Essay Topic Sentences
Please reply to this post in the following format:
NAMES:
Paper: 2008/2009 JCT
Question: 1/2/3...
Question:
TS1: alsdfjlkjf
EG1:asfka;ld fj
TS2: al;sdjf;ljk
EG2: a;ldjf;la
TS3: aslkdf;lakj
EG3: LKWSJDA
COUNTER-ARGUMENT:a;ldf ;lk j;l
Counter-COUNTER-ARGUMENT: adfjlak j
24 comments:
NAMES: Angelina and Kaiwen!
Paper: 2008 JCT
Question: 11
Question: Using examples, discuss the value of fantasy in today's world.
TS1: Fantasy is valued to a large extent in today's society as it serves as a form of escape from the fast-paced and hectic world.
EG1: Microsoft's Halo 3 fantasy game racked up $170 million in sales on its first day of ability.
TS2: Fantasy is valued in today's society to a large extent as it enhances one's creativity, therefore serving as an inspiration to authors, movie and Japanese anime writers.
EG2: Books such as the successful Eragon book series reflect how fantasy has played an important role in stimulating the human minds. In addition to books, Japanese anime such as Naruto and Bleach serve as a way for people to destress.
TS3: Fantasy is valued in society to a large extent as it encourages reading, a fundamental skill in today's society.
EG3: 51% of the Harry Potter book series readers ages 5-17 years old say they did not read books for fun before they started reading Harry Potter.
COUNTER-ARGUMENT: It cannot be denied that the idea of immersing oneself completely into a fantasy world, is not valued in society as this mere delusion, a form of escaping reality, is temporal and detrimental to one's physical and mental well-being.
COUNTER-ARGUMENT EG4: After the fantasy movie Avatar was released, CNN reported that there were at least a thousand forum postings whereby despondent fans expressed their discontent with the human world, and were considering suicide.
Counter-COUNTER-ARGUMENT: However, the above mentioned are extreme examples of fantasy fanatics and represent only a small minority of the world's population. It cannot be denied that it is still highly valued in scoiety as it has more benefits.
NAMES: Angelina and Kaiwen!
Paper: 2008 JCT
Question: 12
Question: Is society obsessed with staying young?
TS1: The increase in interest in fitness and health illustrates how the society is keener in staying young and healthier.
EG1: Increase in labelling and awareness of recommended products by Singapore's Health Promotion Board , identified by the Healthier Choice symbol.
TS2: To cope with a fast-paced and fast-changing society, people are finding ways to keep up by maintaining their outer appearance, demonstrating how they are placing more emphasis on staying young.
EG2: There was a 7% increase in surgical comestic procedures performed from 2005 to 2006.
TS3: The overlap in a common interest in video games between teenagers and adults would reflect how society is indeed concerned about staying young.
EG3: Video games such as Halo, Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty have seen adults and youths coming together on online forums or in the game itself.
COUNTER-ARGUMENT: However, it can be argued that the aforementioned points may hold true only to a certain percentage of the world's population.
Counter-COUNTER-ARGUMENT: Even so, the rising trend of adults paying more attention to their outer appearance and health would mean that society is indeed being increasingly more "obsessed" with staying young.
Names: Jeremiah and Dory
Paper: JCT 2009
Question: 5
Question: Discuss the extent to which mass media plays an important role in shaping the opinions of young people today.
TS1: Young people are able to articulate their views on more platforms due to mass media and get constructive comments that can better refine their ideas.
EG. Online discussions and forums ranging from political ones like youth.sg to social discussions like STOMP.
TS2: Mass media provides young people with more adequate and varied information that allows their opinions to be more balanced, grounded and accurate.
EG. Search engines like google better enable youths to access a variety of opinions on a certain topics are are able to expose themselves to different perspectives.
TS3: Messages that youths come across through mass media has great influence in shaping the young people's mindset.
EG. It can be seen how the advertising messages that 'skinny is beautiful' has been absorbed by young people and how they see beauty is greatly shaped by the media.
Counter argument: Mass media, however, is used to serve many other purposes rather than to develop the intellectual opinions of young people.
EG. Social networking sites that are increasingly popular, having far more youths visiting them than discussion forums.
Counter-counter argument: Despite that, the mass media is nevertheless an important platform as it is probably the most accessible one that allows young people to state their views and opinions.
Names: Kaiwen and Angelina!
Paper: 2009 JCT
Question: 12
Question: Consider the importance of having balance.
TS1: Having balance in one’s life applies to everyone from different walks of life as it allows one to stay healthy in the long run.
EG1: Maintaining a balance between work and personal life will allow one to reduce stress and hence staying healthy in the long term. Urban Meyer, head football coach at the University of Florida decided to resign due to health concerns as he mentioned that he has ignored his health for years as he placed too much focus on his work. He has sacrificed his health over his work (Helped the team in winning 2 national championships)
TS2: Other than allowing one to stay healthy in the long term with a balanced life, leading a balanced life will also aid in maintaining relationships with the people around us.
EG2: Reports have shown that as more young celebrities rise to fame through Hollywood, there have also been increasing reports that they have been neglecting their families.
