Theme: ‘English - A Bridge to Other Worlds’
English, a language which can be described as a journeyman, travelling thousands of miles from its origin and through time, evolving from a language only used by the lowly, to one that is widely used in this modern society. Out of approximately 230,000 words in the English language, one may wonder why ‘journeyman’ is used to describe this language. Just like Marco Polo who travelled around the world and shared his sights with his countrymen, the English language has indeed paved a way for us to explore the countless different ‘worlds’ we have in this green and blue marble in the galaxy.
We have English as a universal language for communication just as we have universal indicators for use in the sciences. As the word ‘universal’ indicates, it is used and understood by all. This powerful language tears down the barriers between countries in this sphere where human beings reside. Take for example; if a English man has no knowledge on the Chinese language, it would be near impossible for him to survive in China, for the locals would deem his language as alien and vice versa. However, we now live in an era where businessmen conduct business around the world, setting up their companies in foreign land. For example, the Expo 2010 will be held in Shanghai, China, and many countries from all parts of the world will be stepping forward to participate in it. I believe, unlike the English man mentioned earlier, the delegates would have no problem in communicating with each other. The world has indeed become more interconnected, with the English language acting as the bridge. Without it, the world would not be at the high stature it is in now, and instead be in the slums.
As the saying goes ‘curiosity kills the cat’, yet many people still thirst to know more. The world is vast, and countless languages and dialects are spoken across the globe. How will one be able to be fluent in every tongue in order to acquire the knowledge he desires? If a student were to do a research on Korea, would he be able to obtain the information he needs efficiently if he had to spend hours exhausting his brain cells in order to decipher the Korean language which has 24 Hangul characters which line up to form many different words. Yet, due to the rising up of the English language, we have access to information from all parts of the world. Even with Wikipedia, the clattering of fingers on the universal keyboard and the click of the mouse will expose you to a well of knowledge. Language will no longer be the trigger to ‘excess denied’ when one seeks knowledge, thus English bridging into the world of inexhaustible knowledge.
Would a typical Singaporean know of Hitler and his rule if the English language did not exist? Would historians be able to decipher what a Reichstag (elected parliament) was? The answer is definitely a no. The only reason that local Singaporean students are able to study the history of Germany, Russia, China and many other countries, and indulge in books that portray the rich history of those countries, is that the English language exists. It opens a window to the past, giving us a chance to learn from the mistakes of our ancestors, and an opportunity to create a better future for the next generation. It is the bridge that links the past, present and the future, just like the time machine that humans fantasise about.
Have you ever felt confused when your baby goes “googoo gaagaa” when he wants something? Have you ever felt frustrated when your baby cries incessantly and you no clue what he wants? Yet when the child learns a few words of the English language, for example: milk, mummy and daddy, everything once foggy becomes crystal clear, albeit the imperfect speech. This is when the English language erects a bridge between the minds of the parents and the child, removing the walls which prevent the parents and their child from understanding each other. This opens up the world of a child to his parents and vice versa.
In conclusion, English is indeed a language which has turned from a frog to a prince. It has opened up our eyes to the various worlds we have in our world. Though there are many worlds hidden out of sight, I’m certain that the English language would eventually reach out to those lost worlds, and build bridges and bonds that will unite us as one human race, one human family.
Pearly Melody Foo
10S01
(HAHA. wrote this for english week essay competition :D won 3rd! LOL.)
Personal Recount 13: Write about an important decision that your parents made regarding your welfare but the outcome was not what they anticipated.
At the age of twelve, I sat for the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE). After studying fervently and having countless sleepless nights due to nervousness, I scraped through the examinations half-dead, yet what I attained was far beyond my imagination. On the day the results were released, I was extremely worried. As the seconds ticked by, I heard my name being read out as the top student for the year, with a score of 270 out of 300. My mind blanked out, and my body twitched with excitement. I let out a gasp, and the people around me started patting my back and congratulating me on my achievement.
My parents were delighted with my results, and immediately decided that it was best to enroll me into the top notch girl secondary school in Singapore-Regent Girls Secondary School. They thought that was the best for me to achieve my fullest potential, despite my objections as I preferred Aristocrat Secondary School. The days flew by and the posting results were released. I had gotten into Regent Girls Secondary School. The next few days were filled with multiple events of reporting to the school for registration and purchasing uniforms and books. However, my heart was filled with dismay as I was not allowed to choose the school I wanted, and had to go according to my parents’ wishes.
