Week 27

I think “The Phantom Of The Opera” is the best opera ever. I was filled with exultation when my mom bought the tickets. Andrew Loyd Webber is really a prodigy. I wonder how he got the inspirations to compose such fantastic pieces. Although I am not an ardent opera fan, I really love this opera. I love the part where the soprano sings the pinnacle note. Indeed, the opera brought down the house at the Explanade.

Week 26

The oil rig competition is next week. We have one month to finish the model, yet we all wait till the last minute, because we are lethargic and remiss. Although the teacher always rebuke us, he really help us a lot. Through the process, difficulties are inevitable, but I am sure this will be a lucrative experience.

Week 25

Chernobyl is the world’s biggest and most expensive nuclear disaster in Ukarine.

I do not know much about this, but definitely, there was much detriment. This was not the awesome and impressive eruption of Krakatoa. There were debris everywhere and few hundreds died immediately. It was really deplorable that the the whole place was obliterated.

Holiday Homework

Yes, I’ve finally finished the homework for oral practice, but I’m still left with quite a lot of homework undone. Epecially bio, I can’t find the answers in testbook!

Oh yes, the H1N1 pandemic. I thought there would be extension of holidays since there are 3 cases in our school. Apparently it’s not going to happen…

Oral Day 9

This picture depicts a scene of four students doing experiment. There is a plastic bottle on the table with a “DISTILLED WATER” label. All of them are wearing white rubber gloves and also a white coat. I think they are polytechnic students.

 There are many agar plates on the table as well. One of them is holding onto something like stick and is doing something with the plate. I guess she is putting the bacteria on the agar so that it can grow and they can see the results. Two of these students are smiling, probably they are succeeding in their experment.

Conversation

My favourite subject in school is Appreciation of Chinese Culture (ACC). Although we only learn it in lower secondary, I still have the knowledge with me! It is not only interesting, but also easy to learn. During lessons, the teacher would prepare keleidoscopic powerpoint slides and play games with us. I can gain knowledge and have fun at the same time.

I think everyone should go to university. The starting salaries for poly students and graduates are really far apart. Not only that, people would also look at you with awe, in a different light. It somehow represents one’s status. Hence, it is necessary to got o university.

Oral Day 7

Picture

This is a picture of a hawker centre. There is a crowd of people washing this place with  water hoses and detergent, as evident by the foam on the floor. It is possible that they belong to a town council and this is a regular washing.

It makes me think of the “Rojak Poisoning” case that happened not long ago. I heard that fifty plus rats were caught. I think it is really a shocking news.

There is a lady with short hair on the right hand side of the picture. She is wearing a singlet, a pair of jeans and a pair of boots. She looks very solemn, perhaps tyring her best to make the place as clean as possible. In the background, there are some people looking at these people, who are working. Perhaps they have never see this before.

There is also a man in the centre of the background, pointing is left index finger at a round table beside him. He could be the head here or maybe he is just talking to another person.

Conversation

I think I am usually organised, but tidy most of the times. I do not like the sticky feeling on my skin after sweating, but I do like P.E. lessons as exercising is necessary.

Usually at home I will help my mother to clean the floor at least once every week. I do not like to wear slippers at home, so I hate it when the floor is dirty. In addition, I have a sensitive nose, so I must make an extra effort to ensure there is as little dust at home as possible.

Oral Day 5

Picture

This is a picture of a classroom in Singapore, as evident by the Singapore flag on the wall. If I am not wrong, by looking at the uniforms of the students, this should be Ang Mo Kio Primary School. There are four students and one female teacher on this picture. There is a retort stand on the table. There is a pulley system and a few weights. I remember I learnt this in Prima five, so I guess they must be Primary five students. It is a movable pulley. The teacher is pulling the string, probably telling the students how the pulley system works. Two of the students are taking down notes or recording the details while the other two are looking seriously at the pully system. I think it is group work time because the teacher seems to be just talking to the four of them.