Counter argument: Some may argue that for people at certain ages where it is the most appropriate for them to focus more on a certain aspect of their life (sportsmen etc.) trying to maintain a balanced life may actually hinder them from reaching their full potential.
Counter-COUNTER argument: However, by not maintaining a balanced lifestyle just so that they can reach their full potential, it focuses only on the short term. If they do not maintain a balanced lifestyle, there will be consequential impacts in the long run and this may eventually jeopardize their future.
Names: Huan Ying and Zhong Yang
Paper: JCT 2008
Question 1. ‘The fight for gender equality is no longer important in today’s society.’ Discuss.
Topic Sentence 1: Even with the rapid progress in society, the fight for gender equality is still pertinent and should continue because only when there is equality between the two genders, would females enjoy the same privileges which the males are already enjoying. This would spur females to contribute more to society which would inevitably aid in the progress of the economy.
Example 1: For example, in South Korea, which is one of the most prosperous cities in Asia, women’s pay is 60% less than men. In America, the most developed nation, even though women are more educated, knowledgeable, they are still, however, deprived of the chance of getting a job of higher position. The better positions are either dominated or given to men. Since females are indirectly being marginalized in the workforce, they would be less motivated to contribute to society because ultimately they would still be under the control of men. Without females’ efforts in the workforce, it would definitely, in the long run, decelerate the country’s economy.
Topic Sentence 2: Females are also contributing members of society, however, in many developing countries, females are still being suppressed. They do not have any platforms of which they could voice out their concerns and very often, their freedoms to enjoy personal rights are often controlled by the seemingly ‘superior’ men. Only with the continuous fight for gender equality could this situation be mitigated.
Example 2: In India where gender discrimination is extremely prevalent, honour killing also known as sati is still being practiced. Sati is when a woman is buried alive with her dead husband. India is a clear example of how the freedom of enjoying one’s personal rights, though exercised in many societies, is still absent in those developing societies, especially those in rural areas. Since in many societies today, females are still not given the kind of respect they should be receiving, the fight for gender equality should still carry on and is also indispensable in ensuring the progress of society.
Topic Sentence 3: Besides females not gaining sufficient respect which they should have, they are also not given a place in society. Hence to allow people to see women in a different light, gender equality and the fight for it is still very important today.
Example 3: In Muslim societies such as Iran, there is such a ridiculous law which helps protect the males. This law requires at least two adult male witnesses willing to support the rape claim which prevent many rape cases from even gaining access to a court hearing. This is indeed something which is depressing and worrying for women all over the world as it symbolizes how women are treated lightly in some societies. There is not even a single law which is implemented to protect them. Therefore, the fight for gender equality is important because it could at least allow women to have a sense of security.
Names: Huan Ying and Zhong Yang
Paper: JCT 2008
Question 2.’To what extent is eradicating poverty the responsibility of the government’?
Government, even though has the duty of maintaining the stability of a country, it still has other commitments to fulfill. It is hence not possible and unrealistic for government to be just focusing on social issues such as eradicating poverty. Even though it is undeniable that government does have a part to play in eliminating poverty, most of the responsibility lies with the other players in the society such as Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Corporations and also individuals.
• For example, Working Villages International (WVI) is an NGO which helps eliminate poverty in Africa. Instead of just providing the people of Africa with monetary aid, it takes on an alternative way on how to eliminate poverty in Africa. Their new initiative, Village Reliance, aims to combat poverty directly, rather than dealing only with its effects. They want to impart people the skills and tools to take control of their own lives and bring themselves out of poverty. Government is unable to do so because of limited time and also resources.
• Some corporations have also set up social enterprise to eradicate poverty. Take for example, Grameen Danone Foods, its objective is to bring daily healthy nutrition to low income nutritionally deprived populations in Bangladesh and alleviate poverty through the implementation of a unique community based business model, including creating business and employment opportunities for local people as raw materials needed for production is to be sourced locally.
Names: Kaiwen and Angelina!
Paper: 2009 JCT
Question: 11
Question: To what extent is an interest in the arts an important part of a young person’s life?
Stand: To a large extent
TS1: The arts provide an alternative avenue for young people to distress and to find pleasure in as they cope with school work and other aspects of their life.
EG1: Television programs and movies rely heavily on the arts to achieve its stress-relieving objective. Pixar relies on good fiction books, well crafted cartoons and latest hit songs to keep their animations going.
TS2: The arts will help in the development of other skills that young people have in them which they may not be aware of, this would allow them to have a sense of satisfaction and achievement as they strive to excel holistically.
EG2: Schools in Singapore now provide different elective programs for students to take up. (Music Elective Program, Language Elective Program and the Art Elective Program) Students who take up these courses will be exposed to many different aspects of the program which would hone their skills and allow them to excel in areas other than just academics.
TS3: The arts highlights crucial and major social and culture issues that is important in enhancing the knowledge of young people as it allows them to be more aware of their society and their surroundings. It also allows them to understand the world around them better.
EG3: Vietnamese paintings establish realities of the Vietnam War – Students can better understand how it was like during that period of them in the study of history, or even the world as a whole. The music of the Beatles or Elvis Presley also marks eras of peace movements. Most recently, in the Haiti Earthquake artistes combined to sing “We are the world” to raise funds. This is also symbolic of such a huge crisis and event.
