarrassing Situation
Everyone has been embarrassed at one time or
another. It is that moment in time when you wish the earth
would open up and swallow you. The anxiety and discomfort
felt during that time which may only last a few seconds feels
like time has stood still.
I remember so well when I had my most
embarrassing moment. I was in Form 4 and it was during the
school recess. The minute the bell rang for recess, I rushed to
the toilet because I had been controlling my urges since class
started. I didnt want to miss class because the lesson taught
that morning was to include tips for the forthcoming
examination.
Without realising, I had rushed to the girls toilet. The
prolonged control and an upset stomach made worse by two
glasses of cold milk in the morning made me grunt and groan
in what I thought in what I thought was the privacy of the
cubicle. I thought I heard giggling outside and wondered why
the giggles sounded unusually near. A few minutes later I
came out the cubicle and discovered my horror that I had
entered the girls toilet. To make matters worse, the few girls
standing outside didnt even turn away when I came out.
Instead they looked down at me, then only they turned
quickly away. Horror of horrors, I had forgotten to zip up! No
beetroot could have matched the colour of my face at this
point in time!
They news of my predicament spread like wild fire
throughout school. I was truly the talk of the town. I felt like I
could either walk around feeling perpetually self-conscious
and embarrassed or I could turn the situation round, perhaps
even to my advantage. I remembered my mothers words
that if you cant beat them, join them. So I decided to make
fun of myself, to laugh at myself too. It works. Everyone got
bored after a while and nobody teased me after that.
It was indeed an eye-opening experience for me. I
have learnt that when people laugh at you, you should laugh
along. You must not take yourself seriously. Learn to look at
yourself through other peoples eyes and you will realise that
most of the time when they laugh at you, they just want to
have some fun. They mean no harm. If you can make people
laugh, its like bringing sunshine into their lives and as
someone said, those who bring sunshine to the lives of
others cannot keep it from themselves.
6. Friend
This friend I have is special, whilst young, intelligent
and righteous. He lives with me since he was born, a pleasure
to have all these years.The strength to face each day can
sometimes be drawn from knowing him.
When I watch him dribble around with the ball at the
street soccer court then knocking it into the goal leaving the
opponent frustrated there is unspeakable pride and joy
emitting from the core of my heart. How this fine young man
The story is very touching and informative. It arouses
the feelings of the readers. I admire Helen Keller for her
determination and diligence. I appreciate the painstaking
efforts taken by the teacher. The book has a good moral
lesson for all. It shows the triumph of the human spirit in the
face of indomitable obstacles. It makes us wonder whether
Helen Keller was just another victim of fate or whether her
birth has a special significance. Was Helen Keller fortunate or
unfortunate? Helen Keller was unfortunate to have suffered
the cruel twist of fate but the world is fortunate to have had
a person like her. Her life shining example to prove the adage,
where there is a will, there is a way.
REPORT Book Report
The Story of My Life is an autobiography written by
Helen Keller. It tells us how Helen Keller, who was deaf, blind
and mute, defied the odds to become one of the most
celebrated personalities in the world. The story was set in
Alabama in 1997.
In the first half of the book, Helen Keller writes about
how she was afflicted with scarlet fever while she was still a
baby and how illness left her deaf, blind and mute. The story
outlines the frustration Helen Keller experienced as a child
alone in a dark and silent world unable to communicate
with anybody. The author then goes on to say how her life
changed with the arrival of her new-employed teacher and
nanny, Anne Mansfield Sullivan.
The second part of the book relates how Helen Keller
studied the deaf and dumb language and learnt how to write
using Braille and then went to college and graduated. The
story goes on to say how she spent the rest of her life helping
the deaf and dumb all over the world.
I enjoyed reading every page of the book. I found some
sections of the book, especially those that deal with the early
part of her life, poignant and touching. It made me realize
how difficult life must be for the handicapped. It also made
me realize how fortunate I was. It has made me more
sympathetic towards the plight of those who are less
fortunate than I am, especially the handicapped who has
given up hope in the face of misfortune, and the severely
handicapped who have lost the will to live.
has grown from a novice soccer player just three years ago to
a forwarder that instill fear to defenders who have to mark
him. A elusive player who pass his opponent with ease and
elegant he can match the highest standard of the land.
The fond memories of the time we spend together
still lingers in my mind. Bringing him to the movies, watching
him fight with his sisters still sits in my mind. When he is
younger, he never kept still and even climb out of the cradle
that is meant to restrain him. That is when he is only two
years old and that time nearly got a spanking from his grand
mother.
The coolest transformation is his hair. It uses to be
always gelled and groomed into the "curry puff" look that is
the trademark look that signifies his childhood days. Curry
puff is a local snacks that has ultra ordinary puff when fried.
Youth has robbed away that and reinstall a new image to
befit the modern time. The "anime" type spike hairstyle is
now the replacement. Skinny jeans with a smart tee shirts is
the order of the day when he needs to go for a outing. While I
would prefer him to be in long sleeved shirt and a business
pant, his peer may feel out of place with this sort of strange
outfit.
Our favorite chat always centered on his favorite
Barclay Premier League Club Chelsea and my Manchester
United Football Club. Our exchange on the matter can turn
into a feisty with each not giving way to the other. Glorified
Manchester United has done it once again but the arrival of
Ancelloti this season and the departure of Christano Ronaldo
has up the challenge for the rivals.
Every weekend is spent at the soccer field where we
conduct soccer lessons for children under ten. He is my coach
while I am his manager and together we managed to keep
soccer alive for these kids who showed up every weekend.
Our effort has rewarded us with two championship through
the years and the greatest pride is the one that Chris has
played in.
Chris is more of a friend than a son, we spend our
time together like most friends do. I am proud of him both as
a friend and a son.
