Continuous Writing: Descriptive - Sample Essay

                                             DESCRIBE YOUR TEACHERS

Teachers play an important part in the lives of students like me because we usually meet them five days a week. Some of my teachers fill my soul with fear, the very thought of them even makes my heart drop. There are others, however, who are not so frightening at all, and may in act brighten our days.

        One teacher who is liked by almost every pupil in my school is Mrs Jenny Lee, who teaches us English. Tall and slim, with a heart-shaped face, Mrs Lee is known as the prettiest teacher in our of school. The boys of my school often look out their classrooms to admire this lovely teacher as she passes by their classrooms, gliding on her high heels, with her long silky hair flowing behind her.

      Mrs Lee has a personality to match her looks. You will nearly always see her face wreathed in a sunny smile. She almost never gets angry and even when she scolds us, she still sounds sweet and gentle. I clearly remember the last time she chided me for not doing my composition homework.

      “How will you ever improve if you don’t make the effort, Brian,” she murmured kindly, looking at me with warm eyes. I felt so sorry!

      Another teacher who has made me feel really sorry for neglecting my work is Mr Joginder Singh, my teacher for Accounts. However, his method for doing so is completely different!

      Mr Singh is a huge mountain of a man. He is over six feet in height and over 200 pounds in weight, all of it muscle. He looks the typical Punjabi warrior, with his turban, bushy beard, hooked nose, and piercing eyes.

      As in the case of Mrs Lee, Mr Singh's looks also match his personality, especially his voice, which is always very loud. He is about the only teacher I know who can deliver an hour-long lesson at full volume without getting a sore throat! No one falls asleep during his lessons. Actually, no one would dare to, as this fierce teacher would take quick action with his long cane. No one ever dares to neglect the homework that he sets either — the piles and piles of it! Mr Singh’s motto is “No pain, no gain”. I am not sure whether he is referring to the pain from the cane or the pain from doing the homework.

      Yet, however much we students may complain, there is no doubt that many students have gained tremendously from being under Mr Singh’s care. Our school’s performance in Accounts for SPM is exceptionally high! Clearly, Mr Singh’s motto is a sound one. However, it can also be noted that our performance in English Language is also considered excellent. Perhaps, Mrs Lee’s motto is also valid, and it is “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down”.

Continuous Writing: Narrative - Sample Essay

                                                      A FRIEND

“What happened?” I could hear myself asking this question over and over again. As I slowly regained consciousness, I found myself in hospital. The past flashed through my mind. I realized with horror what must have happened.

Ismail and I are the best of friends who have lived in the same neighbourhood for umpteen years. In school, we have always joined the same sport – cross-country. The two of us never failed to jog every morning in the park. We especially liked jogging along the path by the big river.

One fine morning, we went jogging by the river as usual. We were jogging slowly as we talked about the coming inter-school cross-country competition. I said, “Peter is bound to be one of the two to be chosen to represent our school. I wonder which one of us will be the other lucky person”.

 Ismail suddenly stopped jogging and looked uncomfortable. His voice faltered as he spoke, “Karim, I don’t want to keep it from you any longer. Mr. Lim has already told me that Peter and I were chosen.”

My face dropped. All my wild dreams of being the inter-school cross-country champion were shattered. If only I had practised more often, if only … if only Ismail were not such a good runner.

I was so overwhelmed with disappointment that when Ismail came over to comfort me, I pushed him away roughly. He lost his balance and grabbed at me for support. We screamed as we both fell into the river. The next thing I remember was being in hospital. Friends and relatives who came visit me later told me that they knew. Ismail had saved, risking his own life as he was not strong swimmer. His knees were injured while trying to save me.

I felt exceedingly ashamed of myself. I had put Ismail’s life in danger through my unreasonable, childish behavior. Yet, he had saved me. As a result of his knee injury, Ismail would not be able to represent the cross-country race. This made me feel worse than ever. I have, since that incident, resolved to make it all up to him in whatever way I can. I will try my best to be true friend to him as he has been to me.

Continuous Writing: Narrative - Sample Essay

                                       A BROKEN PROMISE

Why is this mathematics exercise tougher than usual? It is taking me forever to finish it even though I started at eight o’clock. Now it is already 10 o’clock  and I am not even halfway through. I kept glancing at my computer at the corner of my room. It looked so inviting, making me unsure whether to continue my homework or to just stop and go online. It look me exactly two seconds to make up my mind. I am going online!

Obviously from my decision, you know that I am an internet freak. I am willing to do anything (including procrastinating my mathematics homework, even though I know very well my teacher is Mr. Fitzgerald, or more popularly known as Mr. Fitz the Bald. May God help those who dare to mess up with him!). O.K., so I am a self-confessed internet addict but at least I am computer literate! I absolutely adore computers but my greatest love has got to be the Internet Relay Chat (IRC). This is because it gave me a sense of freedom and exhilaration, unlike anything I have experienced before. You can be a supermodel, an astronaut or the local zoo keeper and no one would even know the difference.

