My Self- Reflection (Week 5)

      I only find out that actually I am not brave enough. I do not brave enough to say "No" to friends' requests. I do not know how to decline someone directly, all I can do is just tell the person indirectly. I afraid to hurt anyone, finally I hurt myself. From now on, I must learn to say "No" to help people which is out of my capabilities. I must convey my ideas strongly so that the person would not take the chance on me. I must learn to protect myself. Because I know, I need to help myself, not the others.

     I afraid of dark. I thought that I was not. How can I afraid of dark? There is the time I need to grow up without anyone's accompany. I am grateful to a friend of mine who has walked with me to school at the dawning. From now on, I must be a stronger girl. I do not afraid of dark. I want to be strong ! I need to be strong ! I am strong !

     I face with something sad this week. I tell myself, "You do not need to mind what the others' says, just do as yourself, you are the best!" Even though I try to give myself some confidence, sometimes there is so difficult to control what comes into your mind. At this moment, I try to take a deep breath and try to think the other things. It is not work all the times. I have said it before, I am a sensitive person. Therefore, it is quite hard for me to ignore what the others' says. From now on, I want to take the constructive opinions from others and keep the negative emotions into the trash. I am willing to hear all of the opinions, but I will be selective on those useful opinions. I want to be an open-minded person. I need to learn to be tolerate, patient and thoughtful. I want to be a better person.

Links to Academic WebPages

http://www.usingenglish.com/

http://www.elllo.org/english/home.htm

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

http://www.ego4u.com/

http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/ 

My Self- reflection (Week 4)

      This week is really busy. I am busy with all sorts of assignments and homework. Luckily, I manage to do it well.

      There is a homework which asked us to write a review on the poems we read. The lecturer has told us that we need to include the element of the poems, the symbols, the messages and also the similarities of the poems. It sounds simple, right? But when I start to do it, I know, it is not simple at all. I try to refer the books in the library. After referring to those books, I find out that I still do not have an idea how to do it. Therefore, I keep procrastinate this homework and then end up I need to rush to to it one day before the due date. I am thankful for the lecturer because I have the chance to learn self-learning. This is an important part in a university's life to learn by ourselves. No one supposed to help you unless you have try your best. 

      I also learn to accept the critics from the others. This week we have presented our newsletter draft in front of the class. Then, our course mates give the comments based on our newsletters. I am grateful for those have give me their comments. It can help me to do a better newsletter afterward. I also learn the word "proactive" and "productive" from the lecturer. I agree with the lecturer that we need to be proactive in working place so that we can perform better in our works.

       In conclusion, I enjoy learning in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.

Example of Process Essay 2 : Popping the Cork

           All of the guests have arrived. Everyone has been seated at the dinner table. Light conversation abounds. Amid all of the explanations of what everyone “does”, your wife leans over to you and speaks the words of doom: “Why don’t you open the champagne?”

            All the conversation ceases. Suddenly you are aware of seven pairs of eyes, all looking at you. Each guest in turn mentally sizes you up.

            “Is he man enough?”

            “Will he embarrass himself again this year?”

            “Did they really have to re-carpet?”

            There it sits, ten feet away, smugly chilling in an ice bucket. The enemy. Relax. Opening a good bottle of champagne is not an ordeal once you know how. The necessary materials are few. All that is needed is an ice bucket, a table napkin, a little bravery, and some patience. To start, do yourself a favor by choosing a good champagne. Well-chilled good champagnes won’t explode, while bad champagnes are potentially embarrassing. The wine should be chilled in the ice bucket for at least twenty minutes. This is done to reduce pressure in the bottle and allow for an uneventful opening.

            First, remove the bottle from the bucket and quickly dry it. Wrap the table napkin around the neck of the bottle. This affords you a better grip. Next remove the neck wrapping to expose the wire basket. Removing the wire basket is the first tricky bit. The basket can be removed by twisting the wire braid counterclockwise six turns. This is an international standard among champagne vintners. Then pull the table napkin over the cork. This is done, once again, to allow for a better grip. Now comes the fun part. At the bottom of the champagne bottle is a deep indentation. This is not a manufacturing defect; it is called the “punt”. Hold the bottle in your left hand by the punt. With your right, grip the cork between thumb and forefinger. Gently begin rocking the cork back and forth, slowly pulling at the cork. Soon the cork will begin to loosen and move more quickly. This is a critical point in the opening. Slow it down! Hold the cork back and slowly work it out of the neck. If the cork is removed properly, only the slightest sigh should be heard. From the champagne – not you.

(386 words)

Reference:

Turco, A. D. (2001). Popping the Cork. In L. Brandon, Paragraphs and Essays : a worktext with readings (pp. 180-181). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Example of Process Essay 1: Making a Perfect Paper Airplane

            Most people know how to make a paper airplane. Generally, these paper airplanes end up looking like a sleek delta-winged fighter, but there are other types. What you are about to read is a set of directions for making an unusual paper airplane that most people would claim, some adamantly, to be unflyable.

            At the outset, you must gather the necessary materials. A standard piece of notebook paper, preferably one with squared corners and no holes for binder rings, is the most essential item. If you are a novice paper airplane maker, use a pen or pencil and a ruler at least as long as the diagonal corner-to-corner length of the paper.

