Write a story using this sentence as your first line : "It seemed like it was going to be another one of those days when nothing much happens." | | It seemed like it was going to be another one of those days when nothing much happens. Ken and his friends were playing their regular football game along the banks of the river near their small village. In the midst of the game, Ken's attention was drawn to a tourist boat passing by.Actually, tourist boats were quite common in their area. It was also common for some of the tourists to take potshots at the birds and squirrels along the way. This is why Ken's friends were not really surprised to hear a few small explosions from the boat. They ignored the sounds and went on with their game.However, they were startled when they suddenly heard loud cries for help coming from the boat. They could see that the crew were running about, panic-stricken. Some people were shouting to them."Their engine must have blown up! Look, there's smoke and the boat's out of control. It's going towards the rapids," Ken pointed out to his friends.Ken's village was located at the point at which the tourist boats turned around and headed back upstream. Three kilometers downstream were the rapids, which spelt trouble for the boats."It's heading straight for the rapids! They're in trouble! The boat will be smashed against the rocks!" Ken exclaimed. "Let's get help!"The boys sprinted back to the village for help. Along the way, they met the village headman. Stumbling over his words in his haste, Ken explained the emergency to the headman.The headman was a man of quick action. Without wasting any time, he yelled out to some men to help him carry his powerful outboard motor to the jetty. With the motor tied firmly onto bamboo poles, they rushed hurriedly down to the jetty.Their haste was indeed necessary for, by the time the men had reached the jetty, they saw that the boat was dangerously close to the rapids. There was not a moment to lose! With quick hands, the headman attached the outboard motor to his sampan and then sped off to the rescue.Upon reaching the tourist boat with bare minutes to spare, the headman realized his mistake. How could so many tourists be packed into this small sampan? The headman was filled with despair. Then he saw the rope that had been used to tie down the outboard motor to the bamboo poles. It had been flung into the sampan in his haste. Quickly, he grabbed the rope and flung it to the boatmen on the tourist boat. "I'll tow you back!" he shouted.After the boatmen had tied the rope firmly to their boat, the headman made a swift U-turn and then, putting the engine on full power, he steered his sampan upstream. The rope gave a jerk and then, to everyone's relief and joy, the tourist boat moved forward, obediently following the small sampan.Loud cheers burst out from the tourist boat and the observers on the shore. Thanks to the headman's courage, the cooperation from the villagers, and the quick action of the boys, the tourists were saved from certain death in the rapids. | | | | take potshot | | a shot which is fired carelessly or with little preparation | | | | sprint | | to run as fast as you can over a short distance | | | | stumble | | to act or speak falteringly | |

Describe an incident when a moment of forgetfulness got you into trouble. | | The morning sun shone persistently on my still-shut eyelids. Annoyed, I rolled on to the right side of my mattress. Wondering about the time, I stretched out my arm to grasp the little, round alarm clock on my bedside table. I forced open my eyes, focused them on the numbers ... and screeched!Leaping out of my bed, I swung open the wardrobe door. Throwing my school uniform on the bed, I dashed to the bathroom. Halfway, I spun around and grabbed my school bag, deciding not to brush my teeth. Soon, I had shoved my feet into my shoes and pounced onto my bicycle. My parents stood motionless, staring at me as I whizzed past.As my bicycle raced on, I noticed a group of schoolgirls looking my way with great interest. Well, well! Obviously, I was still attractive even with uncombed hair. My heart was pounding furiously in my chest as I whirred past a few cars on the road. The drivers seemed to stare with disbelief that one could pedal so swiftly. In no time, I reached the school gate, which was just about to be closed.Without bothering to explain myself to the priggish duo on guard duty, I hopped off my bike and dashed off. After locking my precious iron steed at the shed, I sprinted to the school hall. As I burst into the hall, I braked to change direction and made a beeline for the back of my class. Screeching to a halt, I took my place behind my classmates.In the whole gathering of students, I seemed to be the centre of attraction. It did not matter much to me at the moment for I was used to being looked at. However, to say the least, I was a little surprised when everyone stopped staring blankly at me and started to giggle.Suddenly, the whole hall was filled with roars and bellows of laughter. Smiling at my audience, I decided to take a bow.Then, I noticed that the bottom half of my trousers were the wrong color. My line of vision moved upwards, revealing that the rest of my pants were also the wrong color, and so was my shirt. At first, even my powerful brain could not figure it out."Daniel! Why on earth are you in pajamas?" my friend blurted out amidst the hollers of laughter.The feeling of sheer horror swept through my entire frame. My mouth was stuck open in an "0" shape for a few long seconds. My mind was filled only with shock as darkness mercifully started to engulf me.Once again. I awoke with lights playing on my eyelids. At first I had little memory of what had happened, but one look at the group of people peering down at me brought the whole incident back to mind. The young boys were all clad in white uniforms and grinning quite lunatically at me. In. the high corner of the room, I saw a red crescent. Then the horrible little squirts started to call out for their seniors. Outside, I heard freshgales of laughter. The brats were chortling. I was still clad in pajamas. Not knowing what else to do, I feigned unconsciousness again ... | | | | in no time | | in a relatively short time | | | | make a beeline for | | to straight to | | | | gales of laughter | | a forceful outburst | |

Describe your relationship with your father. | | Every evening, as I am doing my schoolwork in my room, the familiar sound of my father's car reaches my ears. I imagine his Fort Cortina coming up the driveway, the engine purring to a stop. I know that in a few moments, my father will be pausing outside my door, looking in quietly, so as not to stir me from my concentration. I know he will feel pleased as he watches me studying.My father, at 53 years, has thinning hair swept back from his forehead. He has a slim and athletic body. His broad shoulders and rather serious demeanor give him an air of authority. Yet, behind his steel-rimmed glasses are soft, kind eyes.My father has always been my source of encouragement. When I was very young, he would take a book from our small home library and read aloud to me every night. Secure and loved, on his lap, I was introduced to the fascinating realm of books. He would read stories and parables from the Bible. Thus, he instilled in me a sense of God's presence in this world.I remember how, as he was reading, my father would point out the spelling of words. Then one day, he instructed me to read the words for myself. To our shared delight, I found that I was able to do so. From that day onwards, I was the one who would read aloud, with his gentle correction every now and then. Soon after that, I was picking up the hooks and reading them on my own. I became quite a bookworm.As I grew into boyhood, my bookish ways and disinterest in outdoor games made me overweight, clumsy and rather unfit. One day, my father stood observing me as I was running to a field, just 50 yards away. I arrived there, huffing and puffing. Worriedly, he told me that he would not like to see his son grow up into an unhealthy man.From that day onwards, he started to take me on jogs. At first, I was a most reluctant jogger. However, these days, as I stand perched on the peak of Mount Kina, breathing deeply after a good run, I remember his words, "A healthy body breeds a healthy mind."My father has a store of wise sayings which may seem common to some but always strike the correct note with me. Once, when I was really depressed, he put an arm around my shoulders and gently asked me what was troubling me. Lifting my bowed head, I poured out my heart's discontent. After listening, he consoled me. Then he said, "Smile, and the world around you will smile." Somehow, I was able to smile in spite of my problems.At another time, when I was about to give up on a task, he advised me, "If a job deserves to be done, it deserves to be done well." Somehow, his words gave me the strength to try again, and I was able to succeed. Since then, whenever I feel dauntedby a task, his advice always comes to mind and this spurs me on to persevere.Looking back, I realize that every step of the way, through my childhood and adolescence, my father has been there for me whenever I needed him. When I was sick, he would rush me to the doctor. When I was sick at heart, he would know just the right things to say. In any kind of trouble, I would just have to give him a call. He would surely be there.I am only a few years away from adulthood and know that many more challenges lie ahead of me. However, I can be sure that my father will be there, looking out for me all the way. Why? Because he loves me. | | | | demeanor | | The way in which a person behaves | | | | daunt | | to make someone feel slightly frightened or worried about their ability to achieve something | | | | spur on | | to encourage an activity | |

The problem of deforestation. | | Thousands and thousands of acres of lush rain forests are cleared each year to make way for development. The once beautiful and spectacular forests are reduced to barren landscapes. This is for the sake of development, for the advancement of man.Yet, what happens when trees are felled? Firstly, the earth is left vulnerable to soil erosion. The heavy tropical rains will carry away the rich topsoil, and the land without its topsoil will no longer be fertile. Slowly but steadily, the lush vegetation will give way to wasteland.Secondly, the flowing water will not only wash away the topsoil but will deposit it in the rivers. As a result, the rivers will become shallower. Consequently, floods will become frequent in the area. Thousands of people will suffer in these floods.Another point to note is that forests are home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna. Animals and plants live in symbiotic relationships in the balance of nature. Man destroys this balance when he flattens the forests to the ground. Where do they go then, the great and tiny inhabitants of these forests? Nowhere. They die. If this goes on, the food chain will be disrupted. As creatures dependent on the food chain, man is ultimately destroying his own sources of food through the destruction of rain forests.When forests are a distant memory, a shocking fact will hit us full force. Mankind will be thrown into a state of unimaginable suffering and agony. What I am talking about is the lack of oxygen. While cutting down a tree to add yet another piece of luxurious furniture to Man's already opulent lifestyle, people forget that they are also cutting down our supply of oxygen.Trees absorb the carbon dioxide breathed out by living creatures, reprocess it and, in the end, produce the life-sustaining oxygen. Without trees, where will this oxygen come from? Will we process it in factories? Will a time come when man will be fighting for the very air he breathes?Furthermore, the excessive carbon dioxide will also effect a change in the micro-climate and raise the region's temperature. There will be a greenhouse effect on earth; warm air and radiation will be trapped under the earth's atmosphere. Then, as the earth's temperature rises, the ice in the polar caps will melt, raising the sea level. Great floods will hit the lower-lying areas.As you can see, it is a vicious cycle. A change in our environment will trigger offanother change which will trigger off yet another. This is why we. should keep the balance of nature. This is why we ought to preserve our forests. This is why environmentalist groups are pressurizing governments to reduce the felling of trees and the clearing of forests and to be serious about replanting forests.With the support of ordinary citizens like you and me, they will get the attention of the people in power. We can also help by planting trees. Members of this beautiful planet must be united. By preserving our forests, we are preserving ourselves. | | | | lush | | abundant | | | | opulent | | rich, luxurious, affluent | | | | trigger off | | put in motion | |

What changes would you like to see in your school ? | | If you were to see the number of suggestion slips stuffed into my school's Suggestion Box, you would be shocked. Granted, some of the suggestions are rubbish but I do agree with many of them. There are many ways in which my school could be improved, many weaknesses that need seeing to.Firstly, and most importantly, teachers in all schools should realize that they are responsible for their students' future. This is especially true for children from less affluent homes who cannot afford to supplement the school's teaching with extra tuition. Teachers should not shirk their responsibilities towards their students.I am emphasizing this point because some teachers do not seem to feel the slightest obligation to do their job well nor the slightest feeling of guilt when their students fail in the examinations. In fact, in my school, teachers are sometimes found sipping coffee or even having a snack in the school canteen when they are supposed to be in class teaching.Of course, there are teachers who are truly committed to their job and do deliver the goods. They stay up late into the night to finish correcting their students' work and to prepare effective lessons for their students. Some teachers will even devote Saturday mornings to conducting extra-curricular activities, such as the Scouts movement. Now, if only all teachers were like this!Furthermore, wouldn't the school be a much better place to spend our adolescence if we did not have to cope with teachers who vent their foul moods on us? We should not have to walk on eggshells because our teacher has had a bad day.Another aspect of the school that needs changing is the set of school rules. Some are so irrational or petty! Take, for example, the rule on short hair for boys. What is the rationale behind this? Do the people in authority believe that everyone with long hair will turn out to be a thug or a villain? Well, look at Hitler: he had very short hair and he almost caused the extinction of the entire Jewish race!On the other hand, punishments for serious acts of indiscipline should be made more effective, even if they have to be harsher. These days, students may get away with only a warning or a "booking" for offences such as breaking the school's tables, chairs and even doors. I strongly feel that these vandals should be made to pay for what they have destroyed.Furthermore, I feel that criminal action should be taken against students who beat people up, or threaten to do so, to extort money from them. If you behave like a criminal, you should be treated like one.Another area that needs reform is the school curriculum. One major problem is the subject called "Moral Education". You just cannot learn good morals the way you learn any other academic subject, memorizing facts for examinations. Good morals have to be internalized. So, "Moral Education" should either be taken off the school curriculum after primary school or changed to emphasize practical application rather than "head knowledge".Our school hours take up a large portion of our day. Let us spend these hours usefully, in a secure, caring, fun-filled atmosphere. Our school years take up a large proportion of our lives. This is the time that we are molded, intellectually and morally. Help us to grow into worthy citizens of our nation. | | | | affluent | | having a lot of money | | | | walk on eggshells | | being careful not to offend someone or do anything wrong | | | | extort | | to obtain something by force or threat | |

