english

The repetition emphasises the grim/hostile/intolerable conditions in the dystopia.

The use of “yet another” indicates that Matt’s home has been attacked more than once after the family is accused of hoarding,
showing that violence is a frequent/common occurrence in the dystopia [1m]
Matt and Taco are “forced” to flee to another country, suggesting that the violence is so unrelenting that they have no other choice
but to leave their family and escape to another country [1m]
OR
… the violence threatens their safety to the extent that they have no other choice …

They show the unexpected pressures the boys face while living in the refugee camp.
It makes the reader interested in finding out about how the boys will go about making hard choices while facing those unexpected
pressures.

The desolate setting looks like a ghetto with a tent and a large rodent outside the tent. This suggests the unsanitary and deplorable
conditions in the refugee camp.

Dark gloomy colours of blue, black and grey dominate the palette, conveying the grim realities of life

 in every country and every culture, storytelling has significant power

 the stories we are told via the various media build identities, determine behaviour, and forge or dreams
 Stories are repeated in our minds impact the way we view the world and make meaning from what we could see
 the narratives we tell and are told have the potential to continue to create prejudiced beliefs bey those few who dominate
the storytelling sphere
 Not seeing ourselves represented often leaves self-imposed limitations on what we can achieve and allows the negative
perceptions to go unchallenged
 Stereotypes have the effect of dehumanizing and crashing the multiplicity of the stereotyped group’s existence

visual (all visuals, including images, fonts etc. EXCEPT gestures)

gestural - body language, facial expressions, gaze at the viewer
spatial - layout of different elements (background/foreground)
linguistic - words that stand out

major/significant points to talk about - try to have 2 points

 literature
singlit
in our schools
In Our Schools Based on the title, what themes might be explored in this this poem?
Who do you think is the speaker? 
theme: streaming process at PSLE
by Gilbert Koh use of communal “our” establishes a common identity with the reader, speaker is Singaporean who has
undergone the streaming process

What is the speaker’s tone when she/he says “The others / are merely Normal / (a polite lie)”?
Some are Special, modifiers indicate the % of population in each stream: “some” = majority, “a few” = minority, “others” =
marginalised minority
or Express. A few are
What is the purpose of the parenthesis, “(a polite lie)”?
Gifted. The others parenthesis is like a conspirational aside to the reader; quiet criticism of the streaming practice

Who came up with words like “Special”, “Express”, “Gifted” and “Normal”, and for what purpose?
are merely Normal ”Normal”, “Special”, “Express”: euphemisms coined by MOE to label children based on their academic
5 ability
(a polite lie).
What is the literary device used in “All are classifiable / like chemical compounds”, and for what purpose?
Notice the use of words like “classifiable”, “chemical” and “compounds”. What device is used, and why has the
poet chosen to do so?
All are classifiable, simile establishes a vivid imagery of students as one-dimensional beings that can be sorted neatly into tables;
the forced artificiality of such a sorting process is highlighted in the alliteration of plosive sounds like
like chemical compounds, “classifiable”, “chemical”, “compounds”.
literary devices: simile and metaphor
students are ‘objectified’ and are categorised like

What imagery is the poet creating in the use of words like “chemical compounds” and “Chinese proverbs” and
objects, such as ‘chemical compounds’, ‘Chinese

lists of Chinese proverbs’

students are classified like ‘lab specimens of dead
insects’
“lab specimens”? 
students are ‘lifeless’ and ‘helpless’ and that the
educators do not care about the students’
wellbeing, like scientists handling lab specimens
vivid imagery of students as dead insects sacrificed as part of an experiment; students are portrayed as
proverbs, of dead insects.
the poet emphasises on the theme of his poem by
explaining how the students are compared to non-
10 miniscule and powerless beings against the larger governmental forces who conduct educational experiments
living objects, dehumanising them.

on them
or lab specimens of
Streaming students after PSLE is not right and is classifying
students according to their academic performance.
MOE placing students in different categories, “Normal”,
What do you notice about the lines, “preserved, labelled, / pinned”? What is the image created by the poet here,
dead insects - “Express” and “Special”. The system is exhaustive and only
measured the students’ “worth” based on their academics.
Yet, students are powerless to resist MOE who implemented the
and what do you think is his message about the people in the poem? 
“lab specimens” “dead insects” - students compared
to dead insects often used for experimentation -->
streaming system.
verbs like “preserved”, “labelled” and “pinned” cement the association of MOE as a cold, unemotional
students in the Singaporean education system cannot
resist and are helpless against the government’s
“experimentation”, which is the streaming system.
scientific researcher attaching artificial labels to students’ bodies; the pain and violence of this labelling is
reinforced in the imagery of the needle through the (students’) unfeeling thorax
preserved, labelled,
pinned - students trapped in
negative stereotyping, grouped
How do you feel about the poem? 
based on their academic

pinned by a cold
abilities, treated as inanimate
objects to experiment and form

15
opinions on --> dehumanizing
cold needle - MOE are portrayed as cruel
them, disregarding their
people, uncaring of the interests of the students
feelings and interests, making
and neglecting them

needle
through the unfeeling - streaming has remained unchanged for a long
time, the students are now numb, unreceptive to the
discrimination from the negative stereotyping, and has even
accepted the discrimination as they feel helpless and hopeless

unfeeling thorax.
message: streaming should not continue.
It stereotypes students solely by their different academic abilities, dehumanizing and
disregarding their feelings, which results in society not seeing them for their fullest
potential as humans.
Students feel hurt and discriminated by streaming, however, these negative
stereotypes have been normalized for long, causing students to feel hopeless, with no
choice but to accept the unfair stereotyping.

what’s in a name?
The classroom.
Hew (reading from the Romeo and Juliet book in her hand) Act II, Scene II. Juliet What is the context of this scene? 
What do you know about R & J?
says, “ ‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a literature lesson; key scene where Juliet
muses about the (in)significance of
Montague. What’s a Montague?” Romeo’s name, and how his name does not
impact the innate goodness of his character
ASHLEY passes DAPHNE a note. HEW notices.
Hew Ashley! What is your impression of Ashley at this
point?
ASHLEY looks up. cynical due to frequent punishments,
outspoken
Hew Give me that paper. 5
How does the playwright use dialogue to
ASHLEY rolls her eyes and hands HEW the paper. HEW looks at it. vividly portray Ashley’s and Daphne’s
characters?
Hew Ashley, why are you here? use of Singlish effectively captures teens’
heartland manner of speech; resistance to
Ashley Huh?  using formal language shows Ashley’s
challenge of authority
Hew You’re clearly not interested in studying. Why don’t you just stay at home?
What is your impression of the relationship
Ashley I dunno. between Ashley and Ms. Hew?
Hew I think deep down inside, you still want to pass your ‘O’ Levels. 10 tension between Ashley and Ms. Hew. Ms.
Hew seems to be making amends about
Ashley Who dunno? Who don’t want to pass? something she did / getting to know Ashley
better by showing her concern
Hew I want to help you pass.
What can you infer about Ms. Hew from her
Ashley Yah, sure. Help me go to Mrs Lim’s office and pass right. actions and speech?
Why does Ms. Hew use colloquial language
Hew But I didn’t send you there in the end, right?
(“Can”) here?
Ashley …OK. No you didn’t. 15 Ms. Hew is honest about her failings, and
seems genuine in trying to help her students.
Hew And why do you think I didn’t? Her use of Singlish shows her attempts to
bond with her students.
Ashley (folds her arms; reluctantly)…OK, so maybe you were trying to be nice.
Enact L24 – 37. What are Daphne and
Hew Thank you. Ashley’s tones as they say these lines?
Ashley …
How does the playwright create humour
Hew Look, I think we got off on the wrong footing… And I just want to say that I am here?
series of hyperbolic overstatements makes
sorry to you and the rest of the class, for the way things have gone. It’s my 20 audience laugh

first time being a teacher… I was scared and nervous, and I didn’t handle What kind of irony is present in L24 – 37?
Why does the playwright employ irony
things well. I’m sorry. I hope that we can try again. Can? here?
HEW catches ASHLEY’s eye. ASHLEY looks down. situational irony not just used to criticise the
practice of taking the Cambridge ‘O’ and
DAPHNE tentatively raises up her hand. ‘A’ Levels, but also to criticise the
competitive and kiasu mentality of
Daphne How? I don’t even understand why we must study Shakespeare. Singaporeans

Ashley … Because they always think everything Western is better mah. 25 What literary device is used in L36 – 37?
For what purpose?
Hew (smiles, surprised that ASHLEY has spoken up) That’s a valid argument. repetition not only shows the bond between
Daphne  It’s true. They don’t even trust our teachers to mark our ‘O’ Level papers. They Daphne and Ashley, but also highlights the
common stigmatising of “Normal” students
send them to Cambridge to get graded. Except for Chinese and Malay.
What do Ashley’s and Daphne’s reactions to
Ashley But then maybe one day they’ll send those to China and Malaysia to get Ms. Hew tell you about them? 
How has this changed / remained the same
graded too. 30 at the end of the excerpt?
Daphne  I think maybe Singapore still thinks we are part of UK, that’s why we have to What is the underlying message of Ms.
do Shakespeare and ‘O’ and ‘A’ Levels. Hew’s words?
Ms. Hew is challenging stigmatising labels
Ashley But then because we’re also Chinese, we must do better than them.  like “Normal”. In dismissing labels tied to
one’s academic ability, she is re-stating the
Hew And what happens when you don’t succeed? inherent goodness and value of her students.
Daphne You feel like a failure. 35
Ashley They say that you’re rebellious.
Daphne They say that you’re ‘normal’ lor.
Hew  You know, Romeo and Juliet are like you guys. They have to carry the names
of their households; names that they didn’t choose for themselves.
Ashley Oh my god— 40
Hew Just hear me out for a second…
ASHLEY and DAPHNE are rolling their eyes at this point.
Hew What if Juliet had said, “ ‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself,
though not a ‘Normal’. What’s a ‘Normal’? It is nor hand, nor foot, nor arm,
or face, nor any other part belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell
as sweet.” 45
DAPHNE claps triumphantly. ASHLEY grins and shakes her head. 
Ashley: What is your impression of the students in Faith Ng’s “What’s in a Name?” Daphne:
- she acts tough but does actually have a soft side, can admit and - treated like they are less than other students, stereotyped as “bad students” and - not as rebellious as Ashley, more of a conformist
acknowledge when she knows a teacher is being nice → appreciates unintelligent - more innocent, simplistic, quite sweet
it, joked around w ms hew - “You feel like a failure” line 35 → they want to do well but because of the labelling and - only dares to defy the teachers if Ashley starts the rebuttal first
- more cynical, realistic and practical: when Ms Hew was challenging stereotyping, they lost hope and are resigned to their fate. - The use of diction in ‘Normal’ and ‘failure’, repetitive with Ashley’s line shows that Daphne is critical yet dejected by the
the stigmatising labels, she still doubts the system will/can change. - The use of a series of hyperbolic statements from lines 25-30 invokes a sense of humour labels imposed upon her.
- The use of diction in ‘rebellious’ in line 36, which is also repetitive and has a satirical effect too. The use of situational irony in lines 31-33 criticizes the - She is usually very reserved despite the poor treatment she may face. This reveals her partially compliant and slightly
with Daphne’s line shows the common stigmatising and competitive and unfair education system. indignant nature. Daphne's compliance can be seen through how she started to run first as punishment as well as how she
stereotyping normal students face. ‘Rebellious’, a strong word - Students labelled as 'normal' are often stigmatised and looked down upon, even though only dares to defy the teachers if Ashley starts the rebuttal first. Ashley's words spark the indignance in Daphne, compelling
Daphne uses is probably something she can resonate with very well. they are supposed to be seen as the same as the average person based on the meaning of the her to express her frustrations instead of keeping them bottled up and simply accepting any stigmas or punishments.
- She shows no interest in what is taught in class and often argues label they were given. Some of these students feel hopeless and simply resign themselves - Daphne is unique in the sense that she still has a sliver of hope left that the prejudice and circumstances imposed upon her
with the teacher, not showing her respect. She is used to being to the fact that they are inferior. However, many students, too, refuse to accept the can still be ideally changed.
discriminated against by others and is used to the prejudice she generalisations and assumptions imposed upon them, leading to their indignance and
faces, so she assumes that everyone, including the new teacher, rebelliousness.
looks down on her because of past experiences, which causes her to
be unable to open up to those in a higher position of power. Ashley

