DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY

A famous person you admire

There are many famous people in the world who are in the entertainment line, science field and so on. The person I admire in particular is actor Tom Hiddleston. He was born in Westminster, London, as the middle child with two sisters.

Tom Hiddleston is best known for his role as Loki in the films 'Thor', 'The Avengers' and 'Thor: The Dark World'. In 'Thor', Loki was the main antagonist, striving to claim the throne of Asgard and was willing to kill his brother, Thor and father, Odin for it. In the end he failed and was sucked into an abyss and later reappeared in 'The Avengers', seeking to claim the Earth as his own with the help of the Chitauri, an alien race with a massive army but was defeated by the Avengers, comprising Thor, Ironman, Captain America, Hawkeye, Hulk and Black Widow. He was later sent into jail by Odin in 'Thor: The Dark World' and later joined forces with Thor to defeat Malekith, leader of the dark elves, only to be seemingly killed by the Kursed. He was later seen impersonating Odin.

What I like about Tom Hiddleston is that he brings out the character Loki really well. He plays Loki with so much compassion and really brings the character to life from the comics to the big screen. I love the way he acts, taking up each scene with much anticipation and compassion. In 'Thor', he was first seen as a person who will do anything to seize power. The way he acted as Loki in 'The Avengers', bringing out the mad and evil side of Loki, really caught everyone's attention. Throughout the movie, he showed how power-hungry Loki could be and that he would take whatever it took to seize control of the Earth. In 'Thor: The Dark World', he showed that he had a reason to help Thor and that he loved his stepmother, Frigga, deeply. He demonstrated the love when he used magic to smash furniture against the walls when he found out about her death.

When he first signed up for 'Thor', he tried out for the character Thor but was found to be unsuitable. But during the interviews, he showed so much determination and was seen as the perfect person to play Loki.

In real life, he is known to value his fans and always entertains them well. He will tweet with them on Twitter and he even has a group, called "Loki's Army", going after him. That is how much Tom Hiddleston has influenced the world of entertainment as one of the best villains to ever take on the big screen. During interviews, he would always be jovial and tell jokes. Even his own fellow actors like Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth say that he is a fun and supportive actor, even though he is the eldest among the trio. Two of his personality traits that I admire are that he always does his best and he is extremely humble.

To sum it up, Tom Hiddleston is one celebrity I really admire and I would love to meet him one day. I hope that my dream would come true in the near future.

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

School children should not have long holidays. Do you agree?

When asked if school children should have long holidays, the answers of different individuals will certainly differ. Some people have the opinion that school children should be entitled to long holidays while the others disagree. From my point of view, school children should be given long holidays. I have my own reasons for thinking so.

The freedom of school children is normally restricted by their parents during the school days as they want their children to focus on their studies in order to pass their examinations with flying colours. Apart from schooling, they have to spend a lot of time doing their homework and attending tuition classes as well. As a result, they hardly have any time left for leisure pursuits. During school holidays, more freedom is usually given and children are able to spend their time on activities that they are fond of. For example, if children have green fingers, they can spend more time on gardening. They can also spend more time on their favourite sports in order to keep fit both physically and mentally.

The arrival of long school holidays is also a good time for children to strengthen their family ties, since families need to spend time together in order to bond. Examples of activities that assist to develop close family ties are having a picnic at the seaside and playing sports and games. When children involve in family activities such as cleaning the house and preparing a meal, they learn about the spirit of cooperation and burden-sharing, thus promoting strong family ties. Besides, they learn to be more independent and responsible when they do household chores such as washing the clothes and dishes, sweeping the floor, laying the table before a meal, making their own beds, and so forth.

Another reason why long holidays are necessary is that children need to meet other relatives and to socialise with friends in the community so as to improve their interpersonal skills, since 'no man is an island'. This can be extremely beneficial to them and helps them be better equipped especially when they grow up and starts working in the society.

It is true that many parents face problems during long school holidays as their children waste their time by spending it on undesirable activities such as playing too much computer games and getting into bad company. However, I believe that such problems can be solved through proper planning, guidance and time management.