Counter Argument: The arts may generally be useless as people are more pragmatic and as they make pragmatic choices and go into careers in the medical, technological or scientific field. And hence, some young people may deem the arts as being ‘not relevant’ and hence see no need in taking interest in the arts.
Counter-counter argument: However, it is the skills that can be harnessed from the arts that should be emphasized. Whether or not these young people may go into careers in the arts field, by taking an interest in the arts while they are at a younger age will benefit them in the long run.
NAMES: Lu Sheng and Qi Ting
Paper: 2008 JCT
Question: 4
Question: ‘Read everything, believe nothing’. Is this good advice for consumers of the media?
TS1: No
Some information given by the mass media are efforts to raise awareness on issues such as harmful effects of gambling and drugs hence should be believed.
EG1: The National Council on Problem Gambling of Singapore has created a series of advertisements that create awareness among mass media consumers about how crossing the line when gambling can affect not just oneself but one’s family too.
TS2: No
The government often uses the mass media to appeal to the society to be accepting of one another and to care for one another, so as to encourage society stability. To not believe in such messages is not a good advice as it can harm the country’s stability.
EG1: The National Courtesy Campaign was a campaign launched in June 1979 by Singapore's Ministry of Culture as a means of encouraging Singaporeans to be more kind and considerate to each other, so as to create a pleasant social environment. Numerous measures were taken to ensure there was a great degree of publicity to match the ambition of the campaign. The message was spread through the use of radio, televisions and newspapers, where the campaign was highlighted in articles, documentaries, jingles, songs and other programmes. Posters and banners were hung up at prominent public places like bus stops, shopping centres and open-air markets.
TS3: No.
Mass media (the news) can be used as a tool to inform the public what to do during state emergencies and hence disbelieving it is not a good advice for consumers of mass media.
EG1: in 2004 during the SARS period in Singapore, the Singapore government made use of the mass media to communicate health advice and containment measures as well as to keep Singaporeans up to date with the state condition.
Counter- argument:
Some critics of the mass media argue that it should not be trusted for information as not all information come from reliable sources.
Counter- counter- argument:
However, I believe that due to the vast array of mass media resources available, it is up to the individuals to decide on what information to believe and what not to, but not completely disbelief everything in the mass media. Mass media is ultimately controlled by a country’s government and has largely believable and trustable information. Hence it is not a good advice to ‘believe nothing’.
NAMES: Qi Ting and Lu Sheng
Paper: 2008 JCT
Question: 3
Question: "Culture and tradition will always get in the way of a nation's progress." Do you agree?
TS1:Do not agree.
Confucianism, a traditional belief and an important part of the Chinese culture emphasizes obedience and respect for parents. Such a traditional idea can aid in a nation’s progress rather than get in the way of its progress.
EG1:From 2000, the President of the US gave a proclamation on Parents’ Day, the fourth Sunday of every July, every year. In 2005, George W. Bush said in his proclamation:’ I encourage all Americans to express love, respect, and appreciation to parents across our Nation.’
TS2: Do not agree.
A nation's traditions and culture reflects its history and attitudes, its conflicts and struggles, hence is the fountain of the nation’s progress and creativity.
EG2: The Code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest known law code. It is Sumerian and dates to 2100-2050 BC. And now, the legal system is still conserved.
TS3: Do not agree
The filtration of culture of one country into another country can help in the latter’s progress rather than get in the way.
EG3: There are many Confucius Institutes in the non-China part of the world. However, Confucius Institutes are focused on promoting Confucianism, which is an important part of Chinese culture.
COUNTER-ARGUMENT:a;ldf ;lk j;l
Counter-COUNTER-ARGUMENT: adfjlak j
NAME(S): Adeline and Shuxin!
Paper: 2008 JCT
Question: 7
Question: Discuss the view that the arts is a neglected field in Singaporean society.
TS1: The arts is not a neglected field in the present Singaporean society, as people are encouraged to explore further into the arts, especially in terms of studies, were a balance is now stroked between the arts and the sciences.
EG1: In junior colleges, students are required to take four content-based subjects, aside from those which are compulsory. These subjects can be either from the mathematics and sciences or humanities and arts. Students can choose to be in the arts or science stream, or take a cross-combination. This way of selecting subjects places the arts on an equal level as that of the sciences.
TS2: The arts is not a neglected field in Singaporean society, as there are events commonly held to appreciate the arts. Of these, one of the more well-known events would be the
EG2: Singapore Arts Festival, which will is an annual arts festival held in Singapore. This year, it be held from 14th May to 13th June, and it is an event that focuses on getting people closer to the arts.
TS3: The arts is not a neglected field in Singaporean society, as there are institutions which allow students to focus their studies on the arts, should they choose to pursue their studies in this area.
EG3: The Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts is a premier tertiary art institution which is committed to providing quality arts education and training to its students.
COUNTER-ARGUMENT: The arts may seem to be a neglected field in Singaporean society, as there may not seem to be much attention given to this field. This is probably due to the attitude of a large number of Singaporeans, where arts may be considered “a waste of time” or for those who want to pursue their studies or a career in the arts, as “having no future”. Thus, the exposure towards the arts provided by the country is only minimal.
