Write a story with the following title: A Narrow Escape.

Billy was extremely overjoyed. He had just got his SPM examination results and he scored straight A's.
His parents promised to take him to Taiwan for holidays if he passed the public examination with
flying colours.

Billy's parents kept their promise. A week later, they were at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport to
catch an aeroplane to Taiwan. Billy was excited as it was his first overseas trip. Furthermore, it was
his first flight. After checking in at the counter, they proceeded to the departure lounge. They waited
for about an hour before boarding the aeroplane.

On the aeroplane, Billy was lucky to have a window seat. Fifteen minutes later, the aeroplane started
to take off. As the aeroplane soared into the air, Billy looked out through the window. He could see the
buildings and people on the ground getting smaller and smaller. Not long after, the aeroplane was
flying above the clouds. The jungle below resembled a giant green carpet.

When the aeroplane was flying over the Philippines, all of a sudden, there was a mechanical failure
and smoke was seen emerging from one of the engine nacelles. Billy, his parents and many other
passengers started to panic. Some passengers screamed out of fear.

"Ladies and gentleman, please calm down," the captain announced. "Due to technical problems, we'll
have to make an emergency landing on a coastal road of the Philippines. Please take out the life
jackets under your seats and put them on. After that, remember to relax, stay calm and keep your
seats upright."

All the passengers did as told. A benign stewardess helped Billy and his parents to put on the life
jackets. Some passengers prayed while the others closed their eyes in silence. A few children cried.
Billy was afraid so his parents comforted him.

Soon, the aircraft landed on a road near to a beach. Fortunately, it was a suburban area and not much
traffic was on the road. Motorists were able to dodge the aeroplane in time on seeing it.

Upon landing safely, the passengers heaved out sighs of relief.

"Ladies and gentleman, we have landed safely. However, we are still in danger as the aircraft is still
carrying a large amount of fuel. Please evacuate from the aeroplane instantly using all the usable
exits."

After the captain's announcement, the crew members opened all the exits, including the emergency
ones. The passengers then took turns sliding down the evacuation slides. When all the passengers had
alighted from the aeroplane, the captain led them to a safe place away from the aircraft. As they were
leaving the scene, the aeroplane burst into flames. Fortunately, when the plane exploded, they were
some distance away. Though they were safe, they could still feel the intense heat of the explosion.

Soon, the Filipino authorities came to their assistance. Although Billy and his family were upset
because they had lost their belongings and were unable to visit Taiwan, they were glad and thankful
to have escaped from death. It was indeed a narrow escape that Billy would not forget as long as he
lived.
 A day I wished had never happened.

My eyes are filled with tears as I look at a photo. It is a family photo taken three years ago,
showing my parents, my younger brother Alex and myself having fun while we were having
a picnic at a beach. I used to have a warm and happy family but now I am left with only
memories.

I could still remember vividly what happened that day, the day I wished had never
happened. It was about two weeks after our family picnicked at the beach. My parents
owned a business which required them to travel once or twice per month. That morning
when my brother and I were having our breakfast before going to school, we saw our
parents walking down from the stairs, all dressed up. They were carrying their luggage and
were ready to go on a business trip to Singapore. Normally, they drove but this time, for a
change, they decided to go by air.

Alex and I helped our parents to carry their luggage to a taxi waiting outside our house.

"Sally, we'll be in Singapore for only three days," said my mother, before getting into the
taxi. "Take care of your brother while we are gone."

"Don't worry, Mum," I replied. "I will."

"Alex, be obedient to your sister. Don't be naughty," said our father.

Alex, who was a year my junior, nodded his head. We bade our parents goodbye before
they went off in the taxi.

While my brother and I were schooling later that morning, we were requested to go and see
the principal.

"I'm sorry to inform both of you that the aeroplane which your parents were travelling on
has crashed, due to mechanical failure. No one survived the crash," said the principal, while
we were in his office.

Extremely shocked and grief-stricken to hear the tragic news, we burst into tears. I was so
miserable that I fainted. When I woke up, I found myself at home in my bedroom. I then
went downstairs and saw my brother in the living room. Some of our relatives were present
as well. They comforted us and asked us what we were going to do, since our parents had
passed on. They invited us to stay with them so that they could take care of us. I thanked
them for their benevolence and replied that my brother and I needed to think it over before
making a decision.

Having considered our future for a few days, we decided to live in an orphanage as we did
not wish to trouble our relatives.

Three years have passed since we moved into the orphanage. At first, it was hard living
without our parents. Now we have settled down. In the orphanage, we have friends just like
us - orphans. Our relatives come to visit us once in a while. I am in Form 5 now and will be
sitting for my SPM examination at the end of the year. Alex is in Form 4. We take our
studies seriously and hope to have our own loving families one day.
 Write a story ending with: "If only I had been more careful, that wouldn't
have happened."

One Saturday afternoon, I had to babysit my three-year-old little sister. My mother was
going out and my father had to work overtime.

My little sister, Angie, was cute and witty. She had a pair of large sparkling eyes and a
pretty face. She was hyperactive and loved to play hide-and-seek with me. Though we had
a loving relationship, there were annoying moments as well. A few months ago, I
accidentally left my geography project, which I had just completed, in the living room. I was
supposed to hand in the handwritten project to my teacher the next day. When Angie got
hold of it, she tore it into pieces. Although I was furious to find out she had done, I had
myself to blame for not keeping the project in an appropriate place. Consequently, I had to
stay up late to redo the whole project.

Not long after I started to babysit Angie that afternoon, my best classmate, Victor, called
me on the phone. He told me that his father had just bought him the latest model of
'PlayStation' and he invited me to play computer games together with him at his house. I
accepted his invitation and decided to bring Angie along.

Victor was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His father was an extremely successful and
wealthy businessman. Upon arriving at the gate of his triple-storey palatial mansion, I
pressed the doorbell. Soon, a servant appeared in a golf cart. With the cart, he brought
Angie and me to the house as there was a large garden at its front. Victor greeted us on the
porch. After entering his house, he led us up a flight of grand staircase which led to his
spacious bedroom located on the second storey of the house.

