Download - Mind Map Draft

8/10/2019 Mind Map Draft

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MIND-MAPPING

WE HAVE A BETTER LIFE THAN OUR GRANDPARENTS

INTRO F strategy (Factual Statement)

Not necessarily better

Maybe more comfortableWHY?

It is differentHOW?

BODY

CONCLUSION

GOOD----------------------------------------Each generation----------------------------------BAD

||

No valid comparison

||

Very relative

PRO

Better life style

more leisure time

use of computer and digitaltechnology

advanced modes of transport

more chances at highereducation / online degrees

more individual liberty for

women

NO

lost family ties / values

no human touch incommunication

uncaring society

materialistic society

apathy for the elderly


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F Strategy-begins with anopinion

Opinionrepeated

Note the use ofidiomaticexpressions

Logicalconnectorsused to relateideas

SAMPLE ESSAY: WE HAVE A BETTER LIFETHAN OUR GRANDPARENTSI don't think we live a better life. We live a differentlife. We have more things. We have our cellphones and laptops, Twitter, and Facebook so thatwe can stay connected but yet we have nopersonnel connections. We have lost family values,sit down dinners, playing outside, and the list couldgo on and on. We don't talk to each other anymore.All we do is text. So no, I don't think life is better.The life led by our grandparents was just verydifferent from the life we lead now.Looking at the upside of life today it does seemoutwardly obvious that our generation is having abetter life. Work today is not as exhausting for mostas we do not toil all day in the fields, and manyhave leisure time that our grandparents could not

have imagined. We now rely on electricalappliances and gadgets, switching on and off.No longer limited to the speed of horses, today'spersonal transportation makes miles pass inminutes. Many live ajet-set life. We have greateropportunities for higher education, and an ease ofaccess to information that brick-and-mortarlibraries could never have provided. Just look atthe number of colleges and universities that havemushroomed over the recent years. To top that, wecan even pursue online degrees from the comfortof our homes.

We also have a growing awareness of andappreciation for individual liberty and rights. Few ofour grandmothers had a voice in the running ofaffairsoutside of their home. Most women wereproperty and not owners of property then. Theyand their children were the equivalent of livestock.Women today hold top posts in companies, evenleaders of a few countries. Most women these daysmake their own choices on working or nurturingtheir children, or balancing both.

However, what they had that we do not have is thephysical closeness of generations of familymembers, a community of concerned and caringcitizens that, for the most part, worked together forthe betterment of all and stood together when thehardships of life assaulted their people. Instead offorging a caring society, we have mostly becomemindless money-hungry zombies. The care forthe elderly is mostly left to hired caretakers orworse, the aged are dumped in homes to linger tilldeath takes them to a better place. There is thisnewfound apathyfor caring, be it for our agedparents, neighbours we do not even say hello to, oreven towards our own children who are mostly left

Points on theupside of life today

Better life style

More leisure

Computer/digitaltechnology

Advancedmodes oftransport

More chances athigher education

More individualliberty forwomen

Why life is notbetter?

Lost family ties

No human touch

Uncaring society

Materialistic

Apathy


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to nannies and baby sitters.Every generation has its ups and downs, it's goodand bad. And I am just not sure you can actuallymake a valid comparison; it might be more likecomparing which are better fruits, apples ororanges, or whether we have a better life here thansomeone in the UK or Indonesia, for instance. It'sall relative. I think in some aspects we are better offtoday, whereas in other aspects we are in no waybetter or worse.

Conclusion

No validcomparison

Very relative

Reiterates theopinion given inthe intro


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MIND-MAPPING

HOMEWORK

Part and parcel of learning process Mixed reactions from parents

Hated by students Enforced by schools

Work at school not sufficient

Not enough time to consolidate skills learned

Provides opportunities to better understanding

Complements in-class discussions

Indicates levels of understanding

Teachers yardstick to measure student progress

Occupies free time / no wastage on useless activities

Practice makes perfect

Helps develop and enhance skills

Prepares students for exam

Parents can keep track of childs progress

- Checking on homework

Keeps students out of mischief

A necessity

Vital element of learning

Make attempts to enjoy & reap the benefits

INTRODUCTION

BODY

CONCLUSION


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MIND-MAPPING

HOMEWORK

Helps improve grades X diminishes interest in learning

Curriculum requirement X takes up too much time

Teaches self-discipline, responsibility X no time for play

Instils good time-management

Teaches life skills

Gets parents involved

Provides practice

Instills good habits / attitudes

|________________________________________________________________________|

CONCLUSION

Definition:

