2008 O level Oral TopicsDay 1:

Q1) Tell me about an elderly relative of yours

Paternal grandmother

Curly white hair, fair complexion, skin is very smooth

Used to stay with us but recently moved to my aunts house

Often comes to our house (2 times per week) to collect unwanted newspapers from neighbours to sell to the rag and bone man (try to earn money) Used to be very superstitious (what furniture in the house face where for the best feng shui, cannot sweep floor on Chinese new year eve, cannot point to the moon or your ear will have a cut)

She was a faithful Buddhist and always prayed to Buddhas but became a Christian about 6 years ago Very naggy in the past, more tolerant now

Shes very thrifty and would always scrimp and save every penny

Only bought things she needed, her clothes were very old but she still used them

Often buy us lovely things on special occasions (birthday, Chinese new year, Christmas)

Very intelligent (though not familiar with English, she speaks Malay, Cantonese, Chinese, Hokkien)

Always helps my maid and mum with the housework

Unfortunately, her eyesight worsen and she just went for an operation to get rid of her cataracts, rarely help with the chores already Caring (brew Chinese herbal medicine for my dad when hes sick)

When I was young, very rude to her, though she always send me to school and bring me home

Now Im older, I also know to respect her and help her if she needs assistance

Love my grandmother a lot

Old people are an asset to society

May not earn an income, but can share with us experiences which we can learn from

Give us tips on the right way to do things

never teach your grandmother to suck eggs because they eaten more salt than you have eaten rice

Government also has tax reliefs/subsidies for children who are caring for their elderly parent (E.g. buy house near parents can get housing grant, CPF contribute to parents also get certain tax reliefs)

Ensure that the elderly will not be left out/feel lonely

If possible, do not send elderly parents to nursing homes (feel that family is very important to them)

Treasure them and make them feel appreciated and welcomed (Grandparents Day, senior citizen week)Q2) What is your view on where, and how, elderly people should live? In Singapore, some live alone in HDB estates, some with their children and grandchildren, some in nursing homes, some nowhere to live In my case, grandparents live with my aunt, but often come to our house

Feel that its good, maintain the good relationship and family bond

On their birthday/special occasions (fathers day, mothers day, new year), my parents make an effort to bring them out for a meal, outings (make them feel happy)

Some couples do not like to live with their parents (more and more in singapore) Want own privacy/space/freedom on how to live life

Do not want parents to interfere with family issues

Some find parents too talkative/naggy (border them to have kids)

Reduce chances of family fights

Find that these are true factors, but still feel that they should at least stay close to parents

Incase elderly parents have some accident (can rush over to help)

Interact more Let own children bond with their grandchildren

Parents can help care for their kids when theyre at work

Elderly parents will not feel as lonely

Sense of security

Benefits both parties mutually

Best is not to sent them to nursing homes

Many feel that by doing so, their parents will have a more conducive environment

I feel that parents would rather stay in a house where there are not so many facilities and get to see children daily, compared to in a home where they do not see their children often

Some find them a financial burden

Parents will feel lonely, though they have friends to talk to but I still believe that family is closest and heart

No home is better than your home sweet home

Really no choice, can send them there, but make sure you visit them often

My maternal grandparents, stay alone in a HDB flat in Pasir Ris

On week days, my mums brother will visit them cause he stays in Pasir Ris too

His children, my cousins, will always go there after school to accompany my grandparents (Grandma always cooks lunch for them as well) Every weekend, my mum/her sisters will by hook or by crook always visit her and bring her out for meals My mum has 4 siblings, so they alternate around and take turns to bring my grandma and granddad out

My mum very close to her siblings, so they keep good contact and always ensure that my grandparents are well taken care of

Important to take good care of elderly and respect them (give them a good home)

Children see already will also do the same to you in future

Important as well to make everyone in the society happy

Senior citizens may not be able to contribute financially, but can share knowledge and experience with us, help our children in various areas of homework (my grandma often helps me in my Chinese), help to bring joy and laughter to the familyDay 2:Q1) Tell me about your favourite hairstyle

Personally no favourite hairstyle but prefer short hair

Short hair is light, cooling

Easy to care of (not need to spend ages washing/combing, thinking what hairstyle to tie each day, what accessories to buy, fast to dry, shorter time spend on showering)

My barber is my mum (she disallows me to keep short hair ( say long hair more girly

Many different types of hairstyles now a days

Bangs

Short and spikey Shaggy

Long and straight

Curly

Bob

Wave

Mush

Asymmetrical cut

Rebonded hair (extremely straight)

