TO RECOGNISE those who serve the nation, national servicemen who are Singaporeans will receive up to $10,500 over the span of their NS careers. Commanders - those holding the rank of Third Sergeant and above in the Singapore Armed Forces, and those holding the rank of Sergeant and above in the Home Team - will each receive $10,500. NSmen of other ranks will receive up to $9,000 each. Those who hold NSman status as of, and after, Aug 29, are eligible for the National Service Recognition Award (NSRA). The sum will be split into three equal instalments, the first as the NSman nears the end of his two-year fulltime obligation. This portion will go into his post-secondary education account for further education. The second and third portions will be credited midway and at the end of his NS training cycle. These sums will be credited into his CPF account to help pay for housing, healthcare and retirement. The number of instalments each serviceman will receive depends on the stage of the NS training cycle he is currently at. At any one time, there are at least 300,000 NSmen. The incentive, a move to show that citizens come first, was first announced on Sunday by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally on Sunday. At any one time, there are at least 300,000 NSmen. At a briefing to give more details on Tuesday morning, the Defence Ministry's Minister of State Koo Tsai Kee said the award will provided 'sustained recognition' to Singaporeans who serve NS. He said: "We know that it is impossible to fully compensate each and every national servicemen for their contributions towards the defence of Singapore. The NSRA is to show our appreciation and to recognise our citizen servicemen in a sustained manner." 5 New Words that I have learnt: 1.instalments:One of a number of successive payments in settlement of a debt 2.obligation:the constraining power of a promise, contract, law, or sense of duty 3.credited: an arrangement for deferred payment of a loan or purchase 4.incentive:something, such as the fear of punishment or the expectation of reward, that induces action or motivates effort 5.compensate:recompense or reimburse Comments: I think that this is a good idea for NSmen as they are recognised for their efforts and responsibility when they were serving for their country. This also motivates would-be-NSmen, as they feel that their hard work indeed pays off. I hope that the Government will continue offering such incentives.
Singapore’s Youth Olympic Games (YOG) silver medallist Isabelle Li says she’s not sure if she will be participating in the London 2012 Olympic Games. The paddler, who turned 16 last Saturday, sprung a surprise at the YOG where she came close to winning Singapore’s first gold medal in the table-tennis girls’ singles competition. Despite bagging the silver medal, she told Yahoo! SEA her future in table-tennis is uncertain. “I’ve not decided if I want to be in the London 2012 games. I’m taking things one step at a time. I want to taper down on my training so that I can study and take a break and see what happens right after,” she said.
5 new words and phrases I have learnt: 1)sprung a surprise:surprise people 2)bagging:to claim something 3)uncertain:feeling doubt about something 4)taper:the way something gradually decreases 5)medallist:a person who has received a medal
My views: I think Isablle Li should be in the London 2012 Olympic games as she came close to winning the gold medal for Singapore.She should take a break first too.
Headline: Dog who ate beehive wins unusual pet insurance award.
A labrador that ate a beehive containing pesticides and thousands of dead bees won an award on Monday that recognised the most unusual pet health insurance claim in the United States.
Ellie, who fully recovered from her encounter with the beehive in southern California, beat a border collie that ran through a window to get at a mailman, and a terrier that bit a chainsaw. She won a bronze trophy in the shape of a ham, and basket of toys and doggie treats.
The winner was announced by the Veterinary Pet Insurance Co (VPI) and selected from a dozen pets nationwide.
Comments: I think that the labrador is very unusual to survive after eating a beehive containing pesticides and thousands of dead bees. If I had a dog, I will not allow him to eat the beehive.
Words I had learnt: 1. terrier:Any of several typically small, active breeds of hunting dog originally developed for driving game from burrows.
2.insatiable:Impossible to satiate or satisfy
3.Pooch: A slang for a dog
4.Insurance:Coverage by a contract binding a party to indemnify another against specified loss in return for premiums paid.
5. Border Collie: A British sheepdog that has a wavy, usually black coat with white markings and is used for herding
Headline: HK Victims return to grief-stricken country
After the bloody attack in Manila, a plane flew 8 Hongkongers dead bodies and the rest of the survivors. The Hongkongers were being hijacked on the bus by a ex-policeman on their last day in Manila. Mrs Amy Leung, a survivor whose husband and 2 daughters were killed, stayed in Manila where her son remains in intensive care. She wanted to stay with her son as he was her only family member left. She said that her husband had been killed when he tried to protect the family. Some survivors like teenager Tracey Wong was still in great fear after the incident whenever she recalled about it. The Philippine government had also appealed to the Hong Kong people to refrain from taking out their anger on Filipinos in the City as this was two different things. Many Filipinos are employed as domestics helpers in Hong Kong so their jobs would be at risk too.
My Comments: I think that this was an incident that can be avoided if the Manila policeman took things more seriously and planned the attack on the hijacker properly. It is really a fearful experience for the survivors who witnessed the scene and if I were one of them, I will try to learn how to forget that incident and learn how to forgive those Filipinos.
New words and phrases I have learnt: 1)Grief-stricken-deeply affected by sorrow or distress 2)Intensive care-Continuous and closely monitored health care that is provided to critically ill patients 3)Appealed- An earnest or urgent request, entreaty, or supplication 4)Refrain-To restrain
Summary: Eight of the hostages were killed in the bloody siege, which ended with several survivors crawling from the bus while emergency crews removed bodies. A former policeman armed with an assault rifle had seized the bus in an apparent attempt to get his job back. Hong Kong's government has criticised the handling of the siege. In all, 22 Hong Kong tourists were taken hostage along with three Filipinos - a driver, a guide and a photographer. Chinese officials said all eight of the dead were from Hong Kong. One of the survivors, who identified herself only as Mrs Leung, told reporters that her husband had been killed trying to stop the gunman from shooting other passengers. Hong Kong's leader Donald Tsang also criticised the way the siege was dealt with. "The way it was handled, particularly the outcome, I find it is disappointing," he said.
My Comments: I feel that many lives could be saved if the policemen tackled the problem with a better solution and had a good plan to attack the hijacker. The survivors must be grief-stricken when they return to Hong Kong. I hope that they could better their police force in order to prevent any more of these things to happen again.
New words learnt: assault-a sudden, violent attack; onslaught Intensive Care-the use of specialized equipment and personnel for continuous monitoring and care of the critically ill. Correspondent- a person employed by a news agency, periodical, television network, etc., to gather, report, or contribute news, articles, and the like regularly from a distant place. siege- the act or process of surrounding and attacking a fortified place in such a way as to isolate it from help and supplies, for the purpose of lessening the resistance of the defenders and thereby making capture possible Alexander Er
Headline:Gunman kills seven and himself in Slovak capital
BRATISLAVA - A gunman shot dead six members of a Roma family and another woman in the Slovak capital Bratislava on Monday before killing himself, government officials said.
Fourteen more people were wounded in a gun battle with police following the murders, including one officer shot in the head.
The motive of the gunman, who was a Slovak aged about 50, and his identity were still being investigated, Police Chief Jaroslav Spisiak said.
"He was alone. He fired at everything that moved during his escape bid, the policemen surrounded him ... they made it impossible for him to escape," Spisiak told reporters near the apartment block where the shooting happened.
Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic said six of the victims were members of the mostly poor Roma minority whose integration into society has been a long-running issue in Slovakia.
"It was a family of Roma origin. We do not know the motive yet, I do not want to speculate if it was or was not a racist motive," he told a news conference.
There have been disputes and minor clashes in Slovakia between Roma and the majority population, especially in smaller towns, but no racist multiple murders. There are about 430,000 Roma among Slovakia's population of 5.4 million.
In neighbouring Hungary, several Roma have been killed in recent years in what appeared to be racially-motivated attacks.
The Devinska Nova Ves district of Bratislava, where the shooting took place, was sealed off by police after the incident, a Reuters reporter on the scene said.
