Essay 1: Adults have a lot to learn from children. Do you agree.  Essay 2: Adults have a lot to learn from children. Do you agree.  Essay_3: Sportsmanship has disappeared from sports. Is this a fair comment?  Essay 4: Sportsmanship has disappeared from sports. Is this a fair comment?  Essay 5: There are very few incentives in getting married for the woman of today. Discuss.  Essay 6: There are very few incentives in getting married for the woman of today. Discuss Essay 7: In what fundamental ways could the Internet change our lives?  Essay 8: In what fundamental ways could the Internet change our lives?  Essay 9: In what fundamental ways could the Internet change our lives?  Essay 10: Religion can be both a blessing and a curse. Comment.  Essay 11: How far do you consider freedom to be essential for good living?  Essay 12: The less priority women give to their roles as wives and mothers, the more problems society will face. Do you agree?  Essay 13:We are all creatures of habit. Discuss. Essay 14: Is there anything wrong with habit forming? Essay 15: Does the mass media help or undermine the Arts? Essay 16:Challenges faced by the intellectually disabled in Singapore.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Essay 1   "Adults have a lot to learn from children. Do you agree?    It is quite often in life that we hear children asking questions like, "Mummy, why is the sun so high?" , "Where do babies come from?" and "Why is the moon round and not square?" Curiosity is one of the main aspects of a child’s mind. The others are innocence and simplicity – that somehow will not be fully retained once a child grows into an adult. If some people have to say that adults have a lot to learn from children, they are most likely to be referring to the mental characteristics rather than knowledge and experience that an adult will most likely possess much more than a child. Then again, given that very statement, some people may not have the same point or take each word literally. In this case, some people may perceive as a thought that each adult has a lot to learn from his childhood. This notion is definitely sensible and true indeed – some characteristics are acquired during childhood. Knowledge that enables an adult to function within the society and to work as an adult is also learnt and absorbed as a child. However, the process of learning does not terminate when we become adults. Confucius said "as long as you are eating in old age, you are still learning". In terms of time, one spends more time being an adult, and therefore in a sense, one has much more to learn in adulthood than from his childhood. What, then do children have that adults do not possess; that adults have to learn again from children? Scientists and child psychologists have agreed that as a child, there is more room for imagination and creativity due to the innocence and simplicity of the mind. The child’s mind is free and uncorrupted from the thoughts of the learned adults or from knowledge. It is often easier for children to believe in Santa Claus riding in his sleigh across the winter skies driven by flying reindeers and climbing down narrow chimneys with his big bottomless bags of gifts. Adults say that is impossible – reindeers do not fly; roly-poly Santa cannot go down chimneys. To children, virtually everything is possible and true. It’s little wonder that biblical references indicate that children will find it easiest to enter the kingdom of God. We are not talking about blind faith that children possess, but the fact that adults take things too seriously, and lose the sense of beauty of life. Sometimes, adults lose their creativity and imagination because of all the sciences and all the practices that society has imposed on them. Children take things as they are. Adults sometimes spend their lives as if everything around them is a political conspiracy!! It cannot be denied, however, that adults have advantages over the children. They have more experiences, knowledge and an understanding of the real world. Children need to tap from this vast amount of knowledge, if they want to grow and mature. Although the deeper and profound understanding and knowledge will hinder one’s ability to dream, imagine and believe in fairy tales, the adult’s knowledge will override the simplistic thoughts and assumptions that the children’s minds have to suffer. The knowledge that adults hold and possess are those refined and stand through from the dawning of humanity and to be passed on to the children when they come into adulthood and to the next generation to come the children can have what they think is nice and right, but in time they either have to cast aside or look those away to make room for the knowledge they need to learn from the adults to function and become adults. Whether they will or will not draw out these thoughts during childhood and make "dreams come true", it is not important. Not all people are like the Wright Brothers. Needless to say, by nature, children have the tendency to replicate the motions and actions of their parents. They take after the mentality of their parents and grow to fit in to the environment and society they live in. Moreover they attend schools taught and managed by adults. Children live in the world fashioned by the adults’ thoughts and hands. How can we say that children do not learn from adults? True enough, adults do have a few things they have to learn from the children, but it is not a lot. In real life, the children have much more to learn from the adults in order to take up their rightful roles of adulthood in their future.