Victor offered us some refreshment. Then, we started to play a computer game. Angie was
left to play on her own. While we were playing the game, she was playing with some of
Victor's soft toys. We were so engrossed by the game that we forgot to keep an eye on her.
About fifteen minutes later, all of sudden we heard screams from the staircase. At that
moment, we realised that Angie was missing from the room.

"Where's Angie, Ben?" Victor asked.

"That beats me!" I replied.

Extremely taken aback, we ran out of the room to check what had happened. We were
shocked to see Angie lying at the bottom of the stairs. It appeared that she had fallen down
the stairs. She was unconscious. Victor called for an ambulance instantly and Angie was
sent to hospital.

After a doctor had examined Angie, she was found to suffer from a broken arm. She had to
be hospitalised for treatment. I got a good scolding from my parents for being so
irresponsible. I was also grounded for a fortnight. I felt sorry for Angie and regretted my
negligence. If only I had been more careful, that wouldn't have happened.
 Write a story beginning with: "It had been raining all day ..."

It had been raining all day and I was feeling bored that evening. As the single child of my
family, I had no one to play with. My mother was ironing clothes downstairs and my father
was away at work.

To relieve my boredom, I sneaked into my father's study, which was normally locked. I was
not supposed to go there but I was lucky that evening because my father had forgotten to
lock it that morning. As an 11-year-old boy, I was inquisitive and curious. I opened the
drawers in the study and looked inside. In one of the drawers, I saw a file with my name on
it.

There were newspaper cuttings in the file. Upon looking at the cuttings, I was astonished to
see news reports about me. The reports stated that I was abducted when I was three years
of age. There were also pictures of me and my biological mother.

"The parents that I am staying with now aren't my real parents?" I mumbled to myself in
disbelief and surprise. "How could this be?"

Full of curiosity, I took the news reports and showed it to my mother. On seeing the
reports, she seemed petrified. She started to weep and beg for my forgiveness. It was also
at that time that my father came back from work. When he learnt that I had discovered the
truth, he apologised to me and admitted that he kidnapped me when I was aged three.

"Being an infertile couple, you mother and I had always longed for a son," my father
explained. "Eight years ago, I saw you playing alone in the playground and couldn't resist
the temptation to abduct you and make you ours."

I was in tears and dumbfounded. My parents then started packing their belongings. In the
middle of the night, they took me to my real parents' home. Then, they left as they did not
wish to be caught by the police.

"My son! Where have you been all these years? Who kidnapped you?" cried my mother,
when she saw me.

Crying happy tears, she was able to recognise me the instant she saw me. I told her
everything. She was overjoyed to have me back and hugged me tightly. The rest of the
family was happy to be reunited with me as well. Apart from my father, I had an older sister
and a younger brother. As I was only three years old when I left them, my memory of them
was vague. Nevertheless, I could still feel the love and warmth of my real family and I was
delighted to go back to where I belonged.

Six years have passed since the reunion with my family. Until today, the couple who
abducted me have not been caught. Even though they are not my biological parents, they
treated me like their own son. I still think of them occasionally, especially when it rains. I
even miss them and wonder how they are now.
Write a story ending with : "... We said our goodbyes and went our separate
ways."

Last year during the year-end holidays, I had an opportunity to participate in a Youth Camp organised
by the Boy Scouts Association of my school. Since it was the first camp that I had ever taken part in, I
really looked forward to it.

The camp was located in a field by a river. It was on the first day of the camp that I met Leo, who was
a year my senior. He had a body size resembling a bear. During the lunch hour, all the campers
queued up to get their food. After getting my share, I was looking for a suitable spot to sit down and
enjoy my lunch when Leo bumped into me, spilling gravy on me. Instead of apologising, Leo laughed
at me.

"Don't you think you should apologise to me, clumsy bear?" I told him off as I was really annoyed.

"Apologise? It was only a minor accident. By the way, how could you call me a clumsy bear?" Leo
retorted.

I ignored him.

On the second day, Leo was late for roll call. As a consequence, he was punished to do push-ups.

"It serves you right. You should have apologised to me," I told Leo after the roll call.

In the afternoon, all of the campers went canoeing on the river. As it was my first experience, I
capsized my canoe. Leo mocked me and remarked loudly what a lousy canoeist I was. Very much
embarrassed and furious, I swam towards his canoe with clenched fists. Fortunately, some other
campers managed to hold me back before I did something regretful.

We went jungle trekking in the afternoon of the third day. While carrying out the activity, I sprained
my ankle accidentally and was left behind. Though the pain was excruciating, I stumbled on since I did
not want to be lagged behind too far. While I was crossing a narrow single-log bridge, I lost my
balance and fell down a ravine. Due to my foot injury and the depth of the ravine, I faced difficulty
getting out. I was devastated and could only hope that help would arrive soon.

Hours passed and it got dark. In the midst of my despair and pessimism, Leo appeared. When I saw
him, I expected him to tease me and give me a hard time again. However, in spite of the differences
we had, he stretched out his hand and offered to help me. When I was out of the ravine, he gave me
a piggyback ride back to the camp.

I was deeply touched by his kind acts, let alone my gratitude to him. From that point onwards, we
became intimate friends and often helped each other.

The fifth day was also the last day of the camp. Leo and I were sorry to part with each other. He told
me that he would be leaving the country soon to further his studies overseas. We regretted our petty
attitudes and apologised to each other. We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways.
 Write a story that ends with: "... They looked at each other and smiled
meaningfully."

James and William are neighbours. When they were in kindergarten and primary schools, they were
intimate friends. However, things changed when they were in secondary school. Due to the fact that
they had different interests and pursuits, they were no longer close. William was a studious introvert
who kept to himself whereas James was outgoing and gregarious. James, who also excelled in sports,
was chosen to be in the school basketball team and became a popular student.

