Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Speaking Good English

English is like the main language for the world since most of the country know or use it. Without good English when we are living in a country which uses a lot of English for example Britain or America we may not understand them or they may not even understand what we are saying like our Miss Singapore 2009 mispronounce almost every word which has a 'l' and pronounce it as 'r'. Singaporeans has the habit of speaking bad English so we should not criticise other people because that is what Singapore is. We should not criticise them but help them by giving them lesson and practice in their oral and pronunciation. By helping them we are helping ourself to brighten up Singapore so that othe countries will not look down on us because of our bad English. This topic is important to those who are schooling because they had to take oral and is needed for the English subject. Our Miss Singapore 2009 is representing our country in the Miss Universe 2009 and we should stop criticising or making fun of her and to help her improve her English so that she can parcipate the event confidently without making the same mistakes she did on the interview and make Singapore proud.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

'What does it mean to be a Singaporean.'

Being a Singaporean is to be a Singapore citizen who respects the country and make Singapore proud even if they are not in Singapore. Beign a Singaporean to me has to not take things for granted because there are more country which suffers from not enough food or even shelter so we should thank our forefathers who had build and made Singapore a proud and harmonies country. I can make Singapore proud by studying hard now and working for te future when i have enough knowledge and experience to make Singapore proud. Yes I agree ,if we teach our children the right knowledge and attitude they may pass down the experience and knowlege to their more younger grandchildren or so.

Book review

The book that I am reading is called Twilight. Twilight is about a girl names Isabelle,Belle in short, who was to go to his father because she does not want to go to Pheonix. In her new school she made a lot of friends fast and she kept asking them about the Gullens who were always sitting on one table. One day, one of Bella friend accidently drifted his van and nearly killed Bella but Edward, one of the Gullens, weirdly protected Bella. Both of them were treated, Bella kept asking him about the incident so Bella had to promise him that she would not tell the secret to anyone about the Gullens.
I choose Isabella because she has the courage to even ask about the incident and hang out with the Gullens which are vampires. She also risk her life to save those she loved.
I choose to read this book because every time i had to stop reading the book I became curious because it keeps asking me in my mind what will happen next and this book has a quality of good English which may help me a lot in English.
I learn that we need courage to accomplish something or to speak up about something and without courage, Earth will just be a planet with less technology.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Euthanasia

Euthanasia is very cruel thing to do even though it makes those who are suffering die a painless death.I agree that euthanasia should be practised in Singapore but only on animals because humans have a higher chance to leave unless the animal that is greatly suffering is under exctinction then we should not use euthanasia on it but try to make him survive.Miracles can happen to anyone for example, a boy who live in a country which practised euthanasia was in a coma for almost 4 years, so the mother decided that he should get euthanasia because she does not want to waste her money because she has more children to take care of so the doctor perform the euthanasia and successfully 'killed' the patient. In another story same like this but his mother has high hopes on her boy and decided to wait patiently for his child even though she has difficulties paying the hospital bill but in the 5th year the son was consious. This shows that it is God himself who will decide on when the specific should die and not us humans doing that job. In my opinion, those who perform euthanasia are something like murderers but do not use force.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Book review on Totto-Chan

This book is about a girl name Tetsuko where when other people ask for her name she will tell them that it is Totto-Chan. Totto-Chan was very mischievous which made the teachers from here previous school gave up on her or could not tolerate here behaviour. This makes her being expelled but here mother did not dared to tell her that she was expelled but she will say that she will be going to a better school than the previous ones. Totto-Chan had a dog named Rocky and had a friend,Yasuaki-Chan who suffered from polio. The school which Totto-chan was attending at has a very interesting ways of teaching a child. The school was filled adventure for Totto-Chan to explore.
The part that had intrigued me was when Totto-Chan shows determination on finding her favourite purse which fell in the toilet bowl which ends up in some other place where she had to dig out the soil and water in the hug tank. She even kept her promise headmaster on putting back the waste and water from the tank into the tank.
I have learn from this book is that there is more than one way to learn fast which is learning outdoor. I have also learnt that even though our friends have some abnormal disabilities we should still respect them as our friends
I should recommend this book for those adventurous people.

