I watched Sherlock Holmes 2 last Thursday, the day it hit the screen. I liked the movie, especially after I've watched the first one and realised the movie is exceedingly engaging, spellbinding and funny. The bond between Sherlock and Watson is what intrigued me the most. Good friends are hard to come by. The movie commences with a slow pace but then after that it takes on speed. As usual, Holmes tries to prevail on Watson to join his adventure, his attempt bungled initially and but he shanghaied Watson into it when he interrupts their journey to honeymoon to save their lives, and in the mean time he has Watson's wife sent away for safety. Watson, with great forbearance, and with subdued animosity that wouldn't last, helps him in a blue funk while trying to avoid trigger-happy goons during a mission to search for a guy. Moriarty is the main villain and one that is difficult to topple even with Holmes' intelligence. However, as expected, Holmes wins the fight, with a price though. I still love their friendship. So close. So caring. The sequel is not as funny as the first, but it contains more actions, adventure and intelligence war. Highly recommended. Watch it! Thursday, 29 December 2011
Watched a Movie
I watched Sherlock Holmes 2 last Thursday, the day it hit the screen. I liked the movie, especially after I've watched the first one and realised the movie is exceedingly engaging, spellbinding and funny. The bond between Sherlock and Watson is what intrigued me the most. Good friends are hard to come by. The movie commences with a slow pace but then after that it takes on speed. As usual, Holmes tries to prevail on Watson to join his adventure, his attempt bungled initially and but he shanghaied Watson into it when he interrupts their journey to honeymoon to save their lives, and in the mean time he has Watson's wife sent away for safety. Watson, with great forbearance, and with subdued animosity that wouldn't last, helps him in a blue funk while trying to avoid trigger-happy goons during a mission to search for a guy. Moriarty is the main villain and one that is difficult to topple even with Holmes' intelligence. However, as expected, Holmes wins the fight, with a price though. I still love their friendship. So close. So caring. The sequel is not as funny as the first, but it contains more actions, adventure and intelligence war. Highly recommended. Watch it! Tuesday, 27 December 2011
End - 2011
December 2011 is going to end, which also means 2011 is coming to an end, and we'll be entering a brand new year - 2012. The year where apocalypse will presumably happen.
I don't buy it though. No idea why - but this notion strikes me every time I see or hear anything pertaining to the year 2012. Perhaps I have been afraid of it, but I conceal it so good I don't even know I am afraid of it.
This is the power of rumour - you get scared even if you know it's phoney.
Anyway, SPM had just ended about 20 days ago but I have a feeling that it has ended for almost a year. Lols no joke! I have been slacking around, immersing myself in a virtual world where only storybooks rule, and I have binged on food so much I believe I have gained some weight.
Well, since I have ended my secondary school life, the real life begins next year - where I have to learn to work, study hard, and most importantly, be independent. We can't lean on someone else for our entire life. Sometimes, we just need to learn to be autonomous, as we can't always expect help from someone else.
I guess I have got to find a part time job soon. I can't always laze around, time will just hang heavy on my hand and I despise that. So, new year, new things. I'll embrace it with gallantry, and hope you guys do too.
I don't buy it though. No idea why - but this notion strikes me every time I see or hear anything pertaining to the year 2012. Perhaps I have been afraid of it, but I conceal it so good I don't even know I am afraid of it.
This is the power of rumour - you get scared even if you know it's phoney.
Anyway, SPM had just ended about 20 days ago but I have a feeling that it has ended for almost a year. Lols no joke! I have been slacking around, immersing myself in a virtual world where only storybooks rule, and I have binged on food so much I believe I have gained some weight.
Well, since I have ended my secondary school life, the real life begins next year - where I have to learn to work, study hard, and most importantly, be independent. We can't lean on someone else for our entire life. Sometimes, we just need to learn to be autonomous, as we can't always expect help from someone else.
I guess I have got to find a part time job soon. I can't always laze around, time will just hang heavy on my hand and I despise that. So, new year, new things. I'll embrace it with gallantry, and hope you guys do too.
Sunday, 25 December 2011
Merry Christmas!
Happy Christmas everyone!
Hope you enjoy your Christmas this year and I sincerely hope you have achieved what you long for, and hope you have gained what you yearn for, and I too earnestly hope you have a happy day!
Merry Christmas!!!!! Hohohoho!!!!
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Taiping Trip, Day 3
After exiting the Museum, we decided to walk our way to the train station. The journey was insanely long, but perhaps immensely fun. Initially I read the map wrong, and led my friends to the wrong route. My bad!
Walking along the road in a overcast day was quite fun, with the exception that we needed to avoid being splashed by water when cars drove by. The road was narrow, watery and a trifle uncomfortable to walk on. Thanks to Gin whose handphone was equipped with GPS system, we were secured from being lost in a city where we were unfamiliar with.
And credit is also given to the main road for being wide, straight and long. We just had to make sure we were walking on the main road and we would reach the train station as long as we kept track on it.
Half way, we saw KFC. Hungry, all of us went into the shop and dined. It looked funny though, went to Taiping but took KFC for dinner.
Then we continued our journey. Frankly there wasn't many things in Taiping to see. While walking along the stretch of road, what we saw were those ordinary shops that could be found everywhere. Looked like BM town, honestly.
We reached the train station safe and sound. Pretty early though. Our train was scheduled to depart on 7.20pm, but we reached the station around 6.00pm, and we had about an hour and 30 minutes to spare. We sat on the bench there playing mobile phones.
And here comes the anticlimax: that idiotic workers there dropped us a bombshell: all train services were cancelled!
We took a double take, had our mouth agape, and registered the cruel fact and remained thunderstruck. We were at lost for a moment for we had no transport to go back then. Trying to stay calm - but failed - we talked to the workers there and he said he could not do anything. Tickets would be refund.
We were figuring a way to escape from this predicament when Yiet Hean suddenly remembered he had a cousin living in Taiping. Painstakingly he managed to contact them and we sighed with relief for a moment. We hoped they could bring us to the bus station in Kamunting and then from there we board a bus and returned home.
And we did - thanks to Yiet Hean's cousin.
We reached the train station at 7pm and took the bus that departed at 7.10pm for fear we could not go back if we delayed. Thank goodness we managed to buy the ticket.
The rest seems unnecessary to talk about. Apparently, train station in Malaysia sucks. No wonder the service isn't extremely welcomed and sought after.
Walking along the road in a overcast day was quite fun, with the exception that we needed to avoid being splashed by water when cars drove by. The road was narrow, watery and a trifle uncomfortable to walk on. Thanks to Gin whose handphone was equipped with GPS system, we were secured from being lost in a city where we were unfamiliar with.
And credit is also given to the main road for being wide, straight and long. We just had to make sure we were walking on the main road and we would reach the train station as long as we kept track on it.
Half way, we saw KFC. Hungry, all of us went into the shop and dined. It looked funny though, went to Taiping but took KFC for dinner.
Then we continued our journey. Frankly there wasn't many things in Taiping to see. While walking along the stretch of road, what we saw were those ordinary shops that could be found everywhere. Looked like BM town, honestly.
We reached the train station safe and sound. Pretty early though. Our train was scheduled to depart on 7.20pm, but we reached the station around 6.00pm, and we had about an hour and 30 minutes to spare. We sat on the bench there playing mobile phones.
And here comes the anticlimax: that idiotic workers there dropped us a bombshell: all train services were cancelled!
We took a double take, had our mouth agape, and registered the cruel fact and remained thunderstruck. We were at lost for a moment for we had no transport to go back then. Trying to stay calm - but failed - we talked to the workers there and he said he could not do anything. Tickets would be refund.
We were figuring a way to escape from this predicament when Yiet Hean suddenly remembered he had a cousin living in Taiping. Painstakingly he managed to contact them and we sighed with relief for a moment. We hoped they could bring us to the bus station in Kamunting and then from there we board a bus and returned home.
And we did - thanks to Yiet Hean's cousin.
We reached the train station at 7pm and took the bus that departed at 7.10pm for fear we could not go back if we delayed. Thank goodness we managed to buy the ticket.
The rest seems unnecessary to talk about. Apparently, train station in Malaysia sucks. No wonder the service isn't extremely welcomed and sought after.
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Taiping Trip, Part 2
Then we had lunch in a hawker centre somewhere in Taiping (seems unnecessary to mention this). I took only popiah as I wasn't famished, but my friends took some noodles as they were pretty hungry and wolfed them down exceptionally fast.
Then the benevolent brought us to Museum, as requested. The torrential rain disrupted our plan because it made our transport exceptionally inconvenient. Anyway we visited the Museum around 2pm. The entrance was free of charge, and hence we spent our time there without restrictions or worries.