Should our school examination system be abolished ? Give reasons for your stand. | | From primary school to the end of their tertiary education, students face the daunting task of preparing for examinations every single year. So much time and emotion is poured into preparing for examinations.Advocates of the system contend that annual examinations are a good way of training children for the stress of life after school - where deadlines and sales quotas need to be met, and work completed methodically and with minimum fuss.Government examinations are also said to be the necessary yardstick for measuring the capability of each person for further education or employment.Yet, are examinations an accurate yardstick? A person's true abilities may not be shown by written examinations. Take Winston Churchill, for example. He was a school dropout and yet he became one of England's greatest statesmen, a national savior in World War II. Clearly, some talents and forms of ingenuity go undetected in examinations.Another problem related to our system of examinations is that teachers become too "exam-orientated". They race through the syllabus so that they can cover everything in it in time for the examinations regardless of whether their students have understood the material. The weaker students often end up the victims in this race -- they are left far behind the rest of the class. They become more and more discouraged as they understand less and less of the lessons, to the point that they hardly care if they pass or fail. Sadly, this attitude will be carried with them into adult life.What about the "swots"? Well, speaking as one, I confess that I often wonder whether it is worth it. We rush from one tuition class to another and we spend most of our time studying for tests and examinations, or doing our homework. All through the school semester, we only have one thought in mind: to excel in the examinations. Is this really living?A related point is that some students are so occupied with their studies that they do not develop their potential in other fields. It is true that there are many clubs and societies in the school. However, many students just do not have the time to make full use of these extracurricular activities. They have to study, study, study. So, our emphasis on examinations is indirectly producing people who are only trained to study and reproduce facts rather than well-rounded individuals.In conclusion, while I realize that it will be impossible to do away with all examinations, I feel that they should be given less importance within the school system. For example, instead of basing entry qualifications on one examination, students should also be evaluated through the cumulative marks of tests and assignments. Furthermore educationists, employers, parents and the students themselves should always be reminded that the results of examinations are not equal to the sum of the net worth of the individual. | | | | advocate | | person supporting an idea or cause publicly | | | | ingenuity | | someone's ability to think of clever new ways of doing something | | | | well-rounded | | involving or having experience in a wide range of ideas or activities | |

apprehensive | | feeling anxious about something that you are going to do | | | | merriment | | having enjoyable time together | | | | ponder | | to think carefully about something, especially for a noticeable length of time |

"Cleaning toilets should be part of the school curriculum." Do you agree ? | | About two months ago, our Education Minister brought up the subject of school toilets. He suggested that cleaning these toilets should be part of the school curriculum. The public reaction to this issue was so strong that people have been flooding the mass media with opinions for and against his suggestion.One of the reasons the Education Minister gave for his proposal was that cleaning toilets will teach students humility and respect for others. Firstly, the students will be able to understand the humility of the school workers when they have to clear up other people's messes in the toilets. This job is looked down upon and considered one of the lowest. "They will also be able to respect the cleaners because he is able to do the necessary job, regardless of the low status it accords him. Another advantage of this proposal is that the students will try to keep the toilets cleaner as their friends will be the ones forced to clean up any mess they create.On the other hand, there are countless reasons for me to be apprehensive about this proposal for making toilet cleaning part of the school curriculum. Firstly, which student in his right mind would be happy about having to clean a toilet? Most school toilets are dark, dirty and smelly. Cleaning them will be most unpleasant.Furthermore, a spell of cleaning toilets will certainly be a blow to their ego. Of course, in a wholly girls' or boys' school it would not be so humiliating. However, if it were a co-ed school, the male ego would certainly suffer a lot of pain. Imagine girls laughing and teasing a guy who is forced to clean toilets. Some egoistic guy will create havoc in retaliation!Then, there is the consideration that most students are playful, anyway. Imagine them expressing their playful nature in the toilets. Other than the fact that excessive water is sure to be splashed all over the place, the students may slip and fall in theirmerriment. More ill-behaved ones may even purposely push each other into the toilet bowls.One other possibility that cannot be excluded is that students may be so turned off at the thought of toilet cleaning that they may decide to skip school on the days that it is their turn to learn this skill. Thus, the teachers of other subjects may find it hard to complete the syllabus, due to the rise in absenteeism.In conclusion, I feel that the Ministry of Education should really ponder on this issue carefully. Frankly, I do not agree at all that cleaning toilets should be part of the school curriculum. Actually, jobs like toilet cleaning make one think of prison camps, where the inmates are forced to do humiliating chores. School is supposed to be a place where young people can imbibe knowledge and good values in a pleasant, enjoyable atmosphere. It is important that young people actually like to come to school. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Write a speech for an elocution contest entitled " Should men be househusbands ?" | | "I would like to share my thoughts with you on a subject that has always been close to my heart, that is, whether men should be house-husbands. You see, as a member of the male sex I feel guilty. I feel that man has always dominated, or should I say, bullied, the fairer sex. Women have long been downtrodden and forced to mind the house."There was a very good reason for this in ancient times. Eking out a living then consisted mainly of running around with a club or spear, hunting deer, moose, or dinosaurs. However, now that we're approaching the year 2000, there has been a vast change. Bringing home the bacon in modern times needs intelligence and sensible thinking. And, as we all know, women can and do think as sensibly and intelligently as men."Thus, more and more women now qualify as doctors, lawyers and scientists. So, then, who will stay at home to take care of the children? Usually in cases where the mother works, the children are left in daycare centers. This is not healthy. Children need parental care. So, what often happens is that the wife has to quit her job. Is this fair? Not really. The men should be given the duty to mind the house occasionally, especially when the wife has better qualifications."Some people doubt that a man can manage a household. You see, the women have been doing it for centuries. People have thus come to the conclusion that it is the woman's duty to mind the home and it shall be her role forever."Actually, men are perfectly capable of performing domestic chores and minding children. And, as fathers, men can give the affection and care that the children need. And that's what really counts."Personally, if my wife insists on being the breadwinner, I will be relieved of the stress of running in the rat race. I could even play golf every morning while the kids are at school. What's so bad about that? So, let's give the women the chance to work at those jobs that they've always wanted, while we men opt for more 'relaxed' lifestyles. And, who knows, perhaps the country would be run better. After all, looking at the current state of the world, what with wars, famines and nuclear weapons, perhaps we men should just stay at home to mind the house and let the women run the world!" | | | | downtrodden | | badly and unfairly treated | | | | bring home the bacon | | to earn money for a family to live on | | | | the rat race | | a way of life in modern society, characterized by people competing with each other for power and money | | "Friends should never hide anything from each other." Do you agree ? | | No man is an island. Everyone depends on his friends to a certain extent. Ever since man formed a system of verbal communication, all people have been in constant chatter with one another. Relationships are important to man, so much that people may shape their entire lifestyles simply to find favor with their clique or circle of friends. Therefore, much caution must be applied when dealing with our friends, especially in our speech. So then, must we always tell our friends the whole truth and nothing but the truth or is it sometimes simply none of their business?One thing is clear: finding out that your friend has lied to you always hurts. In cases where lies have been told to hurt you or other parties on purpose, the friendship will never be the same. If the lie caused you great damage, the friendship will not be salvageable. Who would want a treacherous person for a friend? Yet, even when the matter is not of great importance, little lies can lead to the spoiling of relationships. I have a friend who often tells little untruths. Sometimes, he exaggerates circumstances a little, just to impress others, sometimes he tells half-truths to get out of trouble, sometimes, he makes up stories just to entertain his friends. Personally, I just do not feel comfortable with him. You see, I just never know whether he is telling the truth or one more of his little lies.Apart from the question of maintaining credibility, sharing one's problems and joys with a friend can also be helpful as we deal with the problems of daily living. As the saying goes, shared joy is double the joy and shared sorrow is half the sorrow. Sharing the good times can brighten up a friend's day if he feels down. Sharing one's problems and despairs with a friend will bring forth the encouragement and advice we need to hear. Sometimes simply having an ear to hear our heart's cries and knowing that someone understands us will make us feel better. People have been saved from suicide just by having a friend to listen to their troubles.It is clear, then, that some things need to be said to our friends without any twisting of the truth. However, there are times when telling a friend too much can also lead to problems. An all-too-common example of such a time is when one hears rumors. Gossip can start simply because someone thought a rumor was true and shared all her thoughts on the rumor with a friend. The friend, who actually had no real knowledge of the matter, passed all her thoughts and ideas to another friend and so on and so forth. The final result can be a mangled product which could really hurt the parties involved. The thing to do about rumors is not to spread them, even if you have strong opinions, about them.Another noteworthy fact is that sometimes, telling the truth may be worse than saying nothing. If an ugly girl with an inferiority complex were to ask you if she was unattractive, it would be a very bad idea to tell her just how unattractive she was. One must use his discretion in such situations, stressing on her good qualities, of course. Telling the whole truth in this case would destroy her remaining shreds of confidence.In conclusion, I feel that friends, even the closest of friends, need not tell each other everything they know or feel. Some matters, of course, should be discussed with friends, while some others should be hidden. We have to balance our love for truth with the practicalities of the situation. Not being perfect, we are bound to make mistakes, of course. So, one must then be prepared to make up with our friends, apologizing for our verbal blunders and forgiving them for theirs. Well, that's what friendship is really about -- accepting people for what they are, imperfections and all. | | | | clique | | a small group of people who spend their time together | | | | treacherous | | extremely dangerous | | | | noteworthy | | deserving attention because important or interesting | |

How I know my mother loves me. | | When I was very young, I was a sickly child. In fact, I had to spend most of my life away from school and in bed. Not surprisingly, I was miserable. I fretted a lot and constantly demanded my mother's attention. I was a spoiled brat.During the day, I would demand that my favorite delicacies be served to me and that my favorite stories be read to me. At odd hours of the night, I would ask for a hot drink or a cookie, or just some company."Mummy, stay with me!" was my constant whine.Not once was that demand refused. Not once did my mother groan or grumble. She answered every unreasonable demand of mine with unfailing patience. My mother would put everything aside to comfort me.My world was very small then. There was just me and Mummy. My world consisted of the feel of her cool palms soothing my brow and her floral scent as she leaned over me to tuck in my blanket. I remember her low voice, hushing me as I fretted about the pains in my joints. Most of all, I remember the look in her eyes, of deep concern for her sick child. That was how I knew my mother loved me then.Miraculously, I have outgrown my childhood ailments. Now that I am on the threshold of adulthood, my world has grown to include many exciting friends. Set free from the prison of the sickbed, I revel in the fun that the world has to offer.My relationship with my mother has suffered from my wild pursuit of fun. She criticizes my choice of friends and tries to enforce rules and regulations to curb my activities.Two nights ago, I stayed out way, way past my "curfew" hour, which is eleven o'clock. It was almost 1 a.m. when I reached my house. To make matters worse, I had been unable to call home to inform my mother that I would be delayed. There were no phones where we were "hanging out". I knew that I was in for it!My mother flung open the door the minute she heard my friend's car pull in. Her face was red, sweat was pouring down her temples. My friends made a quick exit as she ranted at me, her arms waving wildly. I didn't say a word, in case one of those hands should find its mark on my face. I was ordered straight to bed.As I got into bed, she stood in my room, still ranting at me for my disobedience and "wild behavior". I was tired. I just wanted to sleep. I looked up at her face to try to gauge if her scolding would be continuing much longer.Then I saw something familiar about the look in her eyes. It was the same look of concern that she had always had when I was so sick. I saw in her eyes all the fears that she had suffered that night as she waited for her daughter to return safely.This is how I know my mother loves me now. | | | | fret | | to be anxious or worried | | | | spoiled brat | | A spoiled brat is a child whose parents or other educators systematically fail to teach socially acceptable behavior and discipline. | | | | in for it | | certain to encounter trouble or punishment | |

