Directed Writing Question - SPM 2001

Question:

You find that many of your friends are under a lot of pressure. They spend most of their time
studying and appear to suffer from stress. Write an article for your school newsletter on how to
cope with stress. Include the following points:
1- Regular exercise
2- Hobbies
3- Plan a timetable
4- Work in groups
5- Balanced meals
6- Enough sleep
7- Study skills
8- Make a check-list
9- Seek advice
10- Games
11- Talk to your family
12- Listen to music

You should use the all points given above and add two new points of your own. When

writing the article, you should remember:

1- to give a title
2- that your readers are mainly students
3- to include all the points given
4- to add two new points of your own
5- to write in paragraphs

(35 Marks)

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

Tips on Coping with Stress for Students

Stress is a word that is closely associated to students like us who are studying for our SPM
examination. Stress comes from our family and teachers who are pressuring us to do well, as well as
from the competition among our friends to excel. However, there is no way out; we have to find ways
to overcome with stress.
Firstly, we must make time for exercise. Sitting and studying for hours can add more stress, so going for
walks or jogging will do us good. Having hobbies such as stamp collecting or playing music will help to
relax our tensed mind. For all these activities, you need to have a timetable for studying and relaxing.
Studying in groups is a good idea. You can discuss what you do not know with your friends and motivate
each other to study
Eating a balanced meal is essential to cope with stress. We need the nutrition and energy to study. You
also must have enough sleep. Do not cut on your sleeping hours, studying too late into the night and
walking up early. You will be tired to concentrate in class.
You also must practice good study skills. Making notes and mind mapping are good studying
techniques. Make a checklist that helps you to monitor how far you are with
revision. If you feel distressed, seek advice from your teacher or counsellor. Go for outdoor games
such as badminton or tennis to release your tension and get away from books for a while. Talk to your
family members if you think they are pushing you too much to study.
Listen to music that makes you feel light and easy.

If you have difficulty in certain subjects, go for private tuition to get some assistance. Spend equal time
for all the subjects. We tend to spend more time on our favourite subjects and less time on others. This
will affect our SPM grades. I hope you take heed of my tips and wish you all the best in the coming SPM
examination.

What can be done for the handicapped?

The handicapped people include comprise of inividuals who have multitude disabilities.Visual
impairment, confinement in wheelchairs or critical mental problems are counted some of the disabilities
they have .In our society ,those people cannot live cosily because of many defficiencies in their
social,business, educational lives and medical services.In order to provide a better living for those
people,governments and the people must unite and work together.To begin with,handicapped people
have difficulty in transportation or walking around .Because everything is designed to meet normal
people's need .For example, building's entrance can be too narrow to enter for a person obliged to
wheelchair.Or stairs cause hardships to move for those people.In order to solve this transportation
problem up ,all the structures must be designed assuming that every individual either the hadicapped or
not has access to them comfortably.Furthermore,ramps must be made on the road and all the
transportation vehicles (buses,trains ,planes)must be built properly for them.Also there must be voiced
mechanisms to tell which destinations they are founded for blind people.

Secondly, the handicapped have difficulty in finding employment to makr their living.They are looked
down on and neglected because of their disabilities.But still they form our society and they have
intelligence and skills enough to work in a job.Hence ,the governments take charge of this problem and
employ those people and offer a special work environment equipped with the materials easing their
duties.
In the third place,the handicapped must be insured by the government and so they must benefit from
medical treatments by paying low amount of money or nothing.What is more, the doctors taking care
of them must be high qualified in their proffesions .And the handicapped people must feel secure and
they do not need to apply to private hospitals.

In the forth place ,special schools must be erected for those people and so they have access to school
easily Also being together with the people sharing the same destiny make them feel more safe
.Furthermore ,there must be particular teachers trained for those people .Staterecompense must
recompense all these implematations .
Another important thing is the increase in the awareness.We ,as a society,must be aware of our values
and the people creating them .We must not look at those people as if they were alien .On the contary,
we must be sensitive and help them feel relaxed and part of society
.If necassary ,we must be trained in schools or civil organization about how to communicate with them.

In conclusion,the handicapped must not be seen as obstacles.Of course, they have obstacles in their
lives.Thus we must regulate everything from ground up.We must facilitate their living by creating job
oppurtunities ,bettering the education, health,transportation conditions and raising awareness.In order to
achieve all of these , we must colloborate with government.
Disability

Disability refers to the condition of being physically or mentally disabled or challenged. The physically
disabled are those physically handicapped such as the crippled, the blind, the mute as well those
having some form of physical deformities. Those mentally disabled suffer from mental retardation such
as cerebral palsy and down syndrome among others.

There are thousands of disabled people in Asia and many face discrimination on a regular basis
which takes many forms. Very few employers hire disabled people as the latter is considered more a
liability than an asset in the organization. However, these fears are completely unfounded. Many a
blind and hearing impaired persons have contributed tremendously to organizations they are attached
to. In fact, there are many cases of how disabled personalities have done themselves proud by being
their own bosses. Their success stories include those how run their own business such as shops,
restaurants, handicraft centers in addition to those who have become teachers and professionals
through sheer hard work and determination. Many have even become successful sports persons
participating in Paralympics Games and winning medals. It is a folly to think that only physically able
people can make one's country and nation proud.

However, those who are successful are only a handful. Since many encounter discrimination, they
tend to alienate themselves from society as they feel unwanted and rejected, Our mind set has to
change to accept these people and integrate them into our society.

The government should introduce steps to ensure all the disabled people have access to education
and employment. In fact, special legislations and laws ought to be introduced that makes it
compulsory for employers to allocate a certain number of jobs for the disabled. The Welfare
department too should provide financial assistance and medical access to disabled persons who
come from poor backgrounds.

Ongoing campaigns to educated society on the need to accept and live in harmony with the disabled,
rather than treat them as burdens or pariahs, need to be launched. In fact, the awareness should start
from a young age. Instead of setting up special schools for the disabled, the government should
institute regulations that abolish such schools and the disabled children sent to regular schools. this
would enable the regular students to understand and accept their peers despite the latter being
obviously disadvantaged. the disabled children too would not suffer from low esteem or even feel
embarrassed mixing with regular children.
 In addition, most of our public infrastructure, public transport and government buildings are not
disabled-friendly. There has to be a concerted effort to ensure the disabled have access to these
places and not feel hampered in anyway.

Thus, it is high time that we accept the disabled as an important component of our society. Despite
their handicap, they play an important role in our lives and at the same time the need our respect,
acceptance and understanding.

Haze: A Danger to Health

The haze is a constant phenomenon faced by Malaysia and her neighbouring countries.
The haze is basically pollution of atmosphere, which is clogged with pollutants and other substances
from forest fires.
The haze is a direct effect of forest fire in Kalimantan and other parts of Indonesia due to
slash and burn method of farming. The Indonesian authorities appear to have no power to control
farmers from practising such methods. The haze is further worsened by open burning practised by
most Malaysians. Open-field burning of rice straw by the rice planters and open burning of dried leaves
and garbage done by the public are a few examples that done by Malaysian. Many are ignorant of the
health effects of open burning.
During the haze, hospitals and clinic often report a dramatic increase in respiratory problems,
lung infections and asthma attack. The Air Pollution Index (API) usually indicates the hazardous and
dangerous levels of pollution during this period. The haze has long-term side effects. Prolonged
inhalation of polluted air will result in serious lung infection which particularly affects the elderly.

The government must play its role to reduce the haze treat. It has to cooperate with the
Indonesian authorities to stamp out forest fires. The culprits must be brought to justice, either through
healthy fine or prison sentence. Constant vigilance would ensure the perpetrators do not repeat their
offence.
The government should also raise the public awareness of the dangers of forest fire. Continuous
campaign of the cause, solutions and steps- need-to- be-taken to reduce the haze need to be promoted
through all types of social media like television, radio, newspaper
and even via internet. The authorities should also provide assistance to farmers and introduce
more sophisticated forest clearing methods.
In Malaysia, strict laws must be imposed to penalise those who practise open burning.
On-going campaigns on the dangers of open burning should be intensified. Individuals too have
a role to play. They must participate in every campaign and stop burning. Students can advise
their parents not to practice open burning.
Every individual has to remember that we do not own the world, but instead we lent it from our
future generations. We must protect our world so that our grandchildren woulh have a healthy earth to
live.