FACTUAL/EXPOSITORY ESSAY

How to keep oneself healthy

There is a saying, 'health is better than wealth'. The saying is extremely true - a man may be immensely rich, but without health, he can hardly

enjoy his wealth. Since health is so important, how does one keep oneself healthy?

One of the most effective ways to keep fit is through exercising. Doing exercise helps to reduce the risk of contracting heart diseases and getting stroke. Other than that, it also helps to decrease the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure and colon cancer. People who exercise regularly are able to maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints. Therefore, it is advisable to do exercise such as walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, doing push-ups, skipping, playing sports, et cetera three to four times a week for about half an hour per session to maintain good health.

Having a balanced diet is another key factor in ensuring a healthy life. It is important to eat food that is rich in nutrients. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich sources of vitamins and minerals that are essential in order to keep fit. For strong bones and teeth, drink more yogurt and milk and eat more cheese. Other food that contributes to a balanced diet includes fish, poultry, eggs, beef, beans, nuts and tofu. It is advisable to avoid food that contains too much sugar as it causes bad health. The same goes for junk food and also food made from refined flour as a lot of nutrients are destroyed during the refining process. Unfortunately, most bread is made from refined flour nowadays. It is best to increase the intake of natural foods as they contain plenty of natural goodness which we cannot do without to possess good health.

It is wise to avoid smoking and drinking alcohol, since they damage our lungs and livers respectively, besides bringing forth other harmful effects to our bodies. Taking drugs can be a serious problem as it usually causes addictions, diseases and cancers. In serious cases, it may even cause deaths. Thus, it is advisable to stay away from drugs.

Having sufficient sleep is also a vital factor. Every day, school children, teenagers and adults should get 10 to 11 hours, 8 to 9 hours and 7 to 9 hours of sleep respectively. The insufficiency of sleep can lead to serious heart problems, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and obesity. To improve the quality of our sleep, it is important to sleep in complete darkness, since artificial light interferes with the production of hormones or chemicals that tells our body to rest. If we are unable to eliminate the light in our room, then wear an eye mask.

Over-eating and under-eating can give rise to health problems as well. Therefore we should eat the right amount of food each meal.

About 70 percent of our body is made of water. Since our body is constantly using it up, we need to drink about 8 glasses of water daily to replenish it. Water is needed to flush toxins out of our vital organs, carry nutrients to our cells and provide a moist environment for our ear, nose and throat tissues. It also cools our body through the process of

perspiration. When sweat evaporates from our skin, it takes heat with it and lowers our body temperature.

In conclusion, it is extremely vital for us to do everything in moderation. As long as one cultivates good habits and leads a healthy lifestyle, it is not difficult to keep oneself healthy.

NARRATIVE ESSAY

Write a story ending with: "If only I had been more careful, that wouldn't have happened."

One Saturday afternoon, I had to babysit my three-year-old little sister. My mother was going out and my father had to work overtime.

My little sister, Angie, was cute and witty. She had a pair of large sparkling eyes and a pretty face. She was hyperactive and loved to play hide-and-seek with me. Though we had a loving relationship, there were annoying moments as well. A few months ago, I accidentally left my geography project, which I had just completed, in the living room. I was supposed to hand in the handwritten project to my teacher the next day. When Angie got hold of it, she tore it into pieces. Although I was furious to find out she had done, I had myself to blame for not keeping the project in an appropriate place. Consequently, I had to stay up late to redo the whole project.

Not long after I started to babysit Angie that afternoon, my best classmate, Victor, called me on the phone. He told me that his father had just bought him the latest model of 'PlayStation' and he invited me to play computer games together with him at his house. I accepted his invitation and decided to bring Angie along.

Victor was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His father was an extremely successful and wealthy businessman. Upon arriving at the gate of his triple-storey palatial mansion, I pressed the doorbell. Soon, a servant appeared in a golf cart. With the cart, he brought Angie and me to the house as there was a large garden at its front. Victor greeted us on the porch. After entering his house, he led us up a flight of grand staircase which led to his spacious bedroom located on the second storey of the house.

Victor offered us some refreshment. Then, we started to play a computer game. Angie was left to play on her own. While we were playing the game, she was playing with some of Victor's soft toys. We were so engrossed by the game that we forgot to keep an eye on her. About fifteen minutes later, all of sudden we heard screams from the staircase. At that moment, we realised that Angie was missing from the room.