New Year came and went, and school started. I was dreading the first day of school, as most of my friends went to neighborhood schools. Days whizzed by, administrative matters were settled, orientation camp was held, and soon, lessons started and school was in a full swing. However, I soon realised that I was unable to cope with the lessons, and my grades were constantly low. Soon enough, my position in class dropped from the middle range to the bottom.
I knew my performance in school would disappoint my parents greatly, as they worked hard to pay the high school fees, and that they had very high expectations of me. I felt very depressed, and started drinking to chase away the sorrows, and getting high. However, alcohol was insufficient to curb my depression, and I moved on to smoking. By the age of 14, I was a compulsive smoker, and was often high on alcohol. With such habits, I paid no attention to my studies and my grades stayed at the bottom of the class. I was often seen around with bloodshot eyes, and I went to school, often on a hangover after binging on alcohol the night before. My teachers and parents were very concerned. However, I just shrugged them off as if they were flies buzzing around me. My classmates shunned me, and I was the ostracized one, the one who had no friends or knowledge.
One day, a burly girl came up to me and asked me to join her gang. I accepted, as I thought it was cool and I had found acceptance. We hung out day and night, dunking cans of alcohol and smoking pack after pack of cigarettes at void decks. I was wasting my life away, yet I did not care. I could not face the reality of my grades. How could I, an ace student, become a delinquent? I read this quote in a book before, “When you are at your lowest point, you cannot get any lower than that, as you have hit rock bottom already” , at this point, I felt that I was bad enough already, how bad could I get from this point? One day, one of my gang mates passed me a packet of white powder, saying, “This is the real deal, it outshines the other ‘highs’ you have gotten in the past.” Curious, I decided to try the white powder out. I poured some of the powder into a metal spoon and heated it. The powder turned into liquid and it began to smoke. I lapped up the smoke eagerly and waited for it to take effect. It felt euphoric, and I started drifting in and out of consciousness. It was fabulous, and the dark cloud that fogged up my mind for the past two years dissipated.
From that day onwards, I was devoted to the ‘all mighty’ heroin. It relieved all the pain and it seemed like the most benevolent ‘god’ of all the ‘gods’ in the universe. For two years, my addiction got worse, and I took in increasing amounts of heroin. I knew I was a wreck, my parents were extremely worried, yet I did not care. All they were to me were the accursed humans who caused me to become what I am. They forced me into this, they ruined me. I lived day and night with negative thoughts circling in my mind.
Once fateful night, when I was sixteen, I was finally caught by the police when I was smoking heroin in a dark alley. While they tried to handcuff me, I stuck a needle into my arm and squeezed the piston, emptying the liquid heroin in the syringe into my veins. That was the last supper.
That night, I was driven to a drug rehabilitation centre, and there I stayed for the next two years. I vividly remember the look on my parents’ faces when they visited me. Even the most profound words in this world could describe the disappointment displayed on their faces. That night, I swore to change. No matter what happened in the past, they worked so hard to bring me up, I could not disappoint them any further. The two years in rehabilitation was pure torture. The withdrawal symptoms were horrifying. Cold turkey just made things worse. I longed for heroin so much, that even a drop would do just fine. I drifted in and out of consciousness, hoping that the days would pass by quickly, and I would be out of this hell hole. There came a point of time, I needed heroin no more. The treatment was working. I felt exhilarated. Could this be a turning point?
Two years later, I stepped out of the rehabilitation centre, and proudly exclaimed to my parents that I was drug-free. My parents’ eyes were brimming with tears. I could clearly see that they were proud of me, though the disappointment I saw that night two years ago was deeply etched in my mind. Upon my release, I took up studying again, completing my ‘O’ levels, attaining a diploma in Biomedical Sciences, and eventually entering Harvard University, majoring in dentistry. Today, I’m proud to say I’m still drug-free. Need a dental checkup? Come to me!
(written '09 14 essay pia week. i like the last line)
Personal Recount 11: Write about an occasion when you revealed a secret and suffered as a result.
“You will pay for betraying the triad, Shana!” yelled Alastor as he stormed out of the room. Those were the words that marked the beginning of a year haunted by fear and suffering, which happened two years ago.