foreign worker dreams

knows that whatever she does will not change others’ perceptions
and societal stereotypes of her, so she feels hopeless too. 
- What is unique about Ashley is that despite her hopelessness, in
order to prove to others that she is not inferior and in order to vent
her frustrations, she expresses them through her rebellious actions
and speech.

The Foreign Worker Dreams based on the title, what themes do you think this poem may explore?
themes: cost of overseas labour for foreign workers; harsh working conditions
by Janet Liew
what is the setting like?
hot, harsh weather
what does this reveal about the labourer’s working conditions?
The sun is incandescent. Is the public HDB area an assigned rest area for the foreign worker? Unsanitary and poor
working conditions where the labourer rests on rubbish and is surrounded by scavengers

sunburned due to long hours outdoors

In the void deck,
notice the word, “emptied”. what is the poet’s purpose in isolating it with punctuation
the labourer rests his burnt head marks?
emphasis on “emptied” = symbol for the foreign worker? worker feels empty of life and
on a bleach bottle, emptied, exhausted after being worked to the bone

and stretches out on a flattened carton 5 what devices are used in lines 6 - 7 “fatigue has pinned him to it / like a specimen...”, and
for what purpose?
as if fatigue has pinned him to it personification of fatigue as a deadweight emphasises the extreme exhaustion of the
worker; simile comparing the worker to a dead specimen describes the dehumanising and
like a specimen in a dissection class. undignified manner in which the worker rests

what feelings do you have for the labourer? how does the poet evoke such feelings in the
audience?
Dust from the site has coloured his hands filthy workplace; harsh manual labour

grey as ashes, and stained his nails. what is the device used in the phrase, “grey as ashes”, and what image is the poet trying to
create here?
A mynah pecks at the remains 10 imagery of death evoked

Of his polystyrene-boxed lunch nearby. what is the poet trying to suggest in the phrase, “fallen tree branch”?
fallen tree branch suggests that the worker is cut off from his roots; displaced and
dispossessed of his home and possessions

His arm lies heavy as a fallen tree branch why is the labourer’s memory “hazy”?
metaphorical comparison of memories to a haze suggests that the worker has been away
over his eyes, which flicker under their for a long time

lids, what is this “whole” face contrasted with?

only an important loved one’s face is “whole” amongst the “hazy”, fragmented memories
as if he is reading a secret letter, 15 what does “like a photograph creased and crumpled” mean?

or watching a hazy memory how does the labourer feel in the last 2 stanzas?
misses the important loved one in secret
being screened on the canvas of his retina.
why is the third person used?
poet’s use of third person is indicative of the distance between the Singaporean audience
and the foreign labourer. Due to differences in culture and language and perhaps racism,
Who knows whose face— the Singaporean audience can never truly understand the difficulties or life experiences of
the foreign workers.
perfect, whole— Has the poet written this poem then, as an attempt to study the foreign worker, like how we
study dead insects and specimens in a science laboratory? Or is this a futile exercise in
he hides in his heart 20 understanding due to the audience’s privileged position?

like a photograph creased and crumpled,

its edges worn soft by callused fingers?

Malay Sketches, “A Howling”

The first time Zaiton saw Sinta was when the latter was walking her employer’s dog. Based on the title and intro, what themes do
you think this text may explore?
Sinta was the domestic worker for the neighbours two houses down the street, a themes: foreign domestic workers, neighbourly
relations; conflicts due to racial and religious
childless husband-and-wife couple in their 40’s. Sinta herself was in her 20’s, with a differences
5
family consisting of a husband and two young children in Pacitan, East Java. What is your initial impression of Zaiton
Zaiton and those neighbours were just nodding acquaintances, and all she knew of and her neighbours?
distanced relationship
them was that the husband drove a big, maroon Mercedes-Benz, and that the wife did zaiton seems to expect married women to cook
for their families (cultural background?)
not cook. She deduced this from the fact that the car would leave the compound every 10 wealthy neighbours as evidenced from their
car and pure-bred dog
evening, as the occupants of the house drove out for dinner.
How does the writer use dialogue to vividly
She was watering the plants in her garden when Sinta approached her gate, smiling, portray zaiton and sinta’s characters?
Sinta's lack of awareness about the Malay
while at the same time trying to restrain the dog. It was a German Shepherd, its tongue spoken in Singapore reveals her newcomer
15 and foreign status. She looks to Zaiton (an
lolling out of the side of its mouth like a long, deflated pink balloon. older woman with a similar cultural
“Ibu, do you mind if I ask you something?” background) for guidance and advice about
living practices in Singapore.
To the Indonesians, ‘Ibu’ was an honorific for older women. In Malay, however, it
Zaiton connects on an emotional level with
was the term for ‘mother’. Zaiton immediately felt a maternal affinity towards Sinta. 20 Sinta, and this is shown in the way she not
only does not correct Sinta’s linguistic error,
“What is it about?” Zaiton asked. but instead feels protective of sinta when
Sinta addresses her as “mother”.
“I was wondering if you could tell me where I can find some clay around here.”
“What do you need clay for?” What can you infer about Zaiton from her
25 words and actions?
“I want to clean myself after handling the dog. I try not to touch it, but sometimes I Zaiton empathises with Sinta due to their
shared religious background; and her
can’t avoid it.” maternal instincts make her want to find a
solution to Sinta’s predicament.
Zaiton understood. Muslims were forbidden to come into contact with dogs, which taken pains to help Sinta out
30 proud of her problem solving skills?
were considered unclean animals. If one had touched a dog, then one had to perform a
angry at Sinta’s employers for being
specific cleansing ritual, known as sertu. It involved washing the affected part not only insensitive?
warm and generous towards Sinta
with water several times, but also with a concoction of one part clay mixed with six
Enact lines 12–27, and lines 30-51. What are
parts of water. 35 Zaiton’s and Sinta’s tones as they say these
lines?
“If it was back at my village I can find clay anywhere,” Sinta said. “But around here I
don’t know where to look.” From whose point of view is the story told?
story is told through the eyes of a partially
“I’ll see what I can do,” said Zaiton. “Why don’t you come and see me this Sunday?” omniscient narrator, who only sees things
40 through the eyes of one character, Zaiton.
On Sunday morning, Sinta visited Zaiton. Her employers had gone to church. Zaiton
What advantages and disadvantages are there
opened a plastic bag and took out three bars of soap, encased in individual white for this viewpoint?
boxes. What is Zaiton's attitude and impression of her
“I went to Johor to get these,” Zaiton said. neighbours? How does this attitude develop
45 and/or change throughout the text?
“What are they?” Does Zaiton think that her neighbours are
ignorant or insensitive for making Sinta look
“They’re sertu soap,” she replied, with a tinge of pride in her voice. “Things are very after the dog? Is she
frustrated/upset/angry/incredulous at her
modern nowadays. The soap is mixed with the correct amount of clay and water. It’s neighbours’ actions?
50
approved by the religious authorities in Malaysia.” Why do you think Sinta continues to work for
“Thank you so much, Ibu,” Sinta said. “I had just given the dog a bath this morning.” her employer despite her difficulties with the
dog?
Zaiton tried to control herself from showing displeasure on her face. She asked Sinta,
What is the internal conflict that Zaiton faces?
“Do you mean that your employers make you wash the dog?” 55 uncomfortable that a young Muslim woman
has to go against her religious teachings to
“The dog can’t wash itself.” care for a dog; upset with her neighbours and
wants to help Sinta out of this predicament
“I know that,” said Zaiton. “But don’t they know that you’re a Muslim? Do you pray
at home?” What repeated image of Zaiton's neighbours is
60 conveyed here? Why do you think Zaiton has
“Of course,” Sinta replied. And to prove that she did, she pointed towards Zaiton’s this view of her neighbours?
convinced that her neighbours are insensitive
kitchen and said, “That’s the direction towards Mecca, right?” and callous towards Sinta
assumes that her neighbours are argumentative
“Correct. If you need any prayer mats or whatever you can tell me. We have a lot in and defensive
65
this house.”
Why does Zaiton say this?
The week after, Zaiton met with Sinta again. She told Sinta that as a fellow Muslim, observing decorum?

she was concerned that Sinta had to manage the dog as part of her duties. urgent matter to discuss with Zaiton

“I’ve spoken to my husband,” Zaiton said. “Even though we don’t really need a maid, 70 What kind of irony is present in lines 52 – 93?
Why does the writer employ irony here?
we don’t mind being your employers if you want to leave that house.” hint that her neighbours have difficulties of
their own
“But Ibu,” Sinta said. “I’ve been using your soap. There’s really no problem.”
“Yes, Sinta,” Zaiton said. “But using the soap isn’t going to get rid of the real problem. statement confirms Zaiton’s initial fears that
75 Wee Keong is here to confront her about
The problem is that your employers care more for their dog than they care about you.” Sinta’s change of employer
external conflict where Zaiton confronts Wee
The next evening, Sinta’s employer turned up at Zaiton’s gate. When she recognised Keong about his unfair treatment of Sinta
him, Zaiton started to panic. She did not like confrontations. Now the man would start What is the conflict here, and how does the
80 writer create tension building up to the
telling her to mind her own business. conflict?
“I’m sorry, my husband is not in,” was the first thing she said to him. self-righteous tone? Assumes that Wee Keong
is not sympathetic towards Sinta and can
“I’d like to have a talk with you, actually,” said the man. He was wearing a shirt and dismiss her without a second thought?

long pants, as if he had just arrived home from work. Zaiton invited him into the house 85
and served him some tea.
“I know we haven’t really introduced ourselves,” the man said. “My name is Wee
Keong. My wife’s name is Lindy. She wanted to come today, but she’s at her
90
counselling session.”
“My name is Zaiton. Your wife is a counsellor?” trying to be reassuring
“No, she’s not. I think I’ll get straight to the point. Today Sinta told me that she wants genuinely apologetic
to work for you. And she said it had something to do with the dog.”
Go back to the beginning of the text.
“Muslims are not supposed to touch dogs,” said Zaiton. What misunderstandings did Zaiton have about
her neighbours, and how did the writer use
“I know that,” said Wee Keong. “And we did ask her from the beginning whether she diction and irony to create these
misunderstandings?
was comfortable with it.” situational irony used to highlight the dangers
of judging people based on one’s own cultural
“If she said she’s not comfortable then you won’t give her the job.” and religious biases
“Madam Zaiton, we really like Sinta, even if she’s just been with us for a month. If
What is your impression of Wee Keong and
she doesn’t want to take care of the dog, it’s fine with us. But she’s a great cook.” his wife now?

