Games I like to play

The games I like most is badminton. All it takes is a willing partner, two rackets and ashuttlecock. We do not even need a net. After all we simply enjoy hitting the shuttlecock to each other. My sister and I spend hours doing this just about everyday. We are not going to be world champions. It is simply great fun.

We used to do this with two old toy rackets. Since then our father had bought us two real, although cheap, rackets. I must say we enjoy the game even more. Sometimes even my mother comes to join in the fun when she has the time for it.

The other game I like to play is table tennis. We have an old table, two bats and some balls. So on some days we play table tennis instead. This is a game that requires more skill. We cannot even hit the ball onto the table half of the time. This can befrustrating. So we go back to badminton which is far easier and more fun.

Since we play outdoors we are at the mercy of the weather. We often have to pause when the wind is too strong. It is difficult to hit the shuttlecock properly when the wind blows it away. Sometimes it rains, making it impossible to play.

I do play other games in school like basketball and football. Somehow they do not seem to be much fun. So I stick to badminton and table tennis.

by Mohd Suzaimi

The day I won a prize

I was never a great athlete but I managed to win a prize once.

It happened on a School Sports Day when I was asked to represent my house in the Long Jump. There were no other suitable ones, and I, being the tallest of my friends, was promptly sent to the Long Jump pit. My house-master reckoned I might have a chance to win.

He was right. I did win, but not first prize. I only managed second place, coming behind someone who was at least five centimeters shorter than me.

We were each given three jumps. There were about ten of us competing for the prizes. When my turn came I ran down the lane as fast as I could and took off at the board. I thought I jumped very well but it was a foul jump. So I waited for my next jump.

I saw the other competitors leap like gazelles into the sand-pit. One particular boy, the eventual winner, was built like a tank. He was not tall, but his legs were muscular and strong. So when I saw him make his jump, I knew that no one else would be able to beat him.

No one did. I managed my best jump of 3.65 meters and that was nowhere close to his best. The other competitors did much worse.

I was delighted to collect my little plastic prize from the Headmaster. It was the first time I had ever won anything. My house-master patted me on my back. I smiled happily as I went home to show the prize to my parents.

By Mohd Suzaimi

Smart Studying Tips

"Studying smart" is a phrase often used by students, parents and teachers to mean "studying in an intelligent and effective way"

Not all methods of studying are intelligent or effective. For example, a person who does not pay attention in class or who does not do his homework on time is certainly not intelligent. He will not learn effectively and his grades will suffer. The result of this is that he will not be able to keep up with his peers. Even if he goes for private tuition he will be always trying to catch up, if he ever does at all.

So the first thing about studying smart is to pay fullest attention when a lesson is first being taught in class. Your learning will be quick and effective. Ask questions if there is anything that you do not understand. The teacher will be pleased to help. Do your homework and assignment on time and you will never have a backlog of work. You are ever ready for the next lesson.

Furthermore, being up to date with your school work means you do not have to take private tuition on any subject. this saves money and you will have time for leisure or recreation.

Revision books and guides are aplenty these days. Use them with care. Having more than one revision book per subject is waste of money. Also learning from too many books only serves to confuse you and take up precious time.

Finally, know the format of the examinations and practice the previous years' questions to familiarize yourself with them. When the actual examinations come, you will know how to handle the questions.

By Ezrul Mustakim

A Journey by Car

My father bought a new car one day. We were all very excited. He promised to take us to Melaka to visit my grandparents the coming Sunday.

Sunday morning was bright and breezy. We hopped into the brand new car and soon we were heading out of Petaling Jaya towards the expressway. My mother sat in the front passenger seat while my father drove. I sat behind with my younger sister.

As it was Sunday the roads were not very busy. Soon we were on the expressway travelling at a leisurely pace. My father is a careful driver and he does not drive too fast or dangerously. This proved to be good for there was a speed-trap manned by the police along the expressway. I saw some cars stopped by the police. They had obviously been speeding.

Driving along the expressway tend to be monotonous. I actually fell asleep once we passed Seremban.

When I awoke, we were already at the Ayer Keroh toll gate. My father paid the toll and steered the car towards Melaka Town. On the way we passed many interesting sights. My father promised to stop by on our way home. We had to visit our grandparents first.

We left Ayer Keroh and all its factories behind as we journeyed into the town itself. Like all towns, there were many cars and other vehicles. Also there were many tourists. Melaka has many places of historical interest and thus this was not surprising.

