Activity 2
1. There are many solutions to the problem of global warming, all of them following the themes of 3 Rs, reuse, reduce and recycle. Examples of these solutions are to switch off light sources when not in use, not to leave the tap running when brushing teeth, taking a shower instead of a bath and use a hybrid car when going to work or to take public transport such as buses. Last but not least, planting trees and plants will also help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the air.
2. Everybody plays a part in saving the planet, which includes Singaporeans. The most effective way of saving our planet is through the 3 Rs, which are Reuse, Reduce and Recycle. As Singapore is a humid place, it rains many times throughout the year, therefore the most efficient way of saving water is by collecting the rain that falls heavily almost everyday. With this rainwater, one can use them to water their plants and mop the floor instead of using precious tap water. Furthermore, Singapore has also began Green projects, such as having campaigns to raise awareness and also Bring Your Own Bag Day, which basically means to bring your own recyclable bags to shopping, such as in NTUC and FairPrice. This way, as plastic is non biodegradable, it has to be burn down in order to dispose of it. However with such projects and campaigns, less plastic will be used, meaning that less carbon dioxide will be emitted to the surroundings through burning of plastic.
3. Hwa Chong Institution can hold talks during assemblies so as to raise the awareness of students on how important it is to save our planet. Also, through the school's encouragement, students can be motivated to reuse, reduce and recycle to save the planet and prevent global warming. Also, competitions can be held such as quizzes for the whole cohort and for the teachers with attractive prizes, such that the students will be motivated to learn more about how to save our planet to win these prizes. With these knowledge, they will be able to apply it in their daily lives.
Extension Activity
Almost everybody in the world knows what global warming is, but exactly how many people understand its importance and takes it seriously and take measures to protect the earth? If people continue to be ignorant, global warming will become a bigger problem and our planet Earth will be greatly affected. Therefore it is crucial to begin the learning process at a young age to gain awareness and start saving the planet through the 3 Rs. As young people are still developing, they are able to remember things better. Therefore I strongly believe that environmental studies should be made a mandatory part of the science curriculum.
Environmental studies should be made a mandatory part of the science curriculum as it can raise awareness of students towards the environment and the importance of saving the planet. Therefore, implementing enviornmental studies in our schools when studernts are young so that they will remember that saving our planet, people will understand the severity of global warming, and will be willing to play a part in helping our societies improve by using the 3 Rs, reuse, reduce and recycle. Through this, students will also be able to come up with more innovative solutions to solve the problem of global warming, such as hybrid cars. Therefore,having environmental studies will raise the students's awareness of the need to save our planet.
Finally, environmental studies will allow students to be movtivated to save the earth. It will teach the students to understand the importance of it, and protect our earth for a better future for the future generations. Students will also be able to influence others such as relative and neighbours. This in turn will cause more people to become more aware of the consequences of green house effects, thus they will be more conservative of the earth's resources and energy consumptions. Environmental issues will instill students with a sense of responsibility, and will be more cautious and use energy efficient products such as energy saving light bulbs and hybrid cars. Therefore environmental studies will urge students to go green and spread the message of saving the earth.
In conclusion, environmental studies should be made a mandatory part of the science curriculum as it will raise awareness and urge students to do more to protect the earth.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Task 4- Women's Rights
Activity 1
1. I feel that women do not get enough rights in Saudi Arabia, as they are totally neglected. Because of the religious reasons and beliefs, women there are not allowed to drive, as they will be exposed to strangers outside if they drove. Furthermore, they are also not allowed to vote, therefore they are not able to decide who to lead their country forwards and would feel left out and useless. This shows that women in Saudi Arabia are restricted in almost everything they do, and they should be given equal rights as to men in Saudi Arabia.
2. The use of social media has been an advantage to the women in Saudi Arabia. Women there are deprived of their rights, and are almost fully restricted of everything, therefore using social media, they are able to voice out their opinions out to the world. This way, they are able to gather support from other countries for equal rights in Saudi Arabia, thus people around the world would be able to sympathize with them and protest against the unfair treatment of women in Saudi.
3. In my opinion, the government should introduce new forms of transport such as public buses. As women in Saudi Arabia are confined and are not able to do what they please, driving their cars would give them a feeling of freedom. However, this would upset the religious beliefs of the people there, who think that driving women would be exposed to strangers outside if they drove. Therefore having public buses, women in Saudi Arabia are able to go to where and when they please, while having their sense of freedom and yet not upsetting the religious beliefs as the women would be taking a ride instead of driving.
