DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY : The Night Market

 

The Night Market

One of the most interesting places in Malaysia is the night market. You may visit and experience the night market yourselves. Both locals and foreigners agree that the night market is the most common feature in the local society.

The night market begins when ___________________________. More and more goods laden vans arrive to begin a brisk day of business. Most of the vendors busily set out to set up their stalls respectively in order to get ready _________________ of selling their food and wares. 

The sun gradually sets and the night market picks up momentum. More cars and vans are arrive. By now, the stalls are neatly and strategically arranged to entice their customers. There is an assortment of goods sold ranging from food, toys and clothes, to name a few. Large rainbow-coloured parasols are used to shade the people from rain or shine. A concoction of blaring music can be heard in the night market background amidst the constant shouting. It is an amazing _________________________________

The night market is known as a haven by local ‘gourmets’ who can enjoy _______________________________. Still more people arrive, they come from all walks of life, mingling freely and harmoniously. Crowds walk up and down in an _____________________. Some of them stop by the stalls and haggle before making purchases. Little children tag along, amused and excited. Sprinklings of tourists join in to experience _____________________________.

When night falls, lighted lamps brighten up the place, they add gaiety to this atmosphere, and it is like a funfair. The night wears on and ___________________________. Vendors get a chance to rest their weary legs besides banter with each other about the day’s happenings.

By 10.00 pm, all the stalls _____________. The vendors pack up and close the van doors. One by one, they leave, leaving behind pieces of papers, plastic bags and discarded boxes. It is ___________ Finally, the night market disappears. The place becomes quiet and still once more.

Answers 

1. the vendors arrive in the late afternoon

2. for a long evening

3. kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, smells and colours.

4.  various kinds of mouth-watering local cuisine

5. endless stream

6. the lifestyle of typical Malaysian folks

7. the traffic of people recedes

8. call it a day

9. an eyesore!

10. quiet and still once more

RECOUNT ESSAY : My Most Embarrassing Memory

  Everyone has been embarrassed at one time or another. It is that moment in time when you wish _________________________. The anxiety and discomfort felt during that time which may only last a few seconds feels like time has stood still.

         I remember so well when I had my most embarrassing moment. I was in Form 4 and it was during the school recess hour. The minute the bell rang for recess, I rushed to the toilet because___________________________________. I didn’t want to miss class because the lesson taught that morning was to include tips for the forthcoming examination.

         Without realising, I had rushed to the girls’ toilet. The prolonged control and an upset stomach made worse by two glasses of cold milk in the morning made me grunt and groan in what I thought was the privacy of the male cubicle. I thought I heard giggling outside and wondered why the giggles sounded unusually near. A few minutes later I came out the cubicle and discovered to my horror that I had __________________. To make matters worse, the few girls standing outside didn’t even turn away when I came out. Instead they looked down at me, and only then turned their heads in the opposite direction. Horror of horrors, I had forgotten________________! No beetroot could have matched the colour of my face at this point in time!

         The news of my predicament spread _______________ throughout school. I was truly the talk ______________. I felt like I could either walk around feeling perpetually self-conscious and embarrassed or I could turn the situation round, perhaps even to my advantage. I remembered my mother’s words that _______________________. So I decided to make fun of myself. Everyone got bored after a while and nobody teased me after that.

         It was indeed an eye-opening experience for me. I have learnt that when people laugh at you, _________________________. You must not take yourself seriously. Learn to look at yourself through _____________________ and you will realise that most of the time when they laugh at you, they just want to have some fun. They mean no harm. So smile, while you still have teeth!

Answers

1. the earth would open up and swallow you

2. I had been controlling my urges since class started

3. entered the girls’ toilet

4.  to zip up

5.  like wildfire

6. of the town

7. ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’

8. you should laugh along

9. other people’s eyes

ABOUT ME : blogpost

 (STUDENT'S WORK)

I find that it's always hard to do an introduction as most of the time as it is always the same and boring. My name is Xiang Ling and I'm 16 years old. As for my physical appearance, I have a tanned complexion and am of average height. Besides, I have coarse hair, so my mom has bought me hair protection products, although I never use them. I believe that I'm a responsible and trustworthy person besides being kind. People always tell me that I look stern. Well, I guess that makes sense. However, as all our moral teachers always say－don't judge a book by it's cover.

     Sadly, I've never been slim like someone who can stay lean without exercising. However, different perspectives produce different views. To be honest, that's not too bad, as over time, I have developed a good habit of exercising. My favourite sports include badminton, cycling and hiking. In fact, I'd love to try any sport. Although I've been occupied with studying, I never let go of my pastime activities. I enjoy reading and listening to music as a form of relaxation.

     In my view, each of these activities is meaningful. It is a way to keep myself fit and healthy, not only physically, but also mentally. I have benefited a lot from being involved in various activities. Being active in sports makes me enjoy a better quality of life as the risk of some diseases can be reduced. In addition to making my life more colourful, I also made new friends.