Spisiak said the man entered an apartment armed with a submachinegun with eight magazines and two handguns, and shot dead four women and a man inside.
He killed another relative in the doorway and another woman standing on a balcony nearby before police cornered him, and then killed himself.
Renata Vandariakova, head doctor of the Bratislava University Hospital, said the hospital was treating nine of the wounded, one of whom was in critical condition.
She said others among the wounded had been shot in the chest and abdomen.
Slovakia, a member of the European Union, experienced several shooting incidents involving criminal gangs in the 1990s but has had no large-scale shootings in recent years.
The shooting spree was the most lethal in Europe since a gunman opened fire on people in the rural English county of Cumbria in June, killing 12.
My comments:I feel sorry for the people killed in the shooting spree.I wonder why the gunman went to kill so many people.Perhaps he has a mental disorder?I hope the reason the gunman went on the shooting spree comes to light soon.
New words and phrases I have learnt: 1)Integration-The act or process of integrating. 2)Speculate-To assume to be true without conclusive evidence 3)Dispute-To argue about 4)Clash-To come into conflict 5)Corner-To manoeuvre a person or an animal into a position from which escape is difficult or impossible
My Future Table Tennis future is undecided:Issabelle Li
By Republic Polytechnic’s Zianna Zainal & Siti Khairunnisa
Singapore’s Youth Olympic Games (YOG) silver medallist Isabelle Li says she’s not sure if she will be participating in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The paddler, who turned 16 last Saturday, sprung a surprise at the YOG where she came close to winning Singapore’s first gold medal in the table-tennis girls’ singles competition.
Despite bagging the silver medal, she told Yahoo! SEA her future in table-tennis is uncertain.
“I’ve not decided if I want to be in the London 2012 games. I’m taking things one step at a time. I want to taper down on my training so that I can study and take a break and see what happens right after,” she said.
“But I’ll probably focus more on my studies as I have to finish my Secondary 4 syllabus,” added the Singapore Sports School student.
In contrast, swimmer Rainer Ng who deferred his final-year of studies in Raffles Junior College to focus on his sport, was filled with enthusiasm when asked about his plans.
The 18-year-old, who won Singapore a silver medal in the boys’ 50m backstroke, said he has no doubts about what he wants to do — swim for Singapore.
“I have to keep up with my swimming performance because I still have my ASEAN games. But I’d still have to continue my JC2 next year since it has been deferred,” he said.
“Tentatively, I’m aiming to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games. I’ll do what I can to qualify, even if it means going pro, but studies will definitely come in after that.”
My Comments: I think tha Isabelle Li is a little unwilling to sacrifice her studies for Singapore as she probably wants a more normal life. Unlike her, Raynor Ng is willing to sacrifice. He still wants to practice to win Singapore a gold medal for swimming. I believe he will win sooner or later due to his determination to win.
5 words/phrases I have learnt: 1)sprung a surprise:surprise people 2)bagging:achieved and brought back something 3)taper:to grow gradually lean 4)deffer:excellent 5)tentatively:uncertainly
Headline:Doc suspended six months for misconduct By:Fiona Low
A doctor has been suspended for six months and fined $6000 for professional misconduct by the Singapore Medical Council.
He prescribed hypnotic drugs to patients who took them over a period of seven months to over 3 years,thus leading to drug dependence.
He prescribe the drugs to the patients without referring them to a specialist for further assessment.
This is the sixth case of professional misconduct medical practitioners this year
Words I had learnt: 1.misconduct: unacceptable behaviour, especially by a professional person
2.illicit: not allowed by the law
3.censured: Strong criticism
4.practitioner:a person who works in a profession,especially medicine or law
5.undertaking:a task or project, especially one that is important and/or difficult
My views: I think the doctors must send the pills for further assessment just to be on the safe side. There are so many cases this year that maybe when we go to the doctor to seek treatment, we will be afraid or scared that something may go wrong and our life will be in risk. I also think the punishment is too light and the doctors will not take this accident in mind.
Lesson 1: Football needs technology In the second round of the World Cup, Germany were winning 2-1 against England when Frank Lampard's shot hit the crossbar and bounced over the goal line. Everyone watching at the place itself and on the television knew the ball had crossed the line.A goal should have been awarded to England. Unfortunately, both the referee and his assistant did not see the ball cross the line. Eventually the goal was not given. Although England lost the match 4-1, they were infuriated that they were not given a goal. After this incident, FIFA decided that there should be technology involved to achieve fairness in every game, whether the ball has crossed the goal line or not. With the success of using this device in tennis, controversies can be easily avoided especially in high-profile and important games. However, they think these Hawk-Eye technology are too expensive and might slow down the game.
Lesson 2: 4-2-3-1 is the new 4-4-2 In football, teams usually kick off a match with a main formation of 4 defenders, 4 midfielders and 2 strikers-a total of 10 outfield players. However, the three most successful teams at the 2010 World Cup-Spain, Netherlands and Germany-all chose to use a 4-2-3-1 formation, which consist of 4 defenders, 2 defensive midfielders, 3 attacking midfielders and 1 striker. That formation proved to allow teams to be much more successful in both attack and defence compared to the 4-4-2 formation. More importantly, it allows the teams to play good, attractive football, with a lot of passing and movement. It is expected that other football clubs try and suit a 4-2-3-1 formation, with hope of leading into a new age of exciting football.
My comments: Referring to lesson 1,I think to be fair, the next FIFA World Cup should get technology involved. With such accurate device, there would be equality in every game. Otherwise, the players' fury may result into violence. Even with the device, the referee and his assistant should also be alert, in case the device is not functioning as per normal, which is not likely to happen since it was successfully used in tennis.
New words/phrases I have learnt: 1. Hawk-Eye: a nickname for sharp eyes 2. controversies: quarrel 3. kick off: start off 4. outfield: the players who occupy these positions 5. new age: modern
Summary: As Malaysia celebrated its Merdeka Day yesterday, a debate has rekindles on whether this anniversary, marked its 53rd birthday or its 47th one. Some Malaysians insist the country is 47 years old because it was formed only with the entry of Sabah and Sarawak on September 16, 1963. Malaya became independent on august 31, 1957.
Datuk Yong Teck Lee, president of the small Sabah Progressive Party that it was wrong to say that the entire nation became independent 53 years ago when Sabah and Sarawak were still colonies.
Both Sabah and Sarawak hold a key role in the power balance in Malaysia as Sabah has 25 of Malaysia's 222 parliamentary seats, and Sarawak 31. Collectively , they contributed about one-third to the ruling Barisan Nasional's (BN) total number of seats after it lost a lot of ground in the peninsula in the 2008 general election.
Political analyst Ong Kian Ming, however, does not think there is anything to be gained from such a debate.
"We should recognise August 31 as the beginning of the process that eventually led to the formation of Malaysia," he said.
My view: I feel that Malaysia's birthday should be on the August 31 where Sabah and Sarawak formed with entry. Instead of 53 years old, it should be 47 years old because only with the completion of Sabah and Sarawak then Malaysia is made complete. Malaysia should care about Sabah and Sarawak being an important part of her, where they are officially announced that they are no more colonies.
5 New Words I Have Learnt:
1)Colony- a group of people who leave their native country to form in a new land a settlement subject to, or connected with, the parent nation.
2)Heightened- abnormally increased
3)Political- pertaining to
4)Peninsula-an area of land almost completely surrounded by water
Summary:Indonesian police opened fire and killed five people when an angry mob attacked their station with firebombs in a protest over the death of a man in custody, police said Wednesday.
More than 20 people including several police were injured during the violent clash late Tuesday in the town of Buol, Central Sulawesi province, local deputy police chief Dewa Parsana said.
"A big number of residents encircled the police station and threw Molotov bombs," he said.
"We had no choice but to open fire towards the protesters because they were very angry and were burning motorcycles parked outside... Five people were killed by the shooting."
Anger over the death Monday of a local man in custody at the station triggered the riot, he said.