Walking on streets, can observe many teens having dyed hair, some males even have a pony tail, some have spiky hair To look cool and keep up with the fashion trend I dont think so! In fact, I think they look ridiculous! Teens feel they can socialise and make friends better

Show-off

Be different from others, uniqueness

Imitate their fans/certain celebrities

Many schools have school rules on the types of hairstyle you must have (e.g. my school does not allow dyed hair, those who have hair longer than shoulder length must tie it up, fringe cannot be all over, look neat at all times)

Good to have these rules (ensure students do not turn out looking like gansters/gorillas) Recently in the football world cup, watched on television and noticed that many supporters actually shave their heads bald in order to pain certain things on their head Some paint the colours of their countrys flag

Some write encouraging words

Find it amusing and shocking

I still prefer sticking to a short and ordinary haircut

Q2) What is your view about CCTV or security cameras in public places? CCTVs can be very good, feel that it is a necessity in Singapore

Recently the government has raise its level of security and installed more CCTVs in MRT stations (due to the SMRT graffiti incident)

2 vandals broke into the MRT trains station and sprayed graffiti paint on a train (vandalised it in about 20 mins)

The graffiti went around Singapore being unnoticed by the SMRT staff for about 2 days

Youtube video (by a trainspotter)

Arouse a lot of commotion on the levels of security (no one knew about it) When SMRT staff were questioned, even said thought it was an advertisement

Fortunately it was nothing dangerous, government increased strictness about security (incase it was terrorist attack)

Installed more CCTV

Make sure that staff were more aware and paid more attention

CCTV is important to make sure our country is safe and secure

Many seen in 7-eleven as well (interesting that it always point to the staff make sure staff dont steal money as well)

Seeing more and more of it in shops (Breadtalk didnt use to have, but now also installed some)

NTUC also has installed some in different aisle, also has one pointing to each staff at the cashier

Ensure that people do not steal

Prevent people from stealing

Teach/educate the right values

Punish and catch those who do steal Trace back culprits when they find something amiss London has far more CCTVs than in Singapore (one every 400 metres)

The many CCVs also show that the country is full of suspicions

Cannot trust one another thus must install all these

Also read about the case where some male foreign workers had to bathe with the CCTV pointing at them to ensure that they do not waste water

Find this very interesting

I dont think its right (could be a better idea to find other ways of preventing them from wasting water water meter?)

Also horrifying when I read that some male employers even do that to their maids!

Some also put CCTVs in their homes to make sure that the maids do not abuse their child/do not laze around when their employers are not home

Feel that they should be told that they are going to be working in these type of environments first

Not good to do it secretly and film them without them knowing I would not advise that

Quite unfair for them as well

CCTV important in public places (especially crowded places) to ensure security and safety

Day 3: Q1) Tell me about a competition you entered

I am a member of the Innovation and Enterprise Club in Crescent Girls School

Its held on Thursday after school (3.30pm 6pm)

I enjoy it a lot as we do a lot of fun things and I also gain a lot of knowledge

We will create products and sell them to students from our school

At times, we will attend certain trainings that teach us how to be businesswomen

Besides, we also go for competitions, hoping that we will bring our school glory by earning awards

I once was selected by my teacher to attend a competition the National Pushcart Challenge (I was only in sec 2) Held at Toa Payoh HUB, organised by Republic Polytechnic (RP) Supposed to sell items on a pushcart and the team that earned the most money would win, however there were also other prises to be won such As the best decorated pushcart, the most cooperative team, the most creative team, the team which has the most votes from the audience I worked with 5 team members and we were all very excited about the competition

We were competing with JCs and it seemed that we were the youngest team there

As my dad was a lecturer at RP, I had a certain advantage and asked him for tips told me about the consignment deal

A consignment is where we will help them sell their items and get some money from there, but if the goods are unable to be all sold, we could return it back to the owners

Discussed with my teammates almost every day of the November December holidays and we decided to sell some of our school products (which our seniors have customized and came up with the design on their own) and also do consignment with another shop, which we had researched and made contact with

Shop: Guppi Gruppo (sold very cute stationary) We also hunted for the cheapest umbrellas and self-decorated them using waterproof paint (each was sold at $20)

We worked hard the competition lasted for 2 days (10am to 5pm)

I given the role of giving our brochures and trying to pull customers to buy our items

Other teammates either helped to assist at the store, be the cashier or do the role of a walking signboard to increase awareness of our sale