It wasn't really boring though. Some of the artifacts looked phoney and some looked deliberately altered, but since this museum was set up for the purpose of preserving historical facts and conserving historical knowledge, having bogus samples aren't a big thing to whine about. As long as the facts are true, samples don't matter. If you wanna look at historical monuments or any objects that are historical, go to Muzeum Negara.
As I mentioned before, the museum in Taiping was set up solely for preserving historical facts, therefore we weren't there to enjoy artifacts or monuments, we were there to read those cultures, animals or objects that are now extinct, nonexistent, or defunct. A lot of things there did not catch my attention as I wasn't a person who shows a liking towards history. But since the entrance was free and the air-conditioner was on, plus the fact that rain was bucketing down outside, we sat down in a bench inside the museum, slightly secluded, and talked for almost half an hour before we left the museum. We were smart right, for taking advantage of the museum. :)
Then the benevolent brought us to Museum, as requested. The torrential rain disrupted our plan because it made our transport exceptionally inconvenient. Anyway we visited the Museum around 2pm. The entrance was free of charge, and hence we spent our time there without restrictions or worries.
It wasn't really boring though. Some of the artifacts looked phoney and some looked deliberately altered, but since this museum was set up for the purpose of preserving historical facts and conserving historical knowledge, having bogus samples aren't a big thing to whine about. As long as the facts are true, samples don't matter. If you wanna look at historical monuments or any objects that are historical, go to Muzeum Negara.
As I mentioned before, the museum in Taiping was set up solely for preserving historical facts, therefore we weren't there to enjoy artifacts or monuments, we were there to read those cultures, animals or objects that are now extinct, nonexistent, or defunct. A lot of things there did not catch my attention as I wasn't a person who shows a liking towards history. But since the entrance was free and the air-conditioner was on, plus the fact that rain was bucketing down outside, we sat down in a bench inside the museum, slightly secluded, and talked for almost half an hour before we left the museum. We were smart right, for taking advantage of the museum. :)
Sunday, 11 December 2011
Taiping Trip, Part 1
My benevolent dad sent me and my friend, Jeff, to the train station, our pre-arranged rendezvous. There we caught up with another two of my friends, Gin and Yiet Hean. That was my very first time I was gonna board a train and I was kinda excited. I wore completely black: black attire, black jeans, which made me stood up among my friends cause they dressed rather casually.
The train was fine, better than I expected, and was smoother than I imagined. At least the journey wasn't bumpy or shaky. We sat on the first row, and all the other spaces on that carriage were occupied by some students from a kindergarten who, ironically, never watched Harry Potter before and seemed to be enjoying silent cartoons.
The entire journey took about an hour and twenty minutes, and once we arrived Taiping train station we alighted and moved to the main entrance, and that marked the genesis of our trip. We didn't record phone numbers for taxi in advance, and therefore we were lost for a moment until we managed to get a number from an Indian at the stall there. I made a duly move and dialed the number. Since the number wasn't a mobile one, I thought it was a taxi company. They said they would send a taxi with the number plate 4007, and so we waited patiently despite the heat. However, later, when a taxi came and waved towards us, I realised the number wasn't 4007 and was something else, so I thought...well....maybe the company sent another taxi to pick us up. How naive we were. The moment we boarded the taxi, my friends told me another taxi with the number plate 4007 came and watched us left with this taxi. I believed that Indian would sure go berserk and think he was fooled. =.=
Then the taxi driver brought us to Taiping Zoo, the sole tourist attraction in Taiping. The ticket cost us RM12 per person, not exorbitant, but ain't cheap either. Then we entered the zoo, saw all kinds of animals that were either sick, half-dying or devoid of animal characteristics. Taiping Zoo wasn't well taken care of, and the maintenance was really poor. Just look at the water for the animals and you could only see a patch of green algae or a pool of muddy colour water.
The price for any goods in the zoo was exorbitant. They did not sell any meals so I grabbed a bottle of extra sweet fruit juice (three bottles per day for a week is enough to cause diabetes), a bottle of mineral water and a packet of junk food to fill my stomach for I was hungry. Then we continued our journey. It was pretty fun seeing all those animals traipsing in the zoo, or lazing around, or just lied on the ground endeavoured to sleep but was constantly interrupted by tourists.
I had to admit: the visit was fun. Not because the zoo was entertaining or the animals were enlightening, they weren't be any entertaining when their supposed home was in an almost dilapidated situation, but because I went there with my friends, and it's the feelings that was enjoyable, and not the zoo. If I went there alone I might have hightail it as soon when I caught sight of the severely tainted window cages for the animals.
We left the zoo around 1pm, approximately half an hour before rain began to pour.
*Photos will be uploaded soon*
The train was fine, better than I expected, and was smoother than I imagined. At least the journey wasn't bumpy or shaky. We sat on the first row, and all the other spaces on that carriage were occupied by some students from a kindergarten who, ironically, never watched Harry Potter before and seemed to be enjoying silent cartoons.
The entire journey took about an hour and twenty minutes, and once we arrived Taiping train station we alighted and moved to the main entrance, and that marked the genesis of our trip. We didn't record phone numbers for taxi in advance, and therefore we were lost for a moment until we managed to get a number from an Indian at the stall there. I made a duly move and dialed the number. Since the number wasn't a mobile one, I thought it was a taxi company. They said they would send a taxi with the number plate 4007, and so we waited patiently despite the heat. However, later, when a taxi came and waved towards us, I realised the number wasn't 4007 and was something else, so I thought...well....maybe the company sent another taxi to pick us up. How naive we were. The moment we boarded the taxi, my friends told me another taxi with the number plate 4007 came and watched us left with this taxi. I believed that Indian would sure go berserk and think he was fooled. =.=
Then the taxi driver brought us to Taiping Zoo, the sole tourist attraction in Taiping. The ticket cost us RM12 per person, not exorbitant, but ain't cheap either. Then we entered the zoo, saw all kinds of animals that were either sick, half-dying or devoid of animal characteristics. Taiping Zoo wasn't well taken care of, and the maintenance was really poor. Just look at the water for the animals and you could only see a patch of green algae or a pool of muddy colour water.
The price for any goods in the zoo was exorbitant. They did not sell any meals so I grabbed a bottle of extra sweet fruit juice (three bottles per day for a week is enough to cause diabetes), a bottle of mineral water and a packet of junk food to fill my stomach for I was hungry. Then we continued our journey. It was pretty fun seeing all those animals traipsing in the zoo, or lazing around, or just lied on the ground endeavoured to sleep but was constantly interrupted by tourists.
I had to admit: the visit was fun. Not because the zoo was entertaining or the animals were enlightening, they weren't be any entertaining when their supposed home was in an almost dilapidated situation, but because I went there with my friends, and it's the feelings that was enjoyable, and not the zoo. If I went there alone I might have hightail it as soon when I caught sight of the severely tainted window cages for the animals.
We left the zoo around 1pm, approximately half an hour before rain began to pour.
*Photos will be uploaded soon*
Friday, 9 December 2011
What's Unique About SPM 2011?
BM: A totally new Komsas, that's why all of us are so troubled. We are not able to spot any possible topics for this year komsas and therefore we have to study all. And guess what, all three komsas that came out this year were not spotted by any of the states trial paper, particularly drama: cempaka berdarah. All 3 komsas really caught all of us off guard. The harbinger of trouble: it tells us the government is doing their job. Hot topics are to be avoided.
BI: New literature, no short stories and drama.
BC: A totally new format with no objective questions at all. For paper 1, addresses for both writer and recipient are given, both 应用文 are 公函, unlike previous years where both are different format. For paper 2,
shorter and thank goodness easier 文言文，no 翻译，and probably the easiest SPM chinese paper for the past 3 years.
Maths: The first question for paper 2 is either sets or graphical inequalities, and it has been going on in cycle, where the first year is sets and the second year is graphical inequalities and the cycle continues for almost 8 years and this year, the paper violates the cycle and the first question is sets, although it has been tested last year. Another sign the government is avoiding any topics that can be easily spotted.
Additional Maths: Paper 1 is quite tricky if compared to previous years, but the standard remains the same. A totally unexpected question is being tested in paper 2: logarithm. Hence, a lot of students are unable to answer the question. Third sign the government is avoiding any topics that can be easily detected.
