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There are 7 statements taken from / associated with HATSOS / related to Salman Rushdie. Choose two statement(s) to respond to and share your thoughts on the statement.

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I do not agree. Fictional stories, though untrue and sometimes unrealistic, are a way to spark creativity. Stories that are made up by a person are also usually catered to a certain audience. Even though these stories are not true, they can still teach morals or life lessons. (for example, Snow White teaches us not to trust strangers too much/not accept gifts from them.) Even though a story may be untrue, it may not mean it is meaningless.

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If everyone were to be able to say what they want and do have the freedom to do anything, I think our world would be hectic and chaotic. For example if everyone had the freedom to not go to school, many people would not be educated and our world might be become a lawless world with no government and many criminals. It would become unsafe to just walk at the streets. Although people should have the freedom, I do not think people should not have full freedom to say or do whatever they want.

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i think that definitely everyone can be a hero. heroes do things to help other people in need, it might not be something big like putting out fires, catching criminals, but even a small act like helping an old lady cross the street, holding the lift door open for your neighbour, is considered helping someone. these are acts of heroes, aiming to make the world a better place, be it big or small actions. hence i think everyone can be a hero, through actions in our daily lives.

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I agree with this statement. Anyone, no matter how big or small, how poor or rich, can be the one to step up and be brave enough to save someone in need. We can start from small things, such as lending someone money to fill their tummies or lending a helping hand to someone who has fallen or big things like saving someone from a fire. Anyone has the power to save someone, as long as they have the guts and heart to do so. Therefore, I agree that anyone can be a hero.

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I disagree that having to face hardship and challenges will always result in growth. Without the right mindset or resources, hardship and challenges can sometimes break you instead of make you. Although a healthy amount of challenges is beneficial, challenges are not always good for you. Sometimes the things we do to overcome challenges and hardship are the things we regret the most in life, because when faced with hardship, we are stripped bare and sometimes put ourselves above others just so we can overcome this challenge, causing us to regret it after we have “overcome” the challenge. Other than this, if you are constantly challenged, it can be extremely demoralising and depressing because we are constantly struggling and trying to overcome, instead of resting for the minimum period. Challenges do shape who you are, but sometimes not for the better.

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Yes, I do agree that anyone can be a hero, if they put the effort into it. Being a hero can vary from saving the world from dangerous situations such as war, to doing something even as small as offering someone an umbrella on rainy days. We do not have to be famous or known by everyone to be a hero, like Harriet Tubman who helped slaves escape, though she knew what would happen if she got caught. However, something as small as saving a kitten from the drain would also be counted as a heroic act, because a life was just saved. It is the effort that matters, as those who do not want to do anything will not do meaningful things, and not be a hero. Thus, I think that anyone become a hero.

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No, I do not agree. Being a hero means to be somebody who saves and protect people, and use their abilities to do good works. All heroes have good intentions, whether if their works result in negative or positive outcomes. However, some people have bad intentions. These people may enjoy seeing others suffer, and purposely try to instil fear in others.

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Anybody CAN be a hero. A hero is someone that saves lives or has done something that had a positive impact on someone else. That someone else would view that person as a hero. Hence, anyone can be a hero whether they are good or bad, young or old. For example, you forgot to do your homework and your friend let you copy his/her homework which prevented you from getting scolded. Your friend’s a hero to you.

In addition, a hero may be someone that is like a role model to you and you want to be like him/her.

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No. Although fiction books may not be real, they may still teach us life lessons. Stories usually always have a moral, and it can teach us lessons that we may not have come across before. Besides just teaching lessons/morals, fictional storybooks usually have a lot of vocabulary in them. We can learn proper grammar and expand our vocabulary. Reading fiction can also help to expand our imagination, creativity and problem-solving skills, which we can apply in real life.

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I disagree. Stories that are untrue, although they are not factual, they still have many benefits. Such stories can allow the listeners or readers to unleash their creativity and imagination, as they can imagine things that they would never have thought of. These stories are also very interesting and can sometimes teach us something in a more unique and captivating way. For example, some fictional books can teach us about social skills, how to make friends, ways to behave in public, without telling us directly. We can learn these skills through reading about the characters.  Fictional stories are also have a wider range of readers as people of all ages can enjoy reading them. Even younger children can read them as they are more interesting and captivating towards the younger audience compared to non fiction books.

