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FORM 5 SAMPLE ESSAYS

According to the latest format (SPM CEFR) New format starting 2021 The compilation of sample essays is done by: Cg Tong Mei Ling Cg Siti Noorhanisah binti Johaire Cg Siti Hasyimah binti Nordin Cg Jonathan Ong Ujang

PART 1: MODEL QUESTION 1 You received an email from your friend, Arun. Hi, Dad has finally agreed to take my family for an island visit. As you are always telling me about the thrilling moments you have during your visits, I would like you to suggest an ideal island trip for my family to go for a holiday. Is there any hotel that you would like to recommend? Do let me know the activities we can do there? What are the things that I need to take along? I’ll be waiting for your reply. Bye! Arun Now, write an email to your friend in about 80 words. Write your answer below. To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Subject: Island trip Hi, Arun! How are you? Glad to hear about your family trip. Pulau Besar in Melaka would be the island that you are looking for. The Aseania Beach Resort has a lot of good reviews. This resort has comfort and mesmerizing view. On this island, there are many activities for you to venture. During your jungle trekking, you can embrace the exotic flora and fauna.Another adventurous activity you would undergo is island hopping onto other neighbouring island and enjoying secret that they have to offer. As you are a food lover, don’t forget to go to Kayu Manis restaurant where scrumptious food awaits you. Make sure you take your camera along to capture the breathtaking views. The most important things are your swimming attire, sun tan lotion, sunglasses as well as your hat. Hope you have a whale of time with your family at Pulau Besar. Send my regards to them! Your friend, John 2

PART 1: MODEL QUESTION 2 You received an email from your friend, Ramesh. Hi, Ismail! As the Assistant Head Prefect, I was asked to write an article for the school magazine about what students should do and should not do at school in order to keep clean, hygienic and safe. Could you give me some pointers, please! I will be waiting for your reply. Bye! Ramesh Now, write an email to your friend in about 80 words. Write your answer below. To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Subject: Pointers to keep clean, hygienic and safe Hi, Ramesh! How are you? I hope you are doing well there. Here are some pointers that I could think of. Firstly, all students must arrive at school wearing a face cover or mask and continue wearing it all through, especially when in class, or doing any activity in groups. Remind all students not to exchange masks with others. In additions, every student needs to learn how to cough or sneeze into a tissue or elbow and avoid touching face, eyes, mouth and nose. Perhaps, schools can supply necessary equipment like gloves, face masks, hand washing soaps for sanitation. That is all from me! I will write to you more when I have more ideas. Regards, Ismail 3

PART 1: MODEL QUESTION 3 You received and email from your friend, Jay. Hi Rosli, I was down with fever and sore throat for the past few days. So, I missed the talk given by Mr Shamsuddin, our school counsellor. How was the talk? Could you tell me what was said about hobbies? Bye! Jay Now, write an email to your friend in about 80 words. Write your answer below. To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Subject: The content of the talk given by our school counsellor Hi Jay, How are you? I hope you are feeling better now. Mr Shamsuddin had delivered a very insightful talk that day. Well, he talked about several hobbies. He said that collecting is a great hobby since it can involve collecting just about anything that appeals to us. Writing stories or poems can be a great hobby too. Building models is a great hobby because it has a wide appeal to all teens. Then, he mentioned that music promotes creativity, self-expression, and self- confidence. Finally, according to him, taking up photography as a hobby has never been easier or less expensive. These are the points that he talked about the other day. Feel free to text me anytime if you need more information! Take care and stay safe there! Best wishes, Rosli 4

PART 1: MODEL QUESTION 4 You received an email from your friend, Harry. Hi, My friends and I were talking about were modern teenagers go shopping the most. As you are living in the city, I would like to know your opinion on this issue. Where would you go shopping the most? Is it the sports shops, clothes shops, electronic shops or somewhere else? Tell me what kind of shop and what would you like to buy. Why is it important? I’ll be waiting for your reply. Bye! Harry Now, write an email to your friend in about 80 words. Write your answer below. To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Subject: Where to shop Hi Harry, I just saw the email you sent. I hope you are in the pink. Based on my opinion, I would like to go to electronics shop because as you know, I am a tech freak. Since I was a kid, I always go to the computer shop every weekend just to window shop on the new arrivals for computer parts. The IT Tech is my favourite shop to go to. Currently, I want to get new graphics card for my desktop. I am planning to get the RTX 3090 which is the same price as RTX 2080Ti but it is more powerful. It is important for me to purchase this because I have a lot of online classes recently and my desktop is starting to lag due to my old graphics card. So, I have decided to get one! Sorry, I have to go now. I will call you when I am free! Hope you like my opinion. Bye! Warm regards, Charles 5

PART 1: MODEL QUESTION 5 You received an email from your teacher. New message To : [email protected] From : [email protected] Subject : Extension on Deadline for Assignment Hello everyone, Many of you have asked for an extension to the assignment due next Friday. If you need an extension, please email me, informing me officially that you cannot meet the assignment deadline, and explain why you are not able to complete it in time. Let me know what you will do in response. Thank you. Sincerely, Mrs Joseph Now, write an email to your teacher in about 80 words. Write your answer below. New message To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Subject: Request: Extension on Deadline for Assignment Hi Mrs Joseph, How are you? Hope you are safe and sound there. I am requesting an extension to the deadline. To be honest, I have unfortunately fallen ill after being exposed to the coronavirus. I have been having a high fever, and my throat is scratchy. I am aching all over as well. I am not sure how I contracted with the virus. Therefore, I am unable to meet the deadline for the English book analysis assignment. I had no energy to work on the task. All this while, I have been in isolation and resting at home. A soon as I can, I will complete the work and email it to you. Thank you for your kind understanding. Sincerely, Alib bin Aqwan 6

PART 2: MODEL QUESTION 1 (Theme: Science & Technology) Your class has been discussing the pros and cons of gadgets for students. Your English language teacher has asked you to write an essay about the advantage and disadvantages of mobile phones. Your essay must be written in 125 -150 words. In your essay, you should write about: PROS AND CONS OF MOBILE PHONES ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES • Keep up to date with current issues • Students become passive • Learn many new skills online • Neglecting their duties • Source of entertainment • Tendencies to commit crime is high Mobile phones is so popular today that now it becomes a necessity for everyone. Mobile phone is indeed a wonderful invention of man. It does not only help people to communicate but also to entertain. However, there are advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones for students. The first advantage is we can keep ourselves up to date using mobile phones. It keeps us informed of all current issues happening around the world. Information is shared throughout various platform such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and Youtube where we can read news and watch video online. Secondly, we can learn many new skills using our mobile phone. There are many language teaching programs, baking and decoration classes online. We do not have to travel far to learn new skills. We can use Zoom, Google Meet or Skype to join a class and study. Thirdly, mobile phone is a source of entertainment. We can watch movies, drama, music videos, songs or play games after a hard day’s at school. We can relax at home and watch movies that we like without having to go to the cinema. Nevertheless, there are disadvantages of mobile phone for students. First, students gradually become passive in their action. It may prevent us from socializing with other people in real life. Students might prefer playing games or watching videos online rather than spending quality time with family and friends. Secondly, students have the tendencies to be neglecting their duties. They neglect their homework or revision because they are so keen on using their mobile phones. They also tend to refuse helping with house chores because they do not want to miss watching their favourite drama. Thirdly, the bad influence of mobile phones on the young generation is inevitable. It encourages them to commit crimes. Violence, nudity, and irrelevance trends can be accessed easily online. This can lead to robbery, theft, cyberbullying, spreading fake news and murder. In a nutshell, mobile phone is very useful in today’s world. However, as a student, we must know how to use mobile phone wisely. Be extra careful not to overindulge in it and use it sensibly. 9