Teacher-assigned tasks

Completed outside school hours

An expected status quo

Part & parcel of school life

Provides vital feedback on teaching effectiveness

Consolidates & enriches knowledge

Trains creativity & resourcefulness

Develops intelligence

Reinforces skills

Provides continual learning outside school


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Begin with adefinition

Note use ofproverbTo createcounterargument

Logicalconnector

SAMPLE ESSAY: HOMEWORK

Homework is defined as tasks assigned to students by

school teachers that are meant to be carried out during non-

school hours.Every school day brings something new, but

there is one status quo most parents expect: homework.

The old adagethat practice makes perfect seems to make

sense when it comes to schoolwork. But, while hunkering

downafter dinner amongst books and worksheets might

seem like a natural part of childhood, there are more people

now than ever suggesting that it shouldn't be so.

Homework has been around for a very long time. Parents

say that teachers require it; teachers say that parents

demand more of it. Teachers assign homework to help

some students improve their grade and pass the course for

those of who do not do well on tests or standardized

examinations. Schools require a certain amount of hours of

homework to be assigned to each student. When students

bring back work to be done at home, many controversies

arise.

Homework is all pain and no gain. Most students believe

there is little reason to believe that homework is necessary

in school. In fact, it may even diminish interest in learning

and be directly responsible for total disinterest in learning.

Most of my friends personally think that homework has

occupied much of their leisure time, and leaves them hardly

any extra time to enjoy life or other leisure pursuits.

However, many would argue that life is filled with things we

don't like to do, and that homework teaches self-discipline,

time management and other nonacademic life skills.

Homework can help students learn and can help parents be

involved in their children's education. When parents show an

interest in their child's schoolwork, they teach an important

lesson--that learning is fun and worth the effort.

Children who do more homework, on average, do better in

Yes!

Yes!

NO!

NO!

NO!

YES!

YES!


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school. And, as children move up through the grades,

homework becomes even more important to school

success. Teachers assign homework for many reasons. It

can help children practice what they have learned in school;

get ready for the next day's class; use resources, such as

libraries and encyclopaedias; and learn things they don't

have time to learn in school. Homework can also help

children learn good habits and attitudes. It can teach

children to work by themselves and encourage discipline

and responsibility.

In my opinion, homework is one of the important means of

feedback for a teacher's teaching result. It can consolidate

the knowledge that students have already studied, train

students' creativity and resourcefulness, and develop

students' intelligence. Taking time each night to do

homework is a chance for students to catch up on missed

class and further reinforces the day's lessons so it is

permanently etched in the student's mind where the

information is stored and used when called upon.

YES!

YES!

Conclude

withjustificationson whyhomework isnecessary


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MIND-MAPPING

PLASTIC BAGS SHOULD BE BANNED

INTRO

The use of baskets before the 1960s

1960s onwardsPLASTIC BAGS

BODY

Realised the harmful potential

Environmental not Full landfill sites

Impact biodegradable

Not reusable

Cannot decompose

Plastic litter

Snagged on trees death trap disastrous

Scattered on roads, parks to to

wildlife endangered species

a move / shift

retailers charge for plastic bags recycle

degradable bags paper bags/boxes/ wooden crates

{________________________________________________________________________}

CONCLUSION

Reusable carrier bags baskets / cloth bags

The best / only solution

YES!!!! BAN PLASTIC BAGS

WHY?cleaner

hygienic

waterproof

light

disposable


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Begins with whywe started usingplastic bags

Introduces the

reasons forconcern

Talks about thereality / urgencyof the problem

Threat to wildlife

SAMPLE ESSAY: PLASTIC BAGS SHOULD BEBANNED

In the time of most of our great grandmothers, no-

one ever used a plastic bag for carrying their

shopping. People used baskets or cotton bags orpaper bags. The development of thin plastics in the

1960s and 1970s led to our increasing dependence

on putting everything in plastic, which seemed to

offer several advantages. They were cleaner, more

hygienic, waterproof, light and disposable.

For years now, we have all taken plastic bags for

granted and have thought very little about their

environmental impact. But there are now signs that

people are realising the harmful potential of plasticbags and they are becoming increasingly unpopular

for several reasons, not least the environmental

concerns over landfill sites. Older types of plastic

bag are not biodegradableand they can persist in

the environment for around 1000 years, which

means that landfill sites become full and cannot be

reused. Even some of the biodegradable bags take

about 200 years to decompose. Choking our

landscape with plastic is not a good way to take

care of the planet for future generations.