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No. Although fiction books may not be real, the vast imaginary and creativity that is inserted into a book is able to inspire people. For example, ‘Harry Potter’ although it is a fictional book, it has expanded the creativity and imagination in a lot of people.

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I do not agree that it is meaningless to spend time on reading stories that aren't even true. Even though some stories might be fictional, they can still help to expand one's imagination and allow others to know about the endless number of possibilities there can be to one situation.  These stories can also help in various other ways like helping someone be more exposed to new vocabulary or writing techniques, or even if it's just for pure leisure. Some might prefer fictional over non-fictional stories because they might believe fictional stories to be more exciting as it pushes the boundaries of imagination.

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I do not think so. Fictional stories can encourage us to think creatively, have a better imagination which will help us with things like drawing and compositions. The falseness and unrealistic essence of the story can let us relax and forget about our worries; it’s a source of entertainment too. However, sometimes, the authors of the stories will express their feelings about the world through these mediums, letting us take another point of view, THEIR point of view, of the world. We can realise the reality, for example wars happening around the world, and take action— like donating money to help.

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I agree that anyone can be a hero. When someone lend a helping hand to other people they might be a hero in other people’s perspectives. Also different people think differently so a small thing like helping the poor will mean a lot to those in need.

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I think anyone can be a hero. People often think of heroes as humans with supernatural powers. However, to me, being a hero means to be brave and face challenges courageously, at the same time helping the people around him/her. Therefore, as long as someone is able to pluck up the courage and step up to help the people around them and face challenges, they are a hero.

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I agree that everyone can be a hero. No matter who or where you are, you can always be a hero, to anybody. You may have helped countless of people and be the hero of an entire crowd, or you could also be the hero of a little girl who aspires to be like you in the future. You could also be the hero of yourself, for believing and believing and never giving up on yourself. To me, being a hero doesn’t mean that you have to have superpowers, but instead it means that you did your best to heal yourself or others.

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I strongly believe that anyone can be heroes because as long as you have a willpower and purpose in your actions, you will be able to emerge as a hero in any field. For example, if someone has a talent in crochet, at first it might be seen as a meaningless hobby. However, they can use that skill to raise funds for the needy or help others. By doing so, they are using their talents to empower others which I consider as heroic behaviour. This shows that something that might seem like a small hobby, can grow into a heroic cause as long as the person has the right mindset and a warm heart. This is why I strongly believe that anyone can be heroes.

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Yes. Silence is indeed important as silence can help people rest and grow. If there were no silence, the world would become extremely noisy and hectic. Silence helps to relax us and give us a sense of relief. Silence may also help us to concentrate better and become more focused. Loud noises may cause us to become distracted and inattentive. Sometimes, one just needs silence to come down and reflect on their actions and think on what to do for the next step.

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I think that people should not be allowed to say whatever they want, whenever they want. They should have basic respect and social skills. It is important to know boundaries and when it is not suitable to say anything, as it would appear as rude. For example, at a funeral, one should not be allowed to laugh or announce their engagement, as a funeral is a sad and mournful event, which should not be associated with joyous events. Another example is that in court, the audience should not stand up and start singing abcs, or even anything. That would be extremely disrespectful and disturbing to the court case. A more relatable example is that in a library, u definitely do not want someone to stand up and have a loud argument. it is disruptive and annoying. Thus, i think that rules made for a reason, and people should not say whatever they want whenever they want.

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People shouldn’t be allowed to say whatever they want and whenever they want even though it’s the cornerstone of freedom.

If one is allowed to say whatever they want whenever they want, it is likely to bring about conflicts and arguments as people may have strong emotions to what another says. The conflicts and arguments might even lead to fights and cause harm to others.

The things they say might also be irrelevant. For example, if one person is sad about their grades, you shouldn’t go around boasting about how high your grades were. It would make the person feel even worse about themselves.

It would also make things rather chaotic if people are to say anything whenever they want. For example, during lessons, students should keep quiet so as to not disrupt the ongoing lesson. If they’re allowed to say whatever whenever they want, the class would be in a mess.

Therefore, people should not be allowed to say whatever they want, whenever they want even though its the cornerstone of freedom.

