Novels are a waste of time

Agree

Point 1:Reading novels are addictive

Elaboration: It is never courteous to read novels when there are visitors at home. There are some people who find in the
novel a mean of escape from reality. Too much relapse into fantasy may destroy one's ability to face facts.

Example: Reading novels when you can be studying or doing practical chores.

Link: When you are addicted to novels, you will not have time to do other more significant things.
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Point 2: Some books are based on fantasy(bad novels)

Elaboration: There are no benefits to reading a bad novel. The events that happen in this books are very unlikely to occur in
real life situtions.

Examples: Characters like cinderella, fairy god mother and events like living happily ever after will not happen

Link:Reading novels are not realistic means youll be wasting time as situations like that will not happen

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Point 3:

Substitutes such as the internet can be a source of information and entertainment instead of novels.

Elaboration: Checking information on the internet is much faster and more specific than reading the whole novel. Games on
the internet can provide us with information in a more interesting way.

Example: Some applications on the ipod for example brain busters improves IQ

Link: Instead of spending many hours on a novel, you can find alternatives that take up less time and bringing the same
amount of satisfaction.

Disagree

Point 1:

The readers will inevitably gain in knowledge, understanding and enriching their vocabulary

Elaboration: Some novels are written based on historical events, it can help the readers to gain knowledge on history, such
readings supplies the readers valuable background materials for other studies for example, history, politics, economies,
sociology and psychology

Example: "Three Kingdoms" (historical novel): This story is about the fateful last reign of the Han Dynasty 206 B.C to A.D
220 where the chinese empire was divided into three warring kingdoms; To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Racism

Link: Gaining knowledge from novels make your time worth well.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Point 2: Improves creativity

Elaboration: Reading more books and exposing yourself to new and more complete information, you will be able to come
up with more creative ideas with the

Example: IT books can enable the reader to come up with a creative solution on IT problems quickly

Link: Spending time reading novels results the reader to become more creative because readers is always getting ideas from
the novels

WHY ONLINE SHOPPING IS SO POPULAR

People love shopping online. And not just in Canada. Consumers from all over the world flock to the internet to make
purchases. Its become a much easier way to shop considering that it doesnt even require you to leave your house! Do you
allow your customers to buy from you online? The UK-based A Great Place To Be blog outlines a number of reasons why
online shopping is so popular. Lets check them out.

1. They can search for exactly what they want. When shoppers go online to shop, it makes the entire browsing process a
whole lot simpler. Imagine being able to punch in the name of a product or brand into the air while youre shopping at a
physical location. Its just easier to do that on a computer or smart phone, isnt it? People look for what they want, find it
and buy it. Online shopping makes searching for what you want so much easier.

2. No crowds or queues. Maybe the most obvious benefit to online shopping is the fact that it allows people to avoid long
lines and crowds. When you allow your customers to shop online, youre providing them with quite the convenience. They
are also able to avoid having to look for parking and then making the sometimes-embarrassing wheres my car? search
once the shopping excursion is done.

3. Shopping convenience. When consumers are able to shop online, they dont have to worry about store hours. The activity
is literally a 24/7 affair. The A Great Place To Be blog also points out that social media and e-newsletters make it possible
to target relevant communication to your customers around the times when theyre most likely to buy paydays, lunchtimes,
after work, after the morning school run for example.

4. It is easy to compare prices and reviews. People dont just go online to shop. They go online to make comparisons
between the various places that they can potentially buy from. Going from one physical store to the next can be a tiring
process. Jumping from one brand to the next via the internet is easy and painless. Give your customers an incentive to jump
towards your brand online!
5. They can shop further afield. You know that the A Great Place To Be blog is British when it uses the word afield. For
our Canadian readers, our friends from the UK are simply letting us know that online shopping allows you to make
purchases from much further away. In other words, the internet allows Canadians to buy from stores in the United States
andwell, the UK! Basically, you can shop anywhere in the world.

