The Red Warrior

This is the true story about the warrior from the east coast of Malaysia. He is polite, sympathetic, honest and has a good word for everybody. He has an impressive personality and is very handsome man. His name is Saiful Hazran Bin Redzuan. He was born on 26th January 1991. He weighs 65 kg and stands at merely 170 cm and looks like very tough with his good body shape. He spent his entire childhood in Pasir Mas, which is one of the most beautiful place in Kelantan. He lived in a rectangular medium bungalow which located at the middle of paddy fields with a wide-shady verandah and many panel windows. This boy is stiff and serious person but he is able to appreciate a good joke if there is one.
He got his first education in SRK. Sultan Ibrahim (1) and spent six years there. After finished his primary school and got a good result in his UPSR examination, he was chose to enter the most elite secondary school in Pasir Mas, which is SMK Kubang Bemban. Then he decided to move to another school after he got PMR’s result and his new school was Muar Science School in Muar, Johor. He is a fitness fanatic and a living example of physical perfection. Every muscle and every bone work is perfect harmony whenever he is in action. That's why many girls admired him so much when he was in secondary school and became most famous student. He passed his SPM examination with flying colours and was offered scholarships from JPA to further his study in Germany. Now he doing AUSMAT Programme in KBU International College as the preparation to go to Germany.
This boy come from medium happy family. He has five siblings including. He has very nice parents who always supporting him in whatever condition. His father’s name is Redzuan Bin Ab. Rashid and his mother’s name is Sarimah Binti Mohd Hassan. His mother was a mum in every sense of the word. Along with his father, she fed him, clothed him, imparted him with good values and most of all she brought him up to be good human beings. Actually, he is a fan of Kelantan football club. Based on his prediction, he believes that Kelantan can be the winner in the Malaysian Cup and Super League and then representing Malaysia and Asian to compete in World Club Championship.
His life’s motto is “nothing is impossible”. May be the maxim that helped him through the difficult days. He always upholds his principles and never gives up on any baffling problems. He has overcome a lot of difficulties with his persistence in the past. His honest and enthusiastic approach to life’s twists and turns offers fresh insights to handle both success and failure. Apart from that, violent also his priority!
As a humble person, he believes that it is not a matter of letting go of the past or forgetting. It is a matter of accepting and moving on. The act of dying is one of the acts of life. So, enjoy your life and having a lot of fun!

Falling Leaves

How does the text relate to the theme of a journey?

Falling Leaves revolves around a tale of a women, namely Adeline Yan Mah,who is the writer of the book.The story chirps off with a sad event,the death of her mother when her mother give birth to her.Then she have a new step-mother who is always giving her problems and testing her patience.Since then she is living with full of difficulties and disturbance caused mainly by her step-mother.This relate to the theme which is the hardship of a women to get the attention of her family and forgiveness as she was branded bad luck charm as she was accused causing her mother's death. Adeline channeled all her feelings abandoment and loss of family affection into her studies as she realized it was the only way she could get the acknowledgement from others and boost her self worth.

What is the main issue in the text?

The main issue in this story is family problem as faced by Adeline in her life. Every member of her family believed that Adeline had the bad blood of his mother because her mother died giving birth to her. Since that all of her family member alienated her and treated her like stepmother. The problem goes on and on and although she tries a lot to win her parents hearts,all her effort was useless as her parents did not trust her anymore.So,she become the odd in her family and was given least of needs.

What quality that you admire or dislike in a character?

I very admire Aunt Baba. She is independent and protective person. She dont want to give a burden to others especially when she refused Adeline’s offers to live together with Adeline’s family in america even though she knew that lived under of communist territory could danger her life. Besides that she very protective when she and YeYe complained to Adeline’s parent about their daughter even though their daughter success in her performance at school. So Aunt Baba and YeYe defended Adeline by saying to her parent that she did not deserve to be treat like that.

How does the text develop your understanding of the world?

I finally understand how important families are to each and every human on this earth . Some people may risk anything even their life just to make sure that their family members are happy .

Every family should have their own way to solve every problems that they encountered for . Parents , as the highest leader of the family should use the power rightfully and carefully in managing the family . Love is an important aspect that every family in the world should have at the first place because it is the most treasured possession that every unwanted child wants to .

