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I felt the tension in my shoulders and back ease. I let go of all the worries and troubles that had been circling my mind. A stray thought about the world’s ills tried to remain but it was vanished by the chirping of a little bird. I was in my garden, a secluded corner, far away from the hustle and bustle of life and the noisy chatter of my siblings.

After a tiring day at school, the first thing I do each day is toss my school bag aside, have lunch, shower, and then hurry to my hammock, strung between two trees in the garden. The shady mango trees block out the sun’s fierce rays. I can see the bougainvilleas in red, purple, yellow and white in full bloom around the trees. And there is my prized rose bush just beside my hammock. As I walk towards it each day, the roses’ sweet scent welcomes me from afar.

Once, lying back, I looked up into the tree with half-closed eyes. A small white bird was perched atop a branch just an arm’s length away. It looked at me with beady eyes for a few moments before it took off for more stimulating sights.

Another day, coloured butterflies flitted around my lethargic body. One settled on my nose. It danced and pranced on the tip of my nose. It tickled so I had to shake it off. Then, I felt something on my arm. A small black ant was making its way to my palm. I lifted my arm to the nearby tree and let the little ant continue its never-ending search for food.

A soft breeze blows in my garden and I enjoy listening to the rustling of leaves. They seem to be whispering in a strange language that I can’t understand. The branches move and wave. Little pinpoints of sunlight pierce through the thick foliage and find their way into my eyes. Once, a small drop of sunlight landed on my bare tummy and I could feel the warmth growing on that little spot.

When I feel more relaxed, I like to amble to the red and white swing on the other side of my garden and rock myself rhythmically. The swinging motions soothe me. I feel recharged and refreshed. Then, I take a little walk around my garden, pruning some leaves here and just stroking some there. I pour water from a watering can and watch the drops of water trickle down the leaves and fall onto the porous earth which absorbs it quickly.

In my little paradise, I watch nature in motion. “Trees, birds and insects live in symbiotic relationships. Surely, one day the rest of the world will follow suit,” I think. Then, invigorated, refreshed and relaxed, I feel ready to face the world again.

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Describe two or three of your classmates whom you find interesting

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Describe two or three of your classmates whom you find interesting

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School life can sometimes be tedious and boring. However, I am very lucky to be in a class where I have many friends, some of whom have been with me since Year One. It is their company that spices up the bland schooldays.

My friend, Hamid, is one that first comes to mind when you think of jokes in class, for Hamid can always be counted upon to liven up our lessons. A short, a plump boy with a very tanned complexion and wild hair that sticks out like a bush, everyone agrees that he looks like Lat, Malaysia’s most famous cartoonist. Thus, he is called by this nickname.

Sadly, our class ‘Lat’ is no artist. In fact, our art teacher always shakes her head in disbelief at the unrecognisable drawing that he produces. However, though he is not a cartoonist, he behaves like a cartoon character. Firstly, he has a very strange squeaky voice and he can use his voice to imitate all sorts of sounds. His favourite imitation is that of chalk squeaking on the blackboard. It sounds just like the real thing, making all the girls scream. Not surprisingly, ‘Lat’ has been banned from making his chalk imitation in class. However, he has many other imitations in his repertoire and can be relied on coming up with something outstanding at dull times of the day.

Another character that I find interesting is Kee Siong. Kee Siong is the opposite of Hamid. He is very tall and skinny, with arms and legs that seem to be too long for his body. His straight, black hair is always kept very short and his uniform is always spotlessly white.

Kee Siong is a studious and serious boy, whose goal is to excel academically. Obviously more mature mentally than the rest of us, it is no surprise that Kee Siong tops the class for every single examination. No one even hopes to beat him for first place!

Perhaps you are wondering what I find interesting about him? Well, actually, it is that his conversation is always peppered with statistics or scientific explanations. If, for example, you ask him, “Do you think it’s going to rain?”, he will reply with scientific observations and statistics to back up his answer. Now, I find this amazing. When I listen to him, I wonder where he stores al the knowledge that he has. He is truly a walking encyclopedia!

Finally, there’s Andy Lam, who has just moved to our school. Andy is an extremely good-looking guy who knows just how attractive he is. He never has a hair out of place because he is always combing it and checking out his appearance in a mirror that he keeps in his shirt pocket. With his good looks, Andy has ambitions of becoming a movie star or pop star, perhaps both, like his idol, Leslie Cheung, whom, I must admit, he does resemble.

To help turn his dreams into reality, Andy goes for singing lessons twice a week. In class, he often works on his vocal skills. He croons his Chinese pop numbers all day; once in a while, he bursts out into full voice, like Pavarotti, except that he adds to his performance with “cool” gestures and even choreographed dance movements. What this budding pop star does not realize, however, is that he is no Pavarotti. Truth is, the poor guy is tone deaf! Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, he has just been transferred to our school. So, I don’t know him well enough to break such heart-breaking news to him. I often wonder how his voice instructor can go on with his lessons.