Sejarah: This is the paper ALL SPM students lament about. Why? For previous years, students will tell you they hate memorising all those Islamic facts and all events that happened before Independence of Malaysia. And this year, students will complain because all out studies end up useless! Why? After memorising all rubbish in Form 4 and Form 5 textbooks, we were being tested on Sivik like "Adakah bandar anda dibina secara terancang?", "Apakah lagu kebangsaan kita?", "Apakah kesan kepada negara sekiranya rakyat tidak diberi pendidikan formal?", "Bagaimana anda tunjukkan perasaan cinta kepada negara semasa lagu kebangsaan dimainkan?" , "Apakah perasaan anda apabila lagu kebangsaan berkumandang? Berikan dua alasan", "Mengapakah buruh asing suka datang ke Tanah Melayu?" ,"Apakah kesan kedatangan buruh asing. Berikan dua kebaikan dan keburukan." Tell me, honestly, if you are a student who has wasted two years memorising all those rubbish in the textbooks and you are given a paper who consist of 80% KBKK questions and 20% sejarah questions, how would you feel? Happiness standa 80% I admit, but frustration covers the rest (no anger, nobody would be angry, they'll just be frustrated) as you realise you have wasted 2 years of study.
Biology: Paper 1 is too easy. Paper 2 questions are weird, some are KBKK questions that you have to endeavour to relate it to your biology knowledge. Hot topics are not being tested, again, and all those unimportant topics came out. Paper 3 is fine, hot topics did come out for this paper. The only paper that we are satisfied about.
Chemistry: Paper 1 is fine. Again, hot topics aren't tested on paper 2 and those weird questions came out. Questions seem to be random. Paper 3 part 2, constructing experiment has probably left a lot of students thunderstruck as no one would have expected that experiment would be tested. Even a teacher in my school says it's very unimportant. SPM boleh!
Physics: The main complaint is about paper 3. The others are fine. Paper 1 is pretty tricky, and there's one question with two answers and one question with no answer. Did they even bother to check?
Moral: Closed paper. Nothing can be disclosed.
BI: New literature, no short stories and drama.
BC: A totally new format with no objective questions at all. For paper 1, addresses for both writer and recipient are given, both 应用文 are 公函, unlike previous years where both are different format. For paper 2,
shorter and thank goodness easier 文言文，no 翻译，and probably the easiest SPM chinese paper for the past 3 years.
Maths: The first question for paper 2 is either sets or graphical inequalities, and it has been going on in cycle, where the first year is sets and the second year is graphical inequalities and the cycle continues for almost 8 years and this year, the paper violates the cycle and the first question is sets, although it has been tested last year. Another sign the government is avoiding any topics that can be easily spotted.
Additional Maths: Paper 1 is quite tricky if compared to previous years, but the standard remains the same. A totally unexpected question is being tested in paper 2: logarithm. Hence, a lot of students are unable to answer the question. Third sign the government is avoiding any topics that can be easily detected.
Sejarah: This is the paper ALL SPM students lament about. Why? For previous years, students will tell you they hate memorising all those Islamic facts and all events that happened before Independence of Malaysia. And this year, students will complain because all out studies end up useless! Why? After memorising all rubbish in Form 4 and Form 5 textbooks, we were being tested on Sivik like "Adakah bandar anda dibina secara terancang?", "Apakah lagu kebangsaan kita?", "Apakah kesan kepada negara sekiranya rakyat tidak diberi pendidikan formal?", "Bagaimana anda tunjukkan perasaan cinta kepada negara semasa lagu kebangsaan dimainkan?" , "Apakah perasaan anda apabila lagu kebangsaan berkumandang? Berikan dua alasan", "Mengapakah buruh asing suka datang ke Tanah Melayu?" ,"Apakah kesan kedatangan buruh asing. Berikan dua kebaikan dan keburukan." Tell me, honestly, if you are a student who has wasted two years memorising all those rubbish in the textbooks and you are given a paper who consist of 80% KBKK questions and 20% sejarah questions, how would you feel? Happiness standa 80% I admit, but frustration covers the rest (no anger, nobody would be angry, they'll just be frustrated) as you realise you have wasted 2 years of study.
Biology: Paper 1 is too easy. Paper 2 questions are weird, some are KBKK questions that you have to endeavour to relate it to your biology knowledge. Hot topics are not being tested, again, and all those unimportant topics came out. Paper 3 is fine, hot topics did come out for this paper. The only paper that we are satisfied about.
Chemistry: Paper 1 is fine. Again, hot topics aren't tested on paper 2 and those weird questions came out. Questions seem to be random. Paper 3 part 2, constructing experiment has probably left a lot of students thunderstruck as no one would have expected that experiment would be tested. Even a teacher in my school says it's very unimportant. SPM boleh!
Physics: The main complaint is about paper 3. The others are fine. Paper 1 is pretty tricky, and there's one question with two answers and one question with no answer. Did they even bother to check?
Moral: Closed paper. Nothing can be disclosed.
SPM, Week 4
7 December 2011, Wednesday
With a week of holiday and the last paper Chinese, none of the students really have any moods to study. Conveniently, there's nothing much to study about Chinese except the annoying mingju with its syllabus that encompasses removed classes to form 5, a total of 230 mingju and frustratingly only 3 will be tested.
Never mind.
I'm weak at Chinese, despite the fact that I'm a Chinese. The main problem is the paper is too hard. It's more like a literature paper than Bahasa Cina. The other reason would be I focus less on Chinese. I don't like studying classical Chinese. It's boring and sometimes it requires us to have substantial amount of knowledge about China history.
Well, today is my nightmare.
The first paper would be Chinese paper 2: the paper that cause most of us flunk the entire subject. Luckily, lembaga peperiksaan shows some mercy this year (probably because this is the first year that the new format is being used) and the paper is very much easier if compared to others. The summary is easier, at least the points aren't scattered around like that of negeri sembilan trial paper. The comprehension is quite easy, although there are some questions that challenge your mind and understanding of the passage.
Classical is okay. I can roughly understand what the entire passage is about, but I don't think I translate them correctly. Good thing about this year is there's no questions on translation. I always fail that part. The classical poem is quite hard for me, I can get the overall message but I can't get the specific.
And the last part: mingju. I'm glad I never bothered to memorise all the 出处、作者 and 朝代, because none is being tested this year. I'm saved a lot of time studying it compared to my friends. :)
Paper 1 is fine. Nothing much to complain, albeit I can't guarantee I can score.
I know I'm not good in Chinese, so all I am hoping for is an A-. I hope I can get it, but if the final result is B+ or B, I wouldn't be floored.
With a week of holiday and the last paper Chinese, none of the students really have any moods to study. Conveniently, there's nothing much to study about Chinese except the annoying mingju with its syllabus that encompasses removed classes to form 5, a total of 230 mingju and frustratingly only 3 will be tested.
Never mind.
Well, today is my nightmare.
The first paper would be Chinese paper 2: the paper that cause most of us flunk the entire subject. Luckily, lembaga peperiksaan shows some mercy this year (probably because this is the first year that the new format is being used) and the paper is very much easier if compared to others. The summary is easier, at least the points aren't scattered around like that of negeri sembilan trial paper. The comprehension is quite easy, although there are some questions that challenge your mind and understanding of the passage.
Classical is okay. I can roughly understand what the entire passage is about, but I don't think I translate them correctly. Good thing about this year is there's no questions on translation. I always fail that part. The classical poem is quite hard for me, I can get the overall message but I can't get the specific.
And the last part: mingju. I'm glad I never bothered to memorise all the 出处、作者 and 朝代, because none is being tested this year. I'm saved a lot of time studying it compared to my friends. :)
Paper 1 is fine. Nothing much to complain, albeit I can't guarantee I can score.
I know I'm not good in Chinese, so all I am hoping for is an A-. I hope I can get it, but if the final result is B+ or B, I wouldn't be floored.
Sunday, 4 December 2011
SPM, Week 3
Day 8: 29 November 2011
Biology. Every student's second nightmare (behind sejarah). Paper 1 is so easy half of my class dozed off after 30 minutes. Funny. Paper 2 has some difficulties. Some really need us to think critically and it's good because rote-learning kills creativity and some KBKK questions are good in moulding students who can think creatively.
The second science paper: Chemistry.While past year papers were relatively easy, this year paper has some standard that has us thunderstruck. Paper 1 is okay, but I wanna say the paper is "tak ada standard". Some English scientific terms are not written and they are substituted by Malay words. We can obviously see who set the paper then.
Paper 2 is okay, but there's one question that looks random. First, it says solution P, then out of nowhere, hydrochloric acid appears and solution P has been seemingly displaced. So random. Do they even proofread? Essay is quite shocking. Two more difficult chapters that are all about factuals are tested in Section B and we MUST answer either one, which make most of us grip our hairs to the extent some have become bold. **Exaggerating!!
Paper 3. I don't think I need to talk about the graph. Everyone who sits for the paper should know about the maddening draw-a-perfect-graph-but-then-need-to-rub-off-because-the-next-question-is-stupid things. Question 2, again, catches everyone off guard. Nobody would have expected that experiment will be tested. Some cried for the lost of 17 marks there.