            Now the construction can begin. First set the piece of paper flat on a desk or table in front of you with the long dimension of the paper’s rectangular shape facing side to side. Using a pencil and ruler, draw a line diagonally across the paper from the lower left-hand corner to the upper right-hand corner, as you face it. Grab the upper left-hand corner and pull it up and toward your lower right, creating a fold along the line you have drawn.

            After you have made the fold, take the paper and slightly rotate the paper clockwise so that the long flat edge is on top and the sawtooth edge is facing you. Next, using the ruler and pencil, draw a line parallel to the top long flat edge, about one-third to one-half inch below the top edge. Fold the paper along this line, bringing the top edge up, over and toward you. Where this now former top edge is now located is your next fold line; fold again as described in the preceding sentence. Once again, repeat this fold sequence for a third and last time. What you now have should look like a sawtooth pattern facing you with a laterally extended flat leading edge at the top. Take the left and right ends of this leading edge and bend them up toward the ceiling. Continue bending these ends until they start coming together, forming a circle. Push these two ends together into one another, connecting them and creating an object that looks like a crown. If necessary, work with this crownlike object so that the leading edge is as perfectly round as you can get it.

            What you now have is an aerodynamically viable object. With the leading edge facing forward and away from you, and the leading edge connection facing up toward the ceiling, place your index and middle fingers in the middle and on top of the sawtooth trailing edge. Lifting your hand so that the forward circular part of this paper airplane is facing well above the horizon, flick your wrist from up to forward, letting it go with a firm shove. A forceful throw is not necessary. If it does not fly straight (a gentle curve is permissible), check to see if either the circular leading edge or the trailing sawtooth shaped wing is warped. If they aren’t circular when looking at it in a fore-aft direction, bend it or play around with it until it is. Happy flying.

(528 words)

Reference:

Tillman, J. L. (2001). Making a Perfect Paper Airplane. In L. Brandon, Paragraphs and Essays : A worktext with readings (pp. 192-193). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Example of Compare and Contrast Essay 2: Neat People vs. Sloppy People

            I’ve finally figured out the difference between neat people and sloppy people. The distinction is, as always, moral. Neat people are lazier and meaner than sloppy people.

             Sloppy people, you see, are not really sloppy. Their sloppiness is merely the unfortunate consequence of their extreme moral rectitude. Sloppy people carry in their mind’s eye a heavenly vision, a precise plan, that is so stupendous, so perfect, it can’t be achieved in this world or the next.

            Sloppy people live in Never-Never Land. Someday is their métier. Someday they are planning to alphabetize all their books and set up home catalogs. Someday they will go through their wardrobes and mark certain items for tentative mending and certain items for passing on to relatives of similar shape and size. Someday sloppy people will make family scrapbooks into which they will put newspaper clippings, postcards, locks of hair, and the dried corsage from their senior prom. Someday they will file everything on the surface of their desk, including the cash receipts from coffee purchases at the snack shop. Someday they will sit down and read all the back issues of The New Yorker.

            For all these noble reasons and more, sloppy people never get neat. They aim too high and wide. They save everything, planning someday to file, order, and straighten out the world. But while these ambitious plans take clearer and clearer shape in their heads, the books spill from the shelves onto the floor, the clothes pile up in the hamper and closet, the family mementos accumulate in every drawer, the surface of the desk is buried under mounds of paper and the unread magazines threaten to reach the ceiling.

            Sloppy people can’t bear to part with anything. They give loving attention to every detail. When sloppy people say they’re going to tackle the surface of the desk, they really mean it. Not a paper will go unturned; not a rubber band will go unboxed. Four hours or two weeks into their excavation, the desk looks exactly the same, primarily because the sloppy person is meticulously creating new piles of papers with new headings and scrupulously stopping to read all the old book catalogs before he throws them away. A neat person would just bulldoze the desk.

            Neat people are burns and clods at heart. They have cavalier attitudes towards possessions, including family heirlooms. Everything is just another dust-catcher to them. If anything collects dust, it’s got to go and that’s that. Neat people will toy with the idea of throwing the children out of the house just to cut down on the clutter.

            Neat people don’t care about process. They like results. What they want to do is get the whole thing over with so they can sit down and watch the rasslin’ on TV. Neat people operate on two unvarying principles : Never handle any item twice, and throw everything away.

            The only thing messy in a neat person’s house is the trash can. the minute something comes to a neat person’s hand, he will look at it, try to decide if it has immediate use and, finding none, throw it in the trash.

            Neat people are especially vicious with mail. They never go through their mail unless they are standing directly over a trash can. If the trash can is beside the mailbox, even better. All ads, catalogs, pleas for charitable contributions, church bulletins and money-saving coupons go straight into the trash can without being opened. All letters from home, postcards from Europe, bills and paychecks are opened, immediately responded to, then dropped in the trash can. Neat people keep their receipts only for tax purposes. That’s it. No sentimental salvaging of birthday cards or the last letter a dying relative ever wrote. Into the trash it goes.

            Neat people place neatness above everything, even economics. They are incredibly wasteful. Neat people throw away several toys every time they walk through the den. I knew a neat person once who threw away a perfectly good dish drainer because it had mold on it. The drainer was too much trouble to wash. And neat people sell their furniture when they move. They will sell a La-Z-Boy recliner while you are reclining in it.

            Neat people are no good to borrow from. Neat people buy everything in expensive little single portions. They get their flour and sugar in two-pound bags. They wouldn’t consider clipping a coupon, saving a leftover, reusing plastic nondairy whipped cream containers or rinsing off tin foil and draping it over the unmoldy dish drainer. You can never borrow a neat person’s newspaper to see what’s playing at the movies. Neat people have the paper all wadded up and in the trash by 7.05 A.M.