PART 2: MODEL QUESTION 2 (Theme: Health & Environment) You watched a television program about animals and learnt about animal extinction. Write an essay expressing your opinion and feelings in the increase number of endangered species. Your essay must be written in 125 -150 words. CAUSES CONTRIBUTING TO ANIMAL EXTINCTION • POACHING – illegal international trade, increase in demand for exotic animal parts (trophies, fashion accessories), sale of live animals • LOSS OF HABITAT – less water and food sources • OVERHARVESTING MARINE LIFE – environmental issues Write the essay using all the notes and give your opinions and feelings on animal extinction. Man is in danger of destroying his own species and that of Mother Nature. A prevalent problem is the growing extinction of animal species. Animal lovers are unhappy that certain animal species are becoming extinct. Extinction occurs when species are diminished because of environmental forces or because of evolutionary changes in their members. There are several causes contributing to this issue. First and foremost, one of the causes which lead to animal extinction is the act of poaching. Many studies have also documented large declines in wildlife populations due to overhunting and poaching. For instance, the Blue Whale was almost plunged into extinction, losing 99% of its numbers as a result of poaching. The illegal international animal trade has prompted poaching and sale of exotic animal parts to make trophies and fashion accessories like crocodile skin bags, rhino talismans and medicinal concoctions. Some examples of illegal wildlife trade are well known, such as poaching of elephants for ivory and tigers for their skins and bones. Even captured live animals become exotic human pets. Secondly, forests are cleared for economic development resulting in loss of habitats and tree cover. Wild animals are bereft of food and water sources. When a habitat is destroyed, the carrying capacity for indigenous plants, animals, and other organisms is reduced so that populations decline, sometimes up to the level of extinction. Habitat loss is perhaps the greatest threat to organisms and biodiversity. A large number of animals would have problem surviving due to the loss of habitat. Moreover, marine life is also threatened by overharvesting marine resources. Overharvesting, or overfishing in the case of fish and marine invertebrates, depletes some species to very low numbers and drives others to extinction. In practical terms, it reduces valuable living resources to such low levels that their exploitation is no longer sustainable. The most-familiar cases involve whales and fisheries. Apart from that, some oceans and seas are environmentally polluted by both industrial and human waste which could threaten the lives of marines living in the sea or ocean. To sum up, I am afraid the global eco-system and the drastic climate change would be unable to meet the food and water demands for both human and animal survival. I fear for the end of human race. 10

PART 2: MODEL QUESTION 3 (Theme: Consumerism and Financial Awareness) You watched a documentary about the evolution of online shopping in Malaysia. Write an essay expressing your opinion on the benefits of online shopping. Your essay must be written in 125 -150 words. Write the essay using all the notes and give your opinions on the benefits of online shopping. CONVENIENT • SHOP AT ANYTIME AND ANYWHERE • BUY ITEMS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD VARIETY OF OPTIONS • ABLE TO VISIT NUMEROUS SHOPS AT THE SAME TIME • CHOICES OF DIFFERENT STYLES, COLOUR AND SIZES EXCITING OFFERS • GET DISCOUNT AND VOUCHER • COMPARE PRICES BEFORE BUYING FOR GREAT DEALS With the development of technology, human in today world can easily buy almost anything just by a few clicks. It is becoming a popular trend for purchasing in present time. Shopping online has many benefits. First, online shopping is beneficial as it makes shopping more convenient than ever. We can shop at anytime and anywhere. Customers do not have to drive a long way to shop or spend hours queuing up just to buy things that they need. They can also buy items that they want from different parts of the world. Some products are not available locally therefore online shopping is the best way to make the purchase. Secondly, online shopping offers variety of options. Customers are able to visit numerous shops at the same time to search for the same products. Online shops offers many choices of different styles, colour and sizes. Customers can just browse through the catalogue and make their purchase once they find product that suits their requirement. Lastly, online stores tend to have exciting offers for their products. Customers can get discounts and voucher which are very appealing. Buying items online also enables customers to compare prices before buying for great deals. Online shopping is gaining popularity as more people make use of computers, mobile phones and the internet. I believe that online shopping has many benefits. It is convenient, offers greater variety, and enables the customer to get the best price for the products. 11

PART 2: MODEL QUESTION 4 (Theme: People & Culture) Your class has been discussing on activities to do during holidays. Some of you plan to go on a vacation. Your English language teacher has asked you to suggest the best place to go during the holiday. Your essay must be written in 125 -150 words. In your essay, you should write about: • NAME OF THE PLACE/LOCATION – Redang Island - one of the largest islands off the east cost of Peninsular Malaysia - 45 kilometers from the coast of the city of Kuala Terengganu - known as Terengganu Marine Park • TRANSPORTATION TO GET THERE - accessed from Merang Jetty in Kuala Terengganu - flights from Kuala Lumpur to Redang Island • ACCOMODATION AND PRICES - 5-star luxurious resorts - stay in the tent at a campsite - RM200 to RM400 – travel package • INTERESTING ACTIVITIES – scuba diving, snorkeling, jungle trekking, visit Redang Marine Center, watch sunset, enjoy local delicacies Holidays are the most awaited time of the year. Imagine you are sitting on the beach, hypnotized by the repeated chants of the waves and tropical sea breezes against your skin. That is what you will experienced at Redang Island. Whenever it is school holiday, I will always go here to visit my grandparents. Redang Island is one of the largest islands off the east cost of Peninsular Malaysia. Redang lies within protected marine waters, also known as Terengganu Marine Park. It is located about 45 kilometers from the coast of the city of Kuala Terengganu. The island can be accessed from Merang Jetty in Kuala Terengganu. The boats to Redang Island are operated by the resorts there. Redang Island has its own airport too. For those who wish to save time, you can skip the long and tiresome journey and book flights from Kuala Lumpur to Redang Island. There are several accommodations to choose from at Redang Island. You can choose to stay at 5-star luxurious resorts or stay in the tent at a campsite. The price ranging from RM200 to RM400 depends on the travel package that you choose. Even though the package is quite expensive, it comes with attractive deals. Some package offers scuba diving and snorkeling activities. You can also go for nature walks or jungle trekking, enjoying the nature. Redang Marine Center is also a must-visit as it is the best place to see marine life. Other than that, you can just relax by the beach enjoying local delicacies and watch the sunset. In my opinion, Redang Island is a beautiful part of the world. I highly recommend it if you love stunning holidays with lots of natural attractions where it is simple to keep things easy and inactive or you can choose to be adventurous. 12

PART 2: MODEL QUESTION 5 (Theme: Health & Environment) Your class has been involved in “Save the Earth Campaign” held by Environmental Club in your school. Your English language teacher has asked you to write an essay about how to practice 3R (Recycle, Reuse and Reduce) in our daily lives. Your essay must be written in 125 -150 words. Write the essay using all the notes and give your opinions on 3R initiative. HOW TO PRACTICE 3R • Recycle recyclable items – gather systematically - saves natural sources • Reduce waste – bring own plastic/bottle/container – avoid using disposables • Reuse items – donate items – reuse items more than once The 3R (reduce, reuse and recycle) is an initiative to help cut down on the amount of waste we throw away. This waste hierarchy is the guidance suggested for creating a sustainable life. It calls for an increase in the ratio of recyclable materials, further reusing raw materials and manufacturing wastes, and overall reduction in resources and energy used. A small change in our daily routine can actually help conserve our environment. First, we can start by recycling recyclable items. For example, papers, aluminum, plastic and glass are commonly used in schools, houses and offices. These recyclables need to be gathered systematically and separated from the rest of the trash to be sent to the recycling center. The second step is to reduce waste. A lot of our waste comes from items that are considered to be “disposable”. We have to avoid using disposable items such as paper cup, napkins, spoons and plates. We can bring our own plastic bag, water bottles, cutlery and food container in place of disposables. Lastly, we can start practicing 3R by reusing items. Instead of throwing unwanted items, you can start by donating them to a worthy cause. You can also reuse items for the same purpose or reuse products in different ways. For example, you can repair broken furniture instead of buying new ones or reuse old jars or pots as flowerpots. I believe 3R initiative helps to lessen the amount of waste going into landfills. We can contribute towards a greener lifestyle and community by changing the way we handle waste daily. This will help to create cleaner, safer means of waste disposal while reducing the impact on the environment and all habitats. 13

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 1 Your teacher has asked you to write a story for a school magazine. The story must have the title: Kindness Your story should include: • background information about the characters • how kindness is shown Write your story in 200- 250 words in an appropriate style. Kindness By Aminah Ahmad My name is Syafiq. I am a clerk. I have a neighbour named Puan Ramlah. Now, I would like to tell a story about me and and Puan Ramlah that had taken place 10 years ago. My neighbour is a very kind person. She lives alone. She likes to help other people. Everybody likes her. She is a retired English teacher. When I was 17 years old, I became a bad person. I took drugs and I stole other people’s things. I was a thief. All I knew was stealing. I stole money. I stole motorcycles and even chickens. One day, I was caught stealing a motorcycle. But, I was lucky because my neighbour Puan Ramlah helped to settle my problem. She asked the police to let me free and she would take care of me. She promised the police that she would make sure I behaved. If I was caught again, then the police could arrest me. The police agreed. I thanked my neighbour and promised to change my life. Starting from that day, I became a better person. I went to school to finish my studies. After school, I would help Puan Ramlah with her house chores because she was not well and old. I cleaned her house. I cooked for her and did/bought her groceries. I also cleaned her room. Since she was a teacher, she taught me English and other subjects. I took my SPM examination and I passed. Then, I became a clerk in Seremban. I would never steal again. I wanted to help teenagers like me. All these happened because of her – my best friend, my good neighbour. Now, I am a volunteer at Seremban Youth centre. I help teenagers to go through life. I do not want them to be criminals. I learnt a lot about myself by helping Puan Ramlah. 16

