Sacrifice

The squatters in the village stood on rotting refuse and human neglect. John was extremely weary as he trudged back to the guest house. John had to take on three jobs a day and into the night to make ends meet. Emma, his daughter was his pride and joy of his life, the only remains he had from a marriage that was blissful but unfortunately short-lived. He and Emma were a family bonded by years of common suffering. However, recently, rumours had floated about, whisperings of John’s daughter, Emma was a witch in practice and it had reached a boiling point that the neighbours had felt that her presence was a disease in their lives!


Suddenly, John heard angry voices filling the air as they were raised in condemnation towards a certain girl, Emma! Turning a corner, he saw Emma, her thin frame discernible in the distance. Surrounding her was hostility erupting from their once amiable neighbours. Emma’s voice rang out above the din as anguished tears wracked her body, “I did not do it! I am not a witch and I did not curse any of you!”

However, the faces of their neighbours had a rawness smelt of menace. One of them swung his hand at Emma as if insanity had possessed him! John would never forget the sickening scream of pain that tore from Emma as he gaped at the drama that unfolded. In a rare show of decisiveness, John leapt into the air and threw himself between the crowd and her…

The wailing of the ambulance siren insistently penetrated her confused mind. The limp body of her father lay on the road. She looked at the blood still flowing from a deep gash on her father’s back. The crowd finally backed away but by then spasms of agony wracked John’s body and there was ubiquitous bleeding from his orifices.

She replayed the scene that was indelibly imprinted in her memory as she struggled with the guilt of having caused her father’s serious injuries. She recalled the horrific spectacle of her neighbours “tearing her father apart” as he tried to thwart the efforts of the people from reaching her. She then realized that it was his love for her that had driven him to sacrifice himself for her.

Word Count 380

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Writing Assignment

This task is to be typed out in word document and emailed to zulaihah.gwynne@gmail.com by Wednesday 9pm. Make sure you include your name in the email and attach the word document.

You are studying abroad and have just received a letter from your brother. Your parents have given him a sum of money, which will enable him to buy either a computer or a bicycle. Your brother is undecided as to which item to get and has written to you for advice. You give it some thought and quickly jot down the following details before you reply to him.

Computer:
1. Useful: do school projects with it, surf the Internet
2. May be used by the whole family
3. Play games

Bicycle:
1. Useful: can travel around with it
2. Bicycling a good form of exercise
3. Durable

You are to write a draft in response to your brother's reply. You are to write three paragraphs persuading him to choose the item of your choice. Give reasons to support your choice. Bear in mind to base your decision on the usefulness of the item and your brother’s personality. Cost is also a consideration.
The three paragraphs are to be written in clear, accurate English and an appropriate tone that will show your closeness with your brother is to be used.

Oral Component (Picture Description)

What do we need to focus on when we do Picture Description?

Look at the given picture:

Step 1: Look at the location or environment
Kindergarten, child care centre, community centre,
Always pick the one you can explain...
Evidence you need to give: Attire, physical surroundings...

Step 2: What are the people doing?
Unwrapping presents
Wrapping presents
Wrapping up prizes

Step 3: Look at the face
Pick the person who is the most outstanding but has to choose two of them...
The description is on the emotions and the thinking...
Pick the boy second from the left, he has a gaping mouth...

Step 4: Social Implications
Active Citizenship - to take care of the less fortunate in our society. Start young so that it becomes a habit when they grow up... Develop in them a sense of compassion for fellow people...

Here are some of the possible questions that will come up for Picture Discussion...
1. What is happening here?
2. What is he/she feeling?
3. What is he/she thinking?
4. What is going to happen next?

If you have any other points or queries, please leave a comment below...

Essay Writing Homework (Due 16th July 2010)

Write about 200 words on having an argument you had with someone that caused a friendship to be broken.

1. Focus on the ferocity of the argument...

2. Your feelings immediately after the argument...

3. The regret you felt after the argument...

Summary Writing 2009 (Own Words)

1. The Brain creates unsystematic visuals during our sleep…
2. And make us believe that they were actually happening
3. Dreams help the brain to keep
4. And strengthen the things we see or do in the day.
5. Dreaming clear data not longer required by our brain.
6 In ancient Eygpt, if there was an entire dream, it would mean the negative of the dream would take place.
7 Solitary visuals are explained through the direct link of the visuals.
8. Ancient Greeks think that there is a link between dreams and our health.
9 Dreams are studied carefully by a priest as a way to understand our sickness and to provide the cure.
10 Senoi People of Malaysia think that dreams can be used to encourage our emotional health.
11 Through self directed reaction to dreaming
12 And by facing up to them.
13 Sigmund Freud studies patient’s dreams
14 In hope of getting rid of their mental illness.
15 Some have the same dream which happening again and again
16 Due to some unforgettable happenings in their lives.
17 Sometimes, very important inventions were derived through the remembering of very realistic dreams.