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

Article:The Best Way for Teenager to Save Money

STUDENT'S WORK

The Best Way for Teenagers to Save Money

Written by:Yam Pui Sie

      Nowadays, there is a growing concern over the issue of teenagers squandering money unwisely. According to a community survey in Malaysia, young people spend too much money on online shopping. They are attracted by great offers which cause them to buy more. This problem which seems trivial and negligible to some can lead to terrible ramifications if it is not combated at an early stage. For this outcome to become a reality, it is pivotal for adolescents to manage and save their money prudently. This article will shed some light on the best way for teenagers to save money.

         In my opinion, there are a few effectual ways to save money among teenagers. Among them are avoiding debt and storing money in the bank. To illustrate with an example, we should avoid debt by not overspending on unnecessary things which may lead to borrowing funds from other people. Besides that, young people are encouraged to save money in the bank. No one can deny that banks are the most safe place for us to store money without any risk of loss of money. However, I reckon that the best way for teenagers to save money is by buying second hand things. The following paragraphs will elaborate more on this simple yet ingenious method of stretching the dollar.

             In recent years, young people tend to buy new products and follow the trend to satisfy their vanity.If we think from a  different viewpoint, we can gain a lot of benefits by buying second hand things.Firstly,the price for second hand goods is affordable so we can save  money to buy the things that we really need.It is good way to ease our parents’ financial burden.Moreover,don't doubt that the quality of second hand products can be assured if we buy them from legitimate sites. Although there will be some flaws in the goods,it will not influence our daily user experience.A good example could be purchasing second hand reference books or gadgets like handphones and laptops.To wrap it all up, buying second hand things can reduce financial problems which are really important especially for needy families.

           Furthermore,this action is profitable for the environment.In this day and age,the volume of garbage is increasing by leaps and bounds.By practicing the action of buying second hand things,we can minimize the space of landfills to create a clean and favorable environment.For instance,reusing clothes or sports equipment such as badminton rackets are able to prevent them from ending up in landfills.All in all,buying second hand things is not only an extraordinary way to save money,but also an approach to decrease negative impact on the environment.

             There are numerous mediums for us to get second hand products.First and foremost,we can get them at charity shops or car boot sales.In some cases,we can get the second hand things that we want by exchanging our possessions with another person instead of utilizing money.Other than that,we can buy second hand products online through apps dedicated to second hand sales. It is convenient and able to save our time so we do not need to spend our time going out. By doing this,we can bargain the price of products to get high quality products at a cheaper price.

           In a nutshell,saving money is a crucial habit that we need to practice from the time we are young.This is necessary to ensure that we have a better and bright future without monetary concern.Everyone including educational and social institutions as well as social media platform must cooperate to cultivate the habit of money saving and wise management of money among adolescents.

BOOK REVIEW : The Lion, the witch and the Wardrobe

        A book that I recently had the opportunity to read was “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by CS Lewis. This young adult novel was published in 1989 and is written in English. The book is not very long at a modest 180 pages. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this adventurous tale and was hooked from start to finish. 

        The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a tale that begins with the four Pevensie children who somehow stumble upon a magical land called Narnia by walking through an enchanted wardrobe during a game of hide and seek. It is here the real adventure begins, as they discover sinister enemies lurking in the snowy wilderness and gather up their allies to battle the evil Witch and her soldiers while setting the innocent creatures of Narnia free. 

          This remarkable story has a number of elements that I admire. Firstly, I was impressed by the characters introduced by the author. Instead of incorporating tough superheroes, he makes use of children as the main protagonists. This makes the story appeal to the younger audience as they are able to relate to the innocence and normalcy of the main characters. Apart from that, the storyline never fails to keep me at the edge of my seat with suspense. Weaving in between thrilling battles and heart stopping encounters, the author keeps the reader hooked from start to finish. 