Finally we arrived at my grandparents' house in Klebang Besar. The journey had taken about two hours. We stepped out of the car. My grandparents greeted us happily.

by Mohd Azly

My Past Story "A painful lesson''

Our bodies are made of flesh and bones. Anytime any part is injured we feel pain. So we try to avoid injury as much as we can. Usually it takes a painful lesson to teach us to avoid injury. The following was a particularly painful one.

I, like any young child, love to run around as quickly as I can. It is fun. However, there is danger of falling down which can result in painful injuries.

One day while playing "catching" with some friends I happened to run down a hill. I found that running down a hill was easy and I could go very fast. At the spur of the moment I decided to see how fast I could go. So I ran with all my might.

Alas, I ran too fast for my legs to keep up. One moment I was running, the next I fell sprawling onto the tarmac road. The shock was horrible as I scraped along the hard surface of the road

.

The pain was intense as I lay on the road writhing. My hands, legs and face were bleeding from the many parts where my skin had been scraped off. When my friends came to help me they were horrified to see me in such a bloody mess.

Anyhow they summoned help and I was taken to the hospital. There they cleaned and dressed my wounds. All the time I felt as though I was on fire.

I suffered for two weeks thereafter every time they changed the bandages. It was terrible.

I learned my lesson. It is foolish to run down a hill.

by Mohd Azly

Why we should exercise ?

A healthy person is a wealthy person. Wealth is here measured in terms of the person's physical well-being so that he or she is able to go about and carry out day-to-day tasks easily. He or she will look good and feel good. To attain this, physical exercise is a must.

                Firstly, exercise ensures our good health. Modern-day chronic diseases like heart problems, diabetes and certain cancers are all caused by the lack of exercise. Conversely, any one having these ailments will recover better if they include exercise as part of their daily routine.

Another instance why we need to exercise is doctors link the lack of exercise to many people having one form or another of insomnia. Moreover, when we sleep better, we have better resistance, to infections. This has been proven by astronauts. During missions, their bodies physically deteriorate.

Their bones, internal organs, and cardiovascular system are all negatively affected. However, it has been found that exercise reduces the changes significantly.

Another example of how exercise helps us to feel better is it gets rid of obesity. It burns off the calories. In our push-button lifestyle, we have become quite sedentary. 'Why walk when we can take the car' seems to be the way of life for all of us. Nowadays, even shopping is done online. Moreover, we seem to be only exercising our fingers as we play computer games, surf the Net and press the control button to change the channel to our favorite television program. Add that to the Malaysian favorite pastime of eating, it is no wonder that our young have bellies and double chins.

Lastly, students should exercise at least three times a week for at least twenty minutes per session, as exercise is a good stress buster. Exercise stimulates different brain chemicals. One of those chemicals is endorphin which makes a person become less stressed and more cheerful. Students preparing for their examinations are therefore able to concentrate better. As a result, they will do better in their examinations.

In conclusion, regular exercise is an effective way by which we can not only feel younger, but look younger.

 by Mohd Suzaimi

Malaysian Fruits

Malaysia has a tropical climate with bright sunny days and lots of rainfall throughout the year. This makes it possible for various types of tropical fruits to grow well.

      The most popular fruit found here is the thorny durian, a spiky green or yellow fruit, about the size of a rugby ball. It has a very strong aroma which most foreigners dislike. The inside of the fruit is yellow or creamy white with soft, sweet pulp covering the seeds found in segments. Malaysians are very fond of this fruit. It is an expensive seasonal fruits.

      Another seasonal fruit is the rambutan. It is a small, round fruit, red or yellow in color when ripe. It is yet another tasty fruit enjoyed by the local people and by foreigners. It is as large as a ping-pong ball and it has a hairy skin. It grows in bunches and is a sweet and juicy fruit with pulp and a seed inside.

      The mangosteen is another popular local fruit, round in shape and the size of a tennis ball. It is deep purple or crimson when ripe and tastes very sweet and delicious. The thick, hard skin encloses the white pulp inside, in the form of a cluster. When it is in season, fruit-sellers pile the fruits on tables or string them up in long bunches which they hang around their stalls.

       These three fruits are the main seasonal fruits in Malaysia. Then, there are also papayas, bananas, mangoes and pineapples found available throughout the year. There are many ways of eating them. Most of us prefer to eat them fresh but they can be fried, pickled, processed into jams, or even used in the making of cakes and ice-cream.

by Ezrul Mustakim