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Do Developed Countries How Does Emigration
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Dear Reader,

The 2018 World Cup witnessed the victory of the French team. As supporters rejoiced, many also noted that
87% of the team players were migrants or children of migrants. Trevor Noah of the Daily Show even passed
a remark, half in jest, that “Africa won the World Cup”.

Migration is nothing new, with humans migrating long before written history. However, in these modern times,
there are indeed hordes of people packing up and moving with their families in search of new lands. The
reasons are varied, with some doing it out of choice, and some, without. With the plight of Rohingya and
Syrian refugees in the spotlight in recent years, economically successful countries are now faced with the
dilemma of whether they should allow these refugees into their countries. In our dual articles based on the
question, ‘Do developed countries have a responsibility to welcome refugees?’, we explore both sides of the
argument (pages 6-13). It is indeed not an easy choice to make.

As we see people migrating, often, another question that arises is, what happens to their home countries?
Concerns about losing important human resources, also known as brain drain, arise. Many countries realise
this and some, including India and China, are in a race to win back those they have lost to ‘richer’ nations.
Nevertheless, it is not totally a one-sided losing game as we discover in ‘How does emigration affect the home
country?’ (pages 18-21).

People who migrate to or seek refuge in ‘better’ nations do not necessarily have a better time, either, at least
for a start. They are often subjected to scrutiny. Some are viewed with distrust, while others are looked down
upon or teased for their cultural practices or traditions. We learn that all it takes is an open heart to understand
new residents from different backgrounds and help them integrate into our community (‘Lending a hand to
migrants’, pages 23-27). There is nothing that a little kindness cannot achieve.

So, read with an open mind and an open heart, and think about it, won’t you?

Kindly,

3
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37 WRITEUP
06
10
A(1): Do Developed Countries Have a
Responsibility to Welcome Refugees? YES.
A(2): Do Developed Countries Have a
Responsibility to Welcome Refugees? NO.

14 D: The Beauty of Syria (That Once Was)

18 E: How Does Emigration Affect the

14
Home Country?
23 H: Lending a Hand to Migrants
28 P: Champs-Élysées or Shams-Elysees?

FOLLOWME
31 The Refugee Boy

34 Why People Migrate: A Quick Look Through History

HEYLISTEN!
37 A Home Away from Home

SPEAKUP
38 Winning with Diversity
REACHOUT
41 Welcoming Foreign Students:
The Proposal

WANDERLUST
42 The Poet’s House

WRITE&PUBLISH
46 Tweak Me:
Young People Today Feel the Pressure
to Look Good. Do You Agree?

10
48 Model Me:
Do You Agree that Teenagers these Days
Lead an Unhealthy Lifestyle?
Do Developed Countries Have a
Responsibility to Welcome Refugees? NO. PICTUREIT

18 23
Lending a Hand 50 Serosun Living

to Migrants HELLOGRAMMAR
51 What is the Difference Between a Refugee,
an Asylum Seeker and a Migrant/Immigrant?

WORKOUT

31 52 Workout
 Do developed
countries have a
YES
By Norashikin Mohamad
World Refugee Day is 1commemorated on 20th June
every year. As of June 2018, the number of refugees
has reached a staggering 25.4 million, which is cer-
tainly not an insignificant number. The current refugee
situation has resulted in many countries, particularly
those at the borders, opening their doors, willingly or
otherwise, to those fleeing from their homes. The pres-
sure on these countries to welcome refugees is tre-
mendous, particularly if they are developed countries.
The question that comes to fore in such situations is,
do developed countries have a responsibility to wel-
come refugees? I believe that developed countries do
indeed have a responsibility to welcome refugees.
6
R efugees
Welcome
Developed countries can support the refugees by providing
them with an opportunity to rebuild their lives in environments
that are stable. It is a known and undisputed fact that developed
countries have, over time, arrived at their current status through
the careful development of infrastructure, particularly in the form
of strong economic systems, and through political stability. Refu-
gees have a higher chance of a more secure future, unlike in their
home countries where 2persecution would have left them with lit-
tle chance of survival. They leave behind the pain of violence,
hunger and poverty, and look forward to a brighter future. Ref-
ugees have an environment conducive to starting afresh. Thus,
given the stability afforded by developed countries, it follows that
they have a responsibility to welcome refugees.
 WRITE UP

World
Refugee Day
is commemorated on 20th June
every year. As of June 2018,
the number of refugees has
reached a staggering

25.4 million

Moreover, refugees may be skilful workers with the
3
technical prowess and knowledge in their respective fields,
coupled with years of experience. Opening the doors to ref-
ugees is thus the responsibility of developed countries as
these countries have the resources and capabilities to pro-
vide the necessary financial and structural support for these
refugees to hone their skills and further develop their trade.
4
The refugees will be able to put their tacit knowledge to
good use in the new roles that they play in developed coun-
tries; their educational qualifications and prior work expe-
rience may prove relevant and useful in enabling them to
make active contributions to the developed countries in
various industries such as manufacturing and health. As
such, developed countries which may be more than able
to provide the refugees with opportunities for work and
professional development, have a responsibility to wel-
come them, so as not to deny them the chance of creating
a better life for themselves.

7
Image from Satheesh Sankaran,
KIKUCHI/Shutterstock.com

may fill labour shortages in certain
areas where locals are not skilled at or
not willing to commit to, such as providing
care for the aged or cleaning services.
However, naysayers argue that opening the doors to
refugees may bring with it several challenges for the de-
veloped country. Refugees will utilise resources such as
housing, food and money, hence reducing the availability of
these resources for the citizens. This resource constraint af-
fects the citizens as well and thus, may result in developed
countries showing resistance in welcoming refugees, citing
that they have a responsibility towards their own citizens
first. Despite these concerns, it is worthy to note that the
economic benefits developed countries may reap through
8
Image from hxdyl/Shutterstock.com
harnessing the potential the refugees bring with them to the
workforce far surpass the negative consequences arising
from the resources utilised by the refugees. Refugees, for
instance, may fill labour shortages in certain areas where
locals are not skilled at or not willing to commit to, such as
providing care for the aged or cleaning services. This is es-
pecially so if the developed countries already have the in-
frastructure to support the industries in which the refugees
work. The presence of the refugees in various work func-
tions may also provide fresh perspectives, thus enhancing
the overall quality of the workforce through increasing the
technical and professional standards. The benefits of such
a move are two-fold. In so doing, these refugees aid the
developed countries in enhancing their economic capabili-
ties, leading to growth and sustainability; and the refugees
can earn their own income and possibly escape from the
poverty cycle which they had left behind when they fled
from their homes.
 WRITE UP

Word
Bank:
Do you think your country commemorated : prowess:
recalled and showed skill or activity in a
should welcome refugees? particular activity or field
respect for

persecution: tacit :
hostility and ill-treatment, understood or implied
especially because of race, without being stated
political or religious beliefs

The presence of refugees in a country is a phe-

nomenon that looks set to stay, at least for as long as
countries continue to allow violence and persecution
to consume its people. Without a doubt, developed
countries, which are usually wealthier, carry with them
the responsibility of welcoming refugees. It is a mor-
al responsibility to enable the unfortunate who have
been displaced from their homes to have a second
chance at life. To better manage the issues arising
Refugee Health Professionals
from housing refugees, developed countries should
actively seek creative ways of pre-empting and tack-
ling the concerns instead of shirking their responsibil-
ity. Thus, I believe that developed countries have a
responsibility to welcome refugees, regardless of the
potential issues that may arise from such an action.

https://goo.gl/JLfFPk

References:
Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, from UNHCR.
Figures at a Glance, The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, from UNHCR.
World Refugee Day, The United Nations.

9
Image from Macrovector/Shutterstock.com
 Do developed countries have a

to welcome refugees?

NO
By Norashikin Mohamad

In today’s world, it is not uncommon to read about

political unrest within a country, a situation that may cause
certain groups of people to be persecuted, thus forcing
them to flee to neighbouring countries. Such involuntary
migration has put tremendous pressure on countries, par-
ticularly developed ones, to welcome refugees, the num- One of the critical success factors of a developed country
ber of which is growing at an alarming rate. The current is its economic stability, and it is the government’s responsi-
situation brought about by the movement of refugees bility to ensure that this is not lost or threatened. This would
seeking safe and secure homes in developed countries mean that developed countries should prioritise and meet the
brings to the fore that one question - do developed coun- needs of their people first, to the best of their abilities, illus-
tries have a responsibility to welcome refugees? I do not trating the saying, ‘One must take care of oneself first before
believe that developed countries have a responsibility to taking care of others’. For instance, the availability of food,
welcome refugees.

10
Image from Seita/Shutterstock.com
 WRITE UP

The arrival of refugees threatens to worsen the

problems that are already present in the developed
countries… difficult for the governments of
these developed countries to start addressing them,
given the magnitude and scale…

housing and medical care should minimally meet the countries to start addressing them, given the magnitude and
requirements of the people in the developed countries. scale that the problems may escalate to. Hence, while devel-
The presence of refugees in developed countries may oped countries certainly have a responsibility to ensure the
bring with it potential challenges, one of which is the well-being of its people, they do not necessarily have a re-
pressure on social services to provide housing, food and sponsibility to welcome refugees.
medical care to the refugees. Some developed coun-
tries such as Germany and France are already facing
a shortage of resources in areas such as housing. The
arrival of refugees threatens to worsen the problems that
are already present in these developed countries. It may
make it difficult for the governments of these developed

11
Image from prazisImages/Shutterstock.com
 Moreover, the refugees bring with them a different Some people argue that developed countries should

way of life from that which has already been established welcome refugees as those who are more fortunate have

in developed countries, threatening to cause internal a moral obligation to extend a helping hand to the less
1
strife. Refugees often suddenly arrive in droves with lit- fortunate. While it is true that a basic sense of humanity

tle understanding of the new environment. They come dictates that the more successful developed countries

with different religions, values, beliefs and cultures, and should render aid to fellow human beings who are in ur-

these differences may drive a wedge between them and gent need of help, welcoming refugees to their countries

the people already living in the host nations, giving rise to is not the most effective mode of help. Efforts to house

disputes. For example, the perceived cultural tension be- them may not only deprive refugees of a long-term solu-

tween Christianity and Islam has made it difficult for Mus- tion to their problems, they may not be improving their

lim immigrants to integrate into Europe. Such challenges lives at all. At best, some of the steps taken by developed

threaten to disrupt the stability of developed countries countries to help refugees serve little more than to mere-

and can be 2detrimental to the security and safety of their ly keep them alive. Conditions can be extremely harsh

people, as well as the refugees. Given that the primary for refugees at every stage of their 3quest to seek protec-

responsibility of developed countries is in ensuring the tion in developed countries. For example, 1 in 40 people

security and stability of their nations, these countries do die attempting to sail from Libya to the Mediterranean

not have an obligation to open their doors to refugees. Coast on rubber dinghies. Even if they should survive

the journey, the next stage of their escape can be equally

detrimental. Refugees are often housed in camps which

are ill-equipped to provide hordes of people with basic

sanitation and lodging, resulting in refugee families

12
Image from prazisImages, Ajgu/Shutterstock.com
 WRITE UP

The writer concludes by suggesting that

developed countries could help refugees
rebuild their own countries. How do you
think developed countries can do this?

contracting diseases, thus worsening their plight. Hence, of welcoming refugees into their countries due to the neg-
while developed countries do have a moral obligation to ative impact of opening their doors to them. It is best that
help refugees in the best way possible, they do not have the efforts in helping the refugees be channelled towards
a responsibility to welcome refugees into their countries. helping them rebuild their own countries rather than de-
pending on developed countries to absorb these refugees
The massive migration of refugees in search of green- into theirs.
er pastures in neighbouring countries, particularly devel-
oped ones, is a phenomenon that has been observed for
some time now, and it looks as if the situation may not
improve drastically in the near future. I believe that devel-
oped countries do not need to shoulder the responsibility

Word detrimental:
Bank: tending to cause harm

quest:
strife: conflict a search or pursuit made
in order to find or obtain
something
References:
Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, from UNHCR
Figures at a Glance, The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,
from UNHCR.

13
Image from Natali Snailcat/Shutterstock.com
 By Joy Chen
The Beauty of Syria
(That Once Was)

Syria is more than just about refugees and war.

The word ‘Syria’ today conjures up images of
guns, bloodshed and violence, a war-torn country
in a dry and dusty desert. With the current political
climate in Syria, it is easy to forget the beauty of the
country it once was. Syria is home to a rich cultural
history that dates back to ancient times. Throughout
the annals of history, Syria’s strategic location has
led to its occupation by various civilisations, such
as the ancient Macedonian kingdom, the Byzantine
and Ottoman Empires, as well as the Arabic caliph-
ates and dynasties. As a result, the Syrian people
come from a diverse background of Arabs, Greeks,
Kurds and Turks, among others.

14
Image from prazisImages/Shutterstock.com
 WRITE UP

At the heart of Aleppo stands a

fortified Citadel, one of the oldest
and largest castles in the world.