Counter-COUNTER-ARGUMENT: Though Singaporeans are given little exposure to the arts, the fact remains that there are outlets through which such exposure is made available to the interested. Thus, it is unfair to outright state that the arts is a neglected field in Singapore, as ultimately, the existence of such exposure, though small, goes to show that the country is paying some attention to the arts.
NAMES: Lu Sheng and Qi Ting
Paper: 2009 JCT
Question: 3
Question: ‘Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation.’ Is this possible for your generation?
TS1: Yes
Born in the technological age, my generation has new tools to gain social awareness and to promote social awareness, thus having the capacity to change society, and to become the next great generation.
EG1: in the “Miss Teen USA” pageants since 1986, where teenagers are to give speeches, majority of the speeches are on topics based on social issues.
TS2: Yes
Due to the increase of literacy in our generation, we are able to better understand the world’s needs and develop new ideas to improve living standards.
EG1: Eden Full (18, Calgary, Canada) developed a solar panel that captures 40% more energy than traditional panels by following the sun throughout the day.
TS3: Yes
Due to increasing globalisation and cross- racial communication, my generation will be recognised as the one that has greatly reduced racial divide, thus being a great generation.
EG1: in America, despite the racial divide between blacks and whites that dominated the previous generations, there is an increasing number of American youths of my generation who date interracially. According to a recent Gallup poll, 57 percent of US teens who date say they have gone out with a person from another race or ethnic group. That compares with 17 percent in 1980. Polls suggest that teenagers of my generation consider race less important, both as an individual barrier and a social problem, than the previous generations do.
Counter- argument:
Some critics of my generation argue that my generation, being brought up used to having convenience, easily take things for granted and therefore are too selfish to want to make any contribution to the world.
Counter- counter- argument:
However, I believe this view is too absolute and fails to explain the many teenagers who are willing to sacrifice their time to do volunteer work or to start or participate in projects that aim to help others in society, for example, the Green Youth Movement, and the Unicef Junior Summit.
Time's UP! Thank you for all those who contributed.
For those who did not, it's disappointing, and it definitely tells everyone that you're a vampire and you suck the life energy and the best out of everyone in the class. I'm glad that this blog brings to the LIGHT who these vampires are.
Whether you believe in karma or not, but the next time that this happens, I'm going to cut these pseudo-participants out of the blog. Simple as that. It'll be the STAKE I hope.
Learning should be a democratic process. You choose to be part of this process, you benefit, if you don't, you don't benefit. Simple as that. Life's simple, eh?
NAMES: Angelina and Kaiwen! Paper: 2008 JCT Question: 11
Question: Using examples, discuss the value of fantasy in today's world.
THE 1ST 3 TS ARE GOOD! SO ARE THE EGS.
BUT THE COUNTER-ARGUMENT NEEDS RE-WORDING AS SEEN BELOW (DELUSION SUGGESTS FANTASY IS NEGATIVE, BUT YOU DO NOT WANT DIMINISH THE POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS FANTASY YOU HAVE BEEN BUILDING UP THROUGH THE ARGUMENT).
COUNTER-ARGUMENT: It cannot be denied that THERE IS A DANGER OF OVER-INDULGING IN THE FANTASY WORLD THAT CAN THREATEN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF A PERSON.
COUNTER-ARGUMENT EG4: After the fantasy movie Avatar was released, CNN reported that there were at least a thousand forum postings whereby despondent fans expressed their discontent with the human world, and were considering suicide.
Counter-COUNTER-ARGUMENT: However, the above mentioned are extreme examples of fantasy fanatics and represent only a small minority of the world's population. It cannot be denied that it is still highly valued in scoiety as it BENEFITS THE MAJORITY OF CONSUMERS WHO ARE ENTERTAINED AND INSPIRED BY FANTASY.
NAMES: Angelina and Kaiwen! Paper: 2008 JCT Question: 12
Question: Is society obsessed with staying young?
TS1: The increase in interest in fitness and health illustrates how the society is keener in staying young and healthier.
EG1: Increase in labelling and awareness of recommended products by Singapore's Health Promotion Board , identified by the Healthier Choice symbol. WHAT KIND OF PRODUCTS ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THIS POINT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. TAKING CARE OF ONE’S HEALTH IS FAR FROM BEING OBSESSED WITH STAYING YOUNG!
TS2: To cope with a fast-paced and fast-changing society, people are CONSTANTLY SEEKING MORE AND NEWER ways to keep up by maintaining their outer appearance, demonstrating how they are placing more emphasis on staying young. FURTHERMORE, MANY OF THESE COSMECUTICAL/ MEDICINAL PRODUCTS OR PROCEDURES ARE NOT PROVEN TO WORK OR TO BE EVEN SAFE AND YET ARE IN HIGH DEMAND.
EG2: There was a 7% increase in surgical comestic procedures performed from 2005 to 2006. WHERE? MUST HAVE EXAMPLES FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AS THE QUESTION DOES NOT SPECIFY ‘YOUR’ SOCIETY.