Somehow, Zaiton felt relieved. She was having second thoughts about the cost of The writer tells the story through a specific
character’s viewpoint. What effect does this
hiring Sinta. have on you as a reader?
On the surface, Zaiton seems like a reliable
“My wife stopped cooking after our son died. It reminded her too much of him. She narrator because the story is realistic and
wanted to get rid of all the things that brought back memories of him. The only thing relatable for many Singaporeans. The audience
trusts Zaiton initially, and shares her umbrage
we couldn’t get rid of was the dog. Because the dog was the boy’s favourite thing in at her Chinese neighbours’ actions. We feel
the tension during her perceived conflict with
the world. And I know it’s stupid to say this but I sometimes think there’s a bit of our Wee Keong, and are as surprised as her when
we learn more about Wee Keong.
son that lives in him. Because unlike our son’s books, or his toys, this thing…he’s alive, As Zaiton is a complex character, she
represents a range of positive and negative
you know?” personality traits, and thus can evoke
“It’s not stupid,” Zaiton said. ambivalence in readers. The audience’s
perspective grows and changes with hers, and
“So what I wanted to say is…the dog, to us, is more than just an animal. Sometimes this can be a defining moment for both.
ambivalence - the state of
having mixed feelings or
contradictory ideas about

when he howls at night I feel that he understands my wife and myself more than any What do you think is/are the key message(s) of something or someone.

this text?
other person can. But at the same time we’ve never treated Sinta as anything less than Is Alfian Sa’at using a partially omniscient
narrator (Zaiton) to critique the Malays who
one of us.” assume a self-righteous stance when
“I’m sorry,” Zaiton said. “I didn’t know.” evaluating the actions of people from other
cultural and religious groups?
Wee Keong rose to leave. The confession had left him somewhat drained. “Sorry for Is he also using the foreign other (Sinta) to
critique the Chinese who do not show
taking up your time. If your family is free I’d like to ask you round for dinner. Sinta only sensitivity and consideration towards their
foreign domestic workers and Muslims un a
cooks halal food.” larger context?
Does the unresolved conclusion hint at the
“Anyway, what’s his name?”
impossibility of resolving this conflict?
“Our son? Andrew.” Or is the writer implying that there is the
possibility of further understanding between
It wasn’t the answer that Zaiton expected. She had wanted to ask for the dog’s name, the different cultural and racial groups in
Singapore?
as if that would lead her to understand Wee Keong’s loss. She decided to ask Sinta the
next time. Then she would try to figure out – the boy’s name, the name of the dog –
which one was the echo of which.
old folks home
visual imagery: lines 2 - 3, "straight rows of white beds or
poet highlights the phrase “All All day long they lie on the sit / in the heavy-duty wheelchairs", which depicts the
dreary and dull lives of the elderly, and how they have to
visual imagery that highlights the organised way that the
day long” with the repetition of rely on others to survive and lack a purpose in living.
elderly have been arranged; the elderly are portrayed as
the “l” sound / alliteration straight rows of white beds or sit static and immobile and even lifeless
emphasising the long hours
wasting away in the heavy-duty wheelchairs symbolism of “white beds”: reflects the sterility and
absence of energy; reminds one of hospital beds and the
pushed out into the breezy sunshine
“heavy-duty wheelchairs”: morgue (i.e. death)
diction highlights the sickly and of the gardens. 5
frail condition of the elderly; metaphors: line 6 - 7, "Trapped in the prisons / of their use of situational irony in “breezy sunshine”: description
own failing bodies", which shows that their bodies
description of the wheelchairs as have inevitably and has left them being so frail that
they have to remain in the old folks' home with nothing
of the sunshine conveys movement and life and is
“heavy-duty” also emphasises to do as they are physically unable to move
commonly used to denote a positive mood, but the mood
how they are meant for long term Trapped in the prisons and atmosphere at the nursing home is still and lifeless
use
of their own failing bodies, Metaphors like “prisons / of their own failing bodies”
diction like “failing” highlights and “haze of senility” suggests that the elderly are
they drift in and out of the haze
the inevitable and continual prisoners who patiently await their death sentence due to
decline of their bodies of senility, half-forgetting their inevitable physical and mental deterioration

there are occasional moments of themselves in the patient wait 10 visual imagery illustrates the large numbers and
lucidity, but the elderly are exuberance of the students; juxtaposition of the age,
helpless to act on it (“drift in for death. vitality and movement between the elderly and the young
and out”) students
lucidity: the ability to think
clearly, especially in intervals
between periods of confusion or
insanity.

use of adverb “still” conveys the diction like “compulsory” hints that students have been
Still the bright-eyed teenagers come,
speaker’s disbelief about the lack compelled by their schools to pay visits to the nursing
of situational awareness that the on Saturday mornings, by the busloads, homes
schools and students have diction: line 15 " on compulsory excursions" shows that
students are being forced into completing these activities but

sent by their schools do not truly want to understand the elderly and gain
meaningful experiences, which also shows the situational situational irony: compassion is a sympathetic attitude
irony in which the schools are deliberately teaching students
speaker’s sarcastic tone is to be compassionate towards the elderly, whereas sympathy is
supposed to already be part of their human nature.
that comes from understanding the plight of others, and
evident in the contrast between on compulsory excursions 15 should be fundamental to humans, but here it is presented
the description of the students as a lesson outcome that has to be explicitly taught
and the real reason for their visit to learn the meaning
(self-serving educational of compassion Khong Guan biscuits: symbolic attempts to bridge the
purpose?) generational gap
as outlined in the CCA syllabus.
List the verbs that relate to the symbolic acts of service
teenagers, and contrast them
with the ones pertaining to the situational irony: attempts to communicate are futile due
elderly, what is the effect of the They bring gifts of Khong Guan biscuits, to the language barriers, generational gap and dementia of
choice of verbs on the the elderly residents
characterisation of both groups of they help to mow the lawns, 20
people? they clap their hands performing happy contrast in visual, aural and kinesthetic imagery

Take note of all the references to songs alliteration of “startlingly / similar essays” and the line
time. What additional insights break that separates “startling” and “similar” contributes to
into the text and its themes do and valiantly they attempt the old dialects the speaker’s skepticism about the effectiveness of school-
you think they provide? line 22 - 23, " and valiantly they attempt the old dialects /
trying to communicate." shows the language barrier between organised VIA sessions
trying to communicate. the students and elderly, and how it is difficult for the students
to empathise with the elderly's situations.

use of alliteration emphasises the ironic situation because

the excursion with the aim of communicating with the
Later they will clamber noisily 25 elderly residents was a failure

back up the departing school buses, the line break that further isolates “meaningful”
underscores how superficial the CCA learning activity was,
and next week in class because students are simply repeating whatever they think
the school wants to hear
they will write startlingly
similar essays
on what a meaningful, 30
memorable experience they had
The poet is expressing that the programmes like VIA organised by schools
are inadequate to teach students about compassion and the struggles faced

at the old folks’ home by the elderly through the use of line enjambment and alliteration. In the
last stanza, in lines 27-28, "startlingly / similar essays", the poet employs
alliteration which places emphasis on how the similar essays written by
students are very startling because these responses are like a fixed template
of reflections that are reused by so many students when the reflections

last week. should have been more personal with thoughts and feelings as each person
should have different perspectives and takeaways from the activity. The
line break that separates "startling" and "similar" also emphasises how the
poet doubts that such a VIA would benefit the students much to understand
the struggles of the elderly and why they should be compassionate. In lines
29-30, "meaningful / memorable experience", the poet again uses
alliteration on "meaningful" and "memorable" to emphasise how ironic it is
that the aim of teaching compassion and understanding the elderly through
the VIA was actually a failure. The enjambment that further separates
"meaningful" also emphasises of how in reality the students did not find it
meaningful.
science

statement
formula
unit
sf
geography
population studies
Demography: Population statistics and forecasting of future population trends (Birth and death rates, migration and population
change). The human population is dynamic and changes constantly over time and space. Population growth and resources are
linked.

The world population

The world population refers to the total number of people living in the world at any one time. After 1830, the world's population
grew very rapidly. Rapid rate of population growth began in the early 19th century and continued throughout the 20th century
--> population explosion
Causes of population growth
Before the 1900s: large number of deaths due wars, famines and diseases.
After 1900s: Better medical care, improved hygiene, increased food supply due to technological advances --> population
increased significantly
Control of infectious diseases helped people to live longer and babies to survive better. More efficient methods of food production
and distribution, improvements in diet, housing and working conditions reduced deaths significantly. With the number of births
exceeding the number of deaths, population growth resulted.

A rapid increase in the world population: exponential growth

Population growth
Demographic concepts
Difference between its birth rate and death rate --> calculate whether a country's population is increasing or decreasing --> natural
change.

Birth rate: number of live births per thousand people per year
Death rate: number of deaths per thousand people per year

population grows when births are greater than deaths -- natural increase
population decreases when births are fewer than death -- natural decrease
Natural increase and decrease do not include the increase and decrease in population which result from people migrating into and
out of the country.
In some countries there may be no natural change at all -- result of a low birth rate and a low death rate --> zero population
growth: when the birth rate is equal to the death rate

Infant mortality rate (IMR) is the number of babies who die under one year old per thousand live births in one year.
Life expectancy is the average number of years a person born in any country is expected to live.
Migration is the movement of people from one place to another. Immigration refers to the movement of people into a country or
area, and emigration is the movement of people out of a country or area.
Net migration is the difference between immigration and emigration in an area's population. 

Total population = natural change + net migration

demographic transition model (dtm)

shows a sequence of changes in birth and death rates over a period of time
illustrates the typical stages through which a country may pass as its economy better developed with improvements in sanitation,
healthcare and food supply
 Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4
low growth increasing declining low growth
growth growth
- high birth - low/fluctuat
rate - high birth - Rapidly ing birth
rate falling birth rate
- high death rate
rate - rapidly - low death
falling - Low death rate
- low, death rate rate
fluctuating - slow to
population - high rate of - Population declining
growth population growth still rate of
growth expanding population
but at a growth,
slower rate approachin
g zero
population
growth

by the end of the 20th century,

widespread improvement and the availability of:
- education
- medicine and healthcare
- food supplies
- technology
--> virtually no country still in stage 1
However, several developing countries in Africa and South America occasionally display some of the features associated with
stage 1 mainly due to the impact of:
- internal wars
- civil and ethnic conflicts
- natural disasters, especially recurring drought and famine
- widespread social and economic effects of the spread of AIDS

Those countries that can be identified with stages 1, 2 and 3 are generally classified as developing countries.
--> low standards of living, high rates of population growth
Standard of living refers to the conditions in which people live.
low standard of living -- basic needs, such as water, food, shelter, education and healthcare are not adequately met.