One of the largest Syrian cities which has been in- their wares. Once an industrial powerhouse of textile manu-
habited since the 6th Century B.C. is Aleppo. Although facturing, Aleppo was home to the most beautiful carpets and
Damascus is the official capital of Syria, Aleppo is known fabrics. Not only that, craftsmen filled the market with shops
as the cultural capital of the region. At the heart of Alep- selling beautiful artisanal crafts – vibrant beaded necklaces,
po stands a fortified Citadel, one of the oldest and larg- gleaming bejewelled plates cut with the finest gemstones, and
est castles in the world. Perched upon a stout mound, intricate carpentry carved with 2iridescent mother-of-pearl.
its walls stand guard over the surrounding plazas. Be-
fore the civil war, this part of town was a bustling hub
of activity from dawn till dusk, with the branching spider
web of streets converging on this central boulevard. Just
nearby, a majestic Carlton hotel formerly stood as one
of the city’s premier luxury accommodations. A stone’s
throw away is the Al-Madina Souq, a marketplace where
merchants set up shop at the crack of dawn to 1hawk

15
Image from SAHAS2015/Shutterstock.com
 At tea houses &
coffee shops
scattered amongst the countless
windin g alleYway s ,
patrons sipped sweetened beverages...

In the streets, one used to be able to choose
from the innumerable cafes and restaurants
which adorn the city, providing shelter from
the harsh elements during the day. One’s ap-
petite would be whetted by the many different
aromas wafting from the various food places.
Middle Eastern cuisine is known for its rich and
full-bodied flavours, and the abundant use of
spices and herbs makes each meal a multi-sen-
3
sory experience for the palate. A popular dish
is kibbeh, made with a fried ball of bulgur wheat
stuffed with spices and minced lamb, an explo-
sion of sweet and savoury in one neat little
package. As the national dish in Syrian cuisine, one could find
endless variations of this simple recipe, made to taste. A vi-
brant nightlife sustained the city well into the wee hours of the
morning. At tea houses and coffee shops scattered amongst
the countless winding alleyways, patrons sipped sweetened
beverages as they puffed on their shisha water pipes, filling
the air with aromatic smoke. As part of the Syrian café culture,
those popular gathering spots were woven into the social fab-
ric of the city itself, breathing life into the neighbourhoods and
communities.

16
Image from creative commons
 WRITE UP

Word
Bank:
hawk: sprawl:
carry about and offer (goods) spread out over a large area
for sale, typically advertising in an untidy or irregular way
them by shouting

iridescent : baroque:
showing luminous colours that highly decorated and
seem to change when seen extravagant in style
from different angles

palate: ornate:
a person’s ability to distinguish elaborately or highly
between and appreciate decorated
different flavours

The low-rise city sprawl allowed one to peer into

the distance, and prominent landmarks such as
baroque mosques, protruded along the skyline.

For a view like no other, one could stand on a roof-

top. The low-rise city 4sprawl allowed one to peer into
the distance, and prominent landmarks such as 5ba- The Syrian War: How it all Started
roque mosques, protruded along the skyline. Amidst
the din of the city, one would be able to discern the
faint chants of prayers emanating from these places of
https://goo.gl/41yT8R

worship. With a closer look at the general architecture,

one could see that a key feature of traditional houses
commonly found there was the courtyard, an 6ornate
open space often decorated with flowering bushes and
water fountains. In these courtyards, families congre-
gated at the end of each day’s activities.
References:
It was ‘one of the most beautiful cities in the world.’ That Aleppo is gone, but its residents
remember, from Los Angeles Times, 5 February 2017.
The image of Syria today, ravaged by political con- Remembrance of tastes past: Syria’s disappearing food culture, from The Guardian,
7 December 2016.
flict, belies the majesty of its former glory. However,
‘The most beautiful and elegant city in the world’, from BBC, 10 December 2016.
the spirit of Syria has continued to live on, even among The courtyard houses of Syria, from Muslim Heritage, accessed on 14 August 2018.

its refugees and emigrants. This has given rise to the New dawn: centuries-old Syrian crafts return to liberated Aleppo, from Sputnik News,
5 July 2017.
impetus to rebuild Syria to what it once was. Syrian drinks: repast in a teacup, from Pilot Guides, accessed on 14 August 2018.

17
Image from creative commons
How Does
Emigration
AffecT
By Sng Ee Ping
the

It is said that a country’s strength lies in her people. For

decades, emigration has received the negative label as highly
educated and skilled workers leave their home countries to
settle elsewhere. They are seen as ‘quitters’ who have little
sense of belonging to their home country. While policy makers,
especially those from emerging countries, focus on the
problems when their bright and 1erudite people leave,
to assess the impact of emigration on the home
country, one has to consider multiple factors,
such as the stage of economic growth the
home country is at, who leaves, how many
leave and the period they are away.

18
Image from LineTale/Shutterstock.com
 1doctor
…in the Kenyan province of Lamu,
only
100,000 citizens
When the more educated and talented individuals leave
their home country for greener pastures elsewhere, the home
country may experience a brain drain if these individuals do
not return. For small and developing countries, the concern
of brain drain can be very real. According to the International
Organisation for Migration (IOM), Africa has lost one third of
her human capital and has estimated that 20,000 academics
and ten percent of highly skilled information technology and
finance professionals have been leaving annually since 1990.
The healthcare sector has also been severely hit by brain
drain. In Kenya alone, 20 medical doctors leave the country
WRITE UP
attends to
on average each month. It is revealed that in the Kenyan
province of Lamu, only one doctor attends to 100,000 cit-
izens. For smaller nations in Africa, losing elite workers
by droves when there are not many to begin with can be
frightening. Furthermore, with workers of low skills and
capabilities left behind, industries in these countries will
not be able to compete in the global economy. This will
only result in a 2lacklustre economy where the lack of hu-
man resources in these places makes it less attractive
for other countries to invest in them, 3stymieing long-term
economic development.
19
Image from creative commons
 Yet, not all is gloom and doom. It is believed that
emigration can also bring about brain gain. Emigration
prospects can often motivate individuals from poorer
nations to work towards their dreams of studying or
working abroad. The end result is a greater pool of
educated individuals and highly-skilled workers in the
country. Brain gain is also possible when emigrants
return home with new knowledge, skills and ideas.
These people can start new businesses and ven-
tures with the ideas and experiences that they have
acquired abroad. Indian companies such as pharma-
ceutical company Ranbaxy Laboratories, software
and outsourcing company Infosys and India’s larg-
est conglomerate, the Tata group, have all benefited
from executives who had studied or worked overseas.
Even if emigrants do not return to their home coun-
try, they can provide valuable economic network and
global connections that can benefit the home country.
20
Image from creative commons
Moreover, workers who leave their countries for
better opportunities often send remittances home.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Devel-
opment (UNCTAD) reports that citizens of the world’s
poorest countries working abroad sent home about
$27 billion in 2011. These funds can provide better
education for children and improve the lives of their
family members in the home country. In Indonesia,
the remittances from emigrants were estimated at
US$10.5 billion in 2015. While remittances are often
used to meet daily needs and children’s education,
remittances that are channeled into investing in ag-
ricultural land, livestock and small businesses often
help to boost the economy. High-skilled workers who
remit more can replenish the human capital depleted
in the home country by brain drain.

Emigrants can fly the brand name of their home
country when working overseas, too. An exam-
ple is Wong Kah Chun, a Singaporean, bred and
educated in his home country, who has been
conducting music around the world. His current
four-year stint is as the chief conductor of Germa-
ny’s renowned Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra.
When overseas, he flies the Singapore flag high.
In his recent composition played at the German
city of Nuremberg, he included a recording of Sin-
gaporean children singing a Singapore folk song,
Dayung Sampan. For a small country such as Sin-
gapore, the growing Singaporean 4diaspora helps
to establish her presence overseas.
WRITE UP
Word
Bank:
erudite: diaspora:
having or showing great the dispersion of people
knowledge or learning from their original homeland
lacklustre: pejorative:
lacking in vitality
expressing contempt and
stymieing: disapproval
hindering the progress of
References:
Bringing the sounds of Singapore to German City Nuremburg,
from Straits Times, 6 Aug 2018.
How severe is Africa’s brain drain? from Africa of LSA, 18 Jan 2016.
Indonesia ranks 14th among remittance recipients: World Bank,
from Jarkata Globe, 2 Jan 2016.
More S’poreans overseas but brain drain concerns dissipate,
from Today, 7 Aug 2018.
The surprising secret of India’s success could be its brain drain,
from The Wall Street Journal, 30 Jan 2015.
As globalisation gathers pace and the diaspora in the
world grows steadily, emigration is shedding its 5pejorative
label. For developed countries, the negative impact of em-
igration has become negligible as the home country also
receives talent from other countries. It is imperative that the
home country builds trust and strong connections with her
people who are staying abroad, in order to benefit from their
experiences and connections. On the other hand, some de-
veloping nations are beginning to gain from brain drain with
their people returning with new skills, nifty ideas and inter-
national contacts to contribute to their home countries.
Some people think that those
who migrate are quitters.
Do you agree?
21
Image from MSSA/Shutterstock.com
 Famous Asian Emigrants
Sundar Pichai
Sundar Pichai is currently the Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Google
Inc, and has been instrumental in
Google’s various production
innovations including Google
Chrome. Pichai was born in Tamil
Nadu, India, and moved to the
United States for his
post-graduate studies.

Jerry Yang
Jerry Yang is one of the key reasons
why we have the Yahoo! website.
Elaine Lan Chao
A native of Taiwan, Jerry Yang went Born in 1953 in Taipei, Taiwan,
to America at the age of 10. As a Chao is the 18th and current
graduate student at Stanford, Yang, United States Secretary of
together with another classmate, Transportation. She has also made
created the Yahoo! directory to help history by becoming the first Asian
his friends hunt down cool websites. American woman and first Chinese
Today, Yahoo! is the world’s most American woman in the history of
frequently visited website. the United States to be appointed
to a President’s Cabinet.

Sashi Cheliah
Sashi Cheliah shot to fame in 2018 when he was crowned
the champion in the popular reality television show,
MasterChef Australia. A former police officer in Singapore,
he emigrated to Australia with his family in 2012 and
perfected his culinary skills.

22
Image from creative commons, news.com.au
 WRITE UP

Lending a Hand
to Migrants
By Chrystella Prathap

Often, big changes

kind
start with a
open heart .
Imagine waking up one day, only to discover that
you are surrounded by strangers, speaking in a foreign
language, in exotic surroundings. Gone is the comfort of
home and familiar sights, sounds and smells. This could
well be the feelings of an immigrant when he begins life in
his new country. Cultural differences, a sense of isolation
and even 1stigmatisation are a few more possible issues
immigrants may have to 2grapple with. Thankfully, these
challenges can be overcome or even 3allayed by a friendly
face or a kind gesture.

23
 …making a fresh start in a foreign land
may appear daunting, but if we extend a
welcoming hand, it is only a matter of
time before immigrants feel comfortable
and call this their new home.

Cultural practices which differ from the social fully, Grandma burst out laughing while showing them our
norms that one is used to can certainly cause some shoe rack, and that was the beginning of an evening full
confusion and could result in embarrassment. I still of cultural exchanges as we shared with them the cultur-
remember the day when my new neighbours visited al etiquette of Singaporeans. The Garcias were not only
us for the first time. My dad had struck a conversation intrigued but grateful to have a crash course on the so-
with their family in the lift the week before. After real- cial norms of Singapore. Certainly, the least we can do for
ising that they had just moved from Spain, he invited those new to Singapore is to share and help them under-
them over for a meal. When they came in, my grand- stand our way of life.
ma gasped as she pointed to their feet. They had
worn their shoes into our house! Their cheeks turned
beetroot red as they looked around uncomfortably. I
quickly explained to them that in Singapore, and most
Asian societies, it is customary to remove shoes be-
fore entering the house, as a sign of respect. Thank-

24
Image from GoodStudio, haru_natsu_kobo, Elvetica/Shutterstock.com

Moreover, loneliness is definitely part and parcel of
4
being in a new environment but this can be mitigated,
if, and when the immigrant finds a new social circle and
begins to foster bonds with the locals. My brother, Ken-
neth, who attended the same local school that Junior
Garcia was enrolled in, had noticed that he would sit
by himself during recess. One day, Kenneth invited him
to join him and his friends for a game of soccer during
recess. At first he was a little reserved but soon he be-
gan interacting comfortably with the rest of the boys.
WRITE UP
He even scored a goal in that first game! After some time, not
only did he have a clique of his own during recess, but he also
became part of the school soccer team where he made more
friends and became affectionately known as the Lionel Messi
of Singapore. Indeed, making a fresh start in a foreign land
may appear 5daunting, but if we extend a welcoming hand,
it is only a matter of time before immigrants feel comfortable
and call this their new home.
25
 Suddenly, it dawned on me that
we had the perfect platform to
showcase different
cultures and customs.

Racial Harmony Day

Unquestionably, people tend to shy away from the unfamiliar and this results in the 6perpetuation of
preconceived notions and sweeping generalisations about those who are different from us. Often, this
type of mindset leads to prejudice and discrimination as it alienates those different from us. On the way
back from school one day, I was walking past the house of the Garcia’s when I saw Isabella, who had
just joined the Secondary One cohort in my school, looking rather 7forlorn. After some probing, I found
out that some of her classmates had been making fun of her accent and even waved around a red scarf
to mimic bullfighting. She felt powerless as she wanted to share more with them so that they would better
understand her culture. A sense of shame overcame me and I knew I could not stand by and do nothing.
Suddenly, it dawned on me that we had the perfect platform to showcase different cultures and customs
- Racial Harmony Day. After discussing my idea with the school pre-
fects in charge of the celebrations, Isabella and I started rehearsing
the Flamenco, a Spanish dance. The way Isabella beamed with pride
after the performance made it all worthwhile. Allowing foreigners to
share with us their heritage while giving them the space and time
to understand the ways of their new home is how we can integrate
cultures successfully.