On the last day, students from RP were to come to grade us and vote for their most favourite pushcart, the public was also invited to give their votes I asked my parents to come and support me, my team mates also got their parents to give their support

We also told our classmates and teachers to come to Toa Payoh HUB, if possible, to cast their votes for us

Although we did not win, be had a great experience

I enjoyed myself a lot and also acquired a fair bit of knowledge from this competition and

Hope to participate in it again if given the opportunity

I feel that whenever we attend competitions, we should not always just think of winning. With so many participants, there is only one who can be called first but in fact, all are actually winners. (E.g. in a race, all those who completed the race are considered winners, no one should be called a loser as long as they tried their best)Q2) Some people say that children should take part in more outdoor activities. What do you think? I agree that children should indeed take part in more outdoor activities as more and more of them are becoming hooked up and addicted to games on electronic devices/computers (e.g. PSP, computer, handphone, X-box)

Technology is becoming more and more advance, people just come out with more and more interesting games to attract childrens attention

For example the hot topic that I always hear my friends in school discuss is about K-pop or Korean/Taiwan/Hong Kong drama serials such as You are Beautiful and Fated to Love You

Playing all these games are quite unhealthy and not very beneficial to children

Can cause eyesight to deteriorate (read in news that myopic kids in Singapore and on the rise)

Some children tend to snack while watching/playing online games, thus causing weight problems (a surge in the number of overweight kids) On the other hand, some may be too obsessed with games that they refuse to eat or even sleep

Stresses eyes

Not enough exercise

Addiction

May lead to family problems

Decrease in standards of school work

Worry parents and teachers

Parents must not allow child to play too much computer (limit their time like my mum only allows us to use computer for at most 1 hour per day unless there is really important school work which needs to be completed)

Get them interested in one sport

Talk to them more often and educate them of the bad effects of too much computer I feel that parents should encourage kids to take part in more outdoor activities (organize more of such events during weekends)

Can help child relieve stress

Help child to keep healthy and fit

Promote family bonding

Help their mind to focus on a different thing

Improves physical health (better body, better mind)

Able to study better

Reduce the risk of getting diseases in future

Helps their eyes to relax (said that looking at trees and giving eyes a break can help improve eyesight/reduce chances of eyesight deteriorating)

Therefore, I feel that outdoor activities will benefit children and they should try to take part in them more often and be more active (not be a couch potato)

Day 4:Q1) Tell me about an area of natural beauty you have been to

I love going to the Botanic Gardens Live near there, so me and my family usually go there on a weekday There is a large pond with swans and tortoises Many different types of fishes (e.g. Coil and Goldfish) However you stand or face, you will be facing beautiful flowers and plants (attractive and colourful) At the entrance, there is a signboard which shows pictures of many different varieties of plants and insect species Stick insect camouflage Leaf insect camouflage Spotted butterfly Bottled-nose turtle Hibiscus Frangipani Lotus plant Mum would always tell us to bring some bread to go there to feed the fishes and tortoises Beautiful creature would always crowd together at one area, hoping that we would feed them more

There was a time when I was planning to give my small piece of bread I tore to a tortoise, but instead a silly, irritating swan came along stretched its long white neck and stole the piece of bread. I was so fed up and angry with it that I scolded it. My sister laughed at me for being insane. I think its good for people to visit areas of natural beauty Bonding time for families

Looking at trees help improve eyesight

Fresh air emitted by the surrounding trees also good for body makes one feel refresh

Learn new knowledge by reading those signboards

Widen your brains capacity

Exercise and stimulate brain cells to think

Appreciate Singapores wonderful greenery

Singapore may not have mountains or waterfalls but we are a beautiful garden city (government is encouraging people to plant more trees as they are very beneficial to the environment reduce global warming, reduce emission of green house gases)

Youd be surprise by how much a child can learn by just observing the environment!Q2) What is your view on looking after natural habitats and taking care of wildlife? I think that it is very good to conserve and look after these things Since they are also living things, we should also be considerate Trees and plants contribute a lot to our environment Replenish the oxygen in our atmosphere, remove carbon dioxide Reduce global warming Provide resources (food, raw materials, medicine) Habitats of flora and fauna Ensure the good quality of water (soil helps to filtrate the particles) Maintain quantity of water through respiration Trees also help to beautify the surroundings

Therefore its important to take good care of them

Cut down on deforestation rates because they can bring adverse and undesirable effects