When I sat in front of the monitor and clicked on the IRC programme, a short but unique name caught my eye. ‘Neo’. I said ‘hi’ and introduced myself. I was ecstatic when Neo answered and turned out to be a great conversationalist and we hit it off immediately. We chatted about everything and I felt as though I had known him since the dawn of time. It never occurred to me to get back to my homework and by the time I did, it was already too late. Realizing this, I dreaded the next day because that was when I had to brace myself for the impact of Mr. Fitz the Bald’s blashing. I could picture him now, nostrils flared, sweat trickling down his forehead, the gestures of his hand animating his words, eyes that shine with a wild black fire and a head shinier than usual (sometimes you can even see his veins becoming visible and that makes his complexion become a weird shade of red). God, please help me!

The next day was a living hell. Everybody was mad at me and I was mad at myself. I just wanted to shout it out to the world, “ I am a victim of modern civilization!”. Then, to relieve my stress, I went out online and Neo was there. He asked me about my day and I told him how I overslept and missed the bus to school, how Mr. Fitz the Bald punished me in front of the whole class and how the class shunned and threw a cold glaring look at me because they had to complete ten exercises which were due the following day just because I failed to complete my work. He just listened to me and was very understanding and supportive. He even sent me a bouquet of virtual flowers to cheer me up and I was touched. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

We continued to be friend for a whole month without even knowing how the other looked like but this teeny-weeny fact did not bother me at all. But then, one day Neo told me he would really like to meet me because he felt as if were friends faceless voices. I tried every trick in the book but I could not dodge his request. He noticed my effort and he demanded why I was acting that way. I could not explain why and so I finally gave in. our meeting was set, he was supposed to wear a navy blue shirt, khakis and brown leather shoes. When he described what he was going to wear, I ealized that he must be quite rich to dress so elegantly. As for me, I was just going to settle on a red blouse and my faded blue jeans. We agreed to meet in front of Starbuck’s coffee house at two o’clock, two days from now.

            Surely you must be wondering why did I not want to meet him. I was afraid that if he knew how I looked like, he would not have interest in being my friend anymore because I was not like other normal teenagers, so vibrant and full of life. When others ran, I lagged behind because my artificial leg could not stand much pressure. The truth is, I was not born handicapped but lost my leg on a mountain expedition last year. I was helping my friend up the ravine but I slipped and fell. I was alive but my right leg was severely injured and had to be amputated. That is why I now have a prosthetic leg. I have felt wonderful   it was to be normal and it makes the pain much harder to bear. My old life which full of physical activities, seemed like a passing wind, never to come again. I was not fit anymore to join my friends and that threw my confidence out of the window. I was afraid Neo would not accept me.

The next day, my mind was occupied with thoughts of him and his reaction. So, to ease my mind, I made him promise not to judge me by my appearance but by my inside me. I did not tell him the truth because I wanted to know if he was sincere in his friendship.

When the moment finally came, I was ready for anything. When I arrived, I noticed a fine looking young man that fits Neo’s description. When I said ‘fine looking’, I was not kidding. He came with his friend, so before I approached him, I studied him first. He was athletically built and tall with mocha coloured skin. His hair was neat and it looked as though it was woven from the hues of midnight sky. His eyes, brown and alert but with certain mysterious glint. It made him looked arrogant and egoistical. I could see that he was so anxious and restless that even his friend’s comforting words could not help to soothe him.

Slowly, I walked up to him and introduced myself. I smiled at him but I could see that he was shocked to see my condition and he failed to hide it. He babbled something indecipherable. He asked how I was and we chatted a little but he seemed restless, I looked at him knowingly and then he glanced at his wristwatch. He excused himself and said that he had to go. Neo’s friend looked at him in disbelief but Neo ignored his glance. Neo promised to call me later then he hurriedly left. It happened so fast and before I realized it, he was gone.

Neo had failed the test. He could not handle the truth, so it was better to let him go. There was no sense in postponing the inevitable. I knew he would never call me again. I knew that our first meeting was also our last. There would be no next time. He had broken his promise and maybe it was true that broken promise lead to broken hearts. Even though I have been through similar situations before, it still hurts. But I will still keep trying because I believe that even when the darkest moments dawns, it comes with the promise of a new day. I just have to move and live with the fact that sometimes, people are not what they seem to be. Thanks to Neo, I know it now.

So, as I sat at the corner of the table at Starbuck’s, looking out the window, I saw a group of teenage girls giggling as if laughing at a secret joke. How I envy them! I looked at them as they passed by and then I reflected on what had happened. I looked down at my coffee and saw my reflection. Then suddenly a tear trickled down my cheek and fell into the coffee, obscuring my reflection.

Directed Writing: Sample

You are the Secretary of the Consumer’s Association in your town. You are invited to give a talk to students of a secondary school on ‘Be a wise shopper’. Include the following:

• do not be influenced by advertisements in the mass media 
• compile a list of necessary items before going shopping 
• compare prices in various shops 
• check the quality and expiry dates of goods 
• be careful when buying during sales 

Remember to:

• Address the audience
• Introduce the topic of the talk
• Elaborate on each of the points
• End the talk with a closing expression

Model Composition:

Good morning, students of Sekolah Menengah Menteri. It is a great pleasure to be invited to your school to give a talk on ‘Be a wise shopper’.

First of all, you must not be influenced by advertisements in the mass media such as the television, radio, newspapers and magazines. Advertisements only show a positive side of a product without revealing the shortcomings. This is very misleading and consumers are often tricked into buying products. For example, to promote the SKIPPI brand of shampoo, an attractive girl with long, shiny hair is shown on television. One is led to believe that by using the SKIPPI brand, one will have similar beautiful hair.

