~sex EdUcaTion~~

Sex. It is quite a sensitive and offensive topic to talk about. Recently, government had suggested to implement sex education in our education system. People voices is collected as it is a way to know people perception about this new system. For me, I completely put my stand to support government effort to give sex education to people. First and foremost reason is surely about parents. Our society claimed that sex is a personal private issue and can only be taught among family. Parents have responsibility to set their children minds about sex. But somehow, through experience, parents create fear by saying that sex is dirty, bad and dangerous. This is completely wrong perception about sex as people know that sex can create pleasure and strengthen the bonding of married couple. It is not dirty and whatsoever. Unfortunately, this set of mind is inherited throughout the generation. All members of the generation will have same bad perception towards sex. So, By getting formal and proper sex education, this mind set can be changed and people especially teenagers will get a clear definition of sex, a proper way of doing it, and negative effects of doing it without knowledge. Although we cannot change our parents minds anymore, but somehow, through sex education, we can set a new perception of sex for the today’s generation.

about the writer

Talking about this little funny guy is such a simple task. Lots of hilarious things can be digged out throughout his life. Let start with his background. He ,who being named by his parents Muhamad Safuan, is the third son in the family born on October 8 1991 in Penang. His two elder brothers was born four years and two years earlier than him respectively. He entered his first education world when he was six, that was thirteen years ago, and at that time, he always being teased by others. At first, they thought that he was such a quiet, deserted and lonely boy but they were wrong. His real characteristic emerged when teacher asked him to go up on the stage to perform something to the class during school open day. Of course they were many parent attended that ceremony. As simple as ABC, he told jokes and people especially his classmates cannot believe that they could laugh with his jokes. “He is full with sense of humor’. That was the statement given by his own teacher and everybody admit it until now.

When he was a kind, he had an ambition that was to become a sport athlete. With his small size at that time, people laughed when he talked about his dream. For the second time, people were wrong with his ability. He managed to grab the gold medal in running competition when he was nine, ten and eleven. But after that, his dream seem like to be gone with his age. He changed his ambition after his parents said that being a sportsman will not secure his future especially in this country. They wanted him to become a doctor, teacher or anything else .Typical ideas of parents. With the support from his parent, he successfully ended up his education world and now, he is being sponsored by JPA to study engineering in Germany. He never think about it as throughout his life, he never achieved anything in academic except nothing.

Lets talk about his personality today. As far as people know, he is easy with everyone, or in the simple word, friendly. He likes to tell jokes around with his friends. In addition, he likes to make fun of people and of course as a drawback people make fun of him too. Being a teenager who is now studying in a not well-known private college, he has an open-minded mind. His view toward life changed after he entered this college. In the past, he was surrounded with people, who has sarcastic view toward boy-girl relationship. He was prevented to communicate, to mix around and whatsoever with girls. Now, he has changed. He said that, people need to communicate with everyone as that is a way to know ourselves. Plus, we can see ourselves in others too. He just cannot be alone. He need at least one person to talk to as lonely will drive him crazy. Although he find that the only person is really quiet and weird, he will start the conversation. One fact about him that is not so good is whenever his decision or idea is rejected by others, he will start to doubt his own judgment and most of the time will affect his final decision. He is now trying to overcome this problem and want to be strict and stand with his opinions.

For him, sport is a must. Futsal and football cannot be separated from his life. That is the time for him when he can make friends beside getting healthy. His favorite football club is Manchester United and he is a die-hard-fan of this club since he was nine. Moreover, he likes to listen to music especially dance music. Although, he is not gifted with the talent, he will dance in his own style. Music ease his mind. The thing that he completely hate is blogging. Only dummies write their private things and share it with others especially love things. That is so weird to express your feeling and let others read it. People especially like him annoyed all these things.

Now, he believe that he is undergoing difficult challenges to pursue his study overseas. He need to pass his AUSMAT program to fulfill his goals. Despite all the obstacles, he promised to work harder to impress himself and especially his own parents. This future engineer are ready to play his role that is to serve to his own people-MALAYSIAN..

spoof advertisements

advertisements above were put up to promote movie-viewing by a group of cinemas.

