PT3 POEM

                                        A FIGHTER'S LINES
                                          By Marzuki Ali



Synopsis of the poem
The persona in the poem is an old soldier. He is tired as he is old and weak. He and his people suffered in the past in their fight for freedom of their country and they made many sacrifices. People lost their lives and some remain nameless or unknown.

The persona, who believes that he will be in the wheelchair for the rest his life says he can only watch the happenings around him. Physically, he is helpless and he has no energy left. He was either seriously injured when he was a soldier or is very ill. He finds that times have changed and being a crippled man, it is too challenging for him to fight the injustice he sees around him. He is troubled by many lies being told everywhere.

Being highly spirited, he calls on the younger generation to wake up and fight on. They have to realise that they have to form lines or ranks irrespective of racial, religious and social differences to fight courageously for justice. He wants the young people who inherited the country's freedom to be united and denounce lies which may threaten the country.

The persona feels helpless that he is not heard. He urges the younger generation to fight or speak up for what is right because it is now their turn to do so.

The Setting
The poem is set after indenpence. The persona feels that the independence he has struggled for is now threatened by subversive elements.

Tone and mood
In the first stanza, the tone indicates that the persona is sad and weary because he is old and weak. The persona is also melancholic, reflecting on his past sacrifices he made for the country's independence.

In the second stanza, the persona voices his helplessness, anger and contempt because his country is facing threats.

The tone used in the third stanza is serious and demanding. The persona urges the present generation to form a united front to uphold the freedom that he and many others has fought for.

The persona ends by insisting that the younger generation continues to fight against injustice because he can no longer do so.

Themes
1. Patriotism
Patriotism is one of the themes of this poem. The people in this country have made a lot of sacrifices to fight for their freedom. They have achieved independence but now there are other threats such as deceit. This affects the country's safety. The persona calls on the younger generation to fight for justice and to speak up against deceit.

2. Being courageous
Another theme is being courageous. In the past, people made many sacrifices and fought bravely with the country's enemies for their freedom. Now, the persona urges the younger generation to be brave and fight against other threats in the country. He tells them to stand up and speak with courage.

3. Unity
In the past, people were united when they fought for independence. Now, the persona emphasises that the younger generation who has inherited a free country should unite to preserve their freedom. They should stand united by building a wall of people or forming ranks irrespective of racial, religious and other social differences. The "lines" in the poem, A Fighter's Lines refer to the persona's lines and the lines or ranks formed for unity. We have to be united and strong as in the saying, "United we stand, divided we fall".

Values
1. We must be brave to uphold justice.
The persona urges the younger generation to stand up against the widespread lies which are rampant in society today. This 'net of deceit' worries his as it can destroy the solidarity of the people. Therefore, he urges them to stand united and uphold justice to preserve the freedom and safety of the country.

2. We must be willing to make sacrifices to preserve our independence.
In the fight for independence, the persona and other soldiers sacrificed and risked their lives when they fought for independence. Now, he is wheelchair-bound because he was either crippled in the war or is now old and sick. Now, he wants the younger generation to make sacrifices too to preserve their freedom.

3. We must be united to preserve our freedom.
The persona wants the younger generation to stand united regardless of their differences to ensure their freedom.

FORMAL LETTER - LETTER OF COMPLAINT

QUESTION:
Your class is unhappy with your school canteen. As the monitor of your class, you have been asked to write to your principal, to complain about the following:
- food left uncovered - attract many flies
- food served is stale - food too expensive
- oily plates and cups - rude workers - workers not properly attired
- dustbins not cleared daily
- same menu daily

In your letter, you would also like to offer three suggestions from your classmates: - stringent checks - cheaper food - serve a variety of food

When writing the letter, you should remember:
- to set out the letter correctly
- to include all the points given
- to write in paragraphs. (30 marks)

Look at the model answer below to revise the format of a formal letter and see how the points are elaborated.

The Class Monitor,
Form 5 Amanah,
SMK Kayu Ara Pasong,
82010 Pontian,
Johore.
______________________________________________________________

Encik Juhair bin Jumaat,
The Principal,
SMK Kayu Ara Pasong,
82010 Pontian,
Johore.                                                                                 11 SEPTEMBER 2015


Dear Sir,

Unsatisfactory School Canteen

On behalf of the students of 5 Amanah, I would like to lodge a complaint about the school canteen.
2.        First and foremost, the food served is not covered and many flies can be seen hovering over the food. This may lead to food poisoning. Moreover, the canteen also serves stale food. The ‘nasi lemak’ turns bad by the time the upper forms have their recess. Last week, a few of us had diarrhoea after consuming food from the canteen.