Also, a wise shopper should compile a list of necessary items before going shopping. This will help you buy only what is required. Without a list, you will tend to buy unnecessary items and thus spend a lot of money.

Furthermore, it is a good habit to compare prices in shops. In this way, you will know where to get what you want to buy at the cheapest price. This practice is particularly useful for big families who buy in large quantities or for those on a tight budget.

Another good habit is to check the quality and expiry dates of goods. Ensure that tins are not dented or damaged and the expiry dates should be well ahead of time to allow you to use the products for some time.

Finally, be careful when you buy during sales. Don’t be fooled! Know your prices first before you buy anything at a sale. Only then will you know if the sale is genuine or not. Also, many goods during sales are old or rejects. Make sure you check the goods carefully first.

By following these steps, I hope you will be wise shoppers and spend your money wisely. Thank you for being such attentive listeners.

Continuous Writing: Sample - Narrative

I was strapped in my seat
I was strapped in my seat, ready for takeoff. There was a deep rumbling sound as the engines prepared to start. My hands clenched the armrest, sweating in excitement. I heard a countdown. Beside me, Allan screamed in uncontrolled joy. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Blastoff! We looked ahead, and the vehicle lurched forward, and suddenly we were shot like a dart towards the stars. Our jaws vibrated and we screamed, feeling the gravity pulling down on our bodies.

Suddenly, the craft shook, and we saw laser bursts right in front of our screen. The computer announced that we received damage on one of our rockets. Allan looked at me in fear; he did not expect this to happen. We saw spacecraft of unknown origins flying towards us, then suddenly there was a bright flash and an explosion. Sparks flew around us and smoke sprayed out of broken pipes. Allan and I were shocked, unable to do anything as we were strapped tight. We watched horror as our craft turned sideways and we fell back towards earth.

As we fell down, we could feel the heat of the craft as it burned through the atmosphere. The vibration shook our jaws once more, and we screamed in anticipation of what would happen if we hit the ground. Suddenly the computer uttered some jargon, and our descent slowed down. We slowed down then glided safely to our base, visible in a distance. There was a voice, and it told us that they will bring us into their base for repairs. There was another voice, this time its Allan’s “looks like we’re not leaving Earth this time” he said.

We unbuckled our straps and stepped out of the cockpit “That, was the best simulation ride I’ve ever been on!” said Allan. I replied “Yeah totally! It felt so real. Remind me to thank your uncle for a wonderful weekend” Uncle John greeted us not far from here, and we burst into a hailstorm of screams and excitement as we told uncle John about his new simulator ride.

“Escape From earth” was one of the few rides uncle John had designed for his park. It was the state-of-the-art simulation ride and the most advance in the world. There were not many people in this park. It was located in a private island off the coast of Costa Rica. Uncle John is a wealthy businessman, and he had spent almost all of his fortune into this one amusement park.

This park, he claimed, will turn all other theme parks in the world obsolete. The theme park was due to open to the world next year, and I was one of the few who was given the privilege to witness its wonders. Almost everything here is automatic, from conveyor belt sidewalks, to automated burger stalls. There were only a few maintenance workers here and there. This park, cleverly named “The Lost World” was advanced, mysterious and isolated from the world.

Alan and I were cousins. That is why I’m here with him now, on this island where no man once dared to venture in. We were testing out the rides to see how great it is. So far, everything was out of this world. “Journey to The Center of the Earth” was arguably one of the best rides. With the combination of the latest 3D screens and technology, the experience was surreal. We walked into a cave and as we walked further into the cave, we could see changed in the wall as we passed cavemen paintings and fossils. Suddenly we feel down a deep hole and we saw another world, filled with giant trees and animals. We saw a giant tiger about 2 meters tall, then it chased us. We ran into a cave just next to the place we fell from. And suddenly the cave entrance collapsed behind us. We walked straight and then we found ourselves walking out of the same cave we entered.

Uncle John explained that with advance motion sensors and conveyor belts, we had not really moved more that 10 meters from the cave entrance. The tiger was an animation, a robot with lifelike movements. I was impressed beyond my imaginations. From then on, Allan and I were prepared for all 10 rides in the park.

For the next two days, we had fun testing out the various rides. There was the “Speed Demon”, a roller coaster that rocked back and forth with the tracks, and it went in all directions, up, down, left, right, upside down and in a loop at speeds of more than 70 km/h. There was also the “Jungle Survival Boat”, where we had to use special air rifles to fire upon native Indians as they attacked us while we traveled with the river. The native Indians were robotic and they never move in a same way for each ride. Allan shot an Indian with his rifle and the Indian fell with a realistic scream.

At night, we had a scrumptious dinner by the moonlight atop a building that rises over the trees. The roof were open aired, and we could see the island blanketed by a thick layer of mist, so the only thing we could see is the mist and the sky. It gave off a feeling of being in the clouds. Most of the hotel were not completed, but we got a room that was abit larger than mine, and it was luxurious.

Then, faster than we could blink our eye, the day for departure came. Uncle John called us to the deck to go back home with him, as they just came there for an inspection. We were sad to leave this wonderful place, but we got onto the ship, and we looked back at the island in sadness, wondering if we would ever come back to the island again.