Extension Activity
Dear Diary,
I have been so foolish today! How could I not have thought of the outcome before allowing my sister to drive my car? Women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive, which resulted to the arrest of my sister! Personally, I feel that this law is ridiculous, getting put in prison just because she drove my car. If you had told me that she drove my car while she was drunk, I could have understood it, however she was arrested for driving just because she is a woman? What kind of law is that? Even so, I still hope that my sister is fine and is not in too much trouble.
As I thought deeper into the issue, I felt that change is needed in Saudi Arabia. Even as a man, I feel that my sister should be allowed to drive. Look at the women in other countries such as USA and China, they have equal rights as to men, needless to say the allowance to drive a car. However in Saudi, women are restricted in almost every way, just because of religious beliefs! Come to think of it, why is driving for women against the law, yet driving for men is not? How would you feel if everything you do is against the law?
The laws here are just too strict against women, no wander they are protesting for equal rights as to men. If I was a woman, I would feel agitated too! I just hope that the government is able to wake up in time, and realize that having such as meaningless law just because of religious beliefs, will not bring any greater good to the country. I hope that they can understand that upholding religious beliefs does not mean upholding the law. As the saying goes. living things adapt to changes. As the time passes by, traditional beliefs will be outdated. In today's fast-paced modern society, laws have to be adjusted accordingly so as to keep up with the changes in life.
Love,
Shariff
1. I feel that women do not get enough rights in Saudi Arabia, as they are totally neglected. Because of the religious reasons and beliefs, women there are not allowed to drive, as they will be exposed to strangers outside if they drove. Furthermore, they are also not allowed to vote, therefore they are not able to decide who to lead their country forwards and would feel left out and useless. This shows that women in Saudi Arabia are restricted in almost everything they do, and they should be given equal rights as to men in Saudi Arabia.
2. The use of social media has been an advantage to the women in Saudi Arabia. Women there are deprived of their rights, and are almost fully restricted of everything, therefore using social media, they are able to voice out their opinions out to the world. This way, they are able to gather support from other countries for equal rights in Saudi Arabia, thus people around the world would be able to sympathize with them and protest against the unfair treatment of women in Saudi.
3. In my opinion, the government should introduce new forms of transport such as public buses. As women in Saudi Arabia are confined and are not able to do what they please, driving their cars would give them a feeling of freedom. However, this would upset the religious beliefs of the people there, who think that driving women would be exposed to strangers outside if they drove. Therefore having public buses, women in Saudi Arabia are able to go to where and when they please, while having their sense of freedom and yet not upsetting the religious beliefs as the women would be taking a ride instead of driving.
Extension Activity
Dear Diary,
I have been so foolish today! How could I not have thought of the outcome before allowing my sister to drive my car? Women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive, which resulted to the arrest of my sister! Personally, I feel that this law is ridiculous, getting put in prison just because she drove my car. If you had told me that she drove my car while she was drunk, I could have understood it, however she was arrested for driving just because she is a woman? What kind of law is that? Even so, I still hope that my sister is fine and is not in too much trouble.
As I thought deeper into the issue, I felt that change is needed in Saudi Arabia. Even as a man, I feel that my sister should be allowed to drive. Look at the women in other countries such as USA and China, they have equal rights as to men, needless to say the allowance to drive a car. However in Saudi, women are restricted in almost every way, just because of religious beliefs! Come to think of it, why is driving for women against the law, yet driving for men is not? How would you feel if everything you do is against the law?
The laws here are just too strict against women, no wander they are protesting for equal rights as to men. If I was a woman, I would feel agitated too! I just hope that the government is able to wake up in time, and realize that having such as meaningless law just because of religious beliefs, will not bring any greater good to the country. I hope that they can understand that upholding religious beliefs does not mean upholding the law. As the saying goes. living things adapt to changes. As the time passes by, traditional beliefs will be outdated. In today's fast-paced modern society, laws have to be adjusted accordingly so as to keep up with the changes in life.