Person I Admire the Most | | My father who is generally niggardly with praise is extremely generous where our mother is concerned. He spoke of her once as selfless, sacrificial and devoted and to this I would like to add: helpful and understanding. It is not unusual for us teenagers to run into little problems and then to boggle at them. Whatever we do, she is there solidly with us to help us. I am convinced that one of the greatest boons in life is to have a devoted, selfless, helpful mother. I have. Definitely she is the person I admire most in this world.There is no gap separating us. children, from our mother and we do not create that artificial barrier called the 'generation gap'. To her I am an open book and, as a rule. I do not pry into her personal problems, if at all she has any. She speaks little and has a patient ear for our rigmarole. Our conversation, often one-sided, can be long and topics may range from the pranks of my little sister to something new in chemistry that I learnt at school.A quality that I admire most in her is her selfless devotion to us. Her own interests are of little importance to her where ours are involved. The meals will he ready at the time we need them. She will forego a good night's sleep without a murmur, nursing us when we are ill. Her personal possessions are meager and they have to be so. In her scheme of things our interests come first. The little ornaments we wear today were hers. In the knowledge of fashions she seems to excel over us. She seems to take secret delight in seeing us fashionably dressed.My mother has an undeclared philosophy and that is to use to the full one's abilities and she practices rather than preach it. In spite of all the domestic chores, she finds time to read and often she reads books that have educational value. She knows a lot about child psychology and now adolescent psychology. The culinary art for her is something that is to be continually developed. She avidly reads health magazines in order to regulate our intake of vitamins and minerals. She keeps abreast of developments, both national and international, and is particular about reading the newspapers early in the morning.She believes that our ties with relatives and friends should he maintained and makes it a point to visit them at regular intervals. Since my father fights shy of people not so close to him, it is our lot to accompany her when she wants to visit someone. Perhaps she needs one of us as an escort, partly because tradition requires it; it could also be because she is timid. When visiting, she ably exchanges niceties and invites them all home as if we do not give her the company she needs.My mother does not have a black list of don'ts. She gives us freedom of speech and action; but ensures, by what she does, that responsibility is not dissociated from freedom. At times, when we get on her nerves, she keeps a statue-like silence and the little things we do to please her and to make her break this vow of silence seem to have good sudden effect. She does not compete with us in any way and she does not believe in forcing us to study. Perhaps she feels that we would emulate her and that all she wants us to do is our best. She does not wait eagerly at the gate to know our position in class and she learns of our performance in the examination only when we. with certain amount of pretended modesty, present our report cards for her signature.To our father she is secretary, companion, domestic accountant - all rolled into one. Her devotion to him is typically oriental and at times it would appear that her only goal in life is his and our happiness. It is not unusual for him to run into a bad temper and my mother's moderating influence has a good effect. He seldom talks to us, but mother as his secretary keeps him informed of our activities. My father is appreciative of her loyalty and devotion to us and as I said earlier he is rather extravagant in praising her motherly and other qualities.Perhaps my mother does have her own share of weaknesses but I am not conscious of them. To me she is as close to perfection as anything in the world can be. I believe that in any family, it is the mother that keeps the members of the family happy and together. In my family, she succeeds amply. |

The New Teacher | | It would be hard to take over Mr Singh's place. He was our English Literature teacher and he often entertained us with his jokes. He had been transferred to another school, and we would be getting a new teacher.When she walked into the classroom, I heard a few girls giggling. Miss Rahman the new teacher looked very ordinary. In fact, she was rather thin and short. Some of the girls commented that she did not wear make-up at all. But as the saying goes "don't judge a book by its cover." On her first day. Miss Rahman introduced herself briefly and explained how she would approach teaching English Literature. She told us that she wanted it to be a "living" subject because human life is complex and wonderful. We could all learn about life from stories written by great writers.She also asked us to write on a piece of paper a short description of what we each like and dislike, and what we want our lives to be. When we handed it back to her. I thought that this exercise would end up like the others before. It would be forgotten by us as well as by the teacher. But Miss Rahman proved me wrong. Each time she talked to us outside the class, Miss Rahman seemed to remember the details we wrote and showed concern about our interests and expectations of life.She told us that to enjoy reading, we have to imagine that our mind is like a multi-dimensional television set. When we read, we create pictures and images in our mind. If the book is a good one, we can also feel the emotions that the characters in the book are going through. Reading a book, thus, is an imaginative experience that cannot be duplicated by any technology.Miss Rahman would often ask us to give our interpretations or views about certain passages in the book. She always considered our opinions carefully and never used the word 'wrong'. In this way, many of us lost our fear of literature. In fact, we enjoyed offering out views, and we looked forward to her interpretations which she explained in a clear manner.Whenever we had covered the lessons and had some free moments before the class ended. Miss Rahman would tell us about tier travels. She studied in Canada and had also worked as a teacher in Pakistan. Her travels had taught her that there are some universal emotions and needs that unite people all over the world. That is why we can learn to enjoy literature written by a writer of any race or from any period of history.On the last day of class, Miss Rahman gave us a list of hooks which we might want to read during the holidays. She promised us that we would enjoy reading them. Our class gave her a book "Great Woman Writers." We wanted to thank her for making us enjoy a subject which many of us had considered dull or difficult.It is not often that we get a teacher who not only prepares us well for the examinations, but who also cares for us as individuals. |
End with "If only I had been more careful, thatwouldn't have happened".
Tonight was a cold and stormy night. The doors slammed shut as the rustling sound of the leaves could be heared. The storm had been like this for the past three days. I sat on my bed thinking if I had upset the Gods above in heaven. As I lay my head downsoft and gently on my comfy pillow, I wondered if mom and dad were ok. They had gone for a vacation to the bahamas and I had to stay back because of my exams. I wasn't worried about it as I've stayed alone many times.
Suddenly, the lights went out. My heart raced in agony as the storm got worse. I could see lightning lashing onto my gate and the roaring sound of thunder that came along. I pulled myself together and realised I needed to light some candles. So I headed downstairs with my trusty torchlight and worked my way to the storage room. I found the candles and begun to light them all over the house. I couldn't stand the fact that the darkness was playing games with my mind. An hour had passed till I realised something wasn't right. I felt as if something elsebesides me was in the house. I panicked. My mind filled with fear but I had to be sure I was right. So, I searched all the rooms on the same floor and found nothing. So I carefully walked down staircase. As I was walking, I realised all the candles that I had lit were put out. I was surprised but aware that there could be someone else in thehouse. My mind pondered as to how i was going to sneak around without alerting the possibly dangerous stranger.
Then, it happened. As I hid behind one of the room's doors. I saw someone walk by me. He was a huge muscular guy who wore a beard and had hair that was so curly a fly could get stuck if it went through it. I was puzzled. Why would someone want to break into my house, I asked myself. I noticed the man had a huge revolver on his belt. Thesame one the cops used. I didn't want to stick around and aak questions. I had to call the cops. So I crept towards the phone and thank God it was still working. I made adistressed call and the cops said they would be at my house in five minutes. As I crept back upstairs, I accidently knocked over a small lamp and it broke. By thistime I knew the stranger had been alerted. I was scared and feared for my life. My fears turned into my worst nightmare as I heard a loud noise. I was shot in the chest. I could feel blood oozing all over my shirt. The stranger walked towards me whilemumbling words I just couln't understand. I thought I was a dead man. Then a miraclehappened just as the stranger was about to finish me off. I heard a second gunshot and the stranger was down. It was the cops who had arrived.
I was rushed to the hospital and the doctors commenced emergency surgery on me toremove the bullet. I was then transferred to the Intensive Care Unit(ICU) as the bullet had hit my lungs and I was unable to breathe properly. My parents rushed back as soon as they got the news. I was lucky to be alive. The doctor had explained that if the bullet had hit me a bit more to the left , it would have hit my heart and I would be dead.Nobody knew who the stranger was or what he wanted. If only I had been morecareful, that wouldn't have happened.
"Money is the root of all evil"
Money is the instrument of exchange, helping in buying and selling and also in fixing a value on things and commodities. It may be in metal or in paper. With the market getting more and more complicated, there are other negotiable instruments which are as good as the minted coins or the printed notes. Money gives purchasing power but this power is not absolute as it is on various factors. In such a case it is termed currency and according to their purchasing power they are termed hard, soft and weak. Though coins and notes are issued by the Government of the country, there is a limit to their minting.
Let us see why money is needed. It is simply because it helps the processor to buy things. The days of battering are gone though it is indirectly resorted to at international level. Money is helpful as a standard of price. Money helps the owner to have power not only in buying things but also in influencing many human activities. Money is used for good things such as using it to build a temple, a church or a museum. Great educational institutions can be built. Students can be helped by providing them with scholarships in furthering their studies. The Nobel Prize would not have been there but for the huge sum of money earned by Alfred Nobel.
Money can buy men as it does things. Thus money plays an important role in fighting and winning elections. Money mars men’s and women’s morals. It is the evil influence in corrupting people. “Sell out” is the new term used for bribery.
There are people who could do anything for the sake of money. Moneyed people can buy many things which the poor cannot do.
With the power of money, individuals as well as states can dictate terms. The Middle East countries have found new wealth because of their oil deposits and they have become a very powerful group.
This kind of power should not go to one’s head. One should remember that the money coming into him was by chance. He must not use it for evil purposes. But wherever there is evil there is usually money involved. Other motivating forces for evil action are jealousy, vengeance, hatred and so on.
Money is normally the fruit of labour. The question is how one spends that money. Great thinkers have suggested that one who has money enough and enough to spare must look upon himself as the trustee of the money and see to it that it is spent in a wise and useful way. There is nothing good or evil about money. It depends on how one puts it to. The same money which could help bring relief to the suffering million can be used to build up armaments. The hope of getting money spurs one into action. The power decides how to spend the money. Money can be used morally or immorally. A morally strong man may not use money in evil ways and vice versa. Pleasures of reading | | Animals may have moments of pleasure but only man has got a lot to do with it. It is through our sense organs that we enjoy pleasure. The sense of smell, sight, hearing, touch and taste each brings pleasure. Even the baby as soon as it is born feels the pleasure of sucking and the comfort of being cuddled in the wads of cloth in the mother's lap. But for the pleasing smell we will not be able to enjoy our food. We are thrilled by the sight of ice capped mountains or the roaring water falls of the Niagara. So they are the senses that help us to get pleasure.There is no end to the sources of pleasure. But reading for pleasure belongs to a higher order and stands as a category by itself. While external things bring pleasure to the sense organs, reading brings pleasure to the mind. Greater the mind is cultured, greater will be the derived from reading for reading makes a full man.Reading is the end product of writing. Unless there is something written one cannot read. So good writing is a concomitant of reading. Man alone can write, in other words put his ideas in black and white. In fact even before printing came into being man was writing and it is as old as modern civilization. Man can preserve his thoughts and ideas through writing. Thus the whole world of literature is there far one to read.Now reading material is available for all tastes. A scholar may go through serious writing for the sake of enriching his knowledge. Another may read a magazine or a picture book for whiling away the time. One chooses the reading material according to his moods, his literary background, the time at his disposal and the purpose if any. A teenager may like stories of romance and an old man may prefer books on philosophy and religion. Some gifted with imagination and the faculty to reflect may read poetry.One who takes pleasure in reading always tries to build his library. Very often a good library may serve the purpose.The greatest advantage in reading is when one comes across great minds. Whether you agree with what is there to read or do not agree there will not be any quarrel. You may pronounce your judgement on the writer. There will be no harm if your judgment is silent and not published.Given the proper atmosphere like a good silent place, soft light and comfortable seat, one can read and read and enjoy it.There are great masters of writing in all great languages of the world. English Language abounds in such great authors. Again it may be poetry, novel, fiction, drama, travelogue, and letters. Biographies and autobiographies, form a sizable part. In these days of rush good magazines supply the material for reading. For example, one may cite the Reader's Digest.In order to enjoy reading, one must cultivate that habit. Reading is not the 'be all' and `end all' of life. Yet, it can be ennobling. There is dignity in reading habit. |

How to make your life successful | | What we call life is a very complex affair. It is not simply eating, reproducing and finally dying. Every creature does these. But in the case of man he has to lead a highly complicated life. It is like going through a maze and coming out. He is an economic being and a social animal. He has to earn, make a home, look after his people, attend to his obligations to the society and the Government. So in order to be successful, in all these, he has to develop certain qualities.What do we mean by saying a man is successful? If in his occupation he can do satisfactorily both for himself and others then he is successful. He must be able to look after his people and bring up good children. If he becomes a professional man like an engineer, doctor or lawyer, making money should not be the only criterion; he must also be able to satisfy his clients and be honest at it.In order to be successful one should develop certain qualities. At first he must realize his purpose; in other words what he would like to be. This is the crux of the problem, for the choice does not come to him. Parents decide it very often for them. Let us suppose he decides to be somebody in his life. Once having decided he must work for attaining certain standard in that line. Only hard work would make him fit for the job. It is rightly said that it is 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration. One must deserve before desiring. One must remember one's education does not stop with the school or college. it is a life long process. Professional people must keep themselves up to date.Then one must get on with others. In the chess board of life one may find himself in any position; it may be the all powerful queen or simply a pawn. It must be remembered that given the chance, even a pawn can destroy a queen. This means in a complex society, everyone finds oneself in a particular position; there may be some above and some below. One need not be favoring and flattering those above and be arrogant with those below. "What can I do for you' is the correct attitude and having done it go about your duty. In getting on with others sweet temperament is really an asset; then only others will like to transact with one. One must not be easily irritable nor give irritants to others. Then one must be reliable. One may be clever but if he is not reliable, he cannot achieve success in a great measure because others will have very little to do with him.Another important quality that would make up for success is doing things then and there. Procrastination is the thief of time. Postponement of doing things means swelling of work for the next day. A small chink may be easily closed today but tomorrow it may be late. If we analyze the life of successful people we could easily see they have been through and never postponed doing things.Still another quality is not to argue. The other may be really wrong. By pointing out that he has been wrong you are not going to improve matters, on the other hand you can help him correct. Arguing not only takes away precious time but also causes irritations. Especially one's superior may not like situation something like this. 'You may be right, sir', or 'This is all right', but 'what about our alternative' and so on.
One must be capable of learning from experience. One must be able to learn from the mistakes of others. Only when nations and individuals fail to learn from the past mistakes, they are ruined. History is replete with examples. |