            Neat people cut a clean swath through the organic as well as the inorganic world. People, animals, and things are all one to them. They are so insensitive. After they’ve finished with the pantry, the medicine cabinet, and the attic, they will throw out the red geranium (too many leaves), sell the dog (too many fleas), and send the children off to boarding school (too many scuff marks on the hardwood floors).

(860 words)

Reference:

Brit, S. (2001). Neat People vs. Sloppy People. In L. Brandon, Paragraphs and Essays: a worktext with readings (pp. 255-257). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Example of Compare and Contrast Essay 1: Notes from An American School

            Last February the Seattle Times called me “a walking advertisement for detente.” At that time I was visiting the United States on a month-long educational exchange, along with fourteen of my classmates and teachers.

            In Seattle we stayed with local families and went to the Lakeside School, which has maintained friendly relations with my school for ten years now. Over the past few years we in Moscow have hosted several groups of American students. Now it was our turn to visit them.

            Classes were hard at first, although the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. On our first day at Lakeside we were shocked to see a boy in ragged jeans eating a sandwich and drinking juice right in the middle of a lesson, while listening to the teacher and taking notes in his notebook. The classroom, too, was very different from what we were used to. All the tables were arranged in a circle. It was sometimes hard to say who was a teacher and who was a student.

            After hearing all sorts of rumors about morals in the United States, we were pleasantly surprised to see how polite all of the students, including the youngest, were. In a school on Shaw Island, near Seattle, we watched three juniors playing a computer game. I volunteered to play with them. One of the boys politely told me that he would be willing to let me take his place.

            Lakeside School is distinguished not only for its special teacher-student relationship but also for its high technical standards. There is nothing in our school that comes anywhere close to what we saw in some of the American classrooms. For instance, students were given a video camera and instructed to shoot a movie before the class met again.

            The range of courses that American students have to choose from is stupendous. Aside from the mandatory courses, students at Lakeside can pick out a number of elective classes that interest them and challenge themselves in these fields. I think this makes it possible for students to learn what their talents and inclinations are and to make the right choice for the future. But even with all these extra options, American students have more free time than we do.

            A lot of what we’ve seen in the American school could be used by the Soviet school system in its efforts to democratize the teaching process, create a freer atmosphere, establish better student-teacher relationships, and most important of all, improve the quality of education. True, in the United States some parents pay more than 400 dollars a month for the education of their son or daughter in a private school, while tuition is free for all students in the Soviet Union. But many people in the USSR now say that free tuition and free health care aren’t adequate to cover society’s present needs. I would say that our Soviet schools teach many subjects in greater depth than the American schools do. But American schools teach some subjects – ethics, for instance – that aren’t taught at all in our school.

(511 words)

Reference:

Aslanyan, A. (1997). Notes from An American School. In M. K. Ruetten, Developing Composition Skills (pp. 117-118). Boston: Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

Example of Cause and Effect Essay 1 : Oil Spills

            Water is probably one of the most important natural resources. Human beings and other living creatures can survive without food for several weeks but they cannot survive without water for more than one week. Similarly, the sea is the source of water for millions of marine creatures. When sea water gets contaminated, it will wreak havoc to these creatures.

            Among the most disastrous of all water pollutants is fuel oil. The threat of an oil spill can come from a number of sources including offshore tanker traffic, offshore drilling and onshore pipelines. Oil spills from the tankers at sea are very difficult to control as the oil tends to spread very fast, affecting miles and miles of coastlines and the sea. They are a major environmental threat and can cause irreparable damage to surrounding ecosystems. Oil spills reduce the water’s oxygen level, thus causing extensive harm to the creatures living in the sea. Crude oil, being lighter than water, floats on the surface of the sea and poses the threat of widespread fire. If the oil reaches the shore, a large portion of its sink into the bottom sediments and contaminates the environment.

            The amount of petroleum products ending up in the ocean is estimated to be about 6 million tons per year. Of this, oil spills account for five per cent of the oil entering the oceans. One big oil spill is enough to disrupt the sea and miles of coastline for years. Even if the dangers of oil exposure are not immediately evident, it can cause long-term damage. Fish and other marine creatures can develop liver disease and other reproductive problems. Laboratory experiments have shown that exposing salmon to oil can result in the inhibition of male sexual development. In sea birds, oil can cause mortality and reduce hatching of eggs. The effects of toxic oil compounds have been shown to have possible links with tumours found in beluga whales.

            One of the sea creatures that is adversely affected by oil spills is the sea otter. Unlike other marine animals, otters do not have a thick layer of blubber to protect them from the cold water. Instead, they depend on their thick fur and spend most of the day grooming their fur. When otters come into contact with an oil spill, the oil coats and mats their fur and when they are unable to clean their fur, they can die from hypothermia. If they swallow the toxic oil, it can cause severe damage to their livers, kidneys and their lungs.

            Oil spills can also threaten the fishing and tourism industry. Tons of thick oil can turn picturesque beaches and pristine coastlines into stinking quagmires of tar. Tourists will generally keep away from coastlines that have been affected by oil spills for years. Oil spills can cripple the fishing industry. Fishermen’s incomes will be affected when fishing is banned in areas where oil spills have occurred. This in turn will have knock-out effects on the entire economy. The disaster will affect boat repairers and middlemen who transport the catch. The ban on fishing will hit supplies as customers will be afraid to eat the fish in case they are tainted by the spill. Restaurants and hotels frequented by tourists will see a drop in tourist arrivals. When fishermen are thrown out of work, local governments have to fork out sizeable allocations as government aid.