I joined the triad when I was sixteen, enticed by the bad company I hung out with. I came from a broken family and the triad was like a family to me, with those ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’ who would protect me from harm. I yearned for acceptance, and there I found the answer to my desire.
Arson, gang fights, drug trafficking were daily activities of my life in the triad. I participated actively in all the triad activities, and was loyal to the triad, and soon, I rose up the ranks quickly and held a high position. Yet, little did I realise that my rise to glory was short lived, and I would be on the run from the place I called home.
It all started when I met Allen at the pub, he came over to where I was relaxing after a day of work, and struck a conversation with me. We got along well, and soon, we started dating. Soon after, he started to probe about my work in the triad. I thought nothing of it and shrugged him off, telling him there is nothing interesting about my work. Then one day, in drunken stupor, I unknowingly spilled the beans about the triad’s top secret drug trafficking mission which was to be held on Friday night.
Friday came, and at the stroke of midnight, the mission was carried out. The drug runners hopped onto motorbikes and zoomed off in the middle of the night to their various delivery destinations. However, they never reached their destination as they were apprehended by the authorities. A few days later, many police cars surrounded our headquarters. Men in black stepped out of the cars and they were led by Allen. “Everyone freeze! Put your hands above your heads.” He shouted. I had a shock of my life. Allen walked up to me and said, “Thank you for the information you told me when you were drunk. I will be expecting a huge payroll after this case.” Upon hearing that, I stood rooted to the ground, dazed. My ‘family’ stared at me with hateful look, and they swore revenge on me. Some of the brothers stayed out to fight the policemen, while the rest retreated to our underground escape routes. I ran for my life.
For the next eight months, I was running away from the triad, as they hunt me down for revenge. Many times, they were close to capturing me, but I managed to escape. Finally, on a fateful Sunday, they managed to capture me resting in an alley, burning with fever.
The moment I realised they were approaching, I tried to run. Yet the road ahead was blurry, and my body was extremely weak from the fever, and as they loomed above me, I blacked out. When I regained consciousness, I was chained to a bed, and my eyes were blindfolded and my mouth was taped up with electric tape. My body felt extremely sore and painful, and while I tried to break free, I felt a searing pain on my cheek. The blindfold and the tape was ripped from my face violently, and I gave a yelled in agony. Before my eyes were my triad mates. Alastor, my best friend, stared at me with eyes filled with hatred, and started slapping my face with great strength fuelled by anger. I cringed at the pain and kept silent.
Then, the triad boss entered the room. He sat himself on a chair like a king on his throne, and started questioning me. I told him I was sorry for letting out the secret, and I did not do it on purpose. He accepted the reason in account of my years of loyalty, but affirmed that I had to be punished for my mistake. The verdict was out, I was to be tortured to my triad’s mates’ content, in order to repay for what I did. The next two months was living hell, every single day I was beaten and tortured, and some of them tried to take liberties with me. After two months in their hands, I was a wreck, and when they were done with me, they kicked me out, leaving me helpless and homeless with no place to go to.
I picked myself up, and for the next few months, I strove to be self sufficient. I wanted to rid myself of my old ways, and lead a life of a lawful citizen. Although I am a mere odd jobber now, I am glad that those days were behind me. Nevertheless, I am still haunted by the secret I let out by accident, and the consequences that followed, and I lived by this principle from that day on-a secret shall remain untold.
(written during 14 essay pia :X this one ah i was infatuated with shakugan no shana :))
Descriptive Writing #12: This is your last year in school. Describe some of the places in school that you will remember and miss when you graduate.
“…Dong.” The last chime of the school bell rang, marking the end of the school day. Four years have flown by, gone in the blink of an eye. The noisy chatter of the students filing of the school, were like bees buzzing in a bonnet. If I listened hard enough, my ears would catch a line or two of the numerous conversations being held. A high pitched voice rang in my ears, rattling off a student’s usual grouses of the never-ending pile of homework the teachers pile on them, and a chirpy, melodious voice exuding a student’s joy that the holidays had arrived.