So, there they are, three interesting characters in my class. Actually, there are many more. Kenneth, who sits beside me, says that I am quite a character myself. However, that’s for him to write about in his essay.

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“Friends should never hide anything from each other.” Do you agree?

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“Friends should never hide anything from each other.” Do you agree?

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No man is an island. Everyone depends on his friends to a certain extent. Ever since man formed a system of verbal communication, all people have been in constant chatter with one another. Relationships are important to man, so much that people may shape their entire lifestyles simply to find favour with their clique or circle of friends. Therefore, much caution must be applied when dealing with our friends, especially in our speech. So then, must we always tell our friends the whole truth and nothing but the truth or is it sometimes simply none of their business?

One thing is clear: finding out that your friend has lied to you always hurts. In cases where lies have been told to hurt you or other parties on purpose, the friendship will never be the same. If the lie caused you great damage, the friendship will not be salvageable. Who would want a treacherous person for a friend? Yet, even when the matter is not of great importance, little lies can lead to the spoiling of relationships. I have a friend who often tells little untruths. Sometimes, he exaggerates a little to impress others, sometimes he tells half-truths to get out of trouble and sometimes, he makes up stories to entertain his friends. Personally, I do not feel comfortable with him. You see, I just never know whether he is telling the truth or one more of his little lies.

Apart from the question of maintaining credibility, sharing one’s problems and joys with a friend can also be helpful as we deal with the problems of daily living. As the saying goes, shared joy is double the joy and shared sorrow is half the sorrow. Sharing the good times can brighten up a friend’s day if he feels down. Sharing one’s problems and despairs with a friend will bring forth the encouragement and advice we need to hear. Sometimes, simply having someone to lend an ear will make us feel better. People have been saved from suicide just by having a friend to listen to their troubles.

It is clear, then, that some things need to be said to our friends without any twisting of the truth. However, there are times when telling a friend too much can also lead to problems. An all-too-common example of such a time is when one hears rumours. Gossip can start simply because someone thought a rumour was true and shared all her thoughts on the rumour with a friend. The friend, who actually had no real knowledge of the matter, passed all her thoughts and ideas to another friend and so on. The final result can be a mangle product which could really hurt the parties involved. The thing to do about rumours is not to spread them, even if you have strong opinions about them.

In conclusion, I feel that friends, even the closest of friends, need not tell each other everything they know or feel. Some matters should be discussed with friends while some others should be hidden. We have to balance our love for truth with the practicalities of the situation. Not being perfect, we are bound to make mistakes, of course. So, one must then be prepared to make up with our friends, apologizing for our verbal blunders and forgiving them for theirs. Well, that’s what friendship is really about – accepting people for what they are, imperfections and all.

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Thousands and thousands of acres of lush rainforests are cleared each year to make way for development. The once beautiful and spectacular forests are reduced to barren landscapes. This is for the sake of development, for the advancement of man.

Yet, what happens when trees are felled? Firstly, the earth is left vulnerable to soil erosion. The heavy tropical rains will carry away the rich topsoil, and the land without its topsoil will no longer be fertile. Slowly but steadily, the lush vegetation will give way to wasteland.

Secondly, the flowing water will not only wash away the topsoil but will deposit it in the rivers. As a result, the rivers will become shallower. Consequently, floods will become frequent in the area. Thousands of people will suffer in these floods.

Another point to note is that forests are home to thousands of species of flora and fauna. Animals and plants live in symbiotic relationships in the balance of nature. Man destroys this balance when he flattens the forests to the ground. Where do they go then, the great and tiny inhabitants of these forests? Nowhere. They die. If this goes on, the food chain will be disrupted. As creatures dependent on the food chain, man is ultimately destroying his own sources of food through the destruction of rain forests.

When forests are a distant memory, a shocking fact will hit us full force. Mankind will be thrown into a state of unimaginable suffering and agony. What I am talking about is the lack of oxygen. While cutting down a tree to add yet another piece of luxurious furniture to Man’s already opulent lifestyle, people forget that they are also cutting down our supply of oxygen.

Furthermore, the excessive carbon dioxide will also effect a change in the micro-climate and raise the region’s temperature. There will be a greenhouse effect on earth; warm air and radiation will be trapped under the earth’s atmosphere. Then, as the earth’s temperature rises, the ice in the polar caps will melt, raising the sea level. Great floods will hit the lower-lying areas.

As you can see, it is a vicious cycle. A change in our environment will trigger off another change which will trigger off yet another. This is why we should keep the balance of nature. This is why we ought to preserve our forests. This is why environmentalist groups are pressuring governments to reduce the felling of trees and the clearing of forests and to be serious about replanting forests.

With the support of ordinary citizens like you and me, they will get the attention of the people in power. We can also help by planting trees. Members of this beautiful planet must be united. By preserving our forests, we are preserving ourselves.