Those countries identified with stage 4 are usually classified as developed countries. They have a high standard of living and
very low rates of population growth.

reasons for changes in birth and death rates

reasons for high birth rates
- lack of info about birth control
- ignorance or lack or education on family planning
- influence of customs, traditions, or religious beliefs
- more children in the hope that some will survive to adulthood
- more children to help work on the farm/in the fields
- children to look after parents in old age
- having a male heir to carry on the family name, having a son to light the parents’ funeral pyre
reasons for high death rate
- lack of proper healthcare, medical supplies and medical services
- famine and disease resulting in high IMR
- poor, unreliable or infected water supplies
- ignorance or lack of education
- natural disasters such as droughts, floods and earthquakes
 - warfare, religious and cultural conflicts

reasons for low birth rates

- effective government family planning programmes
- inexpensive and widely available methods of contraception
- well-educated society, especially educated women who have fewer children
- more women working: working women usually have smaller families
- low IMR and a high expectancy that children will survive to adulthood
- urban parents have smaller families due to lack of space and high expenses of bringing children up
- later marriages and parents leaving longer gaps between the birth of each child
reasons for low death rates
- advanced medical and health services resulting in low IMR and high life expectancy
- improved diet and good food supplies
- knowledge about healthy living, good diet and exercise
- modern and widely available services such as water, electricity and sanitation

- high rate of natural increase --> cannot sustain all the population with enough resources and some people will have to go
without food, shelter and jobs --> lower standard of living
- countries that are resource rich but have too few people can easily support a larger population --> increased use of
resources will in this case --> raise standards of living

population pyramids

- population pyramid (PP) typical of a - PP typical of stage 2 of DTM - PP typical of stage 3 of DTM - PP typical of late stage 3 or early
country in stage 1 or early stage 2 of stage 4 of DTM
DTM - large youthful population - larger elderly population
- very large elderly population
- large youthful population - growing elderly population - slowly declining youthful
Population - relatively small youthful population
- small elderly population - economy beginning to industrialise
- increased rate of industrialization - country is very developed with a
- mainly agricultural based economy - pyramid still has a progressive shape and urbanisation highly urbanised and industrialised
population
- progressive or expanding pyramid
- regressive or contracting pyramid

population policies
measures to encourage small families

anti-natalist policy
after WWII: rapid population growth throughout the 1950s --> created several problems for the small island nation
- independence in 1965 problems: widespread unemployment, shortage of housing and insufficient educational and
healthcare services for the people
- gov very concerned that rapid rate of population growth will place increasing pressure on the limited resources of the
country
measures to encourage small families
To slow population increase, sg government established Singapore family planning and population board (SFPPB) in 1966 -->
launched national family planning programme
- responsible for initiating and implementing family planning policy through public education programmes
- aimed to communicate that small families were desirable and provided subsidised family planning services through its
maternal and child health (MCH) clinics
- SFPPB slogan: “girl or boy -- two is enough”
- used television programmes, radio, newspapers and pamphlets to publicised this message

The small families improvement scheme (SFIS) was also implemented by the Ministry of Community Development to provide
financial incentives to low income couples who have small families. When the couples were successfully being accepted into the
programme, they had to practise a reliable family planning method and the clinical staff would help monitor them to ensure the
effectiveness of the family planning method.

The Family planning programme implemented by SFPPB was extremely successful because:
- sg was a well-educated, highly urbanised society
- increasing numbers of women were entering the workforce or continuing with higher education
- trend of later marriages and a longer gap between children was also becoming more accepted

Fertility rate refers to the number of lifeboats per thousand women of child bearing age. For young women of child bearing age
generally referred to those who are between the age of 15 to 45 years old. Total fertility rate is the average number of children a
woman would bear in her lifetime.
1975: total fertility rate of 2.1 babies per woman was achieved.
This downward trend continued to reach a low rate of 1.4 babies per woman in 1986.

problems which resulted

natalist policy
- about birth rate
- pro natalist/anti-natalist
- replacement level: 2.1
population policy
- about birth rate, death rate (ensure death rate is low, e.g. vaccinations etc.), migration, ‘ageing-in-place’

explaining and evaluating

- identify the current population issue faced by the country: overpopulation, underpopulation, ageing population
- state the population (natalist) policy used to address the population issue: pro-natalist or anti-natalist
- explain how the natalist policy is implemented through the implementation of various measures or strategies (which
include incentives and disincentives) as shown in the sources given.
- evaluate the success or effectiveness of the population policy using criteria. (use PPECS to categorise the
factors/measures or strategies (e.g. social measure, economic measure, etc.))
- evaluation
- access/judge
- successful/effective or not
- provide both strengths and weaknesses of the policies → two sides
- use criteria
reasons or factors that have influenced the success or failure of the population policy with reference to the sources of info and data
provided (i.e. cite evidence and make inference)

population studies
- what?? trends - population size/issue
- birth rate - ageing population
- social norms - dependency ratio
- literacy rate - inclusion policies
- peace of living - underpopulation
- work-life balance - open door migration
- cost of living policy
- gender roles - pro-natalist policy
- religion - incentives
- death rate - overpopulation
- life expectancy - hygiene - close-door migration
- infant mortality rate (IMR)
-
} access
healthcare
to policy
- anti-natalist policy
- disincentives
plate tectonics - quality of
healthcare - carrying capacity
man-land relationship
- exposure to hazards
- vulnerable
- preventive
- preparation
natural hazards
- natural event that has potential to endanger human life, economy and property
- severe and extreme weather and climate events that occur naturally in all parts of the world.
natural disasters
- consequences of events triggered by natural hazards that overwhelm local response capacity and seriously affect the
social and economic development of a region

plate boundaries
- continental-continental convergent plate boundary
- oceanic-oceanic convergent plate boundary

plate boundaries
oceanic-oceanic convergent plate boundary
when two oceanic plates converge the older denser oceanic plate descends beneath the less dense oceanic plate due to "slab pull"
force
a long narrow and deep oceanic trench is formed where the oceanic plate dips into the asthenosphere
the movement of the subducting plate is not smooth producing vibrations called earthquakes along the subduction zone
tip of the subducting oceanic plate melts due to friction with the overriding oceanic plate, and heat at great depth, producing silica-
rich magma (silicon dioxide)
magma moves up any breaks or fractures on the overriding oceanic plate to form a magma chamber, as it is less dense than the
asthenosphere and as gases in the magma expands
the buildup of pressure in the magma chamber forces magma to escape through the vents on the oceanic crust as lava. lava cools
and solidifies around the vent, overtime through repeated eruptions, it accumulates/builds up to form a submarine volcano
when the volcano builds up and rise above sea level, it forms a volcanic island or island arc

continental-oceanic convergent plate boundary

when a thinner and denser oceanic plate converges with a thicker and lighter continental late, the former descends beneath the
latter due to slab pull force into the asthenosphere
a long narrow and deep oceanic trench is formed where the oceanic plate dips into the asthenosphere
faulting occurs as the rocks break and are displaced relative to each other along the fractures.
the movement of the subducting plate is not smooth producing vibrations called earthquakes along the subduction zone
tip of the subducting oceanic plate melts due to friction with the overriding continental plate and heat at great depth producing
silica rich magma
magma chamber as it is less dense than the asthenosphere and as gases in the magma expands
the buildup of pressure in the magma chamber forces magma to escape through the vent on the land surface as lava. lava cools and
solidifies around the vent, overtime, through repeated eruptions it accumulates/builds up to form a volcano
edges of continental plate and sediments near the edges of continental shelf and on the seafloor are contorted, folded and uplifted
to form fold mountains.

rift zone - formed by diverging plate boundaries with a spreading centre - the line in the middle
forms - shield volcanoes

oceanic-oceanic divergent plate boundary

when two oceanic plates move away from each other, the rising convection current below lifts the lithosphere producing a mid-
ocean ridge, rows of submarine mountains. (the ridge is a high area compared to the surrounding seafloor because of the lift from
the convection current below)
extensional forces stretch the lithosphere and produce a deep fissure(crack) forming the spreading centre
when the fissure opens , pressure is reduced on the superheated mantle material below it responds by melting and the new basaltic
magma flows into the fissure. the magma then cools and solidifies to form new seafloor, resulting in the process of seafloor
spreading.
being less dense than the surrounding older rocks, the new sea floor rises in elevation, resulting in gravitational sliding that pushes
the older rocks away from the spreading centre. this is known as the ridge push force. (enrichment)
shallow earthquakes are often associated with this crustal stretching and basaltic magma from the asthenosphere wells up along
any crustal fractures to form submarine volcanoes.

volcanoes
volcano features
- a conical or dome-shaped landform formed from the accumulation of lava, which are magma that escapes through a
single opening called vent, on the Earth’s surface.
- Crater: bowl-shaped depression or hollow at top of volcano
- Pipe: a central passageway joining the crater to the vent
- Magma chamber: reservoir of volcanic material
- Caldera; a basin-like depression that is formed when a violent eruption blasted off top of cone and enlarged the crater
vulcanicity: the process that forms volcanoes
1. Super-heated rock rises upwards to levels with lower pressure
2. Disturbance along crustal boundary reduces pressure on rocks of the asthenosphere beneath, and allow them to melt and
become molten. Volume expands and surrounding rocks become heated and may melt and fracture due to pressure. 
3. Fracture allows more materials to rise to lower pressure levels, causing more rock to liquefy
4. Magma is then collected in a magma chamber

- at high pressure deep beneath earth’s surface, volcanic gases are dissolved in molten rock
- with magma rising toward the surface, pressure, gases begin to form tiny bubbles that expand with decreasing pressure. 
- gas bubbles make the magma less dense than surrounding rock, which allows magma to rise further towards earth’s
surface. 
- increasing bubbles in number and size, increases gas volume, creating magma foam, that could help to propel magma
upward through fracture or pipes toward an eruption
- expanding gas-bubble volume can overwhelm magma, causing violent eruption, fragmenting molten magma into
volcanic rock, known as tephra (fragments of volcanic rocks and lava)
- tephra is carried up and out by a powerful gas jet
- gas jet draws in air which adds to buoyancy in the turbulent rising plume
- volcanic materials escape through a vent on earth surface, accumulating around it, gradually cooling and solidifying,
overtime piling up to form a volcano
-

shield volcanoes and stratovolcanoes

differences
shield volcanoes
basic lava
- low silica content
- fluid/less viscous, can travel long distance
- cools slowly
- usually higher temp
quiet eruptions
- gas and steam escape more easily, does not trap gas

- broad summit
- broad-based
- gently sloping sides
common near divergent plate boundaries
stratovolcanoes
acidic lava
- high silica content
- viscous, flows more slowly
- cools faster, solidifies quickly
- usually lower temp
violent eruptions
- gas and steam are trapped and do not escape easily, resulting in explosive eruptions
similarities
shape: both cone shaped
formation: magma rises and erupts as lava on the surface of the earth's crust, cools and solidifies
location: along plate boundaries
volcanic activity map

why do we worry about volcanoes?