3.       Apart from that, the food is also too expensive. A small plate of fried mee costs RM1.50 and many poor students cannot afford it. Besides that, the canteen serves the same menu daily. The students are bored with fried rice and fried mee every day.

4.      Another complaint is that the cups and plates are oily and not washed properly. The workers are also not appropriately attired although they have been told to wear aprons and caps. Moreover, these workers are rude to students. They shout at us and use foul language whenever they get angry. They also do not clear the dustbins and rubbish daily. This is very unhygienic. As a result, there is a foul stench whenever we eat in the canteen.

5.      Thus, we would like to suggest that the school authorities make stringent checks on the canteen daily or weekly. They should also ensure that the canteen serves a variety of food at a reasonable price. We would like to appeal to your sense of fairness and hope prompt action will be taken regarding these matters.

Thank You.

Yours faithfully,

    nora

(NORLISSA BT DUSUKI)
5 Amanah

PT3 POEM

                                              I WONDER

I WONDER WHY THE GRASS IS GREEN,
AND WHY THE WIND IS NEVER SEEN?

WHO TAUGHT THE BIRDS TO BUILD A NEST,
AND TOLD THE TREES TO TAKE A REST?

O, WHEN THE MOON IS NOT QUITE ROUND,
WHERE CAN THE MISSING BIT BE FOUND?

WHO LIGHTS THE STARS, WHEN THEY BLOW OUT,
AND MAKES THE LIGHTNING FLASH ABOUT?

WHO PAINTS THE RAINBOW IN THE SKY,
AND HANGS THE FLUFFY CLOUDS SO HIGH?

WHY IS IT NOW, DO YOU SUPPOSE,
THAT DAD WON'T TELL ME, IF HE KNOWS?

                                                                                  BY : JEANNIE KIRBY

SUMMARY

"Questions are the answers." Similarly, life is full questions that seek answers especially for a child.
The poem I Wonder is a poem about a rather intelligent and perceptive child who is curious about her surroundings.
In this poem, the child is curious about the elements of nature. Throughout the poem, the child's inquisitiveness is displayed through her questions about things which most of us have probably taken for granted.
She is keen to seek answers to questions such as 'why the grass is green' and 'why the wind is never seen?'. As she looks at the trees, she wonders who taught the birds to build their nests. She also intelligently deduces that when the wind stops, the trees can actually take a break.
As she looks up into the sky, she has more questions about the moon, stars, lightning and rainbow. She wonders why the shape of the moon is never the same and wonders what happens to the missing parts when the moon is half or crescent-shaped.
Next, she ponders over the twinkling stars and likens them to a candle that gives light and wonders who lights them up 'why they blow out?'.
She is further intrigued and wants to know who causes the lightning to flash.
Later, when she looks at the white clouds, she wonders why they are so soft and fluffy and who hangs them up so high.
The child is also curious to know that after a downpour, who paints the seven colors of the rainbow.
Since most of her questions have gone unanswered by adults, we see that towards the end of the poem, she shows her annoyance at her father because he fails to feed her curiosity and does not provide answers to her questions.

Background

It is natural that a child seeks answers to questions about their natural surroundings.
The poet believes that a child's curiosity should be encouraged and not ignored as that is when learning takes place.
In this poem, the poet has successfully portrayed how a child views nature and its elements. Even though some questions posed by children can be challenging for adults to answer, we as adults must seek to educate children to appreciate nature especially in making them realize that nature is created by our Creator--God.

Setting

The setting of the poem is outdoors. Most probably, the poet is in a park and nature has captured her imagination.
As the day progresses, she makes her observations. First, she notices the green grass and feels the soft wind blowing. When the wind blows, the trees sway and when the wind stops, the trees rest.
Next, she looks at the clear skies and the fluffy clouds. Later, when it rains, lightning flashes across the sky and soon after, she sees a beautiful rainbow.
When night time comes, the stars and the moon light up the night.sky.