Soil erosion lead to dirty waters and marine animals death

Loss of biodiversity

Environment will look dull

Global warming which may lead to ozone depletion

Insufficient oxygen, too much carbon dioxide

Habitats of animals will be destroyed

Air pollution when forest fires are set off

Government should raise awareness of the conservation of the forests

Earth day 2010

Plant-a-tree day

Wildlife is also another issue they are animals and living things

They have feelings and will not like to be confined in an area or killed

Many of them are being hunted or are captured

Was a case published in the news papers that a monkey was brought out of the wild and then taken care by a Caucasian couple when brought back to the wild, could no longer survive and died

Wildlife can help to increase the variety of species in our environment and not let more and more just become extinct or close to extinction

We can also study their behaviour and use it to apply in our life

Aquire new interesting facts and knowledge about these animals

Government should built more nature reserves to conserve wildlife and natural beauty Very important to our lives Day 5:

Q1) Tell me about a subject at school you enjoy I am a secondary four student studying eight subjects: Triple science, A and E math, Higher Chinese, English and combined humanities

Most favourite subject is chemistry

I find it very interesting the study different elements and their properties

Does not need much memory work, most of it is understanding

Concepts are very interesting

Usually score well in the subject thus giving me more motivation to do well and maintain the good results

Most favourite element of the periodic table is copper

It is a transition metal

Has a molecular mass of 65

I love its colour nice light blue when its an ion

Copper is also not a reactive metal and does not react well with acids

Especially love chemistry practical sessions where I can go to the laboratory to carry out experiments

Enjoy pouring the different chemicals into different test tubes and observing the colour change

However, Im very afraid of heating compounds and liquids over a Bunsen burner because Im afraid that theyll explode or overflow

Always get my lab partner to help me heat things

Also because of my teacher, Miss Sim, who plays a very important role

She contributed a lot to my liking of chemistry

My favourite teacher

Very humourous teacher and never fails to make her students laugh during lessons

She is not boring and, without exception, will always tell stories of herself during lessons, thus grasping her students attention

Rarely scolds us and gives us a lot of encouragement

Really think that chemistry is a very very fascinating and marvelous subject

Intend to study it further in Junior College and take it as a core subject (H2 subject) However, I also have subjects which I dislike such as Social Studies Find it very boring

As I do not have super memory and often forget things easily, I usually do not score well

Require a lot of skills in essay writing

A lot of political issues which I dont find interesting - but a bore

Unfortunately I still have to study it as it is a subject which is compulsory for the whole secondary cohort in Singapore

Good to have a favourite subject, but should still try to do well and love every other subject

Not good to only like one subject and excel in that area only O levels is about all subjects and test students in all areas

I believe only if you like it then can you do well in it Q2) Do you think some subjects are more important than others in school? Yes I think so

English is a very important subject

It helps people to communicate with each other

Enables one to express your own opinions and views

Lets one talk to others and get to know more knowledge Besides, almost all subject in schools are taught in English

Very important thats why it must be included as a L1 subject in O levels

Helps one to read and write

Science and Math are also quite important subjects as they help us to understand our lives

Math help us count things and analyse things

Practical situations such as counting money and paying for our goods

Science help us to know more about our environment, our body

Especially to those who want to grow up to become scientists (like me)

Geography, History and Literature may not be as important to some, but yet important to those who want to become geographers or people who study the past

Still need to learn it because the government wants us to be all rounded students

Learn for more knowledge

Social Studies may be considered quite an important subject

Makes the individual more aware of the countries happenings

Know our country better

Learn different challenges and political issues

Learn how government manages the country and why It is so important to have peace, security and harmony in the country

Those subject which may be considered quite minor are those such as PE, Civics and Moral Education, Art, Design and Technology

Believe that these subjects are taught so that we can be all-rounders Also give us more information of different areas so that we can have a rough idea on how to select our jobs in future

In conclusion, still think that all subjects are useful to us and we should give them equal attention

Do well and put our best effort in everything we do, sure then can we see results

Day 6:Q1) Tell me about a time where you realised you were wrong about something I once lost a blue pen, which I loved very much

I saw my sister using one which looked exactly like my pen

I scolded her and asked her to return it to me

She claimed that it was her pen and that her friend had given it to her

I was so angry because I thought that she was lying

I complained to my mother about my sister stealing my pen

My mother said it was ok, because she was still small

I started crying and my mother got so irritated that she went up to my sister and scolded her my sister also cried, and in the end she passed the pen to me but very reluctantly (she seemed very angry too)

She did not speak to me since that day

After 2 days, I discovered that my pen was hidden deep down in my backpack

I then realised that I had wronged my sister she did not steal my pen at all, I had misplaced my thats all