As you can imagine, most online shopping requires the use of a credit card. When your store accepts credit cards, it opens
itself up to a whole new world of possibilities. Literally! Allow for people from all over the world to shop at your store.
Accept credit cards, set up your website to allow for purchases to be made and youre introducing yourself to an entirely
new revenue stream.
Chinese new year
Chinese all over the world celebrate Chinese New Year in February when the Lunar Year
usually begins. In Malaysia, the Chinese celebrate the event with a festive spirit as it is the most
important festival to them and every Chinese home is made ready for the great event.

The preparations begin a month or so earlier as there are many things to be done before the great
day arrives. Shops and supermarkets stock all kinds of Chinese delicacies, eg. sweetmeats,
melon seeds and packets of specialities such as groundnuts which the Chinese must obtain and
store up for the festival.

In Chinese homes, the womenfolk get busy making cakes, biscuits, glutinous rice cakes and
jellies which are stored away carefully, out of the reach of young children. Homes are spruced
up, new curtains sewn, and new cushions and carpets bought to give the home a new look. Red
lanterns are hung outside and new pots of flowers and Mandarin orange plants are placed in the
garden.

Children are the ones who enjoy the festive season most. They receive red packets containing
money from their parents and their elders. New dresses are worn and old things cast aside as the
New Year is supposed to be the start of a new period in their lives and everyone follows these
traditional customs.

On New Year's eve, the whole family gathers in the parents' home for a re-union dinner. Many
delicious dishes make up the meal and everyone enjoys himself. This is only the start of the
Chinese New Year celebrations which stretch on for a period of fifteen days.

Try to make an essay on describe a festival your family celebrate

Describe a memorable/ interesting event from your school days.

You should say:

what class you were then

what event it was

why it is still memorable

and explain how you feel about this event now.

Model Answer 1:

To everyone, school days are considered as the best days of their life and they remember the memories for the rest of their
life. I also have numerous memories of my school days and I miss the day when I got caught for school bunking.

Recently I have passed my college and now waiting for university admission. When I sit for studying the university
admission materials, the past days appear before my eyes. I start missing the days. I was a student of the seventh grade at
the Kendriya Vidyalaya in Hazratpur in Firozabad. There were some other students with me and we had formed a group. All
of the group members used to occupy the last benches. Thus we were named as the backbenchers. Most of the times, the
troubles in the class were created by us. But the teachers did not punish us severely or seriously as we were top students in
the class as well. After any of the trouble, it became a policy of the teachers that they would ask us questions about our
study and they could not make us stop with the academic issues. So, they could not punish us. Moreover, some of the
students of the class were in our favour and thus we got rid of all the troubles.

But one day, luck did not favour us. Unfortunately, none of the backbenchers have brought the copy that was used to answer
the questions. So, we planned to bunk the class. In fact, we planned to bunk the school that day. Accordingly, all of us got
out of school boundary by scaling the wall. Everything went right until one of us failed to cross the wall. He could not cross
the wall and fell on the ground. He got injured and shouted for help. His shout attracted everyone. The school staffs came
for his help and inquired about how he fell down. The boy told everything about the school bunking. When the boy was
asked about the names, he described everything about us. He told about our names and rolls numbers to identify us. We
were identified!

The event is still memorable for several reasons. Firstly we termed the issue as treacherous to our group. He could have
controlled everything by saying something different. But he did not. Rather he trapped us all. Accordingly, the next day, we
were asked to explain the issue with the presence of our guardians before the school principal. It was really difficult for us
to face the principal with our parents. But we had no other ways left for that. So, we appeared before the principal and
underwent different aggressive words against us. The principal reported our parents that he had inquired about the issue and
came to know that we regularly bunk classes. In fact, we were becoming bad boys. We had connections with the other bad
boys of the locality and to pass our time with them after we bunked the school. But the principal was wrong. We escaped
school on those days when we forgot to bring home works or could not complete the tasks given by the teachers.
Unfortunately, we did not have any chance to amend the mistake committed by the principal.