The Dream I never Forget | | One of the human faculties which distinguishes him from others is that he is able to dream. However, one is not sure whether other animals dream; if at all they dream they have no medium to express it is just as the human. Every human being should have had dreams, some of them very pleasant, some of them bizarre and horrible; in the latter case a few have a hell of a life and they call it the nightmare. In a nightmare one may feel as if he is being choked or being drowned.In a dream one feels all one does in wakeful hours, only the body does not move. Sometimes limbs may be moved and people have been seen to beat down their hands. Some cry and laugh, some shiver and weep. So dream is in a sense a semi-conscious state between sound sleep and wakefulness.It should be interesting to know how dreams are caused but there are no valid theories. One thing is sure that something has been built up in the inner recesser of brains which get active accumulating concomitant interests. Very strange things appear in dreams for which there is no valid explanation. One thing is clear; some nerve center is stimulated, how God only knows, as a result many other nerve centers get into operation bringing in a chain of experiences. Things move fast and clear as on a cine screen and the subject taking part in it. The ancient belief was that some dreams foreshadowed the coming events. How far it is scientific we cannot say. Shakespeare uses dreams in his plays; for example in the play Macbeth.I too dream and had one recently, which may be of interest. I become a ruler of my country. Suddenly I find myself at the head of a procession, to be correct it is a motorcade and I am in a Cadillac. Huge crowds, men and women and children all in their fine dress line the route through which I am taken. There are victory arches and flags and festoons. Photo flashes burst and hundreds of photographers take pictures of mine.At last I enter a massive mansion; the guards present me the honor. I am taken by well dressed courtiers to the throne. The reception hall is big and spacious; there are glittering windows and doors, and colorful chandeliers are hung from high roof. Colored light beams into the hall as sunlight filters itself into the hall thorough stained glass panes.As soon as I sit on the throne, the courtiers cry 'long live the King'. Then a man approaches me; he may be the chief minister. He tells me respectfully that I must announce my concessions to the people who eagerly wait to hear me speak. I am a bit nervous at first but get over it soon. I tell them that the old system of paying one sixth of one's income as tax will come into use. I add that the tax may be paid in kind. I announce that there won't be any admission fee to go into theaters and the Government itself will run all the theaters and only healthy films will be exhibited. At one stroke I abolish child labor and education of children will be completely manned by the Government. I make it known that every town and village will have a play field where the young can play and the old can relax. The production of milk in the country would be stepped up so that everybody gets enough milk. I exhort the youth to develop robust health and sharpen their intelligence.This dream did not continue long as my alarm clock began chiming, and it was time for me to get up and study. The sweet dream vanished like the snow before the morning sun but that was the best dream I ever had. | | | | concomitant | | happening and connected with another thing | | | | foreshadow | | to act as a warning or sign of a future event | | | | paid in kind | | paid with something of the same kind | |

Vandalism | | Vandalism is wilful and deliberate destruction of public property by anti-social and irresponsible citizens. It can be of various forms. It is not uncommon to see that the walls of buildings are defaced with scratches or ugly marks. Another target of vandalism is the bus shelter. Scratches on the newly painted seats or even broken seats at these shelters hardly escape the attention of those who wait there for the bus. If we travel by bus we will find that seats are often ripped open and the foam pulled out or vulgar writing on the back of seats.What causes this kind of behavior? The reasons are many. Some youths show hatred for the society and its values. These irresponsible citizens out of frustrations in life are tempted to do these undesirable acts of vandalism. They do not have a sense of belonging or loyalty towards their society or nation. In some cases it could be for drawing attention to themselves or just a desire to see their names written in prominent places.Vandalism is not exclusive in our society in Singapore, it could be a social ill in other countries too. Although there are strict laws to prevent vandalism in every country it is rather impossible to enforce the laws strictly. One way to eradicate or reduce the rate of vandalism is to instill civic sense into the citizens, besides of course, the introduction of compulsory education up to the age of sixteen. Vandalism can be curbed to some extent if the government law imposes severe penalty on those caught in the act. But the permanent solution is inculcating the right values including respect for public property in all the young citizens. If people start regarding that public property is their property, they will not want to spoil it. Schools can provide a healthy atmosphere for children to form healthy attitudes and this in turn would make them realise the values of discipline in life.All of us should realize that we deprive our children of their heritage if we deface beautiful things and damage public property. | | | wilful | | something bad done intentionally | | | | instill | | to put a feeling, idea or principle gradually into someone's mind | | | | inculcate | | to fix beliefs or ideas in someone's mind, especially by repeating them often | | | My Best Teacher | | During my school life, I have come across several teachers. None has impressed me so much as our English Teacher. Courtesy requires that I don't give his real name here. For convenience, I shall call him Mr. Leo.Mr. Leo has been teaching me English for the last two years. He is a very lovable person, soft spoken and good mannered. He is not a giant in his stature but it is very well made up by his intellectual attainments. He used to come, neatly dressed. There may not be anything gorgeous about it but he always dresses in an elegant way. He used to move about quietly, though he always bears an assured look of a scholar. Naturally therefore, everyone respects him.It is a pleasure to listen to him when he teaches English whether it be prose or poetry and he would leave his mark on it. There, is nothing bombastic in his use of words, because he always uses very simple ones, so that even an average student could follow him. He has always been very methodical in his approach. He would never proceed further unless he has made everyone understand the passage. When he finds somebody has difficulty he would spare no pains to make the student understand.His teaching of poetry has been marvelous. He would simply get into the spirit of the poet. Gifted with some histrionic talent, he would carry the whole class with him in the enjoyment of the poem. Whether it be "Oh! Captain, My Captain!" "The Solitary Reaper" or "Patriotism", he would impress the class, with his dramatic teaching. For all these things, he has been a very good coach so far as the examination is concerned. But he used to say, that examination is not everything.During his leisure hours, he can be found in the school library browsing among literary magazines. One can approach him easily and have doubts cleared. By his knowledge, character, and day to day life he leaves a profound influence on the intellectual and moral character of his pupils. He leaves the permanent stamp of his personality on their moral character. One great quality in him is that he never bears malice towards anybody. He is a model for all teachers. May his tribe increase! | | | | bombastic | | using long and difficult words, usually to make people think you know more than you do | | | | histrionic | | very emotional and energetic | | | | malice | | the wish to harm or upset other people | |

Television and its influence on viewers | | Television is a very powerful visual medium. Practically every household has one. Unlike radio the messages and ideas that are conveyed to the viewer are further reinforced by visual images that accompany these messages and ideas. It is a fast and inexpensive medium by which to communicate with the masses. Satellite dishes and all kinds of other receiving devices enables us to not only to receive news and programs from within the country but also transmissions from abroad. In some countries viewers may have access to a hundred or more channels through their televisions.It is however important to note that communication in this setting is one way and not interactive. Considering that hardly a day passes without watching TV, it indeed has the potential of having a strong effect on us. For the discerning viewer being able to differentiate between which programs have useful content and which do not, this may not be a problem. However when we are dealing with impressionable young minds it may be difficult for them to separate reality from make believe.Responsible censorship by the authorities and careful monitoring by parents is necessary to ensure that young people are not adversely affected by watching this medium. The phrase 'couch potato' has been coined to describe viewers who are constantly in front of their television sets. Their senses are continuously only subjected to the images they see sometimes for the better part of the day. Violence is a common feature in most entertainment programs to the extent that films have to be rated accordingly as most scenes are too horrific for younger viewers.Television is not all bad as there are positive aspects to it. Educational programs nowadays incorporate all kinds of ways to entertain as well as to educate. Programs such as 'Sesame Street' have a large following among children. Documentary films are informative and instructional. The expression that 'too much of anything is bad' applies here. The idea is for viewers to have a healthy balance of the different kinds of programs available. | | | | discerning | | showing good judgment, especially about style and quality | | | | impressionable | | someone, usually a young person, who is very easily influenced by the people around them and by what they are told, and who sometimes copies other people's behavior | |

My Pet | | Rosy, is a dog which I have been keeping for the past four years. It was sheer accident that Rosy came into my hands. Our neighbor Mr. Jones was a dog fancier. He had a good kennel in his house where he reared different breeds of dogs. Suddenly, he got transferred from the town and he wanted to dispose of some of the dogs. He was talking about it to my father. Then I told my father that we could have one of the puppies; though reluctantly, my father agreed. Thus, Rosy came into my possession.Why it was named Rosy, I can't say. It is an Alsatian. She is of medium height. She is grey colored with dark spots near her belly. The dog has a bushy tail and glisteningeyes which has grown wonderfully well and can easily be the envy of many.Rosy, can be seen about our house when she is not engaged in playing or when she is not sleeping. She takes pleasure in sneaking about the corners when she has nothing particularly to do. She is as docile as a dog in our presence. When we are not there she will be in her mettle. None can easily come near our gate. Though she doesn't bite, she will bounce on the person and paralyze him. Since the postman regularly comes, she recognizes in him a friend and so does not do him any harm She will try to catch the sparrow and it will be a splendid sight to see.I give her a Spartan food. She takes some biscuits and milk in the morning and meat mixed with rice in the afternoon. Usually she is not given any food in the night. When we are at our table, Rosy keeps company with me but she shows no eagerness to touch even a crumb unless offered. So my father likes it. Rosy cries in a peculiar way. It is between barking and howling. Sometimes, she raises a cry like moaning. That means she wants to go out to relieve herself.Whenever I go out in the evening, she accompanies me. My friends are afraid of her because she doesn't like silly mischief of boys. She shows her displeasure by a big bark and that is enough to unnerve the boys. My father says, Rosy would soon become a mother. Then I will have a litter of nice puppies. | | | | glistening | | to shine by reflecting light from a wet, oily or smooth surface | | | | docile | | quiet and easy to influence | | | | mettle | | Inherent quality of character and temperament | |

My Best Friend | | I have a number of close friends both at school and outside of it. Although I am close to all of them I like and respect a particular one above the others. He is Peter my best friend. Peter and I go to the same school and live quite near each other. It is therefore no surprise that we may often be found in each others company. Peter's house is like a second home to me and vice versa. Peter's parents are also close family friends of ours. As both Peter's parents work, Peter is often entrusted to my mother to watch over when they are away at work. My mother doesn't mind as she considers Peter one of her own.Peter is my best friend for a number of reasons. I can always come to him for advice on any difficulties I may be experiencing and I value his advice as it is sensible and very practical. Everyone who knows Peter says that he is very mature for his age. It astounds me how much Peter knows on a variety of subjects. He is well read and never ceases to try and instill the reading habit in me. Needless to say it is Peter who helps me with my school homework when I encounter problems. I remember the time that I foolishly joined a few friends from school and experimented with cigarettes, Peter as a school prefect found us out and was duty bound to report the matter to the disciplinary teacher. All of my friends who were involved in the incident thought that Peter was simply being a tattle-tale but. I knew that Peter took his responsibilities seriously and only had my well being in mind. I often wind up in difficulties through my own doing and Peter is always around to bail me out without expecting any gratitude or explanation, his friendship is unconditional.Our teachers and friends at school have taken to calling us the 'Two Musketeers' as we do everything together. It seems that some of my interests have rubbed off on Peter as we are both in the school debate team. I quite enjoy public speaking but Peter dreads addressing crowds as by nature he is a very reserved person. I suspect he finally gave in to my constant cajoling and agreed to join the team. What Peter really enjoys is sports. He excels at football and track and field events. He has won numerous trophies for the school at inter-school sports meets.Peter is admirable as a friend and a person and is well spoken of by everyone who knows him. I am glad that I have his friendship and feel that I have grown wiser as a result of it. |

