A Night Market or 'Pasar Malam'

In most large towns in Malaysia, a common feature is the 'Pasar Malam', very popular especially with housewives.

You will find 'Pasar Malams' in various parts of the town on different nights. The 'Pasar Malam' has a carnival atmosphere. It is held at night, out in the open, with a wide range of items for sale, from farm produce such as vegetables, eggs, freshly slaughtered chicken and fruits to fish, plastic ware, shoes, articles of clothing, household requirements, and, to the delight of garden lovers, pots of beautiful plants to choose from. They include roses, chrysanthemums, orchids, petunias, ferns and seedlings of fruit trees.

Of course, you can always find food-stalls selling all kinds of eatables which Malaysians indulge in. The wide variety offered at a 'Pasar Malam', coupled with the attraction that its site is within walking distance, and that the whole family can take astroll after dinner to purchase the needs of each member, does make family outings a pleasant and an enjoyable affair.

indulge to allow yourself or another person to have something enjoyable

stroll To go for a leisurely walkouting a walk outdoors

A  Wedding  I  attended

My cousin sister got married during the December school holidays and my whole family attended the function. Dressed in my best, I went along with my family to the bride's home where the 'Bersanding' ceremony was held. There were beautiful coloured lights and the garden was lit, too. I found flowers everywhere and guests were milling around.

On a dais in front of the hall were two chairs beautifully adorned in satin and silk, with two velvet cushions for the bridal couple. At about 7.00 p.m., a 'kompang' group started beating their 'kompangs' and entered the garden. The bridegroom, dressed in blue 'kain songket' and looking like a Malay prince, arrived next, his retinue of young men, and took his place on the dais. Later, the bride, dressed also in blue 'songket kebaya' and 'sarung', arrived looking beautiful. Her jewellery sparkled in the light. In her hair were sweet-scented flowers and 'bunga goyang' which glistened visibly. She looked like a princess and sat next to the bridegroom.

Then the 'kadi' said prayers and everyone was ready for the 'kenduri'. The dinner had all the traditional dishes of 'beriyani', 'kurma', 'dalcha' with salad and' 'rendang'. After a sweet dessert, a 'Bunga Telur' was presented to each guest. It consisted of an egg placed in a small, decorated basket with flowers on top. Malay music was played throughout the function and guests were entertained to some cultural shows.

Then it was time to go home. We had enjoyed a hearty meal, blessed the blissful couple and were ready to leave the place.

mill around move about in a confused mannerdais a raised surface at one end of a meeting room which

someone can stand on when speaking to a groupretinue The retainers or attendants accompanying a high-ranking

person.

A  Day  at  the  Seaside

The day dawned bright and sunny. It was ideal for a picnic by the sea. We quickly packed some refreshments and swimming costumes, not forgetting our cameras and deck chairs.

Excitedly, we drove off from the city of George Town through the picturesque fishing village near Tanjung Tokong in Penang, waiting to catch a glimpse of the sea.

At last, we sighted the blue waters, sparkling in the sunlight. We looked out for a clean and shady spot to spend the day as we cruised along. It was a joy to see the graceful coconut palms swaying in the breeze. We saw, too, fishermen's little houses on stilts scattered along the share.

Finally, we parked our car at a shady spot under some coconut palms. The white, sandy beach was full of tiny crabs scurrying about. My sister and I could not resist catching them. The shells we picked were also interesting. Some were shaped like conical hats, others like fans and there were some spiral-shaped ones tinted with grey and brown hues. One large, grey shell with a long, narrow slit produced the sound of sea waves as I held it to my ear. The pieces of driftwood brought in at high tide by the waves were of artistic shapes. These we collected for flower-arrangement.

After a while, we swam in the sea which was cool and pleasant. I saw sailing boats in the distance and fishermen busy with their catch. Then we sat on the beach and ate sandwiches, cookies, peanuts and fruit followed by iced drinks.

The sun was now fiercely hot, and we felt tired and sleepy as we lay on the sandy beach. My brother took snaps of us playing in the sea and climbing up high rocks. After our lunch of curry and rice, we swam again till the late afternoon before we changed for our journey home. It was an enjoyable day by the sea as it was a welcome change from our usual busy and monotonous routine in the city.

scurry to move quickly, with small short stepsslit a straight narrow cut or opening in something

monotonous staying the same and not changing and therefore boring

Lost in the Jungle

A group of schoolboys went hiking and exploring the jungle outside Ipoh. They were excited over the waterfalls, jungle creepers and the enormous trees that they came across. They watched monkeys swinging on the branches of trees and eating wild fruits.