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I don’t agree that spending time on fictional stories are meaningless. Fictional stories allow you to broaden your imagination. It may also help you to be more optimistic and curious about things. For example, stories with dragons and hidden treasures may intrigue you to find out more about things that you’re interested in. Some stories may also include problems where characters have to solve. By showcasing how those problems are solved, it can teach readers important values and morals. In conclusion,  “meaningless” stories can help us grow as a person.

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I do not agree. Some things are meant to be kept to yourself. Humans should respect one another, regardless of gender, age, race or appearance. Even if one has negative thoughts of another, rather than voicing it openly for everybody to know, they should let only their most trusted people know/keep it to themselves. If there was absolute freedom for everyone, there would be no order or control, and life would be chaotic and messy. Furthermore, being overly opinionated could harm others emotionally or mentally, and this can cause many conflicts to break out as well. As such, I believe some control should be maintained, and I do not encourage absolute freedom.

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I don’t agree with this statement.
Fiction helps us step into another world of imagination and boosts our creativity. It also brings joy and helps to relieve stress.

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I do not agree with this statement. Growth depends on the severity of the challenge as well as one’s environment. If the challenge is as severe as losing a loved one, it could ultimately take a toll on oneself especially if that loved one has a close relationship with them. They could fall into depression which is difficult to overcome. Moreover, if one does not have the proper support or is in a tough situation, it adds on to their burden which may not result in growth. Emotions such as anger, sadness and regret are extremely powerful and have a great impact on a person especially if not controlled. When these emotions take over, a person might not be able to stay in their right mind or go back to their normal life. Therefore, not all challenges result in growth.

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I do agree, but also have some doubts about letting people say what they want whenever they like. By letting people say what they want to say, it will cause them to not know what is right to say or not, and thus resulting in lack of discipline. We should be disciplined enough and then we can be able to say what we want, because even though we are given the freedom, we still know what is correct and wrong to say at the moment. Hence, I think we should let people say what they want whenever they like, but only if they have the discipline to control themselves and know what should be said.

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i do not agree. although writers are supposed to be creative to think of out of the box topics, they have to be wary as some topics might hurt or offend the reader. for example, if a writer write about being racist towards darker skinned people, it will offend those of that race. hence, i do agree that writers can use imagination to think of bizarre but interesting topics, they must be careful to write about a topic that will spark interest and happiness in the reader while they are reading it, and not anger or hatred instead.

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Statement 1: It is meaningless to spend time on reading stories that are not even true. Do you agree? Why/Why not? (Yuqing)

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Statement 1: It is meaningless to spend time on reading stories that are not even true. Do you agree? Why/Why not? (Yuqing)

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I do not agree with this statement. Stories, while not true, can still convey important messages. Reading a made up story that is unrealistic can still allow us to unlock a new understanding, whether it is regarding inequality in a society, or giving us life lessons about love, courage, friendship etc. While the incidents in this made-up story may not occur in real life, what we are truly trying to understand is the reasoning behind a character’s action and why they are doing so. These reasons may be applicable in our daily lives.
These messages we understand can help us better understand the world and how to thrive in it. We are also able to see more than what other’s do, such as the real intent of a person’s actions or the injustice no one else sees.
An example would be Warriors. This book is based on the lives of cats, and it is definitely not happening in our daily lives. However, we can still learn things like friendship, loyalty, rivalry, revenge. We understand these values with more depth, and they help with self-development.
Therefore, made-up stories are definitely good sources of knowledge and helping our mind be more capable of understanding certain things happening in our lives with more depth.

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No, I do not agree. I think even if people want freedom of speech, they should still think about what to say and when to say it. For example, if your friend is extremely sensitive to a certain topic, you should know to not talk about that topic when that friend is around. Even though you may have the freedom to say whatever you want, you should also think about how others might feel and empathise with them before saying something. I think if people can say whatever they want whenever they want, it would also be very chaotic as students could choose not to go to school due to the freedom, which deprives people of proper education. Therefore, I think that people should be allowed to say whatever they want whenever they want but they should also think about what they say and whether it can affect people.

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No, I do not agree.
1. Reading can help promote creative thinking in people, inspiring them to think of new ideas in order to contribute to their world. (E.g. Thinking of new designs for buildings, machinery, etc)
2. Stories can teach people moral values (E.g. The boy who cried wolf can teach people to always be honest)
3. Reading can be a necessary form of relaxation for many people in order to relief stress. It can help them take their mind of their problems and lighten up their mood. Some books can even inspire them to never give up on life, however tough it may be.

