Honesty

   Honesty is one of the treasured values of human being. Living life honestly means opening oneself freely and exposing one's true self to others. Honesty is essential because it acts as the glue holding people together. Moreover, honesty helps a person to conquer problems and excel in his life. However, is this always right to tell truth? 


   First of all, honesty is the foundation upon which a person builds any relationship with his loved ones such as family or friends. By being honest to his loved ones, he will make them feel that they are trustworthy and closed enough for him to totally expose his true self. Thus, they are more assured that he values them and their relationship. The sweetness in the relationship, therefore, is more likely to remain.

   In addition, honesty helps a person to conquer problems and excel in life. It is essential for a person to be honest with himself. Only when a person plucks up the courage to face his inner values and emotion, can he get rid of the negative feelings which hold him back and as a result, find the confidence within. The confidence is what he needs in order to handle problems and perform well. Moreover, trust is produced by honesty. Without trust, a person has no credibility which is at the core of being able to influence others and provide strong leadership. It is equally hard for him to seek help from others when needed because others may not believe in whatever he says.

   However, being brutally honest all of the time can also backfire on a person. There are situations when he inflicts a lot of pain and stress on somebody else by telling the truth. It is comprehensive that a person needs not to be honest all the time. Sometimes, he needs to justify what is the best resolution because not telling the truth, in certain cases, is the best way to protect his loved ones from being hurt. 

   In conclusion, by living honestly and freely, a person will find that his life is more enriched and meaningful. Honesty helps a person to strengthen his relationship, conquer problems and excel in life. However, a person can choose to not telling the truth in order to protect his loved ones.

How important is our mother tongue?

   In today's fast-paced society, our traditional cultural values and identity are at risk. We have to make a conscious effort to ensure that we do not lose touch with our cultural heritage.One of the important features of a cultural identity is the ability to speak one's mother tongue. For example, among the Chinesde there are several dialects spoken such as Cantonese, Teochew and Hokkien. Well, I would say that I can speak a dialect, Hokkien which is used in Penang. I mean, my parents are from Penang and anyone, I mean everyone who is from Penang can speak Hokkien because nearly the whole Penang population speak to each other in that particular language. At home, my family usually converse in Hokkien, something i never realised until now. And now, I'm trying to learn Hainamese because that is the dialect my mother and grandmother used when they gossip about other people and being the busy body that I am, I want to know what they are talking about. And besides, I can scold or insult someone right in front of them and they wouldn't know what I am talking about. Isn't that awesome? (Don't worry! I never tried that before. Well actually, I did) Anyways that is not the main point. If we don't preserve this culture or mother tongue, it will be gone forever. Wouldn't it be such a waste and humiliating that our ancestors have passed it from generation to generation and  we are the ones who lost it? Hence, i think that we should not neglect our mother tongue.

Is being alone good?

   I'm sure everyone who knows me would say that I'm an introvert, doesn't speak much to anyone but her friends. I mean sure sometimes I feel a little lonely but i got used to it after a while. One couldn't rely on a friend to keep them company all the time now can they? And anyways, being alone is actually a good thing because it can boost your creativity. Clearing out distractions and allowing time for reflective thoughts is a great way to tap into your creativity. Being alone with your thoughts is often a time where out-of-the-box ideas comes up.
   

   Also, it is a chance to slow down and recharge. When you're away from technology and people and work, you can finally have time to breathe. It is an opportunity to just get back in touch with yourself. Besides, ypu can also have a little fun by yourself. Once you become more comfortable with the idea of being alone, doing activities like shopping, seeing a movie, or hiking by yourself can actually be enjoyable. You can do whatever you want without having to adhere to anyone's preferences, schedule or expectations. You might discover that spending at least one afternoon or evening per week on your own doing something you love can be totally relaxing and liberating. It too can boost your self-esteem. Learning to enjoy the time you spend alone can help you to build a better relationship with yourself. Voluntary solitude is a great way to get back in touch with your feelings and remember all the things that make you awesome. If you want to feel more confident and self-sufficient, first tackle your fear of being alone. Lastly, it can improve memory & focus. Time spent in solitary reflection has been linked to improved concentration, as well as higher levels of academic performance. In their book "Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses," authors and sociology professors Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa find that students who study alone are more apt to succeed and retain knowledge than those who study in groups.