I was very confused and felt very guilty

At first, I wanted to just leave the issue alone because I felt too embarrassed to apologise and admit that I was wrong, but it kept bugging my conscience

I then made a final decision to apologise to my sister and buy her a brand new pen to give back to her I also informed my mother about my mistake she was very disappointed in me but also grateful that I was willing to do something to make up for my actions

My sister was very happy to receive back her pen, she hugged me to say it was ok

I was very relived, I was afraid that she would ignore me and scold me

I did not feel as guilty as before

Fortunate to have such a nice sister

Sometimes, people do make mistakes, because I believe that no one is perfect

We have to forgive and forget

Only then can we be more happy and live life with a positive attitude

Will have a bigger circle of friends

Our life will be filled with joy instead of sorrow

Not live life with regrets

Will not miss out on anything that is good Good relationships with those around me

If you do make a mistake, apologise and remember not to repeat the mistake

Be sincere when apologising and mean what you say of not letting the same things happen Q2) Do you think everyone can learn to be good at sport? I think that everyone can learn to be good at sport

When you have the will, you have the way

Many people dislike sport lazy

My school organizes mass run every Tuesday and Friday morning for the students

And every Tuesday and Friday morning, my classmates would be complaining about having to run and some even wishing that the weather would turn bad so no need to run if raining

Shows that many students do not like sport

Sport is beneficial to every individual

Can help the individual be relieve of stress

Help to keep healthy and fit

Promote bonding between people, foster ties and friendships (for those games which are played in a team badminton, tennis, basketball)

Helps the students mind to focus on a different thing

Improves physical health (better body, better mind)

Able to study better

Reduce the risk of getting diseases in future

Helps their eyes to relax (said that looking at trees and giving eyes a break can help improve eyesight/reduce chances of eyesight deteriorating)

If good at it can also represent the school and win medals and awards

Some sports can also help one to grow taller (basketball and swimming)

Some people may not be good at sport, but Im sure they can learn

If not interest, can start them off with playing games (Captains ball basketball, Catching running/jogging, Monkey netball)

Their interest toward sports can then be increased and cultivated

Government also trying to make children like sports they award students who do well in sports

Give NAPFA awards (Gold/Silver/Bronze badges)

Good grades for Physical Education in report book

Parents can also help to make their children like sports by bringing them out to exercise every weekend

Teachers also should organize fun activities during PE lessons and not always make children do trainings such as running around the track/doing pull-ups or sit-ups Those who may be weak in sports can learn to like them and be good in them

By taking small steps, they surely can be better and better with practice and be good in themDay 7: Q1) Tell me about the house or apartment where you live in

Live in a terrace house in Bukit Timah, Central area

Used to live in a HDB flat in Tampinese but parents decided to move as family was getting bigger

In my house, there are 6 people including me (mum, dad, 2 younger sisters, maid, me)

2 storey house

Have a gate which is very interesting decorated with fish and bubbles

Recently painted it (dads idea),w e all worked together, enjoying the process Painted the fishes yellow, bubbles white and the gates background blue

Matches our porch, where the green and white tiles are arranged in the pattern of 2 fishes and 5 pieces of bread (because Im a Christian, this arrangement is related to a story in the bible)

Outside the house, we also have some potted plants

We used to have a large tree, but it was removed by our neighbour

When you step into the real house, you will be welcomed by a warm sitting room

Turquoise coloured sofa and a black coloured retriever (type of chair)

Which is in front of the 15 inch Sony television

Brown coloured coffee table where newspapers are kept under the table

There Is also a piano at a corner of the living room where I use to practice my pieces

Glass table for us to do our homework/also used for eating meals in big groups on special occasions

The glass table has some patterns on it, which was specially designed by instructions from my mother designs are carvings of musical notes

Near the living room is the kitchen where the environment is nothing but yellow yellow table, yellow chairs, yellow cupboards and shelves (we eat as a family together there daily) The cooking area is situated behind the kitchen

The living room is also linked to the playroom, where we use to do our studying or play our toys when we were young (now it is rarely used and can also be called store room) There is a flight of stairs which lead you to the second level

There are three bedrooms upstairs: the master bedroom, my grandparents bedroom and the childrens bedroom

The master bedroom is where my parents sleep

There is a desk where there is a computer and a work area

Because I need to use the computer often, I now do my work there upon getting permission from my parents

There is a king sized bed which is very comfortable as the quilt is very soft My parents also have their own washroom which is connected to their room