"Where's Angie, Ben?" Victor asked.

"That beats me!" I replied.

Extremely taken aback, we ran out of the room to check what had happened. We were shocked to see Angie lying at the bottom of the stairs. It appeared that she had fallen down the stairs. She was unconscious. Victor called for an ambulance instantly and Angie was sent to hospital.

After a doctor had examined Angie, she was found to suffer from a broken arm. She had to be hospitalised for treatment. I got a good scolding from my parents for being so irresponsible. I was also grounded for a fortnight. I felt sorry for Angie and regretted my negligence. If only I had been more careful, that wouldn't have happened.

ONE WORD/ OPEN ESSAY

Friends

It all started at boarding school. I was sent to boarding school at the age of 13 in the hope that I would excel in my studies. But I was quiet and always got bullied by older kids. Only one person stood up for me: Sam Berenson. We became best friends and later, we went to the same university and graduated with honours. We were recruited into a spy agency and soon rose to the rank of spies.

One day, we were assigned a covert operation - to retrieve a special hard drive containing information of the agency's agents which was stolen by

rebels a couple of weeks ago. We packed our bags and were soon on our way to the drop site.

The helicopter dropped us off at the drop zone and we parachuted down into the compound. Some rebel soldiers were patrolling around the compound. We slipped past them and headed towards the safe, where the hard drive was located. I connected the decryption device to the safe lock and proceeded to unlocking the safe.

"Let's just grab the hard drive and get out of here," I whispered to Sam. He nodded and drew his gun as a precaution. After unlocking the safe, I grabbed the hard drive just before rebels stormed into the room.

"Hands on your heads," they yelled and we did as told. The rebel leader approached us.

"Give back the hard drive," he hissed at me.

I hesitated. Suddenly, Sam pointed his gun at me and said, "Do as he says."

"What do you think you're doing?" I hissed at him, very much surprised.

"The rebels offer better perks then the agency does. Besides, it won't be around much longer once we eliminate all its agents," he grinned at me. He yanked the hard drive from me and handed it over to the rebel leader, who put it back into the safe.

"Kill him," the rebel leader instructed but Sam said, "No. Let me do it." He dragged me out of the compound and to the extraction zone. "Forgive me, William," he said and shot me in the stomach. I fell onto the dirt as he walked off into the night. I fumbled for my radio and said, "Agent down. Need help," before blacking out.

The next thing I knew, I was in the sick bay with my boss next to me. "We're getting ready for a full assault by the rebels. Agent Berenson defected to them," he said.

"I know," I said, pointing to my bandages.

"Our field agents have been compromised. Most were taken down by Berenson himself," he started just as an agent burst into the room.

"They've started the attack," he panted and both of them quickly left the room. I heard gunshots coming from the hallway and I painfully stood up and grabbed my jacket. I stumbled into the hallway where many agents were shooting at the rebels. Many rebels fell but so did the agents. I staggered past many bodies before I heard a voice saying, "Kill the rogue agent. He has no further use to us," and I heard a gunshot.

I hid as the rebels came round the corner and when they came near, I shot them down. I went to where Sam lay and tried to help him up. "After what I did, you came back for me," he mumbled. "That's what friends are for," I said and he placed his hand on my shoulder. "They've planted a bomb which is bound to blow any minute in the basement. Disable it," he choked and he closed his eyes. I laid him down gently and went down to the basement. I disabled the bomb and after hours of bloodshed, we finally won.

Even though Sam betrayed us, he was given a decent burial. I laid my hand on the coffin and said, "Rest in peace now, my friend." Then, I left.

DIRECTED WRITING

ARTICLE: Factual

Haze: A Danger to Health

The haze is a constant phenomenon faced by Malaysia and her neighbouring countries. The haze is basically pollution of atmosphere, which is clogged with pollutants and other substances from forest fires.