Can a person be judged by his clothes ? | | It is often deceptive to judge a person by his dress. People who dress very well need not always be decent, good or honest. But the world generally judge a person by his dress. There are many rogues who dress very neatly but they commit worst of crimes. In cases where confidence is used to deceive a person, very often the deceptor dresses himself in a comely way.Still the world expects a person to dress according to his status. If one does not dress according to his rank, he is often held to ridicule. It doesn't mean, one should dress, in a gaudy manner. It will show a sense of taste. But one should be dressed neatly and elegantly. In elite societies people attach importance to dress. Thus people in important positions have advantages. One can distinguish between a lawyer and a judge. The uniform adds to the dignity of the profession and helps one to know the person from his dress. Thus in the police and army, various ranks are easily known by their uniforms.As mentioned before, dress may not be a good index of one's character. Simple dress need not mean want of character. There were eminent people who dressed themselves in a very simple way. For instance, Gandhi wore only a simple dhoti. Some people often called him 'half naked fakir'. But his dress, in any way, did not reduce his character.Sometimes people are deceived by dress. Once a great scholar went to a party. As he was simply dressed, he could not find admission inside. So he returned home and put on his best.He went back to the party and he was given a warm reception. In the course of the dinner he did not eat but was addressing his clothes. The host came there and enquired what the matter was. The scholar told him what had happened. Since he was admitted only for the sake of his dress, he was addressing his cloths. The host felt ashamed and sought pardon of the scholar. Though dress may be, to some extent, helpful to judge a person, that will not be the only yardstick. |

A sincere friend | | He had a humble beginning. His parents were ordinary people and his father was looking after the family lands. Of course once in a way he used to lend money. But he was very careful to whom he lent and was very strict in getting back the money. Those were the days when there were no banks, and cooperation was an unheard of word in that area. So the father with prudence and hard work built up sizable funds which the son inherited in the natural course.Unlike the father, the son was far more shrewd and enterprising. With the money he entered the cotton market and became a cotton broker to a mill owned by an European. This relationship of the broker and the mill owner continued for long and after some years the European felt that he could not continue for long in an alien country. There was national consciousness emerging. Workers became antagonistic and the day to day management was in peril and the European's life was in danger. So he felt it was wise to dispose of the mill and go away. The time was propitious for it because the mill was a going concern and nobody questioned about its profitability. The European mill owner thought of his friend, the cotton broker as a prospective buyer. For one thing he had money and secondly he was a shrewd business man. So, when the mill owner broached the subject to his cotton man, the later wanted time to decide. But the mill owner had already made up his mind to sell the mills and so he was willing make concessions. The cotton broker shrewd as he was bargained for a good price and got the mill by paying only half the price, but promised to pay the other half in small installments.The broker turned mill owner and put his heart and soul into the business and built it up. Everything was going on very well; he opened many more mills. The more he earned the more ambitious he became. He began to play with his accounts and he became a suspect in the eyes of the authorities. They were only waiting to catch him and the snare spread widely. So one evening the learnt that the authorities were going to raid his office. He was sure that he could be caught red handed and knew he would be put behind the bars. There was only one way. His friend in a village could save him. So he took some important books with him and left for his friends' village. On the way he stopped his car and sent it back. He kept the bundle of accounts with him. Then he traveled by a bus to his friend's village. the friend was very much surprised but when he heard the story of his mill magnate to bury the books in a garden and the mill owner was given the shelter needed.Of course the mill was raided by the authorities. Nothing incriminating could be found. The enquiry did not help them to know where the mill owner had gone. In the meantime the friend used to go to the mills and through some confidential servants saw that the mill functioned properly. After a few weeks the case was withdrawn. the mill owner made his appearance again. As luck would have it there was a boom in the yarn market and the miller earned enormous amount of money. In his turn, he did not forget his friend who gave him shelter so he continued to help him faithfully till his last days. So a help done in time is greater than the word, as the saying goes. |

A Burglary | | Wendy hailed from Ipoh. When she was promoted to assistant branch manager and transferred to a branch in Johore Bahru, she had to find a place of her own. After some canvassing for an affordable place, she found one on the second floor of a rented walk-up apartment in Tebrau. the four-storey building was quite old and there was only one apartment on each floor.One day, when she returned from work, she found the door to her apartment slightly ajar. Sensing that something was wrong, she gently pushed the door inward. The sight that greeted her made her gasp in horror. The apartment was in a a mess. The couch and coffee table had been overturned. the glass door of the display cabinet was broken and everything was strewn all over the floor. She realized that her apartment had been burgled.The, a sudden thought came to her which made her heart thump with fear. What if the burglars were still in her apartment, in her bedroom ? She pulled the door again and left it slightly ajar. Then, she ran down the stairs as quietly as she could. Once on the ground floor, she used her cellular phone to call the police.The police arrived in less than ten minutes. There were four policemen and they accompanied Wendy to her apartment. The police told Wendy to stay outside the flat while the four policemen, with drawn arms, centered the apartment. They carefully searched the apartment for the burglars but it was obvious that the culprits have left long ago.The police then sent for the crime technicians. The technicians spent more than hour looking for clues and dusting for fingerprint. Then, the police asked her to make a careful inventory of her things and to report the stolen items and to give her statement.Many weeks passed but the burglars were never caught and Wendy gave up hope of ever recovering her stolen valuables. Still, she continued to stay at the same place, but she had taken better security measures and even installed burglar alarm to safeguard her property. |

A Fire | | James was cycling down a narrow street one evening when he saw thick black smoke billowing upwards into the sky some distance away. Though the fire was not visible from where James was, he knew that there must be a raging fire to cause such thick clouds of smoke. He continued to cycle down the street and before long, he came to the source of fire. An old three-storey wooden shophouse was ablaze.Two large fire trucks were already there and the firemen were trying to put the fire out with their special fire-fighting equipment. But it seemed that the fire was wining the battle. The fire blazed even fiercely in other parts of the building when the fire in one portion looked about to be extinguished.There were also cries and wails from women and men. These were probably the tenants or owners of the building. There were loud sobs and soft weeping by many. Others displayed a variety of emotions. Some were sad, some were angry and yet some other simply looked indifferent.James could also see that there were also some casualties. There were three ambulances and James could see that the paramedics were busy transporting the injured onto stretchers and into the ambulances.The police had also cordoned off the hazardous area and curious onlookers were kept at a safe distance.From where James was, he could feel the intense heat emitted by the inferno.In another hour, the fire was finally contained but the shophouse was reduced to a smouldering ruin. The firemen packed their equipment and left the scene. the three ambulances had also sped off to the hospital with the casualties. Only the police were left. James took one final look at the burnt wreck and shook his head sadly before cycling off. |

A Farewell Party | | We learnt that our form teacher, Mr. Yeo, was about to be transferred to another school in a week. All the pupils adored Mr. Yeo as he was a very good and dedicated teacher. He never shouted at us and was very patient with the slower pupils.Our class decided to hold a farewell party for this model teacher. But we needed to have the permission of the school's principal first. Zoe was given the task of writing to the principal for permission to hold the party as her handwriting was the neatest and her language skills were excellent. After the letter was written, all the pupils in the class signed the letter and a delegation of six pupils, myself included, went to the principal's office.The principal was mildly curious when he saw the six of us in his office. We gave him the letter of petition and after reading it in silence, he frowned. He said that the request was very irregular but after the six of us beseeched him in earnest, he relented and gave us the permission. He allowed us to hold the party during the last period of the following Friday, which would be Mr. Yeo's last day of teaching in our school.The whole class was excited after getting the permission. We gathered together after school and planned for the party. After some debate and discussion we finally agreed on the things we needed to do.
On the last period of school on the following Friday, our class monitor, Abdul Ghani, approached Mr. Yeo just as he was about to begin the next lesson."Sir, we have obtained permission from the principal to treat you to a simple farewell party."Some of the pupils then brought out the drinks and food that have been prepared by their parents. We have left it hidden in a corner so that Mr. Yeo would not see it as we wanted to surprise him. And surprise him we did! For an instant, he was speechless and his eyes took on a misty look. Then, he was back to his normal self again. He acquiesced to the treat and my classmate, Sujata, brought a paper plate of fried noodles and a cup of lemonade for Mr. Yeo. Everyone cheered and clapped as he took his first spoonful of fried noodles.After the meal, Mr. Yeo gave an impromptu farewell speech. He spoke for fifteen minutes, thanking the class for taking the trouble to hold the party and for being such caring pupils. His speech was also peppered with sound advice for us.Just before the school bell rang to signal the end of the school day, I was given the honour of presenting our farewell gift to Mr. Yeo. We knew him to be a great fan of mystery and detective novels and so we had bought for him the "Complete Sherlock Holmes" which contained all the stories and novelettes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. When he unwrapped the gift, we saw two large beads of tears rolling down his cheeks. He was very deeply moved.Then, the school bell rang and each pupil shook hands with Mr. Yeo for one last time before heading for home. |

A Lesson Learnt | | Kenny learnt to ride a bicycle when he was nine years old. His father had bought a bicycle for his ninth birthday and his elder brother coached him to ride. After the usual falls and bruises, he finally mastered the skill of riding the bicycle in a few days. Since then, Kenny loved to cycle around the neighborhood in the evenings.At first, his parents did not allow him to ride on the roads but as he grew older and more mature, his parents relented and allowed him on the roads and even acquiesced to his cycling to school some two kilometers away.At school, Kenny's enthusiasm for cycling rubbed on to his close friends. Many of them pestered their parents to buy bicycles for them and soon, one by one, all his friends owned bicycles. The boys would come to school on their bicycles and after school, they would go for a three-kilometer ride.One day, Kenny was in town where there was an exhibition of bicycle stunts. Champion riders and stunt performers showed a variety of skills on the bicycle. They could do 'wheelies', jump over ropes on their bicycles and `fly' through the air with the aid of a sloping platform. Kenny witnessed this exhibition in awe and was duly impressed by the performance.When he reached home, he could not contain himself and wanted to try out some of the tricks he had witnessed. He mounted his bicycle and rode to a vacant plot of land where he could practice. He tried to do the 'wheelie' and after some time, he found that he could do it. Kenny thought that he had mastered the skill and happily made his way home.Just a short distance away from his house, Kenny decided to do the 'wheelie' on the road. As he pulled the handlebars to lift up the front of his bicycle, he lost his balance and fell sideways, colliding with a motorcycle traveling on the lane beside him. The motorcycle also lost control and both Kenny and the motorcyclist ended up sprawled on the road. The motorcyclist was not seriously hurt but Kenny was bleeding from his head and the skin on his arms and legs were scraped.Luckily, the motorcyclist had a mobile phone and he quickly called an ambulance. Kenny was rushed to the hospital where he was treated and warded. There were lacerations on his head, body, arms and legs. He had also fractured his left wrist. Kenny spent two weeks in hospital and took more than two months to fully recover.Kenny had learnt a valuable lesson on that day. The road is not a place for stunts. He still enjoys riding his bicycle but he has realized that stunts are only for trained professionals. |

A Visit to the Dentist | | I had a terrible toothache that night. I took a couple of Panadol tablets but they were of little use as the relief was short-lived and the pain returned with greater intensity. I tried rinsing and gurgling with Listerine but that was no help either. I could not sleep a wink that night as the toothache also caused the left side of my face and head to throb with pain.When morning came, I took a very quick shower and made for the dentist. There were a couple of patients before me and I had to wait my turn. I registered at the counter and took a seat near the dental surgery. I took a magazine and flipped its pages but trying to read was out of the question. The words simply did not register. All I felt was the excruciating pain. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on the soft music being played over the speakers hoping that it would distract me from the pain I felt. But the pain obstinately remained.Almost an hour later, my name was called. I stood up and walked slowly into the surgery. I noticed the reclining chair fitted with all the usual dental equipment: the dental drill, the syringes, the dental pliers and a host of other gadgets whose names I do not even know. The dentist asked me what was wrong and I told him of my toothache. He then indicated the reclining chair and asked me to be seated."Open your mouth wide and relax," the dentist ordered. I did as was told and he peered into my mouth with the aid of a small mirror on the end of a stick. After the examination, he shook his head and told me that the tooth cannot be saved and had to be extracted. The dentist then filled a hypodermic syringe with a colorless liquid. He told me that it was Novocaine, a local anaesthetic, and he would be injecting it into my gums to numb the area where the extraction would be done.Shortly, I felt the prick of the needle and then in seconds, my toothache was gone and I felt the numbness in my gums. The dentist was very skilful and soon he had painlessly extracted my tooth and put a wad of cotton on the wound.I got up from the chair and thanked the doctor as best as I could for my gums were still numb and there was a wad of cotton in my mouth. I left the surgery and paid the fees at the counter. Then, feeling much better than when I had stepped into the clinic, I walked towards home. |

