Caterina Essays For CO” Level —— 2s Grandparents are the most important people in society. Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion. —_____ Title: Grandparents When a new committee is elected for an organisation, a wise organisation ensures that either the chairperson or the secretary of the retiring committee sits on the new committee. The reason for this is obvious: there needs to be continuity. When the new committee runs against a snag, the members form the old committee will usually be happy to share their experience. The case is similar with grandparents. They ensure that there is continuity in the family. They are the links to the past. They remember when life was simpler and can belt out advice based on experience rather than theory. Whereas, knowledge on all sorts of technology is available from books and consultants, such simple things like when to rush a woman to hospital for delivery is known only through experience. Grandparents are adept at this type of knowledge. Grandparents are the guardians of wisdom. What they are able to share with the younger generation - such as their grandchildren - is the wisdom of having been there and having done that and gained from it. In my own experience if was my grandfather who taught me that there was more to life than watching TY. | leamed that reading is a fascinating pastime from my grand- father. My father hardly reads at all. Also from my grandfather | learned to enjoy the classics. | also learned to love nature because the old man had the time and the patience to take me on long hikes and show me that trees were not just trees. If not for anything else, in Singapore at least, grandparents often act as parent SECTION C ; GENERAL WRITING 295 Brainstorm 2 In this essay it would bbe a good approach to talk both in the general contributions of the older generation and how our own grandpar- ents contribute to our lives. Of course there is enough material to write ether approach. Itwould be nice to have an essay in general but ilystrated with personal examples General Essays Scanned with CamScannerCratenging Essays ror C7” Level replacements. Most of our parents are ; earning a living to do anything else for us. Lucky indeed are individuals who grow up with at least one set of grandparents. Though | have often seen my parents treating my grandparents as if they were children to be taken care of, | have often seen my parents - especially in moments if stress - depending on them. The time my sister gave birth to her first offspring comes to mind, My sister was in pain; my mother panicked and called my grandmother - not the doctor. My father just clasped his hands and prayed. My grandparents arrived within minutes. | could see the relief on my parents’ faces. Immediately the old timers took over. My grandfather reassured my father that all would be well. My grandmother put her arms around my mother to assure her that she was there. Then she went to my sister and took her by the hand. Straight- away, my sister seems to sense that all would be well. My grandmother began to time the abdominal convul- sions. “The baby will be born by moming,” she an- nounced. Then my brother-in-law started his car. At the hospital waiting room, though we were all there, it was on my grandparents that everyone depended. Somehow we all felt that since they were there, all would be well. As predicted, my niece was born at 3:00 a.m. My grand- mother smiled smugly and hugged everyone. usually too busy In any organised society, the younger and more energetic ones may be the ones who get things done, but the elders hold the reins of power. This is true in so-called ‘primitive’ societies as well as in powerful countries with organised government. Many world lead- ers are grandparents or at least people who are older, This is an indication that wisdom - not knowledge alone - is required for effective leadership, (578 words) SECTION C : GENERAL WRITING a 296 ——__ Essay analysis The essay is about the older generation - rep. resented by grandpar. ents - the keepers of unwritten human wis- dom. It emphasises that theoretical knowi- edge alone is useless without the experience of having the knowl edge to use it. It stresses that grandpar- ents are indispensable as far as practical knowledge is con- cerned. General Essays Scanned with CamScanner