?FREE WRITING ACTIVITY

 

This is a free-writing exercise. Write a paragraph (not exceeding 200 words) on any topic you like. Please be serious about this writing activity as I need to know exactly your personal style of writing. Do not cut and paste - I need to read a genuine piece of your own writing. You can start writing below.

 

Font : Arial (Black), Size :Small

 

Hello Mr.Tan,

 

I guess you would have already known that my name is mohana. Honestly speaking, i

was actually worried because a couple of days before the june holidays was about to begin, our form teacher informed us that our previous english teacher would not be teaching us the following term. I was taken aback for a second, until the next few words which was spoken out from my teacher's mouth showed me some light of hope again. My heart rejoiced when i heard it was you who would be conducting the next few english lessons for our class. It is great to have you back in our school Mr.Tan. Hope you feel the same way too. I am confident that with such a teacher like you in our class, we will do rather well in our O' Level Examinations. Apparently it is not only me who thinks you are an excellent teacher, my fellow classmates and schoolmates do too.

Hope to leave this school with flying colours for my examinations with your help and guidance.

 

Comments :

 

Thank you, Mohana. I will try my best to live up to your, and your classmates', expectations.

Your sentence structure will need some tweaking and fine-tuning but other than that, you should clear the essay portion easily. The next hurdle is to challenge yourself to work towards a better grade.

 

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The 2 paragraphs from a storybook/ newspaper article/magazines

 

He Kilt It with a Stick

I have black dreams. A nap at noon and I dream of smothering. This comes from the heart condition. And because of the cats. They all fear me now, avoid me on street. They've told one another about me. This is fact. Killing them is becoming quite difficult. . . but i caught a big, evil one in the garden last thursday and buried it. Alive. As I am buried alive in these black dreams of mine. I got excited, burying the cat- and this is bad for me. I must go on killing them, but i must not get excited. I must stay calm and not- here comes, so I'd better. . .

ZZZZZZZ

 

AUTHOR: William F. Nolan

 

Dark Wings

On one such night she saw the bird for the first time. The moon had risen as she watched, its light splashed like a pale and shimmering highway crossing the restless ocean toward Europe. Like a shadow upon that path, the bird caught her eye, its dark wings lined by silvery radiance. For a moment it glided over the waves, pinions motionless in the stll night air, and then it swooped upward and vanished in the darkness.

 

AUTHOR: Phyllis Eisenstein

 

Comments :

 

The cat killing paragraph is creepy indeed. Nice description about the bird.

 

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~REPAYING A KINDNESS~ (PLAN)

 

***Introduction*

- At the park

- seemed like a familiar man

- it was an old man, about the age of 60 years old. (If you mention 60, no point writing "the age of" as it will be a repetition.) Almost the same age as my grandfather if he was around.

he was alone at the park, with his head bowed down in sorrow (bowed already means that your head is down; so no need for 'bowed down'; the shorter version also sounds so much better, don't you agree?)

- memories ran through my mind

: how my (?) he helped me out in my troubles, when i was a young (What troubles? Elaborate, please)

: he was such a benevolent and caring person.

 

*Paragraph 2*

- i went over to confront him (why confront? Confront means you are raring for a fight. Is this the case here?)

- upon seeing me, a wave of emotions swept over him

- he gripped onto my hand as- tightly -as he could and started to poured out his misery.

- i was taken aback when i discovered that Mr.Lim was staying in an Old Folks Home (a few blocks away from my house)

- immediately i recalled that he had two lovely sons.

 

*Paragraph 3*

- decided to bring him over to my house

- served him tea with biscuits

- he smiled with (in?) gratitude as he received (took) the cup of tea from my hands.

- he began to share his sorrows with me once again.

- both sons found Mr.Lim an irritant in their house

- they planned to send (sent?) him to Old Folk's Home, so that they would not have someone additional to look after

- his hasn't seen his sons for 7 years.

- monthly, they would send a certain amount of money.

*Paragraph 4*

- accompanied him to the Old Folks Home.

- after all he had done for me, it would at least be thoughtful, to repay my kindness to him.

- with my parents approval, i could visit Mr.Lim on alternate days after i was done with my school work.

- during my visits.

- i'll share whatever incidents which took place in school that day

- talk to him about what is happening around the world.

- lastest news

- sing to him songs, share stories with him, crack jokes

 

*Conclusion*Comments : Would have been more interesting if your plan was complete. Your plan concentrated more on Mr Lim's current situtaion rather than what he did for you. I'm still curious as to what he actually did for you - no details on that. With these details, I can then understand better why you are repaying a kindness. A suggestion - Uncle Lim may be a better reference than Mr Lim, or "Ah Pek" - sounds more authentic- but you must be careful to add a little explanation so that your marker understands. The details on Mr Lim and his life story sound good. **

- make sure he d

 

 

 

 

 

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15 or more points( 2003 P2 summary)

 

- coins

- a recognized shape and design

- a low value

- strung together through hole

- but buying power/value of inferior-metal coins and banknotes guranteed by governments

- new money encouraged an increase in trade

- another form of money

- the bank note

- value earned them reputation as money

- guaranteed by state

- metal coins(gold,silver)

- eastern europe, successful trading

- authorised stamps

- govts forced to melt and re-issue coins of cheaper/infererior metals

- discourage imitations

- linked to successful chinese model

 

 

Index No : 12

Name : Mohana

 

3 Good sentence/starters for sentences : 1. She is polite and soft-spoken, and in typical teenage fashion, punctuates every sentence with a nervous giggle.