Speaker

The speaker or persona in this poem is most probably a child.
The poem starts with the pronoun 'I' in the first sentence. Hence the poem is written in the first person.

Themes


Nature Does Not Work Alone

The poet wants us to know that there are many elements in nature that do not work alone.
In fact, these elements work together and that is why nature is beautiful and awesome. Some of these elements are found in the sky such as the moon, stars, clouds, rainbow and lightning.


Nature-God's Awesome Creation

The poet also wants us to realize that nature is simply awesome.
In fact, some aspects of how the elements of nature are created and their existence are beyond our knowledge and comprehension.
Even though we may have many questions and may not get answers to these questions, we should not stop questioning because we learn about nature by asking questions. However, the only one that has all the answers is God.


Nature is Beautiful

The poem clearly highlights the marvels of nature and shows that nature is beautiful.
Therefore, we should appreciate it and not take it for granted. In fact, we should take time to appreciate and enjoy its beauty.
The poet uses a variety of images to show the beauty of nature by drawing our attention to different elements such as the green grass, the fluffy white clouds, the shining twinkling stars, the multi-colored rainbow and the crescent-shaped moon.
All these elements of nature are a means of bringing awareness that nature is beautiful and should be appreciated.

Lessons Learnt

Nature Should be Appreciated

The poet successfully portrays nature through the eyes of a child. Since children are innocent, they look at nature as it is and appreciate it. It is this appreciation that the poet wants to highlight.
In short, the five stanzas are all about appreciating nature and its elements. More importantly, the poet does not want us to take nature for granted. She uses various images to bring out this appreciation and to show that there is a balance in the way nature has been created.

God is Our Creator

This poem shows that God is our Creator. God is responsible for creating this beautiful natural environment.
The poem, with its natural setting, shows many facets of nature and how the various elements interact with each other to bring out the beauty of nature.
The first five stanzas shows God's handiwork and power. This is evident because there are some aspects of nature which is just beyond our control.
In the last stanza, again we see God's power because as humans, we may not have answers to all the questions on the existence of nature.

Tone and Mood

The overall tone of this poem is of wonder, inquisitiveness and childhood innocence.
The mood that the speaker conveys is of being happy, captivated and child-like innocence as she explores the many elements in nature.
The child in the poem is awed by nature and ponders by asking questions. The many questions posed relate directly to her curiosity.
Both the tone and mood conveyed by the speaker is related to her questions about nature. For example: 'I wonder why the grass is green', 'And why the wind is never seen?', ' Who taught the birds to build a nest' etc.
Towards the end, the speaker shows her slight disappointed when her many questions are not answered by her father.

Structure and Style

There are six stanzas in the poem I Wonder.
Each stanza has two lines. Two lines in a poem are called a couplet. So this poem has six couplets.
The rhyme scheme used by the poet is aa, bb, cc, dd, ee and ff.
This means the last word in Line 1 rhymes with the last word in Line 2.

Example:
Stanza 1
The last word 'green' (Line 1- a) rhymes with the last word 'seen' (Line 2-a).
Stanza 2
The last word 'nest' (Line 1-b) rhymes with the last word 'rest' (Line 2-b).

The next interesting style used by the poet is the questioning. Every couplet ends with a question.
Example:

O, when the moon is not quite round, Where can the missing bit be found?
Who lights the stars, when they blow out, And makes the lightning flash about?
Who paints the rainbow in the sky, And hangs the fluffy clouds so high?

Literary Devices

Poets often use a number of literary devices to create a certain impact. In this poem, the following are some of the main literary devices employed by the poet.

Alliteration

When a poet repeatedly uses consonants, this is called alliteration.
In this poem, one example of alliteration was used
Example: Line 1-'green grass'

Metaphor

When one wants to make a comparison of things, we use metaphors.
Similarly, in this poem the poet used some metaphors to stress the meaning.
Example: The word 'fluffy clouds' is a metaphor. This metaphor shows that the clouds in the sky are soft and fluffy.

Imagery

The poet uses imagery to tell the readers about the different aspects of nature.
In this poem we see a number of visual imageries.
Example:
The image of trees resting (Line 4) - And told the trees to take a rest?
The image of the painted rainbow (Line 9) - Who paints the rainbow in the sky?
The image of flashing lightning (Line 8) - And makes the lightning flash about?
The image of stars being lit and blown out (Line 7) - Who lights the stars, when they blow out,
The image of someone hanging up the clouds so high (Line 10) - And hangs the fluffy clouds so high?

