Monday 3 October 2011

QWERTYUIOP (Moral Values)


  
Three moral values that can be learned from “QWERTYUIOP” are perseverance, courage and compassion.

Perseverance (meaning: ketabahan) is important in facing challenges (meaning: cabaran). We should not give up easily in life. We should have perseverance to be successful. This moral value can be learned from the main character, Lucy Beck. Lucy was determined to get a job. She persevered to keep her job although the ghost of previous secretary, Miss Broome kept giving her problems.

We should also have courage. We should not run away from challenges and problems in life. Lucy had to confront Miss Broome’s ghost in the story. She showed her fighting spirit when she refused to run away like the other young secretaries. She confronted (meaning: berhadapan) Miss Broome and fought to stay on her job.

We also can learn the moral value of compassion (meaning: belas kasihan) from the story. Lucy learned to accept her uncle although she did not have good opinion of him in the past. She felt sorry for Miss Broome and managed to calm her down. This shows that she was a compassionate person.



The Fruitcake Special (Moral Values)



Two moral values that can be learned from the story of “The Fruitcake Special” are “honesty” and “superficiality versus substance”.

Honesty is important. We should be honest with ourselves and to others. This moral value can be learned from Anna. Anna knew who she was. She did not listen to David Amos’ compliments (meaning: pujian). She was suspicious (meaning: curiga) about his compliments until she found out that it was the fruitcake perfume that made Amos fell in love with her. Anna also did not take advantage of Amos and the waiter when they fell in love with her because of the fruitcake. She told the waiter not to act foolishly. This shows that Anna was an honest person. 

Substance is more important that superficiality. In a relationship, we should be sincere and not be attracted by physical appearance. For example, Amos liked only young and beautiful girls with model look. On the other hand, Armstrong fell in love with Anna for who she was and not just for her appearance. Armstrong's love for Anna was true and he worked hard to build a pizza company to prove to Anna that he was a worthy gentleman. 


(Note: Write the events that happened in the story in PAST TENSE, because they already happened in the past.)



Monday 12 September 2011

Love for the country and for sports

[Note: Congratulations to Yee Wen Huan for winning a prize in SMK Desa Petaling's essay writing competition in conjunction of Hari Malaysia! This is her prize-winning essay.]

Malaysia is a melting pot of races and cultures, a peaceful land in which Malays, Chinese, Indians and many other ethnic races live together in harmony. Just like rojak which is made up of many different ingredients, Malaysia is made up of different people with different backgrounds and beliefs.

One of the notable aspects about Malaysia is the progress of national sports. There are many athletes of different races in Malaysia. Some of the prominent figures are Datuk Lee Chong Wei, Datuk Nicol Ann David and Datuk K. Raja Gopal. They show their patriotism by working hard to make Malaysia a proud nation in the eye of the world.

Datuk Lee Chong Wei is a badminton player. He always works hard to practise his skills and techniques in badminton. He represented Malaysia in many badminton competitions. Datuk Lee Chong Wei once said that, “I am not fighting for myself, but for my country.” He shows his patriotism by playing badminton. He currently holds the title of the world’s number one.

Datuk Nicol Ann David is another national athlete that makes Malaysia proud. She is the world's number one squash player. She has taken part in many international squash competitions, winning many titles, medals and trophies, making people all over the world know our country.

Another public figure in Malaysian sports arena is Datuk K. Raja Gopal. A former national striker, he is now Malaysian football head coach and team manager. Malaysian footballers are performing better under his guidance and management. He restores the faith of Malaysian people in national football team and Malaysian football team back to their former glory.

Malaysia is truly a unique country with many distinctive qualities that other countries do not possess. Like our national heroes in sports arena, every Malaysian should strive to make Malaysian a proud nation in the eye of the world.


Friday 9 September 2011

Patriotism and what it really means?


Question: 
How to write an open-ended essay on patriotism?

Answer: 
You can write anything you want in an open-ended essay, as long as you stay on the topic. Since the topic is about patriotism, you can write anything about Malaysia but you should show that you care for the country. 

