English is the common language of the world.It is what connects us and enables us to communicate with one another with ease.Yet the language is deterioting where is should be flourishing.One reason is because in todays culture Singlish is becoming popular.
Todays youths prefer to speak singlish over english."There is no appreciation for words and language"a quote from Ms pek Siok Lian,a journalist and film maker.It is quite true as most people are capable of speaking good english but they prefer not to.
Another reason i think english is deterioating is that they do not maintain their language.A normal man may forget english if they do not speak or read english for a long period of time.THe knowlwdge of the language disappears over time.
Some think that we rush through the words and mispronounce the word.Singaporeans often confuse the 'r' consonant with the 'd' or 'l'.However you still see singaporeans conversein the manner though it is not the correct english.As a result some can not produce a proper sentence after their education.
Lack of formal and intensive drilling in the basics is yet another reason why english is deterioating.Even a graduate who does not practice english will eventually deterioate.Sometimes to make up for what they have lost ,they will use short forms of the word .FOr example instead of using the word'THANKS'they will use'thks' ,which is common in our everyday text messaging world.
Advice to avoid speaking in such a manner is to avoid speaking english if you are not sure of the word,practice english even if you are good.
Since most Singaporeans speak this way,in broken engliah,i think we have no right to critizise the way others speak.We should think about ourselves before crtizising others.If it is the way others talk then we should respect it rather than critizise it.Even we have our own way of talking.How would you feel if others cririzised about your english?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
'What does it mean to be a Singaporean.'
Being Singaporean means a whole lot to me.In fact i can not describe it in words.Singapore is special in so many ways.For example our national icon is a hybrid of a mermaid and a lion,The Merlion.For a small country we are actually ne of the best when it comes to technology.Being Singaporean actually brings up a lot of oppurtunities for us.Being multi racial also teaches us valuble experiences.In short ,being singaporean means oppurtunities for me .
Being a young Singaporean i used to wonder why people fought each other.I also realised we are multi racial and that is beneficial for our whole lifes.Singapore has in fact tought me to be a lot better person.Its education not only focuses on general topics like math and science but the education teaches us morally by letting us experience the lesson.I feel that what Singapore can do for me is teach me what is right and wrong so i can better prepare for the world.
If given a chance i would leave Singapores shores to set a better life for myself.Singapore is special ,that i can not deny, but it is also limited so i must leave to find the better.Leaving singapore also gives me a chance to see the world in a different view and how they see us.Leaving singapore gives countries a better chance to strengthen their relations with singapore and therefore to evade war.But no matter how far i travel Singapore remains my true home that is what Singapore is to me.
Being a young Singaporean i used to wonder why people fought each other.I also realised we are multi racial and that is beneficial for our whole lifes.Singapore has in fact tought me to be a lot better person.Its education not only focuses on general topics like math and science but the education teaches us morally by letting us experience the lesson.I feel that what Singapore can do for me is teach me what is right and wrong so i can better prepare for the world.
If given a chance i would leave Singapores shores to set a better life for myself.Singapore is special ,that i can not deny, but it is also limited so i must leave to find the better.Leaving singapore also gives me a chance to see the world in a different view and how they see us.Leaving singapore gives countries a better chance to strengthen their relations with singapore and therefore to evade war.But no matter how far i travel Singapore remains my true home that is what Singapore is to me.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Book Review (Journey to the end of the world)
The book Journey to the end of the world is a continuation af another book called When the snow fell.Both were written by Hanning Mankell.This story is about joel who has finally completed his education .One day ,he received a letter telling him the whereabouts of his missing mother,Mummy Jenny.Joels father Samuel who is a retired sailor joins joel in his search for mummy jenny which took them across the world from Germany to Brazil.Joel who is in love with the ocean is aspiring to be a sailor just like his father was.This came tru for a short while when they were hired aboard a ship headed for Brazil.It took them at least a year to find mummy jenny.Joel who is still a little bit immature has to change his perspective in this book in order to suceed in finding his mother
I would definately recommend this book to others.This book is touching and at the same time comedic.It potrays what teenagers go through in their final teenage years and into full adulthood.