26
Image from creative commons, avian/Shutterstock.com
 WRITE UP
Image from j.chizhe/Shutterstock.com

…every last Sunday of the month,

we never fail to go over to the
Garcias’ apartment to have some
homemade paella…
Word
Bank: daunting:
overwhelming, intimidating
As Mahatma Gandhi aptly put it, “Be the change
that you wish to see in the world.” Ultimately, I believe
that big changes start with the little things. My family
stigmatisation: perpetuation:
labelled as disgraceful continuation and I merely took a little more time and effort, but I
believe it made a big difference to the lives of our
grapple: handle forlorn:
despondent
neighbours. It has been five years now and every last
allayed: alleviated Sunday of the month, we never fail to go over to the
Garcias’ apartment to have some homemade paella,
mitigated: lessened the traditional Spanish fried rice.

Why do you think people often

do not take the first step to
befriend migrants?

27
Image from handini_atmodiwiryo, AlinaDemidenko/Shutterstock.com
 Champs-Élysées or
Shams-Elysees ?
By Jeremy Au Yong
A young Syrian girl living in a refugee camp,
Zaatari, in Jordan, tries to understand what
the world beyond the fences is like.
Isn’t Shams-Elysees and Champs-Élysées
one and the same, she wonders.

The rain had petered out by the time we finished our
usual breakfast of olives and misabbahe (a mix of chick-
peas, olive oil, lemon, garlic and fried bread). The roof of
our little caravan had been breached here and there but
there was nothing our buckets, jars and bowls could not
catch. The water was not quite clean enough to drink but
would make a refreshing rinse. In fact, I rather looked for-
ward to having a bath without having to wait in line first.
Last week at the communal bathroom, someone in the
queue had even yelled at me because I was taking too
long. As if reading my mind, Basheer grabbed the biggest
bucket and headed for the door.
I asked Mama that day who the man of the house
was before Basheer and why the original man could not
take over instead because Basheer was ever so annoy-
ing. I made sure to ask Mama in a 4stage whisper, within
earshot of Basheer.
Basheer only sneered in response, “What do you
know, you silly brat? All you know is the inside of this
camp. Don’t you know that Papa…”

I had had my eye on that! I knew better than to at-

tempt to stake my claim. Ever since he had started work
at the barber stall at the aShams-Elysees, he had been
acting as if he were the boss of us all. Mama’s 1indulgent
attitude was no help either. She 2arbitrated every conflict
between Basheer and me with either “there there, show
some respect to your big brother” or “he’s the man of the
house now, let him be”. It was becoming so predictable
that I hardly bothered to attempt 3mutiny these days.

28
Image from Macrovector/Shutterstock.com

Mama invariably ended
such enquiries about
Papa with her usual
“you will understand
when you grow up”.
Mama shooed Basheer off before he could finish,
5
smiled ruefully and told me all about Papa again. It was dif-
ficult to visualise what Mama meant by “he had the brightest
eyes” and “he had a laugh that would brighten up anybody’s
day”. The black and white snapshot Mama always showed
me by way of explanation was becoming blurrier and blur-
rier each time she produced it from her pocket. Papa, ap-
parently, was somebody I would really have liked “if only he
had made it”. I still had no idea what it was that this Papa
person was supposed to have made. Mama invariably end-
ed such enquiries about Papa with her usual “you will un-
derstand when you grow up”.
‘Nour, come and help me with the dishes!’
WRITE UP
I groaned in dread while Basheer smirked. He point-
edly announced that he was off to work, done with his
quick shower. Ever since Basheer had started work, he
had been exempt from dish-washing duty. That meant
that I had to help Mama wash the breakfast dishes every
day instead of every other day. Some day, we would have
something called a ‘sink’ instead of a plastic pail once we
“got out”, Mama assured me. A ‘sink’, according to Mama,
would make doing the dishes as easy as pie. I had no idea
what she was talking about. Basheer was right. I had no
clue what the world beyond the fence surrounding bZaatari
was like.
Whatever a ‘sink’ might be, having to do the dishes
right now was such a chore. Even if you managed to get all
the grease off, you still ended up with sand on the plates.
To make things worse, the sandy ground would still be
damp from the previous night’s rain. I dragged my unwilling
feet towards the dish-washing area behind our caravan.
29
Image from Macrovector/Shutterstock.com
 WRITE UP

Word
Bank:
indulgent: stage whisper:
having or indicating a any loud whisper intended
readiness or over-readiness to be overheard
to be generous to or lenient
with someone ruefully:
Between scrubbing arbitrated: expressing sorrow or regret,
especially in a wry or
(of an independent person humorous way
or body) reached an authoritative
imploringly:
and rinsing,
judgement or settlement

mutiny: making an earnest or

desperate appeal

I heaved more sighs,

an open rebellion against the
proper authorities, especially
by soldiers or sailors against
their officers

each more
theatrical than World’s largest Syrian refugee camp
has developed its own economy

the last…
https://goo.gl/qsQP4r

I heaved a dramatic sigh as I rolled up my

sleeves to work the greasy plates. Between scrub-
bing and rinsing, I heaved more sighs, each more
theatrical than the last, glancing 6imploringly at
Mama at intervals. Finally, she took the hint. If I
was a good girl and finished the dishes quickly, she
would treat me to as much halaweh (sweets) as I a
Shams-Elysees: The market in the main street of Zaatari refugee
camp is nicknamed by the inhabitants as ‘Shams-Elysees’, an ironic
could eat. To cheer me up even more, she prom-
pun on ‘Champs-Élysées’ and also because of the French hospital at
ised to take me shopping at the Shams-Elysees
the end of the street. ‘Shams’ means Damascus, the Syrian capital.
later!
In the Shams-Elysees, Syrian refugees have built their own
businesses by setting up makeshift stalls. Here, the refugees can
“Some day, we will go shopping at the
buy almost everything they need, such as food, clothes, cell phones
c
Champs-Élysées,” Mama whispered, almost to
and wedding dresses.
herself.

“But aren’t we going to the Shams-Elysees
right after dishes today? You promised!” I queried.
For the second time that morning, Mama flashed
me her mysterious smile and told me that I would
understand when I grew up.
b
Zaatari: Zaatari is a refugee camp in Jordan. It is gradually evolving
into a permanent settlement. It was first opened on 28th July 2012 to
host Syrians fleeing the violence in the ongoing Syrian Civil War that
erupted in March 2011.
c
Champs-Élysées: The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is an avenue
in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France. It is known for its theatres,
cafés and luxury stores.

30
 The Refugee Boy
By Adriel Nee
1 The sea was like a maestro waving its baton – left
and right – and orchestrating a tune to which the en-
semble of waves carried the ship. The rhythmic rock-
ing triggered the Rohingya boy’s uninvited memories
5 of the nights he would be curled up in his mother’s
warm embrace and cradled to sleep on the rocking
chair, which creaked to the tune of a soothing lullaby.
The boy was resigned to his fate - he knew that such
nights were lost in a sea of distant memories that could
10 no longer resurface as reality. He could not remember
the last time he had managed to get a wink of sleep.
Every menacing creak that reverberated through the
weathered shell of the 1decrepit vessel seized the boy
2
with a sense of foreboding.
2 15 The last memory of his mother flashed in the
boy’s mind. “Stay close to me!” his mother had shout-
ed anxiously before a swarm of panic-stricken peo-
ple engulfed them and broke their interlocking fingers
apart. Before he knew it, the boy found his pint-sized
FOLLOWME
A young boy
of
his mother in
the ship carrying
refugees
like him.
body being crammed into a foetal position as heaps of people 20
were packed like sardines in the lower deck. The boy wriggled his
fingers to keep track of where his hands had been sandwiched
and made a feeble attempt to pull his hands free. However, his
hands were snugly wedged within the little crevices formed by
bodies being pressed together. The boy failed to prevent the pun- 25
3
gent stench that was pervading the stale air from invading his
nostrils.
The nauseating 4concoction of vomit, urine and the 5putrid 3
6
smell of rotting wood, impelled him to start clawing his way out
of seemingly endless layers of bodies. He felt like a seedling try- 30
ing to burrow its way out of the soil to get a breath of fresh air
and a glimmer of sunlight. When he finally made his way to the
upper deck, the boy’s eyes, which had grown unaccustomed to
light, were temporarily blinded by the scorching glare of the sun.
Blinking furiously, he regained his vision and jostled through the 35
hordes of people that had filled every inch of the upper deck.
While making a beeline for the side of the ship, he tried identifying
familiar faces in the crowd but to no avail.
31
Image from creative commons
 His mother had just taught him about hours and
minutes, but he was harshly thrown into a world
where time was measured by the increasing
loudness of his growling stomach.
4 Having expended all his energy making his way to the
40 upper deck and with his hunger crippling him, the boy
rested his arms and head on the railings. He stared out
into the expanse of the ocean, trying to recall the last
time he had seen any form of land. The boy’s memory
was not failing him. Time had just become irrelevant on
7
45 this interminable voyage. His mother had just taught him
about hours and minutes, but he was harshly thrown into
a world where time was measured by the increasing loud-
ness of his growling stomach.
5 All of a sudden, a giant shadow sinisterly crawled
50 along the ship and loomed over the boy. Dark, ominous
clouds blanketed the sky and concealed the sun. The
8
calm sea breeze transformed into blustery wind that sent
flurries of rain onto the ship. Violent waves, as if with a
vengeance, careened the ship in all directions.
6 55 The boy clutched onto the railings with all his might
as his body was being flung around like a ragdoll. The
32
lightning that split the sky, the roaring thunder and the thun-
derous waves that crashed against the hull of the ship, brought
back the boy’s vivid memories of the 9unabated explosions
and relentless gunshots that battered the Rohingya village. 60
The boy had narrowly escaped the cruelty of man, only to face
the wrath of Mother Nature.
Unappeased, the storm sent the ship hurtling towards 7
a row of jagged rocks resembling the razor-sharp teeth of
a blood-thirsty predator. The ship cracked open like an egg 65
and catapulted the boy into the sea. He frantically flailed his
arms to keep himself afloat as the vicious waves thrashed him
around, seeking to drag him down to the depths of the sea.
The boy had his mother by his side when he escaped the rav-
enous fire that had consumed the village and had reduced 70
everything to ashes but as he fought to survive in the storm,
the boy was all alone, hoping that he would not be swallowed
by the sea. However, all hope seemed to be lost as the world
around him slowly turned into a screen of black.
 FOLLOWME

Refuge was in Word

Bank:
his line of sight; decrepit: impelled:
he just needed worn out or ruined because
of age or neglect
driven, forced or urged
(someone) to do something

foreboding:
to make one a feeling that something bad
will happen; fearful
interminable:
endless or apparently
endless (often used
hyperbolically)

last sprint to
apprehension

pervading: blustery:

the finish line.

spread through and be blowing in strong gusts
perceived in every part of

concoction: unabated:
a mixture of various without any reduction in
ingredients or elements intensity or strength

putrid: dingy: gloomy and drab

of or characteristic of
rotting matter

Two uniformed men were waving their batons and charging 95

towards him. The boy managed to weave through the

large rocks and hide from his pursuers. He cupped his
8 75 The boy felt the familiar feeling of land as he dug hands around his mouth, muffling his gasps for air to avoid
his fingers into granular bits of sand. Miraculously, he had detection.
survived the storm and was washed ashore onto a for-
eign-looking land. He regained his bearings and scanned Suddenly, he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. The 100 10
10
his surroundings – there was a fence that ran the periph- boy swiveled around as images of a dingy prison cell

80 ery of the beach not too far away. Just as he thought he went through his mind. However, it was not the men in
had finally found refuge, a plea for help pierced the quiet uniform. He could not believe his eyes when he met the
air. The boy scuttled to some large rocks for cover and comforting eyes of his mother. The boy threw himself into
peered over. Uniformed men, wielding batons and car- her arms as tears of relief streamed down his cheeks. A 105

rying guns, were barbarically rounding up people that new home was just a few more steps away, a home that
85 looked like him. “When you see the men in uniform, run the boy no longer needed to build alone.
as fast as you can towards the fence,” he recalled his
mother’s warning.

Rohingya migrant boat missing

9 Fear gripped him as he readied himself to start in the Andaman Sea
running. Refuge was in his line of sight; he just needed
90 to make one last sprint to the finish line. The boy took
a deep breath and made sure that the uniformed men
were not looking in his direction before darting towards https://goo.gl/2LS9Zz

the fence. He felt like a gazelle being hunted down by its

predators as he heard angry shouts in the distance.

33
Image from creative commons
 Why people
migrate:
a quick look
through history
By Hwa Shi-Hsia

Push and pull factors influence people’s decision

to pack up and leave for another country.

1 Alarm bells rang across Southeast Asia a few

years ago when Myanmar’s persecution of Rohing-
ya and other ethnic minorities caused them to flee to In the notorious ‘Triangle Trade’,
neighbouring countries in the tens of thousands. Even English goods such as copper
before the current refugee crisis, it was common to
5

hear citizens of the more prosperous Southeast Asian

and fabrics were used to buy
countries such as Singapore and Malaysia complain slaves in West Africa,
about “too many foreigners”. Why do people under-
with the slaves sent to the
take the enormous risk, expense or suffering of leav-
10 ing for an unknown country? West Indies to labour on
sugarcane plantations.