Around 300 police reinforcements were sent to the area on Wednesday, the state-run Antara news agency reported.
Thousands of people reportedly attacked the station but police said they could not confirm the numbers.
Central Sulawesi police chief Amin Saleh told Antara he deplored the shooting.
"We are checking the firing procedures," he said.
My comments:I think that those residents who attacked the station should not do so as it will injure many people or even kill many people.I think it is not worth killing people over a death of a man.The polices should not open fire and kill people as there may be other ways to solve this problem.
5 new words/phrases I learnt: 1)opened fire:shoot with guns
2)province:A territory governed as an administrative or political unit of a country or empire
Headline: Sri Lankan tourist killed fleeing Malaysian kidnappers
AFP - Tuesday, August 31
Aug 31, 2010 – A Sri Lankan tourist died fleeing kidnappers in Malaysia while a friend escaped and another was rescued by police, the force said Tuesday. The three had just arrived on holiday and to sell gemstones worth 40,000 ringgit (S$12,736 dollars) when they were abducted last week at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, district police chief Abdul Rahim Abdullah said. The three were trying to get a cheap ride to the city but were instead led into a van and kidnapped by four people and taken to a flat in the suburbs. The men were held for ransom and one of them managed to escape their captors on Sunday morning but one died in the escape bid. Mohammad Mihilar, 32, the tourist who escaped, told the New Straits Times he and his two friends, whom he identified as Samsudeen and Sarifdeen, were tortured during the three-day ordeal to get family details so that a ransom could be demanded. He said the kidnappers took the gemstones and demanded a 35,000-dollar ransom from their captives' families. Mohammad broke a leg in the fall but said Samsudeen, who had jumped out of an open window, fell to his death. Mohammad raised the alarm and police rescued Sarifdeen, who was found handcuffed in the flat. The police have arrested two people and one is believed to be a volunteer in the reserve police and they are on the lookout for two others believed to be involved in the kidnapping.
My comments: I think that the terrorists are really very cruel to kidnap the tourists and kill one of them. They are not only doing something wrong, they are also leaving a bad impression of the country for being dangerous.
New words and phrases I have learnt: 1)Abducted- to carry off or lead away (a person) illegally and in secret or by force, esp. to kidnap. 2)Suburbs-a district lying immediately outside a city or town, esp. a smaller residential community. 3)Captors- a person who has captured a person or thing. 4)Captives- a prisoner. 5)Raised the alarm-to make people understand the danger of something.
By: Joshua Tan Date of article:1 September 2010 The Straits Times Title: Population crosses 5m mark
Singapore's population has crossed the five million mark for the first time but the rate of increase of new foreigners, including permanent residents [PRs], has slowed sharply. Between June 2009 and June 2010, the pool of PRs expanded by only 7,800. This increase is just 1.5 per cent compared to 11.5 per cent in the previous 12-month period when there were 55,000 more PRs, according to advance estimates of the 2010 Population Census released by the Statistics Department yesterday. Similarly, the pool of non-residents including foreign workers and their families-also grew more slowly during this period: 4.1 per cent versus 4.8 per cent. But the plunge is even steeper when placed against the 19 per cent jump between June 2007 to June 2008. Analysts like research fellow Leong Chan Hoong say the foreigner slowdown is a deliberate move by the Government, prompted by the groundswell of anxiety among Singaporeans over competition for jobs, places in schools and universities , as well as rising home prices.
My comments: Since this is the case, the Government should buy more land for Singapore and also build more schools, universities, etc. The Government should do that because we can progress slowly and Singapore will not be a small dot anymore! Five new words that I have learn: 1]plunge-to decide to do something risky or important 2]prompt-to make someone do something 3]deliberate-intended or planned 4]groundswell-a sudden increase in how strongly people feel about something 5]analyst-someone whose job is to analyse a subject and advise other people about it
AN AUSTRALIAN mother twice convicted of killing her two young sons was sentenced to 27 years in prison on Wednesday for what the judge called 'the greatest act of betrayal.'
Donna Fitchett was first convicted in 2008 of murdering her sons in 2005 and sentenced to 24 years prison.
She appealed her conviction and was granted a retrial in May, but a jury again found her guilty after she admitted drugging her sons and then strangling one and smothering the other. The boys were 11 and 9 years old.
'You were their mother. Your responsibility was to nurture, care for, love and protect them and over the years you did that,' Justice Elizabeth Curtain said in sentencing Fitchett. 'But in the greatest act of betrayal and in a profound breach of (trust) you robbed each of them of their precious lives ... in an act of unfathomable selfishness.' Fitchett claimed she was not guilty by reason of mental impairment but Justice Curtain called the murder premeditated, citing a letter Fitchett had written before the murders.
No details on the letter were released, and a motive was not given during the trial. Fitchett's lawyer, Patrick Tehan, told the court that the mother was depressed and suicidal when she killed her children
Comments: I think although the mother is depressed, she shouldn't vent her anger on her children and kill them.She should really be put to jail to think about her actions and turn over a new leaf.
New words- 1)smothering= to stifle or suffocate, preventing free breathing. 2)appealed= an earnest request for aid, support, sympathy, mercy 3)conviction= a fixed or firm belief 4)breach= a severance of friendly relations 5)unfathomable= to penetrate to the truth of; comprehend; understand
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_572050.html Jailed for hitting stepson Aug 28, 2010 An odd-job worker, who was jailed for two years in 2003 for hurting another stepson, got 15 months after slapping, punching and slapping the head of another stepson. Another charge of punching and slapping the victim’s mother was also considered during his sentencing. The women came home to see the accused scolding her son for refusing to show him certain letters and forms from his primary school. Then, he was ordered to go to the bedroom where he was ill-treated. He could have been fined up to $4000 and/or jailed up to 4 years. New words/phrases I learnt: Odd-job - A piece of chance or occasional work Leniency - mercifulness as a consequence of being lenient or tolerant. Complainant - a person who makes a complaint, usually before justices
I think that he should not have acted like that and ill-treat his stepson but to talk reasonably to him and if he received bad news he should still have self control.
SUMMARY: A volcano on Sumatra island erupted for the first time yesterday, blanketing the island with thick and acrid black smoke, and sending thousands of people fleeing from their homes. The volcano was clearly dangerous, so the head of the nation's volcano disaster alert centre raised the warning to the red level, which is, in other words, the highest level. No casualties were reported, but two people died - one from breathing problems and the other from a heart attack. The government has distributed 7000 masks to people and set up public kitchens so that they can cook food. More than 18000 people have been evacuated from several affected villages, and moved to towns outside the danger zone.
MY VIEWS: I feel that although that volcano was considered dormant, we should still be very careful and take safety measures to make sure that no one will get injured when the volcano does erupt. I also feel that it is very thoughtful of the government to distribute the masks, so that people would not inhale the volcanic ash and smoke. I am glad that most of the people have been evacuated to areas where they will be safe. I feel that we are extremely lucky, because Singapore has not experienced any natural disasters like that before.
5 NEW WORDS/PHRASES THAT I HAVE LEARNT: 1)Acrid - strong and sharp, usually unpleasant 2)Sulphur - a yellow chemical which has a strong smell 3)Dormant - something that is not active 4)Casualties - people who are injured 5)Crater - a very large hole in the ground, which has been caused by something hitting it or by an explosion.
Summary: This article is about a woman, Donna Fitchett, who murdered her two sons. She drugged them before strangling one of them and suffocating another. She was sentenced to 24 years in prison. She claimed that she was mad but the judge used a letter that she wrote before the murder to prove that she killed her sons deliberately.
Comments: I think the mother is really evil to kill her own sons. She brought them up for eleven years but ended their lives herself. I really cannot understand what she was thinking when she committed the crime. If it was not for the letter, I would think that she was insane to kill her sons for no reason at all.