1. What is the underlying message of the advertisements to encourage more people to go to the cinema to watch movies?
Sometimes reality is terrible, so this group try to covered by using fantasy.Fantasy make people believe that every single tthing in this world is nice and enjoyable

2.How is the idea of fantasy as seen in the romantic movie "Titanic" and the idealized version of whales in the movie " Free Willy" contrasted with the slogan "reality sucks" of the print advertisements?
Both of the movies are just imagination of the man who create them. Reality seems to be different from what they imaginiated.Absolutely all these 'sucks' things can happen.

3.What is the stereotypical image of wild animals in captivity and love cruises?
Both of these God's creature can ruin your fantasy.The tern can beat when you are on the cruise and he whale can eat you when you are in the captivity.

working retired

There are only a few magic numbers in American civic life.You can vote(and get drafted)at age 18.You can drink at 21.You can become president at 35.You can retire at 65.
But on that last one-do Americans really want to?Now that so many Americans are living healthfully until 85,fewer and fewer actually retire at 65.Today there are 5 million people 65 or older in the U.S. labor force,almost twice what there were in the early 1980s.And that number is about to explode.
Some people are working past 65 because they have to:Health care costs are rising,and Social Security payments-at an average of about $1,000 a month-don't cover what they used to.But the bigger trend in Senior Work is the fact that Americans love -and now that we're living longer,we want to work longer too.We just can't get enough.My friend and mentor Harold Burson,the co-founder of the global PR firm Burson Marsteller,where I am CEO,just turned 86,and comes to work every day,bursting with ideas.
On average,Americans work over 1,800 hours per year,substantially more than most workers around the world.Although we get fewer vacation days per year than other Western countries(13 days,compared to 28 in the UK,and 37 in France),we let more than twice as many go unused.And really,what's a vacation to us these days without our BlackBerry?In 2006,almost a quarter of us (23%) checked our work e-mail and voice mail while away-up from just 16% in 2005.A lot of us love to work.
In fact,the impulse to work is so basic that the Fourth Commandment is to take off one day a week.Not working for a day is right up there with not murdering,not committing adultery,and not stealing.We tend to assume that most people want off-waiting all week for the Friday afternoon whistle so they can stream out of work.To be sure,many jobs are terrible-even life-threatening-and people reasonably can't wait to get home.But as work overall has become more managerial,consulting,and software-oriented-and as manufacturing jobs have been on the decline-a lot of people have changed their attitude toward work,and the number of workaholics has skyrocketed.How many times have you heard the old saying that no one ever lay on his deathbed wishing he had spent more time at the office?And yet,a lot of people are doing just that.The sandwich generation is going to be in for a shock when they call their 70-year old parents at the office and find they are just too busy to babysit their grandkids.
Add to America's general obsession with work the fact that it is now the baby boomer generation who is nearing 65,and it becomes clear that the traditional idea of "retirement"-with its gold watch,rocking chair,and golf course-is just about ready for retirement itself.
Boomers reinvented youth in the 1960s and economic success in the 1980s;they are not to do their senior years by someone else's formula.According to a 2005 survey by Merrill Lynch,more than 3 in 4 boomers say they have no intention of seeking a traditional retirement.Rather they look ahead to their 20 more years (when Social Security was created in 1935,a 65 year old could expect just 13 more years)_and they say Bring It On.Some want to keep their health insurance,or have enough funds for the extra years-but more of the boomers surveyed said they wanted to keep working in order to stay mentally and physically active and to stay connected to people.


"Microtrends-the small forces behind tomorrow's big changes" Mark J. Penn (2007)Hachette Book Group

1. What do the magic numbers of 18,21,35 and 65 represent in American civic life? They can do something that they are prohibited before that when they reach these ages. At 18, they can start voting, at 21, they can start drinking, at 35, they can become president and at 65, they can retiring.

2. Why do some people work past 65?
Because they have to:Health care costs are rising,and Social Security payments-at an average of about $1,000 a month-don't cover what they used to.But the bigger trend in Senior Work is the fact that Americans love -and now that they're living longer,they want to work longer too.