Working retired

There are only a few magic numbers in American civic life.You can vote(and get drafted)at age 18.You can drink at 21.You can become president at 35.You can retire at 65.
But on that last one-do Americans really want to?Now that so many Americans are living healthfully until 85,fewer and fewer actually retire at 65.Today there are 5 million people 65 or older in the U.S. labor force,almost twice what there were in the early 1980s.And that number is about to explode.
Some people are working past 65 because they have to:Health care costs are rising,and Social Security payments-at an average of about $1,000 a month-don't cover what they used to.But the bigger trend in Senior Work is the fact that Americans love -and now that we're living longer,we want to work longer too.We just can't get enough.My friend and mentor Harold Burson,the co-founder of the global PR firm Burson Marsteller,where I am CEO,just turned 86,and comes to work every day,bursting with ideas.
On average,Americans work over 1,800 hours per year,substantially more than most workers around the world.Although we get fewer vacation days per year than other Western countries(13 days,compared to 28 in the UK,and 37 in France),we let more than twice as many go unused.And really,what's a vacation to us these days without our BlackBerry?In 2006,almost a quarter of us (23%) checked our work e-mail and voice mail while away-up from just 16% in 2005.A lot of us love to work.
In fact,the impulse to work is so basic that the Fourth Commandment is to take off one day a week.Not working for a day is right up there with not murdering,not committing adultery,and not stealing.We tend to assume that most people want off-waiting all week for the Friday afternoon whistle so they can stream out of work.To be sure,many jobs are terrible-even life-threatening-and people reasonably can't wait to get home.But as work overall has become more managerial,consulting,and software-oriented-and as manufacturing jobs have been on the decline-a lot of people have changed their attitude toward work,and the number of workaholics has skyrocketed.How many times have you heard the old saying that no one ever lay on his deathbed wishing he had spent more time at the office?And yet,a lot of people are doing just that.The sandwich generation is going to be in for a shock when they call their 70-year old parents at the office and find they are just too busy to babysit their grandkids.
Add to America's general obsession with work the fact that it is now the baby boomer generation who is nearing 65,and it becomes clear that the traditional idea of "retirement"-with its gold watch,rocking chair,and golf course-is just about ready for retirement itself.
Boomers reinvented youth in the 1960s and economic success in the 1980s;they are not to do their senior years by someone else's formula.According to a 2005 survey by Merrill Lynch,more than 3 in 4 boomers say they have no intention of seeking a traditional retirement.Rather they look ahead to their 20 more years (when Social Security was created in 1935,a 65 year old could expect just 13 more years)_and they say Bring It On.Some want to keep their health insurance,or have enough funds for the extra years-but more of the boomers surveyed said they wanted to keep working in order to stay mentally and physically active and to stay connected to people.


"Microtrends-the small forces behind tomorrow's big changes" Mark J. Penn (2007)Hachette Book Group

Questions

1. What do the magic numbers of 18,21,35 and 65 represent in American civic life?

People at this age can do something that they cannot do before they reach this age. Americans allowed to vote at age 18, drink at 21,become the President at age 35 and retired at 65.

2. Why do some people work past 65?

Because they have to:Health care costs are rising,and Social Security payments-at an average of about $1,000 a month-don't cover what they used to.But the bigger trend in Senior Work is the fact that Americans love -and now that we're living longer,we want to work longer too.We just can't get enough.

3. What does the phrase " bursting with ideas"when he comes to work at the age of 86 implies about Mr. Harold Burson?

The longer time we work at the certain field, the greater experiences we can gain from that.Based on experiences, people can generate new and excellent ideas that can contribute to their company. The older age not mean that people cannot think wisely.

4. Give examples to show that American employees are workaholics by choice?

On average,Americans work over 1,800 hours per year,substantially more than most workers around the world.Although we get fewer vacation days per year than other Western countries(13 days,compared to 28 in the UK,and 37 in France),we let more than twice as many go unused.In 2006,almost a quarter of us (23%) checked our work e-mail and voice mail while away-up from just 16% in 2005.According to a 2005 survey by Merrill Lynch,more than 3 in 4 boomers say they have no intention of seeking a traditional retirement.Rather they look ahead to their 20 more years (when Social Security was created in 1935,a 65 year old could expect just 13 more years)_and they say Bring It On.

5.What is the tone of the writer when he mentions that "not working for a day is right up there with not murdering,not committing adultery and not stealing"?

The writer express his sense of strickness and seriousness.

6. What example is given to show that the grandparents of the present generation do not fit with the traditional stereotypical image of grandparents in the past?

The sandwich generation is going to be in for a shock when they call their 70-year old parents at the office and find they are just too busy to babysit their grandkids.

7.Explain in your own words the sentence"it becomes clear that the traditional idea of "retirement"-with its gold watch,rocking chair,and golf course-is just about ready for retirement itself."

This idea is not relevant anymore because most of people nowadays are working after the retirement age.So people like to work than spending their time doing retired old people's activities.

Classifying Thinkers (A summary of the previous text)

We don't really know how to define intelligence. However, this does not discourage some people from categorizing others according to their intelligence or lack of it. In his essay, "Thinking as a hobby," author William S. Golding does exactly this. Golding divides people into three categories: grade-three thinkers, grade-two thinkers, and grade-one thinkers.