7. Write a story starting with: The widow had to work
hard to bring up her little son alone...
The widow had to work hard to bring up her little son
alone. This was after her husbands early death. She and her
son lived in a wooden house. It was a small house with only
one bedroom and a kitchen.
Mariam wanted Sam to study hard to get good result.
So she would not let Sam help her do any household chores
or wash his own clothes. The years flew by. Sam sat for his
SPM examination and pass with flying colours.
His mother was very happy. She went round telling
her friends, My Sam will be leaving for the city to study in a
college. He will become a Manager one day. Ill move to live
with him in the city. Then, my struggle is worth it.
So Mariam continued to work hard to send money to
Sam who was studying a business degree. For Mariam, it was
a tough life. Meanwhile, Sam kept on phoning home to ask
down their vehicle to watch the accident. Some pedestrian
came by and offered help.
As it happened, I ran into my house which is close by.
I called the nearest police station and in ten minutes, a police
car drove up. I told the police officer I had witnessed the
accident and offered to come out to the station to give a
statement. The cars were towed to the side of the road first,
and then were brought to the police station before to
workshop. Pictures were taken for insurance claim.
In my opinion, the driver of the Honda City is to
blame for the accident. She was driving too fast and did not
pay any attention to vehicles coming out from the side road.
The driver of the Toyota Vios should have stopped at the
junction.
Julia Selamat
Julia Selamat
REPORT Police Report
To: Sergeant Razali Kamrin
From: Julia Selamat
Date: 7th September 2011
Report of the accident on Jalan 2/14
On 7th September 2011 at 10.30 a.m., I was walking
alone Jalan 2/14 which is next to the childrens playground.
As I was about to cross the road to enter the park, I saw a car
driving swiftly down Jalan 4/14. It was a Honda Civic with the
number plate BEH 9110. Another car, a Toyota Vios 1.5 with
plate number WHM 4657 came out of Jalan 4/14 as well. The
Honda Civic was driving too fast that make it did not have
time to avoid collision.
The accident caused a loud crash. The Honda Civic hit
the Toyota Vios on the drivers door. The door could not be
opened and the driver had to get out from the passengers
door. The driver of the Toyota Vios was lucky as he survived
with no physical injuries. Both air bags popped up when they
collided to each other. They both were fortunate as their car
was not badly damaged and dented.
The Toyota Vioss windscreen was shattered to
pieces. The Honda Civics headlight and signal light were
smashed. There was plenty of glass on the road. The two
drivers startled to argue. The driver of the Honda City was a
woman. They blamed each other and the argument stopped
when her mobile phone rang. Most of the passerby slowed
for more money. Mariam even had to borrow from her
neighbours and friends to send her son the money.
Three years Sam stopped calling home. He did not
even let his mother where he was. When she phoned the
faculty, they told her that he had graduated and left for job.
However, they could not her more. Mariam was baffled.
Where was Sam? She was so sure he would come back and
fetch her for city. So, she started to pack some of her bags
and boxes.
Three months later, there was still no news or call from
Sam. One day, Mariams niece, Kate, came to talk to her
about Sam. She told her aunt, Auntie, a friend of mine met
Sam in a bank. Hes the branch manager. This is his address.
Early in the morning, Mariam took the first bus to the
city. At the bus station, she took a taxi and showed the taxi
driver the bank address. On the way there, she told the driver
about Sam and what a filial son he was.
The driver stopped his taxi in front of a tall building.
She got out of the taxi and smiled at him happily. This was the
moment she was going to meet Sam. She imagined him
showing surprise and delight at meeting his mother. Inside
the building, a security guard asked her who she was looking
for. She told the guard Sams name.
The bank staff saw an old lady holding a worn-out
handbag. They were wondering, Who is this woman? Why is
she asking for our manager?
Meanwhile, Sam pretended he did not know his
mother. Feeling disgusted and ashamed, he asked the
security guard to ask her to leave. Mariam was shocked to
hear that! She looked Sam in a disappointed feeling ever, and
ran out of the bank.
Back in her house, Mariam cried the whole night. She
cried and cried till she had no more tears. The next morning,
she was sitting by the window with Sams photo on her lap.
She saw him walking towards their house. Soon she was
shouting and crying, My Sam is back! My Sam is back!
Samran towards her and hugged Mariam as he never
let go. He was so sorry and regretted the way he behaved. His
colleagues were the one who made him realized his big
mistakes neglected his mother.
The neighbours heard her. They too shouted and
cheered, feeling happy for her.
8. Faith
Feeling thankful is how I feel now. The greatest
present to receive is the sense of content and gratitude that I
feel. No matter how much I earn or the value of properties I
owe, without sharing, how life can be?
Few years back when I was in school, my mind was
set on money and branded items. No matter how badly life
has for me, nothing can bring me further away from my set-
mind. From many hardships, I struggle for a presence, a
name, a status. I need to let people know what I have and
what I can achieve.
and needed help. He also mentioned that the guard who in
charge nowadays easily allowed the strangers to enter their
residents. State CID Chief Supt Harun Din advised him and the
people to be more careful in giving help to strangers. The
guard also must be stricter in letting people from entering
any residents without proper permission.
He added that the suspects, aged between 25 and 30,
were believed to be illegal immigrants. He said there had
been similar incident last week when two men approached a
factory worker who was on her way home after work. The
duo then relieved her gold chain and cash. He advised the
residents to be alert and reports to police any suspicious-
looking characters lurking in their area.
REPORT: Newspaper Article / Report
Couple Foils Robbery Attempt
PULAU PINANG, Thu An elderly businessman and his wife
foiled a robbery attempt by two men armed with a
screwdriver and a knife. The victims were reported safe from
any bad injury.