     If you ask me what my ideal job is in the future, I will probably become a doctor. It has nothing to do with money or reputation. My ambition is to become a doctor, just to relieve the suffering of the sick. I realise that the proverb “time is money” is actually a truth, hence I have to make good use of the time I have now to achieve It.

ESSAY : A person who has inspired you the most

 Write an essay about a person who has inspired you the most. You may use the notes below to help you. 

WHO?	MY FATHER
Background of person Good qualities ?  Why is it important to you?	73 years old  Responsible leader - always there in times of need Loving father to his children - spent time with us as children  Great teacher - shared many lessons through example Taught me many valuable life lessons  Sets a great example of discipline and values
Relationship:  Famous person? / historical hero? / casual friend ? / family member?	My father
How does the person inspire your relationship?  How did you know him/ her.  What lesson did you learn ?  What success (if any) did you achieve?	One experience that stands out:  Had just gotten driving license Knocked into car  Terrified because my fault Helpless - didn’t know what to do  Called father Immediately calmed me down  Instructed me on how to handle the situation Lesson learnt How to keep my cool in a stressful situation  How to treat problems in life, with logical thinking.
Conclusion Lucky to have known him / her Hopes?	Extremely lucky to have grown up with my father around. Hope that i only make him proud in the future

A Person who Inspired Me

We come across lots of people in our life but not all inspire us. The people who do usually touch us in a way that makes us want to become a better version of ourselves. I have been blessed to have known one such person all my life. He is none other than my father. 

My father is 72 years old and was born in the southern state of Johor. He worked as a golf course superintendent during his employment and retired as a landscape consultant at the age of 56. Throughout my childhood, dad always showed great responsibility as the leader of the family, and was a fantastic father figure to us. This is because he disciplined us when we misbehaved, but was never too busy to miss story time before putting us to bed. In his own way, my father was a great teacher because he practised what he preached, and I admired him for it. 

One incident that stands out in my memory is an accident that I was involved in. I was fresh out of driving school, having just obtained my license. Eager to take on the main roads, I failed to pay attention to a car in front of me while making a left turn. My car knocked into the back of another vehicle. I panicked and felt helpless. It was my fault and I had no clue what to do. Immediately, I rang my father up. He was miles away from me and yet remained calm and composed. I was reassured that accidents happened to everyone, and this calmed my nerves. Dad also gave me explicit instructions on what to do next. In the end, I was able to navigate that situation with ease. 

My father’s timely intervention taught me the valuable life lesson of how to keep my cool in a stressful situation and how to tackle problems in life with logical thinking instead of irrational fear. He was patient and compassionate in my time of need. In conclusion, I consider myself extremely fortunate and blessed to have grown up with my father around. It is my hope that I make him proud in whatever I choose to do in life. 

ESSAY : Chores in your household

   One constant factor in most Malaysian teenager’s lives is chores. Chores refer to tasks or work done at home to assist parents in the upkeep of the house. Some teenagers get paid for their efforts, while others may not have a choice but to obey without any monetary gain. In my house, we fall into the latter category. However, my siblings and I generally do them without complaint. 

       My home is run on a tight schedule of little tasks that my mum meticulously plans out for us. Each member has a part to play, right down to my youngest sister who is only seven years old. While the heavier, more dangerous tasks such as ironing or cleaning the fish pond are handled by my parents, my elder brothers and I can be depended on for almost everything else. As the youngest, my sister is awarded the special and enjoyable job of watering the plants which she takes very seriously. 

    

          As for me, I usually do the laundry three times a week. This entails hanging the freshly laundered clothes out to dry and taking them in before it rains. Folding is also my forte, and I consider myself an expert at neatly putting away t-shirts and trousers. The only downside of handling the laundry is having to deal with everyone’s soiled clothes, something I do not relish!

           Apart from that, I am quite a gifted cook, having picked up a few easy recipes from my grandmother. As a result, I take charge of the cooking on the weekends. I normally use this opportunity to experiment with different dishes and desserts for dinner. Unfortunately for me, making dinner also means I’m entrusted to do the washing up after. It can be quite an arduous task, but on the plus side, doing the dishes is much more enjoyable when I play my favourite songs or listen to a podcast. 

         In my opinion, there are a myriad of advantages that chores can award us. Firstly, they help build character. One might argue that a student’s life is busy as it is, with school work and exams. However, I find that completing household chores instills a sense of responsibility because teenagers like me should be held accountable for our actions at home rather than get off scot free with being a couch potato.  

     In the long run, chores also help develop and ingrain organising and prioritising skills. This is paramount as we make our way through life as adults in the future. Furthermore, checking off a successfully completed list of chores can gift a sense of pride to the doer. I believe this type of pride is an important value to ward off the negative habits of procrastination that students are always at risk of picking up. 