PT3 NOVEL - HOW I MET MYSELF

Synopsis

This story is about a man who met his doppelganger; a ghostly double of a living person.

John Taylor was an English computer programmer who worked in Budapest,Hungary, and lived there with his wife, Andrea, and daughter,Kati.He was walking home from work one day when he bumped into his doppelganger.John believed the doppelganger had come to give him a message.

John did some research and found that a man, with a name similar to his, had lived in that area many years ago along with a wife and daughter – whose names were also Andrea and Kati.The person's wife and daughter were killed in a tragedy.The timely warning from John's doppelganger saved John's wife and daughter from a similar fate.

 

Climax:-

A similar incident that had happened to the doppelganger and his family years ago occurred exactly on the same date. When John heard a very loud noise that sounded like an explosion, he realised that Andrea and Kati were at the same cafe where his doppelganger's wife and daughter were killed.He rushed over and saw that the place had been destroyed again.

 

 

Themes

Determination:-

When John first met his doppelganger, he was very afraid . He did not know whether what he had seen was real or he was imagining things.However,when John became convinced of the doppelganger's existence, he became determined and persevered to solve the mysteries of the doppelganger.

Even though Andrea did not support John and thought he needed to see a doctor, John did not give up. He knew his doppelganger had appeared for a reason and was trying to tell him something. He was focused and determined to do all he could to find out what the message was about.

Fear of the unknown :-

From the moment John first saw the doppelganger, his life changes and he lived in fear.He was afraid because he could not understand what was happening to him and his thoughts were constantly on the doppelganger.At work,his performance suffered as he forgot important things that he should have remembered. Furthermore, his fear took a turn for the worse when he started having nightmares about the doppelganger. He began to feel terrified and so did Andrea. This fear of the unknown caused a strain in their relationship and their marriage suffered.

Being open-minded

John was open-minded. This encouraged him to search and gather information from various sources to solve the mystery of his ghostly encounter with someone who looked like him.It was this attitude that forms the basis of the story.When John first met his doppelganger, he did not feel that it was just an illusion.His willingness to accept new ideas and information provided him with the knowledge that doppelgangers do exist and that they appear to forewarn people of danger.

Moral values

Persistance:-

We should always be persistent in our endeavours and not give up whenever we face obtacles. It is only with persistence that we can achieve what we want.

John was an extremely persistent person.No matter what obtacles stood in his way or what difficulties he faced in his marriage , he never gave up trying to find out more about his doppelganger. He did a lot of research and questioned several people to get the information he needed. In the end, his persistence paid off and he found out a lot about his doppelganger.

Family support and trust :-

It is very important that members in a family support and trust one another, especially in times of trouble.

If Andrea had supported and trusted John wholeheartedly, she would have co-operated with John and this might have prevented Andrea and Kati from getting into danger.

Thinking outside the box:-

A person must be able and willing to think beyond their usual ways and look at things from different perspectives.This would enable them to find answers or solutions.

John took every opportunity to question and find out why the doppelganger appeared.Finally, he managed to solve the mystery because he was willing to think outside the box.

PT3 POEM

                                                                     MR NOBODY

BY ANONYMOUS

I know a funny little man,

    As quiet as a mouse,

Who does the mischief that is done

    In everybody’s house!

There’s no one ever sees his face,

    And yet we all agree

That every plate we break was cracked

    By Mr. Nobody.

’Tis he who always tears out books,

    Who leaves the door ajar,

He pulls the buttons from our shirts,

    And scatters pins afar;

That squeaking door will always squeak,

    For prithee, don’t you see,

We leave the oiling to be done

    By Mr. Nobody.

He puts damp wood upon the fire,
That kettle cannot boil;
His are the feet that bring in mud,
And all the carpets soil.
The papers are always mislaid,
Who had them last but he?
There's no one tosses them about 
But Mr Nobody.

The finger marks upon the door

    By none of us are made;

We never leave the blinds unclosed,

    To let the curtains fade.

The ink we never spill;   the boots

    That lying round you see

Are not our boots,—they all belong

    To Mr. Nobody.

TYPE OF POEM

A poem on life.

SUBJECT

Behaving badly and not owning up.