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Road accidents are reported in newspaper and on television every day. There are more frequently caused by reckless drivers rather than faulty vehicles. Last Saturday, while I was travelling from Ipoh, I witnessed a serious accident. The scene of the accidents was vivid in my mind.
A motorcyclist was following behind was taxi very closely. He was so impatient that he was trying to overtake my taxi even near a sharp bend. At that critical moment, there was an oncoming car. The taxi driver swerved to the roadside and I got a terrible jolt. It was too late for the motorcyclist to avoid the car. His motorcycle ran against the bumper of the car and smashed its windscreen. The motorcyclist somersaulted over the car and was found lying in a pool of blood. It was a scene to chill the flesh! The car driver, who was cut by the flying glass, was in a state of shock. All that happened in split second and fear overwhelmed us.
The taxi driver stopped his taxi and I quickly ran to the nearest to the nearest telephone booth to inform the police and the hospital. From a distance I could see some people trying to help the injured motorcyclist and the car driver. They carried them into one of the onlooker’s car and sent them to the hospital for treatment. Meanwhile the taxi driver tried to control and directs the traffic. Soon the police arrived and they promptly took some measurements and evidence. After that they moved the damaged car and the motorcycle to the roadside to ease the traffic congestion. They also took down the evidence provided by witnesses and onlookers. Some sweepers were clearing the debris and the blood stains on the road.
When the taxi finally continued the journey, I silently thanked God for my narrow escape. I learned a good lesson that impatience and recklessness would bring harm and danger. I was happy to see that Malaysians are public-spirited and they render help to others readily. Since then I remember and follow the saying ‘more haste less speed’ and ‘prevention is better than cure’. I believe good road manners and roads safety campaigns can help to reduce the number of road accidents which cause injuries, loss and lives and properties.

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It was a beautiful Sunday evening and the sky was in azure blue. My fast friends, Mujahid, Ashraaf and I had just finished our extra class. As this was our last year, we needed to pull up our socks to pass with flying colour in SPM examination. We went to a bus stop that was just a stone's throw away from our school and waited for a school bus to fetch us. The road beside the bust stop was as busy as a bee. It was the peak of time for people to go home. I could say that the road was totally packed by cars, lorries which were queuing up.
At the bus stop, my friends and I had a cherry banter and we joked around happily. It was such a release-tension method for the three of us. Mujahid was full of dramas doing some actions to our stories while Ashraad and I laughed until we had burst into tears. All of a sudden, a middle-sized blue lorry glided towards the bus stop and encroached the pillar that separated the road and the place we were standing by. Thank God I was quick in evading the fatal incident but poor Ashraaf and Mujahid could not. The superb brand new lorry also ran with other students from our school who were waiting at the bus stop.

The incident was so terrible and horrifying that I went weak at the knees when I witnessed it. About seven students including Mujahid and Ashraaf were stranded by the roadside. Their bags and books were all scattered on the roadside. The victim's blood splashed everywhere and they looked so chronically injured. The situation was chaotic but I pushed myself to get help for them. I tried to stop some of the road users who were passing by the incident area and fortunately they did. Some of them parked their vehicles not far from the incident are just to lend their helping hand.

The blue lorry driver was arrested. He was a tall, dark and muscular 40 years old under drug control. He was sent to the police station nearby by a policeman who was on his way home. Some of the people helped me to lift the injured and fainted victims. It was so melancholic to see Mujahid and Ashraf were among them. Other people who were there during the incident also helped to stop some drivers and asked them to send all the victims involved to the hospital. Since the victims were surely sent to the hospital, I rode a car, named BMW which also had brought Mujahid and Ashraaf along to a hospital. I cried my heart out when I saw their pale faces were smeared with blood.

About ten minutes later, we reached the hospital. The other victims that were sent by other vehicles had arrived before us. Mujahid and Ashraaf were sent to the emergency unit, while I was asked to wait at the waiting area. While waiting for the other victims to finish their treatment, I called my school principal, Puan Nadia using the hospital's public phone. I informed her of what had happened from the beginning till the end. She then replied that she would go there as fast as possible.

A few minutes later, Puan Nadia arrived. She was so panicked and worried about the victims. One of the doctors came and calmed her down. The doctor said, the victims were in stable condition and would recuperate in a short period. Puan Nadia felt anxious upon hearing the news. It was totally a dark night, Puan Nadia helped me to go back home. My mother was so worried of me. Nevertheless, Puan Nadia and I told my mom the real situation and my mom was so grateful I was the one who saved from the incident.

The incident was really horrifying to me. I was so grateful the incident had not ruined my life. I was really hoping that the drivers would be more careful. I also hoped that people in this country would be more obedient and law- abiding especially to the road rules.

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Social networking has caused a lot of problems. How far do you agree?

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Social networking has caused a lot of problems. How far do you agree?

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Social networking, which is also known as social media, is the use of internet-based applications to make connections with people such as our family and friends. It is now becoming an important part of our lives. In order to keep pace with the advancement of technology, almost all of us have learnt how to use social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. Despite its popularity, is it true that social networking has caused us a lot of problems?

In my opinion, social networking has its advantages and disadvantages. It actually depends on how we use it.