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 2 Your teacher has asked you to write an essay for a school magazine. The story must begin with the following words: His hands trembled as he placed the receiver. Your story must include: • a description of the incident • how the incident affected the character/ characters Write your story. The Terrible Truth By Abraham Wong His hands trembled as he placed the receiver. He could not believe what he had just heard. This could not be true. His wife, Susan, had been hospitalised and he could not be by her side. He was attending a seminar in Scotland when he got word that Susan was involved in an accident. His family beseeched him home. Home. Jason knew that he should be heading home. Susan would need him to be there. There was nothing he wanted more than to be with Susan, comforting her, nursing her and most of all ensuring the well-being of their unborn child. It hurt him not being there. All that was left to do at that moment was to fervently hope that both mother and child were not in a critical condition. He hastened and caught the next flight home. When he reached the airport terminal, his heart was beating very fast. He felt so nervous. He received a message from his sister-in-law that his wife was in coma. There obviously were some difficulties related to his unborn child forming bleak possibilities that Jason did not dare to put in too much hope. He jumped into a taxi urging the driver to drive as fast as he could. Alas they were caught in a traffic jam. Undaunted Jason urged the driver to hasten as he needed to be with Susan. She needed him. The taxi went fast in and out of traffic, zigzagging on the busy road. Suddenly a big lorry loomed into their path from the opposite direction. The taxi driver was going too fast that he failed to avoid collision. Everything happened at high speed. There was nothing much that could be done. Jason was sent to the hospital by passers-by. He was critically injured and there was no way to inform his relatives and family members. They tried to reach him not knowing of his predicament and to no avail. By this time Susan had regained consciousness. Though she was relieved to still be alive somehow she could not shake the feeling that something was amiss. Susan could not really patch the pieces. However doctors had to perform a C-section in order to save both Susan and her baby. She could not help smiling looking at the bundle of joy and yet that tugging uneasiness was still there cowering at the far corner of her heart. Her thoughts were definitely of Jason. 17

Just then her sister, Susie, came into the room. Susan lit up at the sight of her sister though it was quite the opposite on Susie. “Where’s Jason? I can’t wait to show him our boy. He has Jason’s eyes and my smile. I’m sure he would be glad to see our son.” Susan enthusiastically blurted to Susie. She however stopped when she realised the joy was only on her part. Susie was downcast and when she did look up tears could be seen welling up in her eyes. Susan was dumbfounded when Susie broke the news. Everything seemed bleak now that she knew Jason would no longer be there for her. She felt guilty knowing she was the reason he had rushed to his death. Tears just could not stop flowing but she had to embrace herself. She had to think of their son. He might not have a father but he would not be deprived of the love Jason had had for his son. She would do the loving for both of them. She would ensure that he grows up knowing love has no boundaries and it exudes Death. 18

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 3 Your teacher has asked you to write a story. The story must have the title: A Dishonest Boy Your story must include: • a description of the boy • the outcome of the dishonest act Write your story. A Dishonest Boy By S. Vagesh The night was dark and humid. Murphy tossed and turned in his bed, squirming uncomfortably. He remembered vividly Regina cynical expression when she finally had to return the silk gown that he promised to buy her, after the cashier told him that his credit card had reached its limit. Murphy jumped off his bed. He crinkled his bushy eyebrows and started to think on how to win back Regina. Being jobless, Murphy knew there was no way that he could have dated her, but the fact that he was the son of the former mayor had given him the chance Murphy tilted his head. It is then that the idea came to him. He smiled handsomely to the sight of his framed business administration diploma, which he acquired a little time ago. However, he did not bother to find a job with it, since his late father had left him and his mother with a lot of money and a lot of other properties. Murphy now knew exactly what to do, and his eyes was glimmering with hope. Only then he was able to sleep soundly. The next morning, while having breakfast with his mother, Murphy told her his made up story. There was excitement in his eyes as he spin a yarn, telling his mother his ‘plan’ to start a business. In order to start his business, he needed a hefty amount of money. At first, his mother did not believe him. But after he sweet talked her, she finally gave away. After all, Murphy was the only son of her, so she thought of giving him a chance. Murphy was so convincing that she thought he had turned over a new leaf and gave him the 10 thousand pound he asked for. His mother agreed to transact the money that afternoon. Murphy’s heart jumped with glee seeing his plan started to work. He immediately called Regina, asking her out for dinner, promising that this time she would be getting the specially designed silk gown. Regina agreed. Things were going smooth for Murphy. Little that he knew his plans were about to be shattered into pieces. It was 7 o’clock in the evening. Murphy checked his style from head to toe. He was looking dashing and cool, all ready to date Regina. He slid into his late father’s car, telling his mother he needed to settle several things before starting his business. It was a lie, of course. Murphy’s first stop was the bank. He needed to draw some money so that he would be able to buy Regina the silk gown. He smiled by himself as he walked back to his car, 10 thousand pound richer. Out of nowhere, two men attacked him. Realizing his predicament, Murphy tried to put up a fight, but was beaten black and blue, before the two men fled away with his money. 19

Murphy mustered all of his strength and made way into his car. In there, he thought of his next action. He finally found himself driving to Regina’s place. Upon reaching, he was told by Regina’s housemate that she had gone out with another man just 10 minutes ago, after Murphy had failed to show up. Murphy’s heart sank. All of his lies to his mother had taken toll on him. He was robbed, and Regina had dumped him. Murphy learnt his lessons the hard way. He now realized that honesty is the best policy. 20

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 4 Your teacher has asked you to write a story for a school magazine. The story must have the title: A Dream Comes True Your story should include: • a description of the dream • how the dream is achieved Write your story in 200- 250 words in an appropriate style. A Dream Comes True By Susanna Lee “Not so fast Lewis!” My immature ten-year-old voice yelled out at the fast disappearing figure before me. I knew the additional two wheels of my glittering silver-tinted bicycle had given me a disadvantage rather the advantage I thought I would have. I pedalled with all the force my undeveloped leg muscles could generate, but it only proved to be futile. I could not win this race. I had never beaten my brother, Lewis, in any bicycle race after that. He always seemed to be one step ahead of me, no matter how hard I tried. Lewis was a caring and understanding brother, but equally so was he competitive and determined. He was my role model and the person I respected most, but he was also my main rival. Our parents too supported our healthy competition. Races with Lewis were never short of passion and excitement, and soon I found myself getting more into cycling, determined to beat Lewis at our favourite sport. The years had gradually passed, and the both of us had found a new love, motorcycle racing. We had worked hard to make our mark in the sport, and both of us had succeeded thus far, winning respective races in different parts of the world. Yet, he had won many more titles than me. I could never surpass him, it seemed. Our rivalry was a race and it had become my dream to defeat him in one. Now, it was time for us to compete once more. Both of us had entered the widely- acclaimed “Moto GP” competition, and a showdown would be inevitable. We had not raced together for many years, leaving this race down to the tremendous amounts of hard work we had put in. The press had written countless articles about our coming race, and it was finally time for the big clash. I turned my head towards him, and I could see his eyes through the visors of our helmets. Eyes filled with a colourful mixture of nostalgia, happiness and determination. Then, the horn blared. We raced, neck to neck from the start. It stayed that way for the next seventeen laps, before the final lap. He sped in front of me, stretching his engine to the limit. It would be extremely difficult to attempt to rival his pace, and I tried my very best to reduce the gap as much as I could. As I saw him riding in front of me, I was gripped by a sense of déjà vu. “Not so fast Lewis!” I mouthed, for the sake of reliving our very first race. Only this time, I would not let history repeat itself. I flicked my wrist back, accelerating my vehicle. I 21

concentrated on the figure in front of me. I could feel the effect of pushing my engine to its limits. My gloved hands were feeling the heat from the overheating engine. We approached the last hundred metres. I was only half a motorcycle’s length behind him. With a final flick, we crossed the finish line. We looked up at the giant screen. A camera replay was being shown. It was too close to call a winner. “And the winner is Will!” the commentator boomed through the sound system. I felt immense relief and a massive sense of achievement. I had finally done it. I had won the cup. I had won a race against my brother. I had won the race to surpass my brother. It was truly a dream came true! 22