A short drive through any stretch of countryside anda quick glance at the trees and hedgerows willquickly draw your attention to the many torn plasticbags that litter our environment. Even a walkthrough parks or a stroll along the road will highlightthe urgent need to stop using plastic. Once you startto become aware of them, you start to realise howbad the problem is. The very thinnest, cheapestbags become easily dislodged from rubbish in binsand blow easily in the wind and snag on branches

and twigs. This looks unsightly but can also bedangerous to wildlife.

People dump rubbish by the shoreline and manyplastic bags are blown into the sea. Once afloat,every plastic bag becomes a death trapto marinewildlife. Plastic bags pose a danger to any marinemammal, but if the species is endangered, theresults of plastic pollution could be reallydisastrous. There are posters that pose thisquestion: What do you get when you cross a turtlewith a plastic bag? The answer is obviously a dead

turtle!


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The move / shiftaway fromplastic bags

The best / onlysolution

Very recently, there has been a move away fromusing plastic bags. Some retailers now charge forplastic bags, to discourage people from taking newones each time. Major supermarkets recycle plasticbags and there are now more bag manufacturersthat produce bags that degradevery quickly - somewithin only a few months. This may help but it wouldnot save the life of a whale.Supermarkets now often offer their own brandedreusable carrier bag, which is made to last and canbe reused many times. However, to end ourreliance on plastic bags completely, we must goback to the days of our great grandmothers. Butwould using baskets and cloth bags really be thatbad? The time seems right to move on and finallyban the plastic bag completely. It is the best andonly solution!


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MIND-MAPPING

LOVE

"Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness." (P Strategy)

A difficult question to answer

Is it

Friendship? Luck? Truth?

ties 2 or more people together builds trust /

intimacy / interdependence

enhances relationships focuses onthe good

*patient *kind *generous *humble

*rejoice *truth seeker *dreamy

[________________________________________________________________________]

Romantic love Religious love

Familial love Patriotic love


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Opens with apopular sayingP Strategy

Qualities of love

Categories oflove

SAMPLE ESSAY: LOVE

"Love is the master key that opens the gates of

happiness." So goes a famous saying. What is love?

It is one of the most difficult questions for the

mankind. Centuries have passed by, relationships

have bloomed and so has love. But no one can give

the proper definition of love. To some love is

friendship set on fire for others maybe love is like

luck. You have to go all the way to find it. No matter

how you define it or feel it, love is the eternal truth in

the history of mankind.

Love is patient, love is kind. It has no envy, nor it

boasts itself and it is never proud. It rejoices over the

evil and is the truth seeker. Love protects; preserves

and hopes for the positive aspect of life. Always stand

steadfast in love, not fall into it. It is like the dream of

your matter of affection coming true.

Love can occur between two or more individuals. Itbonds them and connects them in a unified link of

trust, intimacy and interdependence. It enhances the

relationship and comforts the soul. Love should be

experienced and not just felt. The depth of love

cannot be measured. Look at the relationship

between a mother and a child. The mother loves the

child unconditionally and it cannot be measured at all.

Love can be created. You just need to focus on the

goodness of the other person. If this can be done

easily, then you can also love easily. And remember

we all have some positive aspect in us, no matter how

bad our deeds may be.

Depending on context, love can be of different

varieties. Romantic love is a deep, intense and

unending. It shared on a very intimate and


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Strengths oflove

interpersonal relationship. Familial love and religious

love are also matter of great affection. It is more of

desire, preference and feelings. The meaning of love

will change with each different relationship. But at

times the very existence of love is questioned. Some

say it is false and meaningless. It says that it never

exist, because there has been many instances of

hatred and brutality in relationships. The history of our

world has witnessed many such events. There has

been hatred between brothers, parents and children,

sibling rivalry and spouses have failed each other.

Friends have betrayed each other; the son has killed

his parents for the money, the count is endless. But

loveis not responsible for that. It is us, the people,

who have forgotten the meaning of love.

Be together, share your joy and sorrow, understand

each other, provide space to each other, but always

be there for each others needs. And surely love will

blossom to strengthen your relationship with your

matter of affection. Without love, we would live an

empty life, a life without joy and the comfort of

security and that would be very sad indeed.