I believe that social media benefits us because it brings people closer even though they are from different parts of the world. By using social networking, a person can communicate with his family and friends wherever they are. Furthermore, social networking sites are basically free of charge. It is extremely user friendly and can be used wherever there is internet access. By comparison, it is more economical than making telephone calls. We are able to share our life stories and special moments through social networking. For instance, we can see photos of beautiful scenery and cultural activities posted by users from different countries. We can also interact with them through the use of chat rooms and also by posting comments and messages.

Another benefit of social networking is that like-minded people all over the world are able to discuss important topics and share their points of view. This can widen a person’s personal knowledge as he can discover different things that he never knew. For example, young people around the world are now more involved in their countries’ politics. They also have a more caring attitude towards other important issues both at home and abroad.

Just as everything has its pros and cons, social networking is no exception. One of the problems it has caused us is that it allows us to hide behind the screens. That limits face to face interaction among people. Some of us might think that it is good enough to be sociable simply through the use of social networking. This could result in the lack of communication and interpersonal skills when we come face to face with people. In addition, we tend to neglect the importance of building a good relationship with friends that we make through social media. For instance, users can have thousands of friends in their Facebook friends lists, but how many of them do they see on a semi-regular basis?

Moreover, social networking has taken too much out of our lives. A lot people are busy with ‘Facebooking’ or ‘Tweeting’ instead of interacting with their friends and family when meeting up. When their elders are talking to them, they are busy with their social networking sites and tend to ignore their elders. Such insolence is prevalent especially among today’s younger generation. Apart from that, another serious problem which social media has caused us is distraction. For example, while studying, students may decide to catch up with YouTube videos or update their Twitter accounts. This causes concentration problems and consequently has a negative effect on the students’ academic performance. The similar situation is also not uncommon among workers who are on duty. This can result in their superior’s distrust of them.

In conclusion, I agree to a certain extent that social networking has caused a lot of problems. If it is misused or used in an improper manner, problems can arise. On the other hand, it can be a useful tool to people from all walks of life if it is used in an appropriate manner.

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There are many things to do after your SPM examination. Write about your plans for the next three months and the challenges you might face.

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There are many things to do after your SPM examination. Write about your plans for the next three months and the challenges you might face.

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Despite the fact the SPM examination is just round the corner, I have had the following 3 months after the examination planned, besides studying hard and doing last-minute revision.

The first plan for the 3-month period is what most teenagers would do after completing secondary school education - learning how to drive. My father has appointed one of his friends, who happens to be in the relevant line of work, as my driving instructor. According to my father, he is an experienced and patient teacher and I should have no problem passing the test and obtaining a licence if I cooperate fully with him. Since I have never driven before, one of the challenges that I might face is to familiarise myself with all the car parts and driving techniques, apart from equipping myself with the basic Knowledge of the engine. To me, some of these seem so complicated - especially the engine. Besides that, I also have a fear of large vehicles on the road, such as tankers, lorries and buses especially when I am riding in a car. Anyway, I am sure that with the assistance of my instructor, I will be able to rise to the challenges and obtain the passport and freedom to drive myself to wherever I want.

My second plan is to learn typewriting using the correct technique, that is, using all my 10 fingers and the right positions, particularly the former. Presently, I type with only a few fingers, which is obviously much slower. Instead of doing a typing course in an educational institution, my brother suggested that I learn from home using special software specially created for this purpose. There are, in fact, a lot of free software available from the Internet. Besides that, many websites also offer free online typing courses. Since it is much more economical and convenient, I agree with my brother’s suggestion. I may face challenge learning proper keyboarding technique as I am so used to the wrong way. Another challenge that I might face is perseverance, since I am learning on my own. Luckily, my benevolent brother offers to watch over me and monitor my progress. As such, I believe that I will be able to acquire the skills and type at a much higher speed with great accuracy after 3 months.

As I intend to further my studies after the release of my SPM examination results, my third plan is to improve my command of English and mathematical ability. I will be spending time to further familiarise myself with the grammar rules. I will also be doing a lot of reading and writing practice as they are two of the most effective methods to achieve my target. As for mathematics, since one’s mathematical skills take a lot of hard work to develop, I plan to start learning the higher-level mathematics with the help of my friends who are currently undergraduates. The challenge that I may face for this plan is quite similar to the second - since I am unattached to any learning institutions, I may find it unnecessary to stick to this plan, even though I am aware of its benefits. But at least I have assistance. Therefore, I believe that I will stick to plan 3 as well.

I hope to be able to implement my plans and accomplish my goals. Whether I will be able to succeed depends a lot on my perseverance, determination and diligence. With these qualities, proper time management and help from family members, friends and driving instructor, I believe that it is possible to overcome all challenges and achieve my targets.

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As the fourth and most dynamic Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad will indelible impression on the sands of Malaysia for many years to come. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest-serving Prime Minister, and one of the longest-serving leaders in Asia.