3. What does the phrase " bursting with ideas"when he comes to work at the age of 86 implies about Mr. Harold Burson?
When he can give ideas that are useful to the company at this age, he is absolutely think actively.He never make his age as obstacle to think.

4. Give examples to show that American employees are workaholics by choice?
On average,Americans work over 1,800 hours per year,substantially more than most workers around the world.Although they get fewer vacation days per year than other Western countries(13 days,compared to 28 in the UK,and 37 in France),they let more than twice as many go unused.In 2006,almost a quarter of us (23%) checked their work e-mail and voice mail while away-up from just 16% in 2005.A lot of them love to work.

5.What is the tone of the writer when he mentions that "not working for a day is right up there with not murdering,not committing adultery and not stealing"?
It sound serious because people need a break at least one day in a week

6. What example is given to show that the grandparents of the present generation do not fit with the traditional stereotypical image of grandparents in the past?
The sandwich generation is going to be in for a shock when they call their 70-year old parents at the office and find they are just too busy to babysit their grandkids.

7.Explain in your own words the sentence"it becomes clear that the traditional idea of "retirement"-with its gold watch,rocking chair,and golf course-is just about ready for retirement itself."
In my opinion,this traditional idea is not practiced anymore.This is because people continue to work although they have reached the retirement age.who will do all these when they are not
retired.it sound funny but it is reality.

Classifying Thinkers (A summary of the previous text)

Classifying Thinkers (A summary of the previous text)

We don't really know how to define intelligence. However, this does not discourage some people from categorizing others according to their intelligence or lack of it. In his essay, "Thinking as a hobby," author William S. Golding does exactly this. Golding divides people into three categories: grade-three thinkers, grade-two thinkers, and grade-one thinkers.

According to Golding, 90 percent of the population represents the largest category, called grade-three thinkers. These people are docile. They follow orders and they obey other people's wishes. They never learn to think for themselves and cannot distinguish truth from lies. A dictator could take control of them and make them do whatever he wanted, as if they were sheep. The resulting mob would be brutal and ugly.

Grade-two thinkers, Golding's second category, are less likely to be influenced by a dictator. These grade-two thinkers, who make up 9 percent of the population, see corruption in the world. For example, grade-two thinkers may question the honesty of religion or political institutions,but they fail to find new ideals to believe in.

The remaining 1 percent of the population are what Golding calls grade-one thinkers. They not only see corruption, but they also know how to seek truth. Their lives are defined by beauty, wisdom and knowledge. Such thinkers are creative and imaginative geniuses, like Mozart, Michelangelo, and Einstein, who opened new worlds in music, art and science.

One wonders in which category Golding would place himself. Surely not among the "sheep"! Golding may prefer to believe that intelligence prevents people in the top tenth percentile of the population from following political dictators, but the number of doctors, teachers, lawyers, and writers in many countries who were willing supporters of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao shows that this belief is incorrect. In fact, sometimes the common sense and compassion of the ordinary man is all that stands between civilization and barbarism. As one of the so-called sheep, I say bah to Mr. Golding!

1. Circle the thesis statement. How does Golding classify people?
The thesis statement is "Thinking as a hobby," author William S. Golding does exactly this.He classify people by dividing people into three categories: grade-three thinkers, grade-two thinkers, and grade-one thinkers.

2. Underline the topic sentence of each body paragraph.
paragraph one: 90 percent of the population represents the largest category, called grade-three thinkers
paragraph two:Grade-two thinkers, Golding's second category, are less likely to be influenced by a dictator
paragraph three:The remaining 1 percent of the population are what Golding calls grade-one thinkers

3. How does the author describe 90 percents of the population? The remaining 9 percent? The final 1 percent?
For the 90 percents of the population, the author said that they are docile.They just obey orders and other people wishes.They never learn to think and distinguish truth from lies.They are sheep that can be controlled by a dictator.
For the remaining 9 percent, he said that they can see corruption in the world but they are less likely to be influenced by a dictator.
For the final 1 percent, he said that they can see corruption and know how to seek truth. Their lives are defined by beauty, wisdom and knowledge.