- because of the people that live near them
in SE asia:
- over 29 million people live within 10km of an active volcano
- over 800 million people live within 100km of an active volcano
- ~750 active or potentially active volcanoes in SE Asia
volcanic hazards/effects

origin characteristics harmful effects mitigation

pyroclasts all explosive hot broken fragments of rock ejected rocks may be very large and cause - stronger roof
(e.g. eruptions with great velocity damage on impact materials
volcanic - hot chunks of lava flying in the air - dangerous to people only if really
bombs) - mostly solid, but very hot close

tephra/ all explosive collective term for all airborne or tephra may be spread over distances - good cleanup
ashfall eruptions ground-flowing pyroclasts including of 1500km or more causing major and plan :))
solidified magma. Tephra is classified minor damage
according to size:
- bombs: >64mm diameter
- lapilli: 2-6mm diameter
- ash: <2mm diameter
- ash falling from the volcano’s
eruption plume
- ash is tiny pieces of volcanic rock
and glass
- size, amount, distance depend on
size of eruption
- can affect hundreds of km away

eruption explosive may include a white cloud column fallout may be

column eruptions of silica from emission of steam, dark masses destructive and
rich and gaseous of pyroclastic material and clouds of widespread
magmas - gases fine ash. “Mushroom cloud” often
decompress produced due to the perturbation of
rapidly to atmospheric temperature and
produce pressure; moist air near the column is
upthrusting gases drawn up and condenses to form the
and tephra “mushroom”

pyroclastic explosive - don’t be there :)

flow eruptions - hot clouds of ash and gas that race
may also be down the side of a volcano
caused by - can flow tens of km away
collapse of - 200-800C, 100km/h
eruption column

atmospheric eruption columns

effects which may
extend hundreds
of kilometres into
 the atmosphere
allowing ash, for
e.g., to be
transported by
high level winds

landslides dislocation of
land and rocks by
magmatic
pressure

lahars rain or meltwater volcanic mud-flows which may move

may loosen downhill very rapidly, as determined
tephra by topography

lateral rapid sideways and sudden release of

blasts decompression of pulverised rock and hot gases
dissolved gases
due to exposure
of a mass of
magma by a
landslide

lava flows any eruption flow rate dependent on temperature – - can destroy houses, light fires - divert the lava
as lava cools, its viscosity increases (VERY RARE)
and speed reduces until it is less than
walking speed. As it cools, a
solidified surface is produced.
Volume and range of flow vary – may
extend up to 100km from source
- slow-- usually can walk away
- can flow very far from the volcano

poisonous any eruption ash-laden gases including carbon

gases monoxide, carbon dioxide,
hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid,
sulfur dioxide

flooding submarine inundation of fresh or salt water. May

eruptions be gradual or rapid
displacing large
volumes of rock
and hence water.
Blockage of
rivers by lahars or
lava flows

before during after eruptions

prepare for the eruptions
- by studying volcanoes in the field/lab to know the signs
- by studying the impacts of volcanic hazards to know the risks
- by having good plans for what to do during eruption
before eruption
- collect samples
- learning about the past
short and long term monitoring

recent example: taal, philippines 2020

- 450,000 people within 40km

- last active 1977
- capable of many different eruption sizes
- volcano alert levels:

- tells us what a volcano’s current activity is

- useful for planning
- new activity: jan 12 2020
- see what is different:
- increased earthquakes
- increased gas release
- raised alert level -> level 1
- then:
- small eruptions in crater
- raise alert level -> level 2
- activity increases
- next:
- bigger eruption
- raise alert level -> level 3
- same eruption
- same day:
- big eruption! -> level 4
- full evacuation
- ashfall up to 75km away
- ashfall hazards
- affected areas all around and far from the volcano
- can make driving dangerous
- bad to breathe in
- water contamination
- can be very heavy, especially when wet
- hard to clean up
- can collapse roofs
- the eruption continues
- more strong eruptions for around a week
- march 19 -> level 1
- over 2 months on alert
 - >200,000 people evacuated
- keeping an eye out
- more activity in 2021
- several more eruptions
- alert raised as high as level 3
- more evacuations just to be safe
after eruptions
- help the people affected
- communicate with governments, people, other scientists
- learn from mistakes
- improve monitoring, evacuation plans, and more

eruption impacts & problems

problems:
- massive destruction by volcanic materials (e.g. loss of lives, communication disruptions, destruction of property, forest
destruction)
- carbon dioxide released could cause asphyxiation/suffocation, dizziness, increase heart rate, breathing difficulty; ejected
sulfur particles could also increase ozone losses in stratosphere
- ejected steam could bring heavy rain flooding occurs
- large quantity of ash and dust can cause pollution (e.g. contamination of water supply, agricultural crops, gazing lands)
- reduces visibility: grounding of planes
- sulfur dioxide react with water molecules in atmosphere to produce acid rain
- if near coast, tsunamis could result due to eruption of submarine volcanoes
economic losses:
- infrastructure
- disruption to trade & economic activities
- ground all planes for more than 2 weeks (cancellation of flights -> money lost)
eruption scenarios

benefits of volcanoes
- geothermal energy - clean energy, energy security
- soil formation - agriculture industry, source of livelihood
- precious stones and minerals (i.e. mining industry) - source of livelihood
- tourism - hospitality, recreation, health and wellness; source of livelihood
soufriere hills volcano, montserrat (1997)
economic:
- most of the houses destroyed were in the exclusion zone
- burial of homes or burned down by heat
 - the airport had been prepared for this emergency and was able to be evacuated in less than 5 mins
- fortunately just before the eruption the tanker was notified so fuel lines to the port could be disconnected and any risk of
an explosion eliminated
social:
- other survivors suffered burns to areas part of the bodies, including inhalation injuries and burns to nostrils and mouth
- 19 dead. all the people who were killed and injured by pyro flows and surges were in the Exclusion Zone. For diff
reasons they had to venture back into the area of high risk. seven people were killed by the surge in the streatham and
windy hill area. six of the victims were found outside houses, had been attempting to seek shelter
mt st helens, USA (1980)
physical: effect on the natural landscape
- huge landslide, the lateral blast shot through the side of the volcano directly after the north flank collapsed
- st helen’s summit elevation was approximately 2975m and after, declined to about 2600m
- 4 billion trees were torn down to the ground
economic:
- the enormous landslide and pyroclastic flow destroyed nearly 250 houses, 185 miles of highway and 15 miles of railway
- the lahars of st helens flowed into the toutle nd cowlitz rivers, travelling many miles down the two, extensively damaging
around 35 bridges in the process
- 3million m of material was transported to 27 km into the columbia river by these mudflows
- several airports had to be shut down also, and over 1000 were cancelled because of ash accumulation and visibility
causing unsettlement for staff and people awaiting flights
- losses: 1.1 billion dollars
- inevitably, unemployment in the area of st helens immediately followed the eruption, but was back to nearly normal once
the timber salvaging and ash clean-up operations were underway
social:
- an immediate response to the eruption was evacuation
- emotionally attached with the place
- some refused to leave
- death toll of around 57 ppl along with a plane crash and a traffic accident killing a total of 7 more

hazards vulnerability & management

vulnerability
- whether a socio economic system is either resilient or susceptible to the impacts to the disaster
- determined by a combination of several factors including hazard awareness, the condition of human settlements and
infrastructure, public policy and administration and organised abilities in all fields of disaster management

attitude towards hazards

- fatalistic - if it happens it happens, it is all part of living in this area, god's will, take a gamble
- acceptance - hazards are part of everyday life and we try to live with it. this place simply has much advantages despite
the impending hazard
- adaptation - events can be prevented and warning given. the area has been made safer using modern technology
public administration, disaster management
- what can be done before eruption - land use planning, monitoring of volcanoes, disaster management plan, evacuation
plan, rescue and recovery plan
- what are the signs
- good communication among government, scientists and people
- people - predisposition to trust and obey official orders in disaster management/collective compliance
capacity
- resources available to individuals, households and communities to cope with a threat or to resist the impact of a hazard
- resources can be physical or material, but they can also be found in the way the community is organized or in the skills or
attributes of individuals and/or organizations in the community

Tectonic activities
- internal structure of earth
- plate tectonics
- plate movement
- why
- convection current in mantle
- ‘slab-pull’
- ways
- conservation/transform
- constructive/divergent
- o-o
- oceanic ridges
 - volcanic island/submarine volcanoes
- c-c
- destructive/convergent
- o-o
- oceanic trench
- volcanic islands/submarine volcanoes
- c-c
- fold mountain
- o-c
- oceanic trench
- fold mountain
- volcano
- man-land relationship
- risk
- types of hazards
- poison gases
- pyroclastic flows
- tephra/ashfall
- lava flows
- lahars - impacts
- intensity - physical
- volcanic eruption index (VEI) - political
- frequency - social
- vulnerability - economic
- social
- economic
- political
- benefits/opportunities
- tourism, recreational
- mining
- geothermal
- energy security
- agriculture
chinese
实用文
主题：[ ]

[ ]局长/主席：

我是狮城中学的一名学生。OR
我是狮城市镇的居民。etc.

最近阅读了贵会博客上有关[ ]的问题。今天，特此写这封电邮，目的是针对这个问题发表看法，并为了尽快改善现状
提出建议。

我从您的博客得知了[ ]

[过渡句] [ ]（会造成不好的影响）

首先，[ ]
其次，[ ]
最后，[ ]

接下来，我想在此提出一些能够改善[ ]的建议。

第一，[ ]
第二，[ ]
第三，[ ]

素闻贵会办事效率高，从善如流。OR
素闻贵会一向尽心尽力为同学们服务，致力于打造更加舒适，积极的学习环境。

希望贵会采纳我的建议，解决[ ]的问题。谢谢!