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 5 Your teacher has asked you to write a story for a school magazine. The story must have the title: An Unforgettable Moment in My Life Your story should include: • a description of the moment • why is the moment unforgettable Write your story in 200- 250 words in an appropriate style. An Unforgettable Experience in My life By Suriyati Samad The alarm clock rang at 6.00a.m. but it was meaningless for I had not slept a wink all night for fear of what I would be facing that day. The sudden burst of sunlight which cast shadows on the ground saw me dragging myself unwillingly out of bed. Having showered and breakfasted, I head out the front door which I made sure to lock before I left. The thought that I would be receiving my SPM results alone was anything but comforting. The walk to school that morning was the longest one I had ever endured. The sight of the school building made my heart pounded more wildly. I quickly made my way to the school hall, scanned the crowd for my friends, and hurriedly made my way towards them. Looking around the hall, I saw my peers, each dealing with their nerves in their own way. There were those who rocked back and forth on their chairs and there were those who sat, chewing on their fingernails. A sudden slamming of the door startled me and brought all our attention to the rear of the hall where we saw our headmaster, with a thick stack of envelopes in his right hand. The silence that enveloped us was so dense that I could have drowned in it. When he brought the microphone to his lips, I shut my eyes and held my breath, hoping, praying for the best. What I heard were the most beautiful words in my life. I had passed with flying colours! The world became temporarily mute to me as fireworks of joy and celebration went off in my head. I was ecstatic. The wave of happiness and relief that washed over me was as comforting and as satisfying as a hot bath on a cold day. I was in a proper state as I made my way home. My dancing, singing and skipping attracted curious, amused and even sympathetic stares from pedestrians, but I did not care. I could not wait to get home so that I could ring up my mother and break the great news to her. Her reaction would be the greatest gift of all. Unable to contain my excitement any longer, I broke into a run. As soon as I reached home, I hastily opened the front door and was greeted by my mother. I was so surprised to see her. She hugged me tightly and told me that on her way home that morning, my class teacher Madam Habsah had called and told her about my excellent result. I looked at her and she had tears in her eyes. She then smiled at me and told me that she’s very proud of me. To be able to hear those words from her had really made those busy 23

days and my sleepless nights worth it. That moment had become an unforgettable moment for me as I realised that I had made my mother truly happy. 24

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 1 You see this notice on the board outside the school office. Articles wanted! Famous Tourist Attraction in Malaysia • Where is it situated? • What attracts visitors to the place? • What is your impression of the place? Write us an article answering these questions. The articles will be displayed in the school magazine. Write your article. Unique Kota Tinggi Written by: Amisah Nordin If you are tired of the hustle and bustle of the city, well, you do not need to go far. Only a 40-minute drive from busy Johor Bahru, the weekend is always a good time for a trip to Kota Tinggi. This peaceful town is one of many popular tourist destinations in Malaysia. Kota Tinggi is a small town in Johor, situated on the road to Mersing. It is known as a historical town, where the Sultanate of Johor was established. There are many historical tombs of historical figures here, such as Sultan Mahmud II who died in 1699. If one is more of an outdoor person, one may go to Kota Tinggi Waterfalls at Lombong, which is located at the base of Muntahak mountain. The waterfall area is a great place to have picnics. However, gets crowded on weekends. The beautiful water cascading down and the view of the Muntahak mountain at a distance prove to be an attraction for outdoor and photography enthusiasts. To get to the waterfall, one needs to walk for about a half-an-hour. There are many food stalls in the area and barbeque pits are also available for those who want to barbeque. When I first went there, I found the area unbelievably beautiful. The picturesque scenery at the waterfalls is certainly the perfect spot for a quick getaway. There are adequate facilities there. However, the natural beauty of some parts was adulterated by concrete development and artificial landscaping. In conclusion, Kota Tinggi is a famous and highly recommended tourist attraction, bringing in both locals and foreign tourists alike. 27

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 2 You see this notice on the board outside the school office. Articles required for Lifestyle Section! Leisure Activities • What can you do to spend your leisure time? • What are the benefits of performing each activity? • Which leisure activity appeals most to you? Write us an article answering these questions. The best article will be displayed in the school magazine. Write your article. Leisure Activities Written by: Natalie Wong Leisure time is a time set aside for relaxation, where we can get away from studying or doing chores at home. While this is a fun time, teenagers should spend their leisure time wisely instead of involving themselves in dangerous pursuits such as illegal racing, loitering outside shopping malls, or taking drugs, to name a few. Reading books during leisure time is one activity which highly beneficial. Examples of books to read are such as science fiction, horror, mystery, romance, and magazine. Choose a reading material which you are interested in. Reading relaxes the mind, helps improve grammar and vocabulary, as well as keeps one up-to-date with current issues. One can download e-books from the internet which is very convenient. One can also join a reading club to share about the books one read and make new friends. Other than that, one may engage in physical activities in their free time. For example, jogging, brisk walking, and swimming. Taking part in physical activities can help control weight and prevent illnesses, improves one’s mood to make one feel happy, as well as to relieve stress. If one is adventurous and fit enough, one may take part in extreme sports such as bungee jumping, mountain climbing, or rock climbing. Besides that, one may also do charity work in one’s free time. Going to orphanages or old folks’ homes to help them there brings about a two-fold benefit, that is it benefits the receivers as well as the giver. The receivers will feel happy that they are being cared by the society, whereas the giver will benefit by learning to be grateful. Other than homes, one can also help in soup kitchens which distribute food to the homeless and less-fortunate. In conclusion, leisure time need to be spent correctly to not waste precious time. In my case, I enjoy reading during my leisure time as I love to imagine things as I read. 28

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 3 You see this notice on the board outside the school hall. Write your article. Articles required! Keeping Our Homes Safe • What measure can be taken to keep our homes safe? • When neighbours can help you? • How will a security system help to secure a home? Write us an article answering these questions. The best article will be displayed in the school magazine. Keeping Our Homes Safe Written by: Nardash Dani Lately there have been an increase in burglaries around residential areas in Malaysia. Certain measures need to be taken to reduce or prevent such incidents from taking place. First, never open the door to strangers. Keep gates and doors always locked. When a visitor arrives, identify them through a door viewer or through the CCTV before opening the door to them. If it is only for a quick visit, ensure that the metal gate is secured so that no one can enter and burglarise the house. At night, ensure that lights are switched on so that activities outside the house can be seen clearly. Second, neighbours come in handy when it comes to keeping watch for us when we are away from home. When we are away for a long period of time, it is important to ask their help to keep an eye on things. Other than that, they can also help to water the plants, take in the mail, as well as to draw the curtain to make the house look occupied. They can also help to contact the police should they see any suspicious characters around the house. Third, invest in a security system. Such an investment can keep our house safe even if it may cost a lot. We should buy it from a reputable security company as the system needs to be installed professionally to ensure that it works properly and effectively. With the use of the CCTV, one will have a peace of mind knowing that the house is constantly being watched and will be able to see suspicious characters around the house. In conclusion, the house is our very own investment. It is important find ways to keep our home safe from burglary. 29

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 4 You recently saw this notice in a travel blog. Write your article. Articles wanted! Why Every Child Should Experience Farming • What is the natural beauty children can experience? • What can children learn on a farm? • How can their experience affect future perceptions of their career? Write us an article answering these questions. The best article will be published in this blog What A Farm Can Teach A Child Written by: Yong Yi Farms can teach a child many invaluable lessons and values. It offers much, especially with the natural curiosity and wonder that a child has. The beauty of the farms around our country is legendary. There are the rolling hills of green grass, or the array of wildflowers displayed in all their glory. The meandering streams where cattle roam, and the delightful sounds of farm animals, all testaments to the rich life on a farm. Farms need to be more than an extract idea. A visit to the farm offers children hands-on experience. The farm provides children with hands-on experience of life, food production, and sustainable environmental practices. For instance, children benefit in life when they know where their food is coming from, how it is raised, and the amazing process of bringing food from the farm to their plate. Spending a day or a week on a farm will teach the children to have a greater appreciation for their food. Children who grow their own food are more likely to waste less and eat a greater variety of food. Besides, children can touch, smell, and taste the things they are learning about. The lessons from a farm field trip can run the gamut from alternative energy to vegetables, paddy fields, cows, chickens, and much more. The child will learn about farm practices, daily chores, animals, plants, the farm lifestyle, farm products, and agricultural economics. The classroom comes to life on the farm as they learn about history, math, science, art, music, and health topics relevant to their classroom curriculum. Children will learn about the people that run a farm and how much sacrifice and energy they put into producing food, milk, and meat for people. Children always think about wanting to be doctors and lawyers, but not often want to be farmers. Visits to the farm may change their minds. The experience on a farm is invaluable to the children’s educational growth and the future of farming as a profession. 30