 
 
 
 
 

Essay 2  Adults have a lot to learn from children. Do you agree?   We all go through the natural cycle where we are born into this world as babies and grow into adults. Born into this world with unblemished minds, our lives and behaviour are carved by our families, teachings, surroundings and individual experiences. Children learn how to behave, as taught or observed and this is their first step towards adulthood. Adults and children differ largely in two main areas: their physical attributes and their attitude. Look around you and you are sure to find a child crouched somewhere, staring at an otherwise inconspicuous moth or ant. Children have a high degree of inquisitiveness and an insatiable thirst to learn and know everything. Children are more receptive to their surroundings and use their five senses much better than most adults do. With a heightened use of their senses, everything around them seems brighter and sharper with clearer sounds and stronger smells. Having very receptive senses stimulates the brains, unfolding its potential to learn. These days, with the responsibilities of today’s fast paced world on their shoulders, adults find that they have little time to stop and sniff a flower or watch a pretty butterfly flutter from flower to flower. Adults seem to be stuck in the rut of success and responsibilities, and most of them do not even make time to soak in the surroundings and feel the vibrancy of nature around them. Children can certainly teach them a thing or two in this area! Have you seen the delight on a child’s face when a bucket of Lego blocks is presented to him? or, the euphoria on a young girl’s face when a mini-kitchen is bought for her? With the most basic and simple toys, you can see the infinite creativity that a child has. Just sit down and watch any child with Lego blocks and you may find that after some time, you will be faced with the prettiest Lego city named "kedolegoblockywocky" by the child himself. Children can also fabricate the most amazing stories about their dolls and never stop creating new stories. These days, most adults are confined to the "creativity" of their occupations, finding solutions to problems or merely assimilating a few solutions to solve a problem. Unless one works as a sculptor, an artist, an architect, a landscape designer, or something along those lines, one will not bother wondering about the basic unit of creativity which is to create something out of new or unexpected things. Just like how little girls imitate adult life by "playing house", adults should learn the child’s ways of creativity. A child’s curiosity also makes him more all-rounded than we think. He takes more interest in practically everything compared to an adult. Adults who have been through life, and sometimes feel resigned to fate, tend to be uninterested and totally unaware. They choose not to know about a lot of things, justifying their choice by saying that they have no time. There are, however, many other adults who make a concerted effort to make time to learn. Surely you have noticed how affectionate children can be. This affection could be due to their need for someone near them, but still we must realize that children can be more loving than some adults. The wide-eyed admiration that we so often experience when we are with them is but a small example. Children tend to be freer in expressing their love by touching or just by giving that special look. Pressed by society and its rules, adults tend to be more restricted in this area. Most adults are still unable to express their love well with their loved ones. Perhaps children express themselves so much better because they are unafraid. Being an adult who is aware of his so-called duties may lead him to think "better not". Rather, it should be quite the opposite. Knowing more about the world should give an adult the confidence he needs in expressing himself. Taking the first step to "becoming a child" could very well mature an adult to even higher levels and heighten his sensitivity. This will, without doubt, be beneficial to his life. Children also display basic instincts, like survival - adults, especially those who are fatalistic, can learn a lot from children in this quarter. Being spontaneous creatures, children express their emotions the second they are felt. We have all seen children wailing their lungs out and flailing their arms about foolishly when they do not get what they want. Growing up, we are better able to control our emotions. Could it be that adults have learned to control their emotions just by watching children and seeing what fools they could be making of themselves if they behave like children? Adults, however, should not adopt the irresponsible attitude of children. Children have a responsibility only to themselves whereas adults have all kinds of commitments that cannot and must not be abandoned, for if they were to do so, many people will be affected. We all have to learn from each other. Adults have as much from children as children have to learn from adults. What we need to do is build symbiotic relationships; adopt and adapt the good qualities and learn from the bad. "An adult is, after all, a child with many clothes on". Go to top of page