TS3: The overlap in a common interest in video games between teenagers and adults would reflect how society is indeed concerned about staying young. THIS POINT IS IRRELEVANT. THEIR INTEREST IN VIDEOGAMES HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH STAYING YOUNG. IF KIDS LIKE TO EAT COCO POPS AND ADULTS LIKE TO EAT COCO POPS AS WELL, IT DOESN’T MAKE ADULTS OBSESSED WITH STAYING YOUNG! THIS POINT IS ONLY VALID IF YOU CAN SHOW CLEARLY THAT VIDEO GAMES HAVE APPEAL ONLY TO KIDS AND ADULTS ARE RETURNING TO PLAYING THEM DUE TO NOSTALGIA.
EG3: Video games such as Halo, Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty have seen adults and youths coming together on online forums or in the game itself.
COUNTER-ARGUMENT: However, it can be argued that the aforementioned points may hold true only to a certain percentage of the world's population. WHY IS THIS PHENOMENON ONLY LIMITED TO A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE? IS THIS EVEN ACCURATE? WHO DOES NOT WANT TO STAY YOUNG? CHANGE TO: EVERYONE WANTS TO APPEAR YOUTHFUL DUE TO ITS ASSOCIATION WITH HEALTH, VIGOUR AND EVEN GOOD LOOKS. HOWEVER, THIS TREND OF SUCH A WANT BECOMING AN OBSESSION IS PARTICULAR TO THE DEVELOPED SOCIETIES WHICH HAVE SUCH A MINDSET SPREAD LIKE VIRUS THROUGH MEDIA. WHERE’S THE EXAMPLE?
Counter-COUNTER-ARGUMENT: IT IS INEVITABLE THAT SUCH A PREFERENCE FOR STAYING YOUNG IS A PERMANENT MINDSET AND IS LIKELY TO TAKE ROOT IN MORE AND MORE COUNTRIES AS AN OBSESSION GIVEN THE STRENGTH OF GLOBALIZATION.
May 14, 2010 6:59 AM
dory said...
Names: Jeremiah and Dory Paper: JCT 2009 Question: 5
Question: Discuss the extent to which mass media plays an important role in shaping the opinions of young people today.
ORGANIZATION IS IMPORTANT. THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT SHOULD COME FIRST.
TS1: Messages that youths come across through CONTENT VIEWED THROUGH THE mass media SUCH AS MOVIES, TELEVISION PROGRAMMES, MAGAZINES AND BOOKS haVE great influence in shaping the young people's mindset.
EG. CHARACTERS DEPICTED SMOKING ARE SEEN AS VERY APPEALING AND CHARISMATIC. THERE WAS MUCH CONCERN WITH THE EFFECT ON ENCOURAGING THE UNHEALTHY HABIT AMONG VIEWERS ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE. THIS ISSUE WAS RAISED A CONCERN OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC THAT THE MEDIA INDUSTRY HAD TO RESPOND TO. AS A RESULT, THERE WAS A CONSCIOUS DROP OR MUCH CONSIDERATION IN THE DEPICTION OF SMOKING MOVIE OR TELEVISION STARS ESPECIALLY AFTER THE PERNICIOUS EFFECTS OF SMOKING BECAME MORE AND MORE EVIDENT AND WELL-KNOWN.
TS2: SUBLIMINAL Messages that youths come across through ADVERTISING IN mass media has great influence in shaping the young people's mindset.
EG. It can be seen how the advertising messages that 'skinny is beautiful' has been SUBLIMINALLY absorbed by young people and how they see beauty is greatly shaped by the media.
TS2: IN A POSITIVE WAY, MASS MEDIA ALSO AFFECTS THE YOUNG’S VIEWS. Mass media provides young people with more adequate and varied information that allows their opinions to be more balanced, grounded and accurate.
EG. MASS MEDIA IN THE FORM OF THE INTERNET THAT HAS A WIDE RANGE OF INFORMATION FROM VARIED SOURCES enable youths to access a variety of opinions on a certain topics AND THUS THEY are EXPOSED to different perspectives. [DO NOT ‘EXPOSE YOURSELF/ EXPOSE THEMSELVES’ UNLESS YOU OR THEY ARE FLASHERS! WORD FORM ERROR!]
YOUR TS HERE IS ACTUALLY A COUNTER-ARGUMENT: IT IS NOT JUST THE MASS MEDIA THAT INFLUENCES THE YOUNG. NOWADAYS WITH NEW MEDIA SUCH AS DISCUSSION FORUMS ON ONLINE NEWSPAPERS THAT ALLOWS FOR INTERACTION BETWEEN THE CONVENTIONAL AUDIENCE AND CONTENT PROVIDERS, Young people are able to articulate their views AND ADD THEIR INPUT TO THE CONTENT. THEY’RE NO LONGER PASSIVE CONSUMERS BUT PEOPLE BUT IN PARTICULAR THE YOUNG ARE ABLE TO INFLUENCE WHAT IS PUT OUT ON THE MASS MEDIA.