New words/phrases learnt: Smother-suffocate Breach-a violation of trust or promise Unfathomable-to penetrate to the truth of, comprehend Impairment-to make something become worse Premeditated-done deliberately
SINGAPORE - It has been around for 11 years but this is the first time the Speak Good English Movement is reaching out to those who can speak proper English to be role models.
The message for this group: Do not go down to the level of the person you are speaking to. Speak good English at all times and in all situations.
The chairman of the Speak Good English Movement, Mr Goh Eck Kheng, urged Singaporeans to speak proper English the next time they are at a hawker centre, provision shop or travelling by a bus. Said Mr Goh: "I found that once a person realises that you're speaking standard English, they will make an effort. We shouldn't assume that people don't want to learn how to speak English and they don't want to improve."
But is this approach realistic since not everyone can understand the language?
No, said Mr Michael Sim, a watch technician, who told MediaCorp he speaks Mandarin to serve his Chinese customers as English was a struggle for him. To his Malay and Indian customers, he speaks Malay.
In situations such as these, Temasek Polytechnic's communications and media management lecturer Felicia Nah prefers speaking Mandarin.
She said: "If you speak standard English, the shopkeeper will think you're putting on airs and you might come away with less of a bargain. You use what is necessary to get you what you want."
Mr Goh disagreed but he acknowledged it would "take effort" to speak to those who used "loose English". But, over time, it would become "natural to speak English" well.
Public relations consultant Khaled Talib who sticks to speaking proper English on all occasions, said: "I've had taxi drivers telling me that they want to improve their English."
The tagline for this year's campaign is "Get It Right!" - a call to those who are trying to improve and use English correctly and for those who are proficient in English to consciously raise their standard.
My Views: I think that we should speak good standard english at all times. Even if the person whom you are speaking to does not really understand English, she/he can learn English from a person who speaks good english than one who speaks bad english. It is also a disgrace when someone is representing Singapore but her/his English is not good, like Ris Low.
New words: putting on airs- acting superior or snobbish proficient- very good consultant- One who gives expert advice consiously- continuously tagline- a slogan
Headline: Malaysia uncovers nearly 100 live reptiles in bag
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian airport security arrested a convicted wildlife smuggler after finding almost 100 live reptiles in his luggage. Anson Wong was in transit from the Malaysian island state of Penang to the Indonesian capital Jakarta when Malaysia Airlines staffs at Kuala Lumpur airport were alerted to a bag that had broken while on a conveyor belt. Enforcement officers found 95 boa constrictors, two rhinoceros vipers and a matamata turtle inside the luggage. Wong would remain in detention for two days. If he is found guilty, he could face seven years and fines of up to 100,000 ringgit for each animal or both. Wong had previously pleaded guilty to a trafficking in the United States in 2001 and was sentenced to 71 months in jail.
My Comments: I think that wildlife smugglers should not smuggle animals. It is very cruel to stuff animals in boxes and luggage as some of them will die as there is no air for them to breathe and there is no space for them. The officers should be more alert when checking the luggage and the punishment for the wildlife smugglers should be stricter too.
New words and phrases I have learnt: 1)convicted- a person found or declared guilty of an offence or crime 2)detention- to be kept in a place and be prevented from leaving prevented from leaving 3)commercial- trade
Headline: Hong Kong mourns victims of bus hijacking in the Phillipines.
Manila, Philippines: As the bodies of eight tourists killed in a bus hijacking in the Philippines arrived in Hong Kong, China, on Wednesday, the Hong Kong government urged citizens not to take their grief and anger out on Filipinos despite "the poor way" the hijacking was handled by authorities.
The Cathay Pacific flight, which also carried eight survivors and 19 relatives as well as dozens of officials, was greeted by a large crowd on its arrival at Hong Kong International Airport. In a somber ceremony, bagpipers played "Amazing Grace" as coffins were carried from the plane and wreaths laid upon them.
Several people were helped down a flight of stairs from the plane; one man's hand and arm were bandaged.
Chief Secretary Henry Tang received the arrivals and then told reporters his government would urge its Philippine counterpart to conduct an "comprehensive, thorough, and impartial" investigation.
"The truth is the best consolation for the victims and their families," he said.He added that Hong Kong is prepared to aid the Philippine authorities during the investigation.
My comments: I think that not only the hijacker was at fault, the Phillipines government was also at fault. They shouldn't treat this thing as a small matter and not being serious in it. Their citizen killed 8 innocent people and that is really being very overboard. The bad thing is that they didn't even bother to apologise automatically and immediately at first. Even though they already killed the people and they cannot come back to life, they should at least apologise and compensate. I really think that the government should do something with their country's citizens and never let this tragedy happen again.
5 new words/phrases I have learnt: .Somber .Impartial .Imperative .Discord .Ballistics
Summary: It is the first time the Speak Good English Movement is reaching out to those who can speak proper English to be role models. The message for this group is: Do not go down to the level of the person you are speaking to. Speak good English at all times and in all situations. The chairman of the SGEM, Mr Goh Eck Kheng, urged Singaporeans to speak good English at all times like at public places. But, the Temasek Polytechnic's communications and media management lecturer Felicia Nah said,"If you speak standard English, the shopkeeper will think you're putting on airs and you might come away with less of a bargain. You use what is necessary to get you what you want." Although Mr Goh disagreed, he acknowledged it would "take effort" to speak to those who used "loose English". But over time, it would become "natural to speak English" well.
My comments: I feel that Felicia Nah has a good point as all Singaporeans are not used to speaking good English to one another so if somebody suddenly speaks good English, you would definitely feel weird if he or she normally doesn't. But, I'm not saying that we shouldn't speak good English. If evereyone knows that we must do so, everyone will try speaking good English and it will not be awkward.
5 new words/phrases that I have learnt: -putting on airs -come away with -sticks to -tagline -proficient
SUMMARY: JAKARTA---Indonesia's anti-graft agency has raided the local office of Japan's Sumitomo Corporation as part of a probe into alleged corruption in the transport ministry.
Corruption Eradication Commission officials confiscated documents during the raid on Tuesday in Jakarta.
Investigators are examining allegations of corruption surrounding the import of used railway coaches which were donated to Indonesia by the Japanese government.
Commission spokesman Johan Budi also said that the nation wants to have a detailed view of the shipping process for the carriages in 2006.
The raid was only alleged. The commission questioned Sumitomo executive Hideyuki Nishio earlier this year as part of the ongoing allegations for deliberately inflating the coaches' import costs.
A former railways director at the transport ministry has been officially named as a suspect in the case.
COMMENTS: It is hard to say it, but there is still a lot of corruption going on in this world. You know how corruption affects companies and nations-it all begins when the leaders get too influenced by greed and power (megalomaniacs, well not to that extent though.)Anyway, this will lead to the leaders caring only for their own power, pride, honour and money, but not for other people or the company/nation. This can lead to financial or political unrest in the nation, which might lead to its fall. Thus, we must feel lucky that we live in Singapore, one of the world's least corrupt countries. I also hope that all this corruption would stop as soon as possible.
5 words that I have learnt:
1. Anti-graft: lawful gains in politics or business
2. Probe: investigation
3. Imported: bring in foreign goods from abroad
4. Raid: surprise visit by police to capture suspects or seize illicit goods
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTO RECOGNISE those who serve the nation, national servicemen who are Singaporeans will receive up to $10,500 over the span of their NS careers.
ReplyDeleteCommanders - those holding the rank of Third Sergeant and above in the Singapore Armed Forces, and those holding the rank of Sergeant and above in the Home Team - will each receive $10,500.
NSmen of other ranks will receive up to $9,000 each. Those who hold NSman status as of, and after, Aug 29, are eligible for the National Service Recognition Award (NSRA).
The sum will be split into three equal instalments, the first as the NSman nears the end of his two-year fulltime obligation. This portion will go into his post-secondary education account for further education.
The second and third portions will be credited midway and at the end of his NS training cycle. These sums will be credited into his CPF account to help pay for housing, healthcare and retirement.