Deep in William's heart, he still wanted to be friends with James. Even though James felt the same
way towards William, he was aware that his new friends would not approve. Due to peer pressure and
to prove his loyalty to them, he would make fun of William together with them.

One day, both William and James went on a school trip to a waterfall. When William was changing in a
changing cubicle, James stole his glasses and hid them. After changing, William was surprised to find
his spectacles missing. As he was short-sighted, he could hardly see well without the glasses. Even so,
he started searching for them. While searching, he tripped over a short stool and fell heavily onto the
floor. Luckily, he did not sustain any serious injuries. While some other students were helping William
to get up, James and his friends laughed at William and made sarcastic remarks about him. James
then returned William's glasses to him and told him to be more careful with his belongings.

The students then went to the waterfall and swam in the pool. All the students had a good time in the
pool. Later, James and his friends swam far away from the other students. After swimming for a while,
William got out of the pool. All of a sudden, one of James' friends came running.

"Help! James is having a leg cramp. He's drowning!" cried James' friend

William ran as quickly as he could to where James was. Without thinking of his own safety, he dived
into the pool to rescue James. It was not easy as the current was strong. After putting in a lot of
effort, he succeeded in his eadeavour. He brought James to the shore but unfortunately, James was
unconscious. A teacher called for an ambulance and not long after, James was rushed to hospital.
William went along with James.

In the hospital ward, James woke up. He thanked William for saving his life. He also apologised for
being so mean and cruel to him.

"It's okay," said William with a smile. "I've never had a grudge against you. Just let bygones be
bygones."

Just then, a nurse walked into the ward to check on James.

"Both of you look very close to each other. Good friends, I guess?" the nurse remarked.

James replied, "We were and always will be good friends."

They looked at each other and smiled meaningfully.

 Write a story beginning with: "Kim was nervous when the door opened..."

Kim was nervous when the door opened. It was her parents. She was unsure whether per
parents had known about her misadventure.

Kim was one of the members of the school choir. This morning, the school choir went on a
trip to Kuala Lumpur to participate in a choir competition. During the competition, they tried
their best to perform well but were only placed third. They were a bit upset and
disappointed as they had practised hard for the competition. So, the choir mistress
comforted them and decided to bring them shopping.

When they reached the shopping centre, they were happy again. They saw a lot of shops in
the shopping centre. For example, bookshops, fashion houses, jewellery shops, boutiques,
toy shops, et cetera. Before they started shopping, their teacher told them to stay close to
her and avoid wandering off from the group. When they passed by a jewellery shop, Kim
saw a pair of earrings. She wanted the pair of earrings so badly but when she caught sight
of the price tag, she was quite taken aback to learn that they cost RM300 a pair! It was too
expensive and Kim could not afford to buy it.

Kim looked around the jewellery shop and noticed that the salesgirls were not watching her.
She quickly slipped the expensive earrings into her handbag. Just when Kim was walking
out of the shop, the shop alarm went off. The price tag of the earnings that Kim had just
shoplifted was still attached and it triggered the alarm. Kim was extremely frightened and
took to her heels at once. Unfortunately, she was caught by a security guard who was much
faster than her. She was then brought to the manager's office, where she stayed for hours.
She was very nervous and started to cry. She regretted her wrongdoing but it was too late.

After some time, Kim's teacher came to the manager's office. She begged for leniency and
promised to punish Kim.

"I'm truly sorry for stealing the earrings," said Kim regretfully. "I promise not to repeat the
offence again."

The manager, who was a kind-hearted man, showed mercy to Kim and forgave her for what
she did. Kim and her teacher thanked him profusely.

After that, Kim's teacher sent the choir home. Back home, Kim's parents were still working.
So she waited patiently for them. When they came home in the evening, Kim learnt that her
teacher had called her parents and informed them of her misdemeanour. They were furious
with her and gave her a good scolding. Kim was also grounded for a month.
 Write a story beginning with: "It had been raining all day..."

- by lioncity, Singapore

It had been raining all day. The rain continued to pour down. I was reading a newspaper in the living
room. My two brothers were playing in the parking space in front of our house. The rain became
heavier and heavier.

Just when I had finished my reading and wanted to go for a rest, my brothers ran to the living room
and told me that the water level in the drain had risen. Thus, I went outside to have a look. I noticed
that the drain had overflowed! The water flowed into the parking space. I quickly called my parents.
Within ten minutes, the living room was flooded and the water was knee-deep. When my parents
returned home, they took with them the important documents and some valuables. The water level
rose swiftly. Soon, we could no longer stay in our house and had to move to the rooftop.

Some of my neighbours were already on the roof with their belongings. Most of them were using
umbrellas as it was still raining cats and dogs. Soon, night came and it was pitch-dark all over. We
shivered with cold. There was nothing much we could do except to pray and hope for the best. We
were optimistic that the authorities were aware of our plight and their assistance was on the way.

A few hours later, we saw flashes of light in the distance. To our delight, we discovered that it was the
rescue squads as the lights approached us. We were overjoyed to see them coming to our rescue in
boats.

Our family and all the other victims were brought to a relief centre which was located in a school. It
was unaffected by the flood because of its high location. At the relief centre, we were given towels and
clothes as we were as wet as a fish. After that, we were served with hot food and drinks.
Accommodation was also provoded. Doctors and nurses were also present to attend to the sick and
the injured.

The next day, the rain continued. It was not as heavy as it was the day before. The flood water had
not subsided therefore we could not return home yet. That morning, I learnt that more than a
thousand citizens were affected by the flood and brought to the relief centre. That morning, the centre
received donations from all over the country. Among the donations were food and drinks, clothings,
cash, school textbooks, stationery, crockery and cutlery, and so on. We come to know that an 11-
year-old child donated his personal savings of RM 600 to the flood victims. We were extremely
touched by the generosity of the child and our fellow citizens who were so willing to help us.