Day 9: 30 November 2011
Biology. Every student's second nightmare (behind sejarah). Paper 1 is so easy half of my class dozed off after 30 minutes. Funny. Paper 2 has some difficulties. Some really need us to think critically and it's good because rote-learning kills creativity and some KBKK questions are good in moulding students who can think creatively.
But the essay questions are really weird. It seems to have been affected by sejarah, where there are questions which only need logic and not biological knowledge. The questions aren't hot topics either, which makes the year SPM more weird.
Paper 3 is also slightly weird. Question 1 is fine, but the language they used is rather odd. Question 2 about potometer is new (first form 5 experiment) but we still manage to do it because we have predicted this question.
Overall, this year SPM is really, exceptionally bizarre.
Friday, 2 December 2011
Movie Review: You Are The Apple Of My Eye
WARNING: I'm not a professional, so please don't expect a professional review. Everything below is simply my opinion and thoughts. Review begins below the lengthy synopsis. :)
I went to watch this famous movie today. The ticket was selling like hot cakes, it had been on screen for three weeks, almost four, and the ticket was still selling fast.
The movie commences with Ko Ching-Teng (played by Ko Chen-Tung) dressed up in suit, being called by his friends to attend a wedding. Then, the movie switches back to 1994 (the year I was born!) and we see the high school Ko Ching-Teng cycling rather dangerously on the road, playing with his friends childishly. On the journey to school, the main character gives us the introduction of his lives and his friends, which conveniently help us to understand the movie without the need to read the novel beforehand.
Then we see what he and his friends do in the school: all sorts of weird activities including assaulting each other playfully, talking rude words, and even masturbating. These aren't good examples that we should learn though, but they certainly have lighted up our feelings.
Everything begins when Ko Ching-Teng lent Shen Chia-Yi his English textbook when she has forgotten to bring it to school, sacrificing himself by being punished by his surly English teacher who is pretty temperamental and has gone over the line in punishing. This move was probably exaggerated in the movie, but I don't think it is heavily twisted from the real facts.
Shen Chia-Yi feels indebted to him, and therefore decides to help him improve his studies, despite his reluctance and annoyance. Weirdly, Ching-Teng obeys and does his homework and regularly has his homework given to Chia-Yi for her to mark his papers. Story progresses from here and they both begin to fall in love to each other. Chia-Yi never admitted her feelings, and Ching-Teng always thought she will reject him if he confesses his love.
Ching-Teng academic performances improves dramatically. One day, Chia-Yi fails her high school exam (I think it's something like SPM/STPM), but Ching-Teng passes it. Ching-Teng tries to assuage her feelings. They are then separated from each other, but they still date. While dating, Ching-Teng finally confesses his love, and hopes Chia-Yi would not tell him her decision for he is afraid he would be rejected, even though Chia-Yi earnestly asks him whether he needs an answer then and is about to say she likes him.
Then the chemicals between them changes when Ching-Teng decides to held a fighting competition to show Chia-Yi his strongest/masculine side. He loses badly but still truants it to Chia-Yi. She calls it childish furiously and asks why would he do something that would only inflict damage on himself. Ching-Teng got upset by the fact that she doesn't understand him, and walks away, telling her he gives up going after her, leaving both of them severely heartbroken.
The both of them do not contact each other for 2 years, until an earthquake strikes. Ching-Teng immediately calls Chia-Yi for fear that she might sustain injury. They both managed to get in touch with each other, and then begin to talk about their lives and old memories.
After that, Ching-Teng becomes a great writer. He receives a phonecall from Chia-Yi, telling him to attend her wedding. The both of them have become friends whose bond have been hardened after their failed close relationship. He then writes his teenage years and his romance into a novel, which became a hit after it is published.
Okay. Movie review begins.
Yes. I admit the movie contains too much sex elements. But hei, it's teenage years! Giddens is renowned for his odd sex thinking too. If that's his teenage years, then the story should be told unaltered.
It's very interesting for me to see how Taiwan's school system works. They too have strict teachers who would yell at someone for no reason or further investigation, they too have teachers who are extremely temperamental. They too have students who are mischievous and recalcitrant. Sometimes, breaking the rules is really a joy to experience. If you have been a guai kia for too long, breaking a strict rule is really some fun.
I haven't read the novel before, but I find the movie great. These students in the movie do reflect our school lives. In fact, I think their school lives are the same as us: rote-learning system that causes a lot of students to study hard, weird activities that are done by students who are simply bored and decide to have some fun at the expense of their victims. Making deals or bets that end up with the one losing heeding the rules stated before the result is known. I truly like this movie probably because I have the experience and I know exactly how these students go through their lives.
And the graduation ceremony scene is just like the graduation ceremony in my school. I suddenly felt nostalgic when I watched that scene.
The romance between Ching-Teng and Chia-Yi is fairy-tale like. The story might have been exaggerated, but gosh it's very heart engaging. They both love each other, but then they do not really share any same interest. Ko Chen-Tung does play his role very well. For a newcomer to deliver this strong character, he did it successfully. I can't imagine what would happen if Giddens actually plays his own character in the movie. ==
Both the main characters are god-like. One is handsome, and another one is so beautiful. They make the couple looks so matching and some actually cried in the theatre when they split. I do admit the scene is really touching, but I haven't shed a single tear though.
Thinking back, it's great to have friends like Ching-Teng does. They hit at each other when they are disappointed with each other. Ya, this is a sign of violence. But at the same time, this is what we called 'brothers' who are really concerned at each other. Giddens certainly has made his wonderful teenage years into a masterpiece that might have altered somebody's life.
Overall, the movie is great. Highly recommended.
My ratings: 5/5
The movie commences with Ko Ching-Teng (played by Ko Chen-Tung) dressed up in suit, being called by his friends to attend a wedding. Then, the movie switches back to 1994 (the year I was born!) and we see the high school Ko Ching-Teng cycling rather dangerously on the road, playing with his friends childishly. On the journey to school, the main character gives us the introduction of his lives and his friends, which conveniently help us to understand the movie without the need to read the novel beforehand.
Then we see what he and his friends do in the school: all sorts of weird activities including assaulting each other playfully, talking rude words, and even masturbating. These aren't good examples that we should learn though, but they certainly have lighted up our feelings.
Everything begins when Ko Ching-Teng lent Shen Chia-Yi his English textbook when she has forgotten to bring it to school, sacrificing himself by being punished by his surly English teacher who is pretty temperamental and has gone over the line in punishing. This move was probably exaggerated in the movie, but I don't think it is heavily twisted from the real facts.
Shen Chia-Yi feels indebted to him, and therefore decides to help him improve his studies, despite his reluctance and annoyance. Weirdly, Ching-Teng obeys and does his homework and regularly has his homework given to Chia-Yi for her to mark his papers. Story progresses from here and they both begin to fall in love to each other. Chia-Yi never admitted her feelings, and Ching-Teng always thought she will reject him if he confesses his love.
Then the chemicals between them changes when Ching-Teng decides to held a fighting competition to show Chia-Yi his strongest/masculine side. He loses badly but still truants it to Chia-Yi. She calls it childish furiously and asks why would he do something that would only inflict damage on himself. Ching-Teng got upset by the fact that she doesn't understand him, and walks away, telling her he gives up going after her, leaving both of them severely heartbroken.
The both of them do not contact each other for 2 years, until an earthquake strikes. Ching-Teng immediately calls Chia-Yi for fear that she might sustain injury. They both managed to get in touch with each other, and then begin to talk about their lives and old memories.
After that, Ching-Teng becomes a great writer. He receives a phonecall from Chia-Yi, telling him to attend her wedding. The both of them have become friends whose bond have been hardened after their failed close relationship. He then writes his teenage years and his romance into a novel, which became a hit after it is published.
Yes. I admit the movie contains too much sex elements. But hei, it's teenage years! Giddens is renowned for his odd sex thinking too. If that's his teenage years, then the story should be told unaltered.
It's very interesting for me to see how Taiwan's school system works. They too have strict teachers who would yell at someone for no reason or further investigation, they too have teachers who are extremely temperamental. They too have students who are mischievous and recalcitrant. Sometimes, breaking the rules is really a joy to experience. If you have been a guai kia for too long, breaking a strict rule is really some fun.
I haven't read the novel before, but I find the movie great. These students in the movie do reflect our school lives. In fact, I think their school lives are the same as us: rote-learning system that causes a lot of students to study hard, weird activities that are done by students who are simply bored and decide to have some fun at the expense of their victims. Making deals or bets that end up with the one losing heeding the rules stated before the result is known. I truly like this movie probably because I have the experience and I know exactly how these students go through their lives.
And the graduation ceremony scene is just like the graduation ceremony in my school. I suddenly felt nostalgic when I watched that scene.