            Oil spills can occur when oil tankers collide with one another either in deep sea of offshore, while waiting to be loaded or unloaded. On land, crude oil is transported through pipelines or tankers which may get damaged and cause the oil to be spewed out over the land, thereby contaminating it. Oil spills can also be caused by other factors. During the recent Gulf War, many oil reservoirs were bombed and the subsequent effect on marine life was devastating. Seabirds and fish were washed ashore, their bodies covered with oil.

(656 words)

Reference:

Sebastian M., Sharmini Balraj. (2004). Eksplorasi English Form 5. Selangor Darul Ehsan: Penerbit Fajar Bakti Sdn. Bhd.

Example of Cause and Effect Essay 2 : The Decline of the English Language

          The declining standard of spoken and written English is a frightening trend today. Very often Mathematics or Bahasa Melayu classes at tuition centres are full while English language classes are half empty. There are many reasons why students are not willing to learn English.

           It is difficult to comprehend why many of today’s students carry ‘a give-up attitude’ and quickly throw in the towel when the going gets tough, especially learning English at higher levels. A student preparing at the eleventh hour will not burn his midnight oil studying for an English test the following day. Students in examination classes usually spend their time studying ‘important’ subjects and English is usually neglected. This remains an unexplained phenomenon.                                      

           Secondly, it could also be said that certain aspects of the English Language examination leave much to be desired. As a result, average students feel that it is a waste of time and effort preparing for an examination which they could easily pass but need extraordinary ability to obtain a distinction. Years of neglect of the English language has finally hammered the last nail into the coffin.

          There is a drastic change in some aspects of learning the language in the lower secondary classes and upper secondary classes. This, at times, even leaves the best students gasping for air. The suffocation occurs when there is very little writing earlier but at the later stages, there is an uncompromising need to develop skills that demand years of learning and training but has to be mastered in about two years or less.

          Furthermore, the science subjects are an added attraction to students who dislike language and literature studies. This could explain the drop in the number of students who do English literature every year.

          Learning a language is actually fun. But, learning a language for examination purposes is demanding. Second language learners do not acquire those skills but have to learn them. Mostly, they need practice in speaking and writing. The latter demands wholehearted commitment that includes concentration, willingness to learn including completion of tasks set, reading, memorizing, vocabulary practice, writing and rewriting. Students who have neglected these skills in the early years find it difficult to start anew. The fact that an average Malaysian student has at least seven to eight subjects to deal with does not help either.

           Certain second or foreign language learners have an advantage over the first language learners, as they are usually able to read in their first language. However, this theory seldom applies to Malaysians. They may be able to read in their mother tongue but when it comes to reading English texts, a majority of rural students and probably not a small number of urban candidates have failed to master that skill. There are students shying away from reading almost every day. Therefore, skills like skimming, scanning, guessing, predicting and drawing conclusions are just too much to expect from them. Imagine a 17-year-old student who can just smile when asked to read a text in English!

          It is true that practice makes perfect. It is only through practice that one is able to progress in stages of learning a language from writing a few sentences to a complete composition. The major element is lacking or perhaps even missing in our students and so are the sub-skills that go with it. The main defect actually took place a long time ago; failing to master the mechanics of forming the letters of the alphabet, failing to learn punctuation rules, failing to build proper vocabulary and failing to learn the rules of grammar and syntax. It could be more of failing to try.

          It must be borne in mind that intelligence has very little to do with language learning. It is a skill that is innate. Motivation, interest and diligence have stronger influence on learners. It must be noted that nothing can be mastered in a twinkle of an eye.

(650 words)

Reference:

Anajee Singh, J.S.Solomon, S.Sarojini. (2006). Write it Right : How to overcome the fear and avoid the pitfalls of writing compositions. Selangor Darul Ehsan: Pelanduk Publications (M) Sdn Bhd.

Example of Descriptive Essay 2 : From A Celebration of Teachers

            The teacher who did the most to encourage me, as it happens, my aunt.

            She was Myrtle C. Manigault, the wife of my mother’ s brother Bill, when she taught me in second grade at all-black Summer School in Camden, New Jersey. Now she is Mrs. Myrtle M.Stratton, retired and residing in Haddonfield, New Jersey.

            During my childhood and youth, Aunt Myrtle encouraged me to develop every aspect of my potential, without regard for what was considered practical or possible for black females. I liked to sing, she listened to my voice and pronounced it good. I couldn’t dance; she taught me the basic jitterbug steps. She took me to the theatre – not just children’s theatre but adult comedies and dramas – and her faith that I could appreciate adult plays was not disappointed.

            Aunt Myrtle also took down books from her extensive library and shared them with me. We had books at home, but they were all serious classic. Even as a child I had a strong bent towards humor, and I will never forget the joy of discovering Don Marquis’s Archy & Mehitabel through her.

            Most important, perhaps, Aunt Myrtle provided my first opportunity to write for publication. A writer herself for one of the black newspaper, the Philadelphia edition of the Pittsburgh Courier, she suggested my name to the editor as a “youth columnist”. My column, begun at age fourteen, was supposed to cover teenage social activities – and it did – but it also gave me the latitude to write on many other subjects as well as the habit of gathering material, the discipline of meeting deadlines, and, after college graduation six years later, a solid portfolio of published material that carried my byline and was my passport to a series of writing jobs.