The boys were so engrossed in their discoveries that they forgot time was slipping by quickly. At the same time, they were unaware that they had wandered deep into the jungle and away from the track which they had followed while entering the jungle. They had become lost in the maze of trees and creepers.

By now, they were hungry. So they sat under a tree to eat their sandwiches, peanuts and fruits. Then it started to rain and it grew dark, making it all the more difficult for the boys to retrace their steps in an attempt to get out of the jungle.

In the end, they decided to spend the night in the jungle. They huddled together under a tree. They hardly slept as they were bitten by mosquitos and were worried about the wild animals heard prowling around. They were relieved when day broke. They tried a different route and managed to reach the main road, and from there they found their way back home.

engrossed giving all attention to somethingtrack a path or rough road which is made of earthprowl to move quietly around in a place

A  Class  Party

It was the end of the final school term. The boys in Form IP planned to hold a class party. First of all, each boy contributed $2.00.

Ten boys volunteered to be in charge of food and drinks. These boys prepared iced-drinks, bought biscuits, cakes and sweets, Their mothers helped by frying mee and mee-hoon and making hot dogs. Every boy brought his own plate, glass, fork and spoon.

At 4.00 p.m. on that day, all the boys met and re-arranged the furniture in the classroom. They reserved one section for food and drinks. Some boys organised games such as 'Treasure Hunt' and 'Musical Chairs' which everyone enjoyed.

After the games, they turned to the delicious food and drinks. Their teacher, who had been specially invited, gave away prizes to the winners of the games. Lastly, they took photos and went home happily after cleaning up the classroom. They felt the class party was a good way to end the year.

give away to give something to someone without asking for a payment

clean up put things or places in order

The Aftermath of a Thunderstorm

Last Sunday night, there was a thunderstorm. It started off with lightning and thunder, followed by a heavy downpour. We could hear the wind howling even though we had closed all our doors and windows.

The storms caused havoc in the town. Trees were uprooted and some roads became flooded with water. A few houses in the village had their roofs blown off. Some trees fell on the roads, causing massive traffic jams. In some areas, electric wires had snapped and fallen across the roads, posing hazards to vehicles as well as to pedestrians. In many parts of the city, there was power failure which was not restored until many hours later.

The next morning, people found it difficult to get to school or to office as certain roads were closed to traffic. Electricians were busy repairing the street lights and clearing the broken wires. It took almost a week to repair the damage caused by the thunderstorm.

downpour a lot of rain a short timehavoc confusion and lack of order

hazard something that is dangerous

A Visit to Penang

During the last school holidays, we spent one whole week in Penang. My parents, two sisters and I left Kuala Lumpur by car.

It was a long journey and so we started off at 6.00 a.m. and drove along quiet roads. It was still dark and chilly. On the way, we passed rubber plantations and tin mines. I was interested in the scenery as we study about these industries in our Geography lessons in school.

Finally, we crossed over to Penang by ferry and reached our seaside bungalow at Batu Ferringhi. I loved the blue sea with its gentle waves sparkling in the sun. The coconut palms swayed gracefully in the breeze as though to welcome us. The sea was so inviting that, before long, we changed into our swim-suits and jumped into the cool water. I enjoyed swimming with my family.

We spent the whole week swimming, playing on the sandy beach and picking pretty shells to take home besides catching tiny crabs. We also drove around the island and visited tourist spots like the Snake Temple, the Pagoda and the Butterfly Farm. I enjoyed the cable train ride up Penang Hill which I found most fascinating. After an enjoyable week in Penang, we returned home.

chilly Cool or cold enough to cause shiveringsway to move slowly from side to side

fascinating pleasing to the eye or mind

A  Flooded  Village

It was the rainy season and, for one whole week, the rain poured incessantly. The water level in the river rose steadily until the water spilt over, flooding many low-lying areas.

My village was one of the areas affected and we had to move our belongings to higher ground. There, we waited for rescue teams to arrive. The whole village was submerged in about one meter of water. The currents were swift and merciless, sweeping away livestock and furniture.

Red Crescent members could be seen busy evacuating old folk, women and children trapped by the rising waters. Flood victims were taken to a Flood Relief Centre. Here we were given hot drinks, porridge and milk for the babies. Some had to be given clothes and blankets as they could not save anything in time.