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 5 You see this notice on the noticeboard outside the school library. Articles wanted! Cyberbullying • What are the forms of cyberbullying? • Why should cyberbullying be stopped? • How can we deal with the problem? Write us an article answering these questions. The best article will be published on the school Youth Club magazine Write your article. Cyberbullying: What Is It and How to Stop It Written by: Josh Carrot Cyberbullying is the act of using technology, such as text messages, emails, and social networking sites with the intent of hurting a person or a group. There are various types of cyberbullying. It includes sending or posting rude and hurtful comments, spreading lies and rumours about someone, sharing someone’s secret or embarrassing photo online, sending threatening emails or text messages. Cyberbullying should be stopped because it is a severe form of psychological abuse. It can cause both short-term and long-term damage to the victims. Victims of cyberbullying can suffer from a range of issues, including low self-esteem, depression, fear, anger, frustrations, and feeling ashamed of oneself. In addition, a bullied student will often avoid school, have lower grades, poor concentration, and become socially isolated. There have been numerous reports which show that cyberbullying has led to suicide in teens and children. In certain cases, students who struggle with depression, anxiety, and loneliness, will continue to live in this condition when they become adults. There are many ways to prevent cyberbullying. Firstly, you should stop talking to the person who is cyberbullying you. Secondly, block emails or messages from the bully. Do not respond to them. Thirdly, tell someone whom you trust like your parents, teachers, or friends about the matter. Finally, save the messages or emails that you receive from the cyberbully and keep the screenshots of any comments or images that have been posted online as all this can be used as evidence. 31

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 1 As Secretary of the English Language Society, you are required to write a report on an English Camp held in school during the school holidays. Your report should include: • The activities held during the English Camp • What members learned from te camp Write your report. English Camp 2021 During the last school holidays, the English Language Society had organised an English Camp at the school hall on the 4 to 5 December 2021from 8am to 5pm. Thirty members of the English Language Society participated in this English Camp under the supervision of two teachers. All the members of the English Language Society gathered in the school hall at 8am on Saturday. The teacher-in-charge gave a brief speech. Then, the committee members divided the participants into groups and conducted language games such as Charade, Guess the Word, Taboo Words and Letter Scramble. After lunch, there was a Treasure Hunt where members need to solve riddles to look for clues. On Sunday, participants were assigned to their new groups and each group worked together to produce a short drama script. After that, the members practised and performed their drama on stage with imaginary props. After lunch, we watched a movie and had a discussion on topics based on the movie. Before we went home, each member was given the opportunity to present a two-minutes speech on their feelings and opinions regarding the English Camp. Throughout the two days, members have improved their vocabulary by learning a lot of new words. They had a lot of practice on their speaking skills too and were more confident in speaking English with their friends. The English Camp has enabled them to learn language the fun way. The camp was a huge success and it is hoped that similar camps would be organised in the future. It would benefit the members greatly. Reported by, Xin Er (YONG XIN ER) Secretary, English Language Society 34

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 2 You are the Head Prefect of your school. You have been asked to write a report to the principal on the students’ complaints about the canteen. Your report should include: • Reasons for these complaints • Your recommendations on how to solve the problem. Write your report. Complaints about the canteen The students of this school are very unhappy with the food sold in the canteen and the rude behaviour of the canteen operators. Thus, the students have stopped buying food from the canteen. Firstly, there are no variety of food sold and the staple food here is curry noodles. The students have found the curry to be cold and the noodles were not blanched in hot water. Secondly, the food preparation is unhygienic. In fact, a student found a cockroach in the soup! When the student demanded for another bowl, the canteen operator hurled foul words at the student. Luckily, some teachers controlled the situation. Thirdly, the canteen operators are rude and shout at the students. They even short-change the students and said that they were lying. Thus, the students have decided to boycott the canteen and bring food from home. As the situation has accelerated, I would recommend that the canteen operator should be changed so that we have a new canteen operator. The students will not buy food from the current operator. I would also suggest that we have a group of teachers to oversee the preparation of food to ensure its hygiene and of high quality. Teachers should be around to ensure that the operators do not short-change the students. It is hoped that you would consider these complaints seriously and prompt actions should be taken. Reported by, Marina Muhammad (MARINAMUHAMMAD) Head Prefect, SMK Tun Teja 35

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 3 A quarrel had occurred in the library. As a prefect, you have been asked by the school principal to write a report on the incident. Your report should include: • How the quarrel started • The action taken by the discipline teacher Write your report. A Quarrel in the School Library On 16 October 2021, a quarrel between two students happened at the library. On that day, it was quiet as usual. The librarians were arranging books on the shelves while a group of students were reading at the tables. There was a queue of four students at the counter waiting for their turns to borrow books. A librarian was attending to them patiently. Suddenly, two boys from Form 4 Bestari started shouting at each other. They were Shankar Kumar and Kenny Chua. They were in the queue too. One of the boys accused the other of cutting the queue. They began to shout angrily at each other. However, the accused insisted that he did not cut the queue. The heated argument between the two soon escalated and they started shoving at each other. I was walking along the corridor when I heard the commotion. I ran into the library and tried to stop them. Meanwhile, the librarian, Zakiah binti Bakri, ran to call the disciplinary teacher, Mr Thirusamy who came in and intervened. He noted the boys’ names and the class they came from. Mr Thirusamy instructed me to accompany the boys back to his room as he wanted to interrogate them. Before leaving, Mr Thirusamy asked the other students if they had seen what caused the quarrel. The students told him what had happened and he instructed the librarians to monitor the queue carefully next time. Reported by, Hon Yong (LOK HON YONG) Prefect SMK Seri Serdang 36

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 4 Getting to school on time is very important but many students in your school often arrive late. The Principal has asked you to carry out a survey to find out why they arrive late. Based on your findings, write a report to the Principal. Your report should include: • Details of the survey • Reasons given by students • Ways to solve the problem Report on the Findings of a Survey Getting to school on time is very important but many students in our school often arrive late. To curb this problem, the Prefectorial Board of SMK Bandar Tun Hussein Onn had carried out a survey to find out why students arrive late to school. Arriving school on time is important so that students will not miss any updates given by the teacher on duty in the morning assembly. The survey was carried out on 7th May 2017. A total of 100 students were involved in the survey. Based on the outcome of the survey, majority of the correspondents cited waking up time as the main cause for students to arrive late to school. Many students stay up late at night doing revision or playing online games, thus, unable to wake up on time. Some students highlighted the issue of transport to school. Many of our students depend on school buses to come to school. The school buses are often late as the drivers have to go to many routes to pick students from different schools as well as to drop them all at their respective schools. Our school is usually their last stop as it is located the farthest from the residential areas. Another reason given by the respondents is the distance from their homes to the school. As their houses are miles away from the school, they have to face the heavy traffic jam every morning before reaching school. Besides, some of the students gave reasons that the parents need to go to send their younger siblings to the primary school first before heading to our school. To overcome this problem from further affecting our school’s image, the school can conduct an awareness campaign among students to bring in awareness on the importance of being on time. At the same time, the school should hold a discussion with the parents of the students who are often late. This can be alarming to the students too when parents meet their teachers. On the other hand, students themselves can take measures to manage this issue. Students should use alarm clocks to set their waking up time. Besides, they can ask their parents to wake them up every morning so that they can reach school on time. To summarise, the issue of students arriving late to school can be reduced gradually if both the school and students work hand in hand. The cooperation of parents, teachers and the students is crucial to ensure the success of our goal. 37

Reported by, Tharshadevi (THARSHADEVI) Head Prefect, SMK Bandar Tun Hussein Onn 38