You can write about  
(1) a fictional story about Malaysia
(2) Malaysian history - how Malaysia became an independent country
(3) your favourite country leader or prime minister 
(4) your favourite place in Malaysia 
(5) your favourite Malaysian food
(6) how Malaysia would be like in 10 years time
(7) the political issues in the country
(8) Malaysian festivals
(9) Malaysian education system
(10) Malaysian people.

The list goes on. You really have the freedom to express your thoughts in open-ended essay! No one can say that you are wrong as long as you stay on the topic. 


Here are some samples of introduction that you can use to start the essay.

Example 1:
Patriotism means more than just standing upright when we sing “Negaraku”, or celebrating National Independence Day with cheers of “Merdeka”. It is about genuine love and loyalty for Malaysia, the burning passion to see our country to be a better place for its citizens to live.

Example 2:
Malaysia is a melting pot of races and cultures, a peaceful land in which Malays, Chinese, Indians and many other ethnic races live together in harmony. Just like rojak which is made up of many different ingredients, Malaysia is made up of different people with different backgrounds and beliefs.

Example 3:  
To know Malaysia is to love Malaysia. A country blessed with ample natural resources, beautiful sceneries and an array of wonderful food, Malaysia is home to a multi-ethnic society who lives together peacefully.

Example 4:
[Or you can have the freedom of writing a story of how patriotism is demonstrated in daily life or through friendship or even the sharing of food.]


Sample sentences you can use to start the body of the essay:

Example 1:
One of the notable aspects about Malaysia is its developing economic state. [You can then talk about what Malaysia does to generate income (eg. rubber, petroleum, tourism etc) and how Malaysia can further improve its economy. For example, Malaysia should work hard to maintain the cleanliness of tourist spots and public toilets to ensure the tourists have a good impression of the country. Tell the readers about your role as a citizen and how you can help to improve the country's image.]

Example 2:
One of the notable aspects about Malaysia is the progress of national sports. [Proceed by talking about Malaysian athletes (eg. Datuk Nicol Ann David, Datuk Lee Chong Wei, Malaysian footballers, Malaysian football coach, Datuk K. Raja Gopal) who show their patriotism by working hard to make Malaysia a proud nation in the eye of the world. Tell the readers the hardships that they go through....]

Example 3:
Being a developing nation, Malaysia is constantly seeking ways to improve on the quality of education that shapes the young generation. [Discuss issues such as the reversion of English in Mathematics and Sciences (ETEMS), the low level of English proficiency among students, the things in school that you are not satisfied with. Talk about the possible solutions and how you can play a part in solving the issues.]


As for the conclusion, you should try to surprise me! Just pick up your pen, immerse yourself in the spirit of patriotism and start writing! We can find ways to improve the essay together next week :)


Wednesday 31 August 2011

I Can Write Great Essays!


     Writing is a process. A great essay can be written if you follow these steps. 

Step 1: Brainstorm
      Ask yourself all the wh-questions.   
Who? (Who are involved in the story/issue?)
- Gary and his younger sister, Georgina went to a bank one day.
- Two robbers held two hostages at gunpoint, rushing the cashiers to put all the money in their bags, while the rest of the customers in the bank were forced to lie face down on the tiled floor.  
- Despite his old age and bad knees, Mr. Brown works hard in his garden everyday. 
- Being a fan of action-packed movies, Sammy arranged a movie-outing for five of us and bought the tickets online the moment we said yes to her request.  
What? (What is the situation? What are the things that are relevant to the story/issue?)
- It was a bank robbery.
- There are many colourful flowers and interesting plants lined in beautiful pots in Mr. Brown's garden.
- "Final Destination 5" is a blood-curdling horror film.
When?  (When did it happen? If it is happening now, use PRESENT TENSE. If it happened in the past, use PAST TENSE.)
- On a sunny Sunday morning, just like every other quiet morning in Kampung Baru, ...
- It was a dark and stormy evening, so gloomy that it was hard to believe that it was only five o'clock. 
- It rained cats and dogs that night. The pitter-patter of raindrops hitting on the roof over my head was a soothing rhythm to my ears.   
Where? (Where is the setting of the story/issue?)
- So off we went to the cinema. 
- His garden is situated just a stone's throw from his house. 
Why? (Why is the story/issue happening in such setting? Why is it important for readers to know the reasons?)
- Eating too much junk food is bad for health because of the high sodium, preservative and calorie content. 
- Gary and Georgina were there to deposit some cash into their bank accounts. 
- Mr. Brown loves gardening because he feels the happiest when he sees his plants grow and his flowers bloom. 
How? (How did the story/issue develop? How can readers take initiatives after know "why"?)
- The robbers threatened to kill the hostages if anyone did not listen to their orders and tried to contact the police. Helplessly, the cashiers followed the robbers' instructions and started to fill the bags with money. 
- We can keep diseases at bay by practising healthy lifestyle through eating well-balanced meals and exercising. A healthy, well-balanced meal contains fruits, vegetables, white meat and very little fat, oil, sugar and salt. 