 
 
 
 
 

Essay 3  "Sportsmanship has disappeared from sports." Is this a fair comment.   Sportsmanship refers to showing exemplary conduct when competing in various sports. It is performing to the best of one’s abilities through fair means. It also includes having the ability to applaud the victorious when one loses and to accept defeat graciously. Sportsmanship is an integral part of sports and should be held in higher regard than winning. As we head into the new millennium, the commercialisation of sports is evident. Today, there is a ‘win-at-all-cost’ mentality so as to make more money. Inevitably, sportsmanship takes a back seat and is deemed to be unimportant. In this year’s National Basketball Association finals, the various teams facing the Los Angeles team were the underdogs as the Lakers had a very good player in Shaquille O’Neal. To win the Championship, not to mention a huge amount of money, they had to beat the Lakers. As O’Neal was not a good foul line shooter, the teams fouled him repeatedly to prevent him from scoring. Such is the lack of sportsmanship that the National Basketball Association is considering making this tactic illegal. There are also sportsmen who want to win at all costs to gain fame and riches. They resort to underhanded means to achieve their goal. At the Olympics, a sprinter by the name of Ben Johnson won two gold medals and achieved instant fame. This turned into a farce when he was found to have taken drugs that enhanced his performance. The medals were stripped from him and the world record he set was erased. This shows that sportsmanship is vital when competing in sports. Without it, one can never become a truly great sportsman. Back in the 1980s, a great soccer player was discovered and he played at the highest levels of the game. Scoring many goals, defenders had to stop him at all costs to avoid losing. Cynical two-footed sliding tackles from behind were employed to stop Marco Van Basten, the legendary Dutch centre forward. He retired from the game when his legs could not be healed due to the extremely vicious challenges by defenders. FIFA, the world governing body of soccer, outlawed tackles from behind and now advocates fair play in matches. It has taken measures to ensure sportsmanship. When a player is injured, the ball is kicked out of play to allow for treatment. When play resumes, the ball is returned to the injured player’s team. The golfing world was taken by storm in 1997 with the emergence of a sensational talent. Tiger Woods won the Masters, a major title in golf, with a massive twelve-stroke lead in his debut season. He then went on to win a string of tournaments and won the US Open and the PGA title to add two more major titles to his belt. Opponents competing with him were practically vying for second place. They all had great respect for him and praised his talents. This show of sportsmanship truly sets Tiger Woods apart as a sportsman. Opponents’ respect and the number of competitions won are determinants of greatness, and the former is very difficult to attain. To achieve it, one must be a sportsman with exemplary skill and conduct. In every sport, success is undeniably important. But, there should also be a spirit of sportsmanship behind the success to achieve true greatness. Despite many cases of unsporting behaviour where sportsmanship is sorely lacking, there are also cases where sportsmanship is shown. Thus, sportsmanship has not disappeared from sports.         Go to top of page

 
 
 
 
 