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I believe that it is not meaningless to spend time reading stories that are untrue. Though untrue, these stories hold important life lessons. These stories allow us to reflect and compare it to our own actions. More often than not, these stories are based on multiple human experiences. As such, we would be able to find something to relate with the story and reflect on our actions based on the experiences of the characters in the story. Fictional stories also allow us to step into the shoes of people with different backgrounds. Fictional books usually give more in-depth experiences of these people, allowing us to empathise with them. It allows us to understand perspectives different from ours, developing a deeper appreciation for different people with different backgrounds.

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This statement depends on the context and also the type of things these authors are writing. They should be allowed to write whatever they want, but they should also be sensitive towards the topic that they are writing about. They should ensure that their opinions that they write about are not hurtful towards any audience and be mindful of who their target or main audience is. However, if they know that what they are writing is for everyone or for their targeted audience and would not hurt or insult anyone, then they should be allowed to write about whatever they want. They should be given creative freedom, but they should also be mindful of what they put out into the world.

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I disagree. Silence is not golden, because with silence, there is no collaboration. When people are “silent” they keep their ideas to themselves, and do not share anything they do. This hampers a lot of possible progress because it is only when we come together, that we find the best possible solution. Additionally, when things are “silent”, there is no one challenging anything or daring to speak up. Because of this, we become a very dull society that does not question and share things. In a way, we aren’t meant to be silent and it is extremely important to speak our mind and share our thoughts. Only then can we move forward as a whole

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Yes, I agree. After all, why should there be a limit to your imagination? Why should there be a boundary to the countless stories that run through the creative writers’ minds? These stories ought to be shared with everyone, and just because it is imagination and not real, it doesn’t make the story any less appealing or less worthy of factual books. I think that writers should be allowed to share their thoughts and imaginations through books and stories, as imagination and creativity should be allowed to run free.

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I do not agree with the statement. Some people read books in order to escape reality, helping them take their stress away and relax their mind. Additionally, fictional stories can benefit the younger children. If younger children read non-fictional stories, they might not be able to understand the message that the stories are trying to convey. Fictional stories are made up and untrue, however, fictional stories can help younger children understand morals that can help them in their life in the future.

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I do not agree that Rushdie's writing is confusing and unappealing. Although many people can have different opinions on this subject, it really depends on the reader and how the reader views the words that he uses and the type of image he is trying to allow us to visualize through writing. Some might think that phrases like "as stuffed with cheery stories as the sea was full of glumfish" are confusing to understand but others might think that this is his own unique form of writing. Some, like myself, might think that through the use of these. writing techniques, he has brought more life to the story and thus made it more appealing. Readers with a higher ability to comprehend passages might also think that his writing is not confusing, but interesting and different from others

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I disagree. Even though facing hardships and challenges is going to affect us in a way, it is not necessarily that the changes would be positive. If a younger person around the age of 8 - 15 faces an unhealthy amount of hardships, it might have a negative impact on them and it might affect their mental health. Even though we will overcome the challenges and hardships one day, it might always for be the better. Though people will move on, there is always going to be a permanent scar caused by their hardships whether it is a positive or negative scar, there is always going to have a mark or impact made on the person but it might not always be positive but negative.

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I agree. Silence is a powerful thing, actually, and sometimes, it may be better to say nothing at all, as silence will be more powerful and beneficial than speech.

1. Silence can show that you have emotional intelligence. For example, if your friend is crying over a heartbreak, it is better to stay silent and just keep on hugging her. You can show that you empathise with her if you keep silent, and it may cause a sense of calmness for the person who is panicking.

2. Silence has a huge power and impact. It creates a sense of anticipation, draws attention to yourself and conveys a sense of gravity. In some cases, silence can also speak volumes: for example, a moment of silence in remembrance of someone shows immense respect for that particular person.

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I do not agree with this statement. Even if the stories aren’t true, it can help broaden our imagination, spark curiosity and help us think creatively. It also really depends on the way the author writes the story, for example when the author uses interesting vocabulary or using dramatic ways of writing the story, reading the book can help us to have a wide imagination, and use it in our lives, such as when drawing where one has to use their imagination to create a piece of art. By reading stories that are not even true, we can also come across things like the author’s creativity.