Tan Ah Wok, 60 and his wife were taking a morning
walk near their home in Helen Heights yesterday when two
men on a motorcycle stopped them under the pretext of
asking for directions. As Mr. Tan was giving directions, one of
the robbers pointed a knife at him and ordered them to keep
quiet. He then relieved Mrs. Tan of her jewellery and
instructed Mr. Tan to hand over his ring and watch. When he
refused, a struggle ensued. Meanwhile, his accomplice
grabbed a helmet and hit Mr. Tan on the head with it. On
seeing this, his wife started screaming.
One of their neighbours, R. Subramaniam, who was
taking his dog for a walk, heard the screams and when to
investigate. On seeing Subramaniam and his dog, the robbers
fled. I was taking my dog for a walk when I heard someone
shouting for help. Knowing that something was wrong, I ran
there as fast as I could. Before I reached the scene, the
robbers fled on a motorbike. They were probably afraid of my
Rottweiler.
Mr. Tan, who suffered a small cut on his head, was
given outpatient treatment at a private clinic. He said that it
was a horrified experience as he never expected the two men
would attack his wife and him. He thought that they were lost
As time passes and sky is unlimited, people change so
do I. I turn to God. I turn to my family. I turn to my faith.
Nothing can make me feel more content than myself. I need
to satisfy my own need before I make my way to the world.
Love, Peace and Happiness are what I believe now. As I
mention earlier on, faith is the tool for all lives. Imagine a
world without faith? How can one trust someone or
something? Take for an example a relation between two
sexes. Both need to gain the trust and belief before
embarking a journey together. Its a journey of understanding
as well as respect. Nothing can bring two down with the
concrete tools both have.
No matter how much money is flowing in my bank
accounts or how many properties waiting in my list, as long as
I dont feel content with myself, nothing would. All these are
material visions that count only for a short period of
happiness. I want a long lasting happiness. A happiness that
can be shared by everyone even passer-by.
I turn my life to myself, family and GOD. It revolves
with them. Not that Im a 100% believer in God but somehow
or another, it smooths my daily life whenever I trust on
something. I believe what comes around goes around in life.
Why one should feels frustrated and irritated when aim is not
reached? Why? Ask yourself deep in your heart? Is it worth
the temper-rush? The best way to do is to look at the
problem with a smile on your face and a relax heart. Turn
back and dont let your anger out from your box. Think
appreciation that mistakes are made and told to you. All you
need to do: CHANGE.
It is as simple as ABC.
9. Social Networking Website
A large number of internet users have joined social
networking websites. A social network service is an online
service, platform, or site that focuses on building and
reflecting of social networks or social relations among people.
For example is for those who wants to share interests and, or
activities. A social network service essentially consists of a
representation of each user which known often as a profile,
his or her social links, and a variety of additional services.
Most social network services are web based and
provide means for users to interact over the internet, such as
e-mail and instant messaging. Online community services are
sometimes considered as a social network service. In a
broader sense, social network service usually means an
individual-centered service whereas online community
services are group-centered. Social networking sites allow
users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within
their individual networks.
In the last five years, they have been growing up
more and more popular. This increase in their popularity has
led to a large number of members.
One of the many reasons why Yahoo!, MySpace and
Facebook social networking websites have increased in
popularity is due to the fact that they cover a wide variety of
different topics, issues and interest. They do not just focus on
one particular group of individuals or one particular issue.
Their policy is to invite as many types of internet users to join
7. I look forward to hearing from you and I am fully
prepared to attend an interview at any time convenient to
you.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Raju
(RAJU a/l MANIAM)
in TFR Auto Enterprise as an Accounts clerk. Since my present
position offers little prospect for career advancement, I
would like to be attached to a fairly large organisation such as
yours.
3. I would like to work in Nilai as I intend to further my
studies and get professional qualification. I have registered
with a college in Nilai to do ACCA on part-time basis. With
this high additional education level and knowledge, I can
perform better in applying the accounts knowledge in the
future job.
4. I can assure you that I am capable person who can
work independently. I am able to handle full sets of accounts,
up to three sets at a time. I am interested in working with a
company like yours as I feel I can grow well with the
company. I am a team player, adapt easily to any working
environments and can work with people from all works of
life.
5. I was active in extra-curricular activities and was
considered as responsible and dedicated worker. I led and
organised many activities for the school clubs so I am
confident that I can be an asset to your company in this
capacity. Furthermore, i have a good command of English.
6. In view of my qualification and experience, I would
expect a salary more than RM 2 000. And since I have my own
car, I would have no problems travelling outstation should
the job require.
as possible. By this, it gives members a wide selection of
online friends to choose from.
If you are looking to join a social networking website
that is more focused on creating friendships or partnerships
between internet users preferable with the same interests,
then you will want to focus on social networking websites.
They have a particular focus. The prevalent websites focus on
important issues, topics and hobbies, such as pet owners,
religion travel and others. So before you join, think of an
issue you are interested in and sign up for the website that
focuses on that issue.
What really sets them apart from other websites?
What is so special about them? These are questions which
have been asked by many who show interest in joining.
Primarily, it is the community. As mentioned, such social
networking sites tend to focus on a particular topic, issue or
hobby. This means that if you are a keen traveller and you
would like to speak to other keen travellers, you will want to
join a travellers networking sites.
The difference between these social networking sites
and traditional ones is that you will automatically be paired
with hundreds, if not thousands, of other internet users who
share the same interests, views or beliefs as you. This is a big
bonus to the members.
Another benefit to joining the social networking
website is that you are, in a way, safer than those who are
members of other networks. Most of them require activation
before joining the site. Before activation can occur, many
users are required to state their reasons for wanting to join
the network or they may be required to fill out a small
questionnaire pertaining to determine whether or not they
have a genuine interest in the topic focused on by the
network in question. By pairing you with a group of
individuals who share the same beliefs, views and interests as
you do is advantageous to members. It means that you do
not have to spend hours researching a person or speaking to
them just to learn what they are or are not interested in.