            Today Aunt Myrtle, independently and through her organization (she is a founding member of The Links, Inc.), is still an ardent booster of culture and of her “favorite niece”. She reads omnivorously, attends writers’ readings, persuades her clubs to support artists, and never lets me succumb to discouragement for very long. As I told her theatre club recently, she is “as brilliant and beautiful and tough as a diamond”. And, like a diamond, she has reflected a bright, multifaceted image of possibilities to every pupil who has crossed her path.

(385 words)

Reference:

Hunter, K. (1997). from A Celebration of Teachers. In M. K.Ruetten, Developing Composition Skills (pp. 72-73). Boston: Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

Example of Descriptive Essay 1 : Yorkshire Town

            The moors run high beneath a shot-peppered sky. Cold, wet, windswept, desolate, eye-boring, heart-warming beauty. A brook slides down the huge grey-grassed swells, gurgles like a baby in its sleep and is strangled by the ever-stretching fingers of a psychopathic slag heap.

            The town’s master, a tall, angular, steel-grey figure, cringes and cowers against the valley wall from the ever-present danger of engulfment by its own droppings.

            Below, the town, once village, now injected with fixed humanity has spread its cobbled roots upon the earth and its terraced canopy above. Figures flit between cornered lights along the streets. Flat hat, tin food, voodoo lamp and grey scrubbed faces. The shrill whip of a hooter beats upon them; they hurry to be caged and plunged into the earth. Backbreaking toil in a creaking, gas-filled, water-bound, black-lunged grave.

            In small coal-fired kitchens engineer’s wives prepare oat-milk breakfasts and mentally list the jobs for today. Cook, clean, burnish, must tell Mrs Thwaites what Harry saw Bill Holroyd up to, shopping, washing and whitening.

            Children still asleep, soon to be off to Chapel school, dream of swimming in sweets, running on a golden beach, having two helpings, not joining the workforce at twelve and being by yourself.

            Mother’s voice calls shrill and echoes through a bare-walled corridor, children wake. The sun rises, officer of the day, to replace its silvery comrade-in-arms, takes over the earthwatch and makes sure no one can ever escape.

(239 words)

Reference:

Woolley, A. (1981). Yorkshire Town. In R. McRoberts, Writing Workshops: A Student's Guide to the Craft of Writing (p. 98). South Melbourne: The Macmillan Company of Australia Pty Ltd.

Example of Narrative Essay 2 : A Narrow Escape

            At exactly 8.10a.m. on December 18, Flight 1240H took off from Sydney, Australia. Its destination was New Delhi, India. It carried 102 passengers, many of whom were tourists including me.

            I was sitting near a window. After the smooth take-off, I settled down to enjoy the scenic view of the ocean. The weather was perfect and the view was stunning. Suddenly, the clouds around the plane took on a darker hue and heavy rain began to beat against the windows. I knew that the plane shook as if it had been hit by something. Then came the smell of smoke. I looked out of the window and saw flames shooting from the side of the plane. I knew that the plane had been struck by lightning. Was the plane going to crash? Why didn’t the pilot warn the passengers? I could feel the plane nose-diving and losing altitude. I knew then, that a crush was inevitable and I closed my eyes and muttered a prayer, I could hear screams. Almost immediately, I was flung out of the plane strapped to my seat. I could feel I was somersaulting in the air. Then I passed out.

            When I regained consciousness, I found myself amidst some thick undergrowth. Then plane must have crushed in a forest. It was pitch black but the forest was alive with sounds and movements of the nocturnal creatures of the jungle. I felt excruciating pain shooting through my left arm. I must have fractured it. Was I the only survivor? How was I going to get out of this place? I decided to wait until morning to plan my next course of action. At the first break of daylight, I struggled to get up on my feet. As I surveyed the scene around me, daylight revealed the appalling horror of the plane crash.

            Everywhere, charred and mangled body parts could be seen. About a kilometer away, the wreckage of the plane was still smouldering. I felt nauseous. There was a throbbing pain in my temples and I started to feel dizzy. I had to stop after every few steps to rest. I found a few packets of biscuits and a bottle of mineral water. But I had no appetite. The smell of rotting flesh was in the air and all I wanted to do was to get away from the place. Twice that day I heard helicopters flying over the area. Surely they must have spotted the wreckage by now.

            When I could walk no further, I just sat down under a tree, closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep. I did not know how long I had slept. When I woke up, it was dusk. Soon it was going to be dark again. The thought of spending another night in the forest gave me the creeps. Meanwhile, the pain in my left arm was getting to be unbearable. My arm had swollen to be twice its size and I had great difficulty in moving.

            I spent another lonely night in the forest with only the relentless chorus of the jungle insects to keep me company. I had not eaten anything for over 24 hours. Yet, I was not hungry. I only gulped down mouthfuls of mineral water.

            On the third morning, I started my day by munching a few biscuits. I was in a lot of pain but I was not going to give up that easily. After I had trudged on for more than a few hundred metres, I heard the splashing sounds of a waterfall. I decided to search for it and follow the course of the river. I had heard stories of people who were lost in the jungle being rescued when they remained close to the river. I saw a glimmer of hope.