EG. Online discussions and forums ranging from political ones like youth.sg to social discussions like STOMP. BETTER EXAMPLE WILL BE REVIEWS BY YOUNGSTERS ON GAMES/ FASHION BEING VIEWED AS MORE RELIABLE THAN REVIEWS CREATED BY CONVENTIONAL CONTENT AND MEDIA PROVIDERS. THUS MEDIA WEBSITES HAVE STARTED DRAWING SUCH ‘INDEPENDENT’ REVIEWERS INTO THEIR FORUM DISCUSSIONS SO AS TO HAVE MORE ‘STREET CRED’ (CREDIBILITY TO YOUNGSTERS) AND THUS DRAW A LARGER VIEWERSHIP.
May 14, 2010 7:14 AM
kaiwen said...
Names: Kaiwen and Angelina! Paper: 2009 JCT Question: 12
Question: Consider the importance of having balance.
TS1: YOUR TS1 WAS TOO VAGUE. YOUR EG IN FACT SHOULD BE YOUR TS! Maintaining a balance between work and personal life will allow one to reduce stress and hence staying healthy in the long term.
E.G.: Urban Meyer, head football coach at the University of Florida decided to resign due to health concerns as he mentioned that he has ignored his health for years as he placed too much focus on his work. He has sacrificed his health over his work (Helped the team in winning 2 national championships) HE IS HARDLY THE FIRST. THERE HAVE BEEN NOT A FEW JAPANESE EXECUTIVES WHO HAVE BEEN SUCH WORKAHOLICS THEIR DEATHS HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO OVERWORKING. A JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER OBUCHI HAD A WORK-RELATED STROKE IN 2000. THIS IS SO PREVALENT THAT THERE IS A TERM FOR SUCH DEATHS IN JAPAN—‘KAROSHI’.
TS2: Other than allowing one to stay healthy in the long term with a balanced life, leading a balanced life will also aid in maintaining relationships with the people around us.
EG2: Reports have shown that as more young celebrities rise to fame through Hollywood, there have also been increasing reports that they have been neglecting their families. THIS IS SUCH A N ISOLATED EXAMPLE. CELEBRITIES ARE NOT THE ONLY LIFE FORM ON THIS PLANET! :P A BETTER EXAMPLE WILL BE: SINGAPORE’S CHANGE FROM THE 6-DAY WORK WEEK TO A 5-DAY ONE. WHY IS THAT SO?
WHERE IS TS3???????????????????????????????????
Counter argument: Some may argue that for people at certain ages where it is the most appropriate for them to focus more on a certain aspect of their life (sportsmen etc.) trying to maintain a balanced life may actually hinder them from reaching their full potential. Counter-COUNTER argument: However, SUCH A FOCUS IS SHORT-SIGHTED. If they do not maintain a balanced lifestyle, there will be CONSEQUENCES ON THEIR OVERALL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING in the long run
May 14, 2010 7:23 AM
Black Lollipop! said...
Names: Huan Ying and Zhong Yang Paper: JCT 2008
Question 1. ‘The fight for gender equality is no longer important in today’s society.’ Discuss.
Topic Sentence 1: Even with the rapid progress in society, the fight for gender equality is still pertinent and should continue because only when there is equality between the two genders, would females enjoy the same privileges which the males are already enjoying. This would spur females to contribute more to society which would inevitably aid in the progress of the economy. Example 1: For example, in South Korea, which is one of the most prosperous cities in Asia, women’s pay is 60% less than men. In America, the most developed nation, even though women are more educated, knowledgeable, they are still, however, deprived of the chance of getting a job of higher position. [THIS PART I DON’T LIKE UNLESS YOU PROVIDE CLEAR, SOLID EVIDENCE. BETTER TO STATE THAT GIVEN THAT HALF OF THE POPULATION IS FEMALE AND A LARGE PROPORTION ARE WELL EDUCATED, SUCH DISCRIMINATION WOULD EFFECTIVELY MEAN FROM A ‘MACRO’ VIEW AN UNDER-UTILIZATION OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND THUS THE NATION IS THUS NOT MAXIMIZING ITS GROWTH POTENTIAL. The better positions are either dominated or given to men. Since females are indirectly being marginalized in the workforce, they would be less motivated to contribute to society because ultimately they would still be under the control of men. Without females’ efforts in the workforce, it would definitely, in the long run, decelerate UGH! IS THIS THE TERM TO USE? the country’s economy].
Topic Sentence 2: In many developing countries, females are still being suppressed. They do not have any platforms of which they could voice out their concerns and very often, their freedoms to enjoy personal rights are often controlled by the seemingly ‘superior’ men. Only with the continuous fight for gender equality could this situation be mitigated. Example 2: In India where gender discrimination is extremely prevalent, honour killing also known as sati is still being practiced. Sati is when a woman is buried alive with her dead husband. India is a clear example of how the freedom of enjoying one’s personal rights, though exercised in many societies, is still absent in those developing societies, especially those in rural areas. Since in many societies today, females are still not given the kind of respect they should be receiving, the fight for gender equality should still carry on and is also indispensable in ensuring the progress of society.