Therefore, this enables you to jump right in and start making
friends, almost as soon as you are granted access to the site
that you have chosen. This service gives the social networking
websites a great edge over other websites.
10. Pollution
Pollution is an issue of concern in the modern world
that we live in today. There are many types of pollution,
namely air, water and noise. Pollution in our environment will
undoubtedly affect our quality of life. Our naturally beautiful
world becoming ugly because it is suffering from the effects
of environmental pollution. Pollution can also cause various
health problems and other negative effects.
Air pollution is caused by the emission of toxic gases
from vehicles, factories and open burning. Nowadays, there
are more and more vehicles on the road as society gets more
affluent. More and more people strive to have a better
quality of life by having the convenience of driving to their
destinations instead of taking public transportation.
Automobiles provides transport to millions people around the
Taman Hati Bersih,
76 000 Seremban,
Negeri Sembilan
__________________________________________________
_______________________
The Manager,
Lim and Sons Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd.,
Lot 123, Interstate Industrial Area,
76 001 Nilai,
Negeri Sembilan
18 JULY 2010
Dear Sir / Madam,
Application for the Post of Accounts Assistant
I wish to apply for the post of Accounts Assistant as
advertised in The New Strait Times dated 15th July 2011.
2. I have the necessary qualifications as stated in my
curriculum vitae which is attached to this letter. I have
experience working in both food manufacturing and also auto
manufacturing fields. I am currently working in Lazat Ice
Cream Sdn. Bhd. in capacity of an Accounts Assistant and
have been here since January 2008. Before this, I was working
Fogging service also was not done accordingly to the
schedule. The fogging authority only did their job whenever a
case of dengue aroused. They even fogging the
neighbourhood late at night that caused us to leave the
residents. They need to consider the residents who have
babies and also to those who need to wake up early in the
morning for work. The fogging also caused the people to have
breathing problem when we were not told the exact time of
fogging.
5. We have made numerous appeals to the Municipal
Council to look into our complaints but to no avail. We have
been putting up with this predicament for more than a week.
We hope the health authorities would do something to check
these health hazards.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Raju
(RAJU a/l MANIAM)
Letter of Application
Chong Mei Lin,
40, Jalan Templer,
world to enable them to travel to their workplace, school and
other places, therefore, the air around us is getting more
polluted by the carbon dioxide that is emitted. Carbon
monoxide is another type of gas which harmful to the
environment as it can cause the reduction of oxygen in the
bloodstream.
Another example of contributor to the air pollution is
the manufacturing factories. The manufacturing of products
in factories to meet the growing demand of society is also
causing air pollution. Factories release toxic gases to the
environment. Some factories also use coal to generate heat
and energy. As a result from the burning of coal, carbon
dioxide is released into the environment.
Besides factories, many people are still practising
open burning as a way of disposing their household wastes.
Although burning our household wastes is a convenient way
of getting rid of our rubbish, it is harmful to the environment
as it contributes to the worsening of the air quality. As a
result, air pollution causes people to suffer from health
problems such as chest pain and asthma. In extreme cases,
people can contract lung cancer.
Water pollution is also a problem that we are
currently facing. The marine life is the first to suffer from
water pollution as they depend on the nutrients in the water
to survive. As a result, we are robbed of beautiful sea corals
and unique species of fishes. Besides ruining our marine
heritage, the disappearance of marine life will affect the
livelihood of fishermen, not to mention our source of food.
Water pollution is caused by harmful waster from industries,
farms and sewerage systems which are dumped into our
sources of water such as rivers and lakes. This irresponsible
act contaminates our drinking water and can cause serious
health problems and can even culminate in death.
Noise pollution is another form of pollution. Noise
from heavy machinery and vehicles can cause hearing
problems and in extreme cases, deafness. As there is growing
number of vehicles on the road, we are exposed to noise
pollution every day. The government in advanced countries
encourage their citizens to take the public buses and trains by
providing an affordable and efficient transportation system.
This effort discourages people from driving their private
vehicles and consequently reduces the number of vehicles on
the road.
We must work together to reduce pollution so that
the future generations can live in a healthy, unpolluted
environment. As the saying goes, precaution is better than
cure. Lets hands on hands together by recycle and conserve
the world for the better future.
11. Sharing
Some of us may be selfish to share our study tips yet
deliberately disturbing the others while they are doing their
works. Some might agree with such an attitude as a secret
weapon for crucial examination namely UPSR, PMR and SPM.
But don't you agree that sharing is actually the happiest thing
we can do? We can share meaning that we have the
capability. Sharing brings more knowledge and ideas to be
Dear Sir,
Uncollected Rubbish and Clogged Drains
I am writing this letter is to attract your attention to the
above title. As the representative of the community, I am
calling to tell you that the 300 odd residents living in Taman
Sentosa are extremely unhappy about the lackadaisical
attitude of the local town council towards the uncollected
rubbish and clogged drains in our area.
2. The rubbish in our area has not been collected for
more than a week. The rubbish is supposed to be collected on
alternate days but this has not been the case. The town
council workers collect the rubbish according to their own
whims and fancies. The uncollected garbage has attracted not
only flies and mosquitoes but also wild dogs which had
attacked the residents on several occasions. These stray
animals also scatter the rubbish and make the roads dirty and
smelly. As a result, residents have to bear the discomfort of
stench from the garbage and risk their health.
3. We are also disappointed with the town council
workers for not clearing the clogged drains which are filled
with rubbish. The drains would usually overflow when there
is heavy rain and the rubbish would then flow into the
compounds of our houses. Besides, putting up with the
unbearable stench emitted from them, the residents have to
spend hours cleaning their compounds of rotten vegetables,
food leftovers and other rubbish.