Grandparents bedroom last time grandparents stay with me, but now no longer (moved to my aunts house) Their room is slightly small and they have a giant wardrobe

That room is usually empty now-a-days because no one enters or leaves often

Childrens room is where me and my sisters sleep

We have a 3 decker bed I sleep on the ground level, my youngest sister on the first level and my second sister on the third level

Have a small study area as well second sister studies there

Love my house, think that I am very fortunate to live in such a big houseQ2) How important do you think hygiene is

Personally, I think hygiene is a very important issue

Important to practice good hygiene to prevent spread of diseases

If the owner of a stall does not practice good hygiene habits, this may result in the customers having food poisoning (e.g. rojak incident last year)

During the SARS period & H1N1, the government also wanted everyone to practice good hygiene habits in order to prevent the diseases from spreading Good hygiene habits are such as:

Washing hands before meals

Washing hands before handling food/after using the toilet

When you sneeze, use a tissue/hand to cover your mouth

Do not share the same comb with others

Do not share eating utensils

Try not to share the same straw

When food has dropped on the floor, do not pick it up to eat again

When drinking a bowl of soup, use a serving spoon to serve it into smaller bowls, do not drink directly from the entire soup bowl

When you are eating, try not to talk so that your saliva doesnt go into others food

Do not use your fingers to pick your nose/dig your ear

Do not share undergarmets

Parents should inculcate good hygiene habits to their children since young so that it will not become a bad habit (which will be hard to change in future)

Teachers should also teach children about these simple things in life

Recalled that when I was in primary school, I learnt a subject called Health Education

They taught us about good hygiene habits as well

Germs and bacteria can be transmitted easily if we do not have good hygiene

Another point to note is also if other people (especially foreigners) see Singaporeans having bad hygiene habits, they will have a bad impression of us

May cause our reputation to be worsen

All in all, hygiene is very important in our lives and we have to pick up good hygiene habits and get rid of bad ones

Day 8:Q1) Tell me about a business you would like to run one day.

I always love baking things such as cakes, cookies and brownies When I was in lower secondary, my favourite subject was home economics

I always look forward to it every lesson

If I really do go into a business, I would want to be a baker

I know I have to wake up at about 4am daily so that I could prepare all the mixtures and pastes

It would be hard work, but I believe that with my passion, I can enjoy what Im doing and most importantly be happy

I would rent a shop and set up my bakery

I would get a loan from either my friends or parents and then use it to set up my stall I would borrow certain recipe books from the library so I could learn to bake

On top of that, I would also experiment with the ingredients to come up with my own dishes and specialties

As I am a member of the innovation and enterprise club, I have learnt certain skills of entrepreneurship

I can thus apply it and use it to earn profits and make money out of my business

After earning enough money, I can then pay back my parents/friends and continue to develop and strive in my business

If my cakes and pastries get increasingly popular, I can hire certain assistants and expand my business in order to earn more money

Actually, I done some form of business before

I once joined a competition representing my school, as I was a member of the enterprise club

Competition required us to set up our own pushcarts to sell things

My teammates, there were 5 for us in total, work together to come up with business ideas and plan the prices of our products Sold notebooks, stationary, soft toys We earn a profit of about $150 in the 2 day competition in total We did not emerge as top three, but that experience taught us a lot of things

The top team actually earned a total profit of $5000! it was very shocking, and my dad, who was a lecturer in RP and taught entrepreneurship skills to his students said that it was quite impossible Very interesting experience

Although I would very much enjoy to set up my own business, my main interest is still to be a chemist

That is what I intend to be when I grow up and I am working towards being one

I also feel that that is what I really will enjoy because I have a strong passion for chemistry

Personally, doing business is not my cup of teaQ2) What are some of the difficulties faced by women wishing to pursue a career and have a family?

There are quite a number of difficulties which women face

Are afraid that if they become pregnant, their bosses will not want them to work in the company anymore

Decrease their salary because there is a perception that pregnant women are not as efficient and capable

Having a family/children would mean that there will be some form of financial challenge

Have to deal with the discomfort of a big tummy and having symptoms of pregnancy (vomiting, headaches, short-tempered) Having to bear with the pain

Emotional stress

After you have a family, you will have less time to really put your focus on work because the child will be sure to give you some problems (pester you, cry, want attention)

Some mothers would also be afraid that after they give birth, their figure would not be as nice (look less attractive) I think that in Singapore, many women do not want to have children/start a family Most of them want to focus on their career and excel in their workplace

Many want to become successful and earn lots of money before deciding on having a family