After three days, the rain subsided and the flood waters receded. It was such a relief to see the sun again. Flood victims began to move back home, to clean up the place as well as to assess the damage.

incessantly never stopping, especially in an annoying or unpleasant way

evacuate to move people from a dangerous place to somewhere safe

recede to move further away into the distance

A  Frightful  Experience

One day, as I was returning home late from school at about 7.30 p.m., I wasdismayed to discover a group of rough-looking boys following me.

As I quickened my steps, one of them, apparently the leader, obstructed my path and ordered me to surrender to him my watch and my wallet. At first I resisted, but, when he threatened to cause me harm, I quickly handed over the items. I felt frightened and, at the same time, mad, having to part with my possessions as they were of sentimental value to me. Once they had taken possession of my properties, they laughed and made their way to a coffee shop nearby while I was left fuming by the road.

At first I wanted to report the incident to the police but, later, I decided against it and went straight home. I told my parents about it and they concluded that it was unsafe for me to walk alone. They then arranged for me to go in my neighbour's car and that solved the problem.

dismay a feeling of unhappiness and disappointmentpart with sth to give something to someone

fume to be very angry

What I Saw on My Way Home from School

On my way home from school yesterday, I noticed the usual lunch-time crowds returning to the office after their hasty lunch at cafes, stalls or restaurants either in groups walking along or in their cars caught in a traffic jam.

I was particularly interested in a group of young office girls, all dressed smartly, chatting and laughing as they emerged from a cafe by the sidewalk. To me, they appeared to be beauty contestants as they were wearing striking outfits and their faces were beautifully made up. Some of them stopped at a roadside stall, buying freshly-cut local fruits such as papaya and pineapple which they bought and took along in plastic bags.

As I was passing a crowded shopping complex, I saw mainly housewives and their children, loaded with parcels, coming out of the building to get a taxi home.

An eager group of young school children was seen surrounding the Magnolia ice-cream man who was doing a roaring business as it was a hot day. The children were happily eating their ice-cream of various flavors and colors.

Next, I passed by a stall selling durians piled high by the roadside. Many people were picking their choice and bargaining for a good price but the fruit vendor did not seem interested in entertaining them. Then there was a medicine-pusher squatting on the sidewalk displaying his merchandise to the crowd of curious spectators milling around him.

Soon, I found myself on a quiet road leading to my house. It was a relief to be home again.

durian huge fruit native to southeastern Asia 'smelling like Hell and tasting like Heaven'; seeds are roasted and eaten like nuts

squat to position yourself close to the ground balancing on the front part of your feet with your legs bent under your body

mill around If a group of people mill around, they move about with no particular purpose or in no fixed direction, sometimes while waiting for someone

An Upsetting SceneLional was on his way home from school. He was sitting in a double-decker bus. There

was a long traffic jam that made everyone on the bus wonder what had happened. All the cars were line up closely, one behind the other. The road seemed congested with traffic.

After looking out of the bus window for some time, Lional finally saw what had happened. On the right hand side of the road, two cars were crushed against each other, blocking the smooth flow of traffic. He saw pieces of glass scattered all over the road. The police and the ambulance were there, helping the accident victims. Two people wee bleeding from the face and head. Lional shuddered. It was a bad accident. The cars must have been going too fast to brake in time. However, he was relieved that no one looked seriously hurt.

As the bus passed through the narrowed road, Lional was grateful that he had never been through such an incident. The road widened again after the site of the accident and the buss was on its way. Lional was going home to tell his parents to drive more carefully n future.

scattered thrown about

shuddered shivered

A Trip To The MarketIt was scarcely six in the morning when my mother woke me up to go marketing with her. " Boy, boy! Wake up or the best stuff at the market will be gone!" my mother's

voice rang through my room. My eyelids were so heavy that when I opened them to look at her, all I saw was a blurred mass in front of me. I dragged myself from bed and began to change.

I was grateful for the short walk to the market because it gave me a chance to wake up before getting there. My mother went on and on about what she was going to buy for the day. That also helped wake me up. By the end of that short walk, I gathered that she was going to cook stew shepherd's pie for the day.

The market was stirring with activity. Even though I was wearing sneakers, I made it a point to avoid the fish stalls where the floors were always muddy and wet. The old chicken seller was as friendly as usual, greeting my mother with the widest grin. I was just surprised his dentures did not fall out of his mouth with such a wide smile. My mother bargained hard for the best price and they landed on a price they could both agree after two minutes.