375 words

The Importance of Studying English

It is a big concerned for teenagers nowadays as they are unaware of the importance of
English language as they tend to ignore to learn the language. Students attitude towards the
language is also crucial to make sure that these teenagers can face the future world better by
learning English language as it is an international language.
Although the government has repeatedly told us of the importance of English, many students
are still not bothered about studying it seriously. There is also a campaign that still on to make all the
Malaysian becomes a better English learner, which is Enhance Proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia,
Strengthen the English. English is the most important and the most useful language in the world today.
There are many reasons why you should study the language properly.

First and foremost, English will definitely help you a lot when you want to further studies.
Almost all books at university are written in English in all subjects. Plus, it is a compulsory for any
candidate to pass English with credit before entering any universities. So, if you are poor in English,
you will blow you chance for better education or worse, you are going to have a big problem studying
at university.
The second reason why you have to study English well is that it will help you to get a job.
When you go for a job interview, the interviewer will surely talk to you in English. The first impression
you should give in order to success and have the job is, to respond in
English fluently. Your chances of getting the job are very slim if you stutter while
interviewing.
A good command in of English will also help you greatly in your job. If the company you work is
actively involved in international trade, you have to speak to prospective customers in English.
Miscommunication might occur if your English is bad. And this will put your company at risk and you will
likely be dismissed if this happen.
Good English will also help you a lot when you travel. Every country in the world studies
English. Even the roadside stall-holders in China speak fairly good English! At least some of the people
you meet on your travels in other countries can understand English. The language is certainly practical
when you are lost in your trip. Communication problem will not happen if you can converse well in
English. Inevitably, English is one of the languages used in any airport in the world in making
announcement. Knowing English well, therefore, make travelling overseas easier.

Besides all these, entertainment is one of the major advantages you will experience if you good
in English. You will enjoy televisions best programmes. We must admit that many of the best
programmes are produced by the Americans and British companies. High self confidence influenced by
the programmes will indirect inculcate in yourself when you are fluent in the language. Quality time is
worthily spent if you understand and enjoy the programmes.

Based from all the above elaboration, I hope that students will see the importance and realise
how importance the language is for their own future. Although it is a second language in our country, it
is now a main language all over the world.
544 words

Ways of improving ones English

There are few ways you can improve your English. It is good that you have realized the
importance of English and are willing to work hard to improve it.

The first method is by reading more English books, newspapers and magazines. In fact, this is the best
method. Buy a good dictionary. Do not waste your money buying one of those tiny dictionaries. They
are quite useless as they do not contain enough words and explanations given in them are too brief.
Spend more on a better dictionary which you can use for life. Whenever you come across a word which
you do not understand, look it up in the dictionary. Very often, you will feel lazy to check the meaning of
a certain word and try to guess it meaning from the context. I strong advise you do not do it! Do pick it
up the dictionary and check the meaning of the word. Also make an effort to learn the pronunciation
symbols so that you can check the pronunciation of every word before you check its meaning. The
pronunciation of most people who speak English is quite atrocious. The more you read and the more
you check the dictionary, the more English will improve.
There is no short-cut to in mastering the English language. It is a very long and tedious journey. It
may take you more than a whole life to master it.

Next, get a good grammar book. I would recommend only those written by native users of the
language such as the British or American s. study the book well and learn about the complexities of
the language and the many errors commonly made by people who are learning the language. In this
way you will make fewer errors when you speak or write the language.

Besides this, you can get someone who is good at the language to teach you. With the very low
standard of English nowadays, it is very difficult to find a good English tutor. Private tuition can be very
expensive but you must be prepared to pay If you are really keen on improving your English.

Apart from all of this, you can watch more English programmes on television. This is a very pleasant
way of learning English because you are entertained at the same time. You will learned how words are
pronounced and the situations in which they are used.

Lastly, use English whenever you have opportunity to do so. Speak to those whose English is good
and you will learn from them and also lose your fear of communicating orally in English with others.

If all the above methods are used, I am sure your English will improve by leaps and bounds in next to
no time.

My Favourite TV
Programme
The television (TV) is part and parcel of many households. Therefore, watching television is a culture of
todays modern society. It is a favourite past-time of many people, cutting across the culture, creed,
gender and age. I must admit that I too enjoy sitting glued to the TV as mum often laments. Since I
watch TV whole day long, I dont blame mum. However, whenever I watch my favourite TV programme
she doesnt complain. In fact, she often sits together to watch it, the National Geographic.

The National Geographic is a well-known documentary programme, focusing mainly on the ever-
changing world, on Mother Earth and on nature and peoples and creatures that colour it with. Just the
press of a switch and a button and Hey Presto!, the whole world is brought before me, for me to
savour its beauty and wonders. Personally, I am often awed and amazed with them.

I like this programme because it is very educational. It is a window to the world. By watching it, I can
travel, explore and discover the four corners of the world. I have trekked up the highest peak and
conquered Mt. Everest. I have dived down the deepest trenches. I have walked through the wilderness
and be amongst the wild beasts, big and small. Thus, this programme has helped to expand my
horizon and improve my knowledge and experience. I can proudly say I am no more a frog in the well.

I also enjoy watching the National Geographic because it is entertaining, interesting and stimulating. I
never imagined that such an educational programme can be very enjoyable. I get a chance to enjoy the
kaleidoscope of sights, sounds and colours of the world and its different peoples, all in the comfort of
my own home.
In addition to that, this programme is of very high quality and it is produced by a team of experts, all
are authorities in their own field of interest. The photographic footage is extremely breath-taking and
inspiring. Besides, the narration is very accurate, informative, vivid and descriptive. Thus, I have never
felt restless, distracted or bored watching this programme.

The National Geographic is my favourite programme as it has helped me to grow and mature. I have
watched it since I was a seven-year- old innocent child. Now, I am more sensitive and aware of the
world and Mother Earth. I learn to be more appreciative of Mother Earth and its beauty and wonders. I
am more concern about the preservation and conservation of the world not only now but also for
posterity. In short, the National Geographic has converted me into a more responsible citizen of the
world and a caretaker of Mother Earth.

It is a touching and heart-warming TV programme and I will not hesitate to recommend it to others so
that they too have a chance to savour amazing moments and appreciate and care for the one and only
world we live in
Safety Tips When Going To School
Every year, hundreds of children are injured and sometimes killed in an accidents. this is because,
they are neglecting the rules and regulation of roads safety. however, there are many ways to
prevent from the increasing of road accidents that effectuate students.

For those who walks to school alone, needs to be companied by the elderly. Besides, they can also walk
in pairs or groups if that makes them feel more safe. Don't ever use short cuts especially through a dark
and quiet place such as the back alleys. This place is dangerous for girls to pass through it.

Next, you have to be aware with your surroundings. Watch out for any suspicious person. When you
smell anything fishy, immediately inform it to the security guard or straight forward to the
principal.This action, sometimes can scare them away from you.
Dicipline is very important. When you are well diciplined, you will never break any rules for every place
that you'll go. For an example, students who attends to school by bus. Always queue up before
ascending the bus. Patience is needed,because this will prevent them from pushing other bus users
whether they are boarding or alighting the bus.Thus, for them who attends to school by public or private
transport are also the same.Its just that when you're waiting for your transport to fetch you up, never
play on the road or joke with your friend while crossing the road. This may cause an unexpected
accidents that occurs you or life of anothers.