It was only on the fourth day that the flood water subsided completely and we were able to go home.
We were glad to go home. However, upon reaching home, we were quite astonished to find our home
in an unliveable condition. Everything in the house was covered in mud. As a consequence of the
flood, some of the victims' houses were partly destroyed. We were thankful that our house remained
intact, though many of our belongings such as the electrical appliances were broken. It took us a full
week to clean up the mess that the flood had created.

We were thankful to the government for giving all the victims financial aids to rebuild our houses. The
government also promised to look into the cause of the flood and go everything it could to reduce the
occurrence of floods to a minimum in future.
 An Unexpected Visitor

It was 10 pm and a middle-aged couple was preparing for the night in the living room.

"It has been three years since Sally left us," said Mrs Lim, looking at a large family photo
after shutting a window. "I wonder where she is now and how she's doing."

Mr Lim comforted her as her eyes were filled with tears. Their daughter, Sally, ran away
from home 3 years ago as she could not cope with the pressure they put on her. They had
high hopes for her academically. Consequently, Sally felt that her life was meaningless.
Apart from studies, there was nothing else.

While Mr Lim was wiping tears off her wife's cheeks with a tissue, they heard a knock on the
door. They wondered who it could be so late in the night. After Mr Lim had opened the door,
they were taken aback by their sight. It was their daughter! Instantly, they hugged her and
brought her in. All of them shed tears of joy.

Sally begged her parents for forgiveness as she made a foolish decision three years ago.
She ran away with a friend. Not long after, her friend abandoned her and she was left on
her own. Too ashamed to return home, she began to look for a job. Due to the fact that she
left school with no formal qualifications, she faced troubles in her endeavour. Furthermore,
she was underaged. She did everything she could, including doing odd jobs, to make a
living. She was homeless and hence had to sleep on streets. She suffered from starvation
frequently and met many unsavoury characters. Life was indeed hard for her.

A year later one day, while she was looking at a noticeboard outside a supermarket to seek
for a job, a kind lady approached her. She ran a home for troubled teenagers and offered to
lend Sally a helping hand. Sally had been living at the home since then. She had also
resumed her studies and would sit for SPM at the end of the year.

Recently, the lady advised Sally to pay a visit to her parents and ask for forgiveness. At
first, Sally was reluctant due to her misdemeanour. She only found the courage after much
encouragement from the lady.

"Of course, we are willing to forgive you, Sally," said Mr Lim. "No matter what, you're our
dear daughter and will always be."

Once again, the family shed tears of joy.

Sally's parents requested her to come back and she consented at once. She also promised
them to study hard as she had realised the importance of doing so, in order to build a bright
future ahead of her.
Describe an enjoyable weekend you have experienced.

One weekend during last year’s year-end holidays, three cousins of mine from Australia visited
my family. They were here from Friday to Sunday. Born and bred in the land of the kangaroo,
they had never been to Malaysia. We had a great time with them and took them sightseeing
around Kuala Lumpur.

On Friday morning, after their arrival, they rested at our home as they were a bit tired after the
long flight. We also had a lot of catching up to do as we had not seen them for quite a few years.
When they had recovered from their jet lag around noon, we took them out for lunch. After a 30-
minute drive, we arrived in Kajang, the city renowned for its ambrosial satay. My cousins
remarked that the satay, which is rare down under, looked appetising and tasted scrumptious.
They also found it palatable when taken with the peanut sauce. They did not find it surprising to
learn that the savoury food is one of the national dishes of Malaysians. After lunch, we returned
to Kuala Lumpur and took them to a few tourist attractions such as the KL Tower and the
Petronas Twin Tower, among some other skyscrapers. They were excited to see the breathtaking
views of the city. After the tall-building tour, we had dinner at a Nyonya restaurant. It was a long
and tiring day. They had really enjoyed themselves and looked forward to more fun.

The next day, all of us woke up early and had the standard Malaysian breakfast - nasi lemak. It
was a little spicy for them. Nevertheless, they enjoyed the food and was happy about the new
experience. After taking the most important meal of the day, we took them to places of interest
like the National Museum and the National Monument. We also visited the Kuala Lumpur Bird
Park, which is the largest free-flight walk-in aviary in the world. They had lots of fun learning
about the different varieties of bird species as well as new things about Malaysia.

On the last day, they were treated to an Indian breakfast, which consisted of dosai and chutney.
They loved the food very much and kept asking for more. They took so much that they were too
full for lunch. So we went to shopping centres - the Pavilion and the Berjaya Time Square, where
they bought some souvenirs for their relatives and friends. For dinner, we brought them to
Chinatown, where they savoured some of the famous and delicious dishes of the Chinese cuisine,
like bak kut teh, wonton noodles and claypot chicken rice. After having the delicacies which they
had enjoyed thoroughly, we took them for a walk at the nearby night market. We bought some
dried barbecue pork for them to bring home at the market.

The aeroplane they were catching was scheduled to depart at 10.30 that night. All of us arrived
at the airport with heavy hearts. We wished they could stay longer. Before they entered the
departure lounge, we hugged and bade them farewell. They thanked us for taking them around
Kuala Lumpur and also for our kind hospitality towards them.

This is one of the most enjoyable weekend that I have ever experienced. Through the experience,
I learnt that the best time is spent with family. As the saying goes, ‘blood is thicker then water’.
As such, I am thankful for my family members, whom I love and treasure. Hopefully, I am able
to spend more time with them so as to further strengthen family ties.
 What is the best way for teenagers to stay fit and healthy?

Teenagers are youngsters between 13 and 19 years of age. As teenage years are the period that most
of our growing occurs, it is of vital importance that teenagers stay fit and healthy to facilitate the
process.

In my opinion, the best way for juveniles to gain good health and fitness is through having a balanced
diet, an active lifestyle and a good night’s sleep.