[ ]启

写作手法
人物描写
肖像描写：生动形象描写人物，突出……
行动描写：通过描写……，推动情节发展
心理描写：通过描写……，突出与深化主题
语言描写：通过描写……，表现人物性格，感情与心思

说明文
举例子：具体说明了……，使文章意思更明确
列数字：用准确的数字说明……
打比方：用比喻的手法生动形象地说明……
下定义：准确揭示事物本质，使人们更明白

议论文
举例论证：具体有力，增强说服力
引用论证：引用名人名言，增强说服力和权威性

修辞手法
比喻：使事物生动形象
比拟：生动形象，有感染力
排比：强调内容，增强语言气势和感染力
设问：引起注意，启发读者思考
反问：语气强烈，激发读者感情，给读者留下深刻的印象
history
overview of political developments in singapore from 1955 to 1963
constitutional changes from 1955 to 1959
support Rendel Constitution
- First step towards self-government and eventual independence from the British
- Local leaders given opportunities to gain experience on how to govern own country and prepare for independence
oppose Rendel Constitution
- A Constitution imposed by British on Singapore i.e. “Rendel’s constitution”
- British still wanted to retain control over Singapore i.e. finance, internal security, defence, external affairs of Singapore
- British could still overrule any laws that the local Singapore government made
implications
- Rendel Constitution was not sufficient to ensure independence → Singapore must keep striving to gain independence
from the British
- Negotiations with the British for more self-government concessions e.g. if Singapore leaders could prove they
can govern well, then British might give more freedom and eventually Merdeka (independence)?
- Pro-Communists pushed for more unrest to overthrow the British?
- Overall outcome
- Most anti-British local leaders were peaceful and they prefer to use negotiations to demand for independence
from the British
→ Merdeka Talks!
the 1955 elections
importance/significance
- First election in which the majority of seats were up for contest
- 25 out of 32 seats to run for
- British recognition of need to decolonize, listen to locals’ voices
- Continuing the gradual transition to independence
- Executive Powers for Locals
- Education
- Health
- Housing
- Trade and Industry
- Political Implications for British-Local interactions moving forward

parties involved
Main Players:
- Singapore Progressive Party (PP/SPP)
- Labour Front
- People’s Action Party (PAP)
Other players:
- Alliance Party (UMNO-MCA-Malay Union)
- Democratic Party
- Independent candidates
labour front and PAP:
- New parties emerged in these elections, most notably the Labour Front (LF) and the People’s Action Party (PAP).
- The LF and PAP differed from the British favourite, the SPP, in that they were interested in radical changes and were
firmly anti-colonial.
- Both parties had not been convinced by the changes instituted by the Rendel Constitution, believing the changes were not
sufficient.
- Their intention was to contest the 1955 elections as opposition to the SPP.
aftermath
- 53% of the electorate (300,000 people) took to the polls.
- Labour Front won the majority with 10 seats
- SPP got only 4 out of 22 contested
- PAP got 3 out of 4
- Democratic Party only won 2 seats.
- The Alliance Party got 3 seats.
- Independent candidates took hold of 3 seats.

impact of the Rendel Constitution on the 1955 election

Without the Rendel Commission, Labour Front might not have won the 1955 election. One of the commission's recommendation
was to have an automatic system of registration of voters since only about 25% of the citizens had taken the initiative to register
themselves as voters.
significance of aftermath
First time - mass scale participation by people and political parties in Singapore
Voters - concerned with making life better and getting independence (nationalist tide)
Voters rejected parties that were more capitalist (The Democrats) and colonial leaning (Progressive Party)
Voices of the people heard - the contest of ideas resulted in a winner which a majority of people thought was representative of
them

hock lee bus riots

- Hock Lee Bust workers’ strike happened in the same month LF government took office
- The strike was significant because it involved the trade union members, workers as well as students from
Chinese schools
- First test of whether LF would live up to its election promises

Why did the Hock Lee bus strike and riot occur?
- Unfair that they were given low salaries. While they worked hard for long hours. Not paid well and not treated well. Felt
oppressed by the employers
- Harsh conditions
- Demanded better working conditions and better pay
- Resulted in tensions. Thus in order to make their voices heard, they went into strikes which later escalated into riots
- Chinese students:
- Sympathised with what the locals went thru
- They were discriminated and treated unjustly as well
- Anti-British sentiments and influenced by communist ideologies
- Hock lee bus riots Instigated/manipulated by communists (communists fanning all this) trade union leaders
- Hope that through the violence, they could achieve the toppling/overthrow of the British government

solving hock lee bus riots

The British governor wanted David Marshall to...

- Stop the strikes/riots immediately
- Even call in British troops

How did David Marshall deal with the Hock Lee bus riots? From Marshall’s point of view, why did he take that approach?

- David Marshall: Reluctant to use force against the workers

- Workers: his people too
- Labour Front: Promised to protect and prioritize the workers’ rights
- Against his personality to use force against working masses, people’s whose sweat and toil had been exploited
by the colonial government. 
- He had no control over internal security
- Still in colonial hands, esp. Chief Secretary William Goode

- The Labour Front government led by then Chief Minister David Marshall stepped in to intervene as negotiations
between the workers and bus management reached a deadlock. Marshall persuaded the management to offer to
reinstate the workers and a Court of Inquiry presided by District Judge F. A. Chua was appointed to look into
the circumstances of the dispute.
- This approach of using a third party who is experienced to look into the issue would make the workers feel
heard and that they were listened to.
- Company could redeem themselves in the eyes of the workers by reinstating them
- win-win situation as the workers felt like they were getting fair treatment with the investigations and the
management could restart the bus services.
- Believe in negotiations and did not believe in using force to bring in military troops to stop the riots
- Marshall saw these locals as “my children, just confused and lost” and this caused the British to view him as
weak, soft and incompetent and this mindset cost him his political career

- Workers were initially agreeable to this agreement

- Secretary of the Singapore Bus Workers’ Union (SBWU) signed agreement without consent of general workers
→ backed out 

From the British point of view, what did the Hock Lee Bus riots tell them about Singapore’s ability to govern themselves (and
deal with crisis)
- Showed British that Singapore wasn't ready for full self govt and independence
- Politically unstable
 - Communist had a lot of influence and support among the students and workers
- Chief minister was not competent to handle the Communists  without British help

consequences
- 4 people dead, 31 people injured
- Government closed three Chinese middle schools 
- The students reacted by taking control of the Chung Cheng school and staging a sit-in
- Labour Front government: Convened an All-Party Education Committee to look into the problems of Chinese education. 
- Recommended that government not take any disciplinary action against the students until problems of education had
been thoroughly examined
- British government no longer trusted David Marshall to lead SG → may have influenced their decision to not give SG
independence during the Merdeka mission

result
- British felt that Marshall was not able to handle riots properly, and was perceived to be too soft and weak
- The locals did not trust LF as they thought that it was under British control

developments that led to constitutional changes in Singapore

first merdeka talks (1956)

Why would the British want to retain control over Singapore’s internal security?

- Merdeka Mission was DM trying to negotiate for full self govt 

- Britain refused to give full self-governance to DM because they wanted to retain internal security
- Felt that Singapore was still not ready because they weren’t safe from the communists
- Communist influence still great
- Don't feel secure, British might be overthrown by communists
- Did not think SG/Marshall would do a good job with handling the internal defence as seen by his handling of the Hock
Lee Bus Riots

- Communist influence still great 

- Politically unstable 
- Did not think that Marshall would do a good job with handling the internal defence as seen by his handling of the Hock
Lee Bus riots 

From David Marshall’s point of view, why would he reject the above condition set by the British government?

- Thinks that it is a mockery of independence

- DM wanted full independence with no British rule but internal security still under British
- DM was strongly Anti-British
- His uncompromising character

Why did the 1st Merdeka Talks break down?

The 1st Merdeka Talks broke down as both sides, the British government and the delegation, could not compromise on
arrangements for Singapore’s internal security. 
In the 1st Merdeka talks, the delegation from Singapore aimed to achieve full self-governance for Singapore by discussing the
requirements for Singapore to be independent. The delegation wanted to do so by gaining control of Singapore’s internal
affairs and security, and by having more say in Singapore’s external affairs and defence.

The British government however was unwilling to allow Singapore to manage its internal affairs independently as the recent riots
showed to the British government that there were still strong Communist influences in Singapore causing civil unrest. 

As such, the 1st Merdeka Talks broke down due to the British government and the delegation from Singapore being unable to
agree on the control over Singapore's internal security.

second merdeka talks (1957)

- LF government under Lim Yew Hock took tough actions to control the Chinese middle school students and trade unions
- Including closing of the SCMSSU (Singapore Chinese Middle Schools Students' Union)
- Concerned that they were under Communist Influence, wanted to get in the good books of the British
- British impressed with LYH’s efforts to exert control, willing to grant internal self-government to Singapore
 - Knotty matter of internal security was resolved with the proposed formation of a security council comprising three
British and three Singapore representatives, together with a seventh member from the Federation of Malaya

1959 - General Elections

- 51 seats in the Legislative Assembly were contested (525 000) people 
- Labour Front was renamed to the Singapore People’s Alliance (SPA) 
- PAP won 43 out of the 51 seats 
- SPA only won four of the 39 seats 

PAP’s key election messages 

- Independence through merger with Malaya
- To promote industrial development and set up an economic development board
- To build more schools
- To build a strong and united trade union movement
- To carry out low-cost housing programme 
- To raise the status of women and introduce a Women’s Charter

Lee Kuan Yew became the first prime minister of Singapore 

National Anthem, National Flag and State Crest was created  
Installation of the Head of State - Yang di-Pertuan Negara Yusof bin Ishak
PAP Strengths  LF weaknesses  Other Factors 
- Could speak locals mother tongue - Lim Yew Hock’s ministers had “PAP rode the Communist tiger” means
languages - more sincere and used illegal donations from the US the PAP, specifically Lee Kuan Yew,
genuine government to help themselves to utilised the influence and power
- Had messages that appealed many houses and shares. (corruption communist groups had in Singapore at
areas of people scandal) that time to garner more supporters
- Had competent leaders who all - “embroiled in a major corruption and expand their political influence
received higher education scandal unearthed by one of its amongst the locals. This claim can be
- Had members who were experts in former Cabinet ministers, Francis supported by how Lee Kuan Yew is
different aspects of governing a Thomas, and “when the scandal depicted as cleverly ‘tricking’ the
country and running a political broke he dramatically crossed the communist groups to provide him with
party floor to sit with the opposition.” - their support through their influence in
failed in ensuring all its members large labour unions
are satisfied
- faced a lot of public distrust,
crackdown on communists -
Chinese workers felt that he was
being used by the British, instead of
serving its own people
- Went directly against his promise of
protecting workers rights

the road to merger from 1959 to 1963

battle for merger- support & opposition
opinions on merger

Singapore Government led For the merger. Singapore would flourish in Malaysia because
by the PAP it can rely mostly on Malaya for goods.
Malaya can provide many resources, Common market can be established,
economic and other kinds of support. This increasing the ongoing trade between the two
would be of benefit to us. countries. This would create more jobs for the
Need merger so that anti-Communist Malayan people and solve the unemployment problem
government can assist to address the radical for both nations.
left within PAP and also in Singapore. Merger If the merger was successful, Singapore would
was also necessary so that Britain will grant no longer be a British colony. We would be
Singapore independence; gaining merger will on their way to self-government. 
also mean PAP has kept its election promise. 
Malayan Government led by Against the merger. Non-Malays > Malays → these demographics
 UMNO (United Malays which put the indigenous population in the
National Organization) Fear a merger with ethnically dominant minority might also result in them losing
Singapore would disrupt the current political power in their native land.
demographics in Malaya.  Would Singapore
adapt to the Malays having a special position
as ‘Bumiputera’ (sons of the soil) 
British Government For the merger. The British would be able to hand over
Singapore’s governance over to Malaysia.
Better for Singapore to be with Malaya who
had successfully addressed the Communist
threat during the Malayan Emergency (1960) ;
than end up a Communist state

similarities and differences between sg and malaya

Similarities Criteria for Comparison Differences

E.g. Multi-racial: Chinese, Malay, Social: Demographics Eg. Malaya: larger proportion of Malays
Indian whilst Singapore has larger proportion
of Chinese
- Both countries faced a Communist Politics: political development and Singapore
threat political parties - limited self government thanks to
Rendel Commission (gradual self-
government)
- PAP: uneasy alliance between
moderates and pro-Communists 