Love,
Shariff
Monday, June 27, 2011
Reflections on Shakespeare Research
To be honest, at first I was not very eager to research on the topic. Everybody has roughly heard of Shakespeare before, but who actually goes deeper to understand more about him? I thought that he was just a plain, boring old man that wrote plays in the Elizabethan Age, but as I began my research on Shakespeare's life, I realised that his life and works are very unique and interesting. As I researched in depth of his life's works, I started to have different view points towards him as I realised he was a gifted man with great imagination and vocabulary, and that he built the foundation of modern plays. Many of the plays today are similar to Shakespeare's works, themes such as romance and tragedies, he also inspired many playwrights of today and many people also gained interests in plays because of him. However, youths today are failing to appreciate his works, mainly because of the complexity of Old English used in his works.
The Elizabethan era is much different from today. In those times, people were divided into many social classes, and usually no matter how hard they worked, they usually remained in that social class. However in modern societies, no matter how rich or poor someone is, if they are hardworking and receive good education, they are able to rise up the social levels. Furthermore, the healthcare services have also improved. During the Elizabethan era in London, there were 3 epidemics of plague that caused a huge death toll, however today, with so many available healthcare services nearby, one can just walk a stone's throw away to the nearest polyclinic for their body checkups. With the huge technological and medical advancements, we can detect any viruses in our bodies and kill them before they become serious and spread to others.
Shakespeare's works can be applied to modern day context, as much can be learnt from his plays, such as Merchant of Venice and Romeo & Juliet. Values such as unwavering love can be seen in Shakespeare's plays and also in our modern day society, where people's lifes are not as different from Shakespeare's works. Also, things such as greed and gratitude can also be seen in today's societies.
The Elizabethan era is much different from today. In those times, people were divided into many social classes, and usually no matter how hard they worked, they usually remained in that social class. However in modern societies, no matter how rich or poor someone is, if they are hardworking and receive good education, they are able to rise up the social levels. Furthermore, the healthcare services have also improved. During the Elizabethan era in London, there were 3 epidemics of plague that caused a huge death toll, however today, with so many available healthcare services nearby, one can just walk a stone's throw away to the nearest polyclinic for their body checkups. With the huge technological and medical advancements, we can detect any viruses in our bodies and kill them before they become serious and spread to others.
Shakespeare's works can be applied to modern day context, as much can be learnt from his plays, such as Merchant of Venice and Romeo & Juliet. Values such as unwavering love can be seen in Shakespeare's plays and also in our modern day society, where people's lifes are not as different from Shakespeare's works. Also, things such as greed and gratitude can also be seen in today's societies.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Home Based Learning
Dulce et Decorum Est Analysis
1) The literal meaning of the line is that the soldiers carried bags so heavy that they had to "bent double", just like "old beggars under sacks". The implied meaning would be that the soldiers suffered a lot during the war as they had to endure pains. This can be seen in the poem "men marched asleep" and "cursed through sludge", which shows that even though they were very tired, they "limped on" in order to survive. Therefore a soldier had to endure great strains and sufferings to defend their country.
2)The poet uses sound devices such as "GAS! Gas! Quick, boys!" to increase the tension, allowing the reader to feel like he/she is at a battlefield, experiencing the feelings of the soldiers first-hand. Imagery such as "gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs" and "floundering like a man in fire or lime", to show the reality of war, how horrifying the scene of the battlefield really is.
3) The writer wanted to say that dying for your country is worthless and not beautiful and sweet. I agree with his view. Wars are meaningless. It only brings forth death and suffering. Wars are basically when two or more countries have disagreements over something, and decide to fight it out to to solve the problem. Violence is not the solution to every problem, with a clear mind and good negotiation skills, one can prevent these things from happening and have a win-win solution to every problem. Instead of having millions of deaths, solving the problem using brains instead of brawn can ensure peace and harmony around the world.
Flying The Flag in Bosnia
1) The tone of the poem is sad and full of regret. The poet uses many adjectives that evoke negative feeling such as "Crudely", "slumped" and "draped". These words that the poet used makes the poem sound poignant.
2) The poet uses similes to show the grief and despair of the people in Bosnia during the war. The simile "Like a flag" represents people and soldiers that died during the war in Bosnia. The purpose of the poem is to show that war brings grief and sadness to the people in countries, and also to discourage people to solve their problems using brute force.