Conversation

If I could re-design the school timetable, I would shorten the interaction period and the assembly period, so that we all could go home earlier. I would also like to make sure that school ends before or at 3pm everyday and not some days 4pm, some days 2pm.

Most importantly, I would want to lengthen recess to at elast one hour. It seems to be unnecessary, but if not for the short recess, pupils would not be jumping queues. We may also use the recess time to read books in the library or stay in the classrooms.

I think the school prepares us well for life, but should add more enrichment lessons, other than caligraphy lessons in lower secondary and creative arts. My tutor once asked me this question. “Have you ever wonder why the schools in Singapore don’t teach you subjects like astronomy?” I ponder it for a while and knew the answer. Although learning these type of subject would not help to boost Singapore’s economy, I think it would more or less enlighten our mundane, routine school life.

Oral Day 3

Picture

This s a picture of a sandy beach. In the foreground, there is a group of seven people trying to doughing the sand. Perhaps they are relatives or close friends, haging out at the beach or enjoying their holidays. The lady on the extreme right is wearing a hat, a T-shirt and a pair of comfortable jeans. She has a ring on ecah of her hands and a long necklace. She is looking at the few boys beside her, most probably telling them what to do next.

On the right top corner, there is a couple. The lady is burying the man in the sand. In places like Thailand and Indonesia, it is a popular way to destress. I have never tired that before, but I presume it would be fun.

In the background, all of the tree trunks are coated with white colour pesticides.Maybe it is a way to protect the trees from be harmed by unknown pests.

There are also many other people on the beach, wither sun bathing or building sandcastles. I guess they are all enjoying themselves.

Conversation

I think many children enjoy computer and video games because they only need to sit in front of the computer and exercise their fingers. They will not sweat are feel tired, like after a run. Well, the games might be interesting, but it is very bad or the eyes. Although they might say they will take a break while playing, once they are engrossed in the games, it is really hard to stop. If we look around, almost everyone in the classes wear spectacles, apart from those who wear contact lens. Definitely, using too much computer is a reason of this.

Oral Day 1

Picture

This is a picture of an air-conditioned room in a nursing home where the elderly are playing a ball game with the nurses. There are seven elderly in total.  They are most probably in their seventies or eighties. Most of them are wheelchair-bound. One nurse with a pony-tail is standing in the middle of the room while the other short one is standing at the side. The nurse in the centre is throwing a beach ball at an uncle. He is bespectacled and is very skinny. All of them look eagerly at the ball.

Perhaps it is just after lunch or tea break and it is ther interaction time.

In the background, there are railings and stairs. Hence, I can gather that this is an exercising room where the elderly learn to walk again or exercise their hands.

I think it is good to entertain the elderly by playing games with them. They will not only enjoy themselves, but also interact with other elderly.

Comversation

My grandmother is already in her seventies, but is still in the pink of healthy. Every morning, she will wake up at 5am and went out to exercise with the neighbours. After that, she will go to the market to buy food for breakfast, as well as ingredients to prepare lunch and dinner for us.

I think we should not send elderly to nursing homes unless there is really nobody to take care of them. After all, they deserve much better than this. Many people find old people annoying, but it might not be the case. Perhaps there is really, what we called, a “generation gap”. However, we should try to communicate more and not ignore them.

I do not think nursing homes should be free of charge. This will encourage more people to send the elderly in their homes to these nursing homes. Since it is free, why not?

Week 24

Yesterday, I went to Asian Civilisation Museum with mom to see  The Kangxi Emperor: Treasures from the Forbidden City exhibition. There were a lot of bizarre artifacts, like a ancient calculator, in the special exhibition room.To prevent the exhibited item from being tainted, they are all either kept in glass boxes or cordoned off.

The Manchus originated from the Mongolia areas and slowly expanded and conquered the whole of China. It’s been a tradition to pass the crown to the Eelder son. That’s why Kangxi became the emperor.

The exhibition ends on 14 June 2009, please go catch it if you are interested!