4. Underline the examples used in the third body paragraph to describe "Grade-one thinkers."
Such thinkers are creative and imaginative geniuses, like Mozart, Michelangelo, and Einstein, who opened new worlds in music, art and science.

5. What is the writer's opinion of Golding's essay? In which paragraph do you find this opinion?
Golding's belief is incorrect.This can be found in paragraph five.

6. What support (facts, examples) are used in the conclusion to argue the writer's point of view?
intelligence prevents people in the top tenth percentile of the population from following political dictators, but the number of doctors, teachers, lawyers, and writers in many countries who were willing supporters of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao shows that this belief is incorrect

Cohen F Robert and Miller Judy "Reason to write -Strategies for success in academic writing"
Oxford University Press

Loony Teens

What does the cartoon have to say about teenagers and their lives?

1. How does the teenager feel about exam tension?
He studied very well and believe that he can do well in the exam.But when the time comes, he cannot cope with the exam tension and all his preparations gone.

2. In what way is there a communication gap between the teenager and his parents?
The gap is too big. Parents seem to be not understand what teenager nowadays going through. They keep asking question that their parents asked them in the past which is 'How was your school today?'.Perhaps,parents should ask other questions that makes teenagers fell that parent understand them.

3.What point is the teenager trying to get across his father in this cartoon?
The internet connection problems happen quite a number of times.that is the main idea of the cartoon and the teenager wants his father to know about it.Unfortunately his father's knowledge about technology is limited.The father look cannot get what the teenager trying to point out.

4.In what way does the father understand his son well?
In my opinion,the father only understand the literal meaning on what his son said.The son should speak straight to the point when talking to his father.

Create your own slogan/tag line for the advertisement

"You should knock the door before you enter grandma's room"

word collocation

A collocation is two or more words which often go together.

Natural English Unnatural English

fast food quick food

a quick shower a fast shower

(Tip:when you learn a new word,write down other words that collocate with it)

Eg.: make + the bed/ time/breakfast/friends/fun/a joke/money

Exercise

Both options make sense.Underline the one which forms a common collocation

1. Many small houses and huts were (flooded away/washed away) when the river bursts its banks.

2.Poor farming methods are responsible for soil (devaluation/erosion )in many areas of Saharan African.

3.During the earthquake,many people were( buried/covered )alive.

4.The forest fire left a wide area of the mountainside blackened and (ablaze/smouldering).

5.Villagers are hoping for rain this month after nearly a year of (dry weather/drought.)

6. Before the hurricane struck,many people were (evacuated/shifted) to higher ground.

7.Thousands of children in the famine-striken area are suffering from (malnutrition/undernourishment).

10.Heavy snow has fallen in the mountains and many villages have been (blocked out/cut off) for the past two days.

11.The Aids (epidemic/plague) is having serious effects in some countries.

12.Many small islands in the Indian Ocean are threatened by rising sea (waters/levels).


English Grammar and Vocabulary

Vince Michael and Sunderland Peter

(Macmillan)

phrasal verb

Phrasal verb

verb + preposition/s
eg. : run down
run out of
run into

1. Guess who I ran into at the club!
2.She's always running down her husband.
3.I need to go to the market.I've run out of oil,meat and rice.

Put in a suitable preposition in each space.

1. Hundreds of people turned up in the rain to see the celebrity.
2.Most of my time is taken up with answering the phone.
3.Don't be put off by the price,a cool $ 20,000.
4.Something funny is going on.
5.I think she made up the whole story!
6.Not many people turned up for the last lecture.
7.Don't worry,you can count on me.

word collocation

Which word completes each set of collocations or fixed phrases?

a) an instrument _panel_______
a panel of experts
a control panel
a wooden panel

b) a secret ballot
a secret agent
keep it a secret
meet in secret
the secret of success

c) take stock of the situation
it's out of stock
the stock exchange
the stock market


d) a time sheet
a time zone
only time will tell
long time no see
for the time being


e) a child minder

child abuse
child care facilities
a child prodigy
behaving like a child