When my mother finished her marketing, we sat down at the food centre for our breakfast. I looked into the plastic bags and saw that she had some fish in them too. It is too bad that I seldom pay attention to how my mother chooses the food that she buys, preferring instead to pay more attention to the people around me.

scarcely barely or hardly

mass solid object

grin smile

A Wonderful SurpriseIt was almost Christmas and I was feeling a little down and out. My best friend, Huilin, had just migrated to Canada and I was sad that we would not be able to spend time

together like we did in the past. She would always spend Christmas Day over at my house and we would have so much fun too. But now, despite Christmas being a busy cleaning and cake baking season, I was bored at home, with little else to do.

I received a postcard from her just days after she left, with the pleasant news that she would return this Christmas to visit me. I was so thrilled. I could not stop running around the house with glee for a full half hour. Then, a telephone call came for me two days later. It was Huilin calling from her new home in Canada. She told me that she would be too busy settling down at her new home to return this Christmas. My heart sank. While I was glad to hear her familiar voice over the telephone, I was saddened by the news. I hung up trying not to let my disappointment show too much.

On Christmas Eve, my relatives and friends gathered at my place for a small dinner. I heard a taxi drive up to the front door and someone alighting from it. I looked out of my window and to my great surprise, it was Huilin! We greeted each other with a bear hug, ran inside the house and told each other stories about what happened since we last saw each other.

down and out sad and moody

glee joy

My heart sank I was disappointed

A Beggar"Any spare change?" the man asked Randy with an upturned palm as Randy walked into the underground railway station. Randy continued walking without a blink. He was not rushing to go anywhere but he was just tired of these street beggars. "Why can't they get

decent jobs? They're not handicapped!" Randy thought angrily. He was totally disgusted by these detestable creatures of the street.

At the underground station, Randy saw another street beggar. The beggar wore an aged, tattered and torn windbreaker. The colour of his clothes were shop-worn and dirty. His hair was long and unkempt. He also wore a tight woollen cap to keep him warm during the cold nights on the street. Randy had little sympathy for this one too because the same thoughts ran through his head.

The underground station was filthy. Empty cups and cans littered the floor. However, no one seemed to be affected by the mess as litter was a usual sight where Randy lived.

Randy was walking out of the train station when a poster on the station wall grabbed his attention. He was so caught up with the advertisement that he did not see where he was going and bumped head on with another street beggar. Annoyed at his own carelessness, he looked up. Words could not express his feelings as he looked straight into his uncle's eyes.

His uncle was worse off than the second street beggar he saw that day. There were sores covering his uncle's balding head. Randy opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. His father had quarrelled with his uncle so much in the past. He had always thought that his uncle Howard was doing well in sales. Howard, ashamed and hungry, turned to walk away when Randy quietly slipped five dollars into his uncles' thin hands.

shop-worn faded

unkempt untidy

littered covered untidily with scattered bits of paper and other rubbish

Witnessing A Car Crash

It looked as if a storm was approaching. I was standing at a cross-road traffic junction, waiting to cross the road. I have always observed that particular cross-road to be extremely busy, with vehicles constantly on the move. I was headed towards the bus stop across the street, so I turned in the opposite direction of the cross-road to see if my bus was coming.

As I turned back to have a look at the cross-road, I saw a flashy yellow sports car trying to beat the red light. Before I knew it, I heard a thunderous heart-stopping crash. The sports car had slammed head on into a green van right in the middle of the large intersection. Shattered windscreen glass was strewn all over the junction and the passers-by crowded round the scene. I saw one girl rushing to the telephone to report the accident.

For a minute or two, nothing happened. Then, a man got out of the green van. His van was completely smashed in on the side of the collision. He looked shaken and furious. He walked over to the yellow car only to find that the driver was unconscious. Some helpful people went to the middle of the road to help the unconscious man out of his car.

The police and the ambulance arrived at about the same time. They noted down the positions of the vehicles and began asking for witnesses to the accident. I volunteered to give some details since I had seen the whole thing. I did not have time to think about missing my bus.

intersection figure formed by two lines crossing each other

shaken disturbed psychologically as if by a physical jolt or shock

My First Visit To A Museum

I was all jumpy and excited when Mother told me that we would be visiting a museum in town. I asked Mother which museum we were planning to visit and she said that it was the National Museum.

When we got there, Mother paid for the entrance tickets and we walked into a dimly lit room. There, a brief history of Singapore, made more interesting by figurines, was on display. I learnt more by looking at the modelled displays than I could in textbooks. Mother also explained some scenes which they portrayed to help me understand the past.