4. Due to dengue outbreak recently, we are really
concerned about the residents health especially the children.
The situation in Malaysia has improved since the end
of January. There have been no reports of new cases of
dengue. So, dont worry. You can bring your family for a
holiday here in June. Im looking forward to seeing them
again.
Send my regard to your mom and dad. Do take care.
Yours sincerely,
Harun Din
FORMAL LETTER: Letter of Complaint
Raju a/l Lingam,
123 A, Lorong Bahagia,
Taman Sentosa,
07231 Bandar Baru Sentol,
Kelantan
__________________________________________________
_______________________
The President,
Bandar Baru Sentol Council,
Kompleks Utama,
07200 Bandar Baru Sentol
16 JUNE 2011
exchanged. Nobody will improve much if they are reluctant to
share. In fact, when we initiate to share, we will definitely get
more and more feedback which may be beyond our
knowledge. 3 people are better than only 1. More minds
contribute more thoughts. That's why group discussion is
highly recommended for it is an proven effective way to
catalyst our improvement of study.
Study is only a part of our life routine and being
student is merely our temporary role . Actually that time is
our precious moment to develop into a better person. One
cannot know and experience everything with limited ages .
However, we can gain unlimited knowledge and lesson once
we start to share and exchange. By sharing, we know more,
we continue our learning and without we can realise , we
have fostered good friendship and become a better
individual. Let's have a very simple example,every of us owns
one box of biscuits. Every box of biscuits have different
flavour. If we are kind enough to reciprocate our biscuits with
each other, then we get to taste a variety flavour of biscuits.
Similarily, sharing and exchanging is something mutually
profitable for every of us. Through sharing,we apply our
knowledge and subsequently we gain more. Do share your
knowledge with others as if you intend they share theirs with
you. Only those who are generous to share and humble to
keep on learning deserve to possess more power, wealth and
knowledge.
Being students,we are still learning and painting our
lives with endless colour and school should be the safest
platform for us to practice our behaviour. Here,sharing makes
more sense to complement each other. Nothing can be
accomplished without a cohesive teamwork. One cannot be
successful without any assistance provided by the others.
Frankly,have you shared your fortune,wealth and knowledge
with your friends? If not, try your best whenever you are still
able to do so. When we are stepping into the working world,
seldom do we have such an opportunity to share and enjoy
anxiety-free student lives. A real success is more than just a
straight A result or thousands and one certificates but
whether one really enjoys the process towards success. And
sharing will be a must for the particular joyful process.
12. After all, it isnt that bad
She looked so beautiful that morning. As I shifted my
hands through her gorgeous hair, I kissed her. Take care,
darling. Gotcha go to work, I said, in my peculiar Australian
and European mixed accent. After waving at my wife, I got
into my black Brabus S350, sitting in my porch, growling.
Good day, Sir, wished Mr. Baskaran, my personal driver, as
he started to drive the growling beast, ready to unleash its
mighty horsepower. As I leaned back in the posh leather seat,
the 30 inch widescreen LCD screen started to unfold in front
of me. It resumed the episode of House, I was watching
yesterday.
But no matter how I tried, I couldnt enjoy the
sarcasm of Hugh Laurie as I was too preoccupied with what
One. There were also a few students taking the examination
in the hospital.
According to the news, students made up nearly 30
per cent of the 1 500 suspected cases over the first three
weeks of the year. About 53 per cent of 621 confirmed cases
last year comprised children and youth under the age of 24.
These statistics are quite worrying. This has prompted the
health ministry to increase checks on aedes breeding grounds
in school and public areas. The construction sites are largely
to blamed. The problem is made worse by the rainy season.
The stagnating water attract the mosquitoes to lay egg and
breeding on the areas.
The authorities have taken various steps to control the
situation. Fogging has been carried out in many public areas
and most of the housing estates. Contractors at the
construction sites have been instructed to take appropriate
actions and warned to clean up. They could be fined up to RM
3 000 for breeding aedes mosquitoes. Lot of campaigns
through the television, radio and newspapers were taken to
make people aware of the issue and take precaution rather
than cure them.
Before the long holidays for the Chinese New Year,
schools all over Malaysia carried out a clean-up campaign of
the school compound. The residents association in my
housing are also organised a family day clean-up of the
housing estate. There were huge piles of rubbish especially
old tyres and containers littered by the hawkers near the
might market site.
Dear teachers and students, thank you for your
attention. Let me end my speech by reiterating that smoking
is a bad habit, so make Tak Nak your mantra. If you have
started smoking, say Tak Nak and quit! And if you havent
started smoking, say know that smoking not only damages
your health but you are also literally burning your money.
Informal Letter
No. 34, Street of Fame,
Taman Bukit Bintang,
Bukit Bintang,
67500 Ipoh,
Perak.
14 January 2011
Dear John,
How are you? Im sorry to hear that your cousin had
dengue fever. This problem seems to have become very
serious all of sudden. We always feel that the problem is not
our concern until someone close to us is affected.
My neighbours daughter who was in Standard 6 last
year could not sit for UPSR examination because she was
down with dengue fever on the eve of the exam. Fortunately,
the authorities gave her an exemption so she is now in Form
happened at work yesterday. Being a CEO of a multimillion
dollar company like Google does equate to a life full of stress
and tension. The only consolation I got was, the security
analyst, who melted my heart and made me go on a cloud
nine, Julie became mine. Her smile made me euphoric, her
eyes made me drool; her voice sent a tingling sensation down
my spine, which I longed for, every minute, every second.
Mr. Mahen, we have arrived, Sir, announced
Baskaran as he opened the door and led me into the giant
headquarters of the world-renowned Google Inc. As I made
my way through, dozens of smiling faces wished me a good
morning. But, the morning wasnt good. The thought of what
I did yesterday was running all over my mind.