The number of instalments each serviceman will receive depends on the stage of the NS training cycle he is currently at.
At any one time, there are at least 300,000 NSmen. The incentive, a move to show that citizens come first, was first announced on Sunday by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally on Sunday. At any one time, there are at least 300,000 NSmen.
At a briefing to give more details on Tuesday morning, the Defence Ministry's Minister of State Koo Tsai Kee said the award will provided 'sustained recognition' to Singaporeans who serve NS.
He said: "We know that it is impossible to fully compensate each and every national servicemen for their contributions towards the defence of Singapore. The NSRA is to show our appreciation and to recognise our citizen servicemen in a sustained manner."
5 New Words that I have learnt:
1.instalments:One of a number of successive payments in settlement of a debt
2.obligation:the constraining power of a promise, contract, law, or sense of duty
3.credited: an arrangement for deferred payment of a loan or purchase
4.incentive:something, such as the fear of punishment or the expectation of reward, that induces action or motivates effort
5.compensate:recompense or reimburse
Comments: I think that this is a good idea for NSmen as they are recognised for their efforts and responsibility when they were serving for their country. This also motivates would-be-NSmen, as they feel that their hard work indeed pays off. I hope that the Government will continue offering such incentives.
My table tennis future is undecided:Isabelle Li
ReplyDeleteSingapore’s Youth Olympic Games (YOG) silver medallist Isabelle Li says she’s not sure if she will be participating in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The paddler, who turned 16 last Saturday, sprung a surprise at the YOG where she came close to winning Singapore’s first gold medal in the table-tennis girls’ singles competition.
Despite bagging the silver medal, she told Yahoo! SEA her future in table-tennis is uncertain.
“I’ve not decided if I want to be in the London 2012 games. I’m taking things one step at a time. I want to taper down on my training so that I can study and take a break and see what happens right after,” she said.
5 new words and phrases I have learnt:
1)sprung a surprise:surprise people
2)bagging:to claim something
3)uncertain:feeling doubt about something
4)taper:the way something gradually decreases
5)medallist:a person who has received a medal
My views: I think Isablle Li should be in the London 2012 Olympic games as she came close to winning the gold medal for Singapore.She should take a break first too.
By Cheong Wei Soon
ReplyDeleteHeadline: Dog who ate beehive wins unusual pet insurance award.
ReplyDeleteA labrador that ate a beehive containing pesticides and thousands of dead bees won an award on Monday that recognised the most unusual pet health insurance claim in the United States.
Ellie, who fully recovered from her encounter with the beehive in southern California, beat a border collie that ran through a window to get at a mailman, and a terrier that bit a chainsaw. She won a bronze trophy in the shape of a ham, and basket of toys and doggie treats.
The winner was announced by the Veterinary Pet Insurance Co (VPI) and selected from a dozen pets nationwide.
Comments: I think that the labrador is very unusual to survive after eating a beehive containing pesticides and thousands of dead bees. If I had a dog, I will not allow him to eat the beehive.
Words I had learnt:
1. terrier:Any of several typically small, active breeds of hunting dog originally developed for driving game from burrows.
2.insatiable:Impossible to satiate or satisfy
3.Pooch: A slang for a dog
4.Insurance:Coverage by a contract binding a party to indemnify another against specified loss in return for premiums paid.
5. Border Collie: A British sheepdog that has a wavy, usually black coat with white markings and is used for herding
Headline: HK Victims return to grief-stricken country
ReplyDeleteAfter the bloody attack in Manila, a plane flew 8 Hongkongers dead bodies and the rest of the survivors. The Hongkongers were being hijacked on the bus by a ex-policeman on their last day in Manila. Mrs Amy Leung, a survivor whose husband and 2 daughters were killed, stayed in Manila where her son remains in intensive care. She wanted to stay with her son as he was her only family member left. She said that her husband had been killed when he tried to protect the family. Some survivors like teenager Tracey Wong was still in great fear after the incident whenever she recalled about it. The Philippine government had also appealed to the Hong Kong people to refrain from taking out their anger on Filipinos in the City as this was two different things. Many Filipinos are employed as domestics helpers in Hong Kong so their jobs would be at risk too.
My Comments: I think that this was an incident that can be avoided if the Manila policeman took things more seriously and planned the attack on the hijacker properly. It is really a fearful experience for the survivors who witnessed the scene and if I were one of them, I will try to learn how to forget that incident and learn how to forgive those Filipinos.
New words and phrases I have learnt:
1)Grief-stricken-deeply affected by sorrow or distress
2)Intensive care-Continuous and closely monitored health care that is provided to critically ill patients
3)Appealed- An earnest or urgent request, entreaty, or supplication
4)Refrain-To restrain
Headline: Hong Kong mourns bus hostages
ReplyDeleteSummary: Eight of the hostages were killed in the bloody siege, which ended with several survivors crawling from the bus while emergency crews removed bodies.
A former policeman armed with an assault rifle had seized the bus in an apparent attempt to get his job back.
Hong Kong's government has criticised the handling of the siege.
In all, 22 Hong Kong tourists were taken hostage along with three Filipinos - a driver, a guide and a photographer.
Chinese officials said all eight of the dead were from Hong Kong.
One of the survivors, who identified herself only as Mrs Leung, told reporters that her husband had been killed trying to stop the gunman from shooting other passengers.
Hong Kong's leader Donald Tsang also criticised the way the siege was dealt with.
"The way it was handled, particularly the outcome, I find it is disappointing," he said.
My Comments: I feel that many lives could be saved if the policemen tackled the problem with a better solution and had a good plan to attack the hijacker. The survivors must be grief-stricken when they return to Hong Kong. I hope that they could better their police force in order to prevent any more of these things to happen again.
New words learnt: assault-a sudden, violent attack; onslaught
Intensive Care-the use of specialized equipment and personnel for continuous monitoring and care of the critically ill.
Correspondent- a person employed by a news agency, periodical, television network, etc., to gather, report, or contribute news, articles, and the like regularly from a distant place.
siege- the act or process of surrounding and attacking a fortified place in such a way as to isolate it from help and supplies, for the purpose of lessening the resistance of the defenders and thereby making capture possible
Alexander Er
Headline:Gunman kills seven and himself in Slovak capital
ReplyDeleteBRATISLAVA - A gunman shot dead six members of a Roma family and another woman in the Slovak capital Bratislava on Monday before killing himself, government officials said.
Fourteen more people were wounded in a gun battle with police following the murders, including one officer shot in the head.
The motive of the gunman, who was a Slovak aged about 50, and his identity were still being investigated, Police Chief Jaroslav Spisiak said.
"He was alone. He fired at everything that moved during his escape bid, the policemen surrounded him ... they made it impossible for him to escape," Spisiak told reporters near the apartment block where the shooting happened.
Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic said six of the victims were members of the mostly poor Roma minority whose integration into society has been a long-running issue in Slovakia.
"It was a family of Roma origin. We do not know the motive yet, I do not want to speculate if it was or was not a racist motive," he told a news conference.
There have been disputes and minor clashes in Slovakia between Roma and the majority population, especially in smaller towns, but no racist multiple murders. There are about 430,000 Roma among Slovakia's population of 5.4 million.
In neighbouring Hungary, several Roma have been killed in recent years in what appeared to be racially-motivated attacks.
The Devinska Nova Ves district of Bratislava, where the shooting took place, was sealed off by police after the incident, a Reuters reporter on the scene said.
Spisiak said the man entered an apartment armed with a submachinegun with eight magazines and two handguns, and shot dead four women and a man inside.
He killed another relative in the doorway and another woman standing on a balcony nearby before police cornered him, and then killed himself.
Renata Vandariakova, head doctor of the Bratislava University Hospital, said the hospital was treating nine of the wounded, one of whom was in critical condition.
She said others among the wounded had been shot in the chest and abdomen.