The haze is a direct effect of forest fire in Kalimantan and other parts of Indonesia due to slash and burn method of farming. The Indonesian authorities appear to have no power to control farmers from practising such methods. The haze is further worsened by open burning practised by most Malaysians. Open-field burning of rice straw by the rice planters and open burning of dried leaves and garbage done by the public are a few examples that done by Malaysian. Many are ignorant of the health effects of open burning.

During the haze, hospitals and clinic often report a dramatic increase in respiratory problems, lung infections and asthma attack. The Air Pollution Index (API) usually indicates the hazardous and dangerous levels of pollution during

this period. The haze has long-term side effects. Prolonged inhalation of polluted air will result in serious lung infection which particularly affects the elderly.

The government must play its role to reduce the haze treat. It has to cooperate with the Indonesian authorities to stamp out forest fires. The culprits must be brought to justice, either through healthy fine or prison sentence. Constant vigilance would ensure the perpetrators do not repeat their offence.

The government should also raise the public awareness of the dangers of forest fire. Continuous campaign of the cause, solutions and steps-need-to-be-taken to reduce the haze need to be promoted through all types of social media like television, radio, newspaper and even via internet. The authorities should also provide assistance to farmers and introduce more sophisticated forest clearing methods.

In Malaysia, strict laws must be imposed to penalise those who practise open burning. On-going campaigns on the dangers of open burning should be intensified. Individuals too have a role to play. They must participate in every campaign and stop burning. Students can advise their parents not to practice open burning.

Every individual has to remember that we do not own the world, but instead we lent it from our future generations. We must protect our world so that our grandchildren woulh have a healthy earth to live.

Ahmad Harun bin Hashim

Seremban, Negeri Sembilan

ARTICLE: Article for School Magazine / Newsletter

The Importance of Studying English

It is a big concerned for teenagers nowadays as they are unaware of the importance of English language as they tend to ignore to learn the language. Students’ attitude towards the language is also crucial to make sure that these teenagers can face the future world better by learning English language as it is an international language.

Although the government has repeatedly told us of the importance of English, many students are still not bothered about studying it seriously. There is also a campaign that still on to make all the Malaysian becomes a better English learner, which is ‘Enhance Proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia, Strengthen the English’. English is the most important and the most useful language in the world today. There are many reasons why you should study the language properly.

First and foremost, English will definitely help you a lot when you want to further studies. Almost all books at university are written in English in all subjects. Plus, it is a compulsory for any candidate to pass English with credit before entering any universities. So, if you are poor in English, you will blow you chance for better education or worse, you are going to have a big problem studying at university.

The second reason why you have to study English well is that it will help you to get a job. When you go for a job interview, the interviewer will surely talk to you in English. The first impression you should give in order to success and have the job is, to respond in English fluently. Your chances of getting the job are very slim if you stutter while interviewing.

A good command in of English will also help you greatly in your job. If the company you work is actively involved in international trade, you have to speak to prospective customers in English. Miscommunication might occur if your English is bad. And this will put your company at risk and you will likely be dismissed if this happen.

Good English will also help you a lot when you travel. Every country in the world studies English. Even the roadside stall-holders in China speak fairly good English! At least some of the people you meet on your travels in other countries can understand English. The language is certainly practical when you are lost in your trip. Communication problem will not happen if you can converse well in English. Inevitably, English is one of the languages used in any airport in the world in making announcement. Knowing English well, therefore, make travelling overseas easier.

Besides all these, entertainment is one of the major advantages you will experience if you good in English. You will enjoy television’s best programmes. We must admit that many of the best programmes are produced by the Americans and British companies. High self confidence influenced by the programmes will indirect inculcate in yourself when you are fluent in the language. Quality time is worthily spent if you understand and enjoy the programmes.

Based from all the above elaboration, I hope that students will see the importance and realise how importance the language is for their own future. Although it is a second language in our country, it is now a main language all over the world.

ARTICLE / REPORT: Newspaper Article / Report

Couple Foils Robbery Attempt

PULAU PINANG, Thu – An elderly businessman and his wife foiled a robbery attempt by two men armed with a screwdriver and a knife. The victims were reported safe from any bad injury.