TITLE

A suitable title because the purpose is to blame nobody. Nobody is a non-person so he is the best person to push the blame to.

SETTING

The poem is set in the house as the persona talks about the situation in the house. Things get broken, misplaced and thrown around by an unseen person. His behavior messes up the house.

PERSONA

It is the poet’s voice. The poet is also the persona. There is one voice but several character are involved – I, we, Mr. Nobody.

DEVICES

A limited rhyming pattern – only lines 2 and 4 of each stanza rhyme.

Similie : As quiet as a mouse.

Imagery : Images of mess - mud, carpets soiled, papers mislaid, finger marks upon the door, ink…spilled, boots lying around.

Metaphor : the door ajar is like saying Mr. Nobody moves in and out like a thief unseen. The squeaking door will always squeak  as though it is a mouse.

The uses of senses

·         See – mud, marks, curtains fade, books, door ajar

·         Hear – quiet, break, cracked, tears, squek

·         Touch – damp

LANGUAGE

Simple and direct. Every stanza ends with Mr. Nobody. Old expressions are used –  prithee. Double meaning is used to create humor such as Mr Nobody refers to a person and a non-person. Lying means not telling the truth or being found all over.  We can see contrast or irony no one ever sees his face…yet we all agree that he is the mischief maker. This is used to express sarcasm.

TONE

The topic is serious but the tone is casual.

THEME

·         Responsiblibility for one’s action. Very few people own up when they create a problem. They tend to put the blame on others.

·         Truth and honesty.

·         Respect for family members.

·         Cultivate a good habit.

MORAL VALUE

·         We must work together to look after the family home.

·         Have respect for other’s property.

·         Value and appreciate things at home

·         Practice discipline wherever and whenever necessary.

·         We must be tidy all the time.

·         Appreciate the person who has to clean up after us.

GOOD SAMPLE WRITING {CW}

A Horror / Tragic Story
by Jun Li

I opened the door, to my horror, a few skeletons lay there, chained on the wall.

Okay, time to recap. I and my friends, Jack and Peter, were playing around an old, abandoned mansion. We were told that no one was allowed to enter. However, curiosity overcame us and we picked the lock, granting us entrance into the sacred lair of the unknown.

At the sight of the skeletons, the three of us were completely stunned. Our jaw hung wide open for a few minutes before we came back to our senses. My sixth sense told me that something was about to go wrong, so I urged the other two to back out of the mansion.

“Don’t be such a chicken,” said Jack, with a shaky voice.

“Aren’t you scared too?” I challenged him.

“Yes, but we might never get the chance to explore here again if we leave now.”

“…All right, but we leave as soon as the first sign of danger shows.”

We ventured deeper into the mansion. The design looked like some sort of torture room, or a prison. Even though I was afraid, I was eager to discover more. Throughout the lair, we did not lose sight of skeletons or spider webs. These were at every corner, at every turn. The occasional howls from a distance made the hair on our backs stand up straight. We finally arrived at a long hallway. Jack picked up a piece of wood and lighted it up with his lighter. The flame seared at first, but after it simmered down, I was able to see the walls clearly. There were ancient writings, the kind we usually see in an Egyptian grave robber movie. As the expert in history, Jack tried his best to decipher the carvings. Meanwhile, Peter leaned towards the wall to catch his breath. At that very moment, a cold chill went down my spine.

“Watch out!” I shouted.

Before he could react, that portion of the wall he was leaning against flipped, trapping him on the other side. All he could let out was a loud shriek and he vanished behind the walls. I pounded against the wall, shouting his name. Only then did I know what real terror felt like. However, the chance of rescuing him was bleak. I sank to the ground, desolated and hopeless.

“Let’s get out of here, we have to inform the adults!” suggested Jack.

I got to my feet swiftly and both of us sped through the building. My heart was racing. I knew that danger may be waiting at the next corner. I could hear blood pounding in my ears. Wait, was that a creak I heard? “Uh-oh,” I thought to myself. The ceiling began to crumble. My sub-consciousness took over. I sprang forward and tackled Jack. Both of us fell to the ground. Just as I thought that trouble was out of the way, the burning piece of wood slipped out of his hand and landed in a pile of grease. Fire started spreading like mad. I struggled to get up.

