National Day Celebrations

August 18, 2010 at 10:07 PM · Filed under Uncategorized

National Day Celebrations

Everyday can be National Day, as long as the nation is in our hearts. Why should we celebrate national day specifically on 9 august every year, when we celebrate it every day. So, there’s no need to celebrate national day. But, people still celebrate national day. Perhaps action is needed to show our love for the country, so the government organizes the National Day Parade (NDP) annually and many Singaporeans also dress up in red and/or white on that day to celebrate that day. Nation in our hearts means loving the country. We can love the country by saving the environment. We can reduce, reuse and recycle (the 3 R’s). However, people are not practicing it daily. People litter and waste resources every day and this worsens during and after NDP. People litter indiscriminately and measures by the government have failed. So it defeats the purpose of NDP. So, let everyday be National Day.

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Youth Olympics Torch Relay.

August 18, 2010 at 9:40 PM · Filed under Uncategorized

I believe that it is simply a waste of curriculum hours when we can actually have our pe lesson. Having a pe lesson is much a viable option compared to the waiting and expectation of the arrival of the youth Olympians and vehicles bearing the Olympics ring. Pe lessons is actually the way of imparting the students with the true Olympic spirit through the learning of new sports and fostering class-spirit throughout the class. This juxtaposes the Olympic torch relay which was held in school. All of us were just idling around Tan kah kee drive, playing handphones, chatting and even playing tag (for the sec 1’s). We waited for thirty minutes there, watching all the vehicles turning into the school compound with much disappointment. Then, we became the advertisers of SAMSUNG and COCA-COLA with their employees handing out freebies bearing the companies’ logo. I really hated their actions and I was disgusted with the behaviour of those Sec 1’s whom went up to grab those freebies. Then, the lantern arrived and it was gone. The torch wasn’t even lighted up. I really felt like extinguishing the flame at that moment. We have for 30 minutes just to SEE THE Lantern? What does the lantern teach us? The Olympic spirit? No! It doesn’t teach us anything. Why did the school cancel the lessons in the first place? I would rather go for Pe lesson. The Torch Relay is a waste of curriculum time.

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Task 2

May 26, 2010 at 4:19 PM · Filed under My Say

Point of view   3rd person with slight support/sympathy for the Vietnamese        “innocent and unborn” “the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead” This suggest that he was sympathetic towards the Vietnamese as America was using chemical warfare which does not only affect the soldier but their “unborn” later generations, which are “innocent”. The later generations of the soldiers who suffered from the attack will have “the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead”.
Setting    Quite dramatic but true during a war situation               “agent orange spray” “death” “mourn” It was the vietnam war and the Americans were fighting the Viet Congs, South Vietnam people. The Americans used Agent Orange as part of their chemical warfare in Vietnam. It harms the body of other soldiers and lead to death. Deaths were inevitable and the family of those soldiers would have to mourn for them. This displays the war scenario in the poem.
Language/DictionVivid verbs brings the reader into the aftermath of the war”Toll” “WILL”The price that the South Vietnamese had to “pay”. Those birth deformiaties that “innocent and unborn” have to “pay”. This higlights the plight of those innocent people who will face when they are born.The last three sentences all end with an -ay. This is the emphasis that the poet has written. And I do feel that these sentences are the most important as they summarise the whole poem.”Nefariously America led astray -Generations untold WILL pay -Execrable effects of agent orange spray!”It is a crime and generations of vietnamese will pay for the disgusted and hateful effect of the chemicals.
OpinionsI feel that the name of the poem suits its focus, “Rainbow Death”. The chemicals, Agent Orange, Agent White, Agent Blue etc. are colourful, yet they cause death. Rainbows are supposed to bring joy and happiness to oneself yet in this scenario, it bring suffering and death.