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I don’t think that people should be allowed to say anything they want. Although speaking your mind can give you more freedom and let others know your perspectives on things, you should stay quiet for some things. For example, telling a white lie to your friend can protect them. When they ask you if their handicraft was ugly, you should encourage them and tell them that it’s pretty. Even if it does not look good, you can still give them feedback on what they can improve on. Another example is that you shouldn’t speak about a sensitive controversial topic. What ever you say can spark someone’s rage, riots and fights may break out, causing havoc to occur.

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I disagree with this statement. Hardships and challenges don’t ALWAYS make you grow. Actually, it all depends on the mindset that you have. For example, just like what our CLE teachers always say, if you have a growth mindset, and you face challenges and failures, you will think that its just part of your life, and you have the chance to correct your mistakes and try again, making you stronger and better that before you faced, allowing you to grow not just in life, but also in how you bounce back and recover from a fall. However, if you have a fixed mindset and you face challenges and have falls, you will think negatively that you are not good enough and give up halfway. This does not make you grow at all and just shapes and shows how “resilient” you are. This will make you think that it is ok to give up, it is ok to not learn from mistakes and later in life, it will come back and bite you back, you will not learn and you will not grow, in fact it makes you weak and cowardly. Therefore, i do not agree that hardships and challenges always make you grow as it all relies on your mindset that you have.

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I disagree with this statement. If people were able to say whatever they want, and do whatever they want, it would result in people getting hurt, as well as conflict and chaos. People would not be ethical in how they speak to others. For example, certain jokes about sensitive topics may be said, which can offend and deeply hurt the offended party. If people were able to do whatever they want, and say whatever they want, the offended party might be deeply affected, which may cause emotional harm on them. Some people would choose to inflict pain on another person, and discriminate them. However, since they are allowed to do whatever they want, it would not be wrong and frowned upon. Hence, people doing whatever they want with no restrictions at all would result in negative situations.

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I have a mixed opinion of this statement, but I disagree more than I agree. On one hand, Rushdie helps us infer and think more by using several different ways to refer to a character (He refers to Rashid as the Shah of Blah and the Ocean of Notions). He also shows us Haroun’s internal thoughts and this makes it easier for us to relate to Haroun. He creates conflicts and shows us the experiences that Haroun has gone through, and writes about his adventures with Rashid, so there are many things to think about.
On the other hand, some may find the writing slightly dry as compared to poetry, Rushdie does not use as many literary devices in a few paragraphs as this is a book. Some parts may also be repetitive. Rushdie has a unique writing style which some people may not understand much. As such, I think opinions may differ from person to person, but for me, I mostly disagree with this statement.

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I think anyone can be a hero if they want to. A hero may not necessarily be someone who can save the world or has superpowers. A hero can just be someone who is willing to help others and make choices that are beneficial for others. For example, if you just help an old lady cross a road, the old lady will see you as a hero. A small act of kindness will allow people to see you as a hero, even if it’s not something big like saving the world.

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Yes. I think that silence is very important. Without silence people will be going crazy. For example, in the library if there is no rule that says “Please keep quiet”, then we cannot focus on what we want to do because everyone will be talking or even shouting , this will indeed affect our feelings and ruin our day!

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People should not be allowed to do and say whatever they want. If they have too much freedom, people may go out of control since they do not have any restrictions. Being allowed to say whatever they want will also arise conflict between two individuals. Although having freedom is important, we need to have some rules to be followed so that the world will be able to continue functioning.

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I do not agree that creative writers-artists must be allowed to write/ draw about anything. People look up to writers and artists which shows that they hold influence which can be either positive or negative. For example, if they use their creativity to encourage people not to abuse drugs, people will be influenced by their writing and have more good habits. However, if they use their creativity to spread their own bad habits, it will have a negative impact on others to have the same mindset. Thus, I do not agree that creative writers-artists must be allowed to write/ draw about anything.

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No, people should not be allowed to say whatever they want, whenever they want. If people did this, there would be fights and chaos. People may say good things, but they may also say bad things that they shouldn't say. This can cause people to feel hurt and upset, even frequently than in the current environment. For example, verbal bullying is not allowed. This is because it can hurt others and maybe scar them forever/for a long time. So, because it is not allowed, many people who may want to do it, do not do it. This may be because of punishments they might face (except some people who may not care and still bully others). If people said whatever they wanted, whenever, there would probably be no punishment, so all those people could hurt a lot of others. People may also say inappropriate things, at inappropriate times, so there would be chaos.