              In addition, another praiseworthy feature of this book is the language used. The author stays true to the young adult target audience and utilises modern yet understandable vocabulary and sentences throughout. The descriptive nature of the text also aids in visualising the storyline clearly. To complement the colourful language, were equally detailed illustrations on every few pages. In my opinion they did not overdo the visual aid and it added so much character to the novel, making it more appetising to a reader hungry for something to aid his or her imagination.

              Finally, I marvelled at the ending crafted by the author which tied up all the loose ends and provided satisfactory closure to the reader. There were many themes and lessons explored deeply throughout the novel, which the readers can take with them well after their reading experience. 

             All in all, I would definitely recommend this amazing work of fiction to all young adult readers. While it is highly entertaining, readers also stand to gain many important life lessons found throughout the storyline. This book is definitely a page turner till the end. 

ARTICLE : SAY NO TO PLASTIC

Say No to Plastic

By Liliana James

        Without realising it, plastics have become ubiquitous in our daily lives. Indeed, one can scarcely go more than 24 hours without encountering a piece of plastic whether in the form of packaging or a disposable piece of cutlery. With its undeniable benefits, have we gone too far in our use of this man-made material? While some have called for an outright ban on all plastic, others have taken the more moderate route and urged the public to say no to disposable plastics. In my opinion, I concur with the latter viewpoint that the general public should cease and reject the production of single-use plastics. 

        Single use plastics can be found in everyday routines. For instance, shopping bags used in supermarkets are typically made of plastic. In addition, drinking straws in fizzy or cold beverages as well as takeaway food packaging are also most commonly in plastic form. Once these items are used, they are often disposed of instead of being reused especially if they are wet or stained from food or drinks.  Consequently, most of this type of plastic waste ends up in landfills where their non biodegradable nature prevents them from breaking down into the soil. In the long run, we will have no land space to contain the trillions of kilos of plastic waste that we accumulate. 

            Another horrifying outcome is, some plastic finds its way to the rivers and oceans where they cause a lot of harm to marine creatures. Many cases of sea life like turtles and seagulls washed ashore with pieces of plastic lodged in their throats have made headlines globally. However, it is disheartening to see that human beings continue to treat this as if it were a trivial matter. 

              For all its dangers and disadvantages, ridding the world of plastic is no easy feat. Having said that, I believe that progress however little, is still a step forward. Afterall, Rome wasn’t built in a day.  In order to enjoy some measure of success, I opine that  governments should play a more active role in ensuring that nations drastically reduce their use of single-use plastics. This can be done by enforcing “no plastic bag” days in shopping malls, stores and supermarkets. It might inconvenience shoppers at first, but in the long term, bringing their own bags on a shopping trip will become second nature for consumers. Along with this enforcement, shoppers who still insist on plastic bags should be charged a small fee to deter them in the future. 

            Apart from that, whenever possible, governments should power “go green” campaigns in which schools can organise activities to educate students about the downside of using plastics. Pupils should also be encourage to bring their own food containers and reusable water bottles instead of relying on single-use packaging in the canteen. 

             At a consumer level, government bodies should promote and fund the development of greener alternatives to plastic. For example, items that are normally made of plastic could be replaced with paper or cloth. To illustrate the point, restaurants could switch to recycled paper or cardboard for their packaging and utilize paper or stainless steel straws for beverages. This in turn will greatly reduce the amount of non biodegradable waste material produced daily. 

              

             In conclusion, there is no question that we should work towards banning the use of disposable and single use plastic. Although it may take decades before we observe any notable change, the future generations only stand to reap the benefits of this gargantuan effort that begins with the simple action of saying no.

SHORT NOTE: Working On A Science Project

 You received an email from your classmate, Abdul who is your partner for a science project.

Hi, 

I was thinking we could work on our science project this Friday afternoon. Where shall we meet and what should we bring? How long should we work on it? 

Hope to hear from you soon!

Bye!

Write an email to your friend in about 80 words. Write your answer below. 