Topic Sentence 3: SOME CULTURES DO NOT ACCORD WOMEN THE SAME RIGHTS AS MEN. Example 3: In Muslim societies such as Iran, there is such a ridiculous law which helps protect the males. This law requires at least two adult male witnesses willing to support the rape claim which prevent many rape cases from even gaining access to a court hearing. This is indeed something which is depressing and worrying for women all over the world as it symbolizes how women are treated lightly in some societies. There is not even a single law which is implemented to protect them. Therefore, the fight for gender equality is important because it could at least allow women to have a sense of security.
May 14, 2010 8:55 PM
qiting93 said...
NAMES: Lu Sheng and Qi Ting Paper: 2009 JCT Question: 3
Question: ‘Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation.’ Is this possible for your generation?
TS1: Yes. Born in the technological age, my generation has new tools to gain social awareness and to promote social awareness. THUS THEY havE the capacity to change society, and to become the next great generation. EG1: in the “Miss Teen USA” pageants since 1986, where teenagers are to give speeches, majority of the speeches are on topics based on social issues. THIS IS SUCH A SHALLOW AND UNREPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLE! USE EXAMPLES SUCH AS THE ‘TAKINGITGLOBAL’ WEBSITE.
TS2: Yes. Due to the increase of literacy in our generation UGH. DOES THIS MAKE SENSE? CHANGE TO ‘AS MOST IN THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES HAVE COMPULSORY EDUCATION SYSTEMS, THE YOUNG BEING BETTER EDUCATED are able to better understand the world’s needs and develop new ideas to improve living standards. EG1: Eden Full (18, Calgary, Canada) developed a solar panel that captures 40% more energy than traditional panels by following the sun throughout the day.
TS3: Yes. Due to increasing globalisation and cross- racial communication, my generation will be recognised as the one that has greatly reduced racial divide, thus being a great generation.
EG1: in America, despite the racial divide between blacks and whites that dominated the previous generations, there is an increasing number of American youths of my generation who date interracially. According to a recent Gallup poll, 57 percent of US teens who date say they have gone out with a person from another race or ethnic group. That compares with 17 percent in 1980. Polls suggest that teenagers of my generation consider race less important, both as an individual barrier and a social problem, than the previous generations do.
Counter- argument: Some critics of my generation argue that my generation, being brought up used to having convenience, easily take things for granted and therefore are too selfish to want to make any contribution to the world. Counter- counter- argument: However, I believe this view is too absolute. THE YOUTH OF TODAY ARE HARDLY A PAMPERED LOT AS THEY HAVE HAD TO FACE NEW UNCERTAINTIES SUCH AS THE TERRORIST THREAT AND GLOBAL SPREAD OF DISEASES SUCH AS THE SWINE FLU (H1N1 FLU VIRUS). THEY HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH SUCH PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES WHICH THEY CONFRONT ON THEIR SHORES UNPROTECTED UNLIKE IN THE WARS OF THE PREVIOUS CENTURY. and fails to explain the many teenagers who are willing to sacrifice their time to do volunteer work or to start or participate in projects that aim to help others in society, for example, the Green Youth Movement, and the Unicef Junior Summit.
May 14, 2010 7:35 AM
Black Lollipop! said...
Names: Huan Ying and Zhong Yang Paper: JCT 2008
Question 2.’To what extent is eradicating poverty the responsibility of the government’?
TS1: THE GOVERNMENT HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ENSURING THAT THERE IS VIABLE ECONOMY WHERE ITS PEOPLE CAN FIND WORK OR CAN SELL THEIR PRODUCTS TO GAIN AN INCOME THAT CAN SUSTAIN THEY AND THEIR FAMILIES.
TS2: MANY HAVE PINPOINTED THE CORRUPTION ENDEMIC IN MANY POOR COUNTRIES THAT CREATES ADDITIONAL BURDENS ON THE PEOPLE AND THAT IS PREVENTING FOREIGN AID FROM HELPING THE PEOPLE. FOR SUCH PRACTICES TO BE ERADICATED, THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO BE WILLING TO IMPLEMENT ANTI-CORRUPTION MEASURES.
TS3: THE POOR IN MANY OF 3RD WORLD COUNTRIES ARE SUFEFERING FROM DEBILITATING DISEASES. THEY ARE HARDLY CAPABLE TO IMPROVING THEIR LIFESTYLES AND PULLING THEMSELVES OUT OF POVERTY.
C-A: HOWEVER, IF THE PEOPLE ARE DEPENDENT ON FOREIGN AID, THEY WILL BECOME COMPLACENT AND NOT WILLING TO FIND WAYS TO PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
C-C-A: MANY FOREIGN NGOS AND GOVERNMENTS THAT PROVIDE AID NOW FOCUS ON ENABLING THE PEOPLE THAN PROVIDING GOODS OR MONEY THAT CAN BE SOLD. THEY ARE ALSO WORKING ON CO-FUNDING PROJECTS WITH COMMUNITIES SO THAT THE SENSE OF OWNERSHIP WILL HELP CREATE A SUSTAINABLE EFFECT.
May 14, 2010 7:36 AM
kaiwen said...