     In conclusion, I’m grateful that my siblings and I have been raised to pull our share of the weight around the house. Consequently, we are continuously reaping the benefits of doing simple household chores

ESSAY : Making and keeping friends

So how does one make a friend? The important thing is to do something you really like – such as reading, playing football or drawing– so that you can meet others who like these activities too. It’s also possible to make good friends in surprising places; even a friendly chat in a school bus can lead to a friendship that lasts years. Even if you’re shy or reluctant to make the first move, when you meet someone it’s important to get to know them.

And how many friends are enough? If you have three or four good friends you can truly count on, you are lucky. Having a circle of friends is more beneficial, as it makes you less dependent on one person, and expands and varies your social environment.”

We may have hundreds of “friends” on Facebook, but very few of these cyber pals translate into real life friendships. It’s tempting to spend hours texting, tweeting and emailing, alone in front of our computers, instead of engaging in realistic encounters. But without face-to-face connection, we lose something precious in our quality of interaction

Do enjoyable things with our friends. To have good friends you must be a good friend. That can mean spending time together regularly, sharing a common goal, even something as simple as eating together during recess. Pay attention to meaningful events in a friend’s life, acknowledging and celebrating their happiness, or offering help if they’re going through a hard time. Giving friends some of your time, or helping with something you’re good at (but they aren’t), is a wonderful way of being a friend. And make sure you earn your friends’ trust.

Whatever your values, there’s no doubt that good friends are critical to our well being and self-worth. Our challenge is to create sufficient time to nurture and sustain our friendships no matter how busy we may think we are. Deeper friendships enhance the quality of our lives.

Adapted from “The Readers Digest” 1^st March 2013

Glossary

Enhance- make something better

Nurture- help to develop/ grow

Sufficient- enough

SPEECH - THE QUALITIES THAT MAKE A GOOD LEADER

You are representing your school in a public speaking competition. You have decided to give a speech on the qualities that make a great leader.

Qualities of a Great Leader

·          Appreciative – A wise leader values their team and the person.

·           Confident -Good leaders are not afraid of being challenged.

·           Honest – Wise leaders are not afraid of communicating the truth to their people.

When writing your speech:

Ø  you must use the notes given

Ø  give one other quality of a great leader    (do not forget!!)

Ø  add any other relevant information

Ø  write in not less than 150 words

A very good morning, I bid to the honourable judges, worthy competitors and dear audience. Ladies and gentlemen, you may have heard the phrase “leaders are born, not made”. I am here to tell you that the opposite is true. I believe every student has what it takes to be a great leader. Today, it is my honour to stand before you and present my speech entitled “the qualities that make a good leader.” Do lend me your ears. First and foremost, a great leader is always appreciative. A wise leader always values their team and personal achievements. Being appreciative of others is a vital quality to possess because you show your respect for those you work with. A common example is praising someone for a job well done or acknowledging a good idea. In return, when people feel appreciated, they will be willing to contribute more effort. In short, it pays to notice others and be appreciative. In addition to that, a fantastic leader is someone who is confident. If he or she is shy and unsure of themselves, people may find it hard to trust in what they have to say. Do not be afraid to be challenged for every decision you make, and have faith in the choices you make. Therefore, be confident, and you will be remembered. Furthermore, good leadership demands honesty. Honesty is being able to admit your mistakes. This is really important because not everyone is perfect, if they were, they would be called a robot! You can be honest by apologising if you made an error. In a nutshell, being honest can show that you are brave to take the blame. Last but not least, a leader must get to know his or her workers. Take the time to find out everything you can about your members. This will go a long way in building good rapport. For example, you can remember their birthdays, or members of their family. When you show that you care, your team will invest more in you too. Hence, never forget to get to know your crowd. In conclusion, these qualities mentioned above are not naturally present in everyone. However, “Rome was not built in a day.” With hard work and determination you too can become a respected person to lead others. I hope my speech has enlightened all of you today. Thank you.

Ø  Greeting Ø  Hook (idiom) Ø  Opinion Ø  Thesis statement Ø  POINT 1 Ø  Given notes Ø  WHY Ø  EXAMPLE Ø  WHY Ø  CONCLUSION Ø  POINT 2 Ø  WHY Ø  Given notes Ø  CONCLUSION Ø  POINT 3 Ø  WHY Ø  EXAMPLE Ø  CONCLUSION ØADDITIONAL POINT 4 Ø  WHY Ø  EXAMPLE Ø  CONCLUSION Ø  CONCLUSION Ø  IDIOM Ø  HOPE Ø  THANKS

TRANSITIONAL WORDS/ PHRASES USED

Ø  First and foremost Ø  Furthermore, Ø  In addition, Ø  Last but not least Ø  Therefore Ø  Hence Ø  In short Ø  In conclusion Ø  In a nutshell