Slovakia, a member of the European Union, experienced several shooting incidents involving criminal gangs in the 1990s but has had no large-scale shootings in recent years.
The shooting spree was the most lethal in Europe since a gunman opened fire on people in the rural English county of Cumbria in June, killing 12.
My comments:I feel sorry for the people killed in the shooting spree.I wonder why the gunman went to kill so many people.Perhaps he has a mental disorder?I hope the reason the gunman went on the shooting spree comes to light soon.
New words and phrases I have learnt:
1)Integration-The act or process of integrating.
2)Speculate-To assume to be true without conclusive evidence
3)Dispute-To argue about
4)Clash-To come into conflict
5)Corner-To manoeuvre a person or an animal into a position from which escape is difficult or impossible
My Future Table Tennis future is undecided:Issabelle Li
ReplyDeleteBy Republic Polytechnic’s Zianna Zainal & Siti Khairunnisa
Singapore’s Youth Olympic Games (YOG) silver medallist Isabelle Li says she’s not sure if she will be participating in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The paddler, who turned 16 last Saturday, sprung a surprise at the YOG where she came close to winning Singapore’s first gold medal in the table-tennis girls’ singles competition.
Despite bagging the silver medal, she told Yahoo! SEA her future in table-tennis is uncertain.
“I’ve not decided if I want to be in the London 2012 games. I’m taking things one step at a time. I want to taper down on my training so that I can study and take a break and see what happens right after,” she said.
“But I’ll probably focus more on my studies as I have to finish my Secondary 4 syllabus,” added the Singapore Sports School student.
In contrast, swimmer Rainer Ng who deferred his final-year of studies in Raffles Junior College to focus on his sport, was filled with enthusiasm when asked about his plans.
The 18-year-old, who won Singapore a silver medal in the boys’ 50m backstroke, said he has no doubts about what he wants to do — swim for Singapore.
“I have to keep up with my swimming performance because I still have my ASEAN games. But I’d still have to continue my JC2 next year since it has been deferred,” he said.
“Tentatively, I’m aiming to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games. I’ll do what I can to qualify, even if it means going pro, but studies will definitely come in after that.”
My Comments: I think tha Isabelle Li is a little unwilling to sacrifice her studies for Singapore as she probably wants a more normal life. Unlike her, Raynor Ng is willing to sacrifice. He still wants to practice to win Singapore a gold medal for swimming. I believe he will win sooner or later due to his determination to win.
5 words/phrases I have learnt:
1)sprung a surprise:surprise people
2)bagging:achieved and brought back something
3)taper:to grow gradually lean
4)deffer:excellent
5)tentatively:uncertainly
Headline:Doc suspended six months for misconduct
ReplyDeleteBy:Fiona Low
A doctor has been suspended for six months and fined $6000 for professional misconduct by the Singapore Medical Council.
He prescribed hypnotic drugs to patients who took them over a period of seven months to over 3 years,thus leading to drug dependence.
He prescribe the drugs to the patients without referring them to a specialist for further assessment.
This is the sixth case of professional misconduct medical practitioners this year
Words I had learnt:
1.misconduct: unacceptable behaviour, especially by a professional person
2.illicit: not allowed by the law
3.censured: Strong criticism
4.practitioner:a person who works in a profession,especially medicine or law
5.undertaking:a task or project, especially one that is important and/or difficult
My views:
I think the doctors must send the pills for further assessment just to be on the safe side. There are so many cases this year that maybe when we go to the doctor to seek treatment, we will be afraid or scared that something may go wrong and our life will be in risk. I also think the punishment is too light and the doctors will not take this accident in mind.
Headlines: Five lessons from the World Cup
ReplyDeleteLesson 1: Football needs technology
In the second round of the World Cup, Germany were winning 2-1 against England when Frank Lampard's shot hit the crossbar and bounced over the goal line. Everyone watching at the place itself and on the television knew the ball had crossed the line.A goal should have been awarded to England.
Unfortunately, both the referee and his assistant did not see the ball cross the line. Eventually the goal was not given. Although England lost the match 4-1, they were infuriated that they were not given a goal.
After this incident, FIFA decided that there should be technology involved to achieve fairness in every game, whether the ball has crossed the goal line or not. With the success of using this device in tennis, controversies can be easily avoided especially in high-profile and important games. However, they think these Hawk-Eye technology are too expensive and might slow down the game.
Lesson 2: 4-2-3-1 is the new 4-4-2
In football, teams usually kick off a match with a main formation of 4 defenders, 4 midfielders and 2 strikers-a total of 10 outfield players.
However, the three most successful teams at the 2010 World Cup-Spain, Netherlands and Germany-all chose to use a 4-2-3-1 formation, which consist of 4 defenders, 2 defensive midfielders, 3 attacking midfielders and 1 striker.
That formation proved to allow teams to be much more successful in both attack and defence compared to the 4-4-2 formation. More importantly, it allows the teams to play good, attractive football, with a lot of passing and movement.
It is expected that other football clubs try and suit a 4-2-3-1 formation, with hope of leading into a new age of exciting football.
My comments: Referring to lesson 1,I think to be fair, the next FIFA World Cup should get technology involved. With such accurate device, there would be equality in every game. Otherwise, the players' fury may result into violence. Even with the device, the referee and his assistant should also be alert, in case the device is not functioning as per normal, which is not likely to happen since it was successfully used in tennis.
New words/phrases I have learnt:
1. Hawk-Eye: a nickname for sharp eyes
2. controversies: quarrel
3. kick off: start off
4. outfield: the players who occupy these positions
5. new age: modern
Headline: So, is Malaysia 53 or 47 years old?
ReplyDeleteSummary: As Malaysia celebrated its Merdeka Day yesterday, a debate has rekindles on whether this anniversary, marked its 53rd birthday or its 47th one. Some Malaysians insist the country is 47 years old because it was formed only with the entry of Sabah and Sarawak on September 16, 1963. Malaya became independent on august 31, 1957.
Datuk Yong Teck Lee, president of the small Sabah Progressive Party that it was wrong to say that the entire nation became independent 53 years ago when Sabah and Sarawak were still colonies.
Both Sabah and Sarawak hold a key role in the power balance in Malaysia as Sabah has 25 of Malaysia's 222 parliamentary seats, and Sarawak 31. Collectively , they contributed about one-third to the ruling Barisan Nasional's (BN) total number of seats after it lost a lot of ground in the peninsula in the 2008 general election.
Political analyst Ong Kian Ming, however, does not think there is anything to be gained from such a debate.
"We should recognise August 31 as the beginning of the process that eventually led to the formation of Malaysia," he said.
My view: I feel that Malaysia's birthday should be on the August 31 where Sabah and Sarawak formed with entry. Instead of 53 years old, it should be 47 years old because only with the completion of Sabah and Sarawak then Malaysia is made complete. Malaysia should care about Sabah and Sarawak being an important part of her, where they are officially announced that they are no more colonies.
5 New Words I Have Learnt:
1)Colony- a group of people who leave their native country to form in a new land a settlement subject to, or connected with, the parent nation.
2)Heightened- abnormally increased
3)Political- pertaining to
4)Peninsula-an area of land almost completely surrounded by water
5)Analyst- someone who is skilled in analysing
Headline:Indonesian police kill five in riot
ReplyDeleteSummary:Indonesian police opened fire and killed five people when an angry mob attacked their station with firebombs in a protest over the death of a man in custody, police said Wednesday.
More than 20 people including several police were injured during the violent clash late Tuesday in the town of Buol, Central Sulawesi province, local deputy police chief Dewa Parsana said.
"A big number of residents encircled the police station and threw Molotov bombs," he said.
"We had no choice but to open fire towards the protesters because they were very angry and were burning motorcycles parked outside... Five people were killed by the shooting."
Anger over the death Monday of a local man in custody at the station triggered the riot, he said.
Around 300 police reinforcements were sent to the area on Wednesday, the state-run Antara news agency reported.