When I remember the event today, I laugh out loud. All of the backbenchers were beaten by their parents and I also had the
share. The beating started at the principals room and ended at our residence. My parents did not allow me to eat something
for the entire day as punishment of bunking the classes. The situations were similar in the other houses as well. All of the
backbenchers were punished. At that moment, we made the boy liable who fell down from the wall during the escape.
Though we removed the boy from our group and allowed few others to make the group heavier. After that day, we behaved
like good pupils in the class and all the teachers cancelled our seats at the back bench. But it was for a few days. Everything
went the same. We went back to our old place and started bunking but this time we were serious about the issue lest we do
not get caught like the last time. When I remember the event now, I feel how childish I was in those days. In fact, everyone
was childish in their school days.

The Importance and Benefits of

Grandparents in the Life of a Child
I had the most wonderful grandmother. Although she is no longer with us, there are few days that pass without her entering into
my thoughts at least once. When a person touches your heart, they live forever in your soul.

I consider myself lucky to have had my maternal grandmother (my last surviving grandparent) in my life until I was amost 36.
There are a lot of memories to look back on; so many special moments. Most of these moments are simple, everyday events -
nothing special, to anyone else. But in the end, it's the everyday moments that make our lives. In our modern day, children are
perhaps less likely than in past generations to build a close relationship with their grandparents. This might be due to lifestyle
choices - with more parents moving away from extended family, even going overseas for work or in search of an improved life.
My maternal grandparents lived a five minute walk from our house, which meant I saw them regularly.

A Sense of History

When I was a child, I simply accepted my grandparents' frequent presence in my life. Now that I am older, I am able to appreciate
the huge advantages of having had them there. Grandparents, and other older relatives, bring aspects to a child's life that are
different from the experiences parents provide for them. Perhaps one of the most obvious is the element of history. Grandparents
come with a vast knowledge of life from another generation, but also a personal history of one's own family. They have lived a
life very different to their grandchildren, and have usually seen many changes. Talking to grandparents about their lives, and even
just picking up little snippets of information, can give a child insight into the past and the history of their own family tree. A child
can obtain a sense of where they, themselves, have come from - a picture of where their own roots lie. When I was young, I can
remember asking my grandparents questions about their younger days and being genuinely fascinated by the answers. I
understood that everything in my life, that I took for granted, was not the way it always was. And because these were people that I
knew, and cared about, it was a whole lot more interesting than learning about it from a book or at school. It's called the 'personal
touch'.

Learning About the Past and Shaping the Future

My grandmother was in her thirties during the time of World War II. Despite living in a town which suffered heavy bombing, she
didn't actually provide very much information about those war-time days. Perhaps she preferred to focus on the positive, because
we did not find out until after her death that she had both married and lost a first husband to war during those tulmultuous times.
By the time the war was over, she had married for a second time and had a child -my mother. She did point out an old air raid
shelter in the town, almost hidden by grass, and told us of the time there was a blackout when both she and my granddad were out
- they ended up walking around in circles because they couldn't see where they were going. She told of the episode in a
lighthearted way, but I recall thinking how scary it sounded - I was definitely left with a sense that these had been hard times to
live through and that people must have had to have been very brave. It also made me realise the inner strength that people like my
grandparents had to find and that, although they seemed to me to be old people living simple lives at home, they had actually led
full and eventful lives with ups and downs.

My grandmother described how, as a much younger girl, herself and her three sisters used to sleep in one bed in the family home
and that they used to go on errands to collect dripping for the family. She also told me, on more than one occasion, of the fabulous
Mediterranean cruise she enjoyed before she married - spending thirty-one days in glorious sunshine for the princely sum of
thirty-one pounds (covered in olive oil instead of suncream). She described the enjoyable New Year dances she attended
(probably in the 1930s) where they would serve breakfast at two o'clock in the morning after the party had finished. Her photo
albums are full of pictures displaying fun times on the beach and on boating lakes as a young woman. She told me a story of how
she took my young mother cockling and how interesting it was. About leaving school aged fourteen, and about the job she held
working for Marks and Spencer (where she worked twelve hour days, finishing at 9pm). Even this was a revelation for me (as a
child), because I had acquired the assumption that women of past generations had not worked much, especially compared to today.
I know now, however, that my grandmother worked throughout her life, and did not retire until well after sixty-five.