I would definately recommend this book to others.This book is touching and at the same time comedic.It potrays what teenagers go through in their final teenage years and into full adulthood.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Euthanasia
The defination of thw word 'Euthanasia' refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner.It can come in various forms including animal and also human euthanasia.Though this once common practice is banned in most countries ,some countries such as The Netherlands or THailand, This practice is still legal and is commonly practiced.
I feel this practice should be banned from every country.The first reason to why i say so is because there are some who do not understand this practice.Children for example might see thing differently from the adults.What the adults call ending the life painlessly can easily be seen as murder to the children.People have their time to pass on and i feel that natural death is the most gracefull way to go.
Another reason why i think euthanasia should be banned is that i believe most people would choose to spend their final hours with their family.Although euthanasia ends one suffering life painlessly People throughout the world prefer to spend their last hours with their family.For example,if i were dieing i would rather confess everything to my family before i die ,even if it means suffering till the end .In other words euthanasia i almost useless as it will increase pain for deceasesd family instead.
People choose euthanasia when they are suffering untoleratable pain but miracles do happen every once in a while and there might be a chance that those who have chosen euthanasia might have a second chance to live.From my point of view.those who choose to end their life quickly were either completely broken down or just could not think straight.They could have lived if the did not choosse to die.
Therefore in conclusion i think euthanasia should be banned from evey country.
I feel this practice should be banned from every country.The first reason to why i say so is because there are some who do not understand this practice.Children for example might see thing differently from the adults.What the adults call ending the life painlessly can easily be seen as murder to the children.People have their time to pass on and i feel that natural death is the most gracefull way to go.
Another reason why i think euthanasia should be banned is that i believe most people would choose to spend their final hours with their family.Although euthanasia ends one suffering life painlessly People throughout the world prefer to spend their last hours with their family.For example,if i were dieing i would rather confess everything to my family before i die ,even if it means suffering till the end .In other words euthanasia i almost useless as it will increase pain for deceasesd family instead.
People choose euthanasia when they are suffering untoleratable pain but miracles do happen every once in a while and there might be a chance that those who have chosen euthanasia might have a second chance to live.From my point of view.those who choose to end their life quickly were either completely broken down or just could not think straight.They could have lived if the did not choosse to die.
Therefore in conclusion i think euthanasia should be banned from evey country.
Draft 3
Rain thundered down on the barren roads. He could not believe what he had seen .Dead bodies were everywhere. Their pungent smell filled the air. Though the riot was over the sound of gunshots echoed in his ear. He knew he was having illusions but his sixth sense tells him there was another force coming. It sent chills down his spine.
Anand was alone in the middle of the war zone. He was desperately trying to escape but all efforts were in vain.In a blink of an eye Sinhalese troop stormed the abandoned village. They were monsters carrying guns and riding in tanks. They were bent on war.Anand ran as far as his legs could carry him.
Anand found shelter in an old gas station and remained hidden. He cried silently while thinking back to the past. He taught of the horror of how his beloved wife and children died in the most gruesome way. However, another spark triggered in his mind. He wanted revenge. It burned like a sun within him. He stormed out and picked up a gun from a corpse of a Sinhalese soldier and went on a rampage.It appears as though nothing could stop him.The gun he was holding possesed him like a ghost.He lost his mind.
Soon after his rampage began. He was grabbed and forced down.
“Where're the others?” the Sinhala soldier asked.
“How would I know?”
“You're shooting us. How could you not know?”
“I just wanted revenge. You've killed my family.”
After the short conversation, a blast broke out and while everyone ran in panic, Anand was grabbed by a man that looks like from his religion.Panicking,the light from Anand's sight faded.He fainted on the spot. They took him to a huge truck which then ran at full throttle out of the war zone.It was pitch black,Anand could hear feint voices but could not see anything in front of him.
“Welcome. Who're you?”
“Anand. Survivor of the attack.”
“Why were you dumb enough to attack a platoon alone?”