Tan Ah Wok, 60 and his wife were taking a morning walk near their home in Helen Heights yesterday when two men on a motorcycle stopped them under the pretext of asking for directions. As Mr. Tan was giving directions, one of the robbers pointed a knife at him and ordered them to keep quiet. He then relieved Mrs. Tan of her jewellery and instructed Mr. Tan to hand over his ring and watch. When he refused, a struggle ensued. Meanwhile, his accomplice grabbed a helmet and hit Mr. Tan on the head with it. On seeing this, his wife started screaming.

One of their neighbours, R. Subramaniam, who was taking his dog for a walk, heard the screams and when to investigate. On seeing Subramaniam and his dog, the robbers fled. “I was taking my dog for a walk when I heard someone shouting for help. Knowing that something was wrong, I ran there as fast as I could. Before I reached the scene, the robbers fled on a motorbike. They were probably afraid of my Rottweiler.”

Mr. Tan, who suffered a small cut on his head, was given outpatient treatment at a private clinic. He said that it was a horrified experience as he never expected the two men would attack his wife and him. He thought that they were lost and needed help. He also mentioned that the guard who in charge nowadays easily allowed the strangers to enter their residents. State CID Chief Supt Harun Din advised him and the people to be more careful in giving help to strangers. The guard also must be stricter in letting people from entering any residents without proper permission.

He added that the suspects, aged between 25 and 30, were believed to be illegal immigrants. He said there had been similar incident last week when two men approached a factory worker who was on her way home after work. The

duo then relieved her gold chain and cash. He advised the residents to be alert and reports to police any suspicious-looking characters lurking in their area.

REPORT – Police Report

To: Sergeant Razali Kamrin

From: Julia Selamat

Date: 7th September 2011

Report of the accident on Jalan 2/14

On 7th September 2011 at 10.30 a.m., I was walking alone Jalan 2/14 which is next to the children’s playground. As I was about to cross the road to enter the park, I saw a car driving swiftly down Jalan 4/14. It was a Honda Civic with the number plate BEH 9110. Another car, a Toyota Vios 1.5 with plate number WHM 4657 came out of Jalan 4/14 as well. The Honda Civic was driving too fast that make it did not have time to avoid collision.

The accident caused a loud crash. The Honda Civic hit the Toyota Vios on the driver’s door. The door could not be opened and the driver had to get out from the passenger’s door. The driver of the Toyota Vios was lucky as he survived with no physical injuries. Both air bags popped up when they collided to each other. They both were fortunate as their car was not badly damaged and dented.

The Toyota Vios’s windscreen was shattered to pieces. The Honda Civic’s headlight and signal light were smashed. There was plenty of glass on the road. The two drivers startled to argue. The driver of the Honda City was a woman. They blamed each other and the argument stopped when her mobile phone rang. Most of the passerby slowed down their vehicle to watch the accident. Some pedestrian came by and offered help.

As it happened, I ran into my house which is close by. I called the nearest police station and in ten minutes, a police car drove up. I told the police officer I had witnessed the accident and offered to come out to the station to give a statement. The cars were towed to the side of the road first, and then were brought to the police station before to workshop. Pictures were taken for insurance claim.

In my opinion, the driver of the Honda City is to blame for the accident. She was driving too fast and did not pay any attention to vehicles coming out from the side road. The driver of the Toyota Vios should have stopped at the junction.

Julia Selamat

REPORT – Book Report

“The Story of My Life” is an autobiography written by Helen Keller. It tells us how Helen Keller, who was deaf, blind and mute, defied the odds to become one of the most celebrated personalities in the world. The story was set in Alabama in 1997.

In the first half of the book, Helen Keller writes about how she was afflicted with scarlet fever while she was still a baby and how illness left her deaf, blind and mute. The story outlines the frustration Helen Keller experienced as a child – alone in a dark and silent world – unable to communicate with anybody. The author then goes on to say how her life changed with the arrival of her new-employed teacher and nanny, Anne Mansfield Sullivan.

The second part of the book relates how Helen Keller studied the deaf and dumb language and learnt how to write using Braille and then went to college and graduated. The story goes on to say how she spent the rest of her life helping the deaf and dumb all over the world.