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 5 During the last school holidays, your school hosted a week-long visit for international students. As one of the students involved in organizing the visit, you have been asked to write a report to the Teacher Advisor. In your report, include the following: • Reasons for the visit • Activities during the visit • Opinions from international students International Students Visit During last school holidays, our school hosted a week-long visit for the international students from 12th to 18th December 2020. 30 students from various parts of the world participated in the visit. They were from Japan, China, India, England, Australia and Scotland. Their age group was between 16 to 17 years old. The main reason for the visit was good for international relations. It was also aimed to expose our school students to different cultures in the world. The organizing team had arranged three beach-side bungalows to accommodate the international students. A number of activities were carried out during the visit. We had cooking lessons with the participants. A demonstration for making ‘roti canai’, a popular Indian cuisine, took place in which many international students excitedly joined in the trial lessons. Next, we had traditional games session. The foreign students learnt ‘congkak’ and kite-flying. To add excitement to the programme, a traditional dance show was held. The participants were put into groups with our local students to perform various traditional dances in Malaysia like ‘Joget’, ‘Zapin’ and ‘Ngajat’. All the activities were fun and filled with loud laughter. Majority of the international students commented on our beautiful beaches. Throughout the stay, they witnessed the beautiful sunset from their homestay. Many of them also expressed their admiration on our multiracial society living in harmony. The present organizing team would like to recommend a visit to Sabah for the future international visits. It would be a great place to observe the diversity of Malaysia closely. Reported by, Dev (DEV THARM) Secretary, The Arts and Cultural Club 39

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 1 (Book Review) You see this notice in a community magazine. Reviews required! Have you recently read a good book? With the holidays fast approaching, helpful reviews of books to read are welcome. Let us know what book you are reviewing. Provide a brief synopsis and let us know why you enjoyed the book and who would enjoy reading the book. Briefly explain where you obtained a copy of the book, so future readers know where to get a copy of it. The Holiday Book Review By Jacob Chiang The book I am reviewing is titled ‘The Holiday’ by Justine Haggard. The book is available at the most bookshops. I purchased my copy at The Popular bookstore. It is the perfect plan for the upcoming holidays, where one looks for activities to fill up the time. A good book is worth carving out time for. Three friends from university gather with their families for once-in-a-lifetime holiday. Unfortunately, events lead a crime writer, Lessa, into uncovering her husband’s secret activities. Lessa is not sure who to trust as her marriage and lifelong friendships unravel. Little does she know that the stakes are higher that she has ever imagined. Everyone, it seems, has a secret. The twists are fast and furious towards the end. It is a plot-driven book that will be sure to entertain readers who enjoy domestic thrillers. Lessa narrates most of the book. Her analytical point of view simultaneously helps her search for the truth about her husband and her secrets. She dissects each person’s actions and comments. While she slowly processes her thoughts and observations, the tension builds up a breaking point between the guests. What I enjoyed most about the story, besides the dreamy location, Mauritius, was the author’s ability to keep me guessing. To masterfully convey that ever so slight edge that had me second-guessing everyone. The book is accessible to all ages and has a precise but straightforward language that seamlessly makes the characters and events come alive. The print is easy to read, and even delightful cover keeps reader guessing. I highly recommend readers to pick up this book for the holidays. 42

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 2 (Place Review) You recently saw this notice in a Time Out magazine. Write your review. Review required! • Have you visited any nice cafés in your state lately? Send us your review. • Say what you enjoyed most about the café. • Would you recommend this café to your mates? Why? The best review will be published in the Time Out magazine (Not Just) Another Cup Café: Good Coffee, Delectable Dishes and Good Vibes By Hunter Hitzrald Those who are new to (Not Just) Another Cup café, welcome. A simple space furnished with dark wooden furniture further accentuated by the soft yellow hues. The cosiness brought by the surrounding enchanting drapery greens and potted plants is a pleasant touch to the café. For most city dwellers looking to sip good coffee, (Not Just) Another Cup café is definitely a must-visit. Joining the bustling Jalan Hang Jebat terrain, (Not Just) Another Cup is a café that is known for not only coffee but a wide variety of brunch fare. Do not forget to order the Iced Espresso Latte as it will undoubtedly make a good post on your Instagram. This café also deserves a shout-out when it comes to the coffee they serve. Did you know that the baristas here have won several awards? (Not Just) Another Cup café’s menu is a reflective of a contemporary Melbourne café with some delicious local influence. The kitchen team always takes no shortcuts, insisting on making everything they possibly can in-house and from scratch. My favourite dish is avocado smash. Homemade guacamole, feta cheese, roasted cherry tomatoes, and two perfectly poached eggs topped on a sourdough toast. A smear of cider beetroot puree completes the dish. The toping is rich and creamy with a burst of tanginess when bite into the cherry tomatoes. The cider beetroot puree provides a mild acidic note to enhance the overall flavours. Besides, I like the Superbowl before I have even tried it. It has got all of my favourite ingredients in one dish: quinoa salad, sweet potato, grilled sweet corn, dehydrated kale, four-angled beans, hummus, pistachio, Greek yoghurt, and basil oil. Superb! The team at (Not Just) Another Cup café is serious about their coffee, and I dare say they are among the best quality cups in the city. The contemporary food menu us indeed flavourful but gently so, allowing both food and beverage shine. Sincere café hoppers should add (Not Just) Another Cup café to their route. This quaint café makes it right, from smoothie bowls to pancakes, sandwiches and pastas. Drop by (Not Just) Another Cup café, enjoy your cup of coffee, and unwind in their beautiful setting. Highly recommended! 43

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 3 (Product Review) You recently saw this notice in a magazine. Reviews required! Have you heard about any writing app that helps you write more and write better lately? We are really curious about it. Send us your app review. Say what the app is all about. How does it help students and how does it help them write better? The best review will be published in our newsletter . Write your review in 200- 250 words in an appropriate style Start Write App Review By Selvan a/l Rajaratnam A teacher created the Start Write App. It is designed with students in mind and is very easy to navigate, even on smartphone. The layout is clean and bright. The animation is tasteful and helps with student’s engagement. Start Write app consists of hundreds of prompts and images that are appropriate for students of different writing levels. The prompt increase with difficulty as each student progresses, from one writing level to the next. Another exciting feature of the app is that students can create new prompt using their own images and ideas. Individual writing pieces are composed and saved within the app. Students can also share their writing with others using email. The prompts help students think creatively and they can practise responding critically using arguments and details. As they write, the app provides check-in questions to keep students engaged and help them keep track of their progress. For many students, just starting to write is the most challenging part; the more they practise, the better they will become. Start Write app is excellent at getting students to start writing. Furthermore, students can even search for writing prompts and images based on a keyword or category, or they could let the app randomly make the selection for them. The only thing I find lacking is that there is no autocorrect for simple writing errors such as spelling. It would be wonderful to have a sound-recording option for students with disabilities. Currently, the free version is good enough for the average writer. The app developer is releasing a paid version that allows for partner writing and group work, and tracking edits and progress. 44

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 4 (Movie Review) A local magazine is looking for individuals to send in their movie reviews. Write a review on a movie that you have watched recently. Movie Review • Name of the movie and its synopsis • Analysis of the movie (themes, characters that you like, storyline, moral values etc) • What is your opinion about the movie? Will you recommend this movie? Send your review to us and stand a chance to be featured in our magazine! Hidden Figures Movie Review By Tesvor Ram The movie, Hidden Figures (2016), not only serves as an item of good entertainment, but is also admirable in depicting the scientific changes in the USA in the 1960s, the social life issues of that era, and differences that existed in the country, especially among African- Americans. The movie centers around the lives of three women: Katherine Johnson, who is played by movie star Taraji P. Henson; Mary Jackson, who is played by Janelle Monáe; and finally, Dorothy Vaughan, as the mathematician portrayed by Octavia Spencer. In the movie, these three characters of African-American backgrounds play vital roles in society through their contributions while working at NASA towards the successful launch of a spaceship into orbit. As an informative movie, it shows the condition of African-Americans among the wider USA community and some of the issues they faced. These include gender imbalances, as well as racial discriminations. From a historical perspective, the film shows a depiction of the Jim Crow rule, which created ideologies of segregation where some buildings and facility spaces are separated to ensure that races were kept apart. The impact of such a rule is seen when Mary Jackson in facing opposition due to her taking a course in physics at the graduate-level. There is also a depiction of racial discrimination where there are separate toilets for white people and for colored people. Additionally, the film depicts differences in the social treatment of community members among various ethnic groups. 45

As seen in the movie, at the Langley Campus at NASA, even if African-Americans and white citizens work within the same vicinity, they are segregated. The African-Americans are shown using separate dining facilities and bathrooms. This can be seen when Katherine Johnson is seen running from her office just to visit the washrooms, sometimes even in the rain. The movie, Hidden Figures, also shows the social differences between men and women in American history. There is a sense of prejudice and workplace bias towards women from their fellow men counterparts. One scene from the movie depicts the character, Katherine Johnson, who is skilled in computing and at explaining information to the board, yet sidelined and prevented from being among the men by Paul Stanford, a lead engineer on the project. Rather, she is forced to relinquish her presentation files to men, as opposed to making the presentation herself. However, with changes and acceptance, Katherine is finally allowed to present, especially with the support of Al Harrison. The movie also shows the importance and impact that the three women played in shaping the subsequent events at NASA, and in shaping the whole community. Through power and determination, the women act as motivators for other women, especially African- American women. In the film, Dorothy works with other white women and commanding several computers, however she is bypassed for upcoming promotions within the company for the role of supervisor. Fellow co-workers and her boss also treat Dorothy maliciously. However, with perseverance, she encourages fellow African-American women to take up programming lessons as a way of preparing themselves for the changes in computing. I think the movie does an excellent job in portraying past issues faced by African- Americans, explaining scientific changes in USA, and in creating a vivid picture of the social differences in gender in the 1960s. I highly recommend this movie because there are so many things that we can learn from the dramatic prejudice and issues undertaken by these three women. 46