Names: Kaiwen and Angelina! Paper: 2009 JCT Question: 11
Question: To what extent is an interest in the arts an important part of a young person’s life? Stand: To a large extent
TS1: The arts provide an alternative avenue for young people to distress HAHA DESTRESS OR DISTRESS??? and to find pleasure in as they cope with school work and other aspects of their life, THUS IT IS IMPORTANT IN THEIR LIVES. EG1: Television programs and movies rely heavily on the arts ARE ALL TV PROGRAMMES AND MOVIES WORKS OF ART? THESE ARE WORKS OF ENTERTAINMENT! CHOOSE BETTER EXAMPLES. to achieve its stress-relieving objective. Pixar relies on good fiction books, well crafted cartoons and latest hit songs to keep their animations going.
TS2: HOW IS THIS RELEVANT? MANY OF THEM DO NOT TAKE ‘FINE ARTS’ AS A SUBJECT. YOUR EXAMPLE CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THIS IS RELEVANT ONLY TO THE MINORITY. The arts will help in the development of other skills that young people have in them which they may not be aware of, this would allow them to have a sense of satisfaction and achievement as they strive to excel holistically. EG2: Schools in Singapore now provide different elective programs for students to take up. (Music Elective Program, Language Elective Program and the Art Elective Program) Students who take up these courses will be exposed to many different aspects of the program which would hone their skills and allow them to excel in areas other than just academics.
TS3: The arts highlights crucial and major social and culture issues that is important in enhancing the knowledge of young people as it allows them to be more aware of their society and their surroundings. It also allows them to understand the world around them better. EG3: Vietnamese paintings establish realities of the Vietnam War – Students can better understand how it was like during that period of them in the study of history, or even the world as a whole. The music of the Beatles or Elvis Presley also marks eras of peace movements. Most recently, in the Haiti Earthquake artistes combined to sing “We are the world” to raise funds. This is also symbolic of such a huge crisis and event.
Counter Argument: The arts may generally be useless as people are more pragmatic and as they make pragmatic choices and go into careers in the medical, technological or scientific field. And hence, some young people may deem the arts as being ‘not relevant’ and hence see no need in taking interest in the arts.
Counter-counter argument: However, it is the skills that can be harnessed from the arts that should be emphasized. Whether or not these young people may go into careers in the arts field, by taking an interest in the arts while they are at a younger age will benefit them in the long run.
May 14, 2010 7:59 AM
qiting93 said...
NAMES: Lu Sheng and Qi Ting Paper: 2008 JCT Question: 4
QUITE WELL DONE!
Question: ‘Read everything, believe nothing’. Is this good advice for consumers of the media?
TS1: No. Some information given by the mass media are efforts to raise awareness on issues such as harmful effects of gambling and drugs hence should be believed. EG1: The National Council on Problem Gambling of Singapore has created a series of advertisements that create awareness among mass media consumers about how crossing the line when gambling can affect not just oneself but one’s family too.
TS2: No. The government often uses the mass media to appeal to the society to be accepting of one another and to care for one another, so as to encourage society stability. To not believe in such messages is not a good advice as it can harm the country’s stability. EG1: The National Courtesy Campaign was a campaign launched in June 1979 by Singapore's Ministry of Culture as a means of encouraging Singaporeans to be more kind and considerate to each other, so as to create a pleasant social environment. Numerous measures were taken to ensure there was a great degree of publicity to match the ambition of the campaign. The message was spread through the use of radio, televisions and newspapers, where the campaign was highlighted in articles, documentaries, jingles, songs and other programmes. Posters and banners were hung up at prominent public places like bus stops, shopping centres and open-air markets.
TS3: No. Mass media (the news) can be used as a tool to inform the public what to do during state emergencies and hence disbelieving it is not a good advice for consumers of mass media. EG1: in 2004 during the SARS period in Singapore, the Singapore government made use of the mass media to communicate health advice and containment measures as well as to keep Singaporeans up to date with the state condition.
Counter- argument: Some critics of the mass media argue that it should not be trusted for information as not all information come from reliable sources. ADVERTISEMENTS OF SLIMMING PILLS??? Counter- counter- argument: However, I believe that due to the vast array of mass media resources available, it is up to the individuals to decide on what information to believe and what not to, but not completely disbelief everything in the mass media. Mass media is ultimately controlled by a country’s government and has largely believable and trustable information. Hence it is not a good advice to ‘believe nothing’.
May 14, 2010 9:14 AM
Wistaria said...
NAMES: Qi Ting and Lu Sheng Paper: 2008 JCT Question: 3
Question: "Culture and tradition will always get in the way of a nation's progress." Do you agree?
TS3: DOES NOT MAKE SENSE! AND YOU SHOULD GIVE EXAMPLES FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD.
May 14, 2010 9:30 AM
Rabbit said...
NAME(S): Adeline and Shuxin! Paper: 2008 JCT Question: 7
Question: Discuss the view that the arts is a neglected field in Singaporean society.
THE REST OF THE ESSAY IS OK.
CAN ALSO ADD IN THE GOVT'S INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE ARTS.
TS1: The arts is not a neglected field in the present Singaporean society, as people are encouraged to explore further into the arts, especially in THE SCHOOL, wHere a balance is now stroked WHAT IS THIS WORD? between the arts and the sciences.
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