Hssh! the air-conditioner hummed as I went into my
cabin. The most luxurious in the building. The CEO room was
finished with fine oak wood, enriched with blinds which are
controlled automatically, a foosball table and yes, a state-of-
the-art computer system.
Slowly, I sat and took out the files. The figures were
big and scary, some eight digits and some nine. If it
happened, I have no idea how Im going to pay the foreign
investors and even worse, my staff! I need a solution, one
which can solve this problem once and for all. Trying to think
as hard as I could, I closed my eyes. Just as I was trying to
visualize some ideas, there was a knock on the door. It was
hard.
Sorry to interrupt Sir, but heres your cup of special
Jamaican brewed mocha cappuccino, mumbled Sarah Lane,
my personal assistant cum secretary. Still thinking hard, I
brought the porcelain cup closer to my mouth. There was a
code on the cup. It read CBSGOOGLEV2. Just as I started to
take a sip, suddenly the missing pieces of the jigsaw in my
mind came together. YES! Ive got it! It was all because of the
V2 code on the cup. If it wasnt for that code, I wouldnt
have got it.
I immediately called my chief programming officer,
Mr. Karl Benzer. A sore looking, depressed, fat, belly-
buttoned guy entered my cabin. Take that look off your face
at once, I exclaimed. Ive found the solution to our
problem! I shouted happily.
As though my words were words of some sorcerers
magic, the sore look disappeared. His teeth started to show
and he was desperate to know further. I poured the whole
thing. Benzer, settle down and Ill tell you. Initially, as you
know, we were facing a losing battle with those scoundrels
who stole our new unreleased software, Gamma Google. If it
went into the pirates hand, we would be bankrupt........ . As
I was talking, Benzer interrupted me. But sir that is what we
were discussing the whole day long yesterday. Tell me how
you are going to overcome it, blattered my impatient staff.
Its like this. Theyve stolen Gamma Google which
wasnt ready and for testing purposes, I secretly added a
command which would allow the software to self-destruct no
matter wherever it is in the world. How silly of me to forget
about that, I explained contentedly to Karl. Wow! Its a
huge relieve to hear that, sir. I will start working on executing
the command strings youve put in, said Karl.
the public, especially among the fashionable young crowd,
that smokers have yellowed teeth and suffer from shortness
of breath and tells them that it is not cool to smoke. It is also
not responsible of them to affect non-smokers with second-
hand smoke.
Also, there is a succession of infomercials on TV and in
the papers showing the debilitating effects of tobacco
addiction on the body and gruesome statistics of smoke-
related deaths. We are now familiar with the graphic pictures
of damaged lungs on billboards which should scare people
into not smoking. This works, as I know some of my friends
are quitting now, or trying to reduce the number of cigarettes
they smoke per week.
However, I feel any anti-smoking campaign is more
effective if other people and organisations are actively
involved too. Yes, the first step has been taken by the top,
but sad to say, many of our politicians smoke themselves.
Nearer to home, so do some of our parents and teachers.
These adults have to be good role models by not
smoking themselves. If they do smoke, they should tell their
children and students that they regret that they ever started,
and then take steps to quit smoking as soon as possible. They
must practise what they preach.
On a more positive note, I commend the Malaysia
Amateur Athletic Union for its zero-tolerance of smoking
because they know that smoking and health just do not mix.
How can our sportsmen excel if they cannot stop smoking.
Speech
Your school is having a month-long A Healthy Body
Campaign. As President of the Health Club of your school,
you decide to give a speech on the Tak nak Campaign
recently launched by the government.
A very good morning to our dear Principal, Mr. Hasnan
bin Jaafar, teachers and students.
Recently, our former Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi launched an anti-smoking campaign called
Tak Nak. You can now see this short and rhyming catch
phrase Tak Nak everywhere on billboards, posters, TV
ads, and sometimes I even hear it on the radio. Though some
people have criticised our government for setting aside a
staggering sum of RM100 million over 6 years for the
campaign, it is nothing compared to the huge amounts that
tobacco companies spend to promote smoking.
But in this war against smoking, money definitely talks;
it is necessary for the Tak Nak Campaign to constanly remind
us of the hazard of smoking because about 50 Malaysian
teenagers light up for the first time every day. In fact, some
of these youth progress steadily from this to regular use, with
addiction raking hold within a few years. And this is despite
the warning on every pack of cigarettes that states
unequivocally Smoking is dangerous to your health.
What can the Tak Nak Campaign do to combat this?
Their aggressive advertising creates media awareness among
That evening, I left early. I wanted to take my wife to
an exclusive, select restaurant as a treat. I hit the pause
button of the LCD TV and I called my wife to inform her about
the good news while I was in the Brabus. Later, I resumed
watching and yes, it was that sarcastic doctors show being
screened. Hey, who said being a CEO of a multimillion dollar
company like Google equate to a life full of stress and
tension? After all, it isnt that bad.
13. Write a story that ends with: "...they looked at each
other and smiled meaningfully."
James and William are neighbours. When they were
in kindergarten and primary schools, they were intimate
friends. However, things changed when they were in
secondary school. Due to the fact that they had different
interests and pursuits, they were no longer close. William was
a studious introvert who kept to himself whereas James was
outgoing and gregarious. James, who also excelled in sports,
was chosen to be in the school basketball team and became a
popular student.
Deep in William's heart, he still wanted to be friends
with James. Even though James felt the same way towards
William, he was aware that his new friends would not
approve. Due to peer pressure and to prove his loyalty to
them, he would make fun of William together with them.
One day, both William and James went on a school
trip to a waterfall. When William was changing in a changing
cubicle, James stole his glasses and hid them. After changing,
William was surprised to find his spectacles missing. As he
was short-sighted, he could hardly see well without the
glasses. Even so, he started searching for them. While
searching, he tripped over a short stool and fell heavily onto
the floor. Luckily, he did not sustain any serious injuries.