Born on 20th December, 1925 in Alor Setar, Dr. Mahathir is the son of a teacher. He is the youngest of nine children of a school teacher and a housewife. His father, Mohamad Iskandar, was of Indian descent, being the son of a Muslim and a Malay mother, while Mahathir's own mother, Datin Wan Tempawan Wan Hanafi, was Malay. He is married to Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah binti Haji Mohamad Ali, they have seven children, four sons and three daughters. From an early age, Tun Mahathir had the importance of education drummed into him by his father, who was also a strict disciplinarian.

After his early education at the Maktab Sultan Abdul Hamid in Alor Setar, he enrolled at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in the University of Singapore. Armed with a MBBS degree in medicine, he set up his own clinic, the Maha Clinic in Alor Setar. As a doctor, Tun Mahathir came into close contact with people from variety of social strata and enjoyed a close rapport with them. He understood their problems. Thus, when he was thrust into the politic limelight, he strove to fulfil the needs of the people.

He was first catapulted into the world of politics when he became the Member of Parliement for Alor Setar in 1964. After holding a number of portfolios, including Minister of Education, Minister of Trade and  Industry and Deputy Prime Minister, he finally became the Prime Minister on 16th July, 1981. The country flourished with Dr. Mahathir at the helm of the government. His contributions to the nation are so immense and par excellence. He has left his mark in every aspect – in politics, economy or education.

Realizing that government-owned enterprises are neither efficient nor profitable, he initiated the privation policy in 1983. This had immediate effect of cutting down bureaucratic ineptitude and operational cost while at the same time generating more revenue.

With collapse of the prices of agricultural commodities in the eighties, Tun Mahathir decided that it was time to shift the nation’s focus to more profitable areas. Thus, he started the industrialization programme. Reputed as the country’s top salesman, he showcased Malaysia to investors abroad in a bid to woo them.  As a result of the heavy industrialization drive, major projects like national car project or PROTON and the steel company, PERWAJA, together with other mega project were launched one after another. Next, realizing that industrialization would require a good infrastructure, he set about improving it. The Mahathir era saw a successful completion of the North-South Highway, the East-West Highway, the Multimedia Super Corridor, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang and many more.

An astute politician, he charted the growth of the country’s progress from the day he took office. He envisages that Malaysia can only attain the status of a fully developed country if it becomes an industrialization one and this ambition has been his main agenda during his tenure. With this in mind, he announced Vision 2020, his most ambitious vision.

Frank and outspoken by nature, Tun Mahathir speak without fear nor favour. This has been the hallmark of thus much respected statesman. The inefficiency of local and international organizations has always come under his scrutiny and critism.

It has been almost two decades since Tun Mahathir took over reins of the government. It has undoubtedly been the golden era for Malaysia with many notable achievements.

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Describe some activities you and your family indulge in as a pastime.

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Describe some activities you and your family indulge in as a pastime.

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Nowadays, people are always busy leading their hectic life attending to their school or work. Studies have found that 7 out of 10 adults do not have time to spend with their children or family members. However, we make time for people who are important to us. This leads us to the question: If you have time to spare to spend with your family, what would you do? Here, I will share with you some of the activities my family and I indulge in as our pastime.

My name is Anis Afifah binti Anas Syazwan. I am seventeen years and six months and five days old. I am always busy with school related works. My teachers love to give me a lot of homework. I often have to go through sleepless nights just to finish them all. Occasionally, I would have some spare time to kill. When I do have free time, I would love to spend my precious time on social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, but my all-time favourite is definitely TikTok! I would lie in bed for hours scrolling through interesting videos on “For You Page” or also widely known as FYP among us, teenagers. I really love watching talented people performing impressive dance moves such as “slo-mo” where the dancers dance really slow as if using slow motion features on camera. However, that is not the only thing I watch on TikTok! Whenever the mood hits me, I would watch religious videos from Hannan Attaki or Ustaz Ahmad Dusuki. In fact, I have also learnt how to prepare simple dishes such as dalgona coffee and how to make a wrap using tortilla.

For your information, I have an older brother. His name is Farhan and I call him Pa-an. My brother is a dark, tall and handsome man. However, he is also a hopeless romantic. He always spends time on Omegle trying to find his soul mate. He would search a lot of pick-up lines from the Internet to impress strangers he thought could possibly be his future bride. His favourite line is “I heard you’re good in algebra. Can you replace my X without asking Y?” and this line often fetched different reactions from different girls. Even though he is good at making first impressions, he is not as good in sustaining conversation, so all the girls eventually left him. Therefore, he would always end up in front of his 42-inch TV playing his Playstation 5 to recover from the heartbreaks.

What about my parents? I call my father as “baba” and my mom as “mak.” Baba loves to read newspaper. Whenever he has any free time, he would bury his nose between the pages of the newspaper/sheets. Whenever he was reading, he would forget about everything else around him. Ironically, mak is very talkative and loves to talk, and sometimes too much. Whenever she starts talking, she couldn’t stop! I would excuse myself to go “studying” in my room whenever she started talking, but my baba is a perfect match for her. Why? Because he would pretend to be listening while reading the newspaper by replying “Hmmm”, “Oh, really?” or “I see.” Even though they seem like total opposites, they also share one same interest – they both love to eat! In fact, this interest is shared between each of my family members. Every day, without fail, we would sit at the table having dinner together while sharing about our day.