Malaya
- immediate self-rule
- UMNO/MCA/MIC collaborated in
1955 and subsequent elections
- they each asked locals to vote
for their allies
- Gained Independence 1957

ethnic enclaves existed Social: society Singapore

- Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasians - small ethnic enclaves existed BUT
not fully exclusive to one ethnic
group

Malaya
- significant ethnic enclaves in all
parts of Malaya

Singapore - Chinese-dominant
Malaya - Malay-dominant
- needed trade and agricultural Economic: economy Singapore
products to survive - dependent on Malayan hinterland
for manufactured and imported
goods due to its lack of natural
resources and raw materials
- Relied heavily on trade
Malaya
- well-endowed with natural
resources like oil, tin, rubber etc.
Relatively self-sufficient

reasons for merger

Reasons for Singapore Malaya

Merger
Political - To gain independence - For security (don’t want Singapore to
- For security (suppress communist threats) become communists)
- To keep the promise made in the 1959
 elections
Economic - for raw materials - For economic growth: Singapore as the
- for economic growth (trade, jobs, financial/commercial capital of Malaysia
Common Market)

Why Malaya was not interested in idea of Merger before 1961

1. Singapore had about one million Chinese -- the inclusion of this one million into the Federation would upset the racial
imbalance of power in the Federation
2. Singapore has too many pro-Communists who were supported by the Chinese in Singapore

Based on the articles and your own knowledge of how PAP rose to power in 1959, why did Singapore historian,
Prof Tan make this statement: ”the People's Action Party (PAP) might have lost power and not exist today if
the merger had not taken place.”

He said this as Singapore was under a huge Communist threat and the PAP were only barely generating support
from the people of Singapore. With the people of Singapore open to influence, Singapore PAP had to do
something to get rid of the Communist threat before it took over Singapore. Hence merger helped PAP
retain power because one condition that Tunku had in order to consider merging with Singapore is that the
spread of Communism in Singapore must be contained- this thus resulted in Operation Cold Store arrests of left-
wing leaders in 1963. 

formation of Barisan Socialis (1961)

Barisan Sosialis Campaign 

- Giving speeches at mass rallies 
- Accepted invitation to debate the issues surrounding the merger in radio forums 

PAP Campaign 
- Year long campaign - Lee Kuan Yew gave a series of 12 radio talks “ Battle for Merger” 
- Held exhibitions such as the “We the peoples of Malaysia” 

Barisan Sosialis argued that Singapore had lesser representation in Malaysian Parliament (only 15 seats instead of 25 seats that
Singapore should get based on its population)
PAP’s counter-argument: When Singapore joined Malaysia, Singapore would get more autonomy and control over areas that
other Malaysian states might not get, for example control over education and labour policies
Barisan Sosialis argued that Singapore-born Malaysian citizens could be second-class citizens in Malaysia
PAP’s counter-argument: Singapore-born Malaysian citizens and Malaysian citizens from other states had equal rights.
Singapore-born Malaysian citizens would still have the right to elect representatives to the Malaysian Parliament within
Singapore, though not outside of Singapore but this was in exchange for Singapore-born Malaysian citizens getting more priority
over other Malaysians over educational and labour opportunities within Singapore.

referendum (1962)

- a direct vote by the people of the country to decide on a particular issue, instead of the government making the decision
- the official purpose of the Singapore National Referendum, was to allow the people of Singapore to express their
preference on the terms of merger with Malaya
- held on 1 Sep 1962

terms of merger
1. Why would Singapore leave the control of the armed forces, police and dealings with foreign governments to the central
government in KL?

Singapore is incapable and has an inexperienced and weaker police to combat the communist threat, hence they left armed forces,
police and dealings to the central government in KL, who had stronger police, were more capable and experienced to battle the
communist threat. Currently, in Singapore, the PAP was on the verge of being overthrown by the Barisan Sosialis, a communist
party, who was gaining popularity in Singapore. Thus, since, the central government in KL was anti-communist, they would arrest
communist activitists and help to eradicate communist threat for security of the country. As the armed forces of Malaysia were
bigger, stronger and more experienced compared to Singapore, they were more capable of combating the communist threat.

- Dealings with foreign government

 - Independent much more earlier than Singapore = more experienced in establishing diplomatic ties with other
countries
- Could already have existing diplomatic ties with other countries
- SG is a young country and is inexperienced with establishing diplomatic ties
- Have to rely on Malaya, an independent country since 1959
- More experienced when handling Communist threats
- Existing communist threat, make sure that the national security is ensured, need help with the communist threat by asking
help from malaysia, who has experience

2. Explain why the last point on “Singapore citizens would be Malaysian nationals” can be problematic.
Guiding questions:
● As Singapore citizens who would become Malaysian nationals, what rights would they have, or what rights were they not
given?
● Was there any difference between a Malaysian national (i.e. term given to a Singapore citizen) and a Malaysian citizen?

This term could be unfair for Singaporeans, which could potentially result in conflict. As Malaysian Nationals, they would be
given less rights than Malaysian citizens. For instance, they were not given voting rights and were not allowed to choose their
desired Malaysia government, hence they could not have a voice in the governance of the country. This difference in rights could
be Malaysia’s bias towards its own citizens, which could result in unhappiness among Singaporean locals.

- Cannot vote in Federal Election

- Singapore citizens would not be able to enjoy the same rights as Malaysian citizens.
- Political rights of Singapore citizen-Malaysian nationals were limited to Singapore itself.

3. Who do you think insist on defining Singapore citizens as “Malaysian nationals”? Why would such a definition be introduced
and included in the discussion for merger?
Tunku insists on defining Singapore citizens as only permanent residents but refused to give them any rights Malaysian citizens
had because Malaysia was made up of a majority of Malays, but with the addition of Singapore, this would cause the Chinese in
Malaysia to rival with the Malays. Therefore to protect his power and support him as most Malays wanted to ensure that Malaysia
still had and remained with a majority of Malays as Malaysian Citizenship.
- retain Tunku’s political power
- Majority Malay
- Federal Government - t o ensure that the non-Malays in Singapore would not present a threat to the political
power and domination of UMNO as their ability to dominate politics in Malaysia has been restricted.

terms of agreement (Singapore and Malaya)

*grant: Unlike a loan, the money given does not have to be repaid

What Malaya (Central Govt) wanted Reasons behind the terms

Details of Common Market to be Guiding questions:

worked only after merger ● Which side would benefit more from the Common Market? Singapore or
Malaya?
● From Malayan point of view, should it prioritize the needs of Singapore,
which would be one of the other (potentially) 14 states?

At the time, unemployment was a huge issue in Singapore and merging with
Malaya would mean an increase in job opportunities for locals in trade. Hence, the
Malaysian government saw that Singapore would benefit more from the Common
Market than they would. Malaya was the richer country and was more prosperous
in their economy.
They also had raw materials and were developing rapidly, thus did not prioritise
making the terms of a Common Market before the merger as much as Singapore
did. Furthermore, if there was a Common Market, Malaysia would not be able to
impose taxes on goods imported from Singapore, and this would be a loss of
revenue for the Malaysian government.
 - delay the setting up of a common market
- bc sg would benefit more
- so that Common Market would not only benefit SG but also
Malaysia as a whole

Singapore to provide $50 million Guiding questions:

grant for Sabah and Sarawak’s ● Why would the Malayan government want Singapore to provide a grant,
development not a loan, to Sabah and Sarawak, which were not as developed as
Singapore?
● The Malayan government wanted to develop Sabah and Sarawak, so that it
could become more developed like Singapore which was the most
developed out of the other states. However, they did not want to loan it
from Singapore but rather wanted a grant as they did
did not want to owe Singapore such a large sum of money, and have to pay it back.
- hoping that the more developed states(i.e. sg) to help the less developed
states(i.e. Sarawak & Sabah)

Central Government to collect Guiding questions:

revenue in Singapore and give the ● Who would control the finances here?
Singapore state government what it ● What were the advantages of controlling the finances?
needed to run the state.
The Malayan Government would be in charge of handling the finances. By
controlling the finances and revenue gained, the Malayan government has the
ability to tweak and choose the amount of revenue that Singapore’s government
would profit. By doing so, the Malayan government has the upper hand, as the
amount of revenue and finances the Singaporean state government would acquire
would be dependent on the Malayan government. This would strongly ensure
Malaya’s financial stability.
- ensure a fairer distribution of wealth amongst the 14 states
- have more control over finances in Singapore

The compromise after Tunku Abdul Rahman threatened to call off negotiations and proceed with the formation of Malaysia
without Singapore

Potential Problem Explanation

Financial crisis Singapore had to provide a $150 million loan to the development of Sabah and
Sarawak and even had to give Kuala Lumpur a portion of their own revenue. It
would take Sabah and Sarawak a long time to return back the money. As such,
Singapore might not have sufficient money for its own future developments as it is
investing a lot of money into the development of Sabah and Sarawak. At that time,
Singapore also did not have a stable economy, which can lead to goods being more
expensive due to no taxes, and also inflation. This will have a great impact on the
economic future of Singapore.
- would not reap as many economic benefits

Trade problems Malaysia would take time to fully integrate into the common market, and thus the
common market is not established immediately which may cause trading
disagreements.

Unequal distribution of power The terms of Merger were more favourable to Malaya which may result in socio-
economic problems such as discrimination of the Singapore locals. This might lead
to social unrest between Singapore and Malaya and put tension on their political
ties.
1963 operation cold store

reasons for separation

economic

- Not enough economic benefits for Singapore - central government delayed the setting up of the Common Market
- Introduction of new taxes by the Central Government - to finance increasing defence expenditure due to
Confrontation with Indonesia 
- Increase of Singapore’s contribution to its revenue to Central Government from 40% to 60% - Singapore felt that
this was an unfair decision 
- Singapore was seen as an economic rival for Malaya 

Political 
- Differences in Political Ideology: Communalism vs Multiracialism 
- Malaya expected Singapore to follow their political system 
- Malaya: communal politics

1964 federal elections and racial riots

Beyond Ethnicity: Malaysian Solidarity Convention (May 1965) – Ideological differences between Singapore and Malaysia
What was it?
- a political alliance formed by PAP and other Malaysian political parties who opposed the UMNO-MCA-MIC alliance
LKY “Malaysian Malaysia”
Tunku “Malay Malaysia”

Consequences 

Malaysian Solidarity Convention 

- A political alliance formed by PAP and other Malaysian political parties who opposed the UMNO-MCA-MIC Alliance 
- Lee Kuan Yew’s “Malaysian Malaysia” vs Tunku’s “Malay Malaysia”  
- Consequences - seen as a challenge to Alliance Party - seen as a threat to the special privileges enjoyed by Malays -
caused further strain in relations between PAP and UMNO

Questions Templates

Step 1- Claim in Content Read the question and identify the issue you should make an inference about. 
Infer what the source claims about the issue stated in the question. 
Quote evidence from the source to support your inference. 