            I waded in knee-deep water and occasionally took a dip in the ice-cold water despite the pain I was feeling. I cannot remember how long I remained in the water. The lack of food made me weak and I started shivering in the cold. Then, above the gurgling water I heard a low whistling. My heart skipped a beat. I strained my ears to listen. Yes! There was someone closed by. I walked faster with the current. I had gone no more than a hundred metres when I saw a man in a boat. The sound of the splashing water caught him by surprise. One look at me and he guessed my plight. Gently, he helped me into the boat. He removed his jacket and covered me with it. ‘You just hang in there. You are going to be OK.’ With these words, he started the engine of his boat and sped off downstream. I knew my nightmare was finally over.

Reference:

Sebastian M., Sharmini Balraj. (2004). Eksplorasi English Form 5. Selangor Darul Ehsan: Penerbit Fajar Bakti Sdn. Bhd.

Example of Narrative Essay 1: A Change in Her Life

            The room reeked of medicine. She was surrounded by tubes and machines. I could barely recognize her. The beautiful girl with bright smile and shiny hair had vanished. In her place lay a thin, haggard woman with short spiky hair. Her eyes were closed tight and her skin had a pale shade to it. She was a bad comparison to the girl I once knew, beautiful, intelligent, confident, friendly… I could go on describing Shifa. She was the most admired girl in school and had won the ‘Most Promising Student’ award in the last year of our studies. Prosperity had been painted all over her and no matter what she did, she did it well. But that was eight years ago. Today, Shifa was a tortured woman. She had tried to take her life with an overdose of sleeping pills and had slipped into a unconsciousness. The Shifa I knew would have claimed that it was a coward’s way out. I had to know why she did it.  I had to find out the facts.

            The house remained the same. I had been a guest here frequently. Shifa had been my best buddy in school. She has been the direct opposite of everything I was. She had been well-known and I had very few friends. Nobody even knew I was in class most of the time. I was ordinary, reserved and shy. But Shifa had taken me under her protection and guarded me like a mother hen. She had taken me to her house and her family received me with pleasure. And ever since that day, I had been a constant visitor. Treading down the paved pathway brought back a lot of blissful memories. But joy was now replaced with distress, for Shifa was not here to partake them with me. I moved to the front door and rang the bell with a burdened/ grieving heart. How was I going to face her kin? How was I going to comfort them when I could not console myself?

            The door opened and I was met by a well-known face. The face was pinched and wrinkled. A look of sadness welcomed me. I introduced myself as I was sure, I would not be remembered. It had been ten years since I last visited. Shifa’s mother embraced me tight and began to cry uncontrollably. I held her and let her cry. Her only daughter was dying and the doctors had given up faith. Three hours later, when I walked out of the house, I was still battled as before. My questions remained unanswered. All I knew now was that Shifa had been employed as a corporate attorney in a well-known law firm. She had everything going for her, a good job, money, friends…everything. She travelled often. One day she had to fly to France to conclude a business deal. She was there for a week and telephoned her mum every night for the first three days. Then the calls ceased. She also did not answer her mum’s calls. A week later she came back but she was different. She was silent and stayed in her room all day. She refused to eat or see anyone. She stopped going to work, stopped taking showers and had stopped talking finally. She shut herself in her room and sobbed all day. Her mum had tried her best to get her some help. She had taken Shifa on many medical officers but they failed to cure her. Meanwhile, Shifa’s health worsened. All day long, she lay in bed crying. Then one day, her mum found her in bed with empty bottle of sleeping tablets lying on the floor beside her. She had never been conscious since.

            What had happened in France that made Shifa consume the sleeping tablets? What occurred in the four days that altered her life completely? Why didn’t she talk to anybody about what had happened? What was distressing her? Why didn’t she seek help from anybody? So many questions! Questions without answers, for, the only individual who could answer then is lying in some hospital bed unscious to be the world around her. Has she now found tranquility, the peace that she was so frantically seeking? Shifa, why did you do it?

(710 words)

Reference:

Sebastian M., Sharmini Balraj. (2004). Eksplorasi English Form 5. Selangor Darul Ehsan: Penerbit Fajar Bakti Sdn. Bhd.

Example of Argumentative Essay 2 : Life or Death?

            How would you feel if a loved one were killed? Would you want retribution, or would sending the killer to prison be enough? This question has been asked many times, but people are not in agreement about the ultimate punishment. We all know that it is wrong to take a human life, but if our government does the killing, is it still a crime? Some people say that the government does not have the right to end someone’s life, but the following reasons will show why capital punishment should be preserved.

            The first reason for allowing the death penalty is for the sake of punishment itself. Most people agree that criminals who commit serious crimes should be separated from society. The punishment will depend on the degree of the crime. Capital punishment, the most severe form of punishment, ends criminals’ lives. It seems reasonable that this severe punishment be reserved for those who commit the most serious crimes.

            The second reason to preserve capital punishment is financial. The government does not have to spend a lot of money on criminals. Next to capital punishment, the most severe punishment is a life sentence in prison, where the government has to take care of criminals until they die naturally. These criminals do not work, but they receive free housing and food. It is unfair to use tax dollars for such a purpose.

            The last reason for continuing the use of the death penalty is based on the purpose of government. If the government has legitimate power to make, judge, and carry out the laws, it should also have the power to decide if criminals should die. Capital punishment is like any other sentence. If one believes that the government has the right to charge a fine or put criminals into jail, then the government must also have the same power to decide the fate of a prisoner’s life.