Hence because many couples marry late and thus the chance of them having children will be very low

The Singaporean government is very worried about this issue as the fertility rate of Singaporea n women is very low - 2.14 (one of the lowest in the world) Ageing population

Not enough young men in the Singapore workforce to defend the country Too many old people for the young people to support

Many old people would mean that healthcare may be a problem for the government

Elderly need do not contribute to the national income because many cannot work, so the development of the country will also be hampered

Because government is concerned, they try to introduce polices which will increase the birth rate of Singaporean women

Increasing the maternity leave each women has

Giving baby bonus to couples which have children

The more children you have, the more money you will get

Tax relief for parents who have a certain number of children

The childcare fees will also be reduced Encouraging foreigners to come to Singapore

They also raising awareness of the problems which may face if Singapore continues to have an ageing population

Prime minister gave a speech last year to the public on the television about Singapore needing to have more children

Some articles which were published on the newspaper regarding this issue

Although I can see that the government is trying very hard, the policies are not working

Singaporeans are selfish and only care of themselves

I feel that Singaporeans should change their attitude and try to also contribute to making the country a more prosperous and vibrant city

Having a family will also help to improve ones lifestyle children can brighten up your day Hopefully more people will give birth and have children to increase Singapores population

Day 9:Q1) Tell me about your favourite subjects at school I am a secondary four student studying eight subjects: Triple science, A and E math, Higher Chinese, English and combined humanities

I enjoy studying Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics

Most favourite subject is chemistry

I find it very interesting the study different elements and their properties

Does not need much memory work, most of it is understanding

Concepts are very interesting

Usually score well in the subject thus giving me more motivation to do well and maintain the good results

Most favourite element of the periodic table is copper

It is a transition metal

Has a molecular mass of 65

I love its colour nice light blue when its an ion

Copper is also not a reactive metal and does not react well with acids

Especially love chemistry practical sessions where I can go to the laboratory to carry out experiments

Enjoy pouring the different chemicals into different test tubes and observing the colour change

However, Im very afraid of heating compounds and liquids over a Bunsen burner because Im afraid that theyll explode or overflow

Always get my lab partner to help me heat things

Also because of my teacher, Miss Sim, who plays a very important role

She contributed a lot to my liking of chemistry

My favourite teacher

Very humorous teacher and never fails to make her students laugh during lessons

She is not boring and, without exception, will always tell stories of herself during lessons, thus grasping her students attention

Rarely scolds us and gives us a lot of encouragement

Really think that chemistry is a very very fascinating and marvelous subject

Intend to study it further in Junior College and take it as a core subject (H2 subject)

I also like Biology

Find the study of the human body especially interesting

Fascinating of how the human body can be so complex and still be able to function so well to help us coordinate our actions

The brain is really so so fabulous I really scratch my head and ask myself how it can store so much information and how it can control all the activities in our body

Even scientists are unable to understand how various parts of the brain work!

I also find the study of plants very interesting Im someone who adores nature

Even a tiny structure such as the cells in our body are already so complicated

The animal cell is very different from the plant cell

Plant cells have a cell wall but animal cells do not have a cell wall

Also used to think that sugar was just Sugar, little did I know that there were actually so many various types of sugar! glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose

That the reason why I enjoy studying Biology

Besides Biology, another subject I like is mathematics

Think its very easy

All you have to do is press a few buttons on the calculator and the answer just flashes in front of you

Does not require memory at all

All you have to do is apply formulas

Some of my friends argue that we have to memorise many formulas, but I tell them that most of the formulas are actually already given on the exam paper, how much more do you need to memeorise?

Maths is fun and challenging my mum says its just application of logic

She also said that it was the easiest subject in which full marks is possible to be obtained

Therefore, I love maths

I feel that students should learn to love and enjoy studying their subjects

If we love our subjects, we will tend to do well and excel in them

Take me for example, I love these three subjects and always have no problem getting an A1

However I dislike subjects such as Social studies, English and Chinese and always find it very difficult to score well in them

Teachers also play a very important role in making students love subjects I feel that they should try their best to make lessons interesting, fun and enjoyable for the students Q2) Why is science an important subject?