Keys to Health | | To stay healthy, you need to work on four areas — exercise, diet, weight control and good health habits.Regular exercise is essential for good health. It tones the muscles, strengthens the bones, and makes the heart and lungs work better. Exercise also helps to relieve stress. The most beneficial type of exercise is aerobics. Aerobic exercises, in the form of jogging, cycling and lap swimming, strengthens the heart. It is important to choose a form of exercise you enjoy. It could be dancing or just walking. As long as you do it regularly, you will be fit. People who are fit enjoy life more because they can join in any kind of activity.To maintain a healthy life, it is necessary to develop good dietary habits. Eat more whole-wheat grains, fruits, vegetables and fish. Decrease intake of animal protein and fats. Use less salt and take at least 1000 mg of calcium a day. Non-fat milk is a good source of calcium. Do not forget to drink at least seven glasses of water a day. Avoid eating junk food or processed food which is high in sugar or salt content and has little nutritional value.Developing good health habits is important if you want to keep healthy. Don't smoke, avoid excessive alcohol intake, and keep moderate hours. Go to bed early and wake up early. Work hard and play hard too. Avoid stress by exercising and developing hobbies. Have a positive attitude towards people and work. Half-yearly dental check-ups are also necessary to maintain dental health.Being overweight can lead to a lot of health problems. You can suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure, varicose veins and gall bladder disease. Weight control requires conscious effort and self-control. Diet and exercise play the most important role in weight control. Make sure exercise is part of your daily program. Watch the amount and type of food you eat. Complex carbohydrates are important in a healthy diet.Health is pleasurable; ill health is miserable. There are other threats to health but if you remember the points mentioned above, you should enjoy good health. |

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Internet | | | Good afternoon, fellow members of the Computer Club. I am very happy to be here today to give a talk on the advantages of the Internet. The Internet is today linked to over 100 million computers around the world.I think by far the biggest advantage of the Internet is it helps me to find information on almost any topic I want to know about. It has helped me cut down my `research' time tremendously. Now all I have to do is access my favorite web sites and type in the relevant topics and I get more information that I can deal with!Another advantage is the Internet enables me to run programs I do not own. Many programs are too expensive to own. I not only can run these programs but I can also copy them for later use.Friends, through the chat rooms, I can now talk to anyone around the world. I have now found friends around the world. I not only chat with them but I also write to them through electronic mail. I find e-mail to be an extremely useful tool. Now I can write nearly every day to people I want to. It saves me a lot of time going to the post office and buying paper, envelopes and stamps. The convenience is wonderful.Good friends, another aspect I have thoroughly enjoyed from the Internet is the ability to join groups that cater to my special interest. For example, I am interested in learning about the origins of famous nursery rhymes. It was not enough for me to get information. I joined an Internet Club for people with this unusual interest. Now I can subscribe to a special newsletter and I am kept up to date on the latest findings.I can see from your faces that I do not need to convince you about the wonders of the Internet. However, I think it is fair to give words of warning to those who lack experience. Please be careful of illegal information posted on the Internet. You can be arrested for spreading harmful rumors. Furthermore, do not entertain abusive users. Lastly, do not become addicted to the Internet. There is a real world out here and real people to have relationships with. Have a real life!Thank you. |

Too Late For Regrets

Samuel was optimistic about getting the job. The managing director who interviewed him sounded encouraging when he told Samuel that he would be contacted in the next few days.
The following Saturday, Samuel and his friends went out to celebrate. Samuel had indeed got the job, his very first after graduating with honors in Economics from the national university. His other friends had also obtained jobs. They could not contain their joy and elation.
Samuel's father lent him his car for the evening. After dinner, the happy group of five young men adjourned to a club to talk, listen to music and drink. They felt proud that they were now of legal age to drink. Although Samuel was the designated driver that night, he did not refuse alcoholic drinks. It was past midnight when they decided to leave the club and go home.
Walking unsteadily to the car, Samuel and his friends sang, slapped one another on the shoulders and talked a lot of nonsense, their speech slurred. Samuel sped down the road, not thinking or seeing clearly. When he saw the motorcyclist in front of him, it was too late. His car hit the motorcyclist with such great impact that the poor man flew several meters into the air and landed head-first on the street. The motorcyclist died on the spot.
When Samuel recovered from his minor injuries the next morning and found out what had happened, he wished that he were dead. One of his friends had serious injuries while the others had escaped unscathed.
All of them had to appear in court for encouraging drunk driving. Samuel was sentenced severely for manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol. But it was too late for regrets.

The Most Embarrassing Moment of My Life

I was a member of my school drama club. At the end of the year, we were going to present a play based on a famous book called Jane Eyre. I was to play the part of the main male character, Mr Rochester. Our play was going to be performed before parents, important guests and the whole school. So, we wanted to make sure that everything went smoothly.
Two days before the actual performance, we had a dress rehearsal. It went off very well. Hasnah, who was playing the part of the main female character, Jane, seemed anxious. Hasnah said, `Oh dear, they say that if everything goes smoothly during the dress rehearsal, things will go wrong during the performance itself!' We hoped that was not true. The night before the performance, I felt a bit nervous. I kept going over my lines again and again, although I knew them perfectly. My family members were quite tired of hearing me practising.
On the day of the performance, all the performers had to be in school several hours earlier to put on our make-up and costumes. Some of us went over our lines again. Mrs Wong, the drama club adviser, encouraged us and told us to just do our best.
The parents, guests and school pupils arrived. Soon, it was time for the curtain to go up. This was it, I told myself. This was the moment I had spent months preparing for. Everything went well in the first half of the play. It was a rather solemn play with hardly anything comic to laugh at but the audience looked interested.
Then came my most important scene in which the disguised Mr Rochester was supposed to throw off his cloak to reveal his identity to Jane. I had never had any trouble with this scene during rehearsals.
But now, as I was flinging off the cloak and saying, 'Jane, it's me!', the cloak wrapped itself around my face. As I tried to get the cloak off, I repeated, `It's me, Jane!' but my voice was muffled, of course.
The audience roared with laughter. To top it all, Jane started to giggle. I simply could not remove the cloak and when I took a step forward clumsily, I tripped and fell! The audience laughed harder than ever. At that point, the curtain came down, thankfully.
Mrs Wong rushed on to the stage to free me from the cloak. I was so embarrassed I could have cried. Mrs Wong comforted me and said the show must go on. She almost had to push me on to the stage for the next scene. The moment I appeared, the audience started to chuckle. Somehow, I managed to go through the remaining scenes.
Although my parents and my fellow students comforted me and even commended me for making the play so entertaining, I still go red each time I think of the most embarrassing moment of my life.

Against the Odds

My cousin Ah Wen, an only child, is a healthy, good-natured teenager who works at a supermarket in our neighbourhood. He gets along well with the other employees and his boss calls him his `star' worker.
When Ah Wen was one and a half years old, he was diagnosed with a mental disability. His parents, shocked and aggrieved, felt completely hopeless. The doctor had said that their son would never be normal. Cousin Ah Bee, who was only six years old at that time, was furious when she heard this. She looked at the cute little toddler smiling up at her and said, 'Ah Wen has many sisters and brothers. We will all take care of him and he will be like us!'
Indeed, Ah Wen grew up in the warm care of an extended family, surrounded by adoring grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins. From the start, his cousins shared their toys with him, taught him their favourite games, and made him feel loved. He is always included in social events, school activities and family outings. Everyone is protective over him, but carefully avoid spoiling him and making him feel that he is the only special member of the family. Therefore, Ah Wen has not grown up with an attitude problem. No one can deny that he has a very pleasant personality.
Growing up has not always been smooth and easy. There were times when Ah Wen sank into a depression, threw uncontrollable tantrums or just withdrew into himself for hours. His family learned how to cope with these episodes which were regarded as natural stages of his development. They never gave up, although sometimes Ah Wen's problems seemed insurmountable. Ah Wen himself learned how to cope with the bullying that he sometimes experienced in school. He also had understanding teachers who treated him like a normal child.
Cousin Ah Wen has been an inspiration to us. Through him, we have discovered that `normal' takes many forms, sizes, colours and shapes. He has also taught us the importance of being a big, close-knit family. Together, we can overcome all odds.

The Day When Everything Went Wrong

Father is with the army. He had been away for months in Bosnia-Herzegovina on a mission. All of us missed him terribly. Finally, we heard that he was coming home. We planned a special welcome for him.
The special day was a Saturday. We got up early to help with the preparations. Each of us was given a task. I was in charge of decorations since I was good at art. My sister helped my mother with the cooking. My two brothers tidied up the living and dining rooms and the compound.
Suddenly, someone screamed from the kitchen. `The taps are dry!' That must have been my sister. My mother appeared, looking dismayed. Having no water on a day like this was most unfortunate. There was still a lot of cooking and washing to be done. We checked with the neighbours -- their taps were dry too. My grandfather tried to telephone the water department but there was no answer. So we had no idea whether the water cut was for a short period of time or not.
Mother had no choice but to leave the food uncooked and the dishes unwashed. We decided to finish the decorating and cleaning up. But it was difficult not having water to wash after dusting, mopping and decorating. My older brother was sent to buy bottled water and our lunches. He said jokingly, 'Father might decide to return to Bosnia when he sees the state of our house.' After my brother came home, it started to rain heavily. Mother was now really worried. So was Grandfather. We did not want Father to arrive in bad weather.
Then the fans stopped. We now had no water and no electricity. No actually, we did have water - it was coming through a leak in the roof above the dining table! The boys moved the table and we placed a huge bucket underneath the leak.
We were so busy that we forgot the time. It was Grandfather who pointed out that Father's plane had already arrived. This time, Mother screamed. It was then that the tap started running and the fan started turning. Water and electricity were back. The rain also stopped and the sun came out. The telephone rang. It was Father. He had arrived safely and was wondering why there was no one at the airport to welcome him home. Half-laughing and half-crying, Mother told Father briefly what had happened.
Father came home by taxi. We ran to hug him, all of us talking at the same time and no one listening. We were so thankful that the most important event of the day did not go wrong -- Father's safe arrival home!

My First Experience as a Baby-sitter

During the school holidays, my friend's sister asked me to baby-sit her four-year-old son one Saturday night. I agreed, thinking it would be an easy way to earn some extra pocket money. When I arrived at the house, I was introduced to the child, Kris.
After the parents left, I asked Kris what he would like to play. `Train,' came the answer. So I brought out his train set and helped him to put the tracks together. After a short while, he must have got bored and wandered off. I was concentrating on setting up the train set properly and did not notice his disappearance.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I was terrified to see that Kris was nowhere in sight. I ran to look for him and found him in the kitchen. He was standing in the middle of a big mess. Tins and containers of every size were all over the floor. A bag of flour had spilled its contents on to the floor. 'I'm hungry,' said Kris.
It was not yet his dinner time. But I decided to let him have his dinner while I cleaned up the mess. There was a bowl of porridge for his dinner. Kris stared at it and said he was not hungry. `But you said you were hungry just now!' I said in frustration. 'I want egg sandwich,' Kris announced. I told Kris firmly that he had to eat the porridge. He seemed to give in and began to eat. With a sigh of relief, I started to clean up the mess.
One tin had rolled under the table where Kris was eating his dinner. I bent down to get it. Something wet and sticky landed on the back of my neck. It was the porridge! Kris grinned mischievously. I counted to ten slowly to control my temper as I wiped the porridge off my neck, my hair and my clothes. Kris also had porridge all over his face and shirt. I had to give him a bath.
Kris refused to have a bath. I had to carry him, kicking and yelling to the bathroom. In the end, I was as wet as he was and feeling bruised all over. When Kris refused to change for bed, I lost my patience and smacked his bottom. How he yelled, screamed and rolled on the floor. What a performance! I watched him and said nothing. He peeked at me and decided not to waste his time. He was tired out by then. I put him in bed and read him a story. We were friends by the time he fell asleep.
When the parents arrived home, they were pleased to see their son sleeping peacefully. They asked if I could baby-sit Kris again. I said, 'No!' My first experience as a baby-sitter was also my last.

"Money is the Root of all Evil"

Money seems to be the driving force in many people's lives. However, I do not agree that money is the root of all evil. Money in itself is harmless. It is but a medium of exchange in trade. it is the love of money that can lead to evil.
Money becomes a person's master if that person values material possessions above everything else. Many people do not realize that they are enslaved by money. However, you know they are when making money is the top priority in their lives. They work long hours every day and have no time for their families or friends. This often leads to marital problems, broken homes, neglected children, loneliness and much misery.
There are people who love money more than they value life -- whether it is another's or their own. Such people are ruthless, reckless and dangerous. As long as they can have monetary gain, they would not hesitate to rob, to destroy and to kill. These people are capable of all kinds of evil.
Destruction of the environment is another example of evil caused by greed. Toxic waste is being dumped indiscriminately because it costs money to dispose of the waste properly. Fishermen who want a bigger haul to earn more money resort to using fishing methods which destroy marine life such as dragnet fishing and the use of dynamite. Vast amounts of forests have been cut down to make timber merchants rich and property developers wealthy.
Money or rather, the love of money, is the root of all evil in the world today. But I do not think it is responsible for all evil. In fact, money can be used for good too. Money, if channeled to finance important research work, will help to find solutions to some of the problems we face today such as incurable diseases. Money can be used to help those who cannot help themselves by providing special care for people with mental or physical disabilities, for instance, or helping to feed victims of famines, floods and war.
To conclude, I would say that money is a good servant but a bad master. It can be used for good but if one is controlled by it, then only evil will result.