“Come on, there’s not much time left!” I screamed as I turned towards the exit.

“Aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

In a split second, my head turned 180 degrees. A gigantic marble pillar fell on Jack. I mustered all the strength from every single cell in my body, trying to lift it up, to no avail. My eyes were watery. I was completely out of ideas.

“Save yourself, leave me, please,” muttered Jack, with a weak tone.

This was certainly a tough decision for me. All the moments we had spent together flashed through my mind. How could I leave him now? As the fire was close to sealing my only exit, I knew that I had to be rational. I dived for my escape route.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as the mansion erupted into flames behind me.


MY MOTHER

This good English essay was submitted by Alexis. Visit her blog to read her poems and stories. You can submit your essay and get it published on this blog too!

About seventeen years ago, a beautiful young woman, named Kari, was trying to adjust and understand the purpose of her life. She was a typical adolescent, making mistakes and hoping each lesson would guide her in the right direction of life. At this time, she was living in Germany, occupied in the US Army, on and off with a boyfriend, and fighting to keep a relationship with her family, through letters. It may not seem like an ideal situation, but everything in life has a purpose, the challenge is discovering it. Unlike most adolescents, her life was put into perspective very quickly. At the age of nineteen, Kari received results from a test, which changed her life forever. She was pregnant.

In January 1995, at the age of twenty years old, Kari gave birth to a baby girl. Her life now revolved around her child, Alexis. She got out of her relationship, got a job, and found a safe place for the two of them. Now living with her mom and step dad, working as a papergirl (newspaper delivery person), and fighting for divorce, Kari was struggling. It didn’t matter though; she made the best of it.

When Alexis was two, Kari married her husband, Mike. Together, they got a town home. Now, with a home and family, it may seem like times were great, but there was still a lot of life to be learned from. Mike was constantly traveling; in fact, he was in Utah for two years after they got married. Kari was now raising Alexis, working seven days a week, and working to keep her marriage healthy. As with everything in her life, Kari took sacrifices and made it work.

Fourteen years later, looking at this 36 year old, you would never realize the struggles she has faced in life. She is a beautiful, young, and caring, mother, friend and wife. She lives in a nice house, takes care of kids, home-schools Alexis and, her husband is home almost every night. She has many great qualities, but I think the characteristic that makes her the most unique and genuine person, is her love and creativity. She was, and is, able to take anything normal and make it enjoyable.

By now you have probably realized, I am Alexis, her daughter. I have a great relationship with my mom, something many girls, my age, are lacking. In some ways, it’s like we grew up together (although twenty years apart), best friends. She has always provided the loving, but strict mother figure, which I can rely on, in my life. Her creativity brought me lots of fun times, and cherished memories, throughout my adolescents. Her strong words and lectures, many she has learned from in the past, bring me wisdom and guidance for the rest of my life. And her open and loving heart, gives me a safe place to share my emotions. I never could ask for a better person to spend my memories with, for they wouldn’t be the memories they are, without her.



Write a story starting with: “The widow had to work hard to bring up her little son alone...”

The widow had to work hard to bring up her little son alone. This was after her husband’s early death. She and her son lived in a wooden house. It was a small house with only one bedroom and a kitchen.

            Mariam wanted Sam to study hard to get good result. So she would not let Sam help her do any household chores or wash his own clothes. The years flew by. Sam sat for his SPM examination and pass with flying colours.

            His mother was very happy. She went round telling her friends, “My Sam will be leaving for the city to study in a college. He will become a Manager one day. I’ll move to live with him in the city. Then, my struggle is worth it.”

            So Mariam continued to work hard to send money to Sam who was studying a business degree. For Mariam, it was a tough life. Meanwhile, Sam kept on phoning home to ask for more money. Mariam even had to borrow from her neighbours and friends to send her son the money.

            Three years Sam stopped calling home. He did not even let his mother where he was. When she phoned the faculty, they told her that he had graduated and left for job. However, they could not her more. Mariam was baffled. Where was Sam? She was so sure he would come back and fetch her for city. So, she started to pack some of her bags and boxes.

            Three months later, there was still no news or call from Sam. One day, Mariam’s niece, Kate, came to talk to her about Sam. She told her aunt, “Auntie, a friend of mine met Sam in a bank. He’s the branch manager. This is his address.”