PART 3: MODEL QUESTION 5 (Game Review) You recently saw this notice in a STAR magazine. Review required! • Choose a favourite game of yours! • Write a review about the game – what is the game about? • How you feel about the game? • What you like and dislike about the game? The best review will be published in the STAR magazine. Shadow of Wars By Gordon Yeam My favourite game of the year is ‘Shadows of War’. ‘Shadows of War’ revolves around sieges. Mordor now comprises five regions: Cirith Ungol, Nurnen, Seregost, Gorgoroth, and one of the Gondorian cities–naming it would be a spoiler, I guess. Four of them are guarded by a stronghold governed by up to six war chiefs, and an overlord. Your goal is basically to conquer all the fortresses, using the whole lot of tools developers grant you with. The siege itself is represented by well-known “capture-and-hold” mechanics: your forces must break through the walls and gain control over several strategic points heavily defended by enemy captains and war chiefs. To do this, you must overcome numerous obstacles: poisoned traps and fire mines; enemy catapults wiping out your grunt orcs; beasts and archers defending the city within the walls; boiling oil or poison flowing on the heads of your troops as they try to climb the walls; and so on. As soon as you capture all the points, you will need to confront the overlord himself–and I must say, it can be a challenging task even for an experienced player. Regarding the game itself, I could just describe it in one word: fantastic. Flexible, versatile, engaging, and adapting to your pace as a player. I could not stop playing it: in about a week after I bought “Shadows of War,” my Steam statistics showed over 60 hours spent in the game. Capturing fortresses, fighting war chiefs, infiltrating strongholds, recruiting orc captains, flying fire-breathing drakes, collecting legendary gear sets–this is just a tiny bit of what you will need to do. I love the game so much because of the several reasons. I liked the online part of the game. Traditional vendetta missions, when you must avenge another player killed by an orc captain, are now complemented with sieges. In this mode, you must attack a fortress in another player’s world. You do not fight players, though–just their orc war chiefs and captains. Still, it is fun, as every user builds his or her own defenses, and the orcs possess different traits. Also, it is a nice way to find and capture (or kill) high-level, legendary orcs, which is awesome. Apart from that, the Nemesis system in the game is capable of creating them on the fly, and I think this is fantastic. The skill tree has become much more diverse. 47

All of your talents fall into several categories: Combat, Predator, Ranged, Wraith, Beasts, and Story. Each skill in each of these categories has two or three alternatives. Overall, it gives Talion incredible flexibility, allowing you to create any playstyle you wish. Like to stealthily infiltrate fortresses during the night and take out enemy captains one by one? Here you go. How about roasting everyone with flames while flying a drake? Mind-controlling archers and ordering them to fire at will? Terrorize your enemies so they flee in horror? You can play “Shadow of War” in whatever way you like. However, there are several aspects of the game that I disliked, though. The first and foremost one is the camera. It is awful. If you are in the middle of combat with multiple grunts and captains surrounding you, and plan to use your deadly execution to hit precisely–forget about it. Better use an area-of-effect ability, because you will never make the camera aim at the enemy you want to hit. Not in a large battle, at least. If you run past a wall you do not plan climbing on, be sure Talion will grab it and start climbing. I am using Steam Gamepad, but I never noticed such problems in other games. The other aspect I would like to rant about is the graphics. My computer runs this game at 60 FPS on ultra settings. Nevertheless, the graphics look blurry. Sometimes textures look like they have not loaded completely. Anti-aliasing does not completely eliminate pixel “ladders”–this can be easily seen when you fly towards your fort and look at it from the distance. This, as well as some bugs (I found myself stuck in textures several times) can somewhat spoil your impression. Overall, “Middle-Earth: Shadow of War” is a game that can catch your attention for a long time. The gameplay is extremely immersive and versatile, and the Nemesis system responsible for player-environment relationships works amazingly. After more than 60 hours of playing the game, I have still got things left to do in Middle-Earth, and gameplay mechanics to explore. I strongly recommend this game to everyone, really. 48

SPM Essay Writing Guide – Format & Examples

Table of Contents

What is SPM?

Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, or SPM, is a significant national exam that Malaysian students who have completed Form 5 education—typically at the age of 17—take. It’s crucial since it determines whether or not they can continue their education after high school and serves as a measure of their overall academic success. Writing an essay is a significant part of the SPM exam since it evaluates the test taker’s command of the English language, analytical reasoning skills, and ability to form coherent arguments.

SPM Essay Format

Excellent SPM essays may only be written by students who have a firm grasp of the proper essay format. An essay typically consists of three primary components:

1. Introduction

The introduction of an essay serves as the initial section, strategically designed to captivate the reader’s interest and provide essential contextual information for the subsequent content of the paper. The factors that contribute to the level of interest in an introduction are:

A hook: A hook is a provocative statement or query that grabs the reader’s attention.

Background context: Introduce the topic and its relevance in a brief background context.

Thesis statement: Clearly state your essay’s principal contention or goal.

The body of your essay comprises several paragraphs, each of which deals with a different aspect of your thesis or a related concept. When composing the body, adhere to the following guidelines:

Topic sentences: Each paragraph should begin with an introduction to the key concept that is succinct and straightforward.

Supporting evidence: To support your claims, offer statistics, examples, or supporting proof.

Smooth transitions: Make sure the transitions between paragraphs are reasonable, retaining the coherence of the structure.

3. Conclusion

The conclusion is the last section, where you restate your thesis and briefly review your significant points. To write a strong conclusion:

Summarise main points: Briefly summarise your main points from the body paragraphs.

Restate thesis: Rephrase your thesis statement to reinforce your main argument.

Closing thought: A provocative statement or call to action should be the closing thought.

How to Write an SPM Essay?

Essay writing is a craft that can be honed with time and focus. Write an excellent SPM essay by following this simple outline:

1. Understand the Question

To completely understand the criteria of the essay question, carefully read and consider it. Indicate the essay type (e.g., descriptive, narrative, argumentative) and the keywords that will be used.

2. Plan Your Essay

The key ideas you intend to cover in each part should be included in an outline. Planning ensures a clear essay structure and helps you organize your thoughts.

3. Start with a Strong Introduction

Write a captivating beginning that introduces the subject, establishes the mood, and expresses your thesis statement succinctly.

4. Develop the Body Paragraphs

Each paragraph should focus on a single idea, with supporting details and arguments. Make seamless transitions between ideas.

5. Craft an Impactful Conclusion

Reiterate your thesis, restate your essential points, and give the reader a thought-provoking conclusion.

SPM Essay Writing Tips

Take into account these helpful tips to improve your essay-writing abilities:

1. Read Widely

Your vocabulary and knowledge base will grow due to exposure to various reading sources, including books, newspapers, and articles.

2. Practice Regularly

Consistent writing practice improves your writing abilities and increases your comfort level while confronting various essay subjects.

3. Seek Feedback

To pinpoint areas for growth, get comments from teachers, peers, or family members.

4. Time Management

Use your time effectively during the exam to allow enough time for preparing, writing, and reviewing.

5. Grammar and Vocabulary

Pay close attention to your grammar, spelling, and language choices for your writing to remain coherent and clear.

Types of SPM Essays

SPM essays can take many forms, each requiring a different strategy. Here are a few common types:

1. Narrative Essay

It tells a tale with aspects including characters, setting, and plot, frequently from the viewpoint of the author.

2. Descriptive Essay

It uses sensory details to create a realistic image of a person, location, or event to capture the reader’s attention.

3. Argumentative Essay

Presents reasons and proof to persuade readers to take a specific stance on a hotly debated subject.

4. Expository Essay

Gives details, justifications, or analyses on a subject backed up by examples and facts.

5. Reflective Essay

Reveals one’s own feelings, thoughts, and experiences while highlighting the lessons learned from a certain incident.