Perspective

These memories are small but fleeting glimpses of a life lived in other times. Some of them have helped to mould my entire
perspective on life. For instance, when I think about how poor they must have been as children, all sleeping in the same bed, I feel
appreciation for what I have today - but also a sense that it is not simply these comforts and relative luxuries that make one happy.
It even provides me with a sense of inner-strength and determination, because I have a picture of people I love and care about,
who sometimes ploughed through difficult times and yet succeeded in living happy lives. My grandparents were content people
despite living through a war, working very hard and never being able to afford their own property (they ended up as publicans
who paid rent, but even before that, there were times when they lodged with family members.

A Nurturing Relationship

Good grandparents are very nurturing and loving - just like parents, but often without the episodes of frazzled stress that parenting
typically brings. Thus, they often portray a sense of calm and endless patience which is beneficial to a child. Because they hand
the grandchildren back over at the end of a visit, adoring grandparents are often quite time indulgent - they can afford to be,
particularly if they are retired and can attend to other chores later on. This unrushed, high quality, one-on-one time can be very
rewarding, for both the grandchild and the grandparent.

The relationship between grandparents and grandchildren is so often extremely special. Many grandparents love spending time
with their grandchildren and like to spoil them and see them happy (sometimes a bit too much!). What's more, I think that their
patience and calm demeanour often arises from the experience and wisdom contrived from having 'done it and seen it all before'.
New parents are so often anxious over obstacles that pop up during the course of child-rearing. Grandparents often find it much
easier to remain calm and realistic. This can have a positive effect on both their grandchildren and their own children (the new
parents) who can benefit from the support and experience.

Both as a child and as an adult, I saw my grandmother help and support my own mother in various ways. She helped out with both
money (not that she was rich) and time - to her, family was always the most important issue. When my mother took on a part-time
job when we were children, my grandmother would turn up, begin the dinner and start on some of the housework. She was very
supportive, without expecting anything in return. Now, as a grown adult, I can see that this kind of support is one of the most
important precious things you can give another person. It helps life to flow along; it gives our relationships meaning and adds a
real point to our lives.

Children often grow up to emulate the key role models in their lives. My grandmother has taught me that the most important thing
in life is to nurture the relationships with those you care about. Other factors - career or wealth, for example - can't come close.
She has also taught me that it is mostly the simple things in life that bring joy - times might change, disposable income might fall
or rise, but at the end of the day it is how we look out for each other that matters. And at the end of life itself, I think that is what
we cherish the most - the quality of our relationship with the person we have lost, and the good things that they did.

Bridging Generation Gaps

When grandparents feature heavily in the lives of children, it helps to create a bridge between the old and the young. This is
hugely important, because so often it is a lack of understanding that creates social divisions in society. In the UK, many elderly
people are left isolated and lonely, whereas in other parts of Europe they are incorporated into the family home where they live
out their lives as respected and cared for citizens. When young people mix regularly with the older generations, it builds a stronger
understanding which helps to eliminate prejudice. When we don't understand people, or know how to deal with them, we are often
uncomfortable in their company. Therefore, when generations mix well and communicate with one another, it is beneficial for
society as a whole. It helps to create respect for another segment of society.

I was close to my grandmother as a child, but perhaps even more so, I cherish the relationship that I had with her as an adult. I
look back on the frequent times she would phone me in the evenings, and chat about television, my children, what was in the
News. When I bought a special first gift for my partner, she came with me and helped me choose it. When a health issue hit me,
she was quietly comforting and her positive attitude gave me strength.

We spent time together as a family spanning four generations (with my own child being the youngest). There was 90 years
between my grandmother and my son, and yet she was still interested in knowing everything about his life, from his friends to his
days at school. Not only does interaction between generations help the young to appreciate the elderly, it also fosters an
understanding of the young from the older person's point of view.

I have observed first-hand the way in which older people seem to come alive when in the company of the young. I definitely
adhere to the philosophy that it helps them retain an element of youth and interest in the world around them. When comparing
members of my own family, I have seen huge differences between elderly relatives with children, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren, and those without. Having regular contact with younger family members often adds a spark to the lives of the
elderly.