(STUDENT'S RESPONSE)

Dear Abdul,

        I totally agree with your idea that we should have a meeting to complete our science project this Friday.I think we can meet at Starbucks Coffee near to my house since it is serene there.We will be able to enjoy an aromatic cup of coffee if you feel unenergetic or sleepy. You should bring the science textbook and some writing materials while I will bring colour pencils and a few science notes for reference. Don't forget to bring a laptop so that we are able to search for some information about our project on Google.It will be quite useful! I think our project will be completed within two hours. Do you agree with that? Hope to hear from you soon. Goodbye.

(SAMPLE ANSWER)

Dear Abdul, 

       I think it’s a great idea to work on our project this Friday after school. In my opinion, the school library is the best place to meet up as it is air-conditioned and there are many science textbooks that we could rely on for reference. As for things to bring, I think our writing materials and science notes will suffice. Since this is our first meeting, we could do some light brainstorming for ideas before getting to work. If we begin after one o’clock, do you think we could wrap things up by three o’clock in the evening? I have a tuition class at four. Two hours should be sufficient to draft a course of action, don’t you think? Do you like the plan? Do let me know in your reply.

SHORT NOTE: SHOPPING ON THE WEEKEND

 You received an email from your new friend, Daisy who just moved to your neighbourhood. 

Hi, 

Do you have any plans this weekend? If you are free, I was thinking we could go shopping. Which mall could we go to and how can we go there? What can we eat there?
I am looking forward to your reply. 

Bye!

Write an email to your friend in about 80 words. Write your answer below. 

(STUDENT'S ANSWER)

Hi Daisy,

           Hi, how are you? Really nice of you to keep in touch. Of course I’d love shopping with you this weekend. I think we can go to Sutera Mall which is near to our house. Since our parents are busy on the weekend, we can take a taxi there. I heard there is a new pizza outlet so we can try it out. Besides that, we could go to the library there to enjoy the serene ambience and read some fascinating books since you are a bookworm! I can't wait to meet with you. See you soon, goodbye!

(SAMPLE ANSWER)

Hi Daisy!

       How are you doing? I’d love to go shopping with you this weekend, even if it’s just window shopping. I think the nearest mall is Paradigm mall. I don’t think we should risk going any further than that. As for transport, my brother will be able to give us a lift as he is on a semester break from college. If we leave at 11pm, it will be lunch time when we’re done. I suggest we try out a new chicken rice restaurant at the mall. I’ve heard great reviews. Let me know what you think!

ARTICLE : Only Child VS Siblings

 (STUDENT'S WORK) 

Introduction:  Many children thrive on being the only child and many do well with siblings. However, this begs the question, which is truly better, being an only child or having siblings? This essay will attempt to compare and contrast the benefits of both being an only child and growing up with siblings.
Only Child	Growing up with Siblings
You will learn how to be independent  You would enjoy all your parents’ attention and love  You would enjoy the best of everything that money can buy.	Can help with issues, like studies / personal  Elder siblings will often treat younger siblings to a good meal or help with picking up or sending  Your first bestie. never feel bored at home  Teaches responsibility and how to care for others Childhood squabbles among siblings teaches us to stand up for ourselves
Conclusion : (your opinion)

    Many children thrive on being the only child and many do well with siblings. However, this begs the question, which is truly better, being an only child or having siblings? This essay will attempt to compare and contrast the benefits of both being an only child and growing up with siblings.

On the one hand, being an only child offers the opportunity for us to learn how to be an independent person. For instance, when we face a difficulty about our school work, we will try to find the answer ourselves instead of relying on our siblings to give us the solutions. What is more, we can enjoy all our parents’ attention and love. We will not experience the feeling of isolation and discrimination. The reason seems to be obvious; our parents are willing to sacrifice all their time to keep us company. In addition, we are able to enjoy the best of everything that money can buy. The reason for this is, our parents will satisfy our demands as much as possible. In short, being an only child can be a blessing.