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i do not agree that it is unappealing, but i agree that it is confusing. Rushdie’s writing is imaginative and very unique. His writing style seems like it could be a very complicated fairytale that will appeal to some, but not others. I think it would appeal to others as everything is linked and somehow makes sense, for example, haroun’s life revolves around the number 11 as his mother left at 11’oclock and time seemed to stop there. It shows that Rushdie is trying to connect everything in the story.

HATSOS is true to life, and it’s the negative parts of life people do not like to talk about. However, it’s true and reflects reality

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I do not agree.

The story has  simple vocabulary and is easy to understand. The storyline is rather clear (so far as i have read) and even though there are some words of another language that one may not understand, there is a page at the back part of the book to explain the meaning of those few words.
I’m able to visualise what he wrote, and is able to understand the meaning behind The things he wrote.
Some words and phrases effectively convey his message, and i am also able to understand them. There is also the use of literary devices (eg rhyme, simile, metaphor etc) Which we can learn from.
Some parts of the story is related to real life, and therefore some people may or may not be able to relate to it.

However, it may get a little confusing at times, since there are parts that are quite unrealistic and difficult to visualise, therefore I’m unable to imagine how the scene is like.

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I agree with the statement, ‘Silence is golden’.
I appreciate silence and I like being left alone. I feel calmer in a tranquil environment as I can focus better and my thoughts can run freely without anyone interrupting my train of thoughts.
Silence is very important as without it, we would be very chaotic and noisy. Sometimes, keeping quiet in a situation is better than speaking. I feel so because when we are silent, we can process and arrange our thoughts better. By immediately speaking, we are just going with the flow and letting our thoughts and emotions spill out of ourselves, and those feelings may not be what others like, and it can cause arguments. As a proverb goes, “Speech is silver, silence is golden”. Being silent does not always mean you cannot talk, instead, you choose not to at that moment.
However, I think that speaking may not always be bad. During arguments, we have to speak up if not we are going to be blamed forever. In group-works, we also need to speak to contribute what we think about the topic. Speaking also helps us connect with others. Without communication skills, the world would never progress.

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I think people should have a say of what they want. This is because different people live different lives and are blessed with different traits. It is not fair, for example, that someone should not be able to read and study just because she is a girl. By allowing everyone to have their own say, this can ensure equality among people.
However, of course, there should still be rules. People should not resort to hurting others for their own needs.

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Statement 3: Having to face hardships or challenges will always result in growth. Do you agree? Why or why not?

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Statement 3: Having to face hardships or challenges will always result in growth. Do you agree? Why or why not?

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I disagree with this statement. I think that challenges that is overcome with the right mindset would result in a positive growth. However, if you lack the right mindset, you may take challenges and hardships in a negative light, causing you to stop your growth. For example, if you face a challenge and you look at it with a growth mindset, you would be able to learn from the challenges and grow stronger. However, if you look at the challenge with a fixed mindset, you would give up on the problem and find excuses to avoid it. So instead of making you stronger, you would remain where you are and not improve. Therefore, having hardships or challenges would not necessarily result in your growth.
~Mildred

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Creative writers must not be allowed to write or draw anything. It is true, creative writers are people who rely on creativity, and this creativity needs imagination. Imagination is the formation of new ideas that is not present to the senses. This means imagination can be endless and there is no limit to this imagination, and that the imagination may not be true. However, despite this imagination and creativity that is limitless, there is a limit to what is present to the senses. Imagination can extend really far, to all aspects of life, in the creative - writer’s mind. But what is really present to our senses is something other people can see. And here, what the creative writers write and draw cannot cross the line such that people are hurt or offended, because it makes a negative impact. Therefore, I feel that creative - writers can imagine anything, but they cannot write or draw anything.

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I agree with this statement that anybody can be a hero. When people think of heroes, they think of the ones in comic books. They have the mindset that to be a hero, you need to have powers. However, it doesn’t matter whether they have powers or not. The only thing that counts is the heart; the intention of wanting to do good. As long as they have that moral, they can be a hero.

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Rushdie’s writing is really creative and he uses different literary devices to help us clearly visualise the story. His writing transports us into a magical world where things work differently. This helps to make his writing interesting and unique.