In a nut shell, students must follow the tips mentioned.Actions speak louder than words. Therefore, you
must ensure that you are always alert whenever you are to and from school so, that you will stay safe.
Like all people said "safety comes first".
STUDY LOCAL AND STUDY ABROAD

Education is a never-ending learning process that has always been a part of our life. As education is a
building block in our lives, we are willing to invest deeply into our education. Good education will bring us
far with that they have to offer our very own future. Recently, there are numbers of students continue
their studying aboard. As the saying goes, the grass always looks greener on the other side of fence.
Many consider study aboard is a better option. Nonetheless, study abroad and local have their own
uniqueness. They similar in term of nature of competitiveness however differ in fees, experiences as well
as the influences on character.

First of all, major goal of studying is to learn knowledge and same time forge better characters. Currently
in this modern-day and society, every nations focus on the education sector. Both local and overseas
education institutions keep improving to produce competitive students in future jobs markets, for
example upgrading of facilities, hiring of qualified lecturers and design better teaching methods. In
Malaysia, there are various school that meet specific demands of students, like universities, colleges,
polytechnic, government, private and parochial school. Hence, students are able to choose their desire
school and unnecessary to study aboard since there are different types of educational institution exist in
local. Modern education concentrate on soft skills, therefore study aboard or local, students can learn to
speak in front public, work in group, communicate better and so forth.

In comparison, the most obvious different of study local and aboard is the cost required. This is an
undeniable fact that study aboard require additional cost with the same education one will get. Different
countries have different currency rate. Usually, when we convert our currency to others currency, our
value will become smaller. If local students study in seasonal countries such as United Kingdom and
Germany, they need to buy winter clothing due to the different climate. In addition, students cannot avoid
the high transportation expenditures if study aboard. As the further the country from our country, the
higher the price of the flight ticket is. The prices of flight will even higher if students buy on peak season
or in zero hour in case of emergency. Study locally generally government will subsidy part of the tuition
fees, hence the expenses in slower. When students study aboard, they will become foreigner and so
there are no subsidies on tuition fee. Mostly extra charge will even apply on foreigners. As a result,
higher expenditure is needed.

Normally students feel more comfortable in their own motherland, as they already get use the local
environment, culture as well as native language. Hence, in local students are ableto focus better on
their studies since various problems like communication problems and cultural different have been
excluded. However, study aboard students need to get use a whole new environment. The feeling of
being alone and away from home badly affects their concentration on studies. Some of them even give
up their studies because fail to get use themselves in oversea. However the experience of living in
oversea is precious which cannot obtain in local. Going aboard to further studies will benefit students by
gaining new
knowledge about other country. By studying overseas, students could have many chances to interact
with a lot of people from different background and culture. So, students can learn about the new culture
on what they wear, what they eat and their custom. Moreover, study aboard acquire students to increase
the use of more foreign language. Consequently, students can perfectly master a new language and
indirect more confident when communicate with foreigners. On the other hand, studying abroad give one
major benefits to broaden the world understanding and perspective on international affairs. One will
know how another culture approaches daily life unusual challenges.

Last different of study aboard and local is in term of forging characters. Based on a research done by
International Education for Students (IES), it was shown that a majority of the students who studied
abroad realized that it is a catalyst to increase ones maturity and self-independence. By studying
overseas, students will be living away from family and friends. Thus, students will learn to live without
depending on anyone else. Moreover, students will face problems on their own. For example, they need
to adapt with the new environment of a new country as soon as possible. As a result, students will be
tougher in overcoming any challenges in their life. In brief, study aboard encourage students to stand on
their own two feet. Eventually, one will develop a greater self- confidence, independence, and self-
reliance. On the other hand, students who study in local with familiar environment are very difficult to
form stronger personality in short period of time. Challenges and obstacles they faced are minute if
compare with students in overseas. At last, their personality improvement will remain with almost no
differences.

In short, both studies aboard and studies local have similarities and differences. It falls upon students to
compare similarities and differences before deciding where to go. However if financial condition is
allowed, study aboard will be a better option since it provides students with global perspectives, and thus
better prepares for leading in global independent society. Even though higher cost is required, but it is an
investment comes with a long term benefit or return in the long run.

HOW ROAD ACCIDENT CAN BE PREVENTED

Malaysia is a small country, yet it calks up an alarmingly high number of road accidents every year.
There are many reasons for this but they may be narrowed down to two main ones.

Firstly, being an increasingly prosperous nation, its citizens can afford to buy vehicles such as
motorcars, motorcycles and vans. With so many millions of vehicle using the same limited mileage
roads, it is no wonder that motor accidents will occur.

The second reason for road accidents is the attitude of Malaysian drivers. It is well-known that
although Malaysians are normally kind and generous, they transform into different beings once
behind the wheel. Many of them break traffic rules, run red lights, speed, overtake, queue jump and
bully whenever there is a chance to do so. Malaysian motorists do not seem to mind being paralyzed,
maimed or killed. You only live once seems to be their motto. Many accidents are also caused by
bald tyres and faulty brakes and lights.

Having analyzed the main causes of road accidents, the next step is to propose solutions to prevent
there mishaps. First, the number of vehicles on the road should be controlled. The
fewer cars there are on road, the lesser the chances of vehicles knocking into each other. This has
proven successful in Singapore where the number of vehicles enter the city are limited because
motorists have to pa hefty sum every them. Furthermore, the island nation has one of the best public
transportation systems in the region, so its citizens dont actually need to own car. If Malaysians adopted
to the same policies and improved on its public transportation systems, there would be fewer accidents
on the road.

Another solution would be educating Malaysian motorists to better drivers. Basic common courtesy
should also be inculcated in them. There lesson can be presented I campaign via the mass media.

There should also be more traffic policemen on surveillance duties so that motorists are kept on their
toes. Deterrent punishment should also be meted out to traffic offenders. Finally, the government
should spare no expense in improving the road conditions of the country.

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.

Social Networking Website

A large number of internet users have joined social networking websites. A social network service is an
online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social
relations among people. For example is for those who wants to share interests and, or activities. A social
network service essentially consists of a representation of each user which known often as a profile, his
or her social links, and a variety of additional services.

Most social network services are web based and provide means for users to interact over the
internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging. Online community services are sometimes
considered as a social network service. In a broader sense, social network service usually means an
individual-centered service whereas online community services are group-centered. Social
networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual
networks.
In the last five years, they have been growing up more and more popular. This increase in
their popularity has led to a large number of members.

One of the many reasons why Yahoo!, MySpace and Facebook social networking websites have
increased in popularity is due to the fact that they cover a wide variety of different topics, issues and
interest. They do not just focus on one particular group of individuals or one particular issue. Their
policy is to invite as many types of internet users to join as possible. By this, it gives members a wide
selection of online friends to choose from.
If you are looking to join a social networking website that is more focused on creating friendships or
partnerships between internet users preferable with the same interests, then you will want to focus on
social networking websites. They have a particular focus. The prevalent websites focus on important
issues, topics and hobbies, such as pet owners, religion travel and others. So before you join, think of
an issue you are interested in and sign up for the website that focuses on that issue.

What really sets them apart from other websites? What is so special about them? These are questions
which have been asked by many who show interest in joining. Primarily, it is the community. As
mentioned, such social networking sites tend to focus on a particular topic, issue or hobby. This means
that if you are a keen traveller and you would like to speak to other keen travellers, you will want to join
a travellers networking sites.
The difference between these social networking sites and traditional ones is that you will automatically
be paired with hundreds, if not thousands, of other internet users who share the same interests, views
or beliefs as you. This is a big bonus to the members.
Another benefit to joining the social networking website is that you are, in a way, safer than those who
are members of other networks. Most of them require activation before joining the site. Before activation
can occur, many users are required to state their reasons for wanting to join the network or they may be
required to fill out a small questionnaire pertaining to determine whether or not they have a genuine
interest in the topic focused on by the network in question. By pairing you with a group of individuals
who share the same beliefs, views and interests as you do is advantageous to members. It means that
you do not have to spend hours researching a person or speaking to them just to learn what they are or
are not interested in. Therefore, this enables you to jump right in and start making friends, almost as
soon as you are granted access to the site that you have chosen. This service gives the social
networking websites a great edge over other websites.