Both the main characters are god-like. One is handsome, and another one is so beautiful. They make the couple looks so matching and some actually cried in the theatre when they split. I do admit the scene is really touching, but I haven't shed a single tear though.
Thinking back, it's great to have friends like Ching-Teng does. They hit at each other when they are disappointed with each other. Ya, this is a sign of violence. But at the same time, this is what we called 'brothers' who are really concerned at each other. Giddens certainly has made his wonderful teenage years into a masterpiece that might have altered somebody's life.
Overall, the movie is great. Highly recommended.
My ratings: 5/5
Saturday, 26 November 2011
SPM, Week 2
I'm back to update on my SPM journey.
Day 5
Perchance the worst subject ever, and probably the most useless subject in the universe: Pendidikan Moral. A subject where one can easily obtain an A and subsequently rob a bank. Once you are detained, you may flaunt you have obtained an A for your Moral, and that disciplinary isn't any of your concern.
Since it's a closed paper, nobody has seen or has any idea about how the paper would be, but we roughly know how the paper is. As expected, you have to regurgitate all the nilai you have memorised and then you have to give lots of rubbish and lies to ensure you get an A for your moral.
Well....what can you say? It's Malaysia.
Day 6
Additional Mathematics: everybody's nightmare. You cannot survive this paper without some critical thinking, and of course, a usable calculator. Paper 1 is the easier paper, where the questions are short and pretty direct and critical thinking is less needed. However, I notice that this year the paper 1 questions are very tricky. You have to peruse them, carefully read all the words in each questions to actually understand what the questions require. The questions are very tricky and some of my friends have been tricked and hence lost of marks.
Paper 2 is special. First of all, the topic that is not supposed to be tested in paper 2 came out in paper 2, catching everyone off guard. And the question isn't simple either, you have to simplify the seemingly complicated expression and then you have to solve the next equation using the simplified expression you are supposed to do.
Secondly, I'm pretty surprised there's a wrong diagram in the paper. For a question pertains to integration, the graph is wrongly drawn. The y-intercept should be higher than the position drawn. But I guess they could shrug it off by saying: "The diagrams in the paper aren't drawn with scale, as stated in the information for candidates'. Yes, they aren't drawn to scale, but at least they need to be correct lest it discombobulate students.
Day 7
Physics is the first science paper. Paper 1 isn't a big concern since it's an objective paper. Surprisingly, there's one question with two answers, and one question with no answers. During melting point, naphthalene do not increase in temperature and it's molecules do not experience an increase in kinetic energy. The latter one is often deemed incorrect but it's not. Although the kinetic energy does increase, the increase is insignificant and therefore the existence of it is ignored. All the heat absorbed is used to break the molecular forces between the naphthalene molecules, not to increase the kinetic energy. Apparently, many are confused by this, and yes, for this theory, principle of conservation of energy applies where all heat is absorbed to break the molecular bonds and no heat is lost to oblivion.
The second problematic question is the one concerning about critical angle. I'm surprised that the person who set this paper made such a basic mistake. It's almost laughable.
A question about XOR gate shocks all of us because it isn't in our syllabus. But it's 1 mark so....no fuss.
Paper 2 is fine, nothing really surprising about the paper. Paper 3 is the biggest shock. The experiments are...weird and unexpected. Question 2 is really astonishing too because it was already tested in paper 2, so I have no idea why it's being tested again in paper 3.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
SPM, Week 1
Since this is a pretty big examination, I can't take the chance to update my blog everyday, but I'll do it weekly, for I do not want my blog to 'die'.
14-11-2011: Day 1
There's no need to ask what paper is for the first day. It has got to be what's most important: BM, our national language. Since I have not attended any Malay tuition and my Malay language is always barely on the par with my friends, I am feeling a bit nervous for I am afraid I can't score an A. I'm not asking for an A+, to me, an A- isn't bad either and A- sounds fine for me.
Anyway the paper is fine. The real frustrations are the karangan berpandu was actually the question for my school's trial last year, and the word cepumas really has me discombobulated. I was glad I didn't buy any tips out there, because none of them spot-on and I save myself a lot of troubles.
15-11-2011: Day 2
English. If I don't get an A for this subject, please find me in any rivers or sea in the vicinity of Bukit Mertajam. Paper 1 is relatively easy, I don't have to mention how easy is it. Paper 2 is fine, although I find it a bit weird. Now I am actually hoping to get 2A or 1A for GCE-O. I'm greedy, right?
16-11-2011: Day 3
Sejarah. A typical student's nightmare. What can I say? Sejarah is all about Islam for form 4 and biased facts in form 5. You practically have to force yourself to compress them in your tiny brain to get an A for your SPM, which means you have to reluctantly, or if you prefer, torturingly, memorise all the biased and Islamic facts.
After all those pains we have gone through for the past 2 years, and you expect we'll be able to do well in SPM right? Well, we did quite well, with one shocking exception: It's not because we memorised a lot of facts, but it's because the paper isn't exactly a SEJARAH paper!! It's more like a sivik paper. "Adakah bandar yang anda tinggal dibina secara terancang?" "Apakah nama lagu kebangsaan kita?" "Apakah yang anda buat apabila lagu kebangsaan dinyanyikan?" "Apakah perasaan anda apabila mendengar lagu kebangsaan kita berkumandang, berikan dua alasan".
WTF I have wasted 2 years to study sejarah and wasted all my energy to memorise all those Islamic facts, and they come out with all KBKK questions????? Unbelievable.
17-11-2011: Day 4
Modern Mathematics. Nothing much to say. The paper is easy and I believe I can score an A+, or at least an A, should I make mistakes enough to drop my grade.
Thursday, 10 November 2011
How's Your Preparation?
SPM is around the corner. It's crawling towards us very slowly and intimidatingly and, alas, inevitably. Every form 5 students this year has to sit for SPM: a test that assess your ability to regurgitate anythings you've swallowed in this 2 years time.
Well, I've got nothing much to say. I just wanna wish every form 5 students good luck. Do your best in your exam, try avoid burning the midnight oil. Take care of yourself. If you feel under the weather, even though it's just a slight fever, please call on a doctor immediately. This is not the time you should play with your health and fate.
Good luck everyone. I'm looking forward to hearing good news next year. :)
Well, I've got nothing much to say. I just wanna wish every form 5 students good luck. Do your best in your exam, try avoid burning the midnight oil. Take care of yourself. If you feel under the weather, even though it's just a slight fever, please call on a doctor immediately. This is not the time you should play with your health and fate.
Good luck everyone. I'm looking forward to hearing good news next year. :)
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Truly Disappointed
How can our Education Minister make such a preposterous decision and still insists that majority of Malaysians support it when it is very obvious majority of Malaysians are against it?
How can this bastard fail to see the importance of PPSMI as a tool to leapfrog our country to achieve international standard in Maths and Science?
How can this ignorant bastard says that it's the best for all students when his own children are sent to international school and receive international education?
How can this arrogant bastard be so adament and refuse to listen to the rakyat, when they say rakyat didahulukan all the time?
How can this jerk toy with our country's youth by playing with the education system?
How can you just watch them suffer from the sudden switch from English to Malay?
How can you sacrifice the country's future just to protect those who refuse to improve themselves by learning English?
How can you fail to see the rakyat's wish??
How can you make such an absurd change in our country's education system??
You fail all Malaysians. I don't know about others. But for me, when I'm eligible to vote, you don't ever dream you'll get mine.
And I hope all Malaysians are clear about this issue and have you kicked out from your seat for being arrogant and incompetent.
How can this bastard fail to see the importance of PPSMI as a tool to leapfrog our country to achieve international standard in Maths and Science?
How can this ignorant bastard says that it's the best for all students when his own children are sent to international school and receive international education?
How can this arrogant bastard be so adament and refuse to listen to the rakyat, when they say rakyat didahulukan all the time?
How can this jerk toy with our country's youth by playing with the education system?
How can you just watch them suffer from the sudden switch from English to Malay?
How can you sacrifice the country's future just to protect those who refuse to improve themselves by learning English?
How can you fail to see the rakyat's wish??
How can you make such an absurd change in our country's education system??
You fail all Malaysians. I don't know about others. But for me, when I'm eligible to vote, you don't ever dream you'll get mine.
And I hope all Malaysians are clear about this issue and have you kicked out from your seat for being arrogant and incompetent.
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Coming Soon.....
Well, I don't bother either.
I'll be sitting for SPM soon. SPM would begin on the fourteen of November, which means I left 14 days to peruse all my reference books and textbook to ensure I can ace my exam. Of course I would want SPM to go swimmingly, but if it's bumpy it would not be encouraging, right?
There is a propensity for me to cringe further back every time the distance between SPM and I neared. I guess it's common. Nobody would welcome SPM with warm regards, particularly when you're not prepared or you're not valiant enough to brave the exam when you know you're incapable.
