Nicol David successfully retained both her singles and team crowns in the just-concluded Asian Junior squash championship.
But it was just another day at work for the Asian champion. Her mind is set instead on the world junior women’s championship, to be held in her home state here in July.
“Frankly, I was not surprised over my success in retaining my Asian Junior titles,” declared Nicol on arrival at the Penang airport from Chennai yesterday.
“I was using the championship in Chennai as part of my preparations for the world junior,” she said.
“It also gave my team-mates a chance to prepare as well. But I’m glad we managed to prove that we are still the best in Asia.”
(Adapted from STAR)
WORD LIST
|
|
Malay |
| 1. junior | remaja |
| 2. beginning | permulaan |
| 3. successfully | dengan jayanya |
| 4. retained | mengekalkan |
| 5. both | kedua-dua |
| 6. singles | perseorangan |
| 7. another | satu lagi |
| 8. instead | sebaliknya |
| 9. frankly | secara terus terang |
| 10. surprised | terkejut |
| 11. titles | kejuaraan-kejuaraan |
| 12. arrival | ketibaan |
| 13. preparations | persediaan |
| 14. chance | peluang |
| 15. glad | gembira |
ENRICHMENT LIST
| 1. crowns | kejuaraan-kejuaraan |
| 2. just-concluded | baru berakhir |
| 3. championship | kejohanan |
| 4. declared | menyatakan dengan jelas |
| 5. managed | mampu |
12b
CASH-STRAPPED SABAH ABORT PLAYING TOUR OF
SINGAPORE
Sabah’s already messy pre-season preparations plunged into further chaos when their planned soccer tour of Singapore was aborted on Thursday.
The Sabah team, also known as the “Rhinos”, were to have left yesterday on the tour.
Sabah coach
Ken Worden himself was caught by surprise by the cancellation
of the tour. On Thursday afternoon, he had instructed
the players to assemble at the Kota Kinabalu International
Airport
for the
1.30
pm flight to Singapore yesterday.
It was the latest setback for Sabah. On Tuesday, only 10 of the 23-man squad turned up for training.
Team manager Osman Jamal, in a telephone interview confirmed that the tour had been postponed.
(Adapted from STAR)
WORD LIST
|
|
Malay |
| 1. cash-strapped | kekurangan wang |
| 2. abort | membatalkan |
| 3. playing tour | lawatan sambil bermain |
| 4. plunged | terjerumus |
| 5. chaos | huru-hara/porak-peranda |
| 6. planned | terancang |
| 7. cancellation | pembatalan |
| 8. afternoon | petang |
| 9. instructed | mengarahkan |
| 10. assemble | berkumpul |
| 11. airport | lapangan terbang |
| 12. latest | terkini |
| 13. turned up | menghadiri |
| 14. confirmed | mengesahkan |
| 15. postponed | ditangguhkan |
| 1. messy | huru-hara |
| 2. pre-season | pra-musim |
| 3. further | selanjutnya/seterusnya |
| 4. caught by surprise | terkejut |
| 5. squad | skuad/pasukan |
12c
CITY HALL TO PROTECT FACILITIES AND ENSURE PUBLIC
SAFETY
City Hall will spend RM1million to hire and stationsecurity personnel at 14 recreational parks in the city.
The guards will look out for vandals and pick-pockets and protect the parks’ facilities.
Landscape Division Head, Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz said, “We want to ensure public safety and make visitors feel secure at our parks.”
He added that with the private security personnel helping the enforcement officers, City Hall hoped to check vandalism in its parks and put a stop to petty crimes.
He said, “People scribble on wooden benches, steal potted plants and cut off fences.”