Our fears came true when a few months later the news announced about an ice shelt in Antarctica that would soon break off and fall into the sea creating a giant tsunami of about 30 meters high. Uncle John quickly called to evacuate everything on the island to the mainland, with the rides as the top priority.

Workmen worked as quickly as they could and evacuated most of the rides onto a ship. With the tsunami nearing, they could not save most of the rides and the ship left dock just a few hours before the tsunami hit the island, destroying almost everything without mercy. Only the finished part of the hotel survived, the rest of the park were flattened.

Continuous Writing: Sample - Narrative

My father used to ask me a question, “Chloe, what do you want to be when you grow up?” it was just like any other conversation between a father and daughter, not at all significant or poignant. Like any other ambitious teenager, I remembered answering him. “a pilot of course. I want to fly planes and go around the world”. “I see. What about a gardener, like me?” my father asked.

“No way!” I exclaimed. Sure it was fun to grow flowers and shrubs like my father used to do, but I did not want to end up like him. Not even for all the tea in China. After a few years, I landed a job at the airport and got married to a fine charming man. His name was Thomas. When we had children, I was forced to think twice between my career and my children.

That was how I end up becoming a homemaker.

I think that mothers should stay at home to look after their children. By that, mothers are able to give their full love and attention to their children according to their needs. Children will receive full care from the mother and guidance. Nothing in this world can substitute a mother’s love for her child, I can tell you that.

However, on the other hand, I would not say fathers make bad homemakers as well. After all, how hard can cleaning the house, doing the laundry or taking care of the children be? No that easy I tell you. If women can match men career wise, becoming doctors and accountants, surely men could also do the same, no? the thing is, fathers can do almost the same, but most fathers do not.

Bear in mind, I used the word almost. History always pictures women to be at home, doing household chores. We cannot deny that. Thus, there has got to be a reason for the occurrence. You see, one main advantage that most women have over men is their ability to multi-task. A really capable mother could clean the floor, talk to the children, while waiting for the lunch to be fully cooked. Try putty a typical man into the picture. Do not ask me why, we are just born that way.

Research have also been carried out about the effects of parental care on a child. It is proven that children whose parents stay at home are more likely to succeed than those who have working parents. Children with working parents have a higher risk of engaging in social issues. As a result of negligence, these children seek attention by getting involved in immoral activities. Thus, mothers who stay at home can supervise their child.

Remember when I said I never wanted to end up a gardener like my father?

I ended up being like him anyway. Every day, I nourish my plants and watch my children grow, hoping that one day they will become someone successful. By becoming a full-time housewife, I let my ambition of becoming a pilot fly, knowing that I gained something more. I have never regretted my decision until now, even if you are to ask me again, whether mothers should stay at home to look after their children. I know, because I grew the seeds of tomorrow, just like my father.

Continuous Writing: Sample - Narrative

I felt faint. I could not believe what I was hearing. I wanted to die. The news was unbelievable.

The alarming school bell rang meaning the end of another tedious and exhausting day of school. I made my way home taking all the possible shortcuts. As I was a few yards away, I heard a crowd’s chattering and a familiar voice like my dad’s. I started walking faster.

I squeezed my way through the crowd. I noticed a body lying on the floor covered with a white, blood stained sheet. I started shouting at my dad not noticing his handcuffed hands.

“What’s happening?” I screamed
“Nothing it is just a misunderstanding dear” He answered hesitatingly
“What Is?”

I was then taken aside by two police men. They told me everything.

“Your mum is…… dead” said the tall one

The word “dead” echoed in my head. I could not believe what I was hearing. My poor beloved mum’s soul was under the sheet. My dad murdered her. I dared not to lift the sheet. But then I did and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek.

She was taken to hospital by an ambulance, and as for my dad, he was taken to the police station for further investigations. How could he? I will never forgive him.

I was left all on my own. No one to look after me. I was taken in to social care until my aunt comes.

“We have informed your aunt Betty of what has happened.” Said the social worker.

“She had a shock and so she needs to recover so she will come to get you after a few days.”


It was obvious that I will never be able to live with my dad. He is a murderer. I will never forget and forgive what he done to her, however I never thought that the day will come and he will murder her.

After a few days the social worker told me to get ready. She said my relative Tea Sea Ting will be coming to get me to live with her. Then I remembered. Aunt Tea Sea Ting! She was the woman that I hated in the whole universe. It was absolutely impossible for me to live with her. She is a cruel cold hearted woman. She used to think that I was very much spoilt that’s why I never got any  or birthday present from her. She also said once that I had no manners and was an absolute disgrace to the family. Living with an aunt like that is complicated.

She lives in northern Johore and I live in the east. I was always happy to think that she was far way and that I will never see her again.

The car parked right outside her bungalow. My hands started shaking with fear. As I came out of the car she gave me a “you will regret it” face. I entered the house and then she showed me my room. She was gentle with me at that moment since the social worker was there. However when the social worker left, she started picking on me. It was like I was living in hell. She would say that it was my fault that my dad killed my mum and that when I grow I will be like him. A murderer.

“It is in your blood” she said one day.