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MIND-MAPPING

RAINFOREST

ECOSYSTEM

Biological diversity Life resources for herbs

& forest products

Animal/plant species Indigenous cultures

WHAT IS A RAINFOREST?

ITS IN DANGER!

Life destroyed HOW? Depletion

Extinction Felling of trees

Destruction of Habitat Deforestation

Less rainfall soil erosion

SOLUTION

T

S

Teach Support

R

Restore Establish

Encourage


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F Strategy

SAMPLE ESSAY: FORESTS

Rainforests are one of the most important

ecosystemsin the world, and their importance to thewell being of our planet is an established scientific fact.

Extraordinary in terms of their biological diversity,

tropical rainforests are a major resource for medicinal

plants and thousands of forest products. They are home

to countless species and many unique indigenous

cultures, and play a key role in the global ecosystem in

regulating weather and producing significant amounts of

the world's oxygen.

The rainforest is a thick forest that is found in the

tropical regions of the world such as Malaysia,

Indonesia, South Africa, South America and many

tropical regions in the world. This thick forest grows in

hot and wet climatic conditions where it rains almost

daily. Tropical rain forests have a characteristic structure

that is made up of a number of vertical layers that reach

up from the forest floor to the very tops of the tallest

trees.The top is called the canopy. It comprises tall,

huge trees of 120 feet and more. They block the

sunshine and rain, thus forming a dark, damp area at the

bottom. Below the canopy are a few layers of luxuriant

growththat forms the dense jungle.

The rainforest is an attraction to many people because

it homes hundreds of different kinds of plants and

animals. It is estimated that over 50 % of all life on earth

is found in the rainforests. The number of species is

staggering and may go as high as 50 million.In the

Malaysian tropical rainforest itself more than 300

varieties of animals and plants are found. The Amazon

rainforest is the biggest with most of the forest

unexplored due to its density.

Animals that live in the rainforest are wild and are

protected from human disturbance. Some of the

Note use of

vocab. particularto environmentalissues


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occupants of the rainforest are gorillas, chimpanzees,

orangutans, exotic birds such as parrots, toucans,

hornbills and reptilians, amphibians and insects.

However, in the name of development many rainforest

trees have been felled thus leaving these animals

homeless. There is no doubt that the tropical rainforests

of the world are in danger. Every hour approximately six

species of life in our tropical rainforests are destroyed.

Experts agree that the number one cause of extinction

in the tropical rainforest is due to the destruction of the

tropical rainforest environment.

Environmentalists, scientists, botanists, zoologists and

the gatekeepers of natureare very concerned over the

depletionof the rainforest. The felling of trees not only

destroys the natural habitat for animals but it also results

in us losing the valuable plants which are sources of

medicine and food for us human. Deforestationalso

affects the pattern of rainfall as lesser trees mean there

is less rainfall for us. It also leaves the earth exposed to

rain and wind, thus taking away the soil to the rivers. The

slit in the river causes flood and flash floods. The roots

of the plants and trees in the rainforest trap water,

forming water catchment areasfor people.

If there are problems in the world and with our

environment, then there has to be solutions. The

enormous benefit of rainforest must be advocated to

people if we want to save the rainforest. More and more

rainforest are being cleared because these rainforest arein the under-developed countries which are going

through rapid economic development. This involves

felling of trees. Therefore it is important to raise

awareness among the people on the importance of

rainforest if we want our future generations to enjoy the

benefits of the forest.

TREESis a concept that was originally developed for


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use in elementary school education but is an excellent

slogan in the fight to save rain forests, and endangered

ecosystems in general. Teach others about the

importance of the environment and how they can help

save rainforests. Restore damaged ecosystems by

planting trees on land where forests have been cut

down. Encourage people to live in a way that doesn't

hurt the environment. Establish parks to protect

rainforests and wildlife. Support companies that operate

in ways that minimize damage to the environment.

D StrategyStarts with adialogue

SAMPLE ESSAY: A TRIP I ENJOYED

Hey baby girl, how would you feel about a trip to

India after your SPM examinations? asked my father.

Imagine my excitement and joy. I could not sit still and

neither could I sleep without dreams of meeting a

Bollywood hero, doing a Jai Ho dance number, and

flying off into the air kicking a crook or villain down.

Thus, I eagerly passed each day of the exam, waitingfor the day. This would be my first overseas trip.