Parents Know Best

Most parents feel they have a right to help choose their children's careers. Many young people, however, feel that this is a choice which affects the rest of their lives and, therefore, should be made on their own.
Most parents feel that they have a right to get involved because they are paying for their children's education. It is difficult to argue against this. It seems unreasonable not to allow parents to at least voice their preferences. Whether or not the children agree with them is another matter.
Generally, all parents feel they have the experience and would be in a better position to give advice on job opportunities and career prospects. Sometimes, however, young people do not base their choices on facts but on feelings.
Many parents also feel that they know their children better than the children know themselves. Children can be impulsive and may make wrong decisions. There are also some parents who want to control their children's lives. They feel they must have a say in every decision their children make. These parents have already made up their minds what they want their children to be, regardless of their talents and interests.
Most children would agree that because their parents pay for their education, they have a right to offer advice. However, parents do not have the right to force their children to do what they do not want to do. Many parents, for example, want their children to be doctors or engineers just to impress their friends and relatives. They forget that young people are capable of making wise decisions too.
In my opinion, young people should seek the advice of their parents and teachers when choosing their careers. Some careers may appear glamorous, for example, singing or modeling, but the prospects may not be good. However, I feel, in most cases, a person has to make up his own mind after talking to a number of people, including his parents. It is wrong to totally disregard the opinions of our parents. On the other hand, it is wrong to choose a career just to please them. Parents should not try to live their lives through their children.

Unforgettable embarrassing incident I was really excited when Jimmy, my brother, agreed to take me on a fishing trip for the first time. My father had bought me a fishing rod and I was dying to try it out. Jimmy had promised to teach me the art of fishing.It was a fine day and there were already many people around the pool. Jimmy pointed out a secluded spot under some trees, away from the crowd. It was a perfect spot, where I, as a beginner could cast my line without entangling it with those of the others.I stared, horrified, as Jimmy threaded the worm through the hook to serve as a bait. He held it towards his back and swung it to the front. Then he reeled the line and instructed me to repeat what he had just done. My heart was thudding with excitement as I gave the rod a full swing to the back, pausing momentarily. Then I swung the rod towards the front with all my might. There was a loud splash and I found myself in the pool, still clutching to the rod.The water-level came up to my neck. I reached out my hands for help. Jimmy had a stunned look -- his mouth gaping with disbelief. The other people at the pool gazed at me in amazement. One old man who happened to pass by and who had not witnessed the incident even shook his head and said, "It is dangerous to swim in this pool. Didn't you read the sign over there ?"Only when two men came to my aid, did the old man guess what had happened. It was too embarrassed and flustered even to say 'thank you' to them for hauling me out. I was uncomfortably aware that I was soaked in muddy water and that a ring of laughter had arisen from around the pool. Jimmy suggested that we went home at once. But, I insisted that we stayed a while longer as a show of bravado to prove that ducking in public will not deter me from fishing.I was not easy because other people who arrived at the pool later stared curiously at my wet clothes. Only after I had caught my first fish, did I agree to go home.My hair and clothes were still wet when we got on the bus, heading for home. Jimmy refused to sit with me. I noticed the curious looks and people whispering. I managed to keep my eyes straight ahead, but this did not prevent my cheeks from burning red with embarrassment."Never," I vowed secretly, "would I ever get myself into such an embarrassing situation again." | | | | secluded | | away from people and busy activities | | | | gaping | | wide open | | | | flustered | | nervous or upset when trying to do something | | It was past midnight. Karen and Chan were still talking in the basketball court in their residential area. A motorcycle stopped at a distance and then there was quiet again.Karen and Chan carried on their conversation about Karen's roommate, Wong. Wong was not an ideal person to have for a roommate and Karen was complaining about her to Chan."Who's that over there?" Karen said in a low voice. "Where?" Chan asked. Before Karen could reply, the figures emerged from the dark shadows and were striding towards them. Both were wearing T-shirts and tattered jeans. Something gleamed in the dark. Cold gripped Karen's heart. It was too late to run now."Show me your hands," one of them demanded, pointing the gleaming knife at Karen. Meekly, Karen stretched out her fingers. Her palms were sweating."Give me the rings," the youth said. "Hurry up." Both Karen and Chan fumbled with their jewelry. Karen had trouble tugging her two rings out of her middle finger. They were stuck fast. One came loose, and with a swift movement, Karen flung it across the basketball court. The youth standing near her scrambled after it."Come back, you fool!" shouted his partner. "Take the other ring. I'll take care of this necklace." He grasped Chan's gold necklace and it snapped loose. A dog began barking frantically a hundred meters away, and the porch lights were switched on."Let's go!" the youth with the knife shouted. They sprang across the basketball court to their motorcycle. The engine roared to life and they were off in several seconds. Karen and Chan stared at the vanishing tail lights. They were still numb from the shock."Let's go quickly, Karen. They may come back for the ring," Chan said. Karen looked at her fingers. The ring was still there. "Not that, I mean the one in the basketball court." With great difficulty, Karen got up. She was still weak at the knees."I'm sorry. I brought you out here to discuss my problem. Now you've lost your necklace," Karen said."It's all right. We didn't lose our lives, " Chan replied. "We'll look for the ring first thing tomorrow morning." | | | | fumble | | to feel around awkwardly with your hands | | | | numb | | unable to feel anything | |

The Most Admire Person My father died when I was about two years old. I was used to having only my mother around. I often envied my friends for having a father.One night when I was about four years old, my mother came into my bedroom. She was especially tender to me that night. After telling me a story, she tousled my hair and said, "Man, if you are a good boy, I may bring home a new father for you."My stepfather came a week later. he was a tall man with slightly stooping shoulders. He had bright, twinkling eyes."So this is my son," he said, as he gathered me into his arms, tossed me into the air and caught hold of me as I fell. then he put me on my feet and shook my hand gravely. We looked at each other intently. He seemed to approve of me. I found myself liking him from then on. I just knew that we were going to be great friends.My stepfather was a very patient man. He listened to my childish prattle. He would hold his chin in his hand and nod gravely as I talked unceasingly to him.As I grew up, I admired him even more. He always listened to my viewpoints and respected my opinions, whenever it differed from his. He was diplomatic in my upbringing and had never used harsh words or the cane on me. His reasoning oftenbrought me round. This deep respect for him made me want to please him and make him happy.One evening when I was sixteen years old, my stepfather had a severe heart attack. He recovered, but was not his healthy self anymore. During his recovery, he called me and said. "Man, I know that one more attack will kill me. I have put away some money for your education. I want you to study hard and get a good job. Then you must look after your mother. she is getting old and has suffered a lot."I was choked with emotion and filled with admiration for this selfless man. Even in his suffering he thought only of my mother and me, and I was not even his own flesh and blood ! It was through his behavior that I learnt the true meaning of unselfishness, generosity and love.My stepfather is still alive today. I shall always admire and cherish him for as long as I live. | | | | prattle | | to talk in a silly way or like a child for a long time about things that are not important or without saying anything important | | | | bring someone around | | to persuade someone to have the same opinion as you have | | "It's no use crying over spilt milk" | | It was 5 o'clock in the evening. George told his mother that he was going to the library to study with Thomas. His mother smiled and told him not to be too late. She was happy that George was studying with Thomas instead of loitering and wasting time with his other friends. She had frequently advised Thomas to stay away from Scotty, Man and Derek. Maybe, he was going to be all right after all, she thought.What she did not know was that George had actually lied to her. Instead of going to the library, George went to the Sinaran Shopping Complex to meet Scotty, Man and Derek. They went for a movie and played some video games later. Scotty owned a car. His father was one of the richest businessmen in town.After loitering for three hours at the shopping complex, they drove around town disturbing people and throwing candy wrappers at unsuspecting pedestrians.It was about eleven at night when they left the city lights behind. Scotty continued to drive recklessly. Many a time he overtook at sharp bends. Twice they missed oncoming cars by mere inches. After all these near misses, they would laugh loudly. They thought it was fun.Then, suddenly a lorry pulled out from the side of the road. Scotty who was going very fast stepped on the brakes. All of them screamed as the car screeched and crashed right into the lorry. The last thing George could remember was hearing voices which seemed strange and faraway.Meanwhile, his parents were getting worried. George's mother telephoned Thomas's place and was shocked to hear that Thomas had not even seen George at the library. George's mother decided to call the police. Half an hour later, they informed her about the accident. George's parents rushed to the hospital where the doctors informed them that apart from a fractured leg, George was all right. However, they were not sure whether he would be able to walk normally again.It took George three months and a series of operations to recover but he now walked with a permanent limp. George regretted his action but had to go on living despite a handicap. He lost his friend, Derek in the accident. Scotty was still in coma and Man still has nightmares of the accident.George regrets not listening to his mother. However, he knows that it is no use crying over spilt milk. It would be better to make the best of the situation instead. | | | | loitering | | to stay in a public place without an obvious reason to be there | |
Determination, self-reliance and diligence It had been a wretched life all along -- a miserable childhood stricken with poverty and hunger and a short and uneventful adolescence leading to marriage. Then came the most devastating blow of all. Lannie was just 26 years old when her husband died of an illness. She had no one to turn to -- her friends and relatives, themselves struggling with poverty, were in no position to offer help. From then on it was a difficult life, an uphill struggle.She had nine children to feed. Her husband had left her no savings. She was uneducated and unemployed. Few people would have had the strength to go on but she did, not so much for herself but for her children.Getting up at the crack of dawn, she would work until just before dusk. Before the rest of the household was up, she would have lit the charcoal stove and got the meals ready. She worked as a maid, earning a meager salary. To supplement her income, she sold refreshments before going to work in the morning.Despite poverty, she did not turn to anyone for help. She realized that help never came without strings attached. Single-handedly, she brought up her nine children. It was never easy but as her children grew up they knew that they would one day repay her for the sacrifices she had made.In spite of her hard life, Lannie never complained. She took life and its difficulties in her stride. Her priority was her children, and she was determined that they should have a good education and never suffer the same fate as she had. Her courage and determination spurred her children on.Now, the past is behind her -- thirty years of anxiety, hardship and agony. Today, she enjoys the fruits of her labor -- two of her children are engineers, one is a doctor and another a teacher. Even as she reminisces about her past, there is not a tinge of bitterness because she knows that the toil and hardship were all worthwhile. | | | | wretched | | miserable, unhappy | | | | meager | | very small in amount | | | | reminisce | | to talk or write about past experiences that you remember with pleasure: | | | | toil | | hard and tiring work | |

"Do not judge a book by its cover" I live in a five-storey walk-up flat. Since it is not a self-contained area, I used to go to the supermarket every Saturday to get all my provisions for a week. As my Sedan was just slightly over two months old, I would wait until late in the evening when the rush hour traffic would dwindle. Then, driving along the roads and highways would actually be a pleasure.It was on one of these Saturday evenings while I was cruising along the Federal Highway, that I found my car suddenly veering to the left. I pulled over by the side of the road to inspect my vehicle. I discovered that I had a flat tyre. I did not have the slightest idea of how to change a punctured tyre. Gosh, I am stranded, I thought. I felt vulnerable and terribly alone. I had been fed with all kinds of facts and fiction about what an unsafe place the city was, with all sorts of shady characters waiting to prey and pounce on isolated targets especially ladies.A number of vehicles whizzed past me, nobody stopped to find out if I needed any help. Night was creeping in. All of a sudden, a grey jalopy pulled over just behind my car. A heavyset man in overalls alighted from the car. I took in his shabby appearance-stained overalls, unkempt hair and his stubble of grey and white.'What's wrong?' he asked.'A flat tyre,' was the only retort I could manage. He asked me to step aside, while he went about remedying matters. I was terrified and I did not dare to take my eyes off from what he was doing. Was he going to rob me of my cash and jewelry or was he going to drive off in my brand new car? I occasionally stole surreptitious glances at what he was doing. With deft movements, he changed the punctured tyre.'O.K. Madam, here's your car. Have a nice journey,' he said with a big grin. He fished out a handkerchief from his pocket and started to wipe out the grime and dirt from his hands. I thanked him profusely. He just nodded and sauntered past me. As I turned the key in the ignition, I saw him looking furtively over his shoulder to make sure that everything was alright. As I made my way to my destination. I told myself that I will never again judge a book by its cover. | | | | jalopy | | an old car in bad condition | | | | overalls | | loose-fitting one piece garment worn by workmen | | | | surreptitious | | something that is done secretly | | | | deft | | skilful | |
"Where there is a will, there is a way" Ben kept on walking. It was a cold night. The faint outline of houses appeared in the distance. Then, in the dark, he made out a dilapidated wooden shack. Ben kept his gaze fixed on the house. This had once been his home. How long had it been? He could hardly believe that ten years had passed since he left this abode. How could he forget the hardship, the struggle, the sorrow and the poverty?Ben was the eldest child in a family of six. Life had not been so difficult when his father, the sole breadwinner of the family, had been around. By a cruel twist of fate, his father had passed away in a road accident. Ben's heart still misses a beat whenever he remembers the tragedy. It had been the most devastating period of his life. There were four other mouths to feed. He was the eldest and the others depended on him. At a time when most other people would have resigned themselves to being helpless victims of fate. Ben had the fighting spirit. He resolved to go on in spite of all the odds being against him.A typical day for Ben began at dawn. After gulping down his breakfast, he would take the refreshments his mother had made and deliver them to the cake seller at the market. He also supplemented their income by helping Roger at the food stall, washing the plates and glasses. With the meager income both mother and son earned, combined with their skilled husbandry, they had been able to make ends meet.It was hard to keep a grip on himself and not lose hope but he endured it for the sake of his family, whom he loved. His mother had been the driving force that kept him going during difficult times but it was his determination to rise above their hand-to-mouth existence which made him excel in his studies.He had passed every examination with flying colors. Determination and perseverance enabled him to obtain a Grade One in his high school final test and straight As in his pre-University examination. After securing a scholarship, he went on to university, graduating four years later with an honors degree in Accountancy. That was the reward for all his efforts.Now, working as an accountant, he finally had the means to look after his aging mother and educate his younger brothers and sisters. His recipe for success was working hard until one's ambitions were achieved. | | | | dilapidated | | falling to pieces, old | | | | abode | | the place where someone lives | | | | husbandry | | management of resources | | | | hand to mouth | | have just enough money for one's basic needs | |
"Crime does not pay"