1) The literal meaning of the line is that the soldiers carried bags so heavy that they had to "bent double", just like "old beggars under sacks". The implied meaning would be that the soldiers suffered a lot during the war as they had to endure pains. This can be seen in the poem "men marched asleep" and "cursed through sludge", which shows that even though they were very tired, they "limped on" in order to survive. Therefore a soldier had to endure great strains and sufferings to defend their country.
2)The poet uses sound devices such as "GAS! Gas! Quick, boys!" to increase the tension, allowing the reader to feel like he/she is at a battlefield, experiencing the feelings of the soldiers first-hand. Imagery such as "gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs" and "floundering like a man in fire or lime", to show the reality of war, how horrifying the scene of the battlefield really is.
3) The writer wanted to say that dying for your country is worthless and not beautiful and sweet. I agree with his view. Wars are meaningless. It only brings forth death and suffering. Wars are basically when two or more countries have disagreements over something, and decide to fight it out to to solve the problem. Violence is not the solution to every problem, with a clear mind and good negotiation skills, one can prevent these things from happening and have a win-win solution to every problem. Instead of having millions of deaths, solving the problem using brains instead of brawn can ensure peace and harmony around the world.
Flying The Flag in Bosnia
1) The tone of the poem is sad and full of regret. The poet uses many adjectives that evoke negative feeling such as "Crudely", "slumped" and "draped". These words that the poet used makes the poem sound poignant.
2) The poet uses similes to show the grief and despair of the people in Bosnia during the war. The simile "Like a flag" represents people and soldiers that died during the war in Bosnia. The purpose of the poem is to show that war brings grief and sadness to the people in countries, and also to discourage people to solve their problems using brute force.
Monday, May 2, 2011
National Service- Is it really necessary?
What is National Service? National Service is where all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent residents who have reached the age of 18 to enroll in the military and they serve a compulsory two-year period as Full Time National Servicemen. During that period of time, they will both be pushed physically and mentally and through vigorous training, ensuring that they are fit enough to defend the country during hostilities. After National Service, they are also expected to return once a year for training, in order to keep them in shape and be ready to act emergencies and protect Singapore. For many men, this involves going through pain and suffering; therefore these two words can send shivers down their spines and affect their mindset.
Even so, there are many advantages of National Service. One of them is being able to protect Singapore in times of need. Singapore is a very small country compared to many other nations, even a State in USA is larger in comparison with Singapore, thus we naturally have a smaller population and cannot be defended by only those who enroll in National Service. Having compulsory National Service, each and every single able-bodied man in Singapore will have to undergo this. This will ensure that Singapore has a strong and efficient army, which is able to deter any invaders and be prepared for any emergencies. And it is a fact that through two years worth of push-ups, running, intense training and harsh conditions that one’s mental and physical strength will improve by a large margin. With a strong will and mental strength, National Servicemen will be able to strive harder and not give up when meeting difficult situations. Furthermore, National Service will allow them to experience hardships, such as washing their clothes, polishing their boots, cleaning their guns and bunks and in some cases, sweeping the parade square. Through this, they will be able to cherish what they have and will fight more fiercely in defending their own country and loved ones. It will also change them from “pampered boys” in their families to “independent men” in the society. The best perks in serving National Service is that everybody will be treated as equals. No matter how rich you are, or what background you are from, you would still be treated like other people as there is no biased treatment. Thus, discrimination and prejudice does not become an issue anymore and National Service will be a place where everyone will bond with each other, make new friends from other races and through all of it, they will be able to understand one another. This will result in racial harmony and peace between races, vital in ensuring stability of Singapore.
Now, we have come to the negative sides of National Service. When you are serving National Service, you are committing two years of your life into the army, with weekends the only time able to spend time with your family. Also, who knows what you can do with these two years of your life? It could be used to pursue your education or your dreams, even to take up a job. Less time is able to be spent with your friends and family, have less time to enjoy the comforts and relaxation of home and follow strict rules and regulations in the army, which can be difficult and mentally straining. Furthermore, the mindset of being commanded around and being shouted vulgarities at by commanders will also add to the mental strain. That explains why most men are reluctant to go for National Service!