When I think about my life, and how I would feel about it had I not had a quality relationship with any of my grandparents, I
would definitely feel differently. It is hard to say, because you can't miss what you have never had, but my grandparents have
enriched my life in many ways. They have added a certain depth to my life, and have helped me to see where my roots lie. Mostly,
though, they have given me love and support which I shall always cherish.
 How to Prepare for an Exam
1
Start studying early. Give yourself more than enough time to review the material that was covered in
class. You might want to gauge how soon to start studying by how much material you need to review.
For instance, if you have to review material for an entire semester, you might want to start studying a
few weeks prior. However, if you are just taking a test that covers material over a few chapters, a
week prior or even three to four days may be sufficient.[1]
Only you know how long it takes you to study, so you are the best judge of when to start
studying.
If the class material is especially difficult for you. Start studying early. Give yourself enough
time to truly grasp the material, practice it and then review it.
Get a full nights sleep before the exam. Your brain needs time to subconsciously digest
everything youve put into it, so start early so you dont have to stay up all night.[2]

2
Read through the entirety of your notes that will be on the exam. It will refresh your memory of the
material and help you remember what you learned. It will also help to make you aware of all the
information in your notes, where it is located in your notes so that you know where to find them, and
what might be missing from your notes. Decide if you think your notes are sufficient enough to study
from. Did you miss any classes? Are some of your notes missing? If so, you might need to borrow
someone elses notes.

3
Get some good notes. If youre not a good note taker, or if there are holes in your notes, then ask a
friend if you can copy his or her notes. Good notes can make all the difference when youre studying.
They can explain content that the book doesnt explain well or highlight information and make it
easier to understand and remember.
If you only have five pages pf notes, but your friend has twenty, then you probably missed
some important information. Compare your notes to your friends to see where the holes are in your
notes.

4
Ask your teacher about the test material. One of the easiest ways to begin your studying process is to
find out what is on the test directly from your teacher. Many teachers will provide some guidance on
what will and will not be covered on the test. Knowing which material the test will cover will help you
focus on the main material that you need to study.
Your teacher most likely won't tell you exactly what is on the test, but he or she might give you
some pointers by handing you a study guide, or simply announcing what the exam will cover. [3]
 1
Re-read your notes. This time re-read your notes for understanding. In other words, you are going to
study your notes. Start with the most basic information. So, if youre studying an art history unit on
impressionism, make sure you know what impressionism means. Who were the most famous
impressionists at the time?
Ask yourself, who, what, where, when for each theme/subject matter that you are supposed to
know for the test.
You can look up information online to study from, but the best information to study from is the
information presented to the class because the answers will be derived from your classroom materials.
Sometimes information on the internet can vary from the information that you are presented in class.
If you are planning to study from information provided on the internet, stick with sources that
end with .edu or .gov.

Review your syllabus. The syllabus is an outline of everything that you should have learned over the course
of the class. Its a good place to start to understand major ideas and topics that you should be learning from
the class. Review it and highlight the titles and subheads. These are the sections that youll need to at least
review to make sure you understand the big ideas behind the topics.

Some teachers write down the page numbers or chapters that each section of the syllabus pertains to
in your book. Take note of those pages because you should definitely review them.

5
Review study guides and sections. In some books, each chapter has a short review or summary. This is
a great place to quickly review and get a gist of a concept. Of course, if you have no idea what the
summary is referring to or you need more details to jog your memory, refer to the study guide in the
back of the book. Then, re-read those specific chapters or selections in the book that you were having
trouble remembering.
You might be able to find a study guide online for the material that you are studying if you are
not able to get one from your teacher.

1
Make flash cards. After you have taken notes from studying all of your materials including the book
and your notes, use that information to make flash cards. (Grab an index card, or cut paper into
squares to use as a flashcard.) Turn statements into questions.
For instance, if the statement is Linus Pauling was one of the discoverers of DNA, then write
on the flash card the question, who was one of the main discoverers of DNA? Write the question on
one side, and the answer on the other.[5]
 Sometimes a question will spark an idea for a follow-up question. When youre making
flashcards, often youll be able to see how you may have forgotten to study something. For instance,
who were the other discoverers of DNA? This question springs from the Linus Pauling statement
because the word main reminds you that there were other people involved in DNAs discovery.
If you dont know the answer to follow-up questions, then you should research the information
and make flashcards for those questions too.
Start making flashcards for the information that you are having trouble remembering or
grasping. This is the information that you need to review the most. Then, move on to information that
you already know pretty well.
Making physical copies of flashcards is recommended because you have to write down the
questions and answers, which is a repetitive process that will help you remember the information.
Also, you can carry the flashcards around and use them at anytime. However, there are websites such
as cram.com that allow you to make online flash cards.