Essay 4  "Sportsmanship has disappeared from sports." Is this a fair comment.   It has been said that sportsmanship is required of a good player or athlete of any sport. However, what exactly is sportsmanship? It is the will to win in a fair manner and be able to congratulate your opponents, even if you have lost. However, some people say that sportsmanship is not present in today’s sports. I for one, do not agree with this. Firstly, to say that sportsmanship has disappeared is quite outrageous. The person who says that obviously has not been tuning into sports enough. In almost every sport, be it golf or soccer, the losers almost always congratulate the victors. If sportsmanship was not present, we will have fights every time a match is played or a race is run. Next, sportsmanship is present in every person involved in any sporting activity. It is innate in everyone to have the urge to win and the will to fight. Whether it is a competitive race or just a friendly soccer match with old friends, everyone wants to emerge victorious by trying their best. That is one of the fundamentals of sportsmanship – doing your best, and it is still prevalent in many people, thus, showing that sportsmanship has not disappeared. Thirdly, most sports people respect their opponents, even if the match is a one-sided affair. Take the European Championships for example. To watch players score goals is one thing, but to see players from opposing teams exchanging jerseys and congratulating each other is another. Most players help others up when they take a tumble, and play the ball out if an opponent is injured. With all these taking place, not only in soccer but in other sports as well, I cannot see why some say sportsmanship has vanished. Lastly, although the face of sports is ever changing, with more and more money involved, sportsmanship is still present and actively encouraged. If people argue that money has blinded sportsmen, then I will tell them to look at the non-competitive side of sports. The weekly tennis match between friends is a sport, with perhaps the loser giving the victor a treat as an incentive. However, the primal will to win and shouts of "Well played!" by your opponent all go to show that sportsmanship is present. True enough, some people may resort to underhanded means to win. Others are indeed sore losers who sulk and give their opponents the cold shoulder whenever they are beaten. The money game and potential profits from sports lead some to forget the basic ideas behind sportsmanship. Even friendly games between old friends can turn nasty once in a while. However, is it fair to say sportsmanship has disappeared from sports based on these reasons? They are just the minority, the few who are blinded by their desires and the odd flare-up. One cannot base an argument on the minority. In conclusion, I feel strongly that to say sportsmanship has disappeared is an unfair statement. It does exist, and is instinctive in all of us. After all these years and changes in sports, sportsmanship is one quality that still thrives, and will continue to be present.       Go to top of page

 
 
 
 
 

Essay 5  "There are very few incentives in getting married for the women of today." Discuss.   Marriage has been the basis of family life, which forms the backbone of society. As important as it seems, marriage may not necessarily be a worthy investment to an individual nowadays, especially to women. Yes, I do agree to a certain extent that there are only a few incentives for the women of today to get married and I will show you why this is so in my essay. Firstly, the social status of the women today can be said to be equivalent to those of their male counterparts due to their ability to earn an income. This idea was considered far-fetched to the women of the past. In the past, women did not have much recognition in a male dominated society that saw women as sexual objects or the weaker sex. Women were also not allowed to pursue education in schools or other learning institutions. This led to women being unable to fend for themselves, as they were unable to acquire jobs. All these factors meant that women, then, had a lot to gain from marriage – a stable income from her husband, social recognition from her husband, and most importantly, a roof over her head. Apart from this, society then, also deemed it necessary for a woman to marry at a ripe age. Social pressure often forced families to matchmaker the women in the family. In this case, the women would not be disgraced in the eyes of society if she got married and family pride would be maintained. This is another incentive for the women in the past. That was in the past, but today, women have acquired equal social status as men, and they are treated with respect. Education can be pursued by any woman and not restricted to only males. This in turn means women now have become important members and contributors to the economy. They have jobs that provide them with stable incomes. The modern woman is a working woman who has all that she needs. Thus, it seems that women today do not need marriage to attain social status or material wealth as they already have it. In this area, women do not receive incentives from marriage. Society today is more open-minded about women not marrying; hence women are not disgraced by not getting married and staying single. Families are less concerned about personal affairs of the women in the family and allow them to make their own decisions. This means the happiness of the woman matters more than family pride. Secondly, marriage has always been the legal way of having sex and children. Hence, in the past, a woman who wants children needed to get married but this is not so today because society is more open-minded about single parents or having sex outside marriage. Apart from this, another way of having children can be through artificial fertilisation using sperms from sperm banks. Thus having a partner is not a necessity if she wants to have a baby. This puts more control in her life.  On the other hand, benefits or incentives that women receive from marriage nowadays come mainly from emotional and psychological support that comes from her male partner. This is due to the belief that having someone is truly beneficial to a person. Yes, you may have ‘someone in your life’ who is not married to you, but marriage gives the assurance that the ‘special someone’ will always be there for you. That would be enough of an incentive for me to get married, if I were a woman. Overall, marriage does not bring social or material incentives to a woman today as compared to the women of the past but marriage does bring about happiness and emotional support to a woman. Whether this is reason enough to marry, it is up to the woman to decide, but nobody can deny the importance of marriage to a society. Go to top of page