I enjoyed reading every page of the book. I found some sections of the book, especially those that deal with the early part of her life, poignant and touching. It made me realize how difficult life must be for the handicapped. It also made me realize how fortunate I was. It has made me more sympathetic towards the plight of those who are less fortunate than I am, especially the handicapped who has given up hope in the face of misfortune, and the severely handicapped who have lost the will to live.

The story is very touching and informative. It arouses the feelings of the readers. I admire Helen Keller for her determination and diligence. I appreciate the painstaking efforts taken by the teacher. The book has a good moral lesson for all. It shows the triumph of the human spirit in the face of indomitable obstacles. It makes us wonder whether Helen Keller was just another victim of fate or whether her birth has a special significance. Was Helen Keller fortunate or unfortunate? Helen Keller was unfortunate to have suffered the cruel twist of fate but the world is fortunate to have had a person like her. Her life was a shining example to prove the adage, “where there is a will, there is a way”.

NOVEL

The importance of preserving the family unit This is the central message in the novel. The family institution is a solemn entity. It is created when two adults decide to tie the knot through their marriage vows. Hence, parents are mainly responsible in keeping the family unit intact through love and understanding because divorce and separation can only lead to ugly consequences as clearly shown in the novel. The family institution should also provide security to children. However, when it is broken, children feel helpless and they feel they are victims of the situation. The novel reveals how the five children cope with difficult times when their parents’ marriage fails. Claudia and Pixie for example, have to undergo emotionally painful and tumultuous moments to get used to their parent’s divorce. The ugly effects of divorce and separations are also shown in the way Claudia and Pixie resist their step parents and siblings. The quarrels, the screaming, the sibling rivalry demonstrate that the harmony that is central in their families has long gone. Children suffer most from broken homes and they need a lot of time to adapt to their new situation. This is true in the case of Pixie, who needs a great deal of time to adjust to her step mother and step sisters, Sophie and Hetty. The family institution must be preserved at all cost to avoid unnecessary sufferings on the part of the children. Parents must protect their children from the effects of divorce as much as possible. If a divorce is unavoidable, parents need to ensure that every care is taken to make life as normal as possible for their children.

Acceptance and tolerance 

Learning to accept and tolerate new members in the family is important when a divorce happens. The novel shows how children learn to accept their ‘new’ family members and make the best of their new circumstances. Although this sounds a big task for them, they all end up accepting their new life at the end of their stories. Despite their being young, they realize how important it is to learn to share belongings and love with their step siblings. For example, Pixie has to learn to share her bedroom with her step sister Hetty. She has to tolerate her privacy being taken away causing her to devise ways to get rid of Hetty from her bedroom. She considers her bedroom is her territory and Hetty’s presence an intrusion. However, she manages to get her room back after a heated argument with her step mother. In the end Pixie learns to tolerate her step sisters and accepts their differences.

Acceptance and tolerance can also be seen in Claudia’s story. She learns to accept the presence of her step mother when her father’s marriage to her real mother fails. The green pyjamas her step mother gave her and the dinner hosted by her step mother one night play a role in bringing them closer. Despite her earlier resentment towards her step mother, Claudia makes a big decision that it is not fair for her to hate her step mother. In doing so she also shows her maturity despite her young age. In Pixie’s story, she is shown to accept the fact that her new stepmother is having as much trouble "adjusting" as she is. It is amazing how these young characters show a lot of strength despite the distinct problems they face in their families. They learn to accept things around them gradually because they do not have a choice. Furthermore that life has to go on.

Responsibility

This is another theme that is evident in the novel. Responsibility is shown in different ways in the novel. Marriage entails responsibility. It is about building a family and raising children that are part and parcel of a marriage partnership. This will include providing shelter, clothing, education and love. Therefore if a marriage is broken, children would be directly affected. Parents therefore must accept that they still have a responsibility to ensure that the divorce does not cost their children more than it already has. One of the ways this is shown in the novel is by the turns or visits the children have with their new families. Their parents although divorced, insist that their children take turns to visit them. Pixie for instance goes to her step family’s house ‘a few days in a month’ while Ralph has a more hectic and complicated schedule. He has to divide the weekdays to be at his divorced parents’ house. It is a pity that he has to shuffle his time between his parents but he pretty much accepts his situation without complaints. The step parents also try their best to be responsible towards their step children. Stella tries to make Claudia feel comfortable every time she is with them. Colin’s mother shows a different kind of responsibility though. She moves to a different place to protect her son from her ‘rough-house’ husband. Although Colin misses his father very much, his mother has made the right decision for their safety. Another example is Robbo’s step father who sends Callie, his sister to school every morning and works over time to pay for repairs for the house. It is fair to say that no one would wish for a divorce but when it happens, parents have to carry out their responsibilities well. They have to be sensitive to the needs of their children since children have a natural attachment to their parents. Sometimes children are simply attached to their surroundings, and moving into new surroundings can cause an understandable negative reaction. Colin for instance has trouble learning ‘being half asleep in school’.