(Adapted from STAR)
WORD LIST
|
|
Malay |
| 1. protect | memelihara |
| 2. ensure | mempastikan |
| 3. safety | keselamatan |
| 4. hire | mengupah |
| 5. station | menempatkan |
| 6. security personnel | kakitangan keselamatan |
| 7. guards | pengawal-pengawal |
| 8. look out for | mencari/berjaga-jaga |
| 9. vandals | pelaku-pelaku musnah |
| 10. pick-pockets | penyeluk-penyeluk saku |
| 11. secure | selamat |
| 12. vandalism | vandalisma |
| 13. scribble | menconteng/menulis |
| 14. cut off | memotong |
| 15. fences | pagar |
| 1. Division Head | Ketua Bahagian |
| 2. enforcement officers | pegawai-pegawai penguatkuasa |
| 3. check | mengawal |
| 4. petty | kecil/remeh-temeh/tidak penting |
| 5. potted | ditanam dalam pasu |
12d
HAWKER OPERATES CENDOL-SELLING RACQUET
Call him a ‘cendol man’ but ex-soldier Leman Dawi, 48, is exceptional.
Operating from a makeshift stall at Km8 Jalan Seremban-Tampin, Leman uses a modified badminton racquet to serve his customers.
This way, he said, he could serve them faster and better. “With the racquet, I can serve a customer in less than five seconds.”
A cut plastic bottle is placed on one side of the racquet. When customers want to pay for the cendol, Leman, who is assisted by his wife, Zaleha Yahaya, would stick out the racquet to enable them to put their money inside the bottle.
This way they do not have to move or come to him.
“This also helps save their energy and time, “ said Leman.
He has been selling cendol, which he makes himself, since 10 years ago. The father of two is always indulging in non-stop conversation with his customers where he would brief them on the latest development taking place in Seremban the moment they step into his stall.
(Adapted
from New Straits Times)
WORD LIST
|
|
Malay |
| 1. hawker | penjaja |
| 2. exceptional | sangat luar biasa |
| 3. racquet | raket |
| 4. seconds | saat |
| 5. is placed | diletak |
| 6. is assisted | dibantu |
| 7. stick out | menghulurkan |
| 8. move | bergerak |
| 9. save | menjimatkan |
| 10. energy | tenaga |
| 11. indulging in | melakukan sesuatu yang menggembirakan diri sendiri |
| 12. brief | memberitahu dengan terperinci |
| 13. development | perkembangan |
| 14. taking place | berlaku |
| 15. step | melangkah |
| 1. makeshift | pengganti (gerai) sementara |
| 2. modified | diubahsuaikan |
| 3. father of two | bapa kepada dua orang anak |
| 4. non-stop | tanpa berhenti-henti |
| 5. the moment | sebaik sahaja |
12e
EXCELLENT FACILITIES AND SERVICES FOR MALAYSIAN
PILGRIMS
While thousands of pilgrims from various countries were forced to wait for buses to take them back to their hostels, Malaysian pilgrims were already resting in their rooms after performing prayers at the Masjidil Haram.
This is because most Malaysians have been given accommodation at the Ashraf Al-Jadidah building, located nearest to the mosque.
Hamzah Jamsuri, 53, said the daily scenes of pilgrims from other countries rushing to board buses have made him appreciate the luxury enjoyed by Malaysians.
“This is Allah’s blessings as we need not struggle and push – just walk and we will arrive at the mosque,” he said.
The Malaysian pilgrims are also being provided with packs of ready-cooked meals, relieving them of the hassle of cooking.
(Adapted
from New Straits Times)
WORD LIST
|
|
Malay |
| 1. excellent | cemerlang |
| 2. thousands of | beribu-ribu |
| 3. were forced | terpaksa |
| 4. wait | menunggu |
| 5. hostels | asrama-asrama |
| 6. pilgrims | jemaah haji |
| 7. resting | berehat |
| 8. performing prayers | menyempurnakan sembahyang |
| 9. accommodation | penginapan |
| 10. scenes | keadaan |
| 11. rushing | berebut-rebut |
| 12. appreciate | menghargai |
| 13. struggle | bergelut |
| 14. push | tolak-menolak |
| 15. relieving | membebaskan |
| 1. board | menaiki |
| 2. luxury | nikmat |
| 3. blessings | rahmat |
| 4. ready-cooked | sudah dimasak |
| 5. hassle | kesukaran |