Step 2: Outline
   a. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. So plan, plan, plan!
  b. Outline by putting the wh-elements you brainstorm in order. Write out what you want to write in paragraph 1 to 5. Mindmap all your ideas.  

Step 3: Develop
   Start writing!

Step 4: Edit
   a. After you finish writing your essay, read through your work to see if there is flow between paragraphs. 
   b. Check for spelling and grammatical mistakes.

Step 5: Revise
   Correct what needs to be corrected and a great essay is born!
   
   If you want to write like a pro, there is no shortcut to it, you just have to read a lot. Reading will expose you to many writing styles and awesome vocabulary to make you an awesome writer! So, read up and start writing!

p.s. When you feel like giving up, tell yourself this: nothing in life that is worth having comes easy!

Tuesday 30 August 2011

How to Write An Essay About Someone You Dislike In School Or A Disrespectful Person?

1. Introduction:
   a. Introduce the person you know in school that you dislike. This person can be real or fictional (meaning: imaginary). He or she can be a teacher, a school worker, a student, a classmate or someone you create. You can also write about a real person with a fake name (eg. Johnny English, P. Diddy, Miss A). 
   b. Describe this person.
   Mr. Kwong, who teaches me Mathematics, is tall, muscular and menacing. Like a bear with a sore head, he is constantly angry and in bad mood.     

  

   He is of average height (meaning: he is not too tall and not too short). He wears a pair of thick-framed black, plastic spectacles and a constant frown on his face (meaning: he always looks serious or sad). I do not like him because ...
  

   Beautiful, petite (meaning: small and thin in an attractive way) and intelligent, she is easily the most popular girl in school. However, all of the attention from teachers and boys has gone to her head (meaning: If something goes to someone's head, it makes them think that they are very important and makes them a less pleasant person) and made her a proud person. 



2. Body (at least three paragraphs):
    i. You can write about his/her habits and behaviours.
   His shirt is always stained and dirty. He always picks his nose and wipes his fingers on his shirt. He talks loudly in the staff room and shows disrespect for his fellow colleagues. He also yells at students all the time, calling them names and ...       

   She wears designer perfume and expensive watch to school. She would show off the branded things she buys to her group of friends and fish for compliments. She does not mix with students who she thinks are not fit to be her friends and ...

  
    ii. Write about an incident of how he/she mistreated people. You can create a fictional incident and make it as dramatic as possible. Use past tense, because you are writing about something which happened in the past.       
   He once stole his classmate's pencil case and claimed that it was his. When the poor boy begged him to return him his belonging, he turned violent and screamed at him. When the boy tried to snatch the pencil case back, he slapped him so hard that the poor boy fell down. The discipline teacher who happened to pass by called them to the office and questioned both of them. Instead of admitting to his wrongdoing, he called the poor boy a thief and showed the discipline teacher his name that he recently wrote on the pencil case. The discipline teacher ...