629 words

It Was The Last Day of School

I could hardly wait for the school bell to ring as it was the last day of the term. And although I had just
finished my last exam, I couldn't help but daydream about the fun I would have for the next few months -
getting up late, watching movies with my friends, spending time with my relatives in Pakistan and
generally doing things I enjoy doing but don't find the time to.
When the bell finally rang, we rushed out of our classrooms as if released from prison. Chattering and
yelling to be heard, we all gathered in a corner of the schoolyard to discuss our plans for the coming
weeks. Everyone had something to say.

To begin with, we decided to have a water fight right there and then and did. We got soaked through and
through and got caught by one the school nuns. We were lucky to escape with a scolding.

My friends decided they were coming to my place and I had to hurriedly phone and warn my
unsuspecting mother. Luckily mom made dozens of hot dogs and French fries and we had a fun lunch in
my room.

After lunch we decided to go to the City Centre to watch the third Harry Potter film. We got there an
hour too soon but had fun all the same checking out the cosmetics shops, video games outlets and
other shops that interested us.

Finally, we bought large bags of popcorn, gigantic paper glasses of cokes and trouped into the cinema
hall. The movie was terrific as expected and when it got over I had to overcome the urge to see it again.

The day was not over for us, however, as we still had a friend's birthday party to attend. The only
problem was that we had almost run out of money so we pooled together what we had and bought a gift
that all thought was just perfect. Luckily, the birthday girl thought so too, so that was a relief.

The party turned out to be full of fun and games and we really enjoyed it no end. When we finally
headed our different ways, it was with no regrets. It had been an eventful day and a full one... the
perfect start to the summer holidays.
A Holiday I Would Never Forget
Holidays, a time everyone gets hyped up over, parents planning activities for the family to spend quality
time with and school children ( as well as teachers) jumping for joy. Hello, waking up late, celebrating,
goin for tuition and best of all, vacations! In myy case, a holiday I would never forget is a fruitful one I
expereinced five years ago, where my family I spent six days in the land of K- Pop and ' kimchi '- Korea.

Finally, after ages of waiting, our family arrived in beautiful Korea. Stepping out of the plane, we
could feel the chilly weather to our bones. Never experiencing that kind of weather, my siblings and I
were totally excited. Passing through immigration and baggage claim, we were talking animatedly
about our new surroundings. Since we went with tour group, we knew we were in good hands.

Incident number one. We were supposed to take a bus to check in at the hotel, as instructed. I
guessed I was overeager and without thinking. I ran to a random bus and knocked on the door. The
young bus driver opened the door and looked at me with a puzzled expression. He started asking me
something in Korean, which of course I did not understand. I tried to reply in English, but before I could
make the attempt, my father quickly apologized to the driver and walked me back to the tour group who
was watching from afar, shaking with laughter. It turned out that the bus I was running to was not the
bus we were supposed to take. I dismissed my burning cheeks. I was glad I could be the butt of
everyone's jokes on my first day in a foreign country.

It was a bit past lunch time when we were done checking in our hotel. Not doubt, everybody's
stomachs were grumbling. Thank God after checking in, we were going to have our lunch and do a bit of
sightseeing. While waiting for the others outside the hotel, we walked around nearby. There was a row
of vending machines that sold various snacks and beverages, including Haagen Dazs ice-cream , and
instant noodles. My mother had a craving for Nescafe, so she spent her first Korrean money on that.

At the restaurant, a delicious meal was already spread out for us. That was the first time we all
tried kimchi, a spicy and sour vegetable side dish.I did not think it was horrible, buut I preferred the fish
kimchi much better. We all ate using chopsticks, so that was kind or awkward for me and my siblings, as
we were not skilled at using them yet. Being Malaysians, we were used to rice, so it was a good thing
that the Korean meal included rice and a few other side dish, eaten from a Bento box. It was weird
though, the rice was stickier compared to the rice we eat at home, mainly to make it easier to eat using
chopsticks. There was also hot and scumptious miso soup together with the meal. Since my sister and
my brother did not like it much, I finshed up theirs. I gulped the warm soup down my throat-a nice
connntrast from the shivering weather outside.

One of the highlights of our activities that we did in Korea was skiling. Everybody from the tour
group was looking forward to that, even the 52-year old couple traveling with us. Since it was'nt fully
snownig yet, the hill was coverred with artificial snow. After grobbing our ski gear, we listen to a briefing
by the instructor. He was very help ful, especially with us
kids annd the elderly couple.

Feeling jumpy and hyperactive, me and my sister made our way to the cable car and successfully
skied down a slope. I thought, " We're natural at this," and my sister could not agree more. When we
came to see how our parents and brother were doing, my brother started to throw a snowball towards
me and my sister. It hit me, and we started having a small snowball fight of our own, just like in the
movies! I guessed we got a bit out of hand and my sister accidentally hit a woman's back. when she
turned around, she had this angry look on her face and started to walk towards us.I hurried my siblings
to continue skiing with our parents,and we ran away before she cold catch us. Breathless, we giggled
innaivety as we recapped the moment.

In a way, skiing is like swimming. Why do I say so? Well, when swimming ,you do not feel tired ,
but you would see the effect when you get ravenous and eat more after a session or when you
aintend to tke a nap, but it is extended to long hours. The same goes to skiing. When we arrived at the
hotel after skiing, we were drained out and starving. Instant noodles saved the day! We all ate curry-
flavoured Maggi together, savouring the memontary pleasure. We also dozed off quite early that
night , right after going for a walk to enjoy the amazing night view of th mountains, and breathing the
cool, fresh winter air.
Shopping in Korea was also different compared to Malaysia. Its malls were packed with small
shops or stalla on every floor. Big boutiques were not seen as much as the quaint
kiosks. Nevertheless, I found shopping at their markets more enjoyable, especially because you could
haggle the price. Their specialities were crystals, fabrics and outerwear. Apart
form that, I also liked their wet markets , mainly because they were very clean and they did not have that
fishy smell. I remembered a shocking incident when walking through the stalls of the wet market. A large
fish jumped out its aquarium and onto the floor. I stared at it and suddenly, I saw a huge cutting knife
slicing through the fish's neck! It was the owner of the stall's doing. Then, the owner left the fish flapping
around lifelessly without a head.
There was also a treasure trove among the stalls of the wet market- a tiny shoop which served
grilled seafood. My family stepped into the shop and ordered some grilled fish and cockles.

After saying our prayers, we devoured our mouth-watering find of the day. Dripped in a type of
souce, the seafood was the best I had ever eaten, as you could taste the freshness. Or maybe I was just
hungry after a full day of activities.
If it was up to me, there were so many things to write on my memorabe trip to Korean. Not onli we
got to spend quality time together as a family, but we also learnt countless new things and even
discovered hidden talents. My father always said we should travel with an open mind and an open heart.
This is when you get to see your capability to adapt to changes. Just enjoy the simple things in life and
be thankful of what you have. So, do just that. Who knows you might discover a part of yourself you
never know existed?

My Best Pal
Close friendships are hard to come by these days. In an ever-changing world with people striving to
achieve their interpretation of preordained success, it is hard to know who your true friends are.
Fortunately, I found my best pal early at the tender age of seven. We were both enrolled at the same
school and were at wits ends as we searched tirelessly for our designated classes.

Samantha and I got acquainted as both of us were in the same class and sat next to each other.
Samantha was a happy-go-lucky girl who always managed to breathe fresh air into
the sometimes arid classroom. She always knew what to say and would voice them at the best possible
moments. Both pupils and teachers alike enjoyed her company and liveliness. There was hardly ever a
dull moment when she was around with her funny quips and expressions.

Samantha was born with a silver spoon. Her father was a businessman and her mother owned and ran
a boutique. Both her parents were very caring towards her as she, just like I, was the only child of the
family. Samantha came to school each day with a perpetual smile. She was a very nice person to be
around with. She and I used to go everywhere together and both of us were rarely seen apart. We used
to talk about so many things as we walked, thoroughly enjoying our time together.