            Early in the morning, Mariam took the first bus to the city. At the bus station, she took a taxi and showed the taxi driver the bank address. On the way there, she told the driver about Sam and what a filial son he was.

            The driver stopped his taxi in front of a tall building. She got out of the taxi and smiled at him happily. This was the moment she was going to meet Sam. She imagined him showing surprise and delight at meeting his mother. Inside the building, a security guard asked her who she was looking for. She told the guard Sam’s name.

            The bank staff saw an old lady holding a worn-out handbag. They were wondering, “Who is this woman? Why is she asking for our manager?”

            Meanwhile, Sam pretended he did not know his mother. Feeling disgusted and ashamed, he asked the security guard to ask her to leave. Mariam was shocked to hear that! She looked Sam in a disappointed feeling ever, and ran out of the bank.

            Back in her house, Mariam cried the whole night. She cried and cried till she had no more tears. The next morning, she was sitting by the window with Sam’s photo on her lap. She saw him walking towards their house. Soon she was shouting and crying, “My Sam is back! My Sam is back!”

            Sam ran towards her and hugged Mariam as he never let go. He was so sorry and regretted the way he behaved. His colleagues were the one who made him realized his big mistakes neglected his mother.

            The neighbours heard her. They too shouted and cheered, feeling happy for her.

574 words.



What would you do if you had a lot of money?
Here’s a model answer for a reflective essay. Read through the essay and identify the topic sentences of each paragraph and the supporting details.

Question: What would you do if you had a lot of money?

When I was small, I often dreamt about being rich as my parents were quite poor. We had difficulty making ends meet each month. So, if I had a lot of money, I would certainly fulfill my dreams.
First and foremost, I would buy a house for my parents, preferably a bungalow, in a quiet town. I would equip the house with the latest technology so that it would be a smart home. My mother would have a state-of-the-art kitchen as she loves cooking. I would also get a maid to help her with the household chores. I will ensure that my family is comfortably settled in this house.

The second thing I would do is to go on a world tour with my parents. I have never been overseas but I long to see the places I have only read or dreamt about. First, I would like to visit Europe, especially Italy, the city of romance. I would visit all the museums and buildings I have heard so much about. My next stop would be Hong Kong or China. There is something mystical about China and her people. This would be my dream come true.

Apart from that, I could finally go on a shopping spree, which is my favourite pastime. Thus far, I could only go window shopping and if I had a lot of money, I would go into these stores and buy whatever I fancy. Just imagine that for once in my life, I do not need to look at the prices of the items that I like. I could just shop till I literally drop. The salesgirls would be hovering near me with their latest outfits and my wish would be their command. Ah, I would not be ignored anymore as I walk into their stores!

Besides shopping, I would also remember the poor and the less fortunate. First, I would certainly build a better home for the orphans in my town. In fact, I would also sponsor their education till they could stand on their own. They would receive an allowance monthly and I would definitely take them shopping.

Finally, I would take the opportunity to further my studies. When I was younger, my parents could not afford to send me overseas. So, I would love to pursue a course in interior decorating in London and once I graduate, I would like to set up my own business with the rest of the money.
They say that a fool and his money are soon parted. Thus, I would be very careful with how I spend my money. I would invest my money with my parents’ advice and keep some for rainy days.

Source: By jennyho


 
    

THE RIVER

The river’s a wanderer,
A nomad, a tramp.

He doesn't choose any one place

To set up his camp.

The river’s a winder,

Through valley and hill

He twists and he turns,

He just cannot be still.

The river’s a hoarder,

And he buries down deep

Those little treasures

That he wants to keep.

The river’s a baby,

He gurgles and hums,

And sounds like he’s happily

Sucking his thumbs.

The river’s a singer,

As he dances along,

The countryside echoes

The notes of his song.

The river’s a monster,

Hungry and vexed,

He’s gobbled up trees

                                                       And he’ll swallow you next
Synopsis of the poem

The River is about the many faces of a river.  The river is a wanderer where he moves all over the place.  He does not sit still and is always in motion.  He is also a winder where he twists and turns.  He meanders.  He  is  also a hoarder where  he  keeps  things  deep  down in  his  river bed.  Sometimes, he is a baby when he is happily flowing along. At times, he is a singer as seen through the happy sounds of the water.  Finally, he is also a monster and can devour trees (most probably referring to a flood).