  

Importance of healthy eating

   A nutritious, well-balanced diet – along with physical activity and refraining from smoking – is the foundation of good health. Healthy eating includes consuming high-quality proteins, carbohydrates, heart-healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and water in the foods you take in while minimizing processed foods, saturated fats and alcohol. Eating in this manner helps you maintain your body’s everyday functions, promotes optimal body weight and can assist in disease prevention.

   The nutrients in the foods you eat support the activities of day-to-day living, protect your cells from environmental damage and repair any cellular damage that might occur. Protein rebuilds injured tissue and promotes a healthy immune system. Both carbohydrates and fats fuel your body, while vitamins and minerals function throughout your body in support of your body’s processes. Vitamins A, C and E, for example, act as antioxidants to protect your cells against toxins, and B vitamins help you extract energy from the foods you eat. Calcium and phosphorus keep your bones strong, while sodium and potassium help to transmit nerve signals. Without a healthy diet, you might compromise any of these essential functions.

   In addition to the quality of the foods you consume, the quantity matters when considering good eating habits. Taking in the same number of calories as you burn ensures your weight remains steady over time. Consuming more than you burn, on the other hand, results in weight gain as your body converts extra calories to fat tissue. When you accumulate fat tissue, you increase your risk of developing one or more health problems, including heart disease, hypertension, respiratory issues, diabetes and cancer. A healthy meal plan without excess calories helps you not only feel better but can prolong your life.

Traveling

   I believe that almost everyone, if not all, loves travelling. However, unlike migratory birds which fly south during winter for survival, the main reason for our love for travel lies in welcoming novel experiences of seeing new things, meeting new people and gaining new knowledge.   
   When we travel, we experience the glorious beauty of nature. Nature is truly breathtaking and it provides us an appreciation for geography. Traveling increases our knowledge and widens our perspective. To view new customs, different ways of living is fantastic for the mind. It gives us a new perspective about life and especially our life, it can help us change some of our habits or even create new ones. When I travel I usually make it a point to try new food, some cultures don’t have fries in their diet and they are all skinny, others use spices to give taste and not oils or fats. Discovering different values and ways to get by in life is really interesting. You also need to visit exotic new places and discover what this wonderful world has to offer.   
   Another great benefit is the relaxation you get to do. It’s nice to live life to its fullest and enjoy a stress free time with yourself. Going on vacation lets us recharge our “batteries” by disconnecting us from our regular life. When we come back we feel invigorated and we are happy to be back in our day to day routine. It’s a very good stress remover that has a lot more to give than most people are willing to accept.

   When i grow up, I hope that I have the opportunity to travel to many places so that I can experience the wonders of the world.

A strange encounter

   In the wee hours of a winter morning, I was walking home from work. The streets were deserted mow that it was already three in the morning. My eyelids were drooping from lack of sleep as I had to burn the midnight oil to meets the deadline of an assignment. Cautiously, I surveyed my surroundings but was only greeted by an eerie silence. Instinctively, my mind replayed the scenes from those crime investigation shows where criminals lurked around the corner, waiting to attack unsuspecting victims and a shiver ran down my spine. Hurriedly, I dismissed my thoughts as paranoia and continued my journey.

   It was so cold that night. It was so intense that even with multiple layers of winter clothing, the chill still managed to seep through it, freezing my limbs. Rubbing my palms together, i began a slow jog to keep warm. Halfway down a street, spotting a 24-hour convenient store, I sighed in relief and entered. I stood at the entrance, grateful, as warm air rushed at me, unclenching my stiff muscles. A few minutes later, with a cup of steaming coffee in my hands, i exited the store and into the freezing winter night.

   With the coffee pumping in my system, each step became quicker as my yearning for home grew. I was just turning around the corner when a reflection on the display window of a shop caught my eye. Instantly, I turned around, only to find an empty street staring back at me. That was odd, I was certain that I saw someone a few steps behind me. Someone who was wearing a long black cloak which was obscuring his or her face. Looking at the display window again, I found nothing that suggested what I saw was real. So, i calmed down, blaming my imagination on fatigue. Despite so, deeply bothered, I made a mental note not to walk home alone late at night.