Eating a balanced diet is a vital part of maintaining good health as it provides the essential nutrients
required for growth. Each of our meals should contain the 7 components of a balanced diet -
carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fats, protein, fibre and water - for optimal health.
Whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, poultry and fish contribute to a balanced diet.
Organic foods are better by comparison with inorganic ones as the former are grown or farmed
without the use of artificial chemicals, hormones and antibiotics which can be detrimental to our
health. Since about 60 percent of our body is made up of water, consuming adequate water is also an
important factor. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water is the ideal amount for an adolescent’s body to
function well.

The human body is built for movement. If we lead a sedentary lifestyle, health problems are prone to
arise. Hence it is wise to exercise a few times a week for about half an hour each session. Even doing
domestic chores, which brightens your parents up, is better than nothing at all. Cardiovascular
exercise helps to strengthen our heart and lungs while stretching reduces the risk of injury by
increasing flexibility. Strength training helps to strengthen our muscles. Other benefits of doing
exercises include preventing obesity and osteoporosis, improving blood circulation and combating
depression.

Sleep is crucial to our health because when we sleep, our body undergoes repair, growth and
detoxification. For instance, sleep is involved in the healing and repair of our heart and blood vessels.
As such, teenage boys and girls should get quality sleep of about 9 hours each night. Sleep improves
brain performance and therefore teenagers with sufficient sleep tend to learn and memorise more
effectively. Thus, they also tend to perform better academically. Apart from that, sleep also helps to
prevent inflammation and obesity, spur creativity, reduce stress levels and boost our immune system,
among many other advantages. Therefore, it is important to cultivate good sleep habits like going to
bed at the same time every night and make sure that your bedroom is dark and quiet when you go to
sleep.

Although there are numerous other ways for teenagers to stay fit and healthy, the 3 factors
mentioned above are some of the most effective, from my point of view. Undeniably, teenagers today
face more challenges and pressure. It is therefore essential for them to realise the importance of
staying fit and healthy in order to live life to its fullest and tackle challenges and problems that come
along with confidence.
 How to keep oneself healthy

There is a saying, 'health is better than wealth'. The saying is extremely true - a man may
be immensely rich, but without health, he can hardly enjoy his wealth. Since health is so
important, how does one keep oneself healthy?

One of the most effective ways to keep fit is through exercising. Doing exercise helps to
reduce the risk of contracting heart diseases and getting stroke. Other than that, it also
helps to decrease the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure and colon cancer.
People who exercise regularly are able to maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints.
Therefore, it is advisable to do exercise such as walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, doing
push-ups, skipping, playing sports, et cetera three to four times a week for about half an
hour per session to maintain good health.

Having a balanced diet is another key factor in ensuring a healthy life. It is important to eat
food that is rich in nutrients. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich sources of vitamins and
minerals that are essential in order to keep fit. For strong bones and teeth, drink more
yogurt and milk and eat more cheese. Other food that contributes to a balanced diet
includes fish, poultry, eggs, beef, beans, nuts and tofu. It is advisable to avoid food that
contains too much sugar as it causes bad health. The same goes for junk food and also food
made from refined flour as a lot of nutrients are destroyed during the refining process.
Unfortunately, most bread is made from refined flour nowadays. It is best to increase the
intake of natural foods as they contain plenty of natural goodness which we cannot do
without to possess good health.

It is wise to avoid smoking and drinking alcohol, since they damage our lungs and livers
respectively, besides bringing forth other harmful effects to our bodies. Taking drugs can be
a serious problem as it usually causes addictions, diseases and cancers. In serious cases, it
may even cause deaths. Thus, it is advisable to stay away from drugs.

Having sufficient sleep is also a vital factor. Every day, school children, teenagers and adults
should get 10 to 11 hours, 8 to 9 hours and 7 to 9 hours of sleep respectively. The
insufficiency of sleep can lead to serious heart problems, high blood pressure, stroke,
diabetes and obesity. To improve the quality of our sleep, it is important to sleep in
complete darkness, since artificial light interferes with the production of hormones or
chemicals that tells our body to rest. If we are unable to eliminate the light in our room,
then wear an eye mask.

Over-eating and under-eating can give rise to health problems as well. Therefore we should
eat the right amount of food each meal.

About 70 percent of our body is made of water. Since our body is constantly using it up, we
need to drink about 8 glasses of water daily to replenish it. Water is needed to flush toxins
out of our vital organs, carry nutrients to our cells and provide a moist environment for our
ear, nose and throat tissues. It also cools our body through the process of perspiration.
When sweat evaporates from our skin, it takes heat with it and lowers our body
temperature.

In conclusion, it is extremely vital for us to do everything in moderation. As long as one

cultivates good habits and leads a healthy lifestyle, it is not difficult to keep oneself healthy
Write a story ending with: "...he left and closed the door behind him quietly."
- by galaxy17, Petaling Jaya

Once there was a couple who was very poor. They had a daughter and lived in a wooden
house in the countryside. One night, when the couple was sleeping soundly, all of a sudden
a burglar broke into their house quietly through the back door. He was wearing a mask.
After taking out a gunny sack, he began to ransack the house.

After searching in vain in the living room, the burglar sneaked into the daughter's room. The
little girl was sleeping soundly, too. The burglar opened the cupboard and started searching
for valuables and money. He found that there were only some clothes inside the cupboard.
He searched the drawer of a table near the cupboard.

He saw a diary which belonged to the little girl. Out of curiosity, he decided to read it. On
one of the pages, the girl said that she was an AIDS victim and had only a few more months
to live. Even so, she was not afraid or sad because she had a loving family. Her parents
loved her very much and cared for her a lot. She was glad to be part of the warm family.
Trying to cure her disease or at least to prolong her life, her parents had used up all their
savings. Though she knew that she would not be able to live long enough to repay her
parents' love and kindness, she would always remember and treasure them when she was
in heaven. The burglar was deeply moved by the girl's love for her parents, bravery and
determination. Then, he saw a drawing of the girl and her family.