Science is an important subject because it gives us a lot of knowledge

Science help us understand many concepts in life

Studying science will help to be able to get into good jobs in future (being doctors, chemists, physicians) If we get good jobs, we will get high pays

Probably the demand for doctors in Singapore is quite high, so the government feel that we should train more students to be doctors in future, thus emphasizing that science is an important subject

It is also an important subject because it helps us to understand our body (Biology)

If we do not study science, we would not know how to have children and reproduce

The females will not know how to deal with their bodies when they get to the puberty stage

Doctors need to study science so that they know what medication to give us so that we can recover from our illnesses

They need to know science so that they know what disease we are suffering from and find the right cure

Even in people in charge of making medicine need to have lots of knowledge about chemistry and biology so that they can come up with the suitable and correct medicine to treat us

Besides, science is also very important to make the country more developed

Studying physics will help us to know how to build buildings and make improvements in technology

All those very complicated buildings such as ion, iluma, the two integrated resorts they would definitely not be there now if people of the older generation had no knowledge of science

All those infrastructure require a lot of careful planning and accurate measurements to built Those architects also have to study physics in order to know how strong a building must be, what material to use

Many schools also put a lot of emphasis on science

Those students who are poor in science are often not able to get into a good school

Therefore, I feel that science is a very important subject, however, we should also place high importance to other subjects such as English and Maths not neglect them

They are also quite important subjects

Without English, cannot communicate with people whats more, almost all subjects in school are taught in English!

Without math, we will not be able to manage our expenses and count money

To me, all subjects are of equal importance and we should pay equal attention to all of them and put in our best to excel in them

Day 10:

Q1) Tell me about a performance that impressed you.

Once attended a performance which was on a cruise Me and my family went on a trip during the June holidays last year, it was my first time sitting on a cruise There were many activities planned out for us and one of them, which I looked forward to on my 5 day trip was the variety show which was on daily at 7pm It was done up by the crew members on the ship After seeing 4 days of the show, there is one performance which is unforgettable for me It was on the first night of my stay, where there was a welcome event for all the Singaporeans who boarded the cruise on that day

The name of the performance was called florescent lights

I thought that we would be watching a show with lights, but to my surprise, all the light slowly dimmed down and soon the audience was settled in the darkness

Suddenly, there were very bright luminous green and pink creatures which were dancing on the stage

It was a very captivating performance where the creatures (snakes and flamingos) danced in the on the stage

What impressed me was how they could float in the air and just dance so freely there must be someone/something which is controlling them It was also a very beautiful scene Imagine if the background was all black, the luminous colours would stand out very obviously due to the colour contrast catches the audience attention I was very fascinated, and so was my family members It was also very interesting because there was one flamingo who was wearing his pants, and his pants fell off during the performance, exposing his underwear this made the audience laugh so it also has some form of humour When the performance ended, the light were turned on and we saw that there were actually people holding on the luminous creatures and dancing with them They could not be seen because they were clad in a black suit from head to toe even their faces were painted black! It was a very clever of them to have come up with this performance and Im sure it impressed most of the audience Many actually clapped and asked for a re-play Many of them cheered loudly Across the theatre, smiles could be seen on peoples face Its really an amusing performance and I would very much like to watch it again It was a pity they didnt allow any audience to take any videos or photographs I would really recommend you to watch it because its my favourite performance! Q2) Some people worry too much about things. Do you agree? I agree with this statement My parents actually say Im one of them

I worry if I dont complete my homework on time I worry if there is a test coming up I worry about forgetting to bring my pencil case/textbook

I worry that I would not be able to find my way to the place Im suppose to go to tomorrow, though I havent tried I worry that I may be late for school everyday Worry about getting a scolding from my teachers for having my nails too long, having my socks too low I worry about others too much

Worry about not being able to do things when I havent even attempted

Not good to keep on worrying about things in life

Theres a quote which says do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself, do not worry about yesterday for its already over

Age more easily, will get wrinkles and white hair easier Get too stressed up, not be able to enjoy life Worried people will be more prone to falling ill

Cannot be happy, even make the others around you be unhappy Spoil other peoples happiness

Waste time worrying, not productive because you are unable to concentrate on other things

I also have a friend who constantly has worries on her mind

Although a test is already over, she will worry about the results coming back and not scoring well

She will be afraid that her parents will scold her

We should all think positively and lead a happy life Whether we want to be happy or sad is all up to our mind

If we choose to think that we are happy, we will be happy

If we choose to think that we should be sad, we will end up miserable and unhappy

Happy people normally do better in studies than miserable people

Happy people are also more successful than unhappy people

Whats the use of being very wealthy, but being so stressed up and unhappy

No purpose in life!

Not even making well use of your life and time

It is also said, that in developed countries, the people are not very happy with their lives

Probably caused by worrying too much and being too stressed up because of the fierce competition

Should learn to relax and be happy

Dont worry, be happy!11