   After what felt like eternity, I finally reached home and was relieved but relief soon turned to horror as i laid eyes on the same cloaked figure, standing at my doorsteps. A wave of dizziness threatened to overcome me as  I was paralysed with fear. My mind screamed, unable to comprehend what was happening. Snapping out of my confused thoughts, I swallowed my fear and opened my eyes and found that the mysterious yet terrifying figure disappeared. Less than a minute ago, he was there but now, it was as if he vanished into thin air. I looked around but there was no sign of the person.

   Later on, I lunged at the door, unlocking in panic. Then i made sure all doors were locked, double-checked the house for signs of break in but there were none. Still shaken, i sank into bed after hastily changing out of my working clothes and kept the lights on. I did not get a wink of sleep that night as my mind was in a turmoil. I never told anyone about it. How could I when I did not even believe what I saw. Until this day, I have no logical explanation for the incident that night. It was truly a strange encounter.

Reading...

   I love reading. Though it has been two years since I read storybooks on a daily basis, whenever I want to,  when i walk past bookshops, I still feel this invisible magnetic force attracting me into its world. My mother sort of banned me from reading because i tend to forget time whenever I read. Funny thing is, none of my family members like reading except me and it's a really really bad thing because none of them understand my passion for reading. They think that reading does not bring any benefits but I say it does. 

   It helps us gain knowledge. Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to tackle any challenge you’ll ever face. Additionally, here’s a bit of food for thought: should you ever find yourself in dire circumstances, remember that although you might lose everything else—your job, your possessions, your money, even your health—knowledge can never be taken from you.

  

   Reading too helps us to learn new vocabulary and expressions. This goes with the above topic: the more you read, the more words you gain exposure to, and they’ll inevitably make their way into your everyday vocabulary. Being articulate and well-spoken is of great help in any profession, and knowing that you can speak to higher-ups with self-confidence can be an enormous boost to your self-esteem. It could even aid in your career, as those who are well-read, well-spoken, and knowledgeable on a variety of topics tend to get promotions more quickly (and more often) than those with smaller vocabularies and lack of awareness of literature, scientific breakthroughs, and global events.

   There are many other benefits for reading but I will stop here. I can’t wait to start reading again. 

Literature: the most memorable event

                 Based on the novel Step by Wicked Step that I have read, I think the most memorable event is when the students from Stagfire School discovered the dusty green album.

               First of all, I found this event memorable because I felt sympathy for Richard’s condition after his father died. Richard had to bear the pain of losing his father at such a young age. Things get worse when Reverend Coldstone, which is his stepfather exists in his life. Mr. Coldstone treated Richard badly because Richard is not his biological son and he will become a threat to him as Richard is going to inherit his family’s fortune one day. Even though Mr. Coldstone treated Richard badly, Richard’s mother, Lilith did not stand up for her only son. ‘And what did my mother say?’  This causes Richard to become upset because the only person that he can rely on does not stand by his side. Life became even more miserable for Richard when his stepfather sent him to Mordanger School.  Thus, Richard decided to run away from his home.

               In addition, I was deeply touched by Richard’s story as Charlotte is willing to sacrifice her happiness to marry Charles Devere, a rich man whom she did not love to keep the search for Richard. “I do not love him as i know I should…” And so, Charlotte died in fever of early childbirth. “But if I die in fever of childbirth, as so many do, then Charles will send this letter to our old home…” Charlotte made a big sacrifice due to her love towards her brother. Despite Richard’s cruel departure, Charlotte still loved her brother very much. “For you are dearest to me, though you have been so cruel.” Besides, Richard’s mother also loved his son very much even though she was thoughtless about the problems faced by Richard due to her lack of sensitivity. Richard’ mother had to suffer Mr Coldstone’s wrath as money slowly slipped away to finance the search for him. “First mother spent a fortune seeking you and all of us suffered Mr. Coldstone’s anger as money slipped steadily away.” In the end she died of heartache. “Last year she died (of him too close, and you too far.)” This shows that family love is unconditional as family is the only thing that we have since we are born. As the saying goes, blood is thicker than water. Albeit Richard’s thoughtless decision to run way and left both his mother and sister behind, they still love him very much as they are willing to sacrifice for him due to their endless love towards him.