Looking at the drawing, he began to think about his own parents. He remembered the story
before he became a burglar. When he was still schooling, he was weak in his studies. At the
age of 16, things began to go wrong when he got into bad company. He stole, robbed and
even became a drug addict. He quarreled with his parents when he failed to get money.
Then, he decided to move out from his house and live with the bad company. When his
parents found out what he intended to do, they begged him to stay but he was as stubborn
as a donkey. He refused to listen. After he had started to live with his friends, who were
pretty unsavory characters, things worsened. They committed even more crimes together.

The burglar looked at the drawing of the loving family and thought about his inglorious past
with tearful eyes.

"The unfortunate girl will not live long, yet she's so thankful for her family. She treasures
her parents so much. Instead of complaining about her incurable disease, she faces it
bravely, " thought the burglar, crying silent tears at the same time.

The little girl had inspired him tremendously. He was remorseful for his wrongdoings and
decided to turn over a new leaf and return to his parents. Feeling sorry for the girl and her
family, he placed a RM50 bill in her diary. That was all he had. After that, he wrote 'Well
done! You're a very brave girl. Keep fighting - don't let it defeat you.' in the diary. Then, he
left and closed the door behind him quietly.
A Frightening Encounter
- by Wesly Kong, SMK Taman Tunku

It was an extremely hot afternoon. I was home alone and doing my revision for an examination in my
study. After revising for about 2 hours, I felt hungry and wanted to have something to eat and drink. So,
I went downstairs to the dining room to have some biscuits and a cup of tea.

After I had finished having my refreshment, I heard a hissing sound when I was cleaning up the dining
table. I did not know where the hissing sound came from. So I searched carefully in the dining room.
Suddenly, I saw a rope-like object under the cupboard. I used a stick to push it to see whether there was
any response. After the push, the object moved. It emerged from under the cupboard and I could see
that it was a cobra! When it saw me, it stood on its belly, flattened its hood and hissed fiercely at me. It
then opened its jaws and exposed its fangs. I was terrified at the sight. I screamed loudly and rushed out
of the dining room as fast as I could.

In the living room, I picked up my mobile phone and telephoned my neighbour, Encik Ramasamy, at
once. He knew how to deal with the venomous creature. Not long after, he came with 2 pieces of wood
and a cage. He asked me where the snake was. I told him it was in the dining room. We walked slowly
and quietly into the dining room. I told Encik Ramasamy that the snake was about 1 meter long. In the
dining room, we saw the snake's tail under a table where my mother put her cooking utensils.

Encik Ramasamy told me not to come too close for the sake of my security. He then urged the cobra to
emerge from its hiding place with one of the pieces of wood. When it appeared from under the table, it
opened its jaws again and hissed fiercely at Encik Ramasamy. I was scared but Encik Ramasamy, who
was as brave as a lion, pinned it against the floor by its head with the wood. It then wriggled desperately
to get free. Skillfully, Encik Ramasamy caught hold of its head and put it into the cage carefully.

After closing the cage, Encik Ramasamy looked at the backyard of my house. He said that the yard was
overgrown with weeds. He advised me to remove the weeds, since they attract snakes and other
creatures which might be dangerous. He also told me that snakes loved to hide in cool places. Since the
weather was hot that day, the snake might have found my house a cool place to rest. So, it came into my
house.

I thanked Encik Ramasamy for helping me and offered him a glass of cold orange juice as a token of my
gratitude. After the refreshing drink, he took the snake to the countryside and released it into the wild.

In the evening, when my parents came home from work, I told them everything. We then weeded the
backyard to make sure that there was no hiding place for unwanted creatures. My parents also thanked
Encik Ramasamy for helping us to get rid of the snake.

What a frightening encounter!

An old photograph!
- by Muhammad Zain Dad's use of the past tense made me uncomfortable. It
took a great deal of effort on his part to narrate the painful
Sayfol International School past.
Kuala Lumpur My biological mother was six months pregnant when the
It was the wettest December I had ever experienced. The incident happened. She was walking towards her office
torrential rains had ruined my holiday plans as floods when a motorcyclist came from behind and grabbed her
continued to wreak havoc in several states. I had pleaded handbag before speeding off. As a result of the sudden and
with dad to allow me to go to the east coast with my unexpected violence, she lost her balance and fell on the
friends but he had been unyielding. The thought of having kerb. The head injuries she had sustained had a
to stay indoors for the next two weeks was not only devastating effect on her health. The only option was to
depressing but also unbearable. Television did not excite perform surgery, but due to her condition, this option was
me anymore. I was fed up of watching the same old films risky. The doctors had wanted to terminate her pregnancy
on cable television. Even the other channels had nothing to save her life but she had refused. A month later, she fell
exciting to offer. Finally, I decided to go into the attic to into a coma. Although the doctors had given up hope, Lily
retrieve some books which I had not read for a long time. continued to live, though in a comatose state. It was as if
she was not giving up on life till her baby was born. When
The attic was surprisingly clean - a sign that mum had the baby was due, the doctors performed an emergency
finally completed the chore that she had kept putting off. I Caesarean. Lily breathed her last the moment I was born
looked around and noticed a teak chest that I had never into this world.
seen before. Curiosity got the better of me and I walked
towards it. I lifted the lid slowly and was pleasantly Dad sobbed softly as he finished relating the heart-
surprised to see a variety of things in it - all of them wrenching story. All sorts of emotions consumed me. I was
reminders of my childhood. I looked nostalgically at the sad, confused and angry. Was I adopted? What about my
clothes I had worn as a child and the toys I had played father? Who was he? Had he abandoned me? After a
with. 'Bobo' the teddy bear, which I slept with until I was while, I braved it out and stated what I thought was
ten, had been dry-cleaned and kept in a box which also obvious.
contained the first Mother's Day card I had made myself. I "So, that means you are not my real parents. I am
was not prepared for what I saw next. Lying at the bottom adopted!"
of the cardboard box was an old black and white
photograph of a young woman. I stared at it incredulously. "No, son. You are not adopted. I am your father. Lily was
It was as if I was looking at a female version of myself. All my first wife. She made me promise her that I would marry
sorts of questions and dreadful thoughts flooded my mind. her younger sister, Janet, so that you would not grow up
I held the photograph tightly in my hand and dashed out of motherless."
the attic, only to bump into my mother.
The sense of relief that I felt at that moment was
"Mum....who is this?" I asked in a quivering voice. indescribable. I looked at mum and I saw the pain and
anguish in her eyes, as though she was anticipating
From the look on her face, I knew it was a question she did rejection. Quickly, she looked down.
not want to answer. Quietly, she held my hand and led me
towards the study where dad had been working all Slowly, I got up from my chair and walked towards her. I
morning. She knocked on the door once before opening it. went down on my knees and held her hands in mine. Her
Dad looked up, and his expression of annoyance eyes remained downcast, fearful of rejection.
disappeared when he saw the photograph in my hand.
"Mum, I know I am only seventeen but I am more mature
What I heard that day is something I will never forget for than you think. You might not have given birth to me but
the rest of my life. The woman in the photograph was my you are and will always be my mother." I comforted her as
mother, my biological mother - Lily Lee. much as I comforted myself.