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Poem 1

May 26, 2010 at 9:56 AM · Filed under 1, My Say

Rainbow Death
America did not foresee
Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!
Expecting others to pay a high price.
Now thinking twice?
Toll on the innocent and unborn.
Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.
Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread!
Nefariously America was led astray –
Generations untold WILL pay –
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!
I chose this poem because I am interested in its depiction of the Vietnam war.
During the Vietnam War, the Americans used chemical warfare with a chemical known as the agent orange. This poem is about the pain and suffering from the Agent Orange. This weapon is made from plant-killing chemicals which is in turn used to deal with the South Vietnam. This killed or injured many soldiers and it also results in birth defects over many generations. Agent Orange was part of the Rainbow Herbicides used during the war. Other less commonly used were Agent Blue and Agent White. The title is impactful as Rainbow are associated with joy and laughter. But in this case, it causes pain and suffering, a stark contrast.

Rainbow Death
America did not foreseeGreen, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!Expecting others to pay a high price.Now thinking twice?Toll on the innocent and unborn.
Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.All the deceit continues to spread!Nefariously America was led astray -Generations untold WILL pay -Execrable effects of agent orange spray!
I chose this poem because I am interested in its depiction of the Vietnam war.
During the Vietnam War, the Americans used chemical warfare with a chemical known as the agent orange. This poem is about the pain and suffering from the Agent Orange. This weapon is made from plant-killing chemicals which is in turn used to deal with the South Vietnam. This killed or injured many soldiers and it also results in birth defects over many generations. Agent Orange was part of the Rainbow Herbicides used during the war. Other less commonly used were Agent Blue and Agent White. The title is impactful as Rainbow are associated with joy and laughter. But in this case, it causes pain and suffering, a stark contrast.

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Band FTW!

March 9, 2010 at 9:42 PM · Filed under My Say

The Hwa Chong Institution (High School) Band is going on a trip to Hawaii after the March Holidays. We are going to compete in a competition for school bands around the world. This is going to be a chance for our band to showcase their talents and for us to learn at an international level. Our band had also gone there in 2000 and was awarded a gold award. This golden opportunity has made our band practice and train day and night, hoping to get another gold award for the event. For this, we have sacrificed many hours reserved for doing homework and other projects. The hope of getting A1s in tests had already been abandoned. Family days are also scheduled for band practices. As Catholic High is also joining the competition this year, we have also done the “extra” effort to practice and play even harder for the competition. Sadly, I am not joining them on this “perilous journey” as I have to fly to another part of the world for holidays. However, I believe that the band will strive and put in their best performance of their lives there in Hawaii. Thank you!

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Facebook Applications

March 9, 2010 at 9:26 PM · Filed under My Say

Facebook Applications or Facebook games like MouseHunt or Ghost Trappers have already drawn gamers all over the world to switch from their MMORPGs or FPSs games. Why are Facebook games so attractive? Many would say that the normal Multiplayers games are too expensive or that they are too competitive, however, I feel that even though you switch to Facebook games, you will still pay unknowingly for the applications that you accesses. Facebook games are very addictive, even a small farming game such as Barn Buddy can get you donating up to 100 dollars for their exclusive farming equipment. Once you get addicted to it, you will surely find that donating is a no-problem thing by getting more virtual items after each donation. The real reason actually lies with the purpose of Facebook. Facebook is an online social platform for people to connect with their friends and also to search for new friends around the world. This leads to pressure when more and more friends actually play the same game. You will get competitive in a sense that you do not want to lose out to your friends. You will get desperate looking for a chance to surpass those guys who have a higher ranking than you. You will find that donating or buying virtual items is the fastest way to achieve your goals. This is the way which makes donating prevalent in many games aside of Facebook games, however the fact that Facebook is a social-networking site which makes donating even more attractive.

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Reflections (Summary) of Term1, 2010

March 9, 2010 at 7:18 PM · Filed under 1

At the beginning of first term, we were introduced to a new subject, Malay Studies. This “took away” our Music lesson and we have to alternate between music and art termly. Malay Studies is basically learning the Malay language from scratch while the Malay elective programme students will have a less busy curriculum and they have another chance to revise their lessons in Sec 1. It was introduced for us to understand the culture and customs of the Malay and thus, communicate effectively with them. I still remember the first lesson when we had an introduction of the roots of the language by our Malay teacher, Cigku Mastura.