Danny was the only son of hawkers. Although their income was small, his parents were happy and did everything to please him. As a spoilt teenager, Danny did whatever he wished. He started making friends with shady characters and became interested only in having a good time, freely spending his parents' hard-earned money. So, he dropped out of school. Believing that he could do better than his parents who worked hard yet earned little, he dreamt of getting rich without sweat and toil.Soon, he was on the wrong side of the law. He became a con man but after a while, people were no longer fooled. Desperate, Danny became a pick-pocket and, later, turned to extortion. Once, Danny's mother had advised him to turn over a new leaf. However, he was still convinced that he could make a fortune without hard work. Danny thought his chance had finally come when his friend told him of a scheme that would make them rich till the end of their lives.It had all seemed well-planned when the mastermind explained it to Danny. They would rob a bank and escape in a stolen lorry, abandon it outside town and continue their journey in a stolen car, which they would get rid of in a disused mining pool before crossing the border. Then they would live as rich men.It was not meant to be. Before they could grab enough money, one of the bank tellers had managed to push a hidden alarm button. As police came screeching around the corner, Danny and his friends barely managed to flee in the lorry, but not before a security guard ripped off Danny's mask in a tussle. Danny had quickly turned his face away. Unfortunately, he had turned it into full focus of the security camera. The getaway driver, in panic, had made a left turn instead of a right and had taken an unfamiliar road. They had reached a tunnel for which the lorry was too high and had no choice but to jump off and try to escape on foot.In his bare and gloomy jail cell, Danny finally admitted to himself that 'crime does not pay'. | | | | con man | | one who cheats others out of their money | | | | extortion | | forcing others to pay money | | | | tussle | | struggle, scuffle | |

I had just switched off the light when suddenly there was a knock on the door. 'Who is it?' I asked before unlatching the door.'Mrs Lim,' a woman whispered in hushed tones. Mrs Lim was one of my neighbors who lived down the street with her old invalid husband. I proceeded to open the door. In my hurry, I fumbled with the door knob. I glanced at the wall clock. It was almost 1 a.m. My instincts told me that something was wrong and that Mrs Lim needed help.'What's wrong?' I asked.'It's my husband. I think he's having a heart attack. Can you help me?' she blurted out, in between sobs. With lightning speed, I put on a new change of clothes. Then, I followed Mrs Lim to her house. The whole house was a little musty. As this was my first visit to the Lims' residence, I had a quick glance around the living room. There were wall panels covered with water-color landscapes, engravings and cross-stitch pieces. Then, along the corridor leading to the kitchen was Mr Lim, slumped in an armchair. He appeared to be gasping for breath. With Mrs Lim's help, I managed to carry him to the porch where their car was parked. When we finally managed to get him inside the car, I drove to the hospital.We rushed him to the emergency and casualty ward. The doctor on duty informed us that Mr Lim had suffered a mild stroke. Mr Lim was admitted to the intensive care unit where Mrs Lim and I kept an all night vigil.More than a month has passed since the incident. Mr Lim was discharged after a week. He made speedy recovery. Apart from his slurred speech, he appeared hale and hearty. As news about Mr Lim's affliction spread, the Lims received a steady stream of visitors who also rendered whatever assistance the old couple needed.Personally, I was glad that I could be of help. It made me realize that when we give a helping hand to those who need our assistance, the world would be a better place to live in. | | | | invalid | | a person who is ill or injured for a long time and usually has to be cared for by others | | | | musty | | having an unpleasant smell because of the lack of fresh air | | | | hale and hearty | | healthy and strong ( especially of old people ) | |

Interesting Characters Most teachers in my school dread coming to my class. Mrs Lai, our class teacher, considers our class the most notorious she has ever come across in her 22 years of teaching. She considers my class an albatross around her neck.My class got its reputation because of two hyperactive, mischievous students. Most teachers come to our class braced for trouble from the infamous two and no lesson goes on without interruptions from these two pranksters.Topping the list is Dinesh who is an incorrigible chatterbox. A boy too small for his age, Dinesh has broken almost every rule in school. Despite repeated warnings and threats of suspension and expulsion from school, Dinesh has yet to change over a new leaf. He is always in the habit of throwing live cockroaches and spiders at girls who would then scream in terror. The other mischievous brat is Jerry whose favorite pastime is mimicking teachers. When it comes to playing tricks, both of them are hand in glove with each other. Whenever they get together, we know they are up to some mischief.However my class is not without distinction. Susan scored straight As in both her preliminary and final examinations. A petite girl wearing thick glasses and having a thick fringe, she is nicknamed 'Miss Einstein' and 'Walking Encyclopedia' as she has all the answers and facts at her finger tips. She is a real bookworm and is the pet of most teachers. The pranks of Dinesh and Jerry always incurs her wrath. She is always at her wit's end trying to instil some discipline in them.These are some of the interesting characters in my class. Without them, my class just would not be the same. I am glad I am in this class. Although we are an incorrigible lot and can be quite exasperating at times, we have lots of fun. Just as the saying goes, 'it takes all sorts to make a world', our class would not be half as lively and enjoyable if not for these interesting characters. Since this is our last year of school, I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity of making each of their acquaintance. | | | | albatross | | something or someone you want to be free from because they are causing you problems | | | | hand in glove | | closely involved with a person for a bad intention | | | | at wit's end | | unable to succeed even after many attempts | | | | it takes all sorts to make a world | | the world is made up of different sorts of people, good and bad | |
Haze
The deteriorating state of our environment has always been a cause for concern not only among the authorities and environmentalists but also the Singaporean public. The haze which hit Singapore and other Asean countries in 2011 and the following years exposed the magnitude of the pollution level of the region.What is the haze and what causes it? Haze is actually brought about by the suspension of very fine particles in the air. The haze was caused by open air burning of rubbish and waste materials, factory and vehicular emissions and forest fires that occurred in a neighboring country.The haze threatened the environment and the health of millions of people in the affected areas. It saw the air quality index of many areas reaching hazardous levels. It affected visibility levels causing collisions both in the air and sea. There were days when the visibility dipped to less than 500m making it ever difficult for search and rescue operations. The haze was also responsible for other disastrous effects, not to mention the irreparable damage to health.However disastrous the consequences of the haze were, it had one positive outcome. It provided a strong impetus for the authorities to tackle the problem and seek a quick remedy. It prompted the Singapore government and the governments for other Asean countries to collectively address the problem. Realizing the urgency in undertaking effective and immediate measures in tackling the problem, the authorities came out with a number of strategies. There was an immediate ban on open burning. Vigilance was increased to bring the culprits of open burning to justice. Singapore joined other countries in providing a fire fighting team to combat the forest fires. Doctors, chemical and meteorological experts, both local and foreign, joined in to combat the effects of the haze.On the local front the authorities took full control of the situation. Schools in areas which recorded hazardous air quality indexes were closed indefinitely. Extra-curricular activities were put on halt. Flights were either rescheduled or cancelled. There was extensive media coverage of the situation and there was a public education campaign on the precautions that ought to be taken. A state of emergency was declared in several areas when the situation got out of hand.The authorities acted with a sense of urgency in addressing the problem of the haze. The effective implementation of measures by the authorities averted a major environmental disaster. | | | | impetus | | an encouraging reason | | | | put on halt | | stopped | | | | out of hand | | out of control | |
Accidents
Malaysian drivers have been stigmatized as reckless and severely lacking in road courtesy. Recent surveys have supported this image and demonstrated that Malaysian drivers are, on the whole, a selfish and inconsiderate lot. The many road safety campaigns aimed at injecting discipline in road users have met with failure and frustration. Even the heavy fines and penalties aimed at hitting offenders hard do not seem to have had the desired effects.The main cause of accidents is usually the drivers. Statistics substantiate this fact, with an estimated 90 per cent of road accidents caused by the inconsiderate attitude of drivers. Drunk driving, indiscriminate overtaking, not giving the appropriate signals, speeding and failure to adhere to the traffic rules are all manifestations of the inconsiderate attitude of drivers.It is alarming to note that our roads and highways are constantly being turned into race tracks where drivers display their daredevil stunts. Whatever reasons drivers may have for speeding, it is unethical and shows selfishness, irresponsibility and arrogance. These drivers have no consideration for other road users or for traffic regulations. Statistics show that the highest number of accidents occurs during festive seasons, such as during the Hari Raya Puasa or Chinese New Year holidays, when there is an exodus of people from big cities like Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru to return to their hometowns. The mad rush to get home leads to a loss of precious lives. Accidents may also be caused by bad road conditions and other obstacles. Many of our roads are still single-lane roads which are badly lit at night.Malfunctioning traffic lights, road repairs, lack of warning notices at landslides, potholes and winding roads may also lead to traffic congestion and accidents. Roads which are not in good condition or without ample notices of road works or danger spots can thus also bring about accidents.Accusations and criticism have been hurled at Malaysian road users for variousmisdemeanors on the road. It is now up to the drivers themselves to discard their tarnished image and assume a new image as responsible, patient and considerate road users. | | | | stigmatized | | branded, marked by a sign of shame | | | | substantiate | | prove | | | | misdemeanors | | misconduct | |

Child abuse cases is rising rapidly in our country ? Child abuse. Two words that have repeatedly appeared in the newspaper and mentioned over the news ever since the tragic death of toddler Bala Sundram -- an innocent victim of this beastly act.This form of inexcusable violence does not occur among the poor and uneducated families only but also in families that have so-called high status in society. But more often than not, families that are socio-economically poor are the main abusers in this country.Although the main reason for this is lack of education, the pressures of city life also contributes to the rise in child abuse cases. Lack of education leads them to think that abuse is the only way to instill discipline in a child. Though this is very wrong, often, these abusers believe what they are doing is just. Sometimes, when parents have bitter disagreements, their anger is often projected towards the children.Among the educated batch on the other hand, emotional abuse cases are more common. Here, the child is abused verbally with hurting remarks. The child might not have the physical scars as proof, but these internal scars remain for a lifetime.Problems in the family or among married couple cause a great deal of suffering to the adults and the children as well. Usually, disappointments in the lives of the adults cause extensive depression and anger. These people usually vent out their anger on their children who may not be really aware of what is going on.The government is doing all that it can to curb child abuse and to create awareness among the educated and the uneducated alike. This public awareness is very important in the sense that it can let people know of their rights and what action to take in case they witness a child being abused. It also encourages people to report these incidents so that the abusers can be charged in the court of law.Punishment for abusers should serve as a stern warning and reminder not to repeat the offence. Within the period of punishment, therapy should be given to the abusers, for they too, need help. Apart from that, in-depth research should be conducted by doctors and psychologists to find ways to deal with this problem more effectively.We must not let violence and cruelty become a way of life in our society. We have to stand up for our rights and for those who cannot do it for themselves. | | | | instill | | to put a feeling, idea, or principle gradually into someone's mind | | | | curb | | to control | | | | in-depth | | in great detail | |