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We are a small specialised group of tutors who have extensive experience grooming students from many different schools across Singapore. 

We are proficient in the high academic level that is Singapore. As a result we are able to intensively address weak and problem areas students struggle with. 

Our profile includes JCs such as HCJC DHS ACJC AND NYJC 
Our Pri and Sec include Dunman High Ngee Ann Victoria School and many others. 

SEE US AT KATONG PLAZA 01-03 
REACH US 9116 3393 

P1 MINI TEST RESULTS 2014

OUR P1 YEAR END MINI TESTS RESULTS FOR 2014 

We are proud and oh-so-happy to say that our P1 LEARNERS have scored Band One for their English EOY Mini Test 

All that hard work and sheer effort on the part of both students and teachers have finally paid off. Read about our upcoming testimonials and thanks from the parents. Can't help but cheer!

Well Done All!

YOUNG LEARNERS NOW ON

Our YOUNG LEARNERS PROGRAM is now on. 

• Especially tailored for K2 
• Classes every Saturday from 2-3.30pm
• Incorporates the essential elements of  Reading Writing Grammar Vocabulary 
• Early Comprehension texts  & Composition crafting 
• Small group of  6 students or less 

SEE US AT KATONG PLAZA 

1 BROOKE ROAD 

#01-03

REACH US AT 9116 3393 CHERYL / CHEN YONG 

LITERATURE LITERATURE LITERATURE

Although much has been debated on the topic of Literature it still remains one that is close to our hearts regardless of what the verdict outside may be. On this note we have thus endeavoured to share notes, information and analysis which we believe will be of much help to you.

Let us conclude this short post today with the gentle reminder that in order to do well in literature one must first of all have a sound grasp of the plot followed by an understanding of what the scenes and chapters mean. Without this you will find the journey with Literature to be long hard and fruitless. 

From the team at The Tuition Room 
See us at Katong plaza 1 Brooke Rd #01-03
Call. Text. 9116 3393 

Poetry Technical Terms

Here are some technical terms in poetry which often prove helpful. (afterall what is poetry analysis without the technical terms) 
Source www.schmoop.com

POETRY GLOSSARY

Allegory: An allegory is a kind of extended metaphor (a metaphor that weaves throughout the poem) in which objects, persons, and actions stand for another meaning.

Alliteration: Alliteration happens when words that begin with the same sound are placed close to one another. For example, “the silly snake silently slinked by” is a form of alliteration. Try saying that ten times fast. 

Imagery: Imagery is intense, descriptive language in a poem that helps to trigger our senses and our memories when we read it.

A metaphor is when one thing is described as being another thing. “You’re a toad!” is a metaphor – although not a very nice one. And metaphor is different from simile because it leaveswords “like” or “as.”

Irony: Irony involves saying one thing while really meaning another, contradictory thing. 

Metaphor: A metaphor happens when 

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou (source www.booksie.com)

Here's an analysis of renowned poet Maya Angelou's poem 'Still I Rise' 

“Still I Rise,” by the African American poet Maya Angelou (1928–), offers an intriguing mixture of tones: playful and defiant, comical and angry, self-assured and bitter. 

Ultimately, however, the poem’s tone, as the work’s title suggests, is triumphant. 

The poem’s first word—“You”—is important.

 This is a poem clearly addressed to others.

 It is not simply a private, lyric meditation. 

Much of its energy derives from its bold and cheeky self-assertiveness.

 Clearly addressed to the white oppressors of black persons, the poem presents us with a black woman willing to speak up for herself, for other living blacks, and even for her black ancestors. 

The poem is both highly political and highly personal. 

The speaker is implicitly responding to decades and even centuries of oppression and mistreatment. Her tone, then, never sounds arrogant or cocky. 

Instead, most readers are likely to feel immense sympathy with her spirited rejection of further oppression.

It seems highly significant that the first kind of oppression the speaker mentions is an oppression rooted in writing:

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies . . 

The poem itself is a direct response to this kind of oppressive writing.

 The speaker transforms writing, one of the most important means of domination, into an instrument of liberation. 

The poem does not begin by emphasizing physical subjugation or literal violence. 

Instead, it begins by emphasizing the ways the wrong kinds of writing can imprison the minds of both oppressors and the oppressed. 

First and foremost, those who would help liberate blacks must first liberate their minds and challenge the thinking of their oppressors.

Only in line 3 do we reach the first reference to actual physical oppression (“You may trod me in the very dirt”), but the phrasing here seems more metaphorical than literal. 

Metaphorically, to tread another person into the dirt is to treat that person with enormous disrespect and almost shocking violence. 

Yet no sooner does the speaker imagine being abused in this way than she immediately responds, 

“But still, like dust, I’ll rise” The reference to “dust” is variously effective. It implies that something normally seen as negative can instead be seen as positive.

 It implies that something normally seem as merely bothersome can actually possess a kind of resilience and strength. 

P1 PREP PROGRAM

OUR P1 PREP IS NOW ON 

• You should join us because we have patient tutors who take their work seriously
• We impart knowledge conscientiously so that your child is continuously growing 
• We see to it that our young ones understand key concepts before moving on 

We are not afraid of spending a little more time grooming them so they improve and become better.  

Classes on Saturdays. 
See us at Katong Plaza (next to Roxy Square) 
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What is a designer baby

Here's an article on designer babies. 
Source www.bionetonline.org

What is a designer baby?