“I wanted revenge. They've took everything from me.”
“Join us. We promise revenge. We too are in the same boat.”
“Who are you people? How would you know how I feel?”
“The Tamil Tigers. Every pain that you felt, we felt it too.”
During the cause of conversation, anand and the stranger arrived at what seemed to be the Tamil Tiger’s base camp,better known as the Tigers.The tought of revenge burned him and his thoughts were focused on only one thing. With only revenge in his mind he joined them not knowing what will happen. He joined just for his family. He longed to see their smilling faces even if it was just once more. This was his driving force.
After three years with the tigers, Anand has completely changed. He is now commander of the Tamil Tigers. He is the head behind all the Tiger’s operations, such as the bombing at a tourist resort. He also realised that violence will not solve everything and has tried to make peace. During the 2004 tsunami, he signed a treaty and in turn everything for a peaceful for once. However after his friend who risked everything for peace was murdered by a Sinhala.War broke loose.It was the same as taking a tigers food as this will enrage it. This was a was a do or die.
The skies echoed a fighter bombers.B-2 stealth bombers were seen from the ground.What seemed like birds from ground troops will deliver hell straight on. They have reached the Tigers headquarters. Anands mission is coming to an end. The Sinhalese have retaliated after the Tamil Tigers launched an air raid. Ground units were closing in. Anand has no where to run.Not knowing where or what to do he remained hidden in his underground bunker hoping his soldiers can fight off the raid.He was at the end of the rope.He has no more ideas or solutions. He now knows his mistake-revenge solves nothing.
There was a loud bang on the door.This was followed by ghastly screams and finally,the sound of an anti tank gun..The bangs soon turned to explosions that were defeaning.The 2 foot thick door protecting Anand was open.He has no where left to run.In a desperate attempt, he took out a pistol hidden in his boots and shot everyone.The waves of people were never ending. Anand is soon cornerned and eventually captured. All his struggles were useless. Most of the tigers were already killed on the nearby beach where some tried to escape by a boat but unsucessfully. Some were swimming for their lives in a last attempt .Only God could help them but He was not on their side.They all had a watery grave.
Anand was taken to prison. He is to be executed.He broke down crushed by the failure to complete his mission.He just sat in the cell lokking like a vegetable.He tried his best but it was not enough.To him,God gave him a chance but he failed. As the executioner walked in,Anand saw his life pass by him. Ironicly enough ,the place he is going to die, is the same place where he became a Tamil Tiger.
Anand was alone in the middle of the war zone. He was desperately trying to escape but all efforts were in vain.In a blink of an eye Sinhalese troop stormed the abandoned village. They were monsters carrying guns and riding in tanks. They were bent on war.Anand ran as far as his legs could carry him.
Anand found shelter in an old gas station and remained hidden. He cried silently while thinking back to the past. He taught of the horror of how his beloved wife and children died in the most gruesome way. However, another spark triggered in his mind. He wanted revenge. It burned like a sun within him. He stormed out and picked up a gun from a corpse of a Sinhalese soldier and went on a rampage.It appears as though nothing could stop him.The gun he was holding possesed him like a ghost.He lost his mind.
Soon after his rampage began. He was grabbed and forced down.
“Where're the others?” the Sinhala soldier asked.
“How would I know?”
“You're shooting us. How could you not know?”
“I just wanted revenge. You've killed my family.”
After the short conversation, a blast broke out and while everyone ran in panic, Anand was grabbed by a man that looks like from his religion.Panicking,the light from Anand's sight faded.He fainted on the spot. They took him to a huge truck which then ran at full throttle out of the war zone.It was pitch black,Anand could hear feint voices but could not see anything in front of him.
“Welcome. Who're you?”
“Anand. Survivor of the attack.”
“Why were you dumb enough to attack a platoon alone?”
“I wanted revenge. They've took everything from me.”
“Join us. We promise revenge. We too are in the same boat.”
“Who are you people? How would you know how I feel?”
“The Tamil Tigers. Every pain that you felt, we felt it too.”