2 Although humans migrated around the world long In the notorious ‘Triangle Trade’, English goods 3
before written history, early modern globalisation with such as copper and fabrics were used to buy slaves
rapid movement of large numbers of people is usual- in West Africa, with the slaves sent to the West Indies
ly considered to have begun around the 17th century. to labour on sugarcane plantations. The sugar was 25

15 Colonialism demanded huge numbers of labourers to
work in the new plantations and mines for European
capitalists, and the employers often had to ‘recruit’
them from other parts of the world. In the Americas
and 1West Indies, many of the new labourers were lit-
20 erally slaves kidnapped and exported from their home
used to make alcohol in New England (a region in the
north-eastern part of the United States), and the profits
were then used to buy goods to bring back to England.
Many Indians and Chinese emigrated to escape 4
from disasters such as droughts and famine in their 30

countries with no say in the matter. home country that made life 2precarious for peasant

34
Image from creative commons

farmers. They went to work for their colonial masters. In
theory the work arrangement was voluntary, but often un-
der a type of contract called ‘indentured servitude’ that mir-
35 rored temporary slavery. The contracts lasted for several
years; the employer had complete control over the work-
ers, and various expenses such as transportation and basic
necessities were deducted from the meagre wages of the
workers, plunging them deeper into debt. This allowed the
40 extension of the contract at no cost to the employers. De-
spite the harsh conditions, some of the workers eventually
settled down in the new countries, and many of us have
ancestors who came from these two ancient empires. In-
terestingly, Durban in South Africa is the biggest Indian city
45 outside of India!
5 Further opportunities opened up in the United States
with the discovery of gold in California, and Chinese peas-
ants were eager to look overseas as the Opium Wars, and
a series of floods and droughts had devastated the country.
50 Indeed, San Francisco is called Gam Saan - Gold Mountain
– in Cantonese. The peasants also contributed greatly to
building the First Transcontinental Railroad across America.
6 The echoes of colonialism continued into the 20th cen-
tury. After the 2018 World Cup, South African comedian
55 Trevor Noah offended some French people, including their
ambassador to the United States, by joking that Africa had
won. While both had pertinent arguments – the ambassa-
dor insisting that all the players were French regardless of
race, and Noah insisting that it was important to acknowl-
FOLLOWME
edge people’s heritage as well – you might well wonder 60
why people such as the French footballer Kylian Mbappe’s
Cameroonian father and Algerian mother came to France.
World War II left Europe in ruins and desperately short of
human resource. European countries saw former colonies
as a source of cheap labour, whereas people in the grip of 65
the uncertainty of countries teetering on the brink of inde-
pendence might have seen it as a chance at a more secure
future.
The post-war immigrants contributed greatly to the 7
economic and cultural evolution of these countries in the 70
second half of the 20 century, but were not always treated
th
well. Recently in the United Kingdom (UK), a scandal broke
out when it was found that many of the ‘Windrush genera-
tion’ – so called after the first ship that brought them from
the West Indies to the UK in 1948 – were being persecuted 75
and denied benefits by the government even though they
had arrived legally as children. It turned out that the Home
Office, in an act of stunning 3negligence, had destroyed an
4
archive containing their arrival records.
The Vietnam War,
which lasted two decades,
the Khmer Rouge genocide
in Cambodia and the
Laotian Civil War,
introduced a new word
for refugees...
‘boat people’
35
80 8 Even as the new countries in Southeast Asia were be-
Word
ginning to find their feet, war loomed over the region again. Bank:
The Vietnam War, which lasted two decades, the Khmer archive:
West Indies: a collection of historical
Rouge genocide in Cambodia and the Laotian Civil War, in- a chain of islands extending
documents or records
providing information about
from the Florida peninsula to
troduced a new word for refugees to the 5lexicon of migra- the coast of Venezuela, lying
a place, institution, or
group of people
between the Caribbean and
85 tion: ‘boat people’. Fleeing for their lives, people crowded the Atlantic
lexicon:
into rickety fishing boats to try to make it to more stable precarious: the vocabulary of a person,
dependent on chance; language or branch
of knowledge
neighbouring countries. Hundreds of thousands eventually uncertain

made it to the United States which has large Vietnamese

negligence: languish:
failure to take proper care be forced to remain in an
and Hmong communities today – you may even see the over something unpleasant place or situation

References:
90 Hmong language on public signs and notices in the chilly
Southeast Asia’s Migrant Crisis Explained, in Maps, by Justine Drennan,
Midwest. Others 6languished in refugee camps for decades: from Foreign Policy, 18 May 2015.

What Was the Triangle Trade? How Rum, Slavery, and Molasses Were All Connected for
Malaysia only closed its Sungai Besi camp in 1996, while Financial Gain by Martin Kelly, from ThoughtCo, 5 July 2018.

camps in other countries existed until the early 2000s. From bondage to freedom - The 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indian workers in
South Africa, from South African History Online, 13 October 2016.

Chinese Immigrants and the Gold Rush, from PBS American Experience(undated article).

9 Today, stagnant wages and few job opportunities in
95 their home countries continue to drive workers overseas.
While many from the Southeast Asian part of the world
Trevor Noah responds to French ambassador’s criticism over his African World Cup joke,
by Andrew Joseph, from USA Today, 19 July 2018.
Windrush generation: Who are they and why are they facing problems? From the BBC,
18 April 2018.

Malaysia closes Vietnamese refugee camp, from United Press International, 25 June 1996.
choose to migrate to Western countries including Australia
and New Zealand, a significant number of Asians are also
working on oil-funded megaprojects in the Middle East
Push
100 as temporary migrants. While the home countries benefit
economically from the wages that they send back, govern-
Factors
ments are also aware that ‘brain drain’ or losing skilled la-
bour can be a problem and are trying to form relationships Push
Practice Natural
with non-resident students and professionals overseas to Factors Wars
of slavery disasters
105 lure them back. Many economists predict that the 21 cen-
st

tury will be the ‘Pacific Century’ and we will likely see more
upheaval in our lifetime.

Religious Lack of
persecution jobs

Pull Factors
Higher Political & Demand
religious
wages freedom
for labour

Better Opportunities
from precious
quality natural resources
of life (eg gold)
36
 HEYLISTEN

I first came to Norway to pursue a degree in

biology. That was three years ago. I had discovered
on the Internet that Norway offers free university educa-
tion, even to international students. Imagine the state of
1
euphoria I was in when my application for a student resi- you. I have many Norwegian friends now. In fact, I am married
dence permit was granted. All I needed was to prove that I to one! That is how I ended up migrating to this lovely coun-
had sufficient funds to support my living expenses while in try. I have grown accustomed to wearing layers of clothes to
Norway. Believe me, the cost of living here is high. Still, it is keep warm. I also enjoy the seafood, which is cheaper than
2
one of the safest countries to be in. So, I learnt to scrimp meat.
and save.
However, I miss the warm, humid weather of my birth
Visiting Norway had always been on my to-do list. country, its different tongues and the spicy cuisines that spell
Naturally, studying there and exploring the country proved ‘Asia’. I also miss the sights and spaces I used to haunt. So,
a dream come true. I was awed by the Northern Lights, whenever I pay my family and friends a visit each new year, I
3
which is predominantly seen in high latitude regions. You make sure I do not miss out on all the good things.
don’t get that special lights display from Mother Nature in

Word
Southeast Asia. Then there was the novel idea of sipping

Bank:
hot soup while whale-watching from a boat on the Arctic
waters, definitely activities one should not pass over.
mettle:
a person’s ability to cope well
with difficulties
euphoria :
Although my lessons were conducted in English, a feeling or state of grit :
intense excitement strength of character
knowing how to speak Norwegian proved advantageous. and happiness
It gives you an edge over others when you apply for a job.
scrimp: pretext : excuse
Also, since you’re not a citizen, you need to show your be economical
4
mettle and 5grit so as to achieve your goals. I remem- predominantly: reticent :
not revealing one’s thoughts
ber occasionally visiting cafes on the 6pretext of honing mainly; for the most part or feelings readily

my skills in conversational Norwegian. In the process, we

learnt much about the way of the Norwegians. At first cold
and 7reticent, once they know you well, they warm up to

37
Image from Denis Belitsky/Shutterstock.com
By Vimala Alexander
Does diversity elevate or cripple a
soccer team? A soccer fan shares how
success is achieved with diversity.
“France wins the World Cup 2018!” yelled the
sports commentator. I stood up, pumped my fist into
the air and yelled, “Yes!” I was thrilled that France had
won the World Cup, but more importantly, I was cele-
brating something else. You see, 17 out of 23 players in
the French team are children of first generation immi-
grants. Half of the French and Belgian football squads
have African ancestors.
French player Kylian Mbappe, who impressed
millions with his spectacular soccer skills, has a Cam-
eroonian father and Algerian mother. His hypnotic
moves and excellent skills drew appreciative murmurs
from the crowd in every game that he played. As the
games progressed, his name was on the lips of ev-
ery football fan all around the world, and newspapers
around the world featured photographs of him scoring
magnificent goals.
Sadly, the World Cup was played against a
backdrop of growing global 1xenophobism. In Europe,
anti-immigration laws are stronger than ever before,
and England struggles to plan its exit from the Euro-
pean Union, the result of anti-immigrant sentiment.
38
Image from Artem Kovalenco/Shutterstock.com
Jamaican-born Raheem Sterling played for England in
this World Cup. Yet, the same English fans cheering on
Raheem Sterling at the World Cup are perhaps the same
ones who voted for 2Brexit in 2016.
The English football team is made up of several
nationalities. England head coach, Gareth Southgate told
local television, “We are a team with our diversity and
with our youth that represents modern England. We are
the reflection of a new identity and we hope people will
connect with us.”
As Europe faces an identity crisis, it needs to ac-
cept the fact that there are many Mbappes and Sterlings
among us, contributing to every level of society. Em-
bracing immigrants for three weeks when the World Cup
comes around every four years is just not good enough.
We have to realise that diversity enriches, not 3impover-
ishes. France’s win was a testament to that.
Word brexit :
Bank: blend of Britain and Exit.
Refers to the United
Kindom’s exit from the
European Union
xenophobism:
fear of foreigners impoverishes:
makes poor
 SPEAK UP

Speak about it

https://goo.gl/jRJXHk

01 02 03
Why do you think
this video
was taken?
If you had to eat
food from another
culture, which would
you choose, and why?
Do you think visiting
other countries helps
us to understand the
people who live there?
Why, or why not?
39
Image from oneinchpunch/Shutterstock.com
 REACHOUT

Be part of the welcome package for international students.

You will have the opportunity to meet students
from many different cultures.
By Rohani Ismail

Organise cultural activities Students helping students

to help the international The programme aims to

students learn more about provide a platform for the
the cultures and customs in a host and visitors to integrate
multi-racial nation like Singapore. on a personal level.

Prepare local delicacies and As a pre-arrival activity,

get the international students find a buddy of your choice and start
to savour the gastronomic corresponding via email or Facebook.
delights that make Singapore Ask your buddy how you can assist him
a food heaven. or her during the time on campus.

Watch cultural performances with Organise various social activities

the international students – be up for your buddy to take part in,
close and personal with the wide range or take him or her to places
of cultures that are present in Singapore. of interest in Singapore.
Answer any queries he or she
may have about your school
and life in Singapore.

Welcoming Foreign Students: The Proposal Image by By PremiumStock, dreampixel/shutterstock.com

As part of the school’s ‘Going International’ programme, Eddie Low’s school has agreed to host twenty Canadian
students for five days. As the class chairperson, he has been asked by his principal to propose a programme on how his
class could introduce the different cultures in Singapore to the foreign students and make them feel welcome. Referring
to the ‘Hosting Foreign Students 101’ webpage for ideas, Eddie has written a proposal to his principal, expressing his
interest in the programme and explaining how his class will engage the students.

His proposal includes the following details:

1 How his
class will
2 Which of the
two options
3 willHowbenefit
this activity
both his
4 Thanking his principal
for entrusting his
40 engage the his class would like class and the class with the task of
foreign students to work on and why foreign students hosting the visitors
17 January 2019

Mr Samuel Woo
Principal
Pacific Secondary School
Dear Mr Woo

Welcoming Foreign Students

As the class chairperson of Sec 3 Justice, I would like to thank you on behalf of my classmates for giving us
the opportunity to put forward our suggestions on how to induct and engage the Canadian students during
their five-day visit to Singapore. My classmates and I are very much heartened by the school’s move to host
these foreign students, and we promise to play our roles as the school’s ambassadors responsibly, and make
their stay here memorable.

My classmates and I are confident that we can engage our foreign friends well. Many of my classmates are
members of the Interact Club and school councillors, and they have been involved in school projects relating to
global outreach. Whenever the school receives foreign guests as part of its ‘Going International’ programme,
some of us would be activated to plan and host these guests under the guidance of the teachers-in-charge.
We are warm and friendly, and we will certainly enjoy meeting our Canadian guests.

To ensure we maximise our strengths, my classmates and I have decided on the buddy programme as we feel
that this will allow the foreign students to interact more naturally with our local students. Moreover, we antici-
pate that these students may feel awkward at times as they experience the change in environment and culture.
Having a reliable buddy will help to mitigate their anxiety as we talk, listen and include them in our day-to-day
activities.

Since there are twenty Canadian students, each one of them will be matched with two of our students. We
will email these students to introduce ourselves as well as answer any questions they may have prior to their
arrival. We will share our experiences, address their concerns and provide insight into secondary school life
in Singapore. Throughout the five days, our foreign counterparts will join us in all lessons (including Physical
Education lessons), as well as our co-curricular activities. We also plan to take them sightseeing, possibly to
some of the iconic places in Singapore such as the Merlion Park, Gardens by the Bay and Sentosa, among
others. I would like to assure you that the Canadian students will not be lost or feel lonely as my classmates
and I will guide them adequately to make sure they feel comfortable in their new surroundings.