My life started to be complicated. I started to wet the bed from fear and nightmares of my mum. That led to more complications since she would get the chance to pick on me. I had to leave my school from east Johore and go to a dump near hers. School and home lives were hell.

The thought of me never seeing my mum ever again was heartbreaking, but the thought of living with Aunt Tea Sea Ting all my life was like rain without clouds same as me without my mum.

My Life Is Always Going To Stay Complicated.

Directed Writing: Speech

Question

Road accidents have been on the increase with more young people becoming victims. Your school has decided to launch a “Road Safety Week” to raise awareness among students of the need to be more responsible on the road chairperson of the school’s organising committee, you have been asked to give a talk to other students on road safety.

Below are some notes you have made on the reasons why road accidents occur and suggestions to reduce the number of accidents.

Reasons

* Speed
* Reckless driving
* Tiredness
* Racing
* Poor maintenance of vehicles
* Road conditions

Suggestions

* Strict enforcement of traffic rules
* Increase fines
* Road-worthy vehicles
* Awareness campaigns
* Increase age limit for new drivers
* Suspend driving license

Write out the talk that you would give. When writing out what you plan to say, you should remember to:

- address the audience
- introduce the topic of the talk
- use all the notes above
- end the talk appropriately 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sample Answer

A very good morning to the Principal of SM Sri Mayang, teachers and fellow friends. As the chairperson of the school’s organizing committee for the ‘Road Safety Week’, I would like to give a talk on some safety tips for the students. As we know, there has been an increase in the accidents reported involving students of this school. I hope this talk will raise your awareness to be more responsible and careful when using the road.

I would like to identify some of the reasons why road accidents occur. First, speeding beyond the prescribed limits is the main cause. Some drivers not only speed but also drive recklessly, breaking road rules and beating the traffic lights. Moreover, drivers who are tired after long distance driving or after a long day work, may not be able to concentrate on the road, thus causing accidents. Youngsters using the road as their racing track is another cause too. Drivers who do not check and maintain their vehicles often may be involved in accidents because their vehicle is faulty. Many potholes and uneven roads which contribute to the poor condition of the road too can cause accidents.

However, these problems can be overcome with strict enforcement of traffic rules to those who flaunt the law. The offenders should be caught and fines should be increased. Only road-worthy vehicles, which have been maintained well, should be permitted on the roads. Awareness campaigns on safe driving should be carried out everywhere. Since young drivers are high on the accident list, their age limit should be increased. If the drivers are involved in any accidents, their licence should be suspended.

I hope the short talk that I have delivered have given you some ideas of how to use the road safely. Thank you for listening.

Directed Writing: Formal Letter

The President, 
The Neighbourhood Committee, 
81300 Skudai, 
Johor.
_______________________________________________________________________________

The Chairman, 
The District Council 
81300 Skudai, 
Johor. 25 JANUARY 2010

Dear Sir, 

Abandoned Houses Visited by Suspicious Youths


I, Jamie Lee, would like to draw your attention to the abandoned houses visited regularly by suspicious youths on motorbikes. 

2 My neighbourhood has been a peaceful district until the appearance of a few youths. Every night, they will come in gangs of five to ten and loiter around the abandoned houses. To add flesh to the bone, they have been seen abusing drugs in these abandoned houses. When the drugs start to take effect, the youths will make a lot of noise, sing and even yell out vulgarities. 

3 Sad to say, ever since the gang of youths appeared, many houses have been broken into randomly. Many residents complain about missing motorcycles, car rims and even flower pots. These items have also been reportedly found in the proximity of the abandoned houses. 

4 Other than that, the residents have also seen these youths vandalise public property. They draw graffiti on the walls of shop houses and break the windows of cars with large stones. Thereafter, items like the music player in the car will go missing. Many shopkeepers have also reported that their beer and cigarettes have been burglared. These shopkeepers have lost a great deal of money and feel like they are living in hell. 

5 These youths make trouble for the residents by playing loud metal music in the abandoned houses and thus, disrupt their sleep. Undeniably, life has been like hell since the youths intruded into their lives. Apart from these, they have also carried out illegal racing on the main road of the neighbourhood, endangering the lives of the residents and their children. 

6 It is an undeniable truth that these youths have upset the peaceful committee that we are staying in and we hope that The District council would be able to help us to weather out the storm. 

Thank you. 

_________________________
(Jamie Lee)

Grandpa: Sample essay - Profiling a person

     I don't have a lot of fantastic memories of childhood. There were no spectacular family adventures, no unique family projects that taught some sort of moral lesson, no out-of-the-ordinary holidays. We ate family meals together, but most of the time the children and adults lived in different worlds. The kids went to school, did homework, and played; the adults worked. I was lucky, though. When I wanted a little of both worlds, I could always turn to Grandpa. 

      I remember vividly the weekends at his house. Sitting on his lap, going to wrestling matches, walking down the street or through a park--these were things I did with Grandpa. I wasn't just a kid to him: I was his granddaughter, and I was special. He was special too. 

      Thomas D. Williford was a giant of a man. He stood six feet two inches and weighed over 250 pounds. He moved with purpose and carried himself with respect. Tom was a proud man, a good man, and all who knew him said so. Even if you didn't know him, you would notice his inner strength, his patience, his self-esteem. 