Children have opinions too

This theme is portrayed through the five main characters in the novel. Since all the main characters come from broken homes, we learn that they too want their opinions to be heard and acknowledged. Very often than not, there is a communication breakdown between the children and parents who undergo divorce. For example, Colin does not have a say at all when her mother decides to move to another place to stay safe from his father. Colin has to start all over in a new school and make new friends. His opinion is never sought. In another example, Pixie shows that she wants to be heard. Her strong opinions about the adults around her are revealed when she quarrels with Lucy, her step mother. She expresses her frustrations and anger through her words. The writer provides the opportunity for the children to voice out their opinions frankly and honestly through the stories they tell. Through each of the main characters, we realize that children too have opinions and that their opinions must also be sought. Pixie would like to have a say about her room arrangement and Colin, although quiet, often wonders why his mother makes decisions independently. Through the main characters’ words and actions, we can also see a certain level of maturity in the children’s thinking. They are not without opinions. But how many parents actually sought for their opinions. Divorce is always an adults’ story and too often children are just trapped in between. The novel in a way is a tribute to the children’s spirit. They make us see the depth of their feelings and opinions through their unique stories. Too often children’s feelings are unnoticed, ignored and or not taken seriously resulting in failure in building relationships in broken homes.

Character that I admire: Claudia

From the novel 'Step By Wicked Step' by Anne Fine, I like Claudia from the story the Green Pyjamas. I like Claudia because she is kind, loyal and she can be very mature and wise.

Claudia is a very kind girl. During her father's birthday party, Claudia wears her green pyjamas given by her father's girlfriend, Stella. She decides to do this because she feels that the guests in the party are very rude when they refuse to talk to Stella. They act like Stella is invisible and Claudia feels angry because Stella is actually a very nice person.

Other than that, Claudia is also a loyal daughter to her mother. She knows that her mother hates the fact that her father is happy with a new woman in his life so she pretends that she is unhappy when she has to go to her father's house. Claudia also refuses to accept Stella's kindness because she wants to show that she is loyal to her mother.

Lastly, Claudia shows that she is very mature and wise. Claudia feels that the guests for her father's birthday party are very rude. They do not want to acknowledge that Stella is her father's new love by giving her a cold shoulder during the party. Claudia is very angry with all those immature adults so she decides to give all of them a lesson by wearing her new green pyjamas and showing it off in front of the guess, hinting that Stella and her are very close. The guests are ashamed so they start to treat Stella nicely after the incident.

From these three reasons, I choose Claudia as the character I like the most. Claudia shows that she is a good daughter to both her mother and father and she is also kind enough to accept Stella as her future step mother.

E N G L I S H

Name:Sacha Engelbert

Class: 5 AZAM

[POEM] ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE?

5 SETS OF QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1: Suggest two things you would do to stop the world from bleeding

= Spread the message of peace, tolerance and living in harmony

Learn to appreciate what life has offered and be happy with it.

QUESTION 2:     In the second stanza, what does the word deserted mean?= Empty / abandoned / neglected / vacant

QUESTION 3: Why does the persona ask if the flute player is still playing his flute?= She does not know if he is still in the village enjoying his favourite pastime.

QUESTION 4: What kind of a person do you think is the flute player?= Passionate / Obsessed / An introvert / A sequester

QUESTION 5:  What could the poem be about?= It is about upholding values, accepting changes in life and appreciating simple pleasures of life.

; DIRECTED WRITING

; CONTINUOUS WRITING