At the time of my visit, a huge section of the museum was devoted to exhibiting toys of previous years. There were tops, toy cars, marbles, airplanes and even a whole collection of Barbie dolls from various decades. It struck me that the toys of today are nothing like what Mother and Father played with when they were children. I tried to spin a top at one corner of the room but it was not as easy as I thought. There was a special way to throw the top so that it would not land on its side. After severaltedious and frustrating tries, I beamed with pride to watch the top spinning on its pin.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself that day at the National Museum. I realise how valuable museums are because they can teach people about so many things. All I had to do was to walk through the museum to learn a great deal.

figurines small figures that look like dolls

tedious tiresome

My Encounter With A School Bully

A classmate of mine was once whacked by a girl twice her size. The bully was a brilliant twelve-year-old who never liked to put her intelligence to good use. I know her only as Catherine. Although that incident occurred a few months ago, I can still recall the event as if it happened only yesterday.

Michelle and I were in the toilet when Catherine walked in. She looked menacinglyat both of us and walked up to Michelle. She grabbed Michelle's wrist painfully, demanding the branded watch that she was wearing. I stepped in to help Michelle but Catherine was stronger. She hit me hard across the jaw with her elbow and I fell to the wet ground of the toilet. When Michelle refused to give Catherine her watch, Catherine simply helped herself to it and pushed Michelle to the ground. I was groggyfrom the fall so I could not get up in time to stop Catherine from kicking Michelle repeatedly in the stomach. I lay on the ground dazed and horrified at what was happening to my best friend in school.

Michelle's screaming and groaning for Catherine to stop alerted some students passing by the toilet. They rushed to inform some teachers and soon, the whole ordeal was over. Catherine was expelled from school that very afternoon without further explanation and pleading. Although I believe in second chances, it was Catherine's third bullying incident in school and I was rather relieved that I would not have to face her again in future.

menacingly threateningly

groggy dizzy or unsteady

Swept Along By The RiverGerard was on the far end of a brittle branch, trying to grab his cap from the flowing

river, when it snapped. He plunged head first into the icy cold waters of the river and was immediately swept along its strong currents. In less than ten minutes, Gerard could feel the iciness of the water nipping at him. He knew he must get out of the water before he turned numb from the cold.

Luckily, he was a strong swimmer and managed to stay afloat despite the torrentsthat threatened to pull him underwater. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Val and Kim running after him along the river bank. They seemed to be screaming something at him but he could not hear them above the sounds of the rushing water. Not far in front was his favourite red and blue cap which his late father had given him. Determined not to leave the river without his cap, he took four bold strokes of the water to reach it. He seized his treasure with relief. Then he looked around for a way out of the river.

Soon, he spotted a low-lying branch. The tree was perched at the edge of the river bank. It looked so similar to the one that gave way before, but this time, Gerard thought that there was no sense in giving in to fear. That tree branch might be his last chance out of the river.

He eyed the branch steadily, bracing himself as he approached the branch. He clasped the branch with all his might as the river swept him past the tree. Like a firm friendly hand, the branch curled around his wrist and held him fast in his place. Gerard was relieved for the second time that afternoon. He hung on the branch, exhausted, until Val and Kim came running to his rescue.

brittle fragile

nipping biting

torrents flow

The Day I Fell IllIt was last Wednesday, the fifth of May. I remember that day clearly. I was on my way

to the bus-stop, all set to go to school in the morning when I felt a little dizzy. I did not think anything was wrong with me so I went to school anyway. Besides, I was going to have a class test on that day and I did not want to have to make up for it later. I also thought that the dizzy feeling was probably me feeling sleepy in the morning.

By the time of the morning assembly, I felt feverish. I told my form teacher, Mr Yip, about my condition. He told me to go to the sick bay. I disliked going to the sick bay because I could never feel comfortable in a bed that was not my own. I was head-strong about the whole thing and told Mr Yip that I would stay with the class instead. As anyone would have guessed, I fainted on my way to class, in front of everybody. I lost consciousness and for the next twenty minutes, until the ambulance arrived, I did not know what went on.

My best friend, Weiming, told me that he was worried when I fainted. Mr Yip rushed me to the sick bay while everyone else was distracted by the commotion I had created by fainting. The discipline mistress, Madam Hong, had to threaten to punish the students if they did not stop gawking and get back to class soon.

The next thing I knew, my father was beside me when I opened my eyes in the hospital bed. The doctors told him that I had experienced a heat stroke, I would be fine with plenty of fluids. It must have been too much badminton the day before that had caused my heat stroke.

head-strong stubborn

commotion disturbance or happening

gawking staring