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i agree but with a condition.

if it’s make beelieve, writers should be allowed to write whatever they want.

the condition is to indicate who their target audience is. for example, you can’t write about something explicit or gory and give it to a 8 year old to read. To adults, if they want to read it for entertainment, it is their choice and they should be allowed to read it.

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I do not agree. Even if the stories are make-believe, writers should not be allowed to draw or write about anything. Some contents may be inappropriate/disturbing to others which would lead the story to be unappealing to some people. Some contents may also cause the reader to feel hurt or uneasy. When we write/draw we should take note and be careful of our language and content so as not to cause hurt to anyone. However, I also think that writers should have the freedom to write anything they want. They should not be limited in terms of what they want to write. They should be allowed to think out of the box and let their imagination run wild and not simply write what others tell them to write.

Hence, I think writers should be very careful of what they write but still have the freedom to write what they want.

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Although I believe that writers should have the freedom to write about a wide range of topics, this freedom comes with several responsibilities that writers should keep in mind. For a start, writers should keep in mind ethics and moral responsibilities. It’s important to avoid promoting harmful stereotypes, hate speech, unethical behaviour and much more. Besides that, writers should keep in mind cultural sensitivity. When writing about different cultures, writers should do their research, seek diverse perspectives and be open to feedback. Writers should also avoid controversial or sensitive topics that would anger people or cause a range of emotions from different people. In conclusion, I believe that although writers should be given the freedom to write, it’s important to balance the principle of freedom of speech and ethical responsibility.

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No, i do not agree that people should be able to say whatever they want, whenever they want. People should be considerate and respectful to one another and they should think about what they want to say before saying it. For example, when around people of different races, you should not say things that can harm other people of different races. This can cause racial discrimination and riots may happen. Additionally, another example is to not say things that may harm others emotionally and mentally. For example, your friend is experiencing financial issues at home. When talking to each other, we should not bring finance up or brag about things that we have, that she doesn’t. This will cause your friend to be harmed emotionally and more serious things may happen.

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Statement 7: Creative writers-artists must be allowed to write / draw about anything. After all, these stories are make-believe.

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Statement 7: Creative writers-artists must be allowed to write / draw about anything. After all, these stories are make-believe.

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I agree. Creative writing is a way for us to truly express what we are thinking. I find that a mistake people tend to make is to hide their feelings and thoughts. While their personal thoughts may be harmful, they will be going from their day-to-day life carrying these thoughts which may or may not be wrong. I find that hiding this is bad as we should just confront our feelings honestly and write it out to release it.
In addition, through the process of writing, the author may also discover some new things they did not realise before through a deeper understanding of the topic he/she is writing about. This could possibly change their entire perspective.
Other people with same feelings who read what we write may sympathise as well. They will feel better knowing their thoughts are now made public, and people understand why we feel that way. People with opposing opinions can also understand the perspectives of others, which can help resolve problems when we argue with actual logic.
The problem that we are currently experiencing is that people are pretending not to notice that many people have “harmful” thoughts kept to themselves. We should really try to find reasoning to why all different people have different thoughts and why all of this is happening.
However, when we write out these thoughts, we must voice them out correctly. Writing with hostility or anger, even if we strongly believe fault is on the other side, would trigger others. Arguing with others properly is the correct way to resolve a controversial thoughts. While we may be experiencing strong injustice, it is important to understand that we will only get out thoughts recognised if we do so in a civilised way. As readers, we must also be open-minded with reading and not be aggressive in our response.
Since not everyone is open-minded when reading and calm when writing out something that can be controversial, many people would think that we should not write anything we want. It is hard to change everyone, so this would be a problem that would stay for a long time.

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I disagree with the statement, “Rushdie’s writing is confusing and unappealing”.
The words used in the story are quite simple.
I think Rushdie’s imagination is very interesting and it showcases different perspectives of what is happening in the story. I like the way he describes everything such as the surroundings, the mechanic birds and the Eggheads. Even though I know that these are not real, but when I am reading the book, I feel entranced by the storyline and I feel like I am really there, a bystander of what is happening in the book.
The style of how Rushdie writes the story is also very interesting - for example he always repeats the word ‘but’ three times in a speech. To me, it seems as a form of humour and keeps me entertained.
The story’s progression is also very funny. In the start, the story may seem really boring but after Haroun and his father went on an adventure to K, the story gets really spellbinding.
I like Rushdie’s imagination as it creates a imaginary world and I definitely feel that this story is not unappealing or confusing.