            The opponents of capital punishment might say that nobody has the right to decide who should die, including the government. However, when the government sends soldiers into war, in some way, it is deciding those soldiers’ fate; some will live and some will be killed. As long as the government has the right to send its citizens to a battlefield, it has a right to put criminals to death.

            There are many good reasons to preserve capital punishment. Certainly not every criminal should be put to death. Capital punishment ought to be viewed as the harshest form of punishment. If no punishment can reform a murderer, then capital punishment is the best thing that can be done for that person and for society.

                        (439 words)

Reference:

Keith S. Folse, Elena Vestri Solomon, April Muchmore-vokoun. (2002). Great Essays, An Introduction to Writing Essays, Second Edition. Boston: Heinle, Cengage Learning.

Example of Argumentative Essay 1: Teenagers and Drugs

            What are drugs? The moment someone mentions the word ‘drugs’, the first thing that comes to our minds is everything that is negative. We see drugs as ‘Mr. Hyde’ of medicine. In this modern era, society subscribes to the dogmatism that drugs are evil substances that are capable of harming our body and mind. Time and time again, we see people cringe in discomfort, the moment we mention the topic. The truth is, drugs were once and still is the medicine to cure all kinds of illness. Antibiotics, quinine, pain-relievers and many other drugs are used each day to help manage pain and save lives. So, how then did the negative perception come into the picture? The quote ‘We have used all the good technology for all the wrong reasons’ explains clearly how this dogmatism came into existence. Undeniably, teenagers more than others, have a higher tendency to become victims of the evil side of drugs. The entire nation is probably pondering upon the same question and that is, WHY?

            For children, the most important people in their lives are parents. Children have certain responsibilities to their parents and vice-versa. Parents’ responsibilities to their children have been very subjective these days. One of the main reasons as to why teenagers fall into the clutches of drugs is due to parents’ ignorance of their children’s needs. In today’s world, almost everything is about money unlike the past. With the advancement of technology, the cost of living has gone up. This has resulted in both parents working. In their quest for a better life, parents forget their responsibilities to their children, that is, to give them support and attention. For example, a boy committed suicide recently. In the note he left behind, he wrote ‘I just wanted to have dinner with my parents’. This is the real picture of today’s world. Children are left to fend for themselves the whole day.

            Peer pressure is another factor that causes drug problems among teenagers. Friends make a big impact on one’s life. A lot of time is spent with friends. Teenagers meet their friends almost everyday, in school, during co-curricular activities, in tuition class and others. Many teenagers tend to share their problems with friends for they seem to understand them better. It is the friends who provide solutions to problems. This is where the problem creeps in. If they mix with friends who have a sense of what is right and wrong, they are safe. However, things get murky when they do not mix with the right group. Friends may offer drugs as a solution to all their problems. The victim, who is naive and too trusting, soon becomes addicted to drugs.

Stress or pressure of life is a Sword of Damocles. It is a double-edged sword. Too little of it and you are seen as lazy, too much of it will get us all tensed up. Drugs are often associated with people who have high levels of stress or pressure. These people are not able to think straight and often look for the easy way out. The intelligent individual knows how to de-stress. However, others will turn to drugs. They depend on drugs to relieve them of all their troubles. This probably explains why most drug addicts are found to come from stressful backgrounds. They tend to believe that drugs provide a form of escapism form from pressures of life. Actually, it is a common fallacy and misconception. Drugs only provide an illusion of escapism. The real world does not work that way.

            Another factor, which causes teenagers to misuse drugs, is lack of moral values. The world is getting busier today. Everybody is wrapped up in his or her own live and 24 hours tend not to be enough. There seem to be little room left or priority for moral values. Sadly, this is the true picture of our society these days. The inability to differentiate between what is good and bad is common among most teenagers. Most of them lack moral values and do not have a good foundation in religion. This can be overcome if the support system pays just a little attention. Moral values must be nurtured at home. A teenager who has been ingrained with good moral values from young will stay away from drugs. Thus, the misuse of drugs can be eradicated.

            Teenage is the time when children undergo physical, mental and emotional transformation. This is the time when their curiosity reaches its peak. Teenagers tend to get excited easily and their ‘must-try’ behaviour most often than not gets them into trouble. Although, Professor Dumbledor, in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire says ‘Curiosity isn’t a sin’, it must have its limits. Some teenagers start off just wanting to try what drugs taste like. Unfortunately, once they have fallen into its clutches , it is difficult to turn back.

            Drugs have many uses. It is up to us to make good use of it. It takes more than just an individual or a group of good men to cure this growing problem disease. It is everybody’s responsibility to make sure that drugs are used for all the right reasons. Teenagers hold our future in their hands, so we must ensure that the future is guaranteed. We have to act on this problem before it gets out of control.

(893 words)

Sasikala Nallaya, Leela Chakrabarty. (2006). Polish Your English: A Textbook for English Language Proficiency Courses. Perak: Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.

My Friends

 Somebody has said, 'A friend that you have known each other for seven years, it means both of you can be friends forever.' I believe in this statement and I am lucky enough to have the chance to meet with them, my good friends since I was at secondary school. Until now, we have get acquaintance with each other for about eight years. 

This was the time when we traveled to Kukup, Johor.

       They come from my housing areas so we will visit others' houses when we are free. I can simply be myself in front of them. I feel comfortable and happy to be with them. Although we have further our studies in different universities now, we will meet each other whenever we are in our hometown, Johor Bahru.
     
