Picture Two

I think the people in the picture are celebrating National Day and also the birthday of the woman who sits on a chair in the foreground. The cake on the woman’s hands tells me that it is the woman’s birthday. The fans on the people’s hands with certain words and the tiny Singapore flats on the people’s hands tell me that it is National Day. Thus, I guess that the woman sits on a chair in the foreground was born on National Day. Everyone is celebrating National Day as well as the woman’s birthday. The woman in the foreground is ecstatic as so many people celebrate her birthday. The celebration is probably held in a park as there are trees on the right hand side. The day is a sunny day as some of the people are wearing hats and some are holding umbrella. I think the two female who are beside the woman may be her daughter or her relatives since they have almost the same size as the woman. I think the woman will feel proud because she was born on the day which Singapore was set up. She will also be sensation because plenty of people celebrate her. I think this will be a unforgettable birthday for her too.

(212 words)

Picture One

I think the people in the picture are attempting the low element which also known as ‘spider web’ and they are students from a school. The participants are gathered around at the campsite as shown in the background. The boy in the foreground is trying to go through the spider web. His teammates who are beside and behind him are helping him to balance himself in order not to touch the threads that form the spider web. The boy, who is beside him, is bending down and put his hands on his teammate’s waist to support him. The boy and the girl who are behind him are holding his legs so that he won’t touch the thread so easily. Another girl who is also one of the participants is cheering for them. Every participant looks extremely elated and I think they will be proud of themselves as they have been united as one. Having outdoor team-building activity can build up the bond between teammates. The participants will also learn the importance of teamwork from the activity. After this activity, I think that the participants will know that teamwork is really essential in daily life because when the work which cannot be done by their own selves, will always be done by a team. I think this is why their school holds this activity.

(223 words)

Tell me about how you prepare for a trip away from home

The most impressive trip in my memory is the trip to Japan. Japan is one of my favourite countries. I like Japanese food. I like Japanese culture. And I like Japanese language. When I was 14 years old, I knew that I had an opportunity to go to Japan a month after as I aced my End of Year Exam. I was extremely excited. From that day onwards, I began to learn Japanese so that I could talk to Japanese if there is any chance. I also researched the information of Japan online. I researched about Mount Fuji which is a dormant volcano and also the highest mountain in Japan. I researched about the delicious food of Japan such as sushi which is one of the traditional foods of Japan. I researched about tatami which is a traditional floor covering in Japanese house. I also researched about Japanese culture and knew that Japanese Empire had been communicated with Chinese Empire in the past. Some of the Japanese culture came from China. Japan and China actually kept in touch friendly and peaceful in the past. I even research about Japanese News in order to know that who is the president of Japan nowadays and who will be the next president. This is my preparation for a trip away from home.

(219 words)

Summary

Today Janina Pietrasiak and Maria Lopuszanska live like sisters. They meet daily and help each other out. Both lives alone and are not affluent. Maria’s parents were anti-Nazi underground activists. They sheltered Janina and her mother. Janina mother died of tuberculosis. The young Janina clung desperately to her new family in order to avoid being detected and killed by the Nazis. She gave up the chance to live with an uncle when she was older. During the Warsaw Uprising, the girls had to fend for themselves. Maria's father was sick and her mother was demonstrating against the Nazis. Maria was like a mother to the younger Janina. Janina lost her parents and her only sibling. Janina and Maria suffered from cancer. Janina is separated with her husband. Maria is a widow. Janina contacted the museum in Jerusalem to recognise Maria and her parents for saving her during WWI. The cash reward can improve Maria’s financial situation.

(146words)

News report

July 29, 2009

Teenagers dead in hit-and-run accident

Reported by Nicole Tang and Yvonne Sng

A 21-year-old motorcyclist was hit by a Toyota Corolla at CTE at 5.30am yesterday.

The collision happened when the driver was talking on the phone and crash into the motorcycle. The car swerved towards the right lane. Mr Tan Ah Kiat, who was in that lane, managed to stop in time and little damage is done. The Toyota Corolla then drove off without providing assistance to the victims.

The impact of the collision threw Mr Ahmad and his pillion onto the road. Mr Ahmad suffered serious injuries and died on the spot. His mother, Madam Rahman Sawam, 45, said Mr Ahmad was a cheerful person who played soccer every evening with his brothers and friends. The last time she saw him was on Monday morning, when he was off to work.

His pillion, 18-year-old, was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. He, however, did not survive the crash, and was pronounced dead at 3pm in the morning.

26-year-old, Ms Jane Tan, an eye-witness and a student said, “It happened so fast!” She was also sure that she saw two cars. Mdm Moliah Bte Ismail, 36-year-old housewife who was one of the passengers in the cars said, “ All I heard was a loud bang!” she was unsure what caused the accident.

43-year-old Inspector Abdul Rahman said, “There were streams of blood on the road.” He was shocked by what was left of the motorcycle.

When interviewed, Inspector Abdul Rahman advised drivers to drive carefully, not to talk ont the phone when driving.

Bystanders/ eye-witnesses are advised to come forward with information on the license plate number of the vehicles(s) involved in the hit-and-run accident.

A time when I felt unloved

The first and also the last time when I felt unloved was when I was going to Primary One. In that days, the schools in my hometown were not as good as the schools in the neighbour city. In order to ensure me to be educated, my parents sent me to a school which was quite far away from my home and I could only go home once a month. I was extremely unwilling to go to that school. However, my parents ingnored what I thought. They sent me there and just left me there for one month. During the month, I could only contact them on phone. I felt unloved and I felt that they did not care about me anymore because they never said that they would come to my school to see me when I told them I was lonely.

Day by Day, I have grown up and I could understand why me parents sent me to the boarding school ------- because they wanted to to be an independent person so that I can take care of myself when they were not with me. That is not because they not love me anymore.