     Grandpa wasn't a scholar. In fact, he didn't even make it through grade school. He was born at the turn of the century, and educating black men wasn't a necessity then. He went to work when he was sixteen, and for the next forty years he worked in a coal factory. Then he worked in a steel mill for another twenty years. He stopped working only because the steel mill closed and he was too old to find another job. 

     When I was with Grandpa, I could be a child and yet see things through grown-up eyes. "You see that tree, Cookie," he would say. "That tree was here before those houses. God put that tree there; man put the houses. Which is more beautiful?" If I climbed a tree, he didn't say, "Get down." He said, "Climb it right so you won't fall." 

      "You appreciate what you work for," he used to say. He taught that lesson well. He never let me win any game; he taught me to win by learning to lose. If he couldn't answer a question, he was honest about it, but he would also say, "Why don't you find out and let me know too." He listened to me and he heard my feelings, not just my words. 

      There was a tougher side to Grandpa, and I suppose this, too, made him special. There was the black man who fled with his near-white wife and children from North Carolina to avoid harassment and threats from the Ku Klux Klan. There was the quiet man whose home was robbed three times by the same drunk, who reported it three times to the police with no results, and who finally waited for the man to do it a fourth time--and shot him dead as he climbed through the bedroom window in the middle of the night. And there was the man who fractured his leg at work, never reported it because he couldn't afford not to work, and years later still endures the pain of the ill-mended fracture. 

     Grandpa is almost ninety-five and now resides in a nursing home in Windsor, North Carolina. The leg he fractured forty years ago is too weak to carry his weight. His eyes are going bad. But to me he's still the big, strong man who used to take his grandchild in his arms and rock her, the man who taught a small child to see all the things around her with open eyes, the man who taught a child to try until she wins and becomes the best. He's still special and, thanks to him, so am I.

Michelle on Tape: Narrative - Sample essay

     As I pulled into my parents' driveway, I realized how loud the radio was. I turned it down, peeled my legs off the blue vinyl seat, and lugged my pile of laundry up to the front door. The doorknob wouldn't turn and I still hadn't gotten around to making myself a duplicate key.


     I rang the bell and waited. Nothing.

     Leaving my basket of dirty clothes on the steps, I tramped through the bushes in front of the living room window. Pep was across the room sitting in his usual chair and reading the paper. He was a familiar sight in his plaid flannel shirt, striped clip-on bow tie, and tweed cabby hat.

     I knocked on the window. He turned around, startled, and focused his eyes on me. I smiled and waved at him, but he just stared at me. I gestured toward the front door. His face had that hollow look, but something made him get up and let me in.

     "Hi, Pep." I kissed him on the cheek. He made way for me and my laundry.

     "Hello, how are you?"

     I headed for the washing machine. Pep trailed closely behind.

     "Kevin and Clare aren't home, but they should be here soon. Do you want to wait for them?"

     "Yah, I'll be here." I began separating whites from darks.

     "Do you want anything to eat? There's meat and bread in the ice box and some cookies in there."

     "No thanks."

     "I don't know where Kevin and Clare are. They took Katie out somewhere. Do you know Katie?"

     I paused. Here we go. This was going to be one of those conversations. I should just say, "Why, yes, I know Katie." But perhaps if I venture a bit further, something might jog his memory and we wouldn't have to go through the whole routine. Dad says that Pep has a tape recorder in his brain, and bits and pieces keep getting erased.

     I decided to give it a shot. "Pep, Katie is my sister."

     It didn't work. Pep responded as though I hadn't said a word. "Yah. Well, they went down to . . ." He doubled his chin and scratched his chest with both hands.

     "You know, down . . ."

     "To the Donnellys'?"

     "Yah, that's it. What did you say?"

     I repeated, "Donnellys'," loud and clear. It was usually best to speak with as few words as possible. The name Donnelly had a vague significance in Pep's mind, but he had no idea that the Donnellys were my mother's sister and her family.

     "Yes, that's right, they went to the Donnellys'. How did you know? What did you say your name was?"

     "Michelle."

     He smiled politely. "Oh, are you a friend of Clare's?"

     "Pep! I'm her daughter."

     "Yah, well, I just want to tell Kevin and Clare who was here in case you leave before they get back."

     "I'm home for the weekend. I'm not going anywhere."

     "Okay," he said, with an offended tone that left me feeling guilty. He turned around and headed for his chair. He truly did not know who I was. He had let a perfect stranger into our house to wash clothes.

     When I was a child, Pep would spend hours with me, patiently teaching me all fifty states and their capitals. When I had those down, we moved on to state flowers, birds, and slogans. He would read me his poetry and tell me never-ending bedtime stories about giants and fairies and magical castles. We would sit in front of the Christmas tree and try to guess which ornament the other was thinking of. On this day, though, I had more important things on my mind. Whites. Darks. Delicates.

     Pep returned a few minutes later with a pen and his notebook.

     "Here, write down your name so I can tell Kevin and Clare you were here." The prospect scared me. I was hoping he would realize who I was after a while and forget that he had forgotten me. But this was putting everything on the line. What if he saw my name and still couldn't recognize me? As he eagerly offered me the pen and paper, I couldn't say no. I wrote M-i-c-h-e-l-l-e in his notebook and gave it back to him.