2.

 

3 Good phrases to "borrow"

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOVEMBER 2004 PAPER 1, SECTION 1

4.FLIGHT

 

 

The aircraft ran into clouds- a thick cloak of dark clouds, clouds which displayed a fantastic range of shapes. The howling wind had now reached a high pitch. The clouds could no longer hold their burden. Suddenly the sky was illuminated by flashes of lightning which was followed by deafening roars of thunder. At that very instant, we realised that our aircraft had actually run into a thunderstorm!

 

I began to feel the aircraft being thrown about. Everyone was obviously shakened and I was too. We were jolted to or our senses by the pilot's voice over the loudspeaker. In a clear, moderated voice, he assured us that we were in no immediate danger and that he was taking all the necessary precautions. Hardly a few minutes passed before i heard a loud explosion. Shouts and screams sounded from every corner of the aircraft. I felt the plane beginning to pitch downwards. I could also feel the aircraft spinning and descending at a furious speed. All the lights went out. Oxygen masks popped out and was swaying from side to side. Before i could finish saying my prayers there was a tremendous crash and i knew no more.

 

When i finally regained consciousness, i found myself lying near a tree, buckled up in my abandoned seat. All around me were the lifeless bodies of my fellow passengers. It came to my senses that i was the only survivor left. I was disturbed by the terrible sight which met my eyes. Some distance away was the damaged aircraft which was still smouldering. Wreckage covered a widespread of area.

 

Miraculously, apart from a slight cut over my forehead, i was otherwise unhurt. Since the crash took place deep in the jungle, i realised that the only way out for me was to make my way out of the jungle to a near village, if there was one nearby.

 

After collecting whatever food and clothing i could find from the wreckage, i started out on my journey. I spent the first few days wandering along the river. On the fifth day, I lost my way through the dense forest. By then, I suffered from sore feet after walking for days. Morever, there was a limited supply of food. I began to depend on wild fruits and nuts from the forest. By the seventh day, I was truely exhausted. My legs were aching. I felt thirsty as well as dizzy. I was glad when i spotted a village at the distance. I was just hopiing that it wasn't my illusion.

 

Thoughts of rescue and therefore safety quickened my steps towards the village. As i approached the village, I saw a woman walking up to me. Everything blacked out after that. When i finally regained consciousness, I found myself lying on a bed. I happily admit that I have never ever felt so much of appreciation for a bed until that moment.

 

 

 

 

xinmin secondary school (2007 paper)

 

1.(a) It tells me that the rowers are putting a tremendous amount of force. (Answer is ok but "effort" is already used in the Q. Try another word if you can.)

 

(b) The white light reflecting from the water must have been too bright and therefore caused the villagers to squint to watch the race. (Right.)

 

(c) It reveals that the villagers were very anxious at that point of time. (OK.)

 

2. The two judges would want their own village to win and this eventually might rise in quarrels between both villages. (Under what circumstances?)

 

3. The two consequences would be the heated argument between the both teams and the break out in physical fights. (Answer is OK but structure is wrong. Rephrase please.)

 

4a. Thw word is "altercation".

 

b. He used the eku to flick the sand rapidly in the air.

 

c. it was his superb martial art training that helped him to move with such ease.

 

d. He used the eku to throw sand at those who were engaged in the fight.

 

e. He did all of this without injuring anybody or causing any harm.

 

5. The practioners of the martial arts should all follow the example of this elderly gentleman of not causing permanent injuries or taking lives when using their martiaal art skills.

 

6. They feel that martial arts prepares an individual for situations in the real world whereas martial sports are just for recreational purposes.

 

7a. They pull techniques stopping them just before contact and they limit targets and precautionary movement.

 

b. That the author is referring to the serious injuries or even death that a martial artiste can inflict upon using their martial arts skills.

 

8. You began to understand the kind of person you really are.

 

9. It is to develop technique, knowledge and character in the practioners.

 

10. anticipating- longing for it to come

simultaneously- all together

- vast

- ineffective

- corrupt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHIJ (TOA PAYOH) PAPER)

PASSAGE A

 

1. People used to paint on the walls of the caves and on parchment made from animal skin.

 

2. The Egyptian parchment was expensive and could not be produced in large quantities.

 

3. The evidence is that they were not allowed to even step on a piece of paper with writing on it.

 

4.

 

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