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2 cOmpos....
1.
“Beauty Contests cheapen women and should be
discouraged.” What do you think? My personal view of this is that beauty contests do not cheapen women in all aspects. Beauty contests are specially organized to give women an opportunity to portray their qualities and should not be defined as a contest which physical appearance is of paramount importance and anorexic models, the symbol of perfection. I guess that many people have this wrong perspective of beauty contests and thus they feel that beauty contests cheapen women. Most people define a beautiful woman as pretty, quiet, meek and mild. This is however not true in beauty contests as the criteria for beauty contests all around the world require its participants to combine beauty with brains. This is evident in the questions, which are raised and directed at the contestants during the contests themselves. One such example is the 2002 Miss Universe Beauty Pageant whereby the contestants were asked the question, ‘What makes you blush?’ Although this seems an easy question, it really requires quick thinking on the contestants’ part, as they were needed to answer it on the spot and in addition, in front of an international crowd. This really sets the neutral party to ponder why beauty pageants have such a requirement like the question asking section. The reason behind this is because the organizers want to emphasize the fact that beauty not only represents the appearance but also the heart, mind and soul. Beauty contests also instill the sense of responsibility and discipline within the woman and she might also develop a new character in her during the process. An example is when she sets a target, to lose eight kilograms before entering the contest and she goes to the gym to work out one or two hours per day after her work, or studies to tone up her body although she feels very exhausted. Beauty contests also indirectly benefits the contestant as she gets to widen her social circle in the process of the contest when she interacts with other contestants. Probably a beautiful friendship might even develop during that interaction period. Some may think that it is wrong and sinful for gentle young ladies to walk up and down in catwalk style wearing tight bikinis that leave nothing hidden, but don’t they consider it as part and parcel of nature? Revealing what Mother Nature has endowed them with is considered as perfectly normal as long as they do not abuse this God given gift. In conclusion, beauty contests should not be looked upon as an event, which cheapen women just because these women parade in skimpy clothes. One must always get the definition of a beauty contest correctly, as this will ensure that beauty contests are not organized by people to make women a sex icon, rather, they are organized to bring out the positive qualities that women have in them. (485 words) Done by: Andrew Foo(29) Class: 4B
“It
is important to conserve nature areas in your country” Discuss. Singapore may be called a
“tiny red dot” on the world map but we are known by people all round the
globe for trying to be in top positions in almost everything. Since independence
in 1965, our Gross National Product(GNP) per capita has grown tremendously,
presently being one of the highest in Asia. Our leaders are known to
have green fingers. With half of our 648km2 land size being built-up areas,
there is stiff competition for more and more land for further development. The
solution to this may be land reclamation but considering international
boundaries, how far can we go? Having a natural environment gives us a sense of
relaxation, serenity and peace. Having nature areas all over out island means
that our citizens have a place to relieve their tension and stress that they may
face. Moreover, it is a source of revenue as tourists discover that Singapore
has more to offer other than labeling it as a plain concrete jungle. Singapore is and has been
developing rapidly. Forests and swamps have been cleared to make way or
developments such as housing and infrastructure. However, with a fair and just
government, there are many spots and areas in Singapore that are left untouched
although there have been many debates that the land is needed for development.
The most eminent and apparent area is Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. The 164-ha
Nature Reserve, which can be reached by Hindhede Road, off the junction of Upper
Bukit Timah Road has 75Ha of tropical rainforest. A 2000-ha secondary forest is
round at its fringe, which makes up the water catchment areas. At this location,
thousands of species of flora and fauna could be found. Mangrove forests can be
found in swampy areas such as along Sungei Tampines (Pasir Ris park). Also, the
Sungei Buloh Nature Park in the north-western side of Singapore offers much
natural scenery and where birds, mudskippers and other wetland wildlife thrive.
However, such spots are not concentrated on our main island alone. In Sentosa,
an offshore island famous for recreational activities, there is a 1.5km nature
walk, meandering through a secondary forest. These natural habitats are home to
wildlife an are considered as popular destinations for both citizens and
tourists who want to experience something different. Recently, there have been
much debate on the need to conserve certain spots in Singapore. Journalists have
been reporting articles as well as the public writing in voicing their views
through the Forum page. The most popular is regarding the preservation of Chek
Jawa, a swampy area in the eastern coast of Pulau Ubin. Since this place was
highlighted in the media, visitors have been flocking there. For myself, I have
actually canoed round the island before, an indeed it was a beautiful sight! A
more recent issue is the coast line located near Kranji. There was a report that
states that SAFRA intends to reclaim the area to develop it into a golf course.
This was opposed strongly by certain members of the public as it means
destroying wildlife. This was quite a hot issue in the media. The latest article
regarding this issue states that there will be an agreement to resolve this
case. There are actually many
nature areas in our country. It is just that our citizens are not aware of their
location. From my point of view, I feel that roads that have trees that are old
have a right to be considered as a nature area and the public should be fully
aware of them. Thus,
in conclusion, I think that it is important to conserve nature areas in
Singapore for a sense of nostalgia and for the sake of the generations to come.
However, I would prefer if we are called a “tiny green dot” on the world map
instead of a red one! Mohd
Ridza (34) 4B
“Being
Old Is Not Being Useless” Do you agree?
Due
to the advancement of medical science and technology as well as the availability
of health care services, the life expectancy of people has increased. People are
enjoying better health and are becoming more affluent. As a result, many
countries are heading towards an ageing population.
Many people have the perspective that old people are useless and are a
burden to the society. However, old people nowadays live an active and healthy
lifestyle. They are seen as assets to society as they are able to contribute to
the economy. They have valuable skills, knowledge, work experience and talents.
Old workers are able to teach and train younger ones who are new and
inexperienced. They can also volunteer as mentors or advisers in welfare
organizations and private companies. Senior Citizens can also contribute to
their family by looking after grandchildren when their parents are busy, and
tending to the household needs.
However, there are negative implications of being old. Today’s society
always portrays old people as being a hindrance to the society. This is because
young people are often busy working and do not have time and energy to take care
of their aged parents. Thus, many of them are admitted into old folks’ homes.
There is an increase in pressure on the government to provide more medical and
health care facilities to meet the needs of the aged. The government has to
create new policies to assist the elderly at work. Labour shortages occur when
elderly workers retire and there are insufficient younger workers to replace
them. Also, there is limited manpower for defence of the country. Furthermore,
there is a need for more housing facilities and transport arrangements or the
aged. This is because, existing facilities need to be altered or upgraded to be
user friendly so that the elderly who may have developed certain medical
conditions that have resulted in movement disabilities and restrictions are able
to use them. People often say that the years after retirement of a person is when he is able to enjoy the golden years of his life. However, this may not be entirely true especially during present time. Most of the elderly have the mentality that as long as they are still fit, they will try to contribute to their family. Probably, they rather do something meaningful and useful rather than being a hindrance to other people. Or those facing deterioting health, family members should understand that it is part and parcel of life. As children, parents should not be neglected when they grow old. Instead, we should shower them with love and warmth just like they did for us in our younger days. As the saying goes, “Do not bite the hand that feeds you.” 463 words Bharat
Harjani(30) Mohd Ridza(34) 4B 2002
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