2
Quiz yourself. Once everything is written down on flashcards, quiz yourself with the cards. Keep
reviewing the questions that you get wrong until you get them right. You can carry flashcards around
with you and quiz yourself when youre on the subway or riding in the car. You might quiz yourself
for a half hour or so, then take a break. Definitely continue to quiz yourself until your get them all
right.[6]
If you keep getting certain questions wrong, review your notes and textbook again to see if
there is something youre not understanding.

3
Do practice questions. This is especially helpful for subjects such as math. Practice doing the
questions in the book that you were assigned for homework. Do extra questions in the back of the
book. Re-do questions that you got wrong, and try to figure out why you got them wrong. Do practice
questions until you feel more comfortable with subject matter.
If you still have more time before your exam, ask for assistance either from a teacher or a
friend.

1
Review past tests. If you have a friend who has taken the test the year or semester before, ask your
friend if you can see his or her test. Take note of the questions that were answered and the answers
that were marked correct and incorrect. If you are in college, some universities keep past exams from
classes on file. Contact your professor about reviewing them.
Although reviewing past exams might not give you the exact questions that will appear on
your test, it will give you an idea of how the information will be tested.
It also will tell you how the test will be scored. Youll know if you should give long detailed
answers or if your answers should be straight to the point. If you are able to review a test with answers
 on it, pay attention to answers that were given high marks and those that werent. Also, pay attention
to any notes in the margins that the teacher may have written explaining why points were taken off.

2
Determine the format. Reviewing past tests can help you understand the format of the test and whether
it will be multiple choice, short answer or essay. It also gives you more ideas about how to study.
Does it ask for specific information like dates and times that events occurred? Or is it testing big ideas
with explanations in an essay format?
If you understand the format of the test, you know what information to pull out and how
detailed or open-ended it might be.
Youll also be able to assess the distribution of points. Is the essay worth much more than the
multiple choice? With the past test to review, you can assess what youve already studied and
re-assess.

1
Study with a friend. Get together with a friend or group of people from your class and study together.
It doesnt have to be a formal study group. You can simply review each others notes to see what you
may have missed, and discuss concepts you think will be covered on the test.

2
Quiz each other. Ask each other potential exam questions. Use your flashcards to quiz each other, or
ask your friend to make up new questions that you didnt think about. Even if you use the same
questions that you wrote on your flashcards, you will find that the experience is different when your
friend is quizzing you. More than likely, your friend will hold you accountable for answering the
question in its entirety.
Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover

Last winter, when I was heavily pregnant, I was visiting my sister and brother-in-law's house and had to park in a nearby
parking lot because they didn't have accessible parking. The snow was extremely heavy and there was lots of ice on the
ground - not many people had ventured out that evening! When I returned to my car around 11pm, I noticed that I was the
only car left.

Nervously, I hopped into the car and let it warm up a bit. When I finally tried to drive away, my wheels began to spin. I was
stuck! I spun and spun and wondered what to do. All of the sudden, in my rear view mirror, I saw four teen-aged boys
approaching my car. They were walking side-by-side in a line and dressed a bit like gang members - at least I thought that's
what they looked like. My car was in a very isolated area and I began to panic. I was certain they were coming to my car to
harm me.

Terrified, I just froze. One of the young men tapped on my window and said "Excuse me, Ma'am, can we help you? You
seem stuck." Still afraid and fearing the worst, I said "I am stuck." And the young man said "It's okay, stay in your car and
we'll push you out of the snow." And they did! When they finally got me out of the snow, they smiled and waved. I rolled
down my window and thanked them, embarrassed to have judged them so poorly.