Knowing that I would never be back soon, I took a stroll around the school. Walking towards the school porch, the beautiful flowers in a wide array of colours caught my eye. Those were the very flowers which invited me into the school four years ago. It’s cheery colours wrote off the fears of a timid twelve year old, stepping into an alien concrete forest which harbored an abundance of knowledge. Taking a few steps forward, and looking through the transparent glass cabinets, I saw the wide collection of trophies attained by the school. Whether it was gold, silver or bronze, all glittered under the yellow light like stars, painting a picture of those joyous occasions for all to see.
My nose caught a mouth-watering aroma, which led me to the canteen. There before me, were eight food stores which sold delicious dishes. Imagine: The sour and spicy taste of the Malay mee siam, the crispy and succulent taste of the lemon chicken with a tangy taste of citrus, as well as the refreshing and sweet fruits. The combination of all the fantastic smelling food, was one so aromatic, that one’s mouth would start to water, and would be gulping down their saliva uncontrollably. A bite would not be sufficient to do justice to such good food, and a whiff of it would only get you asking for more.
“Thud, thud, thud.” The familiar sound of a ball bouncing on the ground was like music to my ears. Unknowingly, I had wandered to the parade square, which housed the netball court. The podium was beside the court, where two flagpoles stood proud and tall. The flags billowed in the cool breeze, exuding the grace and beauty of our country. Below was the navy blue concrete ground, lined with white lines which marked out the court, and the pattern was finished off with a red border. A baby blue coloured netball pole stood at each end of the court, and fourteen girls ran around the court, playing the game with much joy and professionalism. Standing there, I felt overwhelmed by nostalgia. Memories of the time spent training hard under the merciless scorching hot sun, knees with mildly charred skin due to countless push-ups done on the burning ground, and the sound of shoes pattering lightly on the court while running rushed through my mind.
Oh this wonderful secondary school of mine, I cannot bear to leave, and words will never be sufficient to describe how I feel about you. Walking out of the metallic school gates, I turned and waved goodbye to the majestic building which housed countless happy memories. I will miss you, Riverside.
Personal Recount 3: Write about an incident in your personal life that made you realize how important your family is to you.
“Mrs Wong, I’m afraid to tell you that you have contracted stage three breast cancer.” These very words of the doctor struck me like a rock. My mind slipped into a whirl of confusion, I tried to delude myself that what the doctor said was merely a dream. I even attempted to pinch myself to check if I were awake. The pinch hurt, and cold, cruel reality dawned on me.
All these began when I found a small lump on my breast, and I thought it was merely a benign lump or just a lump that would recede in a few days. Soon, I forgot all about it as work life as a teacher was extremely hectic. However, one day, while I was taking a shower, I realised that the lump was still there. It had not receded, and instead had become bigger. I became panicky and decided to pay a visit to the doctor for test for breast cancer, and after a CT scan and blood tests, it was confirmed that I had breast cancer.
I had only one choice of treatment, and that was chemotherapy, followed by lumpectomy. Breaking the news of my condition to my husband and family was not an easy feat. Upon knowing, my parents were extremely worried, but they assured me that we will get through this as a family, as sickness was a part and parcel of life which is meant to be overcome. My husband on the other hand, comforted me, and told me everything would be okay. With this, I gave the doctor the green light to go ahead with the treatment.
Two weeks later, my treatment started, and I had to go to the hospital for chemotherapy for 4 days a week. Getting many tubes stuck into my arm, with radioactive drugs flowing from the machines into my bloodstream. The drugs were like little soldiers, marching in to eliminate the evil cancer cells. The aftermath was the one that tortured me physically and mentally. I started to vomit out everything I ate, and I could barely eat a mouthful of food before regurgitating everything into a plastic bag. However horrible I may have felt, my family members were always there for me. My mother brewed nutritious soups for me daily, my dad told me about the latest news and the gossips that were being passed around, to lift my spirits up , and my husband visited me every day after a tiring day at work, and accompanied me home after my treatment.
As the chemotherapy progressed on, the after effects of treatment was so horrible that I became delirious. I would start shuddering, begging the staff to stop the treatment, and pleading with my mother to allow me to commit suicide. However, my family never gave up on me. The more I wanted to give up, the more they encouraged me to go on. They were my source of strength to get myself out of this dark hole I was stuck in. Soon, tufts of hair began falling off my head as the radioactive drugs attacked my living cells. Day and night I prayed hard, hoping that Lord God Almighty would deliver me from the pain.