While some other students were helping William to get up,
James and his friends laughed at William and made sarcastic
remarks about him. James then returned William's glasses to
him and told him to be more careful with his belongings.
The students then went to the waterfall and swam in
the pool. All the students had a good time in the pool. Later,
James and his friends swam far away from the other
students. After swimming for a while, William got out of the
pool. All of a sudden, one of James' friends came running.
"Help! James is having a leg cramp. He's drowning!"
cried James' friend
William ran as quickly as he could to where James
was. Without thinking of his own safety, he dived into the
pool to rescue James. It was not easy as the current was
strong. After putting in a lot of effort, he succeeded in his
eadeavour. He brought James to the shore but unfortunately,
James was unconscious. A teacher called for an ambulance
and not long after, James was rushed to hospital. William
went along with James.
In the hospital ward, James woke up. He thanked
William for saving his life. He also apologised for being so
mean and cruel to him.
"It's okay," said William with a smile. "I've never had
a grudge against you. Just let bygones be bygones."
Constant vigilance would ensure the perpetrators do not
repeat their offence.
The government should also raise the public awareness of the
dangers of forest fire. Continuous campaign of the cause,
solutions and steps-need-to-be-taken to reduce the haze
need to be promoted through all types of social media like
television, radio, newspaper and even via internet. The
authorities should also provide assistance to farmers and
introduce more sophisticated forest clearing methods.
In Malaysia, strict laws must be imposed to penalise
those who practise open burning. On-going campaigns on the
dangers of open burning should be intensified. Individuals too
have a role to play. They must participate in every campaign
and stop burning. Students can advise their parents not to
practice open burning.
Every individual has to remember that we do not own
the world, but instead we lent it from our future generations.
We must protect our world so that our grandchildren woulh
have a healthy earth to live.
Directed Writing
Article
Haze: A Danger to Health
The haze is a constant phenomenon faced by
Malaysia and her neighbouring countries. The haze is
basically pollution of atmosphere, which is clogged with
pollutants and other substances from forest fires.
The haze is a direct effect of forest fire in Kalimantan
and other parts of Indonesia due to slash and burn method of
farming. The Indonesian authorities appear to have no power
to control farmers from practising such methods. The haze is
further worsened by open burning practised by most
Malaysians. Open-field burning of rice straw by the rice
planters and open burning of dried leaves and garbage done
by the public are a few examples that done by Malaysian.
Many are ignorant of the health effects of open burning.
During the haze, hospitals and clinic often report a
dramatic increase in respiratory problems, lung infections
and asthma attack. The Air Pollution Index (API) usually
indicates the hazardous and dangerous levels of pollution
during this period. The haze has long-term side effects.
Prolonged inhalation of polluted air will result in serious lung
infection which particularly affects the elderly.
The government must play its role to reduce the haze
treat. It has to cooperate with the Indonesian authorities to
stamp out forest fires. The culprits must be brought to
justice, either through healthy fine or prison sentence.
Just then, a nurse walked into the ward to check on
James.
"Both of you look very close to each other. Good
friends, I guess?" the nurse remarked.
James replied, "We were and always will be good
friends."
They looked at each other and smiled meaningfully.
14. Write a story about being alone
I could not sleep throughout that night, not even a
minute. It was just because I might miss the boats or ships
that passed by the island. I was shivering in cold even it was
just a gentle breeze. I thought to myself that things had been
different if I did not take part in that vacation alone. I had
never imagined in my wildest dream that a spectacular
vacation on a cruise ship in the beginning turned out to be a
nightmarish affair.
The day before was awesome. I embarked on a three-
day vacation trip on a cruise ship alone. I had never felt so
relax and freedom in my life! Never! I used to be a 16 A+
student in SPM; I used to be Petronas Company manager; I
used to have Ferrari and a huge house; I used to have fame
and wealth! However, I was not happy at all. I used to feel
alone and stress during working. Thus, to escape myself from
those unnecessary "negative element" in my life, I choosed to
take part this vacation alone.
The scenic view was splendid across the horizon of the
sea as far as eyes could see. The sea water was crystal clear
and the sky was a magnificent azure. My blissful day did not
stop here! The dusk thrilled on me as I sat on a chair. The sky
gave its golden appeal and the sun looked like it was sinking
into the sea as the night began to unfold. The night sky was
enshrouded by the twinkling stars. I was staggering to see the
view of the opulent God's magnum opus.
However, as the night grew older, something totally
different was going to happen. The sky was too dark. The
glimmering stars started to disappear on the night sky. In my
instinct, something horrible would have happened but I just
could not figure it out. I just went into my room and dived
into a deep slumber.
"RIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!"
"This is your captain speaking! Abandon the ship! The
ship is about to sink!"
"RIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!"
The loud ringing sound woke me up from my comfort
bed. When I was listening the announcement, to my horror,
the ship was in topsy-turvy. The high jinks enshrouded the
air. Then I realised, there was a storm happening outside. I
left my room. I was completely flummoxed and saw people
running riggledy-piggledy as they did not know what to do.
The last thing that I could remember on the ship was the
huge wave crushed upon the the cruise. Then, everything
seemed to darken.
"RORRRRRRR!!!!!!"
Streaks of light awoke me up. Then, I found out that I
was on the beach. I thought that the misery was ended.
parents and having a great voice, Adam could even render
golden oldies.
When evening came, we went to play at the beach.
We met a group of teenagers in our same age group. They
were camping by the beach. When we met them, they were
playing Frisbee. We greeted them and they invited us to join
them in their game. We had a lot of fun together. We were
glad to have made new friends. After the game, we rested
and watched the enchanting sunset together.