"Son, Lily loved you very much; just as much as Janet here She looked up slowly, her eyes searching my face for
loves you." sincerity. Then with tears in her eyes, she hugged me
tightly.
Healthy

The world community is now starting to realize the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle in order to
take good care of yourself. Explain this healthy lifestyle practices.

A healthy lifestyle is associated with the concept of practicing a pattern of good life in one. Examples of
this include healthy lifestyle aspects of proper nutrition and practice of periodic exercises. The mass
media has been many times publish news about a healthy lifestyle as there is already a review stating
that the rate of obesity among Malaysians. Clearly, there are plenty of healthy lifestyle that can be
practised by Malaysians.

Aspects of a balanced nutrition to be a decisive lead a healthy life. People have many times reminded
that they must take a proper diet in this popular, especially fruits and vegetables in their diet. A
balanced diet ensures that the body will receive all the nutrients it needs to ward off modern-day life
filled with this problem. So, a good diet to make one’s life a healthier human beings for a long time.

In addition, regular physician examination to guarantee a healthy life. This step is good for practiced
some of the inspections carried out by the doctor is able to obtain early detect any diseases that can
threaten human life anyway. The successful detection of disease at an early stage to ensure the means
of prevention and treatment in detail bring a positive impact to one’s health. Indeed, the attitude of
consult with doctors to become one of the main features to live a healthy life.

Not only a balanced diet and exercise that doctor but scheduled also played a major role in a healthy
life. Exercise every morning or afternoon sweating out of guarantee in abundance. This situation led to
all toxic body out and stress caused to continue to be removed. Therefore, exercise becomes an activity
that is best to have one last good lifestyle.

In fact, enough rest also play an important role in a healthy lifestyle. Humans must be unwind between
6-8 hours a day with quality sleep and also other common methods. Humans need a break because
when it’s all over the rest of the human body systems will be able to recover the capacity to make life at
tomorrow morning. So, rest which includes actions that differ from the norm which is done by a person
that can provide energy recovery much needed by the human body.

Aspects also must be a positive thinking mind if men want to have a healthy lifestyle. Positive thinking is
important because the life of the modern era so much stress in the Office and also at home together
with a range of sophisticated gadgets and tools. Those who understand themselves and see something
the event with positive perception is certainly capable of accepting the challenges of living with more
mature yet rational. Indeed, a positive mind only able to overcome the pressure of modern life that is so
urgent.

In conclusion, all the steps above prove a healthy lifestyle can be achieved by human beings. Much
needed cooperation of all, particularly the awareness of yourself to make health a priority in life of all
parties. Failure to act promptly in future saw the searing hard hit by the illness of our society for the
sake of diseases that can lead to adverse impacts. The slogan of the body fit smart brain proves how
important aspects of health in healthy man who wants to lead.

How can we lead a healthy lifestyle ? deep fried food and oily dishes as opposed to
steamed or baked food. Thus, though eating out is
 
unavoidable, parents of children and adults as a
A healthy lifestyle means maintaining a balanced hole should order fresh food and foods that are
and nutritious diet as well as engaging in sports or nutritious and not laden with oil, fat or sugar.
other fitness related activities. A healthy diet Once a pattern of healthy eating is established, it
alone however is inadequate to ensure a healthy would be easier to carry through such a lifestyle
body as physical activity helps to keep one in and for the children to follow suit.
shape and free of sickness and disease.
School canteens must be urged to sell only highly
According to the World Health Organization, only nutritious food and drinks. Vending machines that
one in ten people exercise regularly and a sell soft drinks and drinks that are spiked with
majority do not follow a healthy diet. The main sugar should be banned. Hence, school going
culprit is our penchant for junk food as can be children would be exposed to healthy eating form
seen from the popularity of fast food chains and young.
other western eateries. even local foods such as
Daily exercise is vital. In fact, schools should
fried noodles, friend rice and snacks and savories
implement Physical education on a daily basis
are laden with fat and calories. Thus, consuming
rather than twice weekly. Only the minority are
this type of food on a daily basis can contribute to
actively involved in sports. Most students are
weight gain. Overweight and obese people suffer
sedentary and prefer to concentrate on their
from many health complications such as diabetes,
studies as they consider indulging in physical
high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even
activities a waste of time. By enforcing regular
cancer.
exercise daily, these students would be exposed
Hence, the emphasis on healthy lifestyle should to the importance and benefits of exercise.
start at a young age. Parents must urge their
Many parents and adults do not allocate time for
children to eat more vegetables, fruits, juices,
physical activity. A large number of them work
wholemeal and wholegrain foods. Many parents,
long hours and return home late thereby
due to time constraint, usually find the easy way
depriving themselves of the benefits of exercise.
out by cooking two-minute noodles or heading
Parents must lead an exemplary life which can
towards the nearest fast food joint for  quick
benefit their children by increasing awareness on
meal. They do not realize however that sets the
the health benefits of exercising regularly.
stage for an unhealthy lfestyle for their children
Bringing their children for walks in the morning or
who quickly become addicted to such foods. Thus,
evening is a good start to achieve this goal. They
parents can counter this problem by cooking or
should become members of clubs which have
preparing meals that do not take up time such as
swimming pools and gym facilities. During the
cheese sandwiches, soup, stir friend vegetables or
weekend, the family can strengthen their bond by
buy pre-packed meals from supermarkets which
adjourning to clubs for exercise and a healthy
can be warmed up in the microwave oven.
meal after that.
Dining out usually involves eating heavily and
In short, leading a healthy lifestyle is a conscious
unhealthily. Most of us are prone to ordering
decision. One can ignore that and lead a life that ensures a longer life span as well as a life free of
exposes one to many healthy hazards. it is disease and complications.
important to recognize that a healthy living