Father had booked us on a package tour of North

India. Our flight landed in Delhi where our tour guide

met us. He booked us into a hotel and said we would

be joining the other 10 people on a package tour. He

told us to be ready by 5.00 a.m. as our journey to Agra

would be three hours. So the next morning, we woke in

the wee hours of the morning and got ready. On thetour, we met people of other nationalities. The bus

then set off to Agra. What is in Agra? I asked my

father, Theres a monument, he said. I didnt ask him

further as I was rather sleepy and fell asleep minutes

later. Suddenly I felt my mother nudging me Wake up,

we are almost there.

Where? I mumbled, half asleep. Agra. It was

around 8.30 a.m. and I could see the locals, already


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starting their day. The bus drove into Agra. Buildings of

sandy pink and forts of crimson pink surrounded the

city. This is the pink city, the tour guide announced.

These buildings were built three hundred years ago.

After half an hour the bus pulled side near a village

which looked like a squatter area.

What could be here? I thought to myself.

The tour guide then told us that we were about to

see one of the wonders of the world. As he let us into

the heavily guarded gate, I stood in awe looking at the

white monument of Taj Mahal. It was as if I was

looking at a picture on a screen or a photograph but

no, I was standing on the ground of the monuments

itself as it stood tall and mighty. My eyes were glued to

the Taj Mahal, and my jaw dropped in sheer wonder.

The magnificent white marble mausoleum was about a

kilometre away from where I stood. The long pathway

was graced with fountains, flowers, statues and plants.

People seemed to be trailing mesmerized towards the

building.

The moment I reached the magnificent monument, I

gently touched the cold marble pillar, feeling it with my

bare fingers. The tour guide was rattling the details of

the buildings. According to the tour guide, the

monument was built by Shah Jahan for his beloved

wife Mumtaz. We then admired the intricate

architecture, the artistic carvings on the marble wall,

the fabulous designs and motifs that adorned thewalls. The mirrors that were embedded in the walls

reflected and enlarged the designs, thus accentuating

the tiny works of art that the naked eye could not see. I

searched for my camera but realised that it was taken

by the guards as a precautionary measure. So I could

only record the magnificent building in my memory.

We went on to visit many other wondrous monuments

and palaces in North India which now mainly serve as


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museums and even governmental offices. Mom and I

enjoyed the shopping at the road side bazaars where

we got to buy exquisite sari materials, shawls and

handloom bed linen. In Mumbai we got a guided tour

of the Filmistan Studio, where I took some

photographs with a few heart throbs like Vivek Oberoi,

Ranbir Kapoor and my hero, Imran Khan. My father

had a gala time taking pictures with the female film

stars, much to the discomfort of my mother. Looking at

the pictures, you can see a permanent scowl on her

face whereas father is beaming like a beacon.

The trip was truly awesome and I enjoyed every

minute of it. However, it was the trip to the Taj Mahal

that proved most memorable. Whether it truly is a

symbol of love or more of a kings vanity, it is a

magnificent monument to human ingenuity and

imagination.


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SAMPLE ESSAY: MY FAVOURITE BOOK

It was times like these when I thought my father, whohated guns and had never been to any wars, was thebravest man who ever lived.These lines are from my all time favourite book To Kill

a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee. As a girl myself, Ihave come to share Scouts growing respect for herfather. I share a similar bond with my father. My fatherremains the bravest soul I have ever known. In fact itwas my father who gave me this book as a birthday giftwhen I was twelve and I reread this book every year asa tribute to my father who tragically passed away aweek before my fifteenth birthday.The novel revolves around a young girl named JeanLouise Finch who goes by the nicknamed "Scout".Scout experiences different events in her life thatdramatically change her life. Scout and her brother Jem

are raised by their father, a lawyer named Atticus. Thechildren become fascinated with a man named "Boo"Radley, a man who has not been seen outside of hishome in years, mainly because of his suppressedupbringing. They have an impression of Mr. Radley asbeing this large ugly and evil man. Scout's fatherbecomes a defense attorney for a black man, TomRobinson, who is falsely accused of a crime against awhite woman. During this trial she gets teased byfriends because her father was helping this black man.Scout starts to see the racism that exists. Even thoughMr. Robinson's innocence was clear even in the eyes ofkids, Mr. Robinson was still found guilty. Later in anattempt to escape, Mr. Robinson is shot dead. Scout isextremely disappointed at the verdict and even more atthe death of Mr. Robinson.With all the negative points that can be found in thestory in respect to prejudice, there was a bright spotwhen it came to the prejudice issue. This ray of lightcame in the form of Scout's father Atticus. Atticusrepresented hope. Hope that good people still exist.Even in a society filled with hate. Atticus representedthe hope that one day things can change, Change we

can believe in. I suppose that hope has come true, atleast in America where a black man is president of thenation. My father would have jumped in joy. Father wasvery much like Atticus. He always told me never tochoose friends based on colour, race, creed or status.At his funeral people from all walks of life paid tribute toa man I sadly got to know better after he was gone.