SPM Essay Example for Malaysian Students

To provide you with a practical reference, here is a brief example of an SPM essay provided by Malaysian Essay Helpers :

Example Title: “The Impact of Technology on Education”

The digital era has completely transformed every part of our lives, including education. Classrooms have changed as a result of the growing use of digital devices and the internet, with both positive and negative effects.

Paragraph 1 (Positive Impact)

The educational process has been greatly improved by technology. Interactive instructional software and applications provide pupils with fun ways to understand difficult ideas. Additionally, e-learning platforms have made it possible to receive a degree from a distance, eliminating geographic restrictions and fostering lifelong learning.

Paragraph 2 (Negative Impact)

However, there are negative consequences to using too much technology in the classroom. The decline of conventional methods of instruction may lead to a shortage of students with strong critical thinking and interpersonal skills. Additionally, the digital divide between kids from various socioeconomic origins has the potential to make educational disparities worse.

In conclusion, it is undeniable that technology has significantly influenced modern schooling. To guarantee that every student receives a well-rounded education, educators must strike a balance between tech-based instruction and conventional teaching techniques, despite the fact that technology has many benefits in terms of accessibility and learning opportunities.

For Malaysian students who want to perform well on their exams, mastering the art of SPM essay writing is essential. Students may improve their writing talents and create compelling essays highlighting their knowledge and critical thinking skills by adhering to the correct essay style, employing effective writing approaches, and practicing frequently. Remember to experiment with different essay formats to increase your writing versatility and use other people’s work as inspiration to enhance your own.

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SPM Essay Writing Guide – Format, Examples

The SPM exam is a challenging time for Malaysian students. It’s an opportunity to showcase their knowledge and skills, but it can also be confusing as the requirements are constantly changing. For example, this year there is no essay marking scheme provided by the Ministry of Education or any other official source on how essays should be assessed. This blog post will guide how to write an engaging essay that is sure to impress your teacher and get you top marks.

What is SPM?

The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), or the Malaysian Certificate of Education, is a national examination taken by all fifth-form secondary school students in Malaysia. It was created to test what they have been learning over their course of study and aspires them for higher education opportunities abroad.

Malaysians take the SPM exam that is set and examined by a Malaysian Examinations Syndicate. This Syndicate is also known as Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia. The education system in Malaysia can be completed after passing this test, which is equivalent to O-levels at the secondary school level. It’s compulsory for those seeking tertiary education before taking it; only then will they have an idea of what field of study suits them best. The age for completion of this public examination is 18 years old and students must pass it to be eligible for higher education.

The syndicate has made Bahasa Malaysia, English (Bahasa inggeris), Islamic studies, moral studies, history, and mathematical reading a compulsion for the students.

The Islamic studies subject is a compulsion for Muslim candidates. And moral studies are compulsory for non-Muslim candidates. The science coursework is common and compulsion to all students, but you can choose your elective subjects from these core courses below:

• Arts And Health- Music education, visual arts education, and sports science knowledge.
• Language And Literature- Malay literature, English literature, Chinese language, Arabic language(advanced), Chinese, Tamil, Iban, Arabic language for communication, English for science and technology, Chinese literature, Tamil literature, French language, and Punjabi language.
• Technical And Vocational- Agricultural science, home economics, engineering drawing, mechanical engineering studies, invention, food management, fashion design, engineering technology, domestic constructions, automobile servicing, etc.
• Science and Mathematics- additional Mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, additional science, information and communication, and applied science.
• Social Science And Religion- Business, entrepreneurial studies, principles of accounting, basic economics, Islamic worldviews, AL-Quran and As-Sunnah education, bible knowledge, etc.

SPM Essay Format

SPM essay writing is divided into two parts, part A and part B

Part A- This section is where you’ll be writing an essay, a report, or a letter. You’re given 45 minutes to answer this and it’s compulsory for you as only one question will bring in 35 marks- so make sure not to skip over the questions! Your examiner may award 3/35 points for your format, 12/35 points on content, and 20 out of 35 if they think that your language (grammar) is good enough.

Part B – This is the section where you apply all your knowledge of writing skills. It’s also a place to study grammar rules and how they work. Take some time now before we dive in so that by taking this bird’s eye view of it, you’ll know what to expect from this portion of our coursework.

• You will be given five options and you have to opt for only one.
• 60 minutes will be given to students to read all the questions thoroughly and plan key points for the same.
• This part carries 50 marks.

How to Write SPM Essay

Introductory paragraph:.

• Always write general information to write an introductory paragraph.
• Write at least 6-7 sentences.
• Use proper grammar, punctuation, and correct spelling.

Body Paragraph:

• Write at least the main idea
• 3-4 supporting details
• One conclusion paragraph
• Write 40-50 words
• Use correct grammar, correct spellings, and punctuation marks

Concluding Paragraph:

• Restate all the main ideas in a brief
• Write synonyms to restate your idea

SPM Essay Writing Tips

• Read all the questions wisely, some students make mistakes while selecting the question and later regret that they could have handled the other questions with much ease.
• Must choose a topic you are familiar with.
• Plan your essay like outline/ideas/thoughts/supporting points etc.
• Write sentences of different lengths a short sentence looks better after the long one.
• Always write neat and clean must use bullet points etc.
• Pay strict attention to the length of an essay, you have to write no less than 350 words if you write less than that, then you will be penalized, also never write extend your essay from 600- to 1000 words the more you write, the more the mistakes will happen.
• Always spare 10 minutes to proofread and edit an essay.
• After opting for a topic for an essay you can either write descriptive, narrative, reflective, descriptive, argumentative/persuasive, or factual/expository), but according to my suggestion always choose a narrative essay because another one requires a lot of knowledge of current issues.

Types of SPM Essays

The types of essays in SPM are:-

• Narrative essay- To write an interesting narrative essay often needs the right ingredients – just as cooking up a plate of curry masala does. The first thing about writing such essays is one’s creative imagination; so long as they are imaginative enough and think out of their box, then any story becomes more exciting than ever.
• Descriptive essay- a descriptive essay is an essay that aims to describe one’s viewpoint of the world through observations and feelings. The goal of this type of essay is to provide a vivid portrayal of the subject to get readers excited about what they are reading.
• Factual Essay- A factual essay is a non-fiction form of writing that is typically used when discussing some point relating to science or history. Factual essays are very similar to research papers in structure and format; however, they both vary in the use of citations and footnotes.
• Reflective Essay- A reflective essay is a personal essay that focuses on the writer’s reflection about an event, experience, or topic. The goal of this type of essay is typically to think critically and deeply about something which has been experienced by the writer.
• Persuasive Essay- Persuasive essays are a common way to voice opinions and sway readers. Readers will often disagree, which is why writers need to present their point of view as persuasively as possible with evidence from research or arguments that the reader can’t refute.

Topics for SPM Essay

• Illustrate an adventurous activity that has been done recently. Describe the preparation you have done before that and how was your experience?
• Describe your College reunion of yours; explain how memorable for you it was?
• Describe the project conducted at your school and you have played the most important role, what was your experience with that?
• Should parents give freedom to children? Discuss
• Write a story about a neighbour who is very popular in your neighbourhood. Discuss the reasons that make the neighbour popular and what other residents think of the popular neighbour.
• Write a story about a young successful farmer who is very generous. End your story with: “My friends and I learned a lot, especially the meaning of generosity.”

SPM Essay Example for Malaysian Students

Schools and universities have turned to online classes during this pandemic. Your teacher asked about your experience with online classes.

In the wake of an infectious disease outbreak, Malaysia has had to change how its students are getting educated. The COVID-19 virus is spreading rapidly in schools and villages across Asia; as a result, many Malaysian children have been forced into remote learning for fear that they will come into contact with someone infected by this highly contagious pathogen. These changes force educators all over the world to switch from traditional teaching methods– instructing pupils face-to-face or via webcam–to online coursework where the distance between teacher and student is not just social but physical too. Some Malaysian kids accept these new conditions readily while others may be struggling with adapting because it’s difficult adjusting without close human interaction on a day today.

I reap the benefits of Online education, first of all, you will spend less than in traditional classrooms, you can easily communicate with your teacher, you will gain new technical skills, you can gain better self-motivation, and enjoy a broader perspective.

The demerits of Online learning are that it can cause social isolation, it also needs strong self-motivation and time management skills, lack of communication skills, preventing mischievous activity can be complicated, teacher-focused only on theoretical knowledge, not on practical, E-learning lack face to face communication.

With the unprecedented virus covid-19, safe to say that online learning is the best alternative we have now. In the future, I would opt for classroom learning it has various plus points that E-learning cannot replace.

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