During our family free time, mak would always suggest that we should go out to try new cuisine and baba would always agree.

Remarkably, despite each member of my family indulge in different pastime activity, we can still live together happily under the same roof. It is because we love and care about each other.

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Write a story about a strange encounter that left you spooked and frightened. Begin your story with "I was studying in my room late at night when suddenly..."

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Write a story about a strange encounter that left you spooked and frightened. Begin your story with "I was studying in my room late at night when suddenly..."

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I was studying in my room late at night when suddenly I heard “There is something strange in the neighbourhood” ringing from across the room. It was the Ghostbuster theme song I used as my ringtone. I noticed a familiar name on the 6.8-inch screen of my metallic grey iPhone 12 and quickly/swiftly/immediately picked up the phone. There was a static noise on the other side. I thought it was normal as it was pouring outside, so I greeted her,

“Hello? Are you there?”

But there was no response other than the static noise I heard earlier, so I asked again,

“H- Hello? Don’t joke around with me!”

“…let me in.”

“Sorry?”

“I’m… Outside… Let me… In…”

The static grew noisier as the rain turned into a storm. And suddenly the call was cut off. Worried, I quickly descended downstairs and stormed towards the front door. I opened the mahogany door beautifully hand-crafted with floral designs/decorations to see a familiar face standing in front of me. She was soaking wet from head to toe, and she was shivering uncontrollably. I told her to come in as I went to get a clean towel for her. She did not say anything as she followed me into the living room. Somehow, I felt like there was something amiss with her. She looked paler and quieter than the usual chatterbox I knew.

When I emerged into the living room with a clean towel, she was sitting on her favourite couch – yes, she was a close friend of mine and she always frequented my house every week. But this time, her face showed blank expression. I thought she was tired as she was soaked in the storm earlier, so I went to the kitchen to make a steaming hot cup of tea. As I stirred the cup, I noticed a fresh scar on the back/nape of her neck. Curiously, I asked,

“What happened to you? You’re soaking wet and there’s a scar on your neck!”

She remained silent.

“Wow, you’re awfully quiet today! I’ve never seen you like this.”

She only stared at me, not smiling. I sat next to her and handed the hot cup into her hands. I could feel her hands – it was freezing cold, like a dead body/corpse. I began to feel goosebumps all over my body, but I shushed away the thoughts.

“M- Maria…”

Her voice cracked as she began to speak. I felt nervous but at the same time, I remembered the familiar voice I had heard since I was five. I looked her in the eyes and smiled,

“Yes?”

“I- I’m… Sorry…”

I was perplexed by her sudden apology. What had she done that needed an apology? We had known each other since before kindergarten, and we could almost always finished each other’s sentences. But right now, I could not even understand why she was apologising to me. I was so deep in thought when it suddenly blacked out. I remained calm because I knew I wasn’t alone – I had my best friend, Emily, here with me. I was trying to grab Emily’s hand to feel safe, but I found wet towel on the couch. That was when the electricity came back on and Emily was nowhere to be found. Growing even more confused, I went back up to my room and went to bed as my eyes grew heavy.

“Maria, wake up!”

It was my mom. She was yelling from the kitchen while making breakfast. It was an ordinary morning for me. I stood up, trying to reach for my towel but it was not there. I went down to the kitchen, still feeling sleepy.”

“Did someone come to visit last night when we were away?” asked mom as she pointed at the towel slightly marred with blood, and the cold drink on the table.

Emily! Now I remembered what happened last night and told my mom about it. She was spooked when she heard the name, and looked me straight in my eyes as she held my shoulders tightly,

“But Emily’s dead! Her parents called last night.”

“W- What!? You’re kidding, right!?”

Mom was quiet before she quietly whispered,

“She was involved in an accident near our house when the storm hit. Her mom said that she was on the way here to see you…”

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Describe an interesting character you met on a journey back to your hometown and how the meeting has changed you.

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Describe an interesting character you met on a journey back to your hometown and how the meeting has changed you.

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Sometimes life felt so stagnant and unchanging, like water in a puddle. Every now and then, there are people who enter our life and change it – for better or for worse. Have you ever experienced it? I definitely have, and I will share about an interesting person I have met during a journey back to my hometown.

It all happened just a few years ago. I still remember it vividly in my head about everything that happened that day. It was the eve of Eid, and I was on the way home to Kuala Nerang, my beloved hometown. I boarded the ETS, an express train to Alor Setar. It was a long and spacious train with at least ten coaches of different purposes. There were coaches painted in bright red or blue used to transport large and heavy cargoes such as vehicles, bundled products from factories, or imported goods from overseas. There were also carriages painted in metallic grey for passengers. These carriages were divided into sections: economy and business classes. The business class carriages were more spacious and luxurious with only a few passengers in it, while the economy class carriages were affordable but slightly more crowded. In the middle between these carriages was a simple café but with classy decorations. It was here where I met him.