Undeniably, the most fulfilling part of the buddy programme is that it creates an opportunity to facilitate the
blossoming of friendships and the possibilities for life-long relationships. I believe strongly that this buddy
programme is one of the most effective and personalised ways for the Canadian students to get a taste of a
typical Singapore experience. As for our students, being a buddy will undoubtedly expose them to another
culture, and provide them with a sense of fulfilment from helping their counterparts to enrich their lives.

Thank you once again for putting your trust in us in ensuring that the Canadian students are well taken care of.
We are keen to embark on this role and we would like to assure you that we will live up to your expectations to
be excellent hosts.

Yours sincerely,

Eddie Low
Eddie Low
Class Chairperson of Secondary Three Justice
41
WANDERLUST

T he Poet’s House

Bedroom at the Poet's house

By Ming E. Wong

42
Stairway at the Poet's house
Door at Poet's house

Number 575 Wandsworth Road looks like an ordi-

nary small house on a long and ordinary road in Lambeth,
an ordinary looking borough south of the river Thames in
London.

Yet, it is one of the National Trust’s most unusual

properties. A charity-based organisation, the Trust exists
to preserve and protect historic places all over Britain -
English country houses, urban properties and also gardens
and nature reserves. It has even taken on the childhood
homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney in Liverpool.
Nevertheless, many of the Trust properties are castles and
1
manors the likes of Downtown Abbey. Without its sup-
port, much of British heritage would probably have fallen
into dilapidation.

However, number 575 looks nothing like an English

house once you step inside. There are basically two rooms
downstairs and two upstairs, typical of Georgian terrace
houses built to house an emerging working or lower mid-
dle class. In 1981, a British Treasury employee, Khadambi
Asalache, bought the place for £31,000. A few steps away
was the bus stop where he could easily catch a bus to go
to work. Asalache was no ordinary civil servant, though.
Born in Kenya, he studied architecture in Nairobi and lived
for a time in Vienna, Rome and Geneva. In 1960, he moved
to London where he, among many things, worked for the
BBC African Service and wrote and published poetry and
novels. He would have been in his mid-20s and swinging
60s London must have been an exciting place for him.

43
WANDERLUST

The house is still full of his books and they

I imagined the span architecture, art, history, mathematics, phi-
losophy, religion and travel. Asalache also turned
air filled with out to be an excellent interior decorator who
proceeded to cover the walls of his flat with in-

clinking glasses, tricate wooden 2fretwork and carvings, all with a

decidedly aMoorish minaret influence in loop and

African stews, outline. Initially, he wanted to cover up a bit of

damp but eventually he extended it to the rest of
the house. Since he could only have done this in
English casseroles the evening or on the weekends, he took some 25
years to finish. He would have spent a lot of time

and late night looking for material too, much of it wooden crates
and planking salvaged here and there. Some of the

conversations edges still look rough, as if he might have broken

the wood with his bare hands or a knife.

about the The house has a pleasant ambience – the

domestic interior exudes warmth and intimacy,
pertinent an impression of stylistic unity, and most of all
the personality of the owner-occupant. “He must

issues of have been an intensely sensuous man,” said a fel-

low visitor as we gazed at the candles near the

the world. bathtub and the play of shadows in the bedroom.

Downstairs, the small kitchen still had stocks of
spices and the shelves were stacked with his En-
glish pottery. Both the kitchen and dining rooms
felt like well-used spaces. Although it was mid-
day on a hot summer Sunday, I imagined the air
filled with clinking glasses, African stews, English
3
casseroles and late night conversations about the
pertinent issues of the world. According to his
picture published in the National Trust guide-
book, Asalache looks friendly and open and a
4
dead ringer for the actor, Samuel Jackson.

…even if he at one time

tended goats as tribesmen were
apt to do, grew up an
Khadambi Alasache
Anglophile, reading
Shakespeare and dreaming of a
distant England.
44
About the travel writer:
Ming E. Wong
Ming E. Wong is based near Frankfurt,
Germany where she works as a freelance
language professional – writing, editing,
proof-reading and teaching English at
various universities and institutions.
She has even written a textbook for
learning English which is used in Ger-
man schools. As a child in Singapore,
she used to read dictionaries on the bus
trips home from school. “Every entry is
short and to the point. And I loved the
sample sentences! So basically, I could
pause and look up just before the bus
jerked to another stop, reducing the
probability of a headache.” She wants
readers to take learning languages seri-
ously. “It really does open up the world
for you. You never know where you
might end up!”
a
Moorish:
Moorish architecture is the
articulated Islamic architecture
of North Africa and parts of
Spain and Portugal.
Word
Bank:
manor: dead ringer:
a mansion with land
belonging to it
fretwork:
ornamental work
consisting of interlacing,
especially work in which
the design is formed by
perforation
Asalache died in 2006 from cancer, survived by his partner, Susie Thom-
son, a Scottish basket-maker. Without children of his own, he 5bequeathed
this splendid house to the National Trust. Thomson has helped as consultant
for the renovation process and was reportedly very happy with the work by
the Trust. Yet, there was actually objection to the Trust taking it on initial-
ly, one being that as he was a Kenyan with tribesmen roots, he was hardly a
part of British heritage nor sufficiently representative of his less educated
and learned fellow-Africans in the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, of course
he was - Africa was colonised by the British and many an African child, even
if he at one time tended goats as tribesmen were apt to do, grew up an 6An-
glophile, reading Shakespeare and dreaming of a distant England.
There were only six of us that morning. The house is so delicate the
National Trust would take only 2000 visitors a year. Tours have to be booked
in advance.
After visiting the house, I went on to
dim sum lunch in Chinatown, London.
On that same London trip, friends
drove me through Golder Greens
where many orthodox Jews could be
seen going about their business. We
visited Kenwood House on Hampstead
Heath, a beautiful 18th century coun-
try house with an impressive collec-
tion of European art and furniture. We
stopped by Camden market with its
Goth-like fashion shops and West In-
dies and Caribbean influences. All of
these were London, a vibrant overspill
of energy and cultural mixes, one of the world’s first cosmopolitan cities.
However, Asalache’s house was the 7abiding memory. It was as much a part
of British heritage as Kenwood House. It seems to me the British would have
been unwise not to claim such a Renaissance of a man.
casserole:
any food, usually mixed and
cooked in a baking dish
anglophile:
a person who admires
England or all things English
abiding:
(idiom) an exact duplicate
enduring, steadfast
bequeath:
to pass on property by last will
45
Image from Creative Commons
Student’s Essay
With the insatiable hunger for perfection in this superficial society, the L1mildewed
maxim “beauty is only skin-deep” seems to have faded from men’s knowledge. The
By
dismal L1actuality today is that teenagers place L4disproportionate attention on their
looks and are L1categorically empowered by modern-day products to L1indefatigably Teo Kai Siang
strive to enhance their appearance. Indubitably, L2while there is a rarity of adolescents Edward
who remain nonchalant to the multiplicity of vogues, an overwhelming majority of ,
CLASS 2F (2018)
Anglican High School
teens in the world today are fanatical about their outward appearances.
C1
Teenagers have a tendency to inwardly gripe about their shortcomings L3, some
L4
developing eating disorders and L2exercise addictions while remaining L2imprudently
blasé to the adverse effects on their health.
Editor’s comments
C2/L1 L2
Trammeled by the notion that looks attract friends the most, adolescents are + There is a commendable
aspiring to be transformed into the paragon of beauty and slenderness. L1Youths L5are effort to provide credible
examples and statistics.
starving themselves to the brink of death. In America, 1 in 50 students suffers from
eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa among the The main purpose of
L2
superfluity of disorders and food phobias. When one L1eschews from eating, one’s writing is to communicate
brain cells starve, causing neurons in the brain to start eating themselves for energy easily with the reader.
and eventually leading to death. However, youths are L3more-than-willing to risk their Thus, it is advisable that
the writer, although using a
lives for the so-called “perfect” body shape desired by throngs. The popular Korean wide range of vocabulary,
actress, Lee Ji-eun, even shared her rigorous dieting and exercise programme on ensures that the words are
her social media platform with a huge following, consisting of L1obsessed teens. This appropriate.
triggered a malignant monomania where millions of teenagers starved themselves to
obtain a shape like hers. Society has a predisposition to place a premium on being This essay was more than 1000
physically attractive and having a thin figure, and I believe that it is L2a bane to words long, so some sentences
adolescents today. have been deleted.

L2
The ramifications of food disorders are propelled by life-threatening exercise Content:
addictions. Teenagers are so preoccupied with their outer beauty that even though
C1: The concluding
they are underweight, they perceive themselves as fat. When obligatory exercise sentence should
spirals out of control, the paranoia of growing L2morbidly adipose encumbers those function as a
whose self-image is L2rooted sinisterly to their overwhelming need to burn calories. thesis statement,
Largely reminiscent of anorexics who hunger for passion, the L1malicious effects of explicitly stating the
the addiction take L2full moon when the subversive thrill of weight-loss usurps bodily writer’s stance.
fatigue. C3Young women are expected to have perfect bodies- thin but L1curvy. All C2: The topic sentence
these unrealistic body qualities are imparted to them during their years in school. has to cohere with
Their conversations revolve around “glorious” celebrities, so, when they hear of a the concluding
sentence and
photoshopped model being called “perfect”, they aspire to be the real-life replica of vice versa.
the said beauty. L1Guys face the same L1issue of having a body shape prescribed by
society. They are pressured to be tall and tan, have washboard abs, big buff chests C3: This requires a new
paragraph as it
and arms, and not an ounce of fat on their bodies. L2The pandemic of such disorders deals with a
is rampant and L1advocated by the media that portrays “beauty” in a single size, the different idea.
sublime summons of self-absorption shapes such perilous L1behaviours in
impressionable youths.
Language:
L1: inappropriate
C2
Quixotic and unhealthy beauty standards are being perpetuated on the internet vocabulary
L2: incorrect expression
routinely and Ifeel that keeping up with the trends is utterly unnecessary as they L3: incorrect punctuation
are fleeting, even though their L1reverberations are deleterious and lasting. Eating L4: incorrect tense/verb
disorders and L2addictions to exercising L2are not easily shaken off. L1As the age-old
adage goes “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, I strongly believe that adolescents
should see themselves for who they are and not objectify themselves for L2others’
approval or reproof.

Tweak Me >
Do you have an essay that is good but needs some tweaking? Would you like us to analyse your essay and help you and others
learn? If this interests you, send us your essay and let us help. If we like what we see, we will publish your essay and the improved
46 version of your essay in ‘Tweak Me’! Just make sure your essay is original and unpublished and is between 400 to 600 words.
Note that only those selected essays will be published and paid for. All contributions, if selected, will be used as deemed appropriate
by the Editor. Send all your submissions to editor@ilovereading.sg.
 WRITE& PUBLISH
TWEAK ME

Modified
Student Essay
(See modifications in bold and note deletions)

With the insatiable hunger for perfection in this superficial society, the cliched maxim, ‘beauty is only skin-deep’
seems to have faded from man’s knowledge. The dismal reality today is that teenagers place a disproportionate
attention to their looks and are enticed by modern-day products to tirelessly strive to enhance their appearance.
Indubitably, while there are a few adolescents who remain nonchalant to the diverse world of fashion, an
overwhelming majority of teens in the world today are fanatical about their outward appearances. Teenagers
nowadays are pressured to look good and as a result, have a tendency to inwardly gripe about their
shortcomings: some develop eating disorders and addiction to exercise while remaining recklessly indifferent to
the adverse effects on their health.

Influenced by society that looks are the best way to attract friends, adolescents aspire to be transformed into
paragons of beauty and slenderness. They starve themselves to the brink of death. In America, 1 in 50 students
suffers from eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa among the plethora of disorders and
food phobias. When one abstains from eating, one’s brain cells starve, causing neurons in the brain to start eating
themselves for energy and eventually leading to death. However, youths are more than willing to risk their lives for
the so-called ‘perfect’ body shape desired by throngs. The popular Korean actress, Lee Ji-eun, even shared her
rigorous dieting and exercise programme on her social media platform with a huge following, consisting of fanatical
teens. This triggered a malignant monomania where millions of teenagers starved themselves to achieve a shape like
hers. Society has a predisposition to place a premium on being physically attractive and having a thin figure, and I
believe that it places a burden on adolescents today.

Food disorders are propelled by a life-threatening addiction to exercise. Teenagers are so preoccupied with their
outer beauty that even though they are underweight, they perceive themselves as fat. When obligatory exercise
fails to help youths lose weight, the paranoia of growing morbidly obese convinces those whose self-image
is rooted in their appearance of the overwhelming need to burn calories. Largely reminiscent of anorexics who
hunger for passion, the insidious effects of the addiction to exercise are exacerbated when the subversive thrill of
weight loss is overtaken by bodily fatigue.

Young women are expected to have perfect bodies - thin but curvaceous. All these unrealistic body qualities are
imparted to them during their years in school. Their conversations revolve around ‘glorious’ celebrities, so, when
they hear of a photoshopped model being described as ‘perfect’, they aspire to be the real-life replicas of the said
beauty. Young men face the same problem of having a body shape prescribed by society. They are pressured to
be tall and tanned, have washboard abs, big buff chests and arms, and not an ounce of fat on their bodies. Such
perceptions are rampant and propagated by the media that portrays ‘beauty’ in a single size. The sublime summons
of self-absorption shapes such perilous behaviours in impressionable youths, thus creating an undesirable
pressure on them to look good.