On the other hand, growing up with siblings provides countless benefits as well. Firstly, we can share our feelings and secrets with them. As a result, we will not unleash our resentment or unpleasant feelings just on social media. Besides, we will not be lonely and bored at home. By having a sibling, we can carry out a lot of fascinating activities such as baking and playing chess rather than spend all our time on our handphones.

In addition, our ability to take good care of someone will be enhanced. This is because we will tend to take care of each other if our parents are not available. We are also helped by our siblings when we face some issues about studying or personal problems. To wrap it up, with the company of siblings during our growth, we will be surrounded by gaiety and gladness.

From my point of view, I would say I would prefer growing up with siblings without any hesitation. Despite some inevitable squabbles, I enjoy the moment when all the siblings gather together and have a chitchat to exchange our own ideas as well as share our feelings. I reckon it was the perfect way to release my pressure and cheer me up.

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. 

SHORT NOTE: group study

Dear Jacinta, 

   It has been ages since we spoke! I am really nervous about the upcoming examinations. Thank you for agreeing to do some revision with me. I could really use the help. 

   There is a McDonald’s restaurant that is open 24 hours in Taman Megah where I live. I think this is a convenient place as we might take some time going through past-year questions together. Other than that, we can order some affordable snacks if we do get hungry while studying. 

   I suggest we meet at 3pm on Tuesday after lunch. Are you okay with that? My mom can pick you up on the way, as she isn’t working that day. I don’t think studying too late at night is a good idea, and we should call it a day by 7pm at the latest. 

    As for what we should study, I am hoping to revise additional mathematics with you. We could tackle some model test papers and compare solutions together. I understand that you find history a bit intimidating. Don’t worry, I’ve made some flashcards for easy memorising and i’ll share with you some interesting mnemonics that my teacher created for us. 

    I hope we make the most of this study session and ace the exams. See you there!

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

MOVIE REVIEW : Jumanji

 The editor of your school newspaper has invited students to send in reviews of a film they have seen recently which would be of interest to their fellow students. Write your review. 

MOVIE REVIEW (STUDENT'S WORK) 

Name:	Jumanji: Welcome to the jungle
Director:	Joe Johnston
Genre:	Action/Adventure
Year made:	2017
Starring: (actors)
INTRO PARAGRAPH:	Jumanji: Welcome to the jungle ia an American film directed by Jake Kasdan.It is a comedy and action film which stars Dwayne Johnson as Dr.Xander, Karen Gillan as Ruby, Madison as Bethany and Kevin Hart as Franklin. The film is set in 2018 and received a great review from the spectators. It was one of the biggest box-office hits of all time.
Plot of Movie:	Four high schoolers discover an old video game console and are drawn into the game’s jungle setting. They become the adult avatar they choose unexpectedly. What they discover is all of the characters in the games have only three lives. They must survive in the life-threatening conditions, beat the game and return to the real world. They experience the most dangerous adventure of their lives and endeavor to overcome the ordeal or risk getting stuck in the game forever.
COMMENTS Acting:  Soundtrack :  Special effects:  Plot: Costumes:	A special feature of the film is the careful attention that was given to detail in order to make the setting look authentic and to help develop the story. The soundtrack of this film is excellent and matched every scene beautifully.         In addition, what I found superb, is the performance of the four main characters. They are absolutely convincing and present clearly the attribute of the characters in the movie. It is full of action, plus, it has an unpredictable ending which really shocked me.         There were a few times when the movie felt a bit drawn out, but the captivating action scenes and funny dialogues really held the audience’s attention to the end. It is no wonder that the film is suitable for adults as well as children.                  The costumes are probably the only disappointment because they were too simple and lacked imagination. However, this is easily forgiven in exchange for the high-quality entertainment.
RECOMMENDATION :	Overall, there is never a dull moment in Jumanji. The plot is fascinating and unusual. It is a highly entertaining film which is sure to be one of the year’s biggest box office hits. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from the very beginning to the final credits. If you haven’t seen it, make sure you do!