I was a fresh graduate from Malayan University. I had been staying in Kuala Lumpur for two months now as I was looking for a proper job. I studied business management and graduated with first class, but I still could not find a job that suits my qualification. I had been doing odd jobs such as mowing neighbour’s lawn, distributing flyers, or delivering newspapers. They were very exhausting but with very little income. I could hardly support myself in such a big city. My parents had been nagging me to come back home and help them to look after our family orchards, but I prefer lifestyle in cities. I nearly spent all my savings, and I had no choice but to go back to my hometown. It was Eid after all, so it wouldn’t look too suspicious when I returned home as it would look like I was visiting.

As I was getting tired of the economy class cabin, which was somewhat confined and noisy, I decided to take a short walk around. I could see many tired faces snoozing, and some old people snoring while young children bawling their lungs out. I shook my head and headed out of the cabin and ended up in the café. I ordered my favourite drink – iced milked tea, and even that was expensive here. My head was up in the clouds thinking about a future that seems so bleak and gloomy as I was looking for a vacant/empty seat. I was not paying attention to the aisle when I tripped over someone’s foot and fell. My milked tea was spilled on the floor, and some landed on the person’s pants and expensive-looking shiny leather shoes. I grunted and I picked myself up, then looked up to find an elegant-looking middle-aged man, clad in velvety black suits.

My face was red with embarrassment and my anxiety hit the roof as I apologised profusely. The man, wearing a thin white moustache neatly placed above his thick lips, stood and helped me to get up. Instead of scolding me for my blunder, he smiled at me and asked if I was okay. Then, he offered to replace the drink I spilled on him. I was even more embarrassed and politely declined, but he insisted and bought a big cup of caramel macchiato and some churros dipped in Belgian chocolate. The old man asked me to accompany him and to have a chat as he was sitting alone waiting for his daughter who went to the ladies.

The old man told me that he saw the gloomy expressions I was wearing right before the incident, and asked me why. I broke into uncontrollable tears as I opened up to him. I had been bottling up all my problems to myself and when a total stranger showed that he cared, I simply lost it. The old man was attentive throughout my ranting, and he offered his handkerchief. It was made of silk and embroidered with golden thread forming an initial: S.B. I took the handkerchief and wiped my tears. When I regained control of my emotions, I apologised to him and asked how I could return the piece of cloth with his initial. He chuckled and told me to keep the handkerchief, but I insisted on returning it.

Suddenly, her teenage daughter – a beautiful figure wearing Drew hoodie and Levi’s jeans entered the scene. They exchanged kisses on the cheeks, making me miss my parents even more. I excused myself, not wanting to interrupt their beautiful father-daughter moment, and quietly walked away. “Young lady,” the old man suddenly called out for me and asked my name. I told him my name and that was when he handed a business card displaying the name Syed al-Bukhary on it. Silly me! How could I not recognise one of the most influential men in the country? I was blushing at my own ignorance. Before leaving, Syed al-Bukhary told me to go to the address found on the card if I wanted to return the handkerchief – and for a job interview. I did not even realise when he left because my sight was clouded by tears of joy.

Now I am working for one of the most influential men in Malaysia and I would shed tears of joy every time I remember that fateful meeting that day, and how much it has turned my life for the better.

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What if you are a multi-billionaire? Describe what you would do with the money.

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What if you are a multi-billionaire? Describe what you would do with the money.

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Money makes the world go round. Some people say that money can even buy happiness. After all, it would be better to cry in a Rolls Royce rather than crying in the slum. Can you imagine how would you live your life with unlimited amount of money? What if you are a multi-billionaire? If I could be one, here are the things that I will do.

The very first thing I will do is to buy a mansion, bigger than the White House. The house should have a front yard with gardens to grow different kinds of flowers, where I could spend time for evening tea. At every corner of each garden, there would white marble statues of different shapes – there would lions, mermaids, horses and unicorns, while the very centre of the gardens is a majestic fountain like the one found in front of Burj Khalifa. The back yard should have a huge area where my private jet and helicopter could land. There must be an extended area for me to play golf. The mansion should be located near my own private beach so I could sunbathe or go on a cruise on my private yacht whenever I want. What is life without pets? Since I have a lot of money, I should own several horses and a white tiger as pet. I should also hire many people to help look after the pets and maintain the house.

The next thing I would do is to invest the money I have to make more money. How can I do that? I will buy shares of highly profitable companies such as Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon. By buying these shares, I will receive passive income through dividends distributed bi-annually. These incomes are guaranteed because the companies are famous and well-known worldwide. Other than buying shares, I could also start my own business that would attract a lot of customers such as fine-dining restaurant and popular franchised restaurant. I am sure I would receive steady income monthly from these businesses.

