How I Got My Scholarship To Study In Singapore

My hand phone rang. I stopped my essay-writing and reached into my pocket for my hand phone. What written in the message is this, "Hoe Leong, your sister is going to take part in the AMC mathematics competition!" I smiled absentmindedly. My sister really is working hard in order to get the scholarship to Singapore. My thoughts trailed to how I obtained my own scholarship...

My classmates were talking in the classroom. The classroom was noisy. Not long after that, footsteps were heard. The pupils immediately stopped their conversations. The teacher sauntered into the classroom.

"Class, stand! Good morning Mrs. Wong.", the class monitor raised his voice so that the whole class could hear what he was saying. Everybody stood and greeted the teacher. After that, they seated themselves. The classroom was hushed again.

"Okay, I have a notice here. There is a scholarship available to study in Singapore." This caught everyone's attention, and everybody began to listen attentively to what Mrs. Wong had to say. "But, we could only choose 2 boys and 2 girls for this scholarship. You will need to undergo some tests and an interview before you are able to obtain the scholarship, provided you did well in the tests. Whoever that is chosen will be tested on their Mathematics, English and IQ. We might as well choose someone who is good in these two subjects. This will increase their chance to obtain the scholarship. I am asking all your opinions. Who do you think should be chosen to take the test for the scholarship. Let us have a vote."

And we had a vote. In the end, 3 boys and 3 girls were chosen, and I was one of them. "Those who are chosen, please ask your parents if they are interested in taking this test for the scholarship. If all of your parents are interested, we will have to eliminate 2 of you.", and after my teacher said this, she left the classroom. The classroom immediately burst into conversations. "What do you think? Who do you think will be able to take the test?" I heard one of them said.

I went home and ask my parents whether they are interested, and naturally, without question, my parents were interested.

The next day, we had the results of who will be taking the test. I was one of them. I was so elated that I nearly jumped out of my seat when the teacher announced it to us. But, under the happiness, I felt a tinge of worriness-I was afraid that I was not able to obtain the scholarship.

After knowing that I was going to take the tests, my parents immediately bought some Mathematics and English practice books (Singapore's syllabus) for me to do. It was hoped that I would be able to answer the questions in the tests after doing the exercises.

After vigorous practices, the big day came. We went to SJK(C) Jalan Davidson to take the tests. Many students from other schools came to take the tests. After registering our names, we were brought to the examination classrooms. I was so nervous! Would I have to go back to my intended secondary school before we knew about the scholarship if I was not selected?

In the classroom, an examiner distributed the test papers. "Do not open the test papers unless I tell you to," the teacher voice was strict. The whole classroom was so quiet that a pin dropping on the floor will sound loud. "Okay, you may start to answer the questions." We began our test. Only the scratches of pens on papers were heard during the examination. Despite the long months of vigorous training, I still find the questions hard. At this point, I thought I would not be selected for the scholarship. How disappointed I felt! Although so, I finished the test in hope that I will be able to at least get into the interview.

The next two tests went on like that. But, before the second and third test, we had a lunch break.

When the tests ended, the teacher told us, " You will be receiving a call this night if you are chosen for the interview." I waited anxiously for the phone call. When it was 6 o'clock in the evening that day, my father received a phone call. I was chosen for the interview. It was so unexpected. I thought I did the tests very badly.

I also passed the interview the other day. I was one of the last to be interviewed. I was interviewed by the Director of the Aphelion Consortium, Mrs. Ke and another teacher in Hwa Chong Institution, Mr. Ang (Mind you, I didn't know who they were that time. But , that might be good because I might become more nervous if I knew who they were). They asked me many questions and I literally don't have the time to breathe before I was asked another question. But, after what seems like an eternity, they stopped asking me questions. They decided to award the scholarship to me.

My phone rang again. My father had sent another message to me. I will always be grateful that I was given the chance to study in Singapore.

Mr Midnight (by James Lee), Horrible Science, Horrible Geography, Horrible Histories

Greetings,

Mr. Midnight ( by James Lee ) is a popular series that many youths read today. Each book in the series has two stories regarding ghost, vampires, monsters etc. Since the first book of the series has been published, it has been very popular among the youths. The stories are exciting and scary, which attracted many youths to read it.

Horrible Science, Horrible Geography and Horrible Histories are also other series of books that are famous. The books explain the science/history/geography of something in a very funny manner, which prevent the reader from getting bored from reading the books.