One day, I went to school and forgot to ask my parents for lunch money. At first, I was not hungry and
thought I could bear going without a meal but soon, my stomach began to growl. Without asking,
Samantha generously paid for my meal and drinks during recess. The incident revealed to me how lucky
I was to have such a caring and compassionate friend.

As time went on, people started teasing us as we were spending more and more time together. We
seemed to know what each other thought and we cared for each other deeply. Was I in love with her? I
did not know then and we both knew we were too young for all that emotional roller coaster.

Currently, Samantha and I are studying at different schools. It was hard to be apart at first, but
technology in the form of instant messaging and e-mails have helped to bridge the gap in our
friendship. I sincerely wish our friendship will never end as it would be equivalent to waking up from a
beautiful dream.

Friends
Friends are people whom we turn to when our spirits need a lift. They are always by our side through
thick and thin. They stand beside us even when our disposition is not perfectly right and will fight for us if
we are oppressed. Therefore, it is clear that friends play a vital role in shaping who we are today. But
what qualities exactly do we need to look for in a friend?

A friend should always be caring towards you. He or she should take interest in your problems no
matter how big or petty your problem may be. A friend should be able to sit beside you and encourage
you to keep your chin up even when everyone else is against you. A friends empathy and lovingness
will also replenish your worn-out soul and will make you realize how important a friend really is.

Apart from that, a friend should be an honest person. An honest friend will dissipate any worries that he
or she is lying towards you. A friends honesty will enable you to trust his or shes opinion when it
comes to telling you the truth about yourself. For example, an honest friend will remand you on your
declining grades and will ask you to work harder while a dishonest friend will see it with a blind eye.
Therefore, an overall improvement in yourself will be noticeable if you have an honest friend.

Moreover, a friend should be generous both emotionally and knowledge wise. A friend who is generous
ought to be able to connect with you and provide emotional support. He or she
should also be generous when it comes to sharing knowledge. A true friend must be ever-ready to help
you when you are inept in certain subjects. A friend can easily guide you towards understanding the
subject matter better as he or she is often on the same page as you. The only difference is that you
cant quite grasp the content of the page per second.

Besides that, a friend must also be able to humour you. Humour plays a quintessential role in making
your day more lively and enjoyable. Friends who pull your leg and mess about will indefinitely make life
seem so much better. As they say, laughter is the best medicine and a little levity on rainy days is always
welcomed.

In conclusion, friends are people we spend most of our time with. Thus, we have to be selective
when it comes to choosing our friends.

A Road Accident

Road accidents are reported in newspaper and on television every day. There are more
frequently caused by reckless drivers rather than faulty vehicles. Last Saturday, while I was travelling
from Ipoh, I witnessed a serious accident. The scene of the accidents was vivid in my mind.

A motorcyclist was following behind was taxi very closely. He was so impatient that he was
trying to overtake my taxi even near a sharp bend. At that critical moment, there was an oncoming car.
The taxi driver swerved to the roadside and I got a terrible jolt. It was too late for the motorcyclist to
avoid the car. His motorcycle ran against the bumper of the car and smashed its windscreen. The
motorcyclist somersaulted over the car and was found lying in a pool of blood. It was a scene to chill the
flesh! The car driver, who was cut by the flying glass, was in a state of shock. All that happened in split
second and fear overwhelmed us.

The taxi driver stopped his taxi and I quickly ran to the nearest to the nearest telephone booth
to inform the police and the hospital. From a distance I could see some people trying to help the injured
motorcyclist and the car driver. They carried them into one of the onlookers car and sent them to the
hospital for treatment. Meanwhile the taxi driver tried to control and directs the traffic. Soon the police
arrived and they promptly took some measurements and evidence. After that they moved the damaged
car and the motorcycle to the roadside to ease the traffic congestion. They also took down the evidence
provided by witnesses and onlookers. Some sweepers were clearing the debris and the blood stains on
the road.

When the taxi finally continued the journey, I silently thanked God for my narrow escape. I
learned a good lesson that impatience and recklessness would bring harm and danger. I was happy
to see that Malaysians are public-spirited and they render help to others readily. Since then I
remember and follow the saying more haste less speed and prevention is better than cure. I believe
good road manners and roads safety campaigns can help to reduce the number of road accidents
which cause injuries, loss and lives and properties. 381 words

My Most Embarrassing
Situation
 Everyone has been embarrassed at one time or another. It is that moment in time when you
wish the earth would open up and swallow you. The anxiety and discomfort felt during that time which
may only last a few seconds feels like time has stood still.

I remember so well when I had my most embarrassing moment. I was in Form 4 and it was
during the school recess. The minute the bell rang for recess, I rushed to the toilet because I had been
controlling my urges since class started. I didnt want to miss class because the lesson taught that
morning was to include tips for the forthcoming examination.

Without realising, I had rushed to the girls toilet. The prolonged control and an upset stomach
made worse by two glasses of cold milk in the morning made me grunt and groan in what I thought in
what I thought was the privacy of the cubicle. I thought I heard giggling outside and wondered why the
giggles sounded unusually near. A few minutes later I came out the cubicle and discovered my horror
that I had entered the girls toilet. To make matters worse, the few girls standing outside didnt even turn
away when I came out. Instead they looked down at me, then only they turned quickly away. Horror of
horrors, I had forgotten to zip up! No beetroot could have matched the colour of my face at this point in
time!

They news of my predicament spread like wild fire throughout school. I was truly the talk of the
town. I felt like I could either walk around feeling perpetually self-conscious and embarrassed or I could
turn the situation round, perhaps even to my advantage. I remembered my mothers words that if you
cant beat them, join them. So I decided to make fun of myself, to laugh at myself too. It works.
Everyone got bored after a while and nobody teased me after that.

It was indeed an eye-opening experience for me. I have learnt that when people laugh at you,
you should laugh along. You must not take yourself seriously. Learn to look at yourself through other
peoples eyes and you will realise that most of the time when they laugh at you, they just want to have
some fun. They mean no harm. If you can make people laugh, its like bringing sunshine into their lives
and as someone said, those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.

421 words
Which do you prefer, living in the countryside or living in the city?

Countryside

I think living in the countryside is far better than living in the city. There are numerous of
reasons why living in countryside is the better than the city. The scenery, the streets, the people and
the paced are totally different compare to the city.

The first outstanding characteristic about the countryside is that it is beautiful and peaceful. The
air is fresh and the surroundings green. This is because the countryside is free from pollution, be it air,
land or noise pollution. There no such perfect peaceful view that you can see other than in the
countryside.

There are no crowded streets and heavy traffic in the countryside. Thus there are no fumes from
cars and smoke from factories buildings to pollute the air. The trees surrounded the countryside help
the people from inhaling the polluted air. The freshness smell of plant somehow helps the people of the
countryside to have a healthy life.
 Furthermore, people in the countryside are more conscious of keeping their surroundings clean
and so there is little throwing of rubbish everywhere, only at designated places. This is unlike the cities
where if the garbage trucks do not collect the rubbish disposed by household or restaurants, the city will
be overflowing with rubbish! This will attract the mosquitoes, fly, rats and wild dogs to pollute their
surrounding that will cause them to have diseases like dengue and cholera.

Thirdly, heavy traffic and crowded streets increase the level of noise pollution. The honking of
cars in the streets is continuous and the crowds on the roads increase the hub of activity. There are also
sound of the machine used in manufacturing factories, loud radio in and out the mall. These add to the
noise of the city. Even if one lives in residential areas, one is never far from busy streets.

However, in the countryside, life is slow-paced. There is no need to rush around because there
are not too many places to go. Most places are close by and people can walk or cycle. Less vehicle
used, so less fumes is released.

The most heart-warming thing about the countryside is the attitude of people. People are friendly
and helpful. If there are any happy or festive occasions, everyone pitches in to help. This feeling of
cooperation and neighbourliness is what separates the countryside from the city.