 
 
 
 
 

Essay 6 "There are very few incentives in getting married for the women of today." Discuss.   With changing times and a constant metamorphosis of culture and values, roles of women are evolving. We begin to see lines between masculine roles and feminine roles blur and therefore in modern times, it is rather true that there is no incentive for the woman of today to get married.  In the past and also at present, marriage was not a choice but rather a necessity and a ritual less developed countries. It was seen as the natural progression after coming of age. The patriarch was the giver and the more public one whereas the wife’s place was at home, taking care of husband and children. The lady of the home did not work and thus her survival depended on her husband. Man was master. As time went on, marriage was also seen as a gauge of social status. The incentive became the promise of wealth and a solid reputable status. The feminist movement unconsciously, but rapidly soon began to sally its way into society. Unheard ideas, such as women in politics became reality. Social issues such as, abortion and rape, are protected by laws. The husband is no longer the sole protector or provider, since the women have an ally in the judicial system and the government.  Today, the woman is known as the working mother, caregiver and provider. It almost seems like both men and women’s roles rolled into one. Although there is a minority of housewives around, in the future, it will be a rarity because of education. Girls today are working towards establishing a solid education that will give them good, well-paying jobs in the future. Staying at home is not even an option. Thus all these seem only to further prove that marrying for the incentive of money and status does not exist. Prenuptial agreements also give individuality another boost. The husband’s money is not necessarily the wife’s possession.  Another common incentive of getting married is the less materially profitable one. It is more of a biological, inborn feeling of maternal craving. Most women reach an age where they want to be mothers so they marry to fulfill this desire. This however, does not need to be an option any longer because social ideals and values are changing. Women no longer need a marriage certificate to be mothers. Single motherhood is becoming increasingly popular and accepted. Gone are the days of punishing unmarried women who got pregnant. A woman now has a choice of getting pregnant without marriage. Although more rampant in the West, it is also becomingly increasingly popular in the East. The media seems to be playing a major role in making single parenthood an acceptable idea. Reports of unwed movie and pop stars, celebrities in sports and fashion, getting pregnant with their boyfriends are given a lot of attention. The headlines seem to scream that it is acceptable and that it is a woman’s right to do so. It has become a choice. Adoption and even artificial impregnation and insemination are other options that have become so freely available to single wannabe mothers. Social welfare and other community help programmes also assist poor single mothers. There are also some women to whom the incentive of maternal gratification does not even exist. The career chase and the aim of wealth and status overwhelm every other aspect. With the rapid shattering of the glass ceiling, career prospects are the first priority. Women’s ideals have therefore, changed. However, all is not lost in the institution of marriage. There are still supporters who succumb to it. The incentives have become deeper and more spiritual rather than material. Just as the feminist movement may have deterred many from marriage, it has also spurred on the rest to do otherwise. With the roles of men and women placed on more equal pedestals and with the acceptance of individuality, many do not see marriage as a constrictive birdcage but more of a union of thoughts and the exchange of intelligence. There are also the die hard romantics who cling to the traditional beliefs of a father for a child and a soul mate with promises of eternal love, "Till death do us part", a desire to belong to someone and to see generations unfold. Whimsical as it may sound, it is true that these are incentives in themselves and that reasons and incentives have changed, but it does not mean that all women will rule out the idea of marriage. Go to top of page