During the cause of conversation, anand and the stranger arrived at what seemed to be the Tamil Tiger’s base camp,better known as the Tigers.The tought of revenge burned him and his thoughts were focused on only one thing. With only revenge in his mind he joined them not knowing what will happen. He joined just for his family. He longed to see their smilling faces even if it was just once more. This was his driving force.
After three years with the tigers, Anand has completely changed. He is now commander of the Tamil Tigers. He is the head behind all the Tiger’s operations, such as the bombing at a tourist resort. He also realised that violence will not solve everything and has tried to make peace. During the 2004 tsunami, he signed a treaty and in turn everything for a peaceful for once. However after his friend who risked everything for peace was murdered by a Sinhala.War broke loose.It was the same as taking a tigers food as this will enrage it. This was a was a do or die.
The skies echoed a fighter bombers.B-2 stealth bombers were seen from the ground.What seemed like birds from ground troops will deliver hell straight on. They have reached the Tigers headquarters. Anands mission is coming to an end. The Sinhalese have retaliated after the Tamil Tigers launched an air raid. Ground units were closing in. Anand has no where to run.Not knowing where or what to do he remained hidden in his underground bunker hoping his soldiers can fight off the raid.He was at the end of the rope.He has no more ideas or solutions. He now knows his mistake-revenge solves nothing.
There was a loud bang on the door.This was followed by ghastly screams and finally,the sound of an anti tank gun..The bangs soon turned to explosions that were defeaning.The 2 foot thick door protecting Anand was open.He has no where left to run.In a desperate attempt, he took out a pistol hidden in his boots and shot everyone.The waves of people were never ending. Anand is soon cornerned and eventually captured. All his struggles were useless. Most of the tigers were already killed on the nearby beach where some tried to escape by a boat but unsucessfully. Some were swimming for their lives in a last attempt .Only God could help them but He was not on their side.They all had a watery grave.
Anand was taken to prison. He is to be executed.He broke down crushed by the failure to complete his mission.He just sat in the cell lokking like a vegetable.He tried his best but it was not enough.To him,God gave him a chance but he failed. As the executioner walked in,Anand saw his life pass by him. Ironicly enough ,the place he is going to die, is the same place where he became a Tamil Tiger.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Totto Chan book review
The book' Totto Chan' is simply a memoir of the authors childhood.It starts from her mother getting to know that Totto chan is getting expelled from school. She then looks for a new and different school .Totto chan chan was soon admitted to Tomoe Gakuen school where the classes were train carts.It was a weird school and the headmaster loved kids . He gave them freedom to learn whatever was needed through experience.Totto chan's life changed when the school was bombed during the world war period.The headmaster said he was looking foward to building another school similar to Tomoe Gakuen.
The story is intriguing and one surprised me.Totto chan lost her wallet in the bathroom when it got flushed down the toilet. She desperately took out everything looking for it.Even the tile floors near thr drainage pipe . The headmaster walked by doing his morning walk.To my surprise he did not scold Totto chan after seeing what she had done.Instead he said"When your done promise to put everything back okay?" and then he simply left.
I will definately recommend this book to others as it shows the different needs of children.It also shows that everyone is different and that is what makes them special.This book is also an inspiration.Above all the comedy of this book is entertaining to the young and also old.
The story is intriguing and one surprised me.Totto chan lost her wallet in the bathroom when it got flushed down the toilet. She desperately took out everything looking for it.Even the tile floors near thr drainage pipe . The headmaster walked by doing his morning walk.To my surprise he did not scold Totto chan after seeing what she had done.Instead he said"When your done promise to put everything back okay?" and then he simply left.
I will definately recommend this book to others as it shows the different needs of children.It also shows that everyone is different and that is what makes them special.This book is also an inspiration.Above all the comedy of this book is entertaining to the young and also old.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
'Sri Lankan Conflict' and plot
-S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became prime minister in 1956 and championed Sinhalese nationalism, making Sinhala the country's only official language
-The Tamil minority's mounting resentment toward the Sinhalese majority's monopoly on political and economic power, exacerbated by cultural and religious differences, erupted in bloody violence in 1983.