English AA draft 3

Water dripped from leaking pipes which ran through walls. Rats and lizards were crawling all over the stench floor. Seri and her best friend, Lyia, were remembering the days when they had fun together. Both of them were joyful because they still remembered their long last friendship and had to face the consequences which they should not have done.
Seri was playing hide and seek all by herself in the tea plantation while waiting for her mother to finish her job. While she was running around, she saw a little girl carrying a haversack near an old well. She came up to her and says, “Hello, my name is Seri what’s yours?” The little girl gave an odd expression which shows that she does not understand English. Seri gave another try but she shows signs while saying, “It seems that you do not understand much English, but will you play with me?” The little girl nodded her head. Soon Seri and the little girl became friends and played together until the end of the day. Seri’s mother invited her to her house to have dinner. She checked her haversack and found a birth certificate and found out that this girl name was Lyia and was an orphan. She also found out that Lyia was born in Sri Lanka and in the same year as Seri. Seri’s mother signed Lyia up for school together with Seri. Lyia was a fast learner and is now competing with Seri.
Seri and Lyia both graduated from their primary school and now waiting to go to high school. But in order to go there they need money and good grades. Seri and Lyia had the good grades but do not have the money. The day after, they receive mails from the government that they have gained independent but only those who have Ceylon Citizenship can have the rights for the citizenship which they need to have forefathers who were born in Sri Lanka or they must be born in Sri Lanka. Seri and Lyia were happy that they receive the Ceylon Citizenship because they were born in Sri Lanka. Both of them saw Seri’s mother going out of the house without saying a word.
“Mom why with the long face?” Seri asked politely, both of them look worried. “Your grandfather will be coming to take you and Lyia to his hometown where you all can further your studies and make me proud”. Seri and Lyia understand the problem and prepare their bags.
“Then what about you, mom?” Seri asked before she boards the truck. “Don’t worry about me, I can still survive working in this tea plantation and don’t forgot to visit me once in awhile,” Durga replied with tears rolling down her cheek.
Seri and Lyia was choosing their rooms and unpacking their bags. They then went to the nearest high school. The first day in high school was exciting but there are some gossips and some students there bad mouthing about them. They will always get prank or joked about because Seri’s parents were from India and Lyia was an orphan. Both of them got used to these things and concentrated more on their studies. Seri’s grandfather, Gori, was doing well in his business until the new official language came into act. Gori needed to learn Sinhala in three years because he works with the government and if he does not learn Sinhala, he will lose his job and business. Three years have passed but Gori still could not learn Sinhala therefore he was out of business and his company had been closed down. Seri and Lyia suffered because her grandfather could not pay for the school fee. Fortunately, Seri and Lyia managed to get to university and take engineering course. Seri and Lyia completed the course and now looking for a job but there was one problem. The job that they want required them to know Sinhala but both of them only know a few basic Sinhala words. They soon realized that it was hopeless. So they returned to their home to be with Seri’s mother. Unfortunately, they saw three Sinhalese peasants walking in and out of the house. Seri and Lyia questioned them and the peasants gave them an enveloped which was about where Seri’s mother was living and why the peasants are staying in that house. It was because of the Resettlement policy in 1950. Seri and Lyia went to find the address. Seri was glad that her mother was still living. Seri and Lyia worked part-time in a shop near her house and worked in the tea plantation every Saturday and Sunday. One evening, the Tamil Indians went to protest to the government. Seri and Lyia did not want to take part in this riot. The Tamil Indians made the Tamil Tigers and recruited a lot of young girls and boys. Many were brainwashed or forced to join the Tamil Tigers. Sound of boots marching across could be heard from the enclosed and quiet house. The Tamil Tigers marched passed the haunted house without even stopping to check the house. “Halt!” a loud voice shouted across the troop, “You! Check the house.” Lyia went into the house with much confidence but after the door she whispered quietly, “Seri please come out, if you join us we can have freedom and our free land.” Seri and her mother were hiding behind the shelf holding a big wok and a sharpened bamboo pole to protect themselves. As soon as they heard Lyia’s voice they released their defence but around dozen of soldiers stormed into the house and surround Seri and her mother. “This house is totally surrounded by my soldiers. If you do not give in, we shall shoot you!” the commander scream which made Seri and her mother shocked. In the end, Seri and Lyia became the top soldiers in the camp. Both of them were then assigned to destroy all documents which were related to the Tamil Tigers. Their leader said that they have to either destroy the whole place or retrieve the documents safely. Both of them planned out everything that they need and were about carry out the plan. Seri and Lyia were hiding in a garbage truck which will always stop at the government house. Both of them quietly tip toed into the house. They had someone from the academy to help lookout for them but she betrayed them because of money and now, they were caught and being jailed and had to face their consequences which was death.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Research and plot for English Alternative Assignment

RESEARCH

Introduction/History of Sri Lanka
-Sri lanka was also known as Ceylon.
-Sri lanka was ruled by the British before they gained independence in the year 1948
-The British brought poor and English educated Indian Tamils to Sri Lanka to work in a tea plantation.
-Before Sri lanka became independent, the country was living peacefully.

Complication/Causes and Conflicts Sinhalese and Tamils

Ceylon Citizenship Act 1948
-Forefathers or those who were born in Sri lanka will only get the citizenship.
-Many Indian Tamils were stateless
-The Tamils disagreed on the policy and us politely to give them citizenship

Resettlement Policy 1950
-Sinhalese peasants were moved to the Tamils area to live and grow padi there
-Buddhist monks and Sri Lankan Army,mostly Sinhalese, came to occupy land

Official Language Act 1956
-Sinhala was declared the official language in Sri Lanka
-The Tamils were given three years to learn Sinhala
-Many Tamils were not used to the language and having a hard time finding jobs.

New university admission criteria 1972
-The Tamils were to get higher scores than the Sinhalese to enter the same course
-Some universities reserved Sinhalese only

PLOT
Main Characters= Seri> A young and intelligent girl but end up in the Tamil Tigers
Seri's Mother,Mdm Durga>Works in a tea plantation
Seri's Grandfather Giro>A business man and works with the government
Seri's Best Friend Lyia>An orphan but was raised by Seri's mother
~THe PLot~
-Seri's Mother was brought to Sri lanka to work in the tea plantation to support her family.
-Seri was born in Sri lanka in the year 1935.
-Seri study in a small school in Jafna with her best friend,Lyia.
-Started studying when she was 5 which was the year 1940 wher British still rule the island.
-when Sri lanka gained independent, they make the Ceylon Citizenship Act
-Seri was lucky that she was born in Sri lanka
-But her mother was not accepted because Seri's grandfather was her father-in-law.
-Seri's grandfather agreed to take Seri and Lyia to his hometown where they can further their studies.
-Many policies were made
-Seri and Lyia faced many problems
-Lyia then Joined the Tamil Tigers to rebel
-Seri did not want to but were forced to join

-Seri hide from terror but were found by her best friend Lyia
-The Tamil Tigers Brought terror upon the Sinhalese
-Seri and Lyia were caught by the Sri Lankan Army before they manage to bomb a truck full of supplies
-Seri and Lyia were tortured and asked many times to tell all of the Tamil Tiger plans
-Seri and Lyia were excecuted because was unable to give information on Tamil Tigers
-Lyia persuaded her friend to join