On the third day, we decided to use the health spa
facilities of the hotel. We swam in the Olympic-sized
swimming pool and did some workout in the gymnasium. We
also took a sauna. A friendly reflexology professional gave
each one of us a foot massage. We felt mentally relaxed after
the reflexology session.
At noon, we checked out of the hotel. We went back
to Kuala Lumpur by coach as well.
Overall, it was a happy trip for us. We considered
ourselves extremely fortunate to be able to enjoy this free
trip and stay in a luxurious hotel where everything was
provided free of charge. I had had a wonderful time with my
friends and wondered when such a rare opportunity would
come again in future.
busy with his work, he decided to let us go on the trip
instead. We were overjoyed to hear the good news.
From Kuala Lumpur, we went to the 'Pearl of the
Orient' by coach. The journey took about five hours. After
checking in the five-star and high-rise hotel, we proceeded to
our suite which was located on the top floor. Upon seeing the
king-size bed, I jumped onto it as I had always loved staying in
hotels. Adam and Ariff giggled at my silliness. We then went
to the balcony to enjoy the superb panorama of George
Town, Penang's capital city. We could also see the blue sea as
the hotel was located by the beach. The views were simply
breathtaking.
After unpacking our stuff and having our baths, it was
almost dinner time. Since all meals were provided throughout
our stay, we went to the hotel restaurant as we were
famished. A buffet dinner was served and we had a variety of
delicious food. When the meal was over, we brought our
torches and strolled along the beach, where we collected
some colourful and pretty seashells. Occasionally, we saw
jellyfish that were stranded on the beach. After the stroll, we
retired early that night because we felt tired.
The next morning, we woke up to a sumptuous and
nutritious breakfast. Next, we went snorkelling in the shallow
sea. It was a wonderful feeling swimming among the exotic
and flamboyant sea-fishes. We also had a chance to explore
the spectacular coral reefs. In the afternoon, we had a
karaoke session. The karaoke machines were part of the
leisure facilities of the hotel. As we were fans of the latest
hits, we had a good time singing them. Influenced by his
However, a little exploration did not bring much hope. There
was nobody on the beach. I built up a settlement near the
beach. I lay upon the leaves bedding. I wondered. Could I
survive? Did my family members know that I was being alone
on the beach? How long could I have to wait alone? I prayed
to God.
"Dear father Lord, please lead me to face this trouble.
As You have promised, '(Isaiah 41.10) fear not, for I am with
you. I will uphold you with My righteous hand.' Please give
me confident, faith and power.In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
"WIIIINNNNNNKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!"
Out of the blue, an abrupt siren was heard from afar.
God really heard my prayer! Swiftly, I jumped from the leaves
bedding and ran to the beach. I shouted for my life when
waving my hands up to the air.
"Help! I'm here! On the island! Help! Help! I'm here!"
The siren became louder and louder. Finally, I was
safe. The tears of joy started to drop from my eyes. At that
moment, before I stepped onto the rescue ship, I knew that I
was a God-richly blessed child as I was still alive. God never
gave up on me even though I might gave up on Him.
Sometimes, you are feeling alone even though you are
crowded with people at noise party and work. However,
when you are being alone, there is only one person who will
accompany you, who is our God. From that incident, I have
learnt to live a meaningful life instead of successful life.God is
magnificent. He never let me feel alone when I was being
alone. Life is meaningless if without Him. Thus, like what Gary
Ryan Blair has said, "We only live once, but once is enough if
we do it right. Live your life with class, dignity and style so
that an exclamation, rather than a question mark signifies it!"
15. Write a story beginning with: "The teacher walked
into the classroom. It was the first period ..."
The teacher walked into the classroom. It was the
first period of the school day. After our class had exchanged
greetings with our English teacher, Mdm Lucy, we started our
lesson.
While the class was going on, all of a sudden, there
was a blackout. We heard the students from a neighbouring
classroom screaming. Out of curiosity, Mdm Lucy went to see
what was going on.
Mdm Lucy was approaching the class when she saw
the students queueing up and walking out of the classroom.
When all of them had left the classroom, their class teacher,
Encik Zaiful, exited the classroom in a hurry. He set off the
fire alarm on the wall. Then, he told Mdm Lucy that a fire had
broken out in the classroom. The ceiling fan was on fire. Most
probably, a short circuit caused it.
Encik Zaiful then went to see the principal and
informed him about the fire. The principal called the Fire and
Rescue Department at once.
When Mdm Lucy came back to our classroom, she
told us what was happening. On hearing the news, many of
us started to panic.
"Don't panic, class," Mdm Lucy comforted us.
"Remain calm. Now I want you to do as I say - line up in a
single file at the door. Remember - don't yell or get excited.
Stay together and leave everything behind. After you've lined
up, walk calmly to the field and meet me there."
After the students had left the classroom, Mdm Lucy
made sure that no students were left behind before locking
the classroom. When everybody was in the field, she made a
roll call. The students and teachers in other classrooms did
the same thing to evacuate from the school blocks.
Meanwhile, the fire in our neighbouring classroom
spread quickly. Within ten minutes, the ceiling and curtains
were also on fire. Soon, the wooden furniture was ablaze as
well. Not long after, firefighters arrived on a fire engine. After
putting in a lot of effort, the fire was finally put out
successfully.
The affected classroom was badly damaged.
Therefore, it had to be rebuilt. Investigations revealed that a
short circuit caused the fire. Students from the affected block
had to stop schooling for a few days as the old wiring had to
be replaced. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the
incident. The principal promised to do all he could to reduce
such untoward incidents to a minimum in future.
16. Describe an outing with your friends.
Last year during the first semester holidays, I went on
an outing with my classmates and best friends, Ariff and
Adam. Adam's father won a trip to Penang, which came with
a hotel suite stay for three people for two nights. As he was