I strongly recommend you to read these books.

For more information on Mr Midnight, please visit this link: http://www.flameoftheforest.com.sg/books/books2.html

For more information on Horrible Science, please click this link:

http://www.horrible-science.co.uk/

For mor information on Horrible Geography, please click this link:

http://www.scholastic.co.uk/zone/book_horr-geography.htm

For more information on Horrible Histories, please click this link:

http://www.scholastic.co.uk/zone/book_horr-histories.htm

The Lady Or The Tiger? (by Frank Stockton)

Greetings,

A few days ago, my English teacher, Mr Lundberg, gave us a short story to read-"The Lady Or The Tiger?" (by Frank Stockton). It was one of the best short story I have ever read. Therefore, I would like to share with you the story.

There once lived a "semi-barbaric" king during the olden times. The king has great authority over the people. His once various fancies, with his authority, at his will, always turned into facts. The thing was done whenever he agreed upon anything. he was bland and genial when his political and domestic systems went smoothly in its course; but he was blander and more genial still when the political and domestic systems got out their course as he loved to "make the crooked straight" and "crush down uneven spaces".

The arena of the king was used for poetic justice, where the guilty was punished, or the innocent was rewarded, by the decree of mere chance. If a subject had commited a crime which had enough importance to interest the king, public notices was announced that the fate of the subject will be decided in the king's arena.

On that day, the king, sitting on his throne, will give a signal for the door beneath him to open, and the subject would come out from the door. There would be two doors, side by side, opposite the subject. The subject had to choose one of the doors to open. If the door opened and a tiger emerged from the door, he would be found guilty and the tiger would kill him by tearing the subject to pieces as a punishment for the subject's guilt.Iron bells were clanged and hired mourners wailed for the subject, and the audience would go back to their home, mourning greatly that one so young and fair, or one so old and respected, should be punished.

But, if the door opened and a lady happened to come out from the door, the subject is naturally found innocent and the lady would be married to the subject. It did not matter if the subject was already married; the king would not allow such things to interfere with his "great" arrangements for rewards. A priest with a band of choristers following him would advance to where the subject and the lady stood. Maidens would also dance and blew golden horns. The brass bells would then rang, with the people shouting cheers, and the subject would lead his bride to his home.

This king had a beautiful daughter. The princess was the apple of the king's eye. And among the courtiers was a youth that was brave and handsome. The princess and the youth fell in love with each other. This love affair went on happily for some time until the king discovered about it. The king was casted into a prison, and he was appointed a date for his trail in the king's arena. Naturally, this trail interested the king greatly as this trail concerned the princess.

On the day of the trail, great masses of people gathered in the vast galleries of the arena. The king and his courts were in their respectful too, ready for the trail. Everything was ready. The king gave the signal for the door beneath him to open. The handsome and fair youth sauntered into the arena. He then turned to bow to the king, as this was the custom. The youth was staring at the princess. He really knew her character. It is an event that interested the princess terribly.

Her fervent soul would just not allow her to be absent for the event. With more power, influence, and force of character than any other person, the princess had possessed herself with the secret of what lies behind the two wooden and thick doors. It was difficult to find out such an well-concealed secret, which probably only the king and his courts knew. But with gold, and her determination to find out what lies behind those doors, the secret was brought to the princess.

Not only did she know this, she also know who is the lady who was standing in wait for the youth to open the door. She was the loveliest and fairest of the damsels of the court who had been selected for the youth, if he were to be found innocent. And the princess hated her.She dared to raise her eyes to the youth. The princess had seen them talking in brief spaces, and it might just be unimportant topics they were discussing about, but how should the princess know?

The youth met the princess' gaze, and, immediately, he knew that the princess had succeeded in finding out the secret. Then came the question that the youth wanted to ask. The youth threw a quick glance at the princess, without anyone aware of it. His question was clear, "Which?" The clearness of the question would not be any clearer even if the youth had screamed the question into the princess' ears.

The princess had spent days and nights just thinking about which door she would ask the youth to go. She would not want to let the lady have the youth, neither did she want to let the youth being killed by the tiger. But, on that instant, without the slightest hesitation, she gestured to the right door. The decision was being pondered by the princess for days and nights, but the decision was only indicated in an instant.

The youth went to the door and opened it.

The writer did not tell what came out of the door. What do you think came out of the door? I hope to receive your comments about it. I, personally, think that it is the tiger who came out. Wait patiently for my next post!