Personally, I feel that National Service is important and will be looking forward to it. National Service is a good place for us to be fit and strong, it will also train us mentally and to be more independent. Although I do not really like hardships and rigorous trainings, the perk for National Service for me is that it will allow us to make new people and friends. This is the only chance in life which I will be able to meet people from other races and understand their culture better. It will also allow us know our true self, understand our mistakes and behavior. Most importantly, as Singapore citizens, I feel that it is my duty to protect and defend Singapore when in need. Therefore I am excited for National Service, as it is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, even though there are physical and mental strains.
So how can the prospect of two years of “hell” be more appealing? Firstly, the most important factor is due to the lack of females. More females can be introduced into the army, such as the medical field. This will make more males more willing to take part in National Service due to the abundance of female counterparts. Secondly, they should lessen their overly strict rules and exercises to make army life more enjoyable for men, thus they would not join National Service just because it is compulsory and due to the punishment of three years' imprisonment and a fine of S$10,000. Next, the time frame for National Service can be cut short to about one and a half years, or have more days off to visit friends and families and have time to catch up on their studies, to ensure they do not fall behind once their National Service is over. Also, this will cut short the time wasted and more time to spend on studies, so that they are able to find good and suitable jobs for themselves. Last but not least, the salary for National Servicemen can be increased and other perks, such as a good bathing time or extra serving for food, to encourage men to look forward to National Service and strive to do better and make it look more attractive.
No matter how good or bad National Service is, advantages or disadvantages of National Service, one thing is for sure: it is not meant and will never heaven. It is to train men in order to defend their nation well in times of crisis and hostilities. Just as long as you feel positive about it, you will have a good time and the time there will be appealing, if you feel negative, you will feel like it is “hell”. National Service is compulsory, whether you like it or not. When you are 18 years old, you will be sent for National Service. No complains can be made. Therefore changing your mindset will ensure whether you have an enjoyable time, or a place as worse as “hell”.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Informal Letter to Survivor of Japanese Disaster
Dear Survivor,
I may just be a member of the public, but I can understand your current situation in Japan and know how you must be feeling right now. It must be difficult to cope with the loss of your loved ones and the disaster itself. I sympathise with you and Japan, as the disaster had left a grave impact on the lives of the victims as well as the members of the Japanese public.
Your mind must be in a state of shock right now, after losing your loved ones. All of the Japanese would feel the same way, thus I give my condolences to the victims of the disaster. However I encourage you to carry on with life and do not give up hope. Stepping in your shoes, I can understand your dilemma. After being hit with the devastating earthquake and tsunami, and the most recent radiation exposure, life in Japan must be difficult and food will also be scarce as most of the food now have high radiation levels. But, you must always keep in mind that no matter how tough the times are, there will always be a spark of hope and determination left. You must be strong and forget sad things in your life in order to live it to its fullest. When you feel like giving up, always remember this "Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery and Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present". Whenever I am demoralized, I just have to recall this and I will become more hopeful in life and be happy with living. Stay positive, and you will enjoy life as it is. Setbacks are meant to harden your determination and mental strengths, not to break your mentality. Remember that you are not alone in this disaster, the entire world will be with you, giving moral support and encouragement. I hope that you will have a meaningful life ahead of you. Thank you.
With regards,
Stanley Yuan
I may just be a member of the public, but I can understand your current situation in Japan and know how you must be feeling right now. It must be difficult to cope with the loss of your loved ones and the disaster itself. I sympathise with you and Japan, as the disaster had left a grave impact on the lives of the victims as well as the members of the Japanese public.
Your mind must be in a state of shock right now, after losing your loved ones. All of the Japanese would feel the same way, thus I give my condolences to the victims of the disaster. However I encourage you to carry on with life and do not give up hope. Stepping in your shoes, I can understand your dilemma. After being hit with the devastating earthquake and tsunami, and the most recent radiation exposure, life in Japan must be difficult and food will also be scarce as most of the food now have high radiation levels. But, you must always keep in mind that no matter how tough the times are, there will always be a spark of hope and determination left. You must be strong and forget sad things in your life in order to live it to its fullest. When you feel like giving up, always remember this "Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery and Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present". Whenever I am demoralized, I just have to recall this and I will become more hopeful in life and be happy with living. Stay positive, and you will enjoy life as it is. Setbacks are meant to harden your determination and mental strengths, not to break your mentality. Remember that you are not alone in this disaster, the entire world will be with you, giving moral support and encouragement. I hope that you will have a meaningful life ahead of you. Thank you.
With regards,
Stanley Yuan
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