In the city, people are too busy to take note of the people around. Some hardly even know their
neighbours. So they would not even be bothered about what happens to people around. This is why
the crime rate is increasing in the city because bystanders do not rush in to help if a crime is committed
on the streets.

The pace of life in the countryside is slow so people have more time to enjoy life as the day
goes on. Thus, for me to enjoy the quality of life, I prefer to live in the countryside.

489 words

City

In my opinion, one has not experienced life until one has lived in the city. There is so much to
see and experience in the bright lights of the city that you cannot get in the countryside. Here in the
city, you can learn about how to get along with people of different types, encounter varied situations
and solve problems. All these help a person to grow in maturity. After all, experience is the best
teacher.

In the countryside, however, you only move around people you are used to. So, you seldom
encounter strangers or new and demanding situations. Life is more mundane and routine- like. Staying
in a secure, safe place does not allow for one to gain new experiences and grow in maturity.

Furthermore, young people need a life that is exciting and pleasurable. It is the city that offers
you entertainment- cinemas, parks and eating places. Here you can hang out with friends and family
members. Life as fast-paced and this keeps you active and alert all times. And when it comes to
educational opportunities, the city abounds in this. There are good school and libraries that are
necessary for your mental development. Furthermore, there are places like museums and educational
centres where you can go, to increase your knowledge.
 Such places that offer you entertainment or learning opportunities are of course not available in
the countryside. For entertainment, there is only the occasional festive celebration or marriage feast or
fishing outing. Some may find this appealing but not me. Moreover, opportunities to widen your
knowledge are limited in the countryside.

Another point in support of living in the city is the available of jobs. In the city, you can find a job
that suits your qualification or interest. If you find a job unsuitable, you can always move to another.
This, naturally, increases your earning power and you have better chances of a more comfortable life.
Of course, one may argue that one can live in the countryside and work in the city but this will only
incur extra expenses and unnecessary inconveniences.

Thus, for all the reasons mentioned above, I think that life in the city is better than living in the
countryside. After all, you are young only once.

374 words

Pollution

Pollution is an issue of concern in the modern world that we live in today. There are many types
of pollution, namely air, water and noise. Pollution in our environment will undoubtedly affect our
quality of life. Our naturally beautiful world becoming ugly because it is suffering from the effects of
environmental pollution. Pollution can also cause various health problems and other negative effects.

Air pollution is caused by the emission of toxic gases from vehicles, factories and open
burning. Nowadays, there are more and more vehicles on the road as society gets more affluent.
More and more people strive to have a better quality of life by having the convenience of driving to
their destinations instead of taking public transportation.
Automobiles provides transport to millions people around the world to enable them to travel to their
workplace, school and other places, therefore, the air around us is getting more polluted by the carbon
dioxide that is emitted. Carbon monoxide is another type of gas which harmful to the environment as it
can cause the reduction of oxygen in the bloodstream.

Another example of contributor to the air pollution is the manufacturing factories. The
manufacturing of products in factories to meet the growing demand of society is also causing air
pollution. Factories release toxic gases to the environment. Some factories also use coal to generate
heat and energy. As a result from the burning of coal, carbon dioxide is released into the environment.

Besides factories, many people are still practising open burning as a way of disposing their
household wastes. Although burning our household wastes is a convenient way of getting rid of our
rubbish, it is harmful to the environment as it contributes to the worsening of the air quality. As a
result, air pollution causes people to suffer from health problems such as chest pain and asthma. In
extreme cases, people can contract lung cancer.

Water pollution is also a problem that we are currently facing. The marine life is the first to
suffer from water pollution as they depend on the nutrients in the water to survive.
As a result, we are robbed of beautiful sea corals and unique species of fishes. Besides ruining our
marine heritage, the disappearance of marine life will affect the livelihood of fishermen, not to mention
our source of food. Water pollution is caused by harmful waster from industries, farms and sewerage
systems which are dumped into our sources of water such as rivers and lakes. This irresponsible act
contaminates our drinking water and can cause serious health problems and can even culminate in
death.

Noise pollution is another form of pollution. Noise from heavy machinery and vehicles can cause
hearing problems and in extreme cases, deafness. As there is growing number of vehicles on the road,
we are exposed to noise pollution every day. The government in advanced countries encourage their
citizens to take the public buses and trains by providing an affordable and efficient transportation system.
This effort discourages people from driving their private vehicles and consequently reduces the number
of vehicles on the road.

We must work together to reduce pollution so that the future generations can live in a healthy,
unpolluted environment. As the saying goes, precaution is better than cure. Lets hands on hands
together by recycle and conserve the world for the better future.

Persuasive / Argumentative Essay: Money

It is truly undeniable that in this science and technology millennium, we can hardly live without
money. Even buying something small such as sweet will cost you some money. However, this does
not mean that money can buy happiness, unlike the misconception of most people in the world. In
fact, wealth is a far cry from happiness. If you disagree with me, let's look at the reasons for my
stand.
Firstly, one of the main gates to happiness is to stay healthy. Maybe some people think that when one is
rich, he can be healthy or it does not matter even if they have diseases because these rich men have
lots of money to pay their medication. This is totally wrong. Good health is acquired from a healthy
lifestyle progressively and not in a day. With lots of money we are tend to temp ourselves to exotic,
luxurious food. If this food is taken excessively, it will let to obesity, heart diseases, diabetes,
hypertension and other serious illness. Moreover, rich people are probably lack of exercise as they
hardly walk outdoor due to 24 hours-service debar fetching them about causing them to be at a higher
risk of getting these unnecessarily health problems. How a person can enjoys his life and feels happy
when he is confined to a wheelchair or bed - ridden. He would not even be glad spending his money and
time curing his sickness. Therefore, wealth cannot bring happiness.

Professionals like doctor, nurse, lawyer, engineer, food technologist and accountant earn a lot of money
per month. They are considered the high class citizens who can afford large, expensive house with huge
beautiful gardens. But do they really enjoy the pleasures of life? Most probably not because they are
simply too busy with their work. They frequently burnt the midnight oil in their work place. It is even more
miserable if they have to turn their home into a working place. Most specialists have to stand- by 24
hours in case of emergency calls from the hospitals. Hence, they can hardly spend any relax, restful
night at their home even if they posse a huge two and a half storey bungalow with a beautiful garden and
artificial waterfall. Successful businessmen may always have a chance of flying to all parts of the world
when they go out station to make business. However, very few of them can really take it as a holiday as
a treat for themselves for their schedules are always full and they are so stressful with their works.
Even fewer businessmen can ignore urgent, pursuing calls from their clients or office when they are
going for holidays or resting. In other words, one can make lots of money but he may not enjoy even
the beauty of nature around them or the branded, expensive things with them. So what is the use of
money when we do not even enjoy a meal properly and discontented with lives. One with a moderate
income can feels happier if he leads a simple life and be grateful with what he has.

Finally, a children or a teenage brought in moderate family is better than in a rich family. As the sons or
daughters of billionaires, their parents will give them whatever that they want in material. These children
or teenagers get a lot of pocket money from their parents and can afford to buy many expensive things
like branded, latest handset, expensive clothes and branded sport shoes. But the question is, are they
happy if their parents are always working with only an Indonesian maid to accompany them. If they are
asked to choose between wealth and love from their parents, I believe that they were undoubtedly
choose love. A healthy family is not created for the children. These children mentally are not as healthy
as those being cared and loved by their parents. Children need parents who can listen to their problems
and give them words of wisdom, teaching then day by day. Parents who are not rich may not be able to
buy branded things to satisfy their children but with more communication and understanding, these
teenagers will understand the difficulty of their parents in earning money, learning to be thrifty. In short,
money does not promise a happy, caring family.

Money may be able to buy a lot of things but not love, friendship, health and others. These are the
main ingredients for a happy life. Thus, it is a controversy if money can bring happiness. Even, if we
can afford many things we desired with lots of money, we may not be happy and enjoy our lives if we
are always dissatisfied with what we had, yearning for more. Thus, I stand firm that money cannot bring
happiness.