Having all the money in the world means nothing if I don’t share my fortunes with the needies. The first thing I would do is to build schools completely equipped with necessary gadgets and facilities. It is because education is very important and every child has the rights for proper education. Next, I would build homes for old folks and orphans in the same area where the lonely old people could have the company of young orphans who are in need of love from adults. Other than this, I would also love to help the homeless. What I could do to help them is by sponsoring welfare organisations such as Soup Kitchen that helps to feed the poor and the homeless. Another way to help the homeless is by offering them jobs so that they could start their life anew. As I have businesses, I would need workers and by hiring the homeless, I could kill two birds with one stone.

It is true that money really makes the world go round and it can buy happiness. However, the happiness means nothing if it is kept to one person only. That is why, if I am a multi-billionaire, my ultimate goal is to spread happiness around the world and if only one more person is happy with what I do for them, then I would also be happy.

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Write a story which ended in regret over a rash decision you have made. End your story with, "...If only I could turn back time."

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Write a story which ended in regret over a rash decision you have made. End your story with, "...If only I could turn back time."

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It was a sultry day. The sun was high up in the brilliant blue sky, with warm sunshine emanating from it, penetrating through fluffy white clouds that looked almost like cotton candy. On hot days like this, it would be great to sip lemonade from an icy cold glass while enjoying a big bowl of Baskin Robin’s triple chocolate mint – that was what I was doing while perusing through Vogue, a fashion magazine. The front cover featured a tall, slender blonde female model I knew nothing about but had everything to envy. I flipped through the pages and my sight landed on an article about an up-and-coming philanthropist who started as a model. I never noticed it but now when I looked closely, I actually knew the man behind the expensive-looking tuxedo…

“Okay, you will need to find a partner for this project. If you don’t have a partner, come and see me. I’ll sort it out for you.”

It was Mrs. Hansen’s English class. She assigned us a summer project where we had to do research on our local attractions. I was always a loner so I could not find a partner. I decided to see Mrs. Hansen so she could assign me a partner.

“Don’t worry, Elaine. I have this boy who could be your partner. Thomas, come in!”

A slightly overweight nerdy boy with freckles on his cheeks awkwardly made his way into the room. He looked nervous as he looked down and stared at the floor. He was wearing a neatly ironed checkered shirt with white and red polka dot bowtie and he was also wearing navy blue short pants with a pair of black suspenders. He looked tidy with round spectacles resting on his pointed nose, except for his sneakers. His vintage-looking Puma sneakers looked worn out as if he had walked a thousand miles.

“I- I’m Tho- Thomas. Y- You can ca- call me Tommy. Ni- Nice to meet you.” He extended his right arm to offer his hand for a handshake. It was somewhat awkward as he was staring intensely into my eyes. I shook his sweaty hand and introduced myself,

“I’m Elaine. Nice to meet you too.”

Despite his nerdy look, Tommy was actually a fun person to talk to. He was passionate whenever he talked about topics he loves such as Star Wars, Harry Potter or his bugs collection. I thought it would be awkward to work with him, but he proved me wrong. Together, we went around our local attractions trying to find one that captures our interests. We finally decided to do research on an old cathedral that was built more than a century ago. We went around asking old folks about the history of the building. I had to do most of the interviews because Tommy did not know how to talk to old people and mostly remained quiet. We also did some research at our local library where they kept registries of the families here and other related documents about the ancient church. I learnt many things from Tommy at the library such as how to find books using the old catalogues and a few other tricks privy to nerds like him who spend most of his time burying his nose between the pages.

Two weeks went by and we finally completed our assignment. The only thing missing was photographs of the cathedral, so we decided to meet inside the building in front of the altar. I arrived early and waited for Tommy. Half an hour late, he arrived with an old camera hanging around his thick neck. We took a couple of photographs inside the cathedral and before going back, Tommy asked me to take a photo together on the altar. He set up the camera on a tripod he brought along and set the timer.

CLICK! After the photograph was taken, I was taken aback when Tommy suddenly kissed my cheek and produced a small bouquet of three white roses from his sleeve. I had never been kissed by anyone other than my parents, so it was an automatic reaction when my hand landed on his face making his spectacles flew across the hall. My slap left red handprint marks on his chubby cheek. I saw tears pooling in his eyes, but he tried to hold it back as he apologised,

“I- I’m s-sorry. I d-didn’t mean to–”

“What have you done!? We are only friends and partners for this project!”

There was a complete silence after my voice echoed through the empty hall. I took a deep breath before I continued,

“Just look at yourself in the mirror, Tommy. Not in a million year would I ever date someone like you!”

Tears began to roll down his cheeks as he turned around to leave.

“Tommy, one last advice.”

He stopped but he never turned around to look at me, but I knew he was listening.

“White roses are for dead people. You confess love with red ones.”

He nodded and quietly left.

I quickly went through the contact in my phone and found Tommy’s number. I made a quick call to ask about his well-being but it was received by a female voice.

“Who are you again? Oh, you’re THAT Elaine! Yes, yes. Tommy told me about you but he’s not here. My husband is in the shower with our kids. He–“

CLICK. I hang up. I couldn’t hear another word from her as tears of regret streamed down my face over a rash decision I made years ago. Oh, if only I could turn back time!