Thousands of people reportedly attacked the station but police said they could not confirm the numbers.
Central Sulawesi police chief Amin Saleh told Antara he deplored the shooting.
"We are checking the firing procedures," he said.
My comments:I think that those residents who attacked the station should not do so as it will injure many people or even kill many people.I think it is not worth killing people over a death of a man.The polices should not open fire and kill people as there may be other ways to solve this problem.
5 new words/phrases I learnt:
1)opened fire:shoot with guns
2)province:A territory governed as an administrative or political unit of a country or empire
3)encircle:surround
4)triggered the riot:start the riot
5)reinforcements:back-up
Headline: Sri Lankan tourist killed fleeing Malaysian kidnappers
ReplyDeleteAFP - Tuesday, August 31
Aug 31, 2010 – A Sri Lankan tourist died fleeing kidnappers in Malaysia while a friend escaped and another was rescued by police, the force said Tuesday.
The three had just arrived on holiday and to sell gemstones worth 40,000 ringgit (S$12,736 dollars) when they were abducted last week at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, district police chief Abdul Rahim Abdullah said.
The three were trying to get a cheap ride to the city but were instead led into a van and kidnapped by four people and taken to a flat in the suburbs.
The men were held for ransom and one of them managed to escape their captors on Sunday morning but one died in the escape bid.
Mohammad Mihilar, 32, the tourist who escaped, told the New Straits Times he and his two friends, whom he identified as Samsudeen and Sarifdeen, were tortured during the three-day ordeal to get family details so that a ransom could be demanded.
He said the kidnappers took the gemstones and demanded a 35,000-dollar ransom from their captives' families.
Mohammad broke a leg in the fall but said Samsudeen, who had jumped out of an open window, fell to his death.
Mohammad raised the alarm and police rescued Sarifdeen, who was found handcuffed in the flat.
The police have arrested two people and one is believed to be a volunteer in the reserve police and they are on the lookout for two others believed to be involved in the kidnapping.
My comments: I think that the terrorists are really very cruel to kidnap the tourists and kill one of them. They are not only doing something wrong, they are also leaving a bad impression of the country for being dangerous.
New words and phrases I have learnt:
1)Abducted- to carry off or lead away (a person) illegally and in secret or by force, esp. to kidnap.
2)Suburbs-a district lying immediately outside a city or town, esp. a smaller residential community.
3)Captors- a person who has captured a person or thing.
4)Captives- a prisoner.
5)Raised the alarm-to make people understand the danger of something.
By: Joshua Tan
ReplyDeleteDate of article:1 September 2010
The Straits Times
Title: Population crosses 5m mark
Singapore's population has crossed the five million mark for the first time but the rate of increase of new foreigners, including permanent residents [PRs], has slowed sharply.
Between June 2009 and June 2010, the pool of PRs expanded by only 7,800.
This increase is just 1.5 per cent compared to 11.5 per cent in the previous 12-month period when there were 55,000 more PRs, according to advance estimates of the 2010 Population Census released by the Statistics Department yesterday.
Similarly, the pool of non-residents including foreign workers and their families-also grew more slowly during this period: 4.1 per cent versus 4.8 per cent.
But the plunge is even steeper when placed against the 19 per cent jump between June 2007 to June 2008.
Analysts like research fellow Leong Chan Hoong say the foreigner slowdown is a deliberate move by the Government, prompted by the groundswell of anxiety among Singaporeans over competition for jobs, places in schools and universities , as well as rising home prices.
My comments: Since this is the case, the Government should buy more land for Singapore and also build more schools, universities, etc. The Government should do that because we can progress slowly and Singapore will not be a small dot anymore!
Five new words that I have learn:
1]plunge-to decide to do something risky or important
2]prompt-to make someone do something
3]deliberate-intended or planned
4]groundswell-a sudden increase in how strongly people feel about something
5]analyst-someone whose job is to analyse a subject and advise other people about it
Headlines:Jailed for killing her 2 sons
ReplyDeleteAN AUSTRALIAN mother twice convicted of killing her two young sons was sentenced to 27 years in prison on Wednesday for what the judge called 'the greatest act of betrayal.'
Donna Fitchett was first convicted in 2008 of murdering her sons in 2005 and sentenced to 24 years prison.
She appealed her conviction and was granted a retrial in May, but a jury again found her guilty after she admitted drugging her sons and then strangling one and smothering the other. The boys were 11 and 9 years old.
'You were their mother. Your responsibility was to nurture, care for, love and protect them and over the years you did that,' Justice Elizabeth Curtain said in sentencing Fitchett. 'But in the greatest act of betrayal and in a profound breach of (trust) you robbed each of them of their precious lives ... in an act of unfathomable selfishness.' Fitchett claimed she was not guilty by reason of mental impairment but Justice Curtain called the murder premeditated, citing a letter Fitchett had written before the murders.
No details on the letter were released, and a motive was not given during the trial.
Fitchett's lawyer, Patrick Tehan, told the court that the mother was depressed and suicidal when she killed her children
Comments: I think although the mother is depressed, she shouldn't vent her anger on her children and kill them.She should really be put to jail to think about her actions and turn over a new leaf.
New words-
1)smothering= to stifle or suffocate, preventing free breathing.
2)appealed= an earnest request for aid, support, sympathy, mercy
3)conviction= a fixed or firm belief
4)breach= a severance of friendly relations
5)unfathomable= to penetrate to the truth of; comprehend; understand
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_572050.html
ReplyDeleteJailed for hitting stepson
Aug 28, 2010
An odd-job worker, who was jailed for two years in 2003 for hurting another stepson, got 15 months after slapping, punching and slapping the head of another stepson. Another charge of punching and slapping the victim’s mother was also considered during his sentencing. The women came home to see the accused scolding her son for refusing to show him certain letters and forms from his primary school. Then, he was ordered to go to the bedroom where he was ill-treated. He could have been fined up to $4000 and/or jailed up to 4 years.
New words/phrases I learnt:
Odd-job - A piece of chance or occasional work
Leniency - mercifulness as a consequence of being lenient or tolerant.
Complainant - a person who makes a complaint, usually before justices
I think that he should not have acted like that and ill-treat his stepson but to talk reasonably to him and if he received bad news he should still have self control.
ReplyDeleteTITLE: Red Alert As Volcano Erupts In Sumatra
ReplyDeleteSUMMARY: A volcano on Sumatra island erupted for the first time yesterday, blanketing the island with thick and acrid black smoke, and sending thousands of people fleeing from their homes. The volcano was clearly dangerous, so the head of the nation's volcano disaster alert centre raised the warning to the red level, which is, in other words, the highest level. No casualties were reported, but two people died - one from breathing problems and the other from a heart attack. The government has distributed 7000 masks to people and set up public kitchens so that they can cook food. More than 18000 people have been evacuated from several affected villages, and moved to towns outside the danger zone.
MY VIEWS:
I feel that although that volcano was considered dormant, we should still be very careful and take safety measures to make sure that no one will get injured when the volcano does erupt. I also feel that it is very thoughtful of the government to distribute the masks, so that people would not inhale the volcanic ash and smoke. I am glad that most of the people have been evacuated to areas where they will be safe. I feel that we are extremely lucky, because Singapore has not experienced any natural disasters like that before.
5 NEW WORDS/PHRASES THAT I HAVE LEARNT:
1)Acrid - strong and sharp, usually unpleasant
2)Sulphur - a yellow chemical which has a strong smell
3)Dormant - something that is not active
4)Casualties - people who are injured
5)Crater - a very large hole in the ground, which has been caused by something hitting it or by an explosion.
Headline: Jailed for killing her 2 sons
ReplyDeleteSummary: This article is about a woman, Donna Fitchett, who murdered her two sons. She drugged them before strangling one of them and suffocating another. She was sentenced to 24 years in prison. She claimed that she was mad but the judge used a letter that she wrote before the murder to prove that she killed her sons deliberately.