Quixotic and unhealthy beauty standards are being perpetuated on the Internet routinely and I feel that keeping up
with the trends is utterly unnecessary as they are fleeting, even though their effects are deleterious and lasting.
Eating disorders and addiction to exercise are habits that are not easily shaken off. Although the age-old adage
states, ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’, I strongly believe that adolescents should see themselves for who they
are and not objectify themselves for the approval or reproof of others.

47
Image by drawkman/Shutterstock.com
 By
Teo Yin Yan
CLASS 401
Queensway Secondary
School

While our teenagers’ Instagram feeds may be filled with pictures of healthy avocado salads or acai
bowls, the reality is very different from what is portrayed on screen. Due to our quick-fix, fast-paced
and competitive society, teenagers are often not able to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Firstly, teenagers living in our fast-paced society have very limited time to exercise. Every week,
worksheets pile up on their desks like mountains. Not to mention that every other week, teachers
would give them tests that they need to study for. Teenagers have so much work and revision to do
that they do not even have time to have a proper rest, let alone exercise and maintain a healthy life-
style. Due to these responsibilities, teenagers are usually found holed up in their rooms, unable to
drag their lethargic selves outside to take a walk, even after they have finished their revision. Thus,
having limited time to exercise and overwhelming responsibilities from school definitely contribute to
the unhealthy lifestyle teenagers lead these days.

In addition, the tempting appeal of fast food and the convenience these fast-food chains bring are
hard to resist even for the most mature at heart. Fast-food chains sell irresistibly delicious food that
stays on our minds for a long time, making us crave it multiple times a week. These delectable
flavours will surely keep teenagers coming back for more, leading to the gradual deterioration of their
health and lifestyle. The convenience and affordability of fast food is also the perfect choice for
teenagers like me who have little time and money. Teenagers have no time to explore the plethora
of food courts and restaurants to find a healthier meal, nor do they have the money to afford these
healthy meals that usually come at a steep price. The appeal of fast food and the convenience that
fast-food chains bring to teenagers is no doubt one of the leading causes of their unhealthy lifestyle.

48
Image from Inkley, Colorcocktail/Shutterstock.com
 WRITE& PUBLISH
MODELME

Editor’s Comments
Moreover, gaming addiction has proven itself to be a serious issue among This is a coherent essay
with a thesis statement in
teenagers nowadays. This habit causes many teenagers to stay glued to the first paragraph to indicate
the writer’s stance, clear
their computer screens for hours at a time. These teenagers usually have
topic sentences which are
already lost sight of the real world, concentrating only on their ‘virtual substantiated and a
linking sentence to
universe’. If teenagers will not even get up from their seats to eat a meal, conclude each paragraph.
would they get up to exercise? The obvious answer is, no. Teenagers who
Content:
are addicted to gaming usually cannot even carry out simple life processes, Note the topic sentence
such as getting their own food or water, often needing someone to serve (in red) and the link (in blue)
in the body paragraphs.
them. Thus, it is evident that gaming addiction contributes to the unhealthy
The topic sentence tells the
lifestyle teenagers lead nowadays. reader what the paragraph is
about and the linking sentence
helps to remind the reader of
Although all these problems appear to be very alarming, measures can the topic.
be taken to alleviate these bad habits. For example, teenagers need to be The concluding paragraph
taught how to manage their time wisely. While studies are important as they reiterates the thesis statement.

affect their grades, they should always put their physical and mental health Language:
as their top priority. Teenagers need to learn how to make time for healthy Note how the writer
repeats the words of the topic
and balanced meals, maintain an exercise routine and get enough sleep, all in the linking sentence e.g.
‘teenagers’ and ‘healthy
the while keeping to their study schedule. Undeniably, time management is
lifestyle’. This effective
the cure to all their ‘ailments’. technique is a good way of
reminding the writer and
reader that the former is
In conclusion, it is only with their effort and determination to stay healthy staying relevant to the topic.

that teenagers would get the necessary support on their tumultuous Notice also the use of varied
journey. There is no immediate magical solution to their problems. Yet, I sentence structures – using
different word classes to begin
believe that if teenagers just make a little effort every day to improve their a sentence, different sentence
lengths as well as rhetori-
lifestyles, they can help shed the image that teenagers these days are just cal questions (examples are
soda-guzzling, chip-munching couch potatoes. in green). The rule of three is
used to effectively convey the
writer’s ideas (in orange).

Model Me >
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organisation, language and style? It could be of any genre, and on any topic of your choice. If you think you fit the bill,
you stand a good chance of getting your essay published in this magazine, under ‘Model Me’! Just make sure your essay is original
and unpublished and is between 400 to 600 words. Note that only those selected essays will be published and paid for. 49
All contributions, if selected, will be used as deemed appropriate by the Editor. Send all your submissions to editor@ilovereading.sg.
PICTURE IT
Serosun Farms is a sustainable community that blends peaceful, pastoral living with modern convenience.
Centered around a working farm, it is a progressive rural oasis that provides refuge from the city without sacrificing
its comforts. Residents will enjoy hundreds of acres of open space with restored prairie and woodlands while
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A Sustainable Rural Community Near Chicago

Serosun is a truly unique community that celebrates the land. It provides a peaceful haven for
everyone from young families to seniors. Enjoy your country retreat with friends and family. Get
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at a more relaxed pace. Enjoy flavorful food like you’ve never tasted before. Feel like you are a
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The Perfect Pastoral Lifestyle

Serosun is a truly unique community that celebrates the land. It provides
a peaceful haven for everyone from young families to seniors. Enjoy your
country retreat with friends and family. Get close to nature with our miles
of trails though woodlands, prairie and wetlands. Experience life at a more
relaxed pace. Enjoy flavorful food like you’ve never tasted before. Feel like
you are a million miles away from the concrete jungle but still within an easy
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Healthy Living
Serosun’s vision creates a community that combines sustainable and
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an environment that encourages outdoor activity and healthy eating.
Fresh air, clean living and good food combine to invigorate the soul.

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Image modified from http://www.serosunliving.com

50 iThink
 HELLOGRAMMA R

What is the difference between a

refugee, an asylum seeker and a

migrant/immigrant?
Other Information
•Their situation in their home country is
so dangerous that they cross national
borders to seek safety in nearby

Refugee countries and become recognised as

refugees with access to assistance from

ASYLUM Refugees are people

states and aid organisations.
•Refugees are protected by international

Seeker
•An asylum seeker is
fleeing armed conflicts
or persecution
law, specif ically the 1951 Refugee
Convention.

someone who claims to

be a refugee but whose
claim has not been Other Information
evaluated.
•This person would have
•Not every asylum
seeker will be Migrant/ Other Information
Immigrant
applied for asylum on the recognised as a
grounds that returning to refugee, but every •Unlike refugees who
his or her country would refugee is initially •Migrants or immigrants cannot safely return
lead to persecution on an asylum seeker. choose to move not home, migrants/
account of race, religion, because of a direct immigrants can return
nationality or political threat or persecution home whenever they
but mainly to improve
beliefs. wish to do so.
their lives.
•They often move to
find work, seek better
Why does the difference matter? education or to reunite
with their families.
This distinction is important for governments,
since countries handle migrants under their
own immigration laws and processes, and
refugees are protected by the international law,
specifically the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Emigrate
To leave your own country
to go and live in another
country permanently
Migrate
To move from one place to another
to go and live and/or work Immigrate
To live permanently in
Other Information
another country after leaving
This term can be used to reflect
movements within a country, eg, moving your own country
from the rural area to the urban area or
moving to another country

Why does the difference matter?

The choice between emigrate and migrate/immigrate depends on the point of view of
the sentence. If used incorrectly, it would leave the reader or listener confused. 51
 ISSUE 23

Name: Class: Date:

I) HEY LISTEN

Tips for Listening: Part 3

1. Read the six options first before listening to the recording.

2. Take careful note of what each option consists of.
3. Some inference on your part may be necessary. Therefore, you should listen carefully
to the recording, paying extra attention to how certain answers may have to be inferred.
4. As you listen, jot down the main ideas and details.

Listening Comprehension Activity [4 marks]

You will hear a woman talking about her experience in the country she has migrated to.

For this question, choose from the list (A–F) four pieces of information about her experience,
which are stated or implied in the recording. Put a tick (√) for each piece of information.
No marks will be awarded if you tick more than four pieces of information.
You will hear the recording twice.
Stated/Implied in the text

A She was elated when she was accepted into the Norwegian university.

B Drinking steaming soup while watching the Northern Lights is a must.

C Despite the daunting cost of living there, the feeling of security made up for it.

D It was an advantage to speak Norwegian when job hunting.

E Visiting cafes is one way of improving one’s oral proficiency in Norwegian.

F She missed the warm climate of her native country.

II) SPEAK UP

(A) Reading
Reading Tips: Improving Fluency by Slowing Down

As you read your text, bear in mind that reading fluently may not necessarily mean that you need to read fast. In fact, when
you read too fast, you may stumble over your words, making you sound nervous and indecisive.

When you speak a little slowly, you will be able to breathe properly and think about what you want to say next. This will
make you feel more relaxed and in turn, enable you to concentrate on honing your English pronunciation.

Remember this: The reading section is where you can easily score high marks through achieving fluency and articulation.

Reading Activity
Refer to the article, ‘Winning with Diversity’ on page 38, and listen to the recording. Take note of how fluency of
reading is achieved.

Now, read the article on your own, and obtain feedback on your reading from your peers.

(B) Spoken Interaction

Tips for Spoken Interaction
Think carefully about the context for each question that you are asked by your examiner. This is essential as you
need to relate your discussion to the real world, and make your responses relevant and worthwhile in adding value
to the discussion with your examiner.

52
 WORKOUT
Spoken Interaction Activity

Refer to the video stimulus on page 39.

1. Why do you think this video was taken?
2. If you had to eat food from another culture, which would you choose and why?
3. Do you think visiting other countries helps us to understand the people who live there? Why, or why not?

III) PICTURE IT

Comprehension Text 1
Visual Stimulus : Identifying Purpose

Identifying the purpose or aim of a visual text can sometimes be a trying experience for students. The trick lies in how
students are able to effectively put themselves in the role of an audience who is reading this visual text, rather than merely
treating this section as part of a test paper to be completed.

By their very nature, visual texts are meant to capture the attention of their audience through the persuasive elements
present within the entirety of the text, and one of the ways is through the presentation of the central message in an
unambiguous and vivid manner. Students who recognise this will be able to display their understanding of the aims
of different visual texts, whether they are advertisements or webpages, for example.

Primarily, visual texts serve the purpose of informing their readers. They may also be meant to instruct, explain
or describe. Finally, visual texts are frequently used to persuade their audience to agree with a particular belief or
opinion or to act in a particular way.

To determine the purpose of a visual text, readers should ask themselves the following series of questions:

1. How do the facts substantiate the central message?

2. Does the visual text provide a series of steps to accomplish a specific task?
3. Does the text explain how something works?
4. Does the text offer sensory details that allow the audience to form mental pictures,
that would make it easier for them to understand the purpose of the text?
5. Does the text attempt to influence the audience’s opinion about something or persuade
the audience to act in a particular way?

Comprehension Activity [5 marks]

Refer to the webpage, ‘Serosun Farms’ on page 50. Tips

1. The webpage begins with the heading A Sustainable Rural Community Qn1: This question requires students
Near Chicago. What effect is the description A Sustainable Rural to closely examine the webpage, to get
Community intended to have on the target audience? [1] a sense of its overarching message,
before examining the target audience
profile or demographic. Students should
2. From the section Healthy Living, state the two main activities that Serosun then consider how the audience would
wants its surroundings to promote in its inhabitants. [2] be affected, and the response or action
on their part.

(i)

Qn3: This question requires students

(ii) to closely examine the photograph, and
what has been carefully selected by
the photographer for inclusion, so as
3. Look at the photograph next to the section, Luxury Homes. With reference to appeal to potential customers. The
to the text in this section, what does the photograph tell us about the type idea of space and composition must be
of home people can expect to live in? [1] understood.

Qn4: The primary purpose can

4. Which sentence summarises the main aim of the webpage, to appeal usually be discerned from the
directly to the target audience? [1] statements embedded within the
webpage. Answering this question
requires students to be fully aware
of the purpose of the product.

53
 ISSUE 23

IV) FOLLOW ME [1]

Fiction Comprehension : The Flowchart Question
There are usually two types of flowchart questions tested in the GCE ‘O’ Levels. One type requires students to trace
the stages in the narrative, and the other type requires students to identify a central character’s feelings.

Let us take a closer look at the first type, in these notes.

For the first type, which requires students to follow the stages of a short narrative extract, students must be equipped
with the foundational understanding of the structure of narrative texts, and how the text is developed into a coherent
narrative prose text. Sentences will flow together to form paragraphs, and paragraphs will flow one to the next, and
all these as a whole would constitute the narrative text. The purpose of a narrative text is to entertain the reader or
present a story. Narrative texts will often use a text structure that includes a beginning, a middle and an end of a
story, which can be about an incident, an event or a happening. Do take note that the narrative text features listed
above may or may not be present in all narrative text passages that you come across.

More importantly, students must understand how to identify the main focus of the paragraph(s), such as by taking the
text as a whole and seeing where the paragraphs fit in the story (instead of seeing them as discrete components).

One way is for the students to work their way through the language features. Identify keywords which could provide
clues as to the underlying theme of the narrative extract. Do take note, however, that just seeing the same words in
the paragraph as in given phrases from the question wording does not necessarily mean that is the answer. Students
must be sensitised to understand that this could be misleading sometimes.