   She once kicked a stray cat into the drain. “Get out of my way, you useless, dirty thing!” The poor cat yelped in pain. Her friends stood around her and laughed at the poor cat. They...

   iii. Write more about the incident. What happened next? Maybe you tried to stop him/her from hurting another person and gave him/her a piece of advice, but he/she refused to listen to you and made fun of you instead? You can also introduce a new character to help develop the incident. Write how the incident took a turn.

3. Conclusion:
    a. Tell the readers what happened to the person after the incident. Is he/she a changed person?
    b. You can also write that you hope that the person you dislike will realise his/her mistakes soon and be a better person.


Tips:
**You can make your story more interesting by starting your essay with an incident that makes you dislike the person. Then introduce the person you dislike in the second paragraph. For example,

   “You dirty thing, get out of my way!” She yelled and kicked the grey stray cat into the drain, leaving the poor cat yelping in pain. Her friends cheered her on. They stood around her and laughed at the poor cat, drenched in dirty mud.
    Beautiful, petite and intelligent, Nellie is easily the most popular girl in school. However, all of the attention from teachers and boys has gone to her head and made her a proud person. She... 
or
   “Do your work! Keep quiet! Hey you, stop talking and listen to me! I say, listen to me! Look at me when I am talking to you! Look at me, you stupid boy!” He shouted at the top of his voice. All the veins were visible on his neck. He threw the poor boy’s exercise book out of the classroom and ordered him to stand on the table.
   That was Mr. Kwong, my Mathematics teacher. He is of average height. He wears a pair of thick-framed black, plastic spectacles and a constant frown on his face. I do not like him because ...

See, the stories seem to be more exciting right?

**You should also ask yourself all the wh- questions (What, who, why, when, where, how) and try to answer all of them in your essay. They will make your story more appealing to the readers.

Hope you will try out my suggestions and tips. Make your story as dramatic as possible, so that you will keep your readers interested. 

Let your imagination soars and your pen takes flight! Good luck, darlings!

The School Bully



**Possible answers for the blanks.

1. Nobody
2. everyone / everybody
3. scream / shout / yell
     Although the subject (Brutus) is singular, it is followed by a modal verb (will). Modals verbs (eg. can, could, must, may, shall, should, will, would) must be followed by verbs (kata kerja – eg. eat, drink, do, dream, read, write, travel, play, think, wish, love) in ORIGINAL FORM, without -s or -ing.
eg.
Brutus will scream.
Brutus should scream.
Brutus can scream.
Brutus screams.
He screams.
4. takes / snatches
5. refused
     The incident happened in the past, so the answer must be in past tense.
6. begged
7. slapped/ hit
     Hit in past tense is hit. Just like read, shut and set.
8. back / leg / ankle / knee / toes
     Any body parts that would be affected when you fall down is acceptable, I think.
9. homework
10. throw
     Same thing like number 3. After modal verb, you should use verb in its original form.
11. teachers / principal
12. flee (meaning: to escape by running away because of danger or fear)
13. class
14. friends / classmates
15. afraid / frightened / scared
16. talks
17. angry / furious
18. if
19. parents
20. body

p.s. All of the answers above are not necessarily the correct ones. You can post up your answers if you have different words filled in the blanks. Your answers could be better than mine :)


A Little Respect


1. boy
2. When
3. work
4. read
5. late
6. teacher
7. good
8. yawned
9. he
10. attention
11. in
12. walked / passed
13. said
14. seat
15. cry / weep / sob
16. cheeks
17. respect
18. Change
19. never
20. thing

Let me know if your answers are different from mine. You might be right!

Monday 29 August 2011

Greetings!

Hello, everyone.

     Welcome to this humble blog designed to share ideas on how to read and write better. I may not have ample experience in tutoring, but I have passion to improve my English proficiency. So, if you seek to improve your English reading and writing skills just like me, keep this blog on a bookmark and join me in this journey to read and write like a pro in English!

     Do drop me a comment or two if you have good suggestions on what I should post up or if you have links to materials that can help to improve English proficiency.

     Till then, cheerios!

p.s. Thanks for visiting :)