-Tamil rebel groups, the strongest of which were the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or Tamil Tigers, began a civil war to fight for separate nation.
-President Ranasinghe Premadasa was assassinated at a May Day political rally in 1993, when a Tamil rebel detonated explosives strapped to himself.
-Tamil extremists have frequently resorted to terrorist attacks against civilians.
-Intense political rivalry threatened the peace process
-On Dec. 26, 2004, a tremendously powerful tsunami ravaged 12 Asian countries.
-About 38,000 people were reported killed in Sri Lanka.
-President Kumaratunga and the Tamil Tigers reached a deal in June 2005 to share about $4.5 billion in international aid to rebuild the country.
-In September talks, the government lifted its ban on the group, and the Tigers dropped their demand for an independent Tamil state.
-Another significant breakthrough came in December when the Tigers and the government struck a power-sharing deal that would give the rebels regional autonomy.
-But negotiations in 2003 achieved little.
-In 2006, repeated violations of the 2002 cease-fire on both sides turned into outright war
-By April, the Tigers were cornered on a small stretch of coastline in the north-east of the country.
-Civilian Tamils streamed out of the area into refugee camps that struggled to provide food and medical attention
- Tiger fighting force was down to as few as 1000 members.
STORY LINE
INTRO-Tamil family stuck in raid
- Anand ,son of the family only survivor
- Wanted revenge , joined Tamil tigers
RISING SUSPENSE-After 3 years with tigers he became the leader
- Led them to victory countless times
- Signed peace treaty during 2004 tsunami
- Friend died during violence ,War broke loose
Climax- Launched air raid on sinhala government
- They retaliated ,Tigers on verge of defeat
-Anand captured, remaining cornered on a beach town.
- Described as bloodbath
- Anand makes desparate last stand captured and taken to prison.
RESOLUTION- reflects on life
- Shot to death
- Died at the same spot where he first vowed for revenge
-The Tamil minority's mounting resentment toward the Sinhalese majority's monopoly on political and economic power, exacerbated by cultural and religious differences, erupted in bloody violence in 1983.
-Tamil rebel groups, the strongest of which were the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or Tamil Tigers, began a civil war to fight for separate nation.
-President Ranasinghe Premadasa was assassinated at a May Day political rally in 1993, when a Tamil rebel detonated explosives strapped to himself.
-Tamil extremists have frequently resorted to terrorist attacks against civilians.
-Intense political rivalry threatened the peace process
-On Dec. 26, 2004, a tremendously powerful tsunami ravaged 12 Asian countries.
-About 38,000 people were reported killed in Sri Lanka.
-President Kumaratunga and the Tamil Tigers reached a deal in June 2005 to share about $4.5 billion in international aid to rebuild the country.
-In September talks, the government lifted its ban on the group, and the Tigers dropped their demand for an independent Tamil state.
-Another significant breakthrough came in December when the Tigers and the government struck a power-sharing deal that would give the rebels regional autonomy.
-But negotiations in 2003 achieved little.
-In 2006, repeated violations of the 2002 cease-fire on both sides turned into outright war
-By April, the Tigers were cornered on a small stretch of coastline in the north-east of the country.
-Civilian Tamils streamed out of the area into refugee camps that struggled to provide food and medical attention
- Tiger fighting force was down to as few as 1000 members.
STORY LINE
INTRO-Tamil family stuck in raid
- Anand ,son of the family only survivor
- Wanted revenge , joined Tamil tigers
RISING SUSPENSE-After 3 years with tigers he became the leader
- Led them to victory countless times
- Signed peace treaty during 2004 tsunami
- Friend died during violence ,War broke loose
Climax- Launched air raid on sinhala government
- They retaliated ,Tigers on verge of defeat
-Anand captured, remaining cornered on a beach town.
- Described as bloodbath
- Anand makes desparate last stand captured and taken to prison.
RESOLUTION- reflects on life
- Shot to death
- Died at the same spot where he first vowed for revenge
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