Descriptive Essay: The Night Market

One of the most interesting places in Malaysia is the night market. You may visit and experience
the night market yourselves. Both locals and foreigners agree that the night market is the most
common feature in the local society.
The night market begins when the vendors arrive in the late afternoon. More and more goods laden
vans arrive to begin a brisk day of business. Most of the vendors busily set out to set up their stalls
respectively in order to get ready for a brisk day of business.
The sun gradually sets and the night market picks up momentum. More cars and vans are arriving. By
now, the stalls are neatly and strategically arranged to entice their customers. There is an assortment
of goods sold ranging from food, toys and clothes, to name a few. A variety of goods is sold at low
prices.
Large rainbow-coloured parasols are used to shade the people from rain and shine. A concoction
of blaring music can be heard in the night market background amidst the constant shouting. It is
an amazing kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, smells and colours.
The night market is known as a haven by local gourmets who can enjoy various kinds of mouth-
watering local cuisine. Still more people arrive, they come from all walks of life,
mingling freely and harmoniously. Crowds are walking up and down in an endless stream. Some of
them are stopping by the stalls and haggling before making purchases. Little children tag along,
amused and excited. Sprinklings of tourists join in to experience the lifestyle of typical Malaysian
folks.
When night falls, lighted lamps brighten up the place, they add gaiety to this atmosphere, and it is like
a funfair. The night wears on and the traffic of people recedes. Vendors get a chance to rest their
weary legs besides bantering with each other.
By 10.00 pm, all the stalls call it a day. The vendors pack up and close the van doors. One by one, they
leave, leaving behind pieces of papers, plastic bags and discarded boxes. It us an eyesore! Finally, the
night market disappears. The place becomes quite and still once more.

Thoughts On Sharing
Some of us may be selfish to share our study tips yet deliberately disturbing the others while they are
doing their works. Some might agree with such an attitude as a secret weapon for crucial examination
namely UPSR, PMR and SPM. But don't you agree that sharing is actually the happiest thing we can
do? We can share meaning that we have the capability. Sharing brings more knowledge and ideas to
be exchanged. Nobody will improve much if they are reluctant to share. In fact, when we initiate to
share, we will definitely get more and more feedback which may be beyond our knowledge. 3 people
are better than only 1. More minds contribute more thoughts. That's why group discussion is highly
recommended for it is an proven effective way to catalyst our improvement of study.

Study is only a part of our life routine and being student is merely our temporary role . Actually that time
is our precious moment to develop into a better person. One cannot know and experience everything
with limited ages . However, we can gain unlimited knowledge and lesson once we start to share and
exchange. By sharing, we know more, we continue our learning and without we can realise , we have
fostered good friendship and become a better individual. Let's have a very simple example,every of us
owns one box of biscuits. Every box of biscuits have different flavour. If we are kind enough to
reciprocate our biscuits
with each other, then we get to taste a variety flavour of biscuits. Similarily, sharing and exchanging is
something mutually profitable for every of us. Through sharing,we apply our knowledge and
subsequently we gain more. Do share your knowledge with others as if you intend they share theirs
with you. Only those who are generous to share and humble to keep on learning deserve to possess
more power, wealth and knowledge.
Being students,we are still learning and painting our lives with endless colour and school should be
the safest platform for us to practice our behaviour. Here,sharing makes more sense to complement
each other. Nothing can be accomplished without a cohesive teamwork. One cannot be successful
without any assistance provided by the others. Frankly,have you shared your fortune,wealth and
knowledge with your friends? If not, try your best whenever you are still able to do so. When we are
stepping into the working world, seldom do we have such an opportunity to share and enjoy anxiety-
free student lives. A real success is more than just a straight A result or thousands and one certificates
but whether one really enjoys the process towards success. And sharing will be a must for the
particular joyful process.

Directed Writing Question - SPM 2004

Question: There are a few matters in your school which could be improved. The school's
Prefects' Board has had a meeting. The prefects have decided to write a report for the principal.
As the secretary to the board, you have been asked to write the report.

In your report, include the following:

- The unsatisfactory service and high food prices in the school canteen - The
urgent need to improve the cleanliness of the school
- The request for a pedestrian or zebra crossing in front of the school Do
remember to:
- Give your report a title -
Use all the points given
1- Provide two relevant details/examples for each of the four points
2- Write in paragraphs

Sample Answer

To:
Puan Maisarah binti Kamaruzaman,
Principal,
SMK Kampung Pandan,
56400 Kuala Lumpur.

Suggestions for Improving Facilities in SMK Kampung Pandan

The Prefectorial Board of SMK Kampung Pandan had a meeting on 17 September 2004 at 2.00 pm in
the Prefectorial Room. The meeting was called by our Head Prefect, Nazrin bin Arshad, because there
have been many complaints about the condition of the school. Here we would like to present a detail
report of the meeting to the principal of SMK Kampung Pandan for further action and consideration.

The first issue that was discussed was the unsatisfactory service and high food prices in the school
canteen. The canteen seems to be short of workers because there are only two people handling the
huge crowd of students during recess. Due to this, some students are not able to buy their food on time.
I addition, the price of food seems rather expensive for school students. For example, a plate of fried rice
is RM2.00. Most of the students only bring RM1.00 to school, so they are only able to by light food like
bread or buns.
There is an urgent need to improve the cleanliness of the school. The first place to start is the school
toilet. Usually after recess the toilets are in the deplorable condition. The workers need to work to wash
the toilets as soon as recess is over. Furthermore, in the canteen the food is split all over the floor,
leaving behind stain and stench.
The next point of discussion was the safely of the students. Since the traffic is very heavy in front of the
school is over, there need to be a pedestrian crossing. Even a zebra crossing with a traffic warden would
be ideal for the time being. This is due to the fact that there have been minor accidents in the past
couple of months.
We hope that the school authorities would take the necessary actions to improve the condition of
the school so that the students would have a safe, clean and comfortable environment in which
they could study.
Reported by,
Shalini
(Shalini Ganesan)
Secretary,
Prefectorial Board,
SMK Kampung Pandan.

Complain Report About School Canteen - Sample Essay: Directed Writing

DIRECTED: REPORT Report to Principal
You are very disappointed by the conditions and services provided by your school canteen. You
decide to write a report to inform your school principal about the poor conditions and services of
the canteen. These would include:

1 insufficient table and benches

 1 food and drinks not covered

2 too little food counters

3 dirty and clogged drains smelly

4 food expensive and lacks variety

5 inadequate food late comers have nothing to buy, to eat

6 cold food not fresh

7 rude canteen workers

To : Mr. Hasnan bin Jalal,

The Principal,
Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Permata

From : Malik bin Abdul

Date : 24 March 2011

Report about the School Canteen
I am writing this report is to draw your attention regarding the school canteen.
Many of the students of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Permata are unhappy about the conditions
at the school canteen. There were lots of complaints regarding this issue.
In the first place, there are insufficient tables and benches. Our school has a student
population of over 1 000. There is only one period of recess time for all forms. More than 80 per cent of
the students go to the canteen during recess to buy food and drinks.
Unfortunately, there are only about twenty- five tables and fifty benches which can accommodate
less than half the number of students. As a result, many students have to stand while eating.

The food sold at the canteen not only expensive but lacks of variety. The menu is the same
every day. For the past five years, ever since the present canteen management took over, students
go back to the same food.
The hygiene and preparation of food leave a lot to be desired. The food and drinks are not
covered. They way canteen attendants dress speak volume about hygiene. With their lackadaisical
attitude, the food they sell would one way or the other become contaminated.

My fourth complaint about the canteen pertains to the etiquette of the canteen workers. They
are rude and arrogant. They often shout at students. The students are always on the receiving end of
their bad moods.
We hope that conditions at the canteen will improve. The canteen should provide better
amenities. There should also be a different menu everyday so that students will not have to taste the
same food day in and day out. Cleanliness should be given top priority.
We hope that you will look into our complaints and take steps to remedy the situation.
The students are prepared to boycott the canteen if their complaints go unheeded.