Now to the academic results for term 1. My worst subject in 2009 was French, a 3rd language. It is a tough language to learn where there are many exceptions in their grammar and it is totally different from English. I have already tried my best to study for the exams but my efforts were futile. I have already prepared myself for the worst after the first encounter with the paper. As the other subjects, i am actually quite impressed with myself. I got an A1 (B3) for Chinese language (marks capped at 69 as i was absent on that day T.T), an A1, of course for the all-time-favourite mathematics. The same applies for IS and i was totally amazed by the A1 grade of humanities as i did not even get an A in the previous year. For the rest, i have to wait until they are released and i feel hopeless for those two. I shall stop here as there is not much worth mentioning. Thank you for your kind attention and please comment and follow of possible.

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Intrapersonal: Befriending a character in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird (TKAM) by Harper Lee

March 2, 2010 at 9:56 AM · Filed under 1

Befriending a person in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird (TKAM) by Harper Lee is the task which I have chosen out of the three Intrapersonal tasks. The reason for choosing this task is simply because I really want to befriend a character in TKAM. The person is ‘Boo’ Arthur Radley. The Radleys are a family who chooses to live in seclusion and not interact with other people. Arthur Radley is a person who is shy to the extreme and one of the mockingbirds in TKAM. He is being speculated by people outside who came up with a lot of tales for not coming out and staying in the house. He is actually trying to make friends with Scout and Jem by giving out the present but he is just too shy to face them. At the end of the novel, he saved Jem and Scout’s life by killing Bob Ewell.

I feel that he is a person who is actually with a lot of moral courage at the end of the story. He knew that it was wrong for Bob Ewell to harm the kids as he was the one who should be blamed for becoming ostracised by the society for being a lair. Bob Ewell should not harm the kids as it was unfair. Arthur stopped Bob Ewell and may have killed him in the struggle. Bob Ewell is always described as mysterious and strange in the eyes of other people. There are strange rumours of him having a weird diet and strange habits. However, he is a real gentleman at the end of the story and his only weakness is being shy. I respect him very much and I would like to befriend him if he comes out willingly.

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Naturalist: Habitat of Mockingbirds

March 2, 2010 at 9:20 AM · Filed under 1

Mockingbirds are long streamlined grey birds reaching up to 9 inches in length, with white undersides and flashy white wing patches and outer tail feathers. The male and females look alike.

Mockingbirds live from southern Oregon through northern Utah to Newfoundland and south to Mexico and the West Indies. Mockingbirds require open grassy areas for their feeding, thick, thorny shrubs for hiding the nest and high perches where the male can sing and defend his territory. Gardens are among its favourite dwelling places especially if winter berries are available.

Maycomb has numerous and huge gardens with bushes full of winter berries, blue berries which mockingbirds enjoy feeding on, and trees growing a wide variety of fruits which are also eaten by mockingbirds. It also has insects feeding on the fruits which are also part of a mockingbird’s diet. Mockingbrids live in Maycomb as it provides them with the perfect environment for living. In fact most of the habitat of mockingbirds should have the same environment.

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Multiple Intelligences test

March 2, 2010 at 8:29 AM · Filed under 1

The Multiple Intelligence test was a great one as it allowed me to discover my strengths and weaknesses in different aspects. The password for my results is t2dnj8t87222xsq and you may take a look if you are interested. However, I do feel that this test is quite inaccurate in a sense that it determines our multiple intelligences over a mere 40 questions. I feel that the number of questions is insufficient and more questions should be added to give us a more accurate result. I have noticed that the questions are actually based on your own opinion and not others’. It should include the feelings and thoughts of people who know you well enough to judge you, close friends, teachers and parents et cetera. I am ending the post without reaching the word limit set by Ms Lim as I do not have any else to comment on, and the purpose of this sentence is to drag on the word count.

P.S. I have hit the word limit.

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