But, SPM is imminent and inevitable. So, I have to face it optimistically. Got no choice, right?? ==
What I'm gonna do after SPM: change specs if possible, change hairstyle, find a job, and them resume studying form 6.
Haha, but for now, my attention is fully on SPM. The highly dreaded SPM.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Graduation Day
October 24 marks the final day all Jit Sin form 5 students stay in our school. Graduation ceremony was brought forward to previously mentioned date because some VIP were going to other places and therefore couldn't attend this meaningful ceremony.
Doesn't matter.
VIPs would be VIPs, they had, or have, no sense of punctuality. Perhaps the lack of punctuality is the principal rule to be a VIP.
And the performance by JSPO was simply breathtaking. Everyone of us was spellbound and absorbed in their wonderfully played musics.
Since I'm the class monitor I had to sit in the front row, separated from my class simply because I had to go on stage to receive our graduation certificate. To me, going on stage was like a contest, the louder the shouts were, the more famous you were.
Back to the topic. Upon receiving the certificates I was literally stunned by all those flashy cameras. I had no idea why they had to take so many photographs for a monitor to receive some certificates.
Then Ling Huey, Shi Ying and Feilix, representing all form 5 students, gave their respective talks. LH was on the verge of crying, but she managed to subdue her feelings. Feilix was a bit emotional, but apparently he gave his talk with every fibre of his being. Shi Ying's speech was rather unique. I don't want to be rude, but....I think she kinda humiliate our principal as she talked about our disciplinary problems that were serious enough to mar our school's image, particularly when the parents were present, the reporters were all ears and the VIPs within earshot and I saw TKT grimaced. Nevertheless, that was a great speech. In fact, all three speeches were fabulous.
Then the climax: the model students. Congratulations to BKJ and NYC for being bestowed upon the prestigious award.
After that we sang 祝福. Prior to the ceremony we were told not to run away from our seats, but students would be students, we would never heed their warnings. What could they do if we don't follow their instructions? haha
Then, photographing session went on like hell. Everybody was rushing to snap photographs with their friends, doing all crazy faces, doing all crazy things, screaming like hell, sobbing sadly.
I didn't bring a camera nor did I bring a handphone. Therefore, all photos taken were not by me but by my friends. Thank you for you all, and hope you guys don't mind if I share them here.
Happy Graduation, or not. We'll meet again one day. 海内存知几，天涯若比邻！Friendship last forever!!
Doesn't matter.
VIPs would be VIPs, they had, or have, no sense of punctuality. Perhaps the lack of punctuality is the principal rule to be a VIP.
And the performance by JSPO was simply breathtaking. Everyone of us was spellbound and absorbed in their wonderfully played musics.
Since I'm the class monitor I had to sit in the front row, separated from my class simply because I had to go on stage to receive our graduation certificate. To me, going on stage was like a contest, the louder the shouts were, the more famous you were.
Back to the topic. Upon receiving the certificates I was literally stunned by all those flashy cameras. I had no idea why they had to take so many photographs for a monitor to receive some certificates.
Then Ling Huey, Shi Ying and Feilix, representing all form 5 students, gave their respective talks. LH was on the verge of crying, but she managed to subdue her feelings. Feilix was a bit emotional, but apparently he gave his talk with every fibre of his being. Shi Ying's speech was rather unique. I don't want to be rude, but....I think she kinda humiliate our principal as she talked about our disciplinary problems that were serious enough to mar our school's image, particularly when the parents were present, the reporters were all ears and the VIPs within earshot and I saw TKT grimaced. Nevertheless, that was a great speech. In fact, all three speeches were fabulous.
Then the climax: the model students. Congratulations to BKJ and NYC for being bestowed upon the prestigious award.
After that we sang 祝福. Prior to the ceremony we were told not to run away from our seats, but students would be students, we would never heed their warnings. What could they do if we don't follow their instructions? haha
Then, photographing session went on like hell. Everybody was rushing to snap photographs with their friends, doing all crazy faces, doing all crazy things, screaming like hell, sobbing sadly.
I didn't bring a camera nor did I bring a handphone. Therefore, all photos taken were not by me but by my friends. Thank you for you all, and hope you guys don't mind if I share them here.
Happy Graduation, or not. We'll meet again one day. 海内存知几，天涯若比邻！Friendship last forever!!
Jyh Ruey and me
Derrick and Yuxuan
Tanbai me
Me and my best friend: Jun Jie.
Jun Jie and Pei Ying
The most beautiful girl in my school: Jiann Jou!!!
Hardworking Ping Chan.
Good friends
Jason, nominated for model student.
Good friends: Yun Heng (nenek), Khai Wen (ah boon), Chian Pin
Chin Sheng and Shik Ming
Jacky and Cindy
hiao ta bo: Min Huang, the noise maker.
Good friend: Wee Chin and Yuxuan
There are a lot more pictures I can upload, but I decided not to because I do not have copyrights (ya I took them illegally, hahaha xD)
Saturday, 22 October 2011
Last Day of Schooling, Sort Of
October 21st was the last day of schooling for most of us. It's a day where the sadness can be strongly felt in the air, the day where the ambience was filled with indescribable sorrow, and a day where the love to the school was strongly expressed with unprecedented surge of affection for our school, the school we are leaving inevitably.
As a result, we decided to throw a party to celebrate the last day we stayed in our beloved school.
But, Sod's law applies, and sometimes things just go awry. Our school teachers were smart enough to have an abrupt spot-check which I believed to be a sage decision but one that was loathed by all students.
Virtually all foods that were brought to school were confiscated, marring our mood. Some of my friends were smart enough to cleverly hide the food in some secret places where their foods were secure and escaped from being confiscated.
As expected, everyone of us whinged about that. Who wouldn't?
However, our principal showed some mercy. He allowed us to take back our food during recess, and hence we threw our parties in the canteen, and I believed most of the hawkers were cursing inwardly.
And, as expected, we made a lot of noises.
The sad thing was that I was sick and ergo I couldn't eat any of the food prepared. This is probably one of my biggest regret.
Anyway, some photos were taken, and I guess I'll share my photos for the first time.
Tung, me, Jacky and the annoying bastard.
Me and Marissa
Me and Eunice.
*Sorry, I'm a camera shy boy.
Happy Graduation JitSinese - okay, nothing to be happy about - we will meet again soon!! I miss you all!!!
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Retain PPSMI!!!!
I've lamented about this several times and I'll comment about this again after the official announcement by our ministry again.
1) I'm confused by 'it's difficult for teachers to teach in English' and 'it's easier for them to learn the subjects in their mother tongue'. First of all, switching from Malays to English does not seem difficult to me as you can easily find any relevant information on the internet relatively easily. Secondly, how are the teachers having troubles teaching them just because they are in English? Because they previously taught them in Malay? Mr. Minister, please remember that the Indians and Chinese seemed to do very well when it was initially changed from English to Malay, and back then information of science in Malay was extremely limited and hard to find. So what's the trouble teaching them in English, when all information can be easily dug out from the internet?
2) Teachers opt to teach them in Malay, so you decide to revert it back to Malay? Hello, Mr. Minister, who are the one studying here? Students go to school to study and gain knowledge, not to ensure that the teachers have jobs to do. So you should be concerned about what the students want: retaining PPSMI and not what the teachers want.
3) Easier to learn them in our mother tongue? I'm sorry, I don't think it works. No Chinese and Indians would want to learn Mathematics and Science in Mandarin and Tamil either, simply because English is more important, not because learning them in our mother tongue is harder.
4) Majority of people wish to have PPSMI retained, and yet you remain adament and abolish it. This is the first case I've seen that the majority have to follow what the minority wants in a debate. Stupid.
5) Students are the one who are studying and they are the one who will be contributing to the country, not you, not the government, and definitely not the teachers. So let the students make the choice, don't play the policy around as you like.
Again, Please retain PPSMI!
1) I'm confused by 'it's difficult for teachers to teach in English' and 'it's easier for them to learn the subjects in their mother tongue'. First of all, switching from Malays to English does not seem difficult to me as you can easily find any relevant information on the internet relatively easily. Secondly, how are the teachers having troubles teaching them just because they are in English? Because they previously taught them in Malay? Mr. Minister, please remember that the Indians and Chinese seemed to do very well when it was initially changed from English to Malay, and back then information of science in Malay was extremely limited and hard to find. So what's the trouble teaching them in English, when all information can be easily dug out from the internet?
2) Teachers opt to teach them in Malay, so you decide to revert it back to Malay? Hello, Mr. Minister, who are the one studying here? Students go to school to study and gain knowledge, not to ensure that the teachers have jobs to do. So you should be concerned about what the students want: retaining PPSMI and not what the teachers want.