Reported by:
Malik
Malik bin. Mohd Jalil

A speech of The Disadvantages of Smoking and Tips To Stop Smoking

Good morning to all teachers and my fellow friends.

In conjunction with the nationwide anti-smoking campaign, I, as the Head Prefect, would like to give a
speech on the topic The Disadvantages of smoking and Tips to stop Smoking.

It seems today that most of the youngsters including some of us here think that smoking is something
common and that it is something that we do not have to worry about. In fact, there are among us here
today who smoke without thinking that their actions actually violate the school regulations and they are
actually causing harm to their health.

Allow me to highlight the fact that smoking actually brings so many disadvantages. Firstly, smoking can
cause health hazard and can lead to diseases like lung cancer and heart problems. You surely do not
want to end your life like that. Besides, it is a waste of money. Students tend to use their pocket money
to buy cigarettes. Furthermore, when they start smoking, they tend to lack concentration in their
studies.

Here, I would like to share with all of you some tips on how to stop smoking. The first strategy on how
students can effectively stop smoking is by channeling their energy to studies. You should also be in
the company of non-smokers as to avoid yourself from being influenced by those who smoke.

Health is Wealth, so, train yourself to do regular exercises such as jogging and swimming. Besides
improving your health, it can also help you to forget smoking. Next, get involved in voluntary work. This
voluntary service will occupy your time and you will find yourself being further away from smoking.

The last tip that I can share with you is to talk and discuss with ex-smokers on how to kick the bad
habit. These people will definitely be the best example to tell you that demerits of smoking.

That is all for the time being and I sincerely hope you have gained something from my speech.
My Life 20 Years From Now
Everyone have their own future plan for their own good. To see myself from 20 years from nowwould
be a great gift, but it is indeed impossible. We got no time machine to make it happen, so we just can
plan, predict and pray. I have many dreams for myself.

20 years from now.20 years from now, I would love to see myself as a success man in career. Being on
the top of the particular carrier such as CEO, maybe a boss or a corporate worker; thats what I want
myself

to be. This time my occupation is in stable, and my personal economy flows out smoothly. I am a
richman right now, able to buy anything of my desires easily. That would be a perfect thing to see
myown future self.

Also, I want to see myself to be a great father of my children. I am able to teach and trainthem well.
Make sure they would never forget their customs, and enrich them with many moralvalues. This
can be a challenge, to teach my children in these wild social problems. But, I will do whatit takes to
make sure my bloods are worth to be known as human.

Furthermore, in the future I really hope I can get myself a car different from the locals here. Its my
favourite dream car, called BMW Z8 or maybe something better. There must be new models to come
out at the future. This is the only chance for me, I am going to be old, so still with the localcars would be
a shame to me, since it shows me that I made no improvements.
Last but not least, I want to build myself a nice home for myself and my beloved family. Thishome will
hold many of our great and sweet memories together. I will decorate it with superb floralandscape for my
future wife and a nice playground for my children to play with.

There are more things I want to achieve in the next 20 years, these are nothing but someexamples
of many other. Hopefully I can do it well to achieve these dreams, so my desire will befulfilled while I
am still alive.

Why Should We Have Good Manners ?

Good manners are important to live happily among people. Without good manners we are only slightly
better than animals.

The modern society consists of more people than it did in the past. These people are of various cultural,
racial, religious and professional backgrounds. It therefore requires great powers of endurance and
abilities of mixing with people. Good manners enable one to tolerate the disagreeable attitudes of others
to a great extent. They also help to promote friendship among the people around.

If one has good manners, that person is respected by those who associate with him or her. Having good
manners, however, does not mean that being polite, understanding, and sympathetic when not only
outside but also inside his or her home. There are many people who are very kind and polite to people
outside their homes, but within their own homes they are worse than the devil himself. Such people do
not really have good manners.

Having good manners means being good to others. Our speech and habits as well as our behavior
should not hurt the feelings of others or cause them any inconvenience. We should not also talk ill about
others or boast about our achievements or personal possessions. We must not laugh at the weaknesses
and failures of others. Further, if we are angry we must try to use words in such a way that others are not
offended.

If we have all these qualities, we will have more friends and well-wishers. We will also have less trouble
from others, and those who associate with us will also learn how to behave well. In this way, our good
manners will help to spread better understanding and good-will among others. Thus, we can live a
happier life. It is for all these reasons that we should have good manners.
Safety Tips When Going
To School
Every year, hundreds of children are injured and sometimes killed in an accidents. this is because,
they are neglecting the rules and regulation of roads safety. however, there are many ways to
prevent from the increasing of road accidents that effectuate students.

For those who walks to school alone, needs to be companied by the elderly. Besides, they can also walk
in pairs or groups if that makes them feel more safe. Don't ever use short cuts especially through a dark
and quiet place such as the back alleys. This place is dangerous for girls to pass through it.

Next, you have to be aware with your surroundings. Watch out for any suspicious person. When you
smell anything fishy, immediately inform it to the security guard or straight forward to the
principal.This action, sometimes can scare them away from you.
Dicipline is very important. When you are well diciplined, you will never break any rules for every place
that you'll go. For an example, students who attends to school by bus. Always queue up before
ascending the bus. Patience is needed,because this will prevent them from pushing other bus users
whether they are boarding or alighting the bus.Thus, for them who attends to school by public or private
transport are also the same.Its just that when you're waiting for your transport to fetch you up, never
play on the road or joke with your friend while crossing the road. This may cause an unexpected
accidents that occurs you or life of anothers.

In a nut shell, students must follow the tips mentioned.Actions speak louder than words. Therefore, you
must ensure that you are always alert whenever you are to and from school so, that you will stay safe.
Like all people said "safety comes first".

Tips On How To Improve Your Reading Habit

Reading is an activity that is both fun and enlightening. Reading also gain knowledge and get it into
ones head. Having said that, it is an activity that many people do not engage in often. For you to
advance and not to get left behind, it is important that you must improve a good reading habit.

If you have not cultivated a reading habit yet, these are some useful tips to improve your reading
habit. First and foremost, we must have a book around. Therefore, try to carry a book or any reading
material wherever you go. As the saying goes, armed to the teeth. Subsequently, set aside a
regular time to read. If you are busy in the daytime, during the night time or before going to bed, you
can take a book and read.

In addition to this, visit the library or bookstore. Take time to browse and let your eyes find things of
interest. Last but not least, set a reading goal. Start with something attainable and stick to it. As your
reading habit gradually improves, you may start to set a higher goal.
In a nutshell, reading habit will develop your mental aptitude and it is a proven fact. Similarly, it
improves your ability to think and analyze things. Taking actions by following the tips given to
improve your reading habit.

Drug Abuse: Problems and Solutions

Drug abuse is rife in many countries. Billions of dollars are spent internationally preventing drug use,
treating addicts, and fighting drug- related crime. Although drugs threaten many societies, their effects
can also be combated successfully. This essay looks at some of the effects of drug use on society, and
suggests some solutions to the problem.

Drug abuse causes multiple problems for countries and communities. The medical and psychological
effects are very obvious. Addicts cannot function as normal members of society. They neglect or abuse
their families, and eventually require expensive treatment or hospitalization. The second effect is on
crime. Huge police resources are needed to fight smuggling and dealing. Criminal gangs and mafia
underworlds develop with the money from drugs.

However, the menace of drugs can be fought. Education is the first battle. Children need to be told at
home and in school about drugs. People need to be aware of the effects so that they can make avoid
this problem. A second approach is to increase police manpower and powers to stop dealers and to
enforce the law. However the main target should be the user. Families and counselors need to talk to
children and people at risk. Parents need to look at their children and help them to Jobs are needed to
give people a role in society.

In conclusion, although the problem of drugs may seem impossible to eliminate, there are concrete
steps that can be taken to weaken the hold of drugs on society. The danger from drugs is too great to
ignore.