               Lastly, I found that making a decision in life is crucial from Richard’s story. Making decision is crucial as we have to pay a price for it if we made a wrong decision. Richard’s thoughtless decision to run away caused the death of those who he loved. In search of Richard, Lilith spent a fortune and suffered Mr. Coldstone’s wrath. At last, she died of heartbreak. After that, Charlotte entered a loveless marriage to finance the search for him and died in fever of childbirth. I found this event memorable as Richard thoughtless decision had left a huge impact on his family (all his family members died). Richard thought that he had made a right decision at first because he thought that life will become easier for his mother and sister without his existence in the family. He had not thought that the enormous damage that he had brought by losing all his loves ones and left nothing in the end. Thus, we must think twice before making a decision as it will not only affect ourselves but also the people around us.

               In conclusion, I found that the most memorable event is when the students discovered Richard’s diary.  Life was though for Richard after his father died. The way Richard solves his problem by running away from his problem arouse my interest to continue reading it. Even though this story does not have a good ending, the whole story is very interesting and it will always imprint in my mind.

How to reduce pollution?

   Pollution was once thought to be the inevitable price of modernization and industrialization. Today, efforts to reduce environmental pollution are slowly gaining momentum.

   First of all, existing laws and regulations aimed at reducing pollution should be strictly enforced. Toxic waste and fumes from industries are among the major causes of pollution. Instead of dumping of waste and unchecked emission of toxic fumes, industries should be equipped with proper waste-treatment systems. The move towards installing catalytic converters and using lead-free petrol is also commendable, as exhaust fumes from vehicles contribute greatly to air pollution. 

   Another important step to curb pollution is to educate the public on the effects of pollution and how they can help protect the environment. Many people are still ignorant of the effects on the environment due to the use of materials such as aerosol sprays with cholorofluorocarbons, which destroy the ozone layer, or disposable plastic products, which are virtually indestructible. Many people also do not know that plastic, glass and paper can be recycled and thus prevent pollution by reducing waste. when the public is better informed, efforts to reduce pollution will be more effective.

   

   In conclusion, we must all play our role in reducing pollution before it is too late.

Career Day

   Friday, was Career Day. On this day, colleges and universities came to school and set up a booth where they can promote their respective universities.I attended this event three out of my five years in SMKDJ but this year it was a little different compared to the previous years because this was my last year here and after this, I would have to make a decision on which course I would pursue. It could be Cambridge A-levels, Foundation and many others.

   I have always been a very indecisive person and so it is only normal that I have no clear idea regarding which course i would take. And I thought maybe, this Career Day would point me in a right direction but I was so wrong. On the contrary, it made me even more confused. I didn't know what i wanted before that and now, this event had given me even more things to consider. I just walk around, looking for any pamphlets that was stacked on the table which sparked my interest.

   I  remember years ago when my sister was at my age, my whole family went to the Education Fair held in Mid Valley where I nearly dozed off because i couldn't understand what my mother and sister were talking about. Well now, though i have more knowledge about this, i still feel as confused.

   However, now i will put this matter aside and focus on SPM because bad results can't take me far whereas excellant results allows me to choose any colleges and universities i want.

Literature: how a character has changed due to certain events that have taken place

   The novel that I have learned is “Step By Wicked Step” by Anne Fine. In this story, five curious children who was on a trip stumbled upon Richard Harwick’s diary. His sad story prompted them to share their own. And  from there, they not only know each other better, but also discovered that they have many similarities.