Comments: I think the mother is really evil to kill her own sons. She brought them up for eleven years but ended their lives herself. I really cannot understand what she was thinking when she committed the crime. If it was not for the letter, I would think that she was insane to kill her sons for no reason at all.
New words/phrases learnt:
Smother-suffocate
Breach-a violation of trust or promise
Unfathomable-to penetrate to the truth of, comprehend
Impairment-to make something become worse
Premeditated-done deliberately
Li Zhijian
Title: Be a good role model, speak proper English
ReplyDeleteSINGAPORE - It has been around for 11 years but this is the first time the Speak Good English Movement is reaching out to those who can speak proper English to be role models.
The message for this group: Do not go down to the level of the person you are speaking to. Speak good English at all times and in all situations.
The chairman of the Speak Good English Movement, Mr Goh Eck Kheng, urged Singaporeans to speak proper English the next time they are at a hawker centre, provision shop or travelling by a bus. Said Mr Goh: "I found that once a person realises that you're speaking standard English, they will make an effort. We shouldn't assume that people don't want to learn how to speak English and they don't want to improve."
But is this approach realistic since not everyone can understand the language?
No, said Mr Michael Sim, a watch technician, who told MediaCorp he speaks Mandarin to serve his Chinese customers as English was a struggle for him. To his Malay and Indian customers, he speaks Malay.
In situations such as these, Temasek Polytechnic's communications and media management lecturer Felicia Nah prefers speaking Mandarin.
She said: "If you speak standard English, the shopkeeper will think you're putting on airs and you might come away with less of a bargain. You use what is necessary to get you what you want."
Mr Goh disagreed but he acknowledged it would "take effort" to speak to those who used "loose English". But, over time, it would become "natural to speak English" well.
Public relations consultant Khaled Talib who sticks to speaking proper English on all occasions, said: "I've had taxi drivers telling me that they want to improve their English."
The tagline for this year's campaign is "Get It Right!" - a call to those who are trying to improve and use English correctly and for those who are proficient in English to consciously raise their standard.
My Views:
I think that we should speak good standard english at all times. Even if the person whom you are speaking to does not really understand English, she/he can learn English from a person who speaks good english than one who speaks bad english. It is also a disgrace when someone is representing Singapore but her/his English is not good, like Ris Low.
New words:
putting on airs- acting superior or snobbish
proficient- very good
consultant- One who gives expert advice
consiously- continuously
tagline- a slogan
Headline: Malaysia uncovers nearly 100 live reptiles in bag
ReplyDeleteKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian airport security arrested a convicted wildlife smuggler after finding almost 100 live reptiles in his luggage. Anson Wong was in transit from the Malaysian island state of Penang to the Indonesian capital Jakarta when Malaysia Airlines staffs at Kuala Lumpur airport were alerted to a bag that had broken while on a conveyor belt. Enforcement officers found 95 boa constrictors, two rhinoceros vipers and a matamata turtle inside the luggage. Wong would remain in detention for two days. If he is found guilty, he could face seven years and fines of up to 100,000 ringgit for each animal or both. Wong had previously pleaded guilty to a trafficking in the United States in 2001 and was sentenced to 71 months in jail.
My Comments: I think that wildlife smugglers should not smuggle animals. It is very cruel to stuff animals in boxes and luggage as some of them will die as there is no air for them to breathe and there is no space for them. The officers should be more alert when checking the luggage and the punishment for the wildlife smugglers should be stricter too.
New words and phrases I have learnt:
1)convicted- a person found or declared guilty of an offence or crime
2)detention- to be kept in a place and be prevented from leaving prevented from leaving
3)commercial- trade
Headline: Hong Kong mourns victims of bus hijacking in the Phillipines.
ReplyDeleteManila, Philippines: As the bodies of eight tourists killed in a bus hijacking in the Philippines arrived in Hong Kong, China, on Wednesday, the Hong Kong government urged citizens not to take their grief and anger out on Filipinos despite "the poor way" the hijacking was handled by authorities.
The Cathay Pacific flight, which also carried eight survivors and 19 relatives as well as dozens of officials, was greeted by a large crowd on its arrival at Hong Kong International Airport. In a somber ceremony, bagpipers played "Amazing Grace" as coffins were carried from the plane and wreaths laid upon them.
Several people were helped down a flight of stairs from the plane; one man's hand and arm were bandaged.
Chief Secretary Henry Tang received the arrivals and then told reporters his government would urge its Philippine counterpart to conduct an "comprehensive, thorough, and impartial" investigation.
"The truth is the best consolation for the victims and their families," he said.He added that Hong Kong is prepared to aid the Philippine authorities during the investigation.
My comments: I think that not only the hijacker was at fault, the Phillipines government was also at fault. They shouldn't treat this thing as a small matter and not being serious in it. Their citizen killed 8 innocent people and that is really being very overboard. The bad thing is that they didn't even bother to apologise automatically and immediately at first. Even though they already killed the people and they cannot come back to life, they should at least apologise and compensate. I really think that the government should do something with their country's citizens and never let this tragedy happen again.
5 new words/phrases I have learnt:
.Somber
.Impartial
.Imperative
.Discord
.Ballistics
Be a good role model, speak proper English
ReplyDeleteSummary: It is the first time the Speak Good English Movement is reaching out to those who can speak proper English to be role models. The message for this group is: Do not go down to the level of the person you are speaking to. Speak good English at all times and in all situations. The chairman of the SGEM, Mr Goh Eck Kheng, urged Singaporeans to speak good English at all times like at public places. But, the Temasek Polytechnic's communications and media management lecturer Felicia Nah said,"If you speak standard English, the shopkeeper will think you're putting on airs and you might come away with less of a bargain. You use what is necessary to get you what you want." Although Mr Goh disagreed, he acknowledged it would "take effort" to speak to those who used "loose English". But over time, it would become "natural to speak English" well.
My comments: I feel that Felicia Nah has a good point as all Singaporeans are not used to speaking good English to one another so if somebody suddenly speaks good English, you would definitely feel weird if he or she normally doesn't. But, I'm not saying that we shouldn't speak good English. If evereyone knows that we must do so, everyone will try speaking good English and it will not be awkward.
5 new words/phrases that I have learnt:
-putting on airs
-come away with
-sticks to
-tagline
-proficient
HEADLINE: Sumitomo raided in Indonesia
ReplyDeleteSUMMARY: JAKARTA---Indonesia's anti-graft agency has raided the local office of Japan's Sumitomo Corporation as part of a probe into alleged corruption in the transport ministry.
Corruption Eradication Commission officials confiscated documents during the raid on Tuesday in Jakarta.
Investigators are examining allegations of corruption surrounding the import of used railway coaches which were donated to Indonesia by the Japanese government.
Commission spokesman Johan Budi also said that the nation wants to have a detailed view of the shipping process for the carriages in 2006.
The raid was only alleged. The commission questioned Sumitomo executive Hideyuki Nishio earlier this year as part of the ongoing allegations for deliberately inflating the coaches' import costs.
A former railways director at the transport ministry has been officially named as a suspect in the case.
COMMENTS: It is hard to say it, but there is still a lot of corruption going on in this world. You know how corruption affects companies and nations-it all begins when the leaders get too influenced by greed and power (megalomaniacs, well not to that extent though.)Anyway, this will lead to the leaders caring only for their own power, pride, honour and money, but not for other people or the company/nation. This can lead to financial or political unrest in the nation, which might lead to its fall. Thus, we must feel lucky that we live in Singapore, one of the world's least corrupt countries. I also hope that all this corruption would stop as soon as possible.
5 words that I have learnt:
1. Anti-graft: lawful gains in politics or business
2. Probe: investigation
3. Imported: bring in foreign goods from abroad
4. Raid: surprise visit by police to capture suspects or seize illicit goods
5. Deliberately: intentionally
On Behalf of Kenneth Sugiarto