The novel coronavirus and the resulting COVID-19 respiratory infection has spread across the
world, including the US, with cases expanding into the millions in the weeks since the World Health
Organization officially declared the disease a pandemic in March. Though COVID-19 cases seem to be
flattening out or even dwindling in some places, they are on the rise in others. Whether those increases
are still the first wave of the viral spread or a second wave is beyond the point: It's important to know
that the virus is still here and everyone should still take steps to protect themselves and others from this
infectious disease. In this article, you'll learn how to protect yourself from COVID-19.

Anyone can contract COVID-19, although certain groups of people have a higher risk of developing
serious complications from the virus and requiring hospitalization. Many people who get the coronavirus
will experience cold- or flu-like symptoms, and some people who get the virus will be completely
asymptomatic. But no matter which group you fall into, everyone has a responsibility to limit the spread
to other people, especially to those who may develop deadly complications, Dr. Tom Moorcroft, an
osteopathic doctor who specializes in infectious disease, tells CNET. 

Thankfully, many of the actions you would take to protect yourself can also protect other people. 

How to protect yourself from the coronavirus

The virus under a microscope. You can get the virus if someone who has it sneezes or coughs on you.

Getty Images

The coronavirus is spread through respiratory vapor, such as when someone sneezes or coughs into the
air around you. It can also spread if someone who is infected sneezes or coughs into their hand, then
touches a door handle, light switch or other "high-touch" surfaces that people touch all the time. As of
May, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has specified that surfaces aren't the
main way the virus spreads. Avoiding close person-to-person contact is the best way to protect yourself.

Influenza viruses and common cold viruses also spread similarly to the coronavirus, so if you're ever
unsure of what to do to protect yourself, consider how you would act if you knew that everyone around
you had the flu. With that, here are the best ways to protect yourself from the novel coronavirus.

CNET CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Keep track of the coronavirus pandemic.

Wash your hands

Yes, this is still the No. 1 way to prevent getting the coronavirus, Moorcroft says. "The things you should
do to protect yourself from the coronavirus are things you should do every day," he points out. "The No.
1 thing you can do to prevent any respiratory illness is to practice good personal hygiene."
Washing your hands correctly -- using soap and water and washing for at least 20 seconds -- or
using hand sanitizer when soap and water aren't available, still stands as the best way to prevent the
spread of infectious diseases, according to the CDC.

Wear a face mask

The CDC still recommends that everyone wear a cloth face covering (not a mask meant for a health care
worker) when out in public, such as at the grocery store or bank. This is less to protect yourself and
more to protect other people from you, in case you have the virus and have the potential to transmit it. 

Avoid close contact with people who are sick

This might be common sense, but don't get too close to people who are sick (whether with the novel
coronavirus or something else). The CDC reports that person-to-person contact is the primary method of
transmission for the coronavirus, so take care to distance yourself from people showing symptoms. 

Avoid unnecessary trips

Though most states have eased their stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines, it's still smart
to avoid going out when you can, especially if you're someone who has a high risk of developing serious
complications. Try doing your banking online instead of going to the bank, for example. Carefully plan
out your grocery list so you don't have to make a second or third trip. If you used to go out to eat three
times per week, start with just one night. 

Obviously, we can't all stay home and avoid leisure activities forever, so when you do leave your house,
follow some basic preventative measures.

Follow local public health guidelines

As of June, most states, counties and cities have eased up on the protective measures they implemented
in earlier stages of the coronavirus pandemic. Many places still have guidelines in place, however. For
example, in most cities, restaurants and bars have limited hours, outdoor-only seating or must operate
at a limited capacity. Other establishments, such as clothing stores, also may be operating at limited
capacity. Your city might still have limits on group sizes or even have curfews.

If your state or local government has imposed guidelines, you should follow them to the best of your
ability. 

Boost your immune system

On top of basic illness prevention, Moorcroft says the best (and only real) defense against disease is
a strong immune system. Your body is better able to fight off illnesses when your immune system is
really humming, he explains, and everyone should put in an effort to get theirs into tip-top shape. 
"This is a time to focus on all the health habits you may have been putting off," Moorcroft says. "Start
daily activities and food choices that support your health and turn them into habits that will lead to
lifelong improvements in health. During this time, get adequate sleep and some fresh air and sunlight
daily." 

Also, stay hydrated, minimize overly processed foods and make sure to get enough vitamin D, vitamin C,
antioxidants and other essential nutrients. 

Stay calm

In addition to your physical health, you should take care of your mental health. High stress levels can
take a toll on your immune system, which is the opposite of what you want if you're trying to avoid the
coronavirus. If you're feeling overly anxious about COVID-19, follow these tips from a psychotherapist to
keep your nerves calm.