       Let me introduce some of my friends. The first person that I would like to introduce is Wong Shy Juan. She is a kind, gentle and wise girl. Every time I face with problems, she will give me some useful advises and analyse the problems to me. She is also good at her studies. I still remembered the time when she taught me how to solve a complicated Mathematics problem. She is so patient to explain the ways to solve the problems to me.

Shy Juan is the one on the right. I am on the left.

      Next, I would like to introduce my friend, Ng Li Hua. She is very active at co-curricular activities. She took part in many 'Marching Competition' at district level. She is also good at reciting poems and choral speaking. She has won many prizes from these competitions.

This was the time as we celebrated our 20-year-old birthday! Both of us were born on January.

        

This was the time when we had our breakfast at 6 a.m. in McDonald, Skudai.

This was our first time to hiking in Gunung Pulai.

      After that, I would like to introduce Tan Mei Chien. We walked to school together since secondary one. I enjoy to share with her all my feelings and my thoughts. She is also the one who knows me the best. 

Mei Chien is the one in front of me. This was the time when we had a hike in Gunung Pulai, Johor. 

       The last person that I would like to introduce is my ex-room mate, Jennifer. She is my good friend in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. She comes from Julau, Sarawak. She is willing to lend me her ears and she is always be patient and always takes good care of me. I still remembered the time when I was sick for a month. She was the one who accompanied me all the time. We had traveled to Ipoh, Rawang and Kuala Lumpur together. I hope that we can travel to other places together in the future. 

This photo was taken while we were waiting for the KTM.

       I am thankful to them. Thank you for their supporting and standing by my side! I am grateful to have them growing up with me. Thank you for coming into my life!

My Family

        I come from a small family which is made up from my father, my mother and my elder sister.
     
       

From the left: My father, my mother and I

This is a photo taken when we had our dinner in a restaurant ~~

         My father's name is Goh Ah Kau. He was born on 1 1st January 1958. He comes from Kahang, Johor. He is a wise man. He always gives me useful advises whenever I need it. He is also my best driver. He can take me to everywhere if I asked him to do so. He always helps me to eat the food that I do not like to eat. I love him just like he loves me. 

This is my mum ! She enjoys to eat all kinds of food and she is the best cooker in my house~~

           My mother's name is Tee Hou. She was born in 30th October 1963. She comes from Kahang, Johor. Although both my dad and mum have the same hometown, my mum does not meet my dad before they get acquaintance with each other. I am thankful for her for bringing me to this world. She always keeps the best thing for me. She has sacrificed herself a lot to us. She is busy with housework all the days. She also cares about us. She will get worried if we do not take our meals properly. No matter how old we are, she is worried about my sister and I all the time. She is the one who always comforts me when I was sick or feeling down. This is my mum, Tee Hou !

This is my sister!

          My sister's name is Goh Yi Jie. She was born on 3rd November 1990. She works as a home tuition teacher. She is a determined, intelligent and kind person. She loves to watch Korean drama. She also likes to read inspirational books. Whenever I face problems in my study, she will help me to solve it. She always knows the way to solve a complicated question. I admires her determination and her capability. She is my idol.

My Self-reflection (Week 3)

          This week is a special week for me. This is because I have the opportunities to watch theaters in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.  I enjoy to watch theater so much. Theater is the reflection on our daily lives. For instance, the theatre 'Pasir-pasir di Pasir Salak', which has used Malaysia's history as its background. It has portrayed the period as the foreign power trying to colonize Tanah Melayu. Through this theater, it reminds me of our ancestors and how they fight for our country's independence. History is importance as it advises us not to repeat the same mistake again.

         Why I say this week is a special week to me? Actually, I have found a part of mine which I have lost  it unknowingly. You must be confused as the moment I say like that. Next, I would like to tell you a story.Then, you will understand what I mean right now.

          There is a girl. She has many friends. She is close to her ex-roommate and her course mate. She thought that she is close to them before this incident happened. Only after going through this incident, she has found out that she was wrong, all wrong. However, she is gratitude to them because it is a part of life. It teaches her to see the world more clearly. She still remembered the moment as she has been refused when she asked her friends to accompany her to an activity. Her friend said, "You can go there alone, you used to go there alone, aren't you? You can go to pekan alone, don't tell me that you can't to go this activity by your own? I am lazy to go with you ! Sorry !"

             Her friend was right. Before getting acquaintance with her friends, she is always alone but she still lives happily and enjoy her university's life. Before knowing them, she can go everywhere on her own. Why she has become so rely on her friends? She is not that kind of person that needs to rely on others. She has used to be independent, most of the time. Since she was young, she always been independent to do everything because she knows certainly, no one will help her and no one can help her. Therefore, she needs to be independent, she has to be strong. This is the principle which she holds on so far. Has she changed ? When? Why? Or she has lost herself?

               After this incident, she has been inspired. She tries to recall, to recall back the part of lost. Finally, she manages to reminiscence her again, the one who can go anywhere without anyone's accompany. She is thankful to those who do not want to accompany her because they has taught her to grow up. No one will accompany you all the time, you should learn to be alone, you should learn to enjoy the loneliness. This is what we called grow up. Stay alone can make you to think, to feel, to enjoy the simple moment.

            Story is going to be end here. Do you know who is the girl in this story? I bet you know it, right? Please enjoy the lonely moment as it is the best time to have your inner talk, to feel the deepest feeling in your heart, and to understand yourself more. Thank you.