Step 2- Reliability of To test the reliability of the source content, ask the following questions: 
Content Is there any contradiction in the source content? If there is, the content may not be accurate and
hence the source may not be reliable. 
Does the source content corroborate with other sources and/or your historical knowledge? If it
does, the source is probably reliable. 

Step 3- Overall Reliability To test the reliability of the source,

of Source (i) check for bias with the following questions: 
Does the source give a one-sided viewpoint? 
Does the source contain sweeping statements that may not be true? 
Does the source contain words which show favouritism or prejudice? 
(ii) study the provenance by considering the following: 
Type: Is the source a speech to persuade or a photograph for propaganda purposes? 
Origin: Who or which organisation produced the source? When was it produced? 
Purpose: Why was it produced? What outcome did it hope to achieve? 

Claim Source X is reliable/ unreliable in showing me …. [Issue identified by Question]. It tells me that ….
[inference about what the source claims about the issues].

Evidence As seen in Source X, “[Evidence from Source]”/

 This can be seen in Source X that “[Evidence from Source]”/
From the source, it shows/states that “[Evidence from Source]”

Explanation of This suggests/implies/means that ………. [Explanation of evidence, linking back to inference] 
source evidence

Cross-reference to Source X can also be supported/verified/corroborated by my historical knowledge. My historical

historical knowledge tells me that.../From my historical knowledge, “[Evidence from historical knowledge]”.
knowledge This suggest/implies/means that [Explanation of evidence, linking back to inference]. 

Conclusion to I trust/ do not trust what Source X says because it gives/does not give an accurate representation of [Issue
Connect identified by Question] 
discussion back to OR
Claim Thus, Source X is reliable/ unreliable because it gives/ does not give an accurate representation of [Issue
identified by Question] 

Comparison based on similar content Comparison based on different content

Both sources are similar in showing that _______ (Inference Both sources are different in showing that _______ (Inference
i.e., criterion).  i.e. criterion). 
Source X shows that __ (Evidence). Similarly, Source Y Source X shows that (Evidence). This means that______
shows that ___ (Evidence). (Explanation).
Both sources suggest that (Explanation). However, Source Y shows that (Evidence). This means that
Thus, these sources are alike as they both show __________ ______ (Explanation).
(Conclusion).  Thus, these sources are different as they both show
____________ (Conclusion).

Comparison (similarities AND differences)

Sources C and E are similar on how they ______________________.
Source C states _______________ therefore ________________.
Source E states _____________ therefore _________________.
Both sources are thus similar as they _____________. 

However, Sources C and E are different on how they __________________.

Source C states _______________ therefore ______________.
However, Source E states _____________ therefore _________________.
Both sources are thus different as they ________________. 

SUMMARY
1955 – second elections and rendel’s constitution
locals: education, health, housing, and trade and industry
british: external defence, finance, internal security and law

1955 – hock lee bus riots

hindered sg’s journey towards full self-gov:
- British lost confidence in the ability of the locals (LF) to properly govern and handle situations appropriately
did not hinder sg’s journey towards full self-gov:
- soon after Maria Hertogh Riots in 1950, Governor Nicoll appointed a Commission in July 1953 to undertake a
comprehensive review of the constitution of the sg colony
- Locals started to have more control and say about national issues
- Despite the violent outbreak of the Hock Lee Bus Riots, the British agreed to continue with the talks - British was still
open to having another round of negotiations
- Rendel Constitution was not suspended and the LF government was still allowed to function

1956 – first merdeka talks (marshall)

1957 – second merdeka talks (lim yew hock)

1959 – general elections

1959-1960 – opinions on merger

1961 – formation of barisan sosialis

1 September 1962 – national referendum for merger

2 February 1963 – Internal Security Council launched Operation Coldstore

1983 – election and a merged malaysia

i&a
fallacies
categorical --- unqualified generalisation
disjunctive --- false dilemma
hypothetical --- slippery slope
modus ponens --- affirming the consequent
modus tollens --- denying the antecedent

hasty generalisation
The fallacy of hasty generalisation is a fallacy that forms a questionable conclusion about a population based on unrepresentative
sample.
examples
- So scary! I know six people who returned from the Middle East and all of them caught the MERS virus. I think everyone
who travelled to the Middle East must have also caught the virus. I suggest that you better stay away from these people.
hasty generalisation vs unqualified generalisation
Hasty Generalisation - non-deductive: the truth of the premises does not guarantee the truth of the conclusion -> sample taken to
conclude about population (a pretty RGS girl means all RGS girls are pretty)
Unqualified Generalisation - deductive: if the premises are true, then the conclusion would follow logically from the premises ->
population taken to conclude a sample (all RGS girls are pretty hence that RGS girl must be pretty)
doubtful cause
The doubtful cause fallacy occurs in an argument when it is concluded that one event (a) is the direct cause of another event (b)
just because a occurred before b. this fallacy can also occur in an argument when it is concluded that on event (a) is the direct
cause of another event (b) just because there is a correlation between a and b
examples
- Melvin’s dog scratched his leg, and that night he had a fever. His dog must have infected him with something.
- The education ministry found that there is a correlation between parents’ educational levels and their children’s academic
performance in school. Children whose parents are university graduates tend to outperform their peers whose parents are
non-university graduates. Hence, a child’s academic performance is determined by his or her parents’ educational levels.
attacking the person
The attacking the person fallacy is a response to another person’s argument or claim. this fallacy is committed when one tries to
discredit another person’s argument by discrediting the person’s character (instead of pointing out the flaws in the person’s
argument or claim) when the person’s character has no bearing on the quality of the argument or the truth of the claim.
examples
- donald trump tweeted at 6:19am on march 22, 2018: “crazy joe biden is trying to act like a tough guy. actually, he is
weak, both mentally and physically, and yet he threatens me, for the second time, with physical assault. he doesn’t know
me, but he would go down fast and hard, crying all the way. don’t threaten people joe!” (Joe Biden was a former vice
president of the United States before the Trump Administration and was considering a run for the presidency against
Trump then, in 2018.)
fallacious appeal to pity
A fallacious appeal to pity contains premises that urge the intended audience of the argument to accept the conclusion on the
grounds of the pitiful circumstances stated in the premises. the pitiful circumstances, however, have no relevance to the
conclusion.
examples
- a lawyer makes the following argument before the judge in court: “your honour, my client is clearly a very distressed
young women. she toiled for months over her final year project and was frustrated for not making any headway. she’s a
very conscientious student and demands high standards from herself and this puts a lot of stress on her. all this stress,
unfortunately, overwhelmed her when her university tutor refused to extend the project deadline. that’s why she assaulted
the tutor and, unfortunately, killed her. I mean, all she wanted was a little sympathy then, and can we refuse her that
sympathy now? I say that my client be cleared of all charges of murder.”
fallacious appeal to popularity
A fallacious appeal to popularity contains premises that urge the intended audience of the argument to accept the conclusion on
the grounds that it is widely accepted as true when the truth of the conclusion cannot be established by popular opinion
fallacious appeal to authority
A fallacious appeal to authority contains premises that urge the intended audience of the argument to accept the conclusion simply
because a perceived authority says so. the appeal to authority becomes questionable when:
a. the alleged “authority” is no real authority or
b. the issue at hand is outside the expertise of the cited authority or
c. the issue at hand is controversial and experts in the field still disagree amongst themselves
examples
- hey, my cca senior told me it’s okay to miss i&a lesson, so it’s no big deal if I don’t go to class
- I think the economic downturn will persist for another six months because shawn mendes said so in an interview with
life!
 - the agri-food and veterinary authority of singapore (ava) says that growing genetically modified food is the right thing to
do, so there is nothing wrong with farmers growing genetically modified crops
legitimate appeal to authority
The textbook “introduction to science” states that matter
legitimate appeal to popularity
日本語
こんにちは、私はシオング・アリソンです。
これから、私の日本語の勉強について話します。
去年二月から、毎週金曜日にニュートン語学センターで日本語の授業があります。
二年前に、日本人の友達によると、日本語は面白いそうです。だから、日本語を勉強してみたいです。
そして、防弾少年団の日本語の歌が理解できるために日本語を勉強しています。
私たちは授業に聴解(choukai)と読解(dokkai)を練習したり、文法(bunpou)を習ったりします。
覚える漢字と文型がたくさんあるから、日本語は難しいです。でも、楽しいと思ういます。
日本語が大好きだから、来年、日本語の勉強をするつもりです。
mo
chapter 2 - functions
challenge questions
2.41
Suppose that a function f(x) has domain (-1,1). find domains of the following functions:
a) f (x+1)
b) f (1/x)
c) f (√x)
d)⭑ f ((x+1)/(x-1))

2.42
Find the domain and range of the function f(x) = √2-x-x2

2.43
Let f (x2+1) = x4+5x2+3. what is f(x2-1)?

2.44
Suppose that a function f(x) is defined and f(0) = 2003, find all roots of the equation f(x) = 0.

2.46
Find g-1 (3) given that g(x) = (3x+1) / 2x+g(x)

2.47
For which constants a, b, c, and d does the function f(x) = (ax+b)

chapter 6 – polynomial division

synthetic division
example
(3x4-9x3+2x2+17x-24)/(x-2)
2 3 -9 2 17 -24
6 -6 -8 18
3 -3 -4 9 -6

chapter 7 - polynomial roots part 1

the factor theorem
factor theorem
the factor theorem states that the expression x-a, where a is a constant, is a factor of the polynomial p(x) if and only if p(a) = 0

let polynomial f(x) = anxn + an-1xn-1 + an-2xn-2 + … + a1x + a0 have roots r1, r2, r3, …, rn
then f(x) can be written as: f(x) = an (x- r1) (x- r2) … (x- rn)

fundamental theorem of algebra

the fundamental theorem of algebra states that every one-variable polynomial of degree n has exactly n complex roots

if x-a is a factor of the polynomial p(x),

p(x)=(x-a)q(x)

let f(x) = anxn + an-1xn-1 + an-2xn-2 + … + a1x + a0, where the coefficients of f(x) are integers. If r is a nonzero integer root of f(x),
then r|a0, i.e. a0 is divisible by r

NOTE: if a is a root of f(x), a may be a double root, or triple root, etc., so CHECK IF x-a DIVIDES THE QUOTIENT f(x)/(x-a)
(yes, divide f(x) by (x-a) multiple times)

rational roots
rational root theorem
let f(x) = anxn + an-1xn-1 + an-2xn-2 + … + a1x + a0, where all the ai are integers, both an and a0 are nonzero. If p and q are relatively
prime integers and f(p/q) = o, then p|a0 and q|an

identities and formulae

sum formulae
1+2+3+…+n sum of squares sum of cubes

(n choose 2, squared)
power of a point
law of cosines