How can we work with the content of the narrative extract as a whole, and of paragraphs in particular, in order to
enable us to be more accurate in our answers?

Here are some questions we can ask ourselves:

1. Have I read through the required paragraphs carefully?

2. Have I paid close attention to the helping words / responses given in the box of responses accompanying the
question?
3. How do I determine or ascertain the most appropriate response that fits each of the required paragraphs?
4. Have I checked that the flow of the narrative is logical, and makes sense in a consistent manner to confirm
that I did not consider a possible answer?
5. Have I checked the helping words or phrases that I have not used, to confirm that I have not missed any of
these out from consideration as answers, such as due to blindspots I may have?

Reading Comprehension Activity: Fiction Text [20 marks]

Refer to the article, ‘The Refugee Boy’ on pages 31-33 to answer the questions below.
1. At the beginning of this text there is a description of how the sea affected the
Rohingya boy. Explain how the language used in paragraph 1 emphasises Tips
the interaction between the boy and the sea. [3]
Qn1: This question tests Language Use
Support your ideas with three details from paragraph 1. and Inference. Specific details must be
extracted and quoted, followed by a
[Language Use and Inference] succinct explanation of how the language
in each quote can be used to infer the
2. In paragraph 1, the writer refers to the ship as having ‘menacing’ (line 12) boy’s state of mind, with respect to his
creaks. Identify two separate words used later in this paragraph which experience at sea.
describe the ship in such a grim way. [1]

(i)

(ii)

[Vocabulary]
3. ‘…his mother had shouted anxiously before a swarm of panic-stricken
people engulfed them and broke their interlocking fingers apart.’(lines 16-
19)
(i) What effect does the writer create by using the word ‘before’? [1]
[Language Use]
(ii) The writer tells us that they were ‘engulfed’ before their fingers ‘broke…
apart’. Explain in your own words what was happening. [1]
[Literal]
54
 WORKOUT
4. (a) The Rohingya boy ‘found his pint-sized body being crammed into a foetal
position’ (lines 19-20). Which two things did the boy do to attempt to relieve
his discomfort? [2]

(i)

(ii)

[Literal]
(b) In paragraph 2, the writer tells us that the boy was unable to stop the
‘stench that was pervading the stale air from invading his nostrils’ (lines 26-27).
What does the word ‘invading’ suggest? [1]

[Language Use]
5. In paragraph 3, what was unusual about the boy feeling like ‘a seedling trying Qn5: Contextual inference of how the
to burrow its way out of the soil’? (lines 30-31)? [1] simile is an unconventional way of
depicting the boy’s situation in paragraph
3.
[Inference]
6. (a) In paragraph 4, the boy found that time ‘had just become irrelevant’ (line 44).
What two things was he going through to give rise to this insight?
[2]

(i)

(ii)

[Literal]
Qn6b: Inferred prediction of the boy’s
(b) What did he hope would happen by ‘making his way to the upper deck’ actions and motivations.
(lines 39-40)? [1]

[Inference]
7. From paragraphs 5 and 6, give two reasons why the boy’s escape from death
and destruction in his village may not have necessarily made him better off.
[2]

(i)

(ii)

[Inference]
8. In paragraph 9, what would the ‘one last sprint to the finish line’ (line 90)
achieve? [1]

[Inference]
Qn9: Consider the context of the boy’s
9. The structure of the text reflects the main stages in the boy’s experience at sea. situation as if you are experiencing each
Complete the flow chart by choosing one phrase from the box to summarise stage with him, and carefully choose
the events in each stage. There are some extra phrases in the box you do not from the box the most likely scenario of
need to use. [4] how the boy’s feelings would be like at
Stages in the boy’s experience each stage. Read through the relevant
paragraphs in order to get some clues to
the answer.
endangered by the elements game over

an unexpected surprise consistency is the key

calling it a truce starving and almost delirious

difficulty in falling asleep 55

 ISSUE 23

Flow Chart

Paragraph 1 (i)

Paragraph 2 being in cramped quarters

Paragraph 3 relief from claustrophobia

Paragraph 4 (ii)

Paragraphs 5-6 (iii)

Paragraphs 8-9 eluding capture

Paragraph 10 (iv)

Reading Comprehension Activity: Non-Fiction Text [25 marks]

Refer to the article, ‘Why People Migrate: A Quick Look Through History’ on pages 34-36, and answer the
questions below.

1. (a) In the first sentence, the writer uses the phrase ‘Alarm bells rang across Tips
Southeast Asia’. What is the writer’s attitude towards the happenings in
Myanmar a few years ago? [1] Qn1: Infer the attitude of the writer / the
writer’s intention through close-reading of
[Inference] the context of the happenings.
(b) Which word in the next sentence reinforces this attitude? [1]

[Literal]
2. (a) From lines 8-10, what attribute do you think was needed for the people Qn2a: Infer the attribute through close
to take such drastic measures? [1] reading of the description of people’s
actions.
[Inference]
(b) What types of reasons do you think Singaporean and Malaysian citizens
would use to justify complaints of having “too many foreigners” (line 8)? [2]

Context Reasons
(i) Singapore and
Malaysia are relatively
prosperous.

(ii) Singapore and

Malaysia are nearby
countries.

3. Explain in your own words why comedian Trevor Noah joked, in paragraph Qn3: What is Trevor Noah’s attitude and
6, that Africa had won the World Cup when France triumphed in 2018. [1] belief with regard to racial heritage?
[Inference]
56
 WORKOUT
4. In paragraph 7, why does the writer refer to the persecution of the Windrush
generation as a ‘scandal’? [1]

[Literal]
5. Here is part of a conversation between two students, Annabelle and Alex,
who have read this article.

When people
go overseas to I disagree.
settle in a new They are actually
land, they are worse off in their
better off in their new country.
new country.

Annabelle Alex

i. From paragraphs 8 and 9, give two pieces of evidence that Annabelle
can use to support her stand. [2]

ii. From paragraph 8, why does Alex think otherwise? [1]

[Literal]
6. Using your own words as far as possible, summarise the reasons why
people migrated to other countries, from the 17th to the 20th century. [15]
Use only the information from paragraphs 2 to 5.

Your summary must be in continuous writing (not note form). It must not
be longer than 80 words (not counting the words given to help you begin).

With the onset of early globalisation by way of colonialism, …

V) LANGUAGE EDITING
Carefully read a modified excerpt of the speech of 2012’s Baccalaureate speaker at the University of Pennsylvania,
Nipun Mehta, consisting of 12 lines. The first and last lines are correct. For eight of the lines, there is one grammatical
error in each line. There are two more lines with no errors.
If there is NO error in a line, put a tick in the space provided.
If the line is incorrect, circle the incorrect word and write the correct word in the space provided.
The correct word you provide must not change the original meaning of the sentence.
Examples:

I arrived to my destination at 2pm. at

My mother always wears sensible clothes. 

57
 ISSUE 23

Walking, in our high-speed world, has unfortunately fallen out of

favour. The word ‘pedestrian’ itself is use to describe something ordinary 1

and commonplace. Yet, walk with intention has deep roots. Australia’s 2

aboriginal youths go with walkabouts as a rite of passage; Native American 3

tribes conduct vision quests in the wilderness; in Europe, of centuries, 4

people have walked the Camino de Santiago, which spans the breadth of 5

Spain. Such pilgrims place one foot firmly in front of the other, to fall on 6

step with the rhythms of the universe and the cadence of their own 7

hearts. In 2005, six months of our marriage, my wife and I decided to go 8

on a walk pilgrimage. We wondered if we had the capacity to put away our 9

world success and seek higher truths. Thus, we sold all our major 10

belongings, and bought a one-way ticket to India.

(modified from ‘Daily Good’, Nipun Mehta)

VI) WRITEUP

A) EXPOSITORY ESSAY

Refer to the article, ‘How Does Emigration Affect the Home Country?’ on pages 18-21. It is an expository essay.

Structure: Organising the Positive and Negative Aspects in the Expository Essay

The phrasing of the question, ‘How does emigration affect the home country?’, indicates that the writer is expected
to present both positions of the issue. In this case, the writer can opt to lean more towards any one side or to sit on
the fence instead as his/her position.

It is important to first identify the perspectives of the different countries that are affected by emigration. The perspective
of a developed country towards emigration would differ from that of a developing country. The speed at which a
country is developing would also affect its perspective towards emigration. The writer will have to consider these
factors in the process of establishing his/her position on the issue.

How does the writer present the positive and negative aspects in this essay?

1. Introduction

The writer highlights the perspective of emerging economies in the introduction and also identifies the factors that
will affect the perspective of a country towards emigration.

While policy makers, especially those from emerging countries, focus on the problems when their bright and erudite
people leave, to assess the impact of emigration on the home country, one has to consider multiple factors, such as
the stage of economic growth the home country is at, who leaves, how many leave and the period they are away.

2. Body

• Para 2: The writer focuses on small and developing countries here to show how they are affected negatively by
emigration.

…the home country may experience a brain drain if these individuals do not return…losing elite workers by droves
when there are not many to begin with can be frightening

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 WORKOUT
• The writer devotes paragraphs 3-5 to show how emigration can benefit the home country. Note how more
paragraphs are dedicated to explain the benefits than elaborate on the negative aspects of emigration. This
uneven spread clearly highlights the writer’s stand, as is clearly stated in the conclusion.

Para 3:
…emigration can also bring about brain gain…can often motivate individuals from poorer nations to work towards
their dream of studying or working abroad….Brain gain is also possible when emigrants return home with new
knowledge, skills and ideas.

Para 4:
…workers..often send remittances home….these funds can provide for a better education for children and improve
the lives of their family members in the home country…

Para 5:
Emigrants can fly the brand name of their home country when working overseas...

3. Conclusion
The writer highlights that the impact of emigration varies from country to country. Despite this, the writer holds the
position that emigration may not be entirely negative.

For developed countries, the negative impact of emigration has become negligible as the home country also receives
talent from other countries. It is imperative that the home country builds trust and strong connections with her people
who are staying abroad, in order to benefit from their experiences and connections. On the other hand, some
developing nations are beginning to gain from brain drain with their people returning with new skills, nifty ideas and
international contacts to contribute to their home countries.

Language: Signposting

Signposting expressions gives readers a clear indication of the writer’s moves. Examples include: while, furthermore,
yet, even if, on the other hand
Note the examples from the expository essay here:

• Furthermore, with workers of low skills and capabilities left behind, industries in these countries will not be able
to compete in the global economy.

• This will only result in a lacklustre economy where the lack of human resources in these places makes it less
attractive for other countries to invest, stymieing long-term economic development.

• Yet, not all is gloom and doom. It is believed that emigration can also bring about brain gain.

• Moreover, workers who leave their countries for better opportunities often send remittances home.

• On the other hand, some developing nations are beginning to gain from brain drain with their people returning
with new skills, nifty ideas and international contacts to contribute to their home countries.

B) ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Refer to the two articles on pages 6-9 and 10-13.

Both are argumentative essays, based on the question, ‘Do developed countries have a responsibility to welcome
refugees?’ One essay agrees with the question while the other disagrees.

Content: Rebuttal

One of the unique features of an argumentative essay is the presence of a rebuttal. This is probably the most
complex paragraph type to write. It has to include two opposing arguments regarding the same point. Very often,
they are addressed in the same paragraph, where one argument is challenged and dissolved in favour of the
overall stand.

How to Identify a Good Point for Rebuttal?

1. Identify a possible opposing argument that appeals to logic (logos), emotions (pathos) or morality (ethos).

2. Address the opposing argument by challenging it with clear reasoning, using either logic (logos), emotions
(pathos) or morality (ethos).
59
 ISSUE 23

Let us take a look at part of the rebuttal paragraph in the argumentative essay here:

In the essay on Agree, the writer identifies the opposing argument that appeals to logic (logos) - welcoming the
refugees will put a strain on resources:

However, naysayers argue that opening the doors to refugees may bring with it several challenges for the developed
country. Refugees will utilise resources such as housing, food and money, hence reducing the availability of these
resources for the citizens. This resource constraint affects the citizens as well and thus, may result in developed
countries showing resistance in welcoming refugees, citing that they have a responsibility towards their own citizens
first.

The writer then challenges the opposing argument through clear and logical reasoning (logos) about how the
refugees can positively contribute to the developed countries:

Despite these issues, it is worthy to note that the economic benefits developed countries may reap through harnessing
the potential the refugees bring with them to the workforce far surpass the negative consequences arising from the
resources utilised by the refugees. Refugees, for instance, may fill labour shortages in certain areas where locals are
not skilled at or not willing to commit to, such as providing care for the aged or cleaning services.

In the essay on Disagree, the writer identifies the opposing argument that appeals to one’s morality (ethos):

Some people argue that developed countries should welcome refugees as those who are more fortunate have a
moral obligation to extend a helping hand to the less fortunate.

The writer then challenges this opposing argument with clear and logical reasoning (logos) about how welcoming
refugees is not an effective solution:

While it is true that a basic sense of humanity dictates that the more successful developed countries should render
aid to fellow human beings who are in urgent need of help, welcoming refugees to their countries is not the most
effective mode of help.

Using Evaluative Language

Evaluative language can be negative or positive. It expresses feelings, opinions and judgements about people
and situations.

