For all Secondary Three B and C students (2008)

I have reissued the DECEMBER 2008 HOLIDAY ASSIGNMENT in Term 1 Week 3 (THIS WEEK, 16 January 2008). Now this is a CONTINUAL ASSESSMENT for TERM 1.2008. Swim along with the rest of SINK ALONE.

DO IT WELL.

So, for those who miss the hard copy which I have distributed this morning. Here is the soft copy.

Instructions: STUDY ALL THE QUESTIONS AND CHOOSE ONLY ONE TO WRITE AN ESSAY OF 250 – 400 WORDS.

MAXIMUM MARKS = 30/30

Writing


EXTENDED TO: TERM 1 WEEK 4 (Hand in to Mr. Yeo on the FIRST EL Lesson)


All questions can be answered by writing an essay or a story which explores the topic in an interesting and relevant way.


1 "You have to have a dream or you go nowhere". (Kofi Annan)

2 An inter-galactic market research company is canvassing opinions on whether Planet Earth is suitable material for "first contact". What do you think?

3 What advice would you give to a family living with teenagers?

4 EITHER "This is where I live" OR "These are the things which make me who I am".

5 Blue.

6 The Commonwealth Question: The theme for Commonwealth Day 2008 is "The Environment: Our Future". Discuss the likely impact of climate change on life as you know it. What is to be done?


ATTENTION: THIS IS A CONTINUAL ASSESSMENT.


POSTED ON 16 January 2008

All my English Language and Literature students are welcome to write to me by posting their comments and so on in this blog. However, let me lay down these ground rules:

[1] Love yourself - Do not write in an irresponsible way which may cause unhappiness and displeasure to anybody. Be a good Hildan.

[2] Love your neighbour[s] - Be considerate. Do not use this blog for making comments which have nothing to do with discussions on ENGLISH LANGUAGE and LITERATURE.

[3] Love your school and this blog - Do not misuse or abuse this cyerspace. Any wrongdoer will be severely singled out and justice will be meted out. Don't even think of asking for "a second chance". Anything that is published on the internet IMMEDIATELY becomes PUBLIC information. You cannot say, "I AM SORRY!"

So I will only attempt to reply if you write sensibly. The student must write his or her FULL name and the CLASS which s/he is from in 2008. REMEMBER, do not ABUSE this blog.


Yeo Yam Hwee - 15 January 2008

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

For all Secondary Three LITERATURE (ELECTIVE) students.

[1] Please read the book and finish it by end of T1Week3.2008.

[2] I would like you to pay attention to CHAPTER 73 first. In this chapter, our PROTAGONIST (the hero of the novel), Christopher John Francis Boone, reveals to us (in fact, he bares it all) his so-called "BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS". I think Christopher, who at the point in his retelling of his story, only "15 years and 3 months and 2 days" old, is an interesting young man. He does not like people to touch him and yet he comes right clean by telling us all his behaviour problems. He is honest about it, too honest perhaps.

So get to the page and the chapter.

I don't assume you have already read the book at least once. I expect it.

15 January 2008 (Tuesday) The rain had stopped.

Please READ when you are YOUNG.
Please READ when you are HUNGRY FOR KNOWLEDGE.
Please READ when you are CURIOUS ABOUT LIFE.
Please READ when you are FEELING AFRAID.
Please READ when you are ADVENTUROUS.

Please READ.

The following books are really interesting:

1. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
2. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
3. A Passage To India by E M Forster
4. Where Angels Fear To Tread by E M Forster
5. Jurassic Park (Read the book, the movie is skindeep only) by MichaelCrichton

I shall update you on more. Please use our school library. If they don't have these books, politely request the library to procure them. ("To procure" means "to obtain by purchasing".)

The Use of Symbols in Literature

15 January 2008 (Tuesday) Sunny in the morning, cloudy during the day, and rainy in the late afternoon.

For all secondary two and three Literature students,

We must be conscious of human beings' use of symbols - please note: a symbol is a sign which we immediately recognise as having an implied meaning which we share. For example, the RED CROSS flag tells us that medical aid is at hand; the CROSSBONES and SKULL tells us that we are going to be raided by the pirates in due course if we do not steer clear of them.

So when we examine closely the portrait of A SAD FAMILY, we should consider certain things which are symbolic to us. NOBODY is TOO YOUNG to UNDERSTAND SYMBOLS.

We know what [1] a naked light bulb hanging from a singular wire,
[2] a table which has one leg shorter than the other three and has to be propped up by a book
and [3] the image of an aeroplane which appears on the T.V. screen

These are but THREE of the many examples of how SYMBOLS (SIGNS which become relevant to us because we share our understanding and knowledge about them) are being used to deliver to us meanings about the portrait which the painter (writer) is trying to tell us.

Setting/Trouble/Action/Resolution

For Sec Two Students who were absent from my Literature classes in Term 1 Week 2 (T1W2),

Please understand that you will need to know the 4 components which are useful in your reading of the PLAY- Emily of Emerald Hil:

"S" stands for "Setting" which helps us to understand, for instance,

CHARACTERISATION - The kind of person(ality) Emily is / the kind of company she keeps.
LOCATION - The place where the story of Emily takes place = SINGAPORE
TIMING/PERIOD - Is the play about the present, the past or the future.

"T" stands for "Trouble" which helps us to understand what makes the story of EMILY interesting, exciting and relevant to us readers. What exactly drives Emily? What makes her such an interesting or "TROUBLESOME" character? Does she bring happiness or sadness to herself or the people around her?

"A" stands for "Action" - We should be interested in Emily's interaction with the other supporting characters in the play. Emily has a stake in the resulting death of her eldest son, Richard. Emily and her husband, Mr. Gan Joo Kheong - are they ever in love with each other? Emily keeps herself busy by meddling in other people's business, but we are going to have mixed feelings about her. Ask yourselves - why so?

"R" stands for "Resolution" - We know that every story must somehow come to an end. Emily is no exception. We need to ask ourselves - Do we like the way the play "Emily" comes to an end? How effective is the ending? Does the ending do justice to the powerful motherly figure of "Emily"? Does the ending make you feel proud or sorry for Emily's life experiences? Have all her contributions and machinations brought about desirable returns? Does the feeling make us happy or sad?

So remember the acronym - S.T.A.R.

Dear 2BCDs of St Hilda's Secondary School,

I am sure by the end of Term 1 Week Two (T1W2), you would all have gotten yourselves a Literature File each.

2B is BLUE
2C is RED
2D is RED as well.

Also please begin reading EMILY OF EMERALD HILL. You've to begin reading BEFORE I begin EMILY in class.

Yeo Yam Hwee 15 January 2008 Thanks.