One day, the doctor announced that I could get off chemotherapy and get ready for lumpectomy. By then, I was so weak from the treatment that I did not know whether to be happy or sad. Nevertheless, my family continued to shower an abundance of love, care and concern on me. 25 June 2008, I was wheeled into the operating theatre, eager to come out a few hours later and see myself rid of those cancerous cells.
The anesthetist placed a mask over my mouth and told me to count to ten. I barely got to five, when my world blacked out. What seemed like minutes passed, and when I opened my eyes once again, I was at the recovery ward, and the first thing I saw, was the worry-plagued faces of my family staring down at me. I gave them a weak smile, and passed out once more.
Days after the operation, I drifted in and out of consciousness. Yet every time I opened my eyes, I never fail to see one of family members sitting by my bed. Weeks passed, as I slowly recovered, my cheeks regained its colour and my eyes shone. Nothing could be better than the news that I was cancer-free.
Throughout those tough times battling with cancer, I came to know how important my family was to me. From that day onwards, I never took my parents for granted again and my relationship with my husband blossomed. Everything else in the world is secondary, so is money. Yet, kinship and family will always be the most important. So, treasure your family members, before it is too late.
(written during '09 14 compo. i wrote this for chinese too. thn tcher scold me for writing narrative ._.)
Descriptive writing 7: Describe one of the tourist attractions in your country. Why would you recommend visitors to go there?
Despite being only a red dot on the world map, Singapore has a wide variety of tourist attractions which draws tourists from all parts of the world to this tropical country all year round. When visitors first enter Singapore, the first place they would want to head to is the renowned Singapore Zoological Gardens, as well as the Jurong Bird Park. However, there is one offshore island that houses a wide variety of attractions for those on a holiday to visit, and it is none other than Sentosa.
Getting to Sentosa is no mean feat. Just climb aboard the long and sleek black and white MRT train as take a short ride down to Harbourfront station. From there, you can choose to hop on a Sentosa bus or take the newly erected monorail to make your way onto the island. I would suggest taking the monorail, as it will be an eye opener. You will be able to see our shipping port with to magnificent structure, well equipped with cranes and machinery to ensure smooth loading and unloading of good. Also, you will get a sneak peek of the Integrated Resort which is still under construction. Though most of it is still in scaffolding, you can see a rough outline of the buildings that would spring up from there, and you would too, be able to see the thrilling red and blue roller coaster tracks of the theme park.
A step in Sentosa will open the door to a world filled with fun and adventure altogether. Imagine, lush beaches with soft white sand, baking under the burning rays of the sun. The waves rush up the sandy coves, sweeping up seaweed and shells. The sea water is painted a rich blue, and the sunlight reflects off the ripples as if it were a mirror, giving the waves a shiny finishing. Grab a bottle of suntan lotion, your shades and a beach towel, and pamper yourself sun tanning. The sand is so soft that you will feel as if you are lying on the clouds, with Mr Sun smiling cheerfully at you. The call of the seabirds and the sound of the waves crashing on the beach will be like music to the ears.
If the beach is not the place for you, and you have a roving eye and love for marine animals, head down to the underwater world to satisfy your burning passion for them. Pink jellyfish, sharks of all kinds, seals, dewgongs, and even the stars of ‘Finding Nemo’! Just name it, and you will get it. It will be an enjoyable and fruitful experience! On top of that, the underwater world ticket comes coupled with an exciting treat, and it is none other than a ticket to the dolphin lagoon! Watch the beautiful pink dolphins perform trick and splash around the water with them! If you long to bring them home with you, fret not as you can take a photograph with them, and they will be with you where ever you go!
If you a tourist who is a great fan of history, take a trip down to Fort Canning, as it houses a wide range of historical monuments based on World War 2. It proudly displays the heavy artillery used in combat, as well as sharing Singapore’s experience in the war. Feel the wrath of the Japanese soldiers and hear the voices of the tortured and killed. Spine-chilling it may sound, but it is truly one of the milestones that brought Singapore to where it is now.
These attractions are only a handful of what Sentosa boasts of. There are many more like the wax museum and the musical fountain. Visit Sentosa now, and it will be a trip you will never forget!
(written '09 during the 14 essay period - this is the one miss lim say can sell to sentosa ._.)