Type of Evaluative Language Evaluative Language in the essays

From ‘Agree’ essay:

It is a known and undisputed fact…

Agree with an opinion Other useful phrases:

Similarly
In the same manner
Likewise

From ‘Agree’ essay:

Despite these issues, it is worthy to note that…
Without a doubt…
However, naysayers argue that…

Disagree:
Express disagreement
Hence, while developed countries do have a
while acknowledging
moral obligation…
someone’s opinion
While it is true…
Even if they should survive the journey…

Other useful phrases:

Admittedly, A…but B…
Undeniably, A…but B…
It goes without saying that A…but B…

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 WORKOUT
C) DESCRIPTIVE
Refer to the article, ‘The Beauty of Syria (That Once Was)’ on pages 14-17.

This is a descriptive essay on the question, ‘Describe a country or place that was once considered beautiful.’

Content: Describing A Place

When describing a place, it is useful to start with the most important places and the general rule of thumb is to
start with a big idea and zoom in on the details.

In this case, the question requires a description of a country, so the essay can be organised according to categories
such as culture, traditions, food, architecture, lifestyle, and/or people in the country.

Let us look at how the writer describes Syria in this essay:

Organising the descriptions From the essay

Para 2: Although Damascus is the official capital

of Syria, Aleppo is known as the cultural capital
of the region.

Culture Big idea on culture : Cultural capital

Zoom in on details :
1. a fortified citadel
2. majestic Carlton Hotel
3. Al-Madina Souq marketplace

Para 3: In the streets, one used to be able to choose

from the innumerable cafes and restaurants
which adorn the city, providing a shelter from the
harsh elements during the day.
Place
Food
descriptions in Big idea about food: Middle Eastern Cuisine
categories Zoom in on details:
1. Kibbeh
2. Sweetened beverages at tea houses and
coffee shops

Para 4: With a closer look at the general

architecture, one could see that a key feature of
traditional houses commonly found there was the
courtyard, an ornate open space often decorated
with flowering bushes and water fountains.
Architecture
Big idea on architecture: Prominent landmarks
Zoom in on details:
1. baroque mosques
2. traditional houses/courtyards

Language: Five Senses

Effective descriptive writing appeals to the five senses (sight, smell, taste, sound, touch) to help readers
experience the realism of the place, people or object being described.

Here are some examples of description using the five senses in the essay. See if you can find more!

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 ISSUE 23

Senses From the essay…

Sight Para 2: Before the civil war, this part of town
was a bustling hub of activity from dawn till
What do you see? You can include colours or dusk, with the branching spider web of streets
patterns of materials, surrounding areas, etc. converging on this central boulevard.

Other examples from the essay:

Smell Para 3: One’s appetite would be whetted by

the many different aromas wafting from the
What can you smell while doing a task? various food places.

Other examples from the essay:

Taste Para 3: A popular dish is kibbeh, made with a

fried ball of bulgur wheat stuffed with spices
Is there anything you can taste that is and minced lamb, an explosion of sweet and
associated with the task? savoury in one neat little package.

Other examples from the essay:

Sound Para 4: Amidst the din of the city, one would

What do you hear? What noise is made? What
sounds are in the background? Are there
words, phrases, voices, or music? Describe
them.
be able to discern the faint chants of prayers
emanating from these places of worship.
Other examples from the essay:

Touch Para 2: ...vibrant beaded necklaces,

What do you feel? This can be a physical
sense such as temperature (hot, cold), texture
(smooth, slippery, rough, grooved), material
(wood, cloth, paper, metal), etc.
gleaming bejewelled plates cut with the
finest gemstones, and intricate carpentry
carved with iridescent mother-of-pearl.

D) PERSONAL RECOUNT
Refer to the article, ‘Champs-Élysées or Shams-Elysees?’ on pages 28-30.
It is a personal recount essay on the question, ‘Write about the one-day experience of a Syrian living in a refugee
camp’.

Perspective Taking

A personal recount is retelling an experience through the lens of someone personally involved in it. We might not
have experienced the given situation but as the writer, we will have to put ourselves in the shoes of the protagonist to
understand the surroundings, situation and the character of other people in the recount.

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 WORKOUT
Let us analyse the essay here.

In this recount, we put ourselves in the shoes of a Syrian girl to understand her surroundings, situation and her
family, namely, her mother and brother, Basheer, and even her father. Through the details given, we are able to get
a hint about what life is like in the refugee camp.

1. Understanding the situation through the eyes of a Syrian girl

The living conditions are not ideal as the people in the camp are deprived of basic necessities such as proper
accommodation and sinks to wash the dishes as seen in extracts (a) and (b) below. Despite this, she sees something
positive out of the gloom as in (c).

From the essay:

a. The roof of our little caravan had been breached here and there but it was nothing our buckets, jars and bowls
could not catch.

b. Whatever a ‘sink’ might be, having to do the dishes right now was such a chore. Even if you managed to get all
the grease off, you still ended up with sand on the plates. To make things worse, the sandy ground would still
be damp from the previous night’s rain.

c. The water was not quite clean enough to drink but would make a refreshing rinse. In fact, I rather looked
forward to having a bath without having to wait in line first.

2. Understanding people/habits through the eyes of a Syrian girl

We gather from the way Basheer behaves as seen in (a) and (b), and the mother’s response in (c), that the person
in the family who brings home the bread will be served first and has the most authority.

From the essay:

a. Ever since he had started work at the barber stall at the Shams-Elysees, he had been acting as if he were the
boss of us all.

b. Ever since Basheer had started work, he had been exempt from dish-washing duty.

c. Mama’s indulgent attitude was no help either. She arbitrated every conflict between Basheer and me with
either “there there, show some respect to your big brother” or “he’s the man of the house now, let him be”.

3. Understanding the surroundings through the eyes of a Syrian girl

Despite the bleak situation, the girl has something to look forward to at Shams-Elysees. The fact that it will cheer her
up tells us that it holds an attraction for people in the refugee camp.

From the essay:

To cheer me up even more, she promised to take me shopping at the Shams-Elysees later!

Language: Using dialogue

The writer uses dialogue effectively to help us imagine the situation in the refugee camp as well as the feelings of the
characters. Look at the contrast given below to show how a dialogue can enhance your story.

Without Dialogue With Dialogue

Basheer only sneered in response, “What do you

Basheer sneered at me for being silly and
know, you silly brat? All you know is the inside of
not knowing the world beyond the camp.
this camp….”

‘Some day, we will go shopping at the Champs-

Mama whispered that some day we would
Élysées,’ Mama whispered, almost to herself.
go shopping at Champs-Élysées. I quickly
reminded her of her promise to take me to
‘But aren’t we going to the Shams-Elysees right
Shams-Elysees.
after dishes today? You promised!’ I queried.

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 ISSUE 23

E) HYBRID
Refer to the article, ‘Lending a Hand to Migrants’ on pages 23-27.

It is a hybrid essay (expository-personal recount) on the question, ‘What are the challenges faced by immigrants?
Write about how you and/or your family have helped an immigrant in your country.’

Content: How to combine features of expository and personal recount in the body?

The essay here is a mix of two genres: expository and personal recount. The writer addresses the question about
the challenges faced by immigrants factually at the start of paragraphs 2, 3 and 4.

Personal examples are then used to support and elaborate each fact that is made at the start of the paragraph.
Finally, personal evaluations are given towards the end of each paragraph.

Let us analyse the introduction:

The writer addresses the expository aspect of the question without bringing in the personal recount.

Let us analyse paragraph 2 of the body:

Cultural practices which differ from the social norms that one is used
Point that addresses the
to can certainly cause some confusion and can undeniably result in challenges
embarrassment. I still remember the day when my new neighbours visited
us for the first time. My dad had struck a conversation with their family in
the lift the week before. After realising that they had just moved from Spain,
he invited them over for a meal. When they came in, my grandma gasped
as she pointed to their feet. They had worn their shoes into our house!
Supports the point with
Their cheeks turned beetroot red as they looked around uncomfortably. I personal examples
quickly explained to them that in Singapore, and most Asian societies, it is
customary to remove shoes before entering the house, as a sign of respect.
Thankfully, Grandma burst out laughing while showing them our shoe rack,
and that was the beginning of an evening full of cultural exchanges as
we shared with them the cultural etiquette of Singaporeans. The Garcias
were not only intrigued but grateful to have a crash course on the social
Supports the point with
norms of Singapore society. Certainly, the least we can do to those new to personal evaluation
Singapore is to share and help them.

Let us analyse the conclusion:

The writer uses the personal recount example as a key hinge to conclude the essay, making the point that it is
possible to help migrants overcome the challenges that they face:

As Mahatma Gandhi aptly put it, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Ultimately, I believe that big
changes start with the little things. My family and I merely took a little more time, a little more effort, but I believe it
made a big difference to the lives of our neighbours. It has been five years now and every last Sunday of the month,
we never fail to go over to the Garcia’s apartment to have some homemade paella, the traditional Spanish fried rice.

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 WORKOUT
Language: Offer Suggestions

Using language to convey a suggestion is a skill that is required especially in a hybrid essay where some personal
evaluation has to be made in order to make connections between the expository aspect of the essay and personal
recount.

Let us look at how the writer offers suggestions in response to the exposition after each recount of her story.

Words and phrases in the essay to

Other possible words and phrases
indicate that suggestions are offered

• modal verbs such as ‘can’ and ‘may’

• it is important to note
• connectors such as ‘certainly’ and ‘indeed’ and
• it is imperative that
‘ultimately’
• there is a need to
• collective pronouns such as ‘we’, ‘our’ and ‘us’
• other modal verbs such as ‘must’ and ‘should’
• phrases that express the writer’s opinion such as
‘I believe’

F) ESSAY QUESTION [30 marks]

You are advised to write between 350 and 500 words on one of the following topics.

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a foreign land?

2. Foreign talent does more harm than good to one’s country. Do you agree?

3. Write about an occasion when you were given a new challenge. Explain how you overcame your fear of
uncertainty.

4. Describe some things in your country that you value most. Why would you miss them if you have to live in
another country?

VII) REACH OUT

A) SITUATIONAL WRITING TEXT

On pages 40-41, you will find a visual stimulus and an informal email based on this stimulus.

1. Analyse the Question

Before planning your response, identify the Purpose, Audience, writer’s Role and the Context of this proposal. In
some cases, where the information given is incomplete, you may have to define it yourself.

P A R C
PURPOSE AUDIENCE WRITER’S ROLE CONTEXT
Reason for the Who the proposal The person writing the time/place/situation
proposal is addressed to proposal

To convince the Principal who Chairperson of a class As part of the school’s

principal on the wants to know how ‘Going International’
feasibility of a the programme programme, the
programme to host can entertain and school is going to
some foreign students welcome the foreign host twenty Canadian
students students for five days

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 ISSUE 23

1. Using an Appropriate Tone

Ensure that your tone is formal and polite as this is a proposal that is addressed to your principal.

Bear in mind that you should also adopt a convincing and enthusiastic tone to assure your principal that the
programme you select will engage the students.

Note how the writer adopts an appropriate tone in the letter:

Tone From the proposal…

• I would like to thank you on behalf of my classmates

Formal/polite • Thank you once again for putting your trust in us in ensuring that
the Canadian students are well taken care of.

• My classmates and I are confident that we can engage our foreign

friends well.

• We are warm and friendly, and we will certainly enjoy meeting and
getting to know our Canadian guests.

• I would like to assure you that the Canadian students will not be lost
or feel lonely as my classmates and I will guide them adequately to
make sure they feel comfortable in their new surroundings.
Convincing/assuring
• I believe strongly that this buddy programme is one of the most
effective and personalised ways for the Canadian students to get a
taste of a typical Singapore experience. As for our students, being a
buddy will undoubtedly expose them to another culture, and provide
them with a sense of fulfilment from helping their counterparts to
enrich their lives.

• we would like to assure you that we will live up to your expectations

to be excellent hosts.

Enthusiastic We are keen to embark on this role

B) SITUATIONAL WRITING QUESTION

You are advised to write between 250 and 350 words for this section.
You should look at the printout of a poster on the next page, study the information carefully and plan your answer
before beginning to write.

In support of Global Recycling Day, the community club in your vicinity is organising an event to raise awareness
about recycling. It is calling for creative ideas to make recycling attractive and to convince people in your community
to be more involved in recycling. You decide to propose some ideas to the event organiser. In your proposal to the
event organiser, you should indicate:

• a slogan to attract people to the event

• which event will appeal to people
• two activities available during the event
• what participants will gain from the event

Write your proposal in clear accurate English and in a persuasive, enthusiastic tone to convince the event
organiser that your ideas would get more people interested and involved in recycling.
You may add any other details you think will be helpful. You should use your own words as much as possible.

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Support Global Recycling Day 2019!
In support of Global Recycling Day, Tengi Community Club is organising an event to raise awareness
about recycling in our community. Write to the committee in charge of this event, informing them
which one of the events listed below you would choose and why. The organising committee will adopt
the best suggestion!

SHOP AND SWAP PUBLIC CLEAN-UP PROJECT

Participants can bring their pre-loved items that are
still in good condition such as clothes, bags, books,
toys or anything at all! They can shop and bring
home what they fancy, while giving to others what
they don’t need.
Participants come together to clean the community.
They will collect and bring the rubbish to the
community club where discarded materials will be
used to form the word ‘Recycle’.

INTERACTIVE FUN DAY UPCYCLING CONTEST

Participants will come dressed in green to show Well-known artists and craftsmen will be invited to
their support for recycling. They will learn about create an artwork from only recyclable materials. A
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle through a series of series of workshops and talks will be conducted to
fun and interactive games. educate participants on upcycling projects.

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