I did watch the movie version with my father. The actorwho played Atticus, Gregory Peck was my fathersfavourite movie star. I believe we watched the movie atleast four times. It was a VCD and although it cannot be

played now, I still keep it beside the book, a shrine tothe best values a father could instil in his daughter.


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Every word in this book is a gentle whisper of myfathers voice. When I hold the aged book onto my face,I still get whiffs of my fathers Old Spice aftershave.Therefore, rereading it every year is in honour of hislegacy. As my father firmly believed, I too advocate thisbook as compulsory reading for all fathers anddaughters. If only people saw this world with the eyes ofa child who is accepting of all diversities anddifferences that make us people of the world, we wouldbe better off.


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MIND MAPPING

WHY I LOVE MY COUNTRY

To know Malaysia is to love Malaysia.

huge variety

affordableFood

roads / highwaysworld-class banking

low cost of livingInfrastructure

harmony

tolerance

festivals

holidays

unity in diversity

Culture


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SAMPLE ESSAY: WHY I LOVE MY COUNTRYTo know Malaysia is to love Malaysia.

This is the first line of a song made popular by a

Malaysian icon, Sudirman Haji Arshad. What is there that

is not to love about my country Malaysia? Having been to

a few other countries on holiday trips with my family, I can

pride myself on being Malaysia. This country is the best

place to live in. This is a country where people from

varied walks of life get together paying no heed to

ethnicity or religion when it comes to cheering for the

national football team, or supporting a charity drive.

First of all is the food. Tell me, which Malaysian doesn't

crave for food all the time? Malaysia offers a huge variety

of food, from our local cuisine to Western cuisine. We

have it all. I like going to my favourite mamak stall after

school with my friends, hanging out there eating a plate of

fried noodles and sipping a glass of teh tarik. Every year

without fail, my family and I will make our way to Penang

to enjoy food. We always frequent the cendol stall on

Penang Road. On Sunday mornings, my father would

usually buy nasi lemak or yamcake from our nearby

market. Heaven I tell you, heaven. Malaysian cuisine is

simply delicious yet so affordable, burning no holes into

your pockets.

Besides that, I also love travelling around Malaysia. I

have been on road trips to places like Sekinchan and Ulu

Yam and also to other states like Penang, Perak, Kedah,

Pahang and Terengganu. I also have been to Sabah

twice. Although all we see is plenty of oil palm and rubber

plantations during road trips, I do enjoy them. I feel very

lucky compared to other people who haven't been to such

places.

The roads and highways are wonderful. The world-class

banking system offers all sorts of perks and services

internet banking, cash deposit machines, debit cards,

Islamicfinancing, among a few. The ports are efficient

it only takes 2 to 3 days to clear a container in Port Klang.


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True, theres still some red tape in Malaysian government

offices, but the Immigration Department can issue a

passport within just an hour. Hows that for efficiency?

Despite a few grouses or two, things still get done most of

the time in Malaysiayet the cost of living remains

relatively low. Singapore, for instance, may have a

superior public transport system, but I wince at the cost of

living there. Everything works like Swiss clockwork in

Europe but its too expensive. Thus, for me, Malaysia is

the place to live in, invest in and do business in.

Malaysia has cultural and religious harmony.Yes, it

sounds so trite by now, after reading and hearing about it

all the time. But its not justhype. Its the reality. Three

cultures, Malay, Chinese, and Indian live and co-exist

under one nationality: Malaysian. The result is a more

tolerant society. All types of glorious food from the

Malay nasi lemakto the Indian roti canaito the Chinese

char kway teow. National holidays cover everything from

Chinese New Year to Eid ul Fitr to Thaipusam to

Christmas Day. Chinese customers maintain Islamic bank

accounts, a Malay nasyidgroup performs an Islamic song

in Mandarin, Indian and Chinese ladies wearing baju

kurungto the office. Its amazing. Its refreshing. Its

something that most Malaysians may have taken for

granted but that is why I just adore this nation I call home.