     He looked at it for a few seconds and then wrinkled his eyebrows and bit his lip. He looked at me with a hint of disbelief.

     "Michelle."

     He said it with the expression of a disappointed but amused parent. The name seemed to hang in space. I imagined what would come next. He might say, "You're not Michelle" or "Who in the world is Michelle?"

     But he said, "All this time you were Michelle?"

     "Yes." That giant lump shot into my throat and tears crept into my eyes.

      "Well, thank God for you."

     I smiled. He patted me on the shoulder and walked away, shaking his head and chuckling. I was relieved. I did still exist in his mind, on his tape. But I was only a part-time visitor now, and I couldn't help wondering how long it would be before I was permanently erased.

Sample Report PMR

You are in charge of planning excursions and trips for the Form 3 students after the PMR.  You list the places to visit and receive feedback from the students. You compile the results. Using the results, write a report for the Teacher-in-charge, Puan Norliza Bakar.

Results of Survey

1. Total number of students interested in trips/visits and excursions = 100

2. Suggested Places

    a. Putrajaya -            1-day trip     - Administrative Centre     -Cost RM100.00

                                  50 interested    Palace of Justice

                                                         Putrajaya Mosque

                                                         Wetlands

    b. Kuala Lumpur -     3-day trip       – Planetarium                     - Cost RM300.00

                                30 interested      Science Centre

                                                         KLCC

                                                         KL Tower

                                                         Twin Towers

    c. Rantau Abang -     3-day trip –       Turtles                             - Cost RM300.00  

                                  20 interested    Floating Mosque

3.  Transport – Air-conditioned Buses

4.  Accommodation – Schools or 3-star hotels

5.  Own meals

To:

Puan Norliza Bakar

Teacher-in-charge

Post PMR Programme for Form 3 students

Sekolah Menengah Clearwaters

Seremban

Title : Survey -  Excurions - Post PMR Programme

A survey was carried out among Form 3 students to find out who are interested in going on a trip after the examination. The results indicate that a total number of 100 students are interested. The three places suggested for the trip are Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Rantau Abang.

    50 students are interested in visiting Putrajaya. They want to visit the Administrative Centre, the Palace of Justice, the Putrajaya Mosque and the Wetlands. They are willing to pay RM100.00 for the trip.  

    

    Another 30 students opt for Kuala Lumpur. They feel they should visit the Planetarium, the Science Centre, KL Tower, Twin Towers and go shopping at KLCC. Some think the cost of RM300.00 is a bit steep.  

    

    The last 20 students would not mind going to Rantau Abang to watch the turtles lay eggs and frolic in the sun and on the beach. The cost is about RM300.00.  

    

    Transport is by air-conditioned buses. However, they prefer not to be provided with meals.  They suggest staying at schools that have hostel facilities or in 3 -star hotels.

    

    Finally, all 100 agree to go to Putrajaya for a day because it is a day trip and it is the cheapest.  Most parents are not in favour of their children staying overnight. They prefer their children to come back even though it may be late. Besides, they suggest that the trip to Putrajaya be done on a working day.  

    In conclusion, the students agree to leave for Putrajaya at 5.00 a.m. and return by 10.00 pm. on the same day.

Prepared by

[SUSILA KAMAL.]

Secretary

What do you have to do to gain a better grade... Add idioms to your writing. If possible 2 for each paragraph. Can you put any to the above report?

 

Sample of Speech - PMR

Keep simple and polite!

Good morning teachers and friends, I, Ahmad Khairi Hafiz as the President of the Environment Club would like to talk about”How to Protect the Environment”

First of all, each one of us can start by not littering. We should throw our rubbish into the rubbish bin instead of anywhere we like. Once I went strolling at a park nearby my house but was dissapointed at the sight of rubbish.I saw many empty cans and plastic wrappers lying around.They do not only spoil the beautiful park but they are the best breeding place for aedes mosquitoes.

Another way of protecting our environment is by keeping our rivers clean. We can play our role by not throwing rubbish into the rivers. Meanwhile the factories can stop dumping their toxic waste into them. Plastic wrappers which made up 80 percent of the rubbish can endanger the fish and other aquatic lives while toxic waste can kill them. We, human will consequently suffer as we rely on the rivers for food and water.

Moreover, farmers should avoid open burning in their farming practice because it polutes the air.Open burning can lead to haze which contains poisonous gases such as carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide. These gases can cause many serious diseases. Children who breathe the polluted air may suffer from asthma and some people may even suffer from rashes and eye-diseases.

Finally, we can practice the 3R; Reuse, Reduce and Recycle. Every household should aim at reducing the amount of rubbish thrown.To achieve this aim ,each member of the household can refuse plastic carriers when he goes shopping.He can bring a recyclable carrier or a special shopping bag.The household members can even reuse some items like glass jar as a vase and cans as coin box or as a pen holder.Old newspapers can also be recycled into new papers or reused in paper crafting. If "Reuse,Reduce and Recycle" are put into practice ,the amount of rubbish thrown and the amount of energy used to produce some of the recyclabe items can indeed be reduced.

Clearly, each one of us can contribute towards the conservation of our environment and our efforts should be continuous.Protecting our environment means ensuring the existence of our future generation. With that, I thank you.