   

   Based on the novel, Colin is a character who had changed due to certain events that have taken place in his life. After both him and his mother moved away, left his father, Colin changed into a very unhappy and lonely boy. He had to join a new school when they moved out of their home. “I had to start at another school, where everyone had friends already.” In school, he had to go through unpleasant experiences, got ignored as the students there already had their own friends. “nobody bothered with me, except to snigger when I didn’t understand all the stuff they’d been doing.” To make matters worse, he had no one to confide to his mother who was always busy with her job at the canteen  and with her household chores and had no time to listen to his problems. “Then mum found this job at the canteen and when she comes home she is always too busy doing things to listen to anything I said.” Thus, as a result of not being able to talk to anyone about his unhappiness, he grew unhappy and lonely.

  

   Besides, Colin became a dreamy boy which caused him to have less focus in class and did badly in school. “I started getting trouble at school for being half asleep.” This was because, he missed his dad very much. “I think of him every single day.” Every night, he would take his father’s tobacco tin out of the toe of his boat and put it under his pillow. “Each night, I took the tobacco tin out of the toe of my boot and put it under my pillow. He did this to remind himself of his father. Also, he would hum their favourite song and stay awake talking for hours to his dad. “Then very softly, so Mum wouldn’t hear, I’d hum our favourite song. I’d stay awake for hours, talking to him, although he wasn’t there.” Not seeing his father had caused much heartache to him as such he lose focus in his studies.

   

   Not only that, after moving away from his father, Colin became resourceful. Colin remembered exactly how long was it since he last saw his dad. “Five years, eight months and seven days” He too secretely writes his dad’s name and his old address on school forms. “I always secretely sneak his name and our old address on all forms that Mum’s filled in for the school, to show he still matter and he’s still my dad” To search for his dad, he saved money and even did paper rounds to earn more money. “I keep practically every penny that comes my way. I even do three paper rounds. As soon as I’m tall enough, I’m off.” His meticulous planning shows that he is indeed resourceful and determined to find his father.

   

   In conclusion, his encounter had caused much changes in his life. At first, Colin responded negatively to it and he was often depressed. Then, he managed to channel his energy to do something worthy and that is to search for his father. His newfound goal and longing for his father motivated him to become optimistic, resourceful and patient in his  mission. 

Literature: Compare 2 Characters

   The novel that I have learnt is "Step By Wicked Step" written by Anne Fine. In this story, five children on a trip stumbled upon the diary of Richard Harwick. His sad story prompted the five of them to share their own. From there, they realised that though they did not know each other well, they actually had many similarities.

   Based on the novel, both characters Richard and Colin are quite similar in terms of their actions and experiences. In the story, Richard and Colin's love for their fathers was unquestionable. Also, they missed their father very much since their absence in their lives. The only difference was, Richard's father was dead but Colin's was not. "Sometimes, i sit beside my father's grave...". Whereas in Colin's case, his mother moved them away without his father's knowledge."we moved away". Colin still had a chance to see his father and was searching for him. "I can believe that he is still out there somewhere". Meanwhile, Richard would never see his father again.

   Besides, they were also ignored by their mothers. Both Richard and Colin did not get much attention form their mothers after their fathers disappeared from their lives. In Richard's case, his mother never defended him even when Reverend Coldstone mistreated him. "Is this how my mother defended us? No it was not." Whereas Colin's mother was not aware and did not bother to know how much he missed his dad because she was too busy working at the canteen and doing household chores. "She was always too busy to listen to anything I said" As a result, neither one of them could feel their mothers' love.

   Not only that, as they faced much difficulties in their lives, which affected them emotionally, both Richard and Colin decided to run away to make things work. Richard resorted to run away from home in hopes that his absence would make life more pleasant for everyone. "Perhaps you would all live out your fairy tale more happily without the black clouds I bring!" On the other hand, Colin planned to run away to find his father. "As soon as I'm tall enough, I'm off." In the end, Richard realised that running away did not solve anything but made everything worse. Colin did three paper rounds to save money to search for his father. "You see, I'm saving up now. I even do three paper rounds."

   In conclusion, the two characters suffered much pain and sorrow when their fathers disappeared from their lives. What made matters even worse was that they felt nobody cared for them. There was no one they can turn to for comfort and advice, thus, prompting their decision to run away. Evidently, Richard's story taught us that running away does not solve everything in fact, it can affect the people around us. Therefore, we need to think twice before making a serious decision.