According to Golding, 90 percent of the population represents the largest category, called grade-three thinkers. These people are docile. They follow orders and they obey other people's wishes. They never learn to think for themselves and cannot distinguish truth from lies. A dictator could take control of them and make them do whatever he wanted, as if they were sheep. The resulting mob would be brutal and ugly.

Grade-two thinkers, Golding's second category, are less likely to be influenced by a dictator. These grade-two thinkers, who make up 9 percent of the population, see corruption in the world. For example, grade-two thinkers may question the honesty of religion or political institutions,but they fail to find new ideals to believe in.

The remaining 1 percent of the population are what Golding calls grade-one thinkers. They not only see corruption, but they also know how to seek truth. Their lives are defined by beauty, wisdom and knowledge. Such thinkers are creative and imaginative geniuses, like Mozart, Michelangelo, and Einstein, who opened new worlds in music, art and science.

One wonders in which category Golding would place himself. Surely not among the "sheep"! Golding may prefer to believe that intelligence prevents people in the top tenth percentile of the population from following political dictators, but the number of doctors, teachers, lawyers, and writers in many countries who were willing supporters of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao shows that this belief is incorrect. In fact, sometimes the common sense and compassion of the ordinary man is all that stands between civilization and barbarism. As one of the so-called sheep, I say bah to Mr. Golding!

Answer the Questions:

1. Circle the thesis statement. How does Golding classify people?

"Thinking as a hobby," author William S. Golding does exactly this. Golding divides people into three categories: grade-three thinkers, grade-two thinkers, and grade-one thinkers.

2. Underline the topic sentence of each body paragraph.

Paragraph 1: 90 percent of the population represents the largest category, called grade-three thinkers.
Paragraph 2: grade-two thinkers, who make up 9 percent of the population,are less likely influenced by dictator.
Paragraph 3: The remaining 1 percent of the population are what Golding calls grade-one thinkers and they not only see corruption.

3. How does the author describe 90 percents of the population? The remaining 9 percent? The final 1 percent?

The author describe that 90 percents of the population are docile. They follow orders and they obey other people wishes. They never learn to think for themselves and cannot distinguish truth from lies.He describe remaining 9 percents of the population is able to see corruption in the world. Finally, the remaining 1 percent, they do not only see but they also know how to seek truth.Their lives are defined by beauty, wisdom and knowledge.

4. Underline the examples used in the third body paragraph to describe "Grade-one thinkers."

Mozart, Michelangelo, and Einstein, who opened new worlds in music, art and science.

5. What is the writer's opinion of Golding's essay? In which paragraph do you find this opinion?

This belief is incorrect.Paragraph 5.

6. What support (facts, examples) are used in the conclusion to argue the writer's point of view?

Golding may prefer to believe that intelligence prevents people in the top tenth percentile of the population from following political dictators, but the number of doctors, teachers, lawyers, and writers in many countries who were willing supporters of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao shows that this belief is incorrect.

Loony teens

What does the cartoon have to say about teenagers and their lives?

1. How does the teenager feel about exam tension?

He studied very hard and done a lot of preparation for the exam.But when on the exam day,he cannot memorized and recalled what he had read before.Maybe because he was very nervous or over confident that he can do it very well.

2. In what way is there a communication gap between the teenager and his parents?

The gap between them quiet big.Parents keep asking the same question.Nowadays communication between parents and teenager is very limited because each of them is very busy with their work.Parents should ask the right question and know their son's problem very well and try to help by giving good suggestions,opinions and point of views.

3. What point is the teenager trying to get across to his father in this cartoon?

Teenager try to say that the internet connection is down but his father did not understand it because his father's knowledge about technology is limited.His father cannot do anything to solve the problem because the lack of knowledge of technology.

4.In what way does the father understand his son well?

Actually his father understand what his son try to tell but he interpreted it in the wrong way.So he cannot know the real thing that his son try to say.The son should try to tell something straight to the point to make sure other people can fully understand it.

Create your own slogan/tag line for the advertisement

"Grandma!you must wash your feet before you go to sleep"

Phrasal verb

Phrasal verb

verb + preposition/s
eg. : run down
run out of
run into

1. Guess who I ran into at the club!
2.She's always running down her husband.
3.I need to go to the market.I've run out of oil,meat and rice.

Put in a suitable preposition in each space.

1. Hundreds of people turned up in the rain to see the celebrity.
2.Most of my time is taken up with answering the phone.
3.Don't be put off by the price,a cool $ 20,000.
4.Something funny is going on.
5.I think she made up the whole story!
6.Not many people turned up for the last lecture.
7.Don't worry,you can count on me.