3) Easier to learn them in our mother tongue? I'm sorry, I don't think it works. No Chinese and Indians would want to learn Mathematics and Science in Mandarin and Tamil either, simply because English is more important, not because learning them in our mother tongue is harder.
4) Majority of people wish to have PPSMI retained, and yet you remain adament and abolish it. This is the first case I've seen that the majority have to follow what the minority wants in a debate. Stupid.
5) Students are the one who are studying and they are the one who will be contributing to the country, not you, not the government, and definitely not the teachers. So let the students make the choice, don't play the policy around as you like.
Again, Please retain PPSMI!
Saturday, 15 October 2011
Sick 3
Persistent violent coughs had bothered me for virtually two weeks and despite calling on doctors for two times my condition didn't improve.
Therefore my mother, extremely concerned and worried, called my uncle who is a doctor, and got another theory: the mucus in my nose might have flowed down my throat, bringing the trapped bacteria down and hence infected my throat and had probably gone to the extent of infecting my lungs.
But I did not have a fever and all the phlegms I spit up were white, indicating no infection. I had no signs of having infection at all, until yesterday the first phlegm I spit up was yellowish. My uncle told me the first phlegm that is spit up, especially the one in the morning, is the key. If the first phlegm is green or yellow but the phlegm for the rest of the days are white, we still consider it as 'yellow' as the first phlegm is the most concentrated and any undesirable things can be spot on clearly and immediately.
Therefore my mother went to buy more antibiotics and cough medications. For now, I'm improving. I'm seriously hoping my condition ain't deteriorating, because I've been violently sick for two weeks and since it's unprecedented for me, I hated it a lot as I suffer quite a lot. Anyway, I'm praying.
Friday, 14 October 2011
Pain
Few days ago I was down with some infection and struggled very badly, yesterday I realised my throat was a bit swollen and was screamingly itchy, hence I coughed so much I wanted to vomit.I had no choice but to forgo the decision to go to school and call on a doctor, and it was then the doctor told me my nose allergy and asthma in combination caused my lungs to collapse, therefore causing all the symptoms I have.
Anyway, I've taken my medication and inhaler. Now that I have been officially diagnosed with asthma (I suspected I have it years ago, confirmed few days ago), I guess I should watch my daily activities.
Monday, 10 October 2011
Sick, Again
It's true that it's flu season, and everyone has a high chance to succumb to a disease, and I did succumb to one, but one which is not caused by any tiny annoying microorganism, but one that my body 'attacks' itself.
No, it's not autoimmume disease, it's exaggerating.
It's just a throat irritation caused by massive load of stubborn and annoying phlegm. I've been bothered by these phlegm for days until I finally met a doctor to get some medicine to soothe it. What the doctor prescribed was a cough syrup, a medicine for phlegm and antibiotics just in case there is an infection.
I'm still not fully recovered yet. Hopefully it'll be over soon because now my abdomen is painful due to violent coughing for the past few days.
Monday, 3 October 2011
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Please Retain PPSMI
I know I have dwelt on this earlier, but I can't resist the urge to bring this up again, simply because the government takes no action and listens to not advice to the public's yearning.
The decision to abolish PPSMI contradicts what the Government acknowledged earlier - English is an important language that one should never reglect because English is an international language that is universally used in virtually all jobs.
And yet they abolish PPSMI.
This is rubbish! PPSMI is important because Science and Maths are subjects that are learnt worldwide. Every country is learning Science and Maths in English (I mean, in university) and it'll certainly benefit students who learn them in English because it'll improve their English and they can study overseas and share their knowledge and profession when they are working by cooperating with professionals from other countries.
PPSMI doesn't challenge BM. BM will always stay as the bahasa kebangsaan as agreed. Nobody has the right to challenge it's status and nobody can neglect it's importance. Everybody knows how important it is, so you don't have to worry about it.
Your support for abolishing PPSMI: China, Japan, Korea and many other countries are learning Maths and Science in their own languages, and yet they can become advanced countries and have profound influences. You know what I think? I think you guys are like students who fail their exams but decide to look at students who fail worse than you. So you get, let's say 39 marks for your exam, and the marks is extremely low. While 30 others in your class get above 70, around 6 of your friends get only about 10+ or below 20.
So instead looking at those who get above 70 and motivate yourself, you look at those who get below 20 to lie to yourself that you're quite good in some sense and you need not do any changes or improvements. This is what the government seems to imply - I know English is important, but since other countries can learn them in their own languages, we should learn from them, don't bother about those countries that learn them in English.
Learning Maths and Science in English doesn't challenge your mother tongue. Approximately 75% of people in this world are learning a second language (English, Chinese, French, Thai, Japanese, Korean et cetera) and it doesn't seem to have influenced their mother tongue. So what do you think people who learn Malay as a second language? Do you think they challenge their mother tongue by learning Malay as a second language? If yes, then why do you encourage it? I'm learning three languages (four, if you consider a dialect as a language) and none of them challenges my mother tongue.
So please retain PPSMI for the sake of Malaysia's future. Malaysia needs to improve as they are rooms for improvements. So I stress this again: the public wants PPSMI to be retained (as proven by the surveys conducted), so please don't disappoint Malaysians. Retain PPSMI!
Sunday, 25 September 2011
Percubaan SPM, Day 11
First paper of the day: Modern Maths paper 1, a paper that most poeple neglect. Why? Simple: It requires little attention as it warrants little mind twisting. Modern Maths is simple and the easiest subject to score an A+ for SPM. Sometimes you do not even need a calculator to answer a question because the calculations will not be exceedingly disconcerting.
Second paper of the day: Sejarah paper 1, which follows 30 minutes after the previous paper. Objective questions aren't really something we should really worry after, because there are four options and the chances of getting the correct answer for the question you can't answer is 25%. Therefore, nobody is really 'dying' for the paper, but everybody still studies it anyway. Anyway, the paper is fine, if you consider 'easy' is fine.
Third paper of the day, and the last paper of this trial: Physics paper 1. It sucks. First of all, the nice printing deludes virtually everyone who sees it. The thick booklet is an ominous sign, and the perplexing questions are the harbinger of apocalypse, the embodiment of a train to hell. The questions are challenging and require mind-bending which are enough to twist your brain into a jumble of mass - the worst way of ending an exam.
But who cares? Exam finishes, everyone whoops and dances, and everything is forgotten in mere 10 seconds.
Friday, 23 September 2011
Undilah
It's very sad that this video is banned from broadcasting.
It's very pathetic the government insists we are a democratic country when a music video that delivers the importance of voting is banned simply because a member of an opposition party appears in the video.
How is Malaysia considered 'democratic' when you acted exaggeratedly towards something so trivial?
Percubaan SPM, Day 10
First paper of the day: Additional Mathematics paper 1. I really do not have much to say, because the paper, to me, is moderate and and not really a pain in the ass. As for the second paper of the day: Biology paper 1. Before the exam I pored over form 5 syllabus, from chapter 1 to chapter 5, reading everything carefully, scanning virtually all facts so that none is left out. But, in the exam paper, questions that pertain to form 5 syllabus stand only 20% of the total questions, which means: only 10 questions are derived from form 5. The rest are from form 4. And what's more shocking is that most questions are taken from past year SPM papers, and some students gain advantage from that. Good news for them, bad news for me.Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Percubaan SPM, Day 9
First paper of the day: Biology paper 3. With its ridiculous requirements and enormous number of experiments to memorise, you can hardly say everyone would love Biology because of practical. This is Malaysia - making the interesting uninteresting. Anyway, the first question pertaining to the potometer is fine, although you can argue that you cannot find it anywhere in the practical book. The second question regarding the yeast is also okay, but the answer scheme will reveal something unexpected so I wouldn't have my finger crossed yet. Second paper of the day: Chemistry paper 1. The paper is fine too. Question 1 stirs a lot of questions and many people seem to have a misconception that covalent molecules do not have melting points beyond 100 celcius. I'm sorry, friends. Covalent compounds do have melting points beyond 100. As of the others, well, I'll say they are moderate.Monday, 19 September 2011
Percubaan SPM, Day 8
Sunday, 18 September 2011
Curry Neh!
This is the best song from Nasi Lemak 2.0! I still remember I laughed my heart out! Best song! Extremely creative!
For those who don't know, this is not a parody and neither is it a racist. It's from a Malaysian film called Nasi Lemak 2.0. Perhaps only people living in a multicultural society like Malaysia can understand its true meaning.
Even Indians enjoy it! :)
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Nasi Lemak 2.0
I have a confession to make: I never approached Nasi Lemak 2.0 with a warm greeting. Chinese films, regardless of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong or Singapore production, as much as I hate to say it, always failed to impress me. Films like Kungfu Mahjongs and The Banquet aren't my cup of tea. Money No Enough is great, but it fails to lighten me up either. Hence, Chinese films aren't on the top of my lists.