A sample of report writing for a school magazine - Form 3

National Day Celebration

SMK Taman Puteri held a grand National Day celebration on 1st September this year at Kulai Jaya Stadium to commemmerate the Independence Day. History Club, as the organiser had done a great job.

The celebration began with a march past by the school band. The boys in the band put on red uniform and a cap. They played beautiful music. Everyone applauded loudly when they entered the stadium and walked past the audiences.

This was followed by the raising of Malaysian flag. Everyone stood up straight and proudly sang our National Anthem and patriotic songs accompanied by the music played by our talented school band.

Then, a few cultural shows were performed by a group of students. They came up on a platform built in the middle of the stadium and danced traditional dances like “zapin” and “inang” gracefully. Another group of students also came up and sang some traditional songs like “ghazal” and “lagu asli” sweetly.

The celebration ended with rhythmic gymnastics. Our school’s gymnasts put up some of their gymnastic acts accompanied by classical and modern music. They used colourful ribbons and hoops. It was fascinating.

Everybody including our Education District Officer who came to give closing speech was speechless. The National Day Celebration would not be forgotten for many years to come.

Reported by
Amirul Hakimi
(Secretary of History Club)

A Hero

A hero. Someone of admirable traits or qualities. All of us have a hero. To some, a hero might be their favorite actor or musician. To others, someone closer to home, like a father or uncle. But what is hero? It means different things to different people.

Many find people of fame or importance their heroes. A patriotic American supporting the war in Iraq may think George Bush is a hero, while others believe he every decision he makes is wrong. On the flip side, Muslims may find Osama Bin Ladin hero for fighting for their for their religious beliefs, while some despise him for getting them involved in war. Actors are often portrayed as the heroes of many younger people. You may watch ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and find Johnny Depp your hero. Many people ignore the reality and praise actors for their fictional deeds.

Fictional character have, too, sown their way into the hearts of people everywhere. Fictional characters are easy to respect, for they can never prove themselves wrong unless they are meant to within their stories. They do only as intended by their creators, and the creators includes heroic traits in these characters based upon their views on what hero is. In movies, they often become heroes based on appearance or strength, while in books they are valued for their heroic deeds, such as killing great beasts or surviving impossible feats against nature. In the media, what a hero is differs greatly.

Lastly, we come to the heroes of myth and legend. They are admired for many of the same things found in media. Strength, impossible feats etc. In the story of Peach boy, an old Japanese legend, a boy born from a giant peach is found in the forest by an elderly couple and raised as a normal child. He ends up undertaking a great quest, in which he sails the a far off island and kills the trouble making demon that resides there. He returns home with the treasure the demon had stolen and lives happily ever after. Not all heroes, however, live “happily ever after”. In the story of Jason and the Argonauts, Jason takes on a perilous quest in order to regain his country. Along the way, he conquers many dangers, and marries a witch named Media. He ends up being banished from his kingdom and throne by those who feared his wife. He lived a weary life as a trouble man, and ends up being killed when a part of his ship, that had rotted through the ages, falls and kills him. Either way, they are admired for their heroic deeds.

In conclusion, heroes are seen everywhere, and are kept in the hearts of those who admire hem. Whether the heroes ends justify his means, that is left up to those who hear of their tales. A hero differs greatly to many people, and it has always been that way. Admire them for their traits and model yourself after them and you may become someone’s hero one day as well.

Continuous Writing: Sample essay

Task: Write about an occasion when you discovered you could do something you had been afraid of doing before.

“Liz, it’s your turn.” Ms Aida announced. Gosh! It was a terrifyingly dreadful moment for me. Reluctantly, I stood in front of the class trying to tell them a story that I had been memorising for the last two weeks. As I was about to start, I choked uncontrollably. Ms Aida told me to sit down and rebuked the class for laughing at me. Despite that, Ms Aida was disappointed in me. I hated having to give presentations in front of a crowd.

I was by nature timid, introverted and a withdrawn person. Suffice to say, I do not have any friends. No one wanted to be in the same team with me. My ordeal started again when Ms Aida gave us a group assignment. We were supposed to do a presentation about “Food”. As soon as I heard it, I felt disheartened yet none of my group members seemed to be worried about it. My team leader, Salbiah allocated the tasks to us. I was happy to be in charge of preparing the powerpoint slides. Preaparing powerpoint slides was easy to me; a piece of pie. My team members admired my powerpoint. I was glad to be accepted by this group.

The day of the presentation brought in many unexpected problems. Salbiah was down with measles and could not come to school. Both Farizan and Kiah had to be at their stations. Farizan had to set up the powerpoint and Kiah had to distribute the handouts. All of a sudden, I was the only one available to take over Salbiah’s place. I had no intention of embarrassing myself again but after being persuaded and encouraged by my team members I accepted with mixed feelings.

I trudged in front and looked around the class. Everybody was sniggering at me. My heart missed a beat as the powerpoint slide was projected. Farizan and Kiah winked at me and gave me the thumbs-up sign. I was gaining confidence and started to speak with much clarity and fluency. I was too nervous to recall exactly what happened at that time. After my presentation, all my classmates clapped and I was elated. I couldn’t believe that I had actually did it.

After that day, I was a changed person. Friends surround me all the time. I have become a more confident person. Today I look forward to do presentations. My life motto reads: Nothing is impossible.