After hearing the overwhelming positive reception about Nasi Lemak 2.0, I pled my mother to watch the movie with me, and so she agreed.
Well the movie starts with a boy seeing a woman being badgered for money by 4 samsengs, and the boy, on his own volition, acts on a whim to throw an aluminium can to them, causing them to divert their attention to the boy. It definitely saves that poor lady, but the boy becomes the pray then.
This is an important part of the story because it tells you how he becomes successful. Upon running he is saved by a cook (walau eh song ar song ar!!!) and the cook inspires him to become successful by motivating him. He then looks upon him as a hero, and motivates himself to be a rewarding cook.
But then he stumbles upon difficulties after he graduated from "Institute of Cook" in China. His restaurant is poorly received.
On another case, a restaurant (whose name escapes me) is hiring a new CEO and there was a feud going on. A decision is made and the new CEO will be elected based on the results of a cooking competition. And yes, Namewee's one of the competitor.
Hence, Namewee begins his trip to learn to cook an awesome dish of nasi lemak. He has to go to 3 places to master the recipe. He needs to learn to prepare the sambal from a Baba and a Nyonya, then he has to proceed to learn to cook curry from an Indian, and lastly he has to search a Malay to master the final recipe.
The film is itself entertaining. I've been watching movies for years and no movies, including Pirates of the Caribbean, successfully make me laugh till my tears pour out. There are many elements in the movies that you can only understand it if you understand Chinese, for example, the name of Namewee's rival - Lan Qiao (in Hokkien it sounds almost identical as lan jiao) and the name of the three judges.
There are things too you can only understand if you're living in a multicultural society and that you're exposed to different races and cultures. For example, the Indian song and the language.
While Namewee did make a song that spawn fury, this film shows an entirely different story. This unaccounted for movie depicts the true 1 Malaysia, where all Malaysians, regardless of races, live in harmony and help each other to bring about a satisfying result. The Baba and Nyonya definitely tell the story of their culture, the Indian and Malays show how three races in Malaysia live in peace and harmony. They joke around, have fun, help each other, and more importantly, show no disgust towards each other.
But there are few things that he has made fun about, but there's no need to make a big deal about it. He makes fun about Cheng Ho and others, but since it's a fiction, none of us should really make a big deal about it. We don't need to make a fuss about something so trivial it doesn't even deserve to be given attentions on.
Anyway, my ratings for the movie is 10/10. The best movie for the year: definitely recommended.
Just for further information: you cannot see any racial issues in this movies. Even Malays who have watched the movie eulogised it and welcomed it. Forget Namewee's past, accept his present and future. He is certainly a talented director and one day, I believe he can unite the country through his future productions, if there's any.
Friday, 16 September 2011
Percubaan SPM, Day 7
First paper of the day: Chemistry paper 3. This paper is defined as a paper that gives us marks by teachers because it is allegedly the easiest paper amongst three of them, which I quite agree. Unfortunately, some rote learners decide to memorise all experiments to obtain high marks, and I strongly condemn it. Anyway, the paper is fine but I won't say I can get high marks. Second paper of the day: Chinese paper 2, a paper that is analogous to hell, the harbinger of apocalypse, the route to peril. As expected, the paper is torturing, brutal, and full with violence (all metaphors). As of the outcomes, well, inevitably it'll be horrible. The results are predictable for both trial and SPM. Thursday, 15 September 2011
Percubaan SPM, Day 6
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Percubaan SPM, Day 5
Yesterday was all about memorisation, tomorrow is all about calculation.
Therefore, most of our minds are nearly crushed under the weight of formulae and as a result of twisting.
First paper for the day： the subject I conjecture most people fear the second most (the most would be Biology) - Add.Maths paper 2. Set by the notorious teacher KKS, the paper is thought to be diabolical, but gladly it turned out moderate. I can do some of the questions and I can't do some, but I choose not to leave anything blank.
Second paper for the day: Physics paper 2. I assume the paper is not going to be difficult because my teacher has told me prior to the exam that calculations in Physics have greatly reduced to nearly 20%. In Malaysia, Physics is not about calculation, it's about theory - Malaysia Boleh!
However, there are still quite a number of questions that left me discombobulated. But since it's over, I guess it doesn't matter much anymore.
Therefore, most of our minds are nearly crushed under the weight of formulae and as a result of twisting.
First paper for the day： the subject I conjecture most people fear the second most (the most would be Biology) - Add.Maths paper 2. Set by the notorious teacher KKS, the paper is thought to be diabolical, but gladly it turned out moderate. I can do some of the questions and I can't do some, but I choose not to leave anything blank.
Second paper for the day: Physics paper 2. I assume the paper is not going to be difficult because my teacher has told me prior to the exam that calculations in Physics have greatly reduced to nearly 20%. In Malaysia, Physics is not about calculation, it's about theory - Malaysia Boleh!
However, there are still quite a number of questions that left me discombobulated. But since it's over, I guess it doesn't matter much anymore.
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Percubaan SPM, Day 4
The thing is, there's too much things to study for Biology and hours or days are not enough to cover them. Hence, some resort to sacrifice their slumber to prepare for their exam, and ergo, many people come to school with heavy eye bags, black face, and lack of spirit.
Anyway, to me, the paper is moderate. Some I can answer, some I can't. But this exam does one thing to me: I realise I like reading Biology, but I hate studying it.
Second paper for the day: Moral - the most useless subject in the universe. The paper is so BORING till many people drop off when they were trying to finish off the question papers. The questions are boring, and the answers are overwhelmingly long. Summary: Useless and Boring subject.
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Percubaan SPM, Day 3
I'm a typical student. So, you can conjecture what I did during the holiday.
The first and only paper for today: Chemistry Paper 2. Perchance we should pray and thank God for only arranging one paper for today. Time was ample for us to read, but, typical students would be distracted by the surroundings and eventually lured to speaking. I'm a typical student, so you might have known......
Ok. When the exam started, the rain bucketed down too. Owing to the direction of the moderately strong wind, some rain were blown into my class. And it was very unfortunate the window I was sitting beside couldn't be close. Therefore, I had to sit on the teacher's table. Very embarrassing....and it was further exacerbated by the fragrance of the cupcakes that wafted from the rubbish bin.
Anyway the paper was fine. It wasn't torturing, but it wasn't a cinch either. A moderate standard. I did quite well (I presume) but I hope my results is good too.
Well, I should start revising now.
Friday, 2 September 2011
Bad Habits Beget Troubles
I have been trying to think for a long time, trying to recognise the person who has been living with me for years.
Yes - I'm trying to fathom my personality.
It appears that nobody can truly see their true self, and I'm a subset of 'nobody'. Therefore, I sometimes turn to my friends for help, but they usually find this mortifying.
Well, I won't talk much about my bad habits or personalities (I do not think my personal lives should be shared with all and sundry)
One thing about me, that I'm sure all my friends loathe about and actually, I hate this myself, is that I couldn't control myself from lashing out or lamenting every time I see something that is not to my liking.
It's true - I admit this is my biggest flaw, and one that is deadly hard to eradicate.
But I would still try, with every effort I can make. I MUST TRY to kick this habit because it'll only haul my friends away, not drawing them to me.
For those I have behaved like this to them, please accept my sincere apology.
Yes - I'm trying to fathom my personality.
It appears that nobody can truly see their true self, and I'm a subset of 'nobody'. Therefore, I sometimes turn to my friends for help, but they usually find this mortifying.
Well, I won't talk much about my bad habits or personalities (I do not think my personal lives should be shared with all and sundry)
One thing about me, that I'm sure all my friends loathe about and actually, I hate this myself, is that I couldn't control myself from lashing out or lamenting every time I see something that is not to my liking.
It's true - I admit this is my biggest flaw, and one that is deadly hard to eradicate.
But I would still try, with every effort I can make. I MUST TRY to kick this habit because it'll only haul my friends away, not drawing them to me.
For those I have behaved like this to them, please accept my sincere apology.
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Merdeka!
Today marks the 54th anniversary of Merdeka!
54 years ago we were conquered by the British, and after a long struggle we finally managed to build our own nation and gain independence!
Hope all Malaysians work in harmony to prevent our country from being conquered by foreign countries again, and do remember what led to our country's independence: harmony and tolerance among three races that are so unique it bring about respect from other countries.
Let's appreciate our uniqueness and celebrate Merdeka together!
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!
To all Muslims all over the world, especially Malaysian Muslims (okay, I'm a bit biased :P) :
Hope you all have a great and prosperous future, and of course, may your wishes come true~~ !
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