Advanced reproductive technologies allow parents and doctors to screen embryos for genetic disorders and select healthy embryos. In-vitro fertilisation or IVF The fear is that in the future we may be able to use genetic technologies to modify embryos and choose desirable or cosmetic characteristics. Designer babies is a term used by journalists to describe this frightening scenario. It is not a term used by scientists. Advanced reproductive techniques involve using InVitro Fertilisationor IVF to fertilise eggs with sperm in 'test-tubes' outside the mother's body in a laboratory. These techniques allow doctors and parents to reduce the chance that a child will be born with a genetic disorder. At the moment it is only legally possible to carry out two types of advanced reproductive technologies on humans. The first involves choosing the type of sperm that will fertilise an egg: this is used to determine the sex and the genes of the baby. The second technique screens embryos for a genetic disease: only selected embryos are implanted back into the mother's womb. This is called Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD). Recently scientists have made rapid advances in our knowledge of the human genome and in our ability to modify and change genes. In the future we may be able to "cure" geneticy diseases in embryos by replacing faulty sections of DNA with healthy DNA. This is called germ line therapy and is carried out on an egg, sperm or a tiny fertilised embryo. Such therapy has successfully been done on animal embryos but at present it is illegal to do this in humans. However, it is legal to modify the faulty genes in the cells of a grown child or an adult to cure diseases like cystic fibrosis - this is calledbody cell gene therapy.

Why art is important for kids

Source www.raisesmartkid.com
Children naturally love art – painting, drawing, making music, the theater.  Unfortunately, when schools cut back on budgets, the arts are usually the first to go.  It seems that schools do not appreciate the importance of art in building a kid’s brain.

Physiologically, the human brain consists of 2 parts, the left and the right hemisphere.  The left brain is used in logical thinking and analytical processes.  This is typically what is trained in school work that consists of math, reading and science.  The right brain is used in emotional perception, intuition and creativity.  It is the right brain that is mainly used when a person is involved in creative endeavors such as making art.  It is this part of the brain that typical school environment neglects to train.

It is shown that when gifted kids solve problems in their areas of giftedness, there is increased electrical activity in both hemispheres.  It appears that for the brain to be efficient, the two hemispheres of the brains must work together.  By stimulating and exercising the right hemisphere of the brain, the arts strengthen the connection between the hemispheres. Kids should be exposed to the arts as their cognitive skills mature so that their right brain will be as developed as the left, and both hemispheres work in tandem, thus achieving the full potential of the mind.

Aside from the physiological effects, the New York Center for Arts Education also lists other benefits of exposing children to art:

• Your kid learns to think creatively, with an open mind

• Your kid learns to observe and describe, analyze and interpret

• Your kid learns to express feelings, with or without words.

• Your kid practices problem-solving skills, critical-thinking skills, dance, music, theater and art-making skills, language and vocabulary of the arts

• Your kid discovers that there is more than one right answer, multiple points of view

• School can be fun – playing can be learning

• Your kid learns to collaborate with other children and with adults

• Arts introduce children to cultures from around the world

• Your kid can blossom and excel in the arts.  Even with physical, emotional or learning challenges, can experience success in the arts.

• Arts build confidence.  Because there is not just one right way to make art, every child can feel pride in his or her original artistic creations.

Arts build community.  Schools with a variety of differences can celebrate the arts as one community.

P1 PREP PROGRAM NOW ON!

Hi all!

Our P1 Prep Program is now on. Yes! We are happy and proud to say that our earlier learners have benefitted and are now enjoying P1 with a more vivid understanding and greater clarity. 

They now 

• Read smoothly and clearly 
•  have a sound command of grammar 
• are able to read and answer comprehension Qs 
•  write well-organised compos. 

Our students come from schools ranging from Ngee Ann to Tanjong Katong amongst others. We are well-versed with the syllabus. 

It's just great and we have the results to show for. If you would like your child to be equipped and P1 ready then do call/text us at 

9116 3393 

Top 100 Sight Words

Here are your 100 top sight words for K1 & K2 kids. 

(Source www.teacherspayteachers.com)

The young embrace technology while the old are threatened with it

N 2006 Q7

The young embrace technology while the old are threatened by it. 

Mankind has seen the meteoric rise of technology in the last century making our lives better in countless ways.

 Technology accompanies us in so many aspects that we often do not stop to think much about it at all. 

This however does not mean that every age groups takes to technology with equal enthusiasm. 

I agree that while the young embrace technology, the old feel threatened by it. 

Health & Medicine

The young are often keen to embrace the latest technological advancements in terms of medicine.

 These include medical procedures as well. 

Advancements such as keyhole surgery where a small incision is made on a patient during an operation helps ensure that minimal trauma is inflicted on that area and the patient is able to recover with minimal downtime are welcomed by the young as a safer alternative to the traditional methods of surgery. 

Yet in spite of this, the old are still apprehensive of such procedures. 

Many of them are still trapped in the old mindset and misguided belief that surgical  procedures of any sort are inherently dangerous and bring along with it a high risk of failure.

A lack of knowledge and proper access them to reliable information keeps them feeling inadequate and insecure about technology. 

Appliances 

Advances in the various household appliances  is another area which  the young eagerly gear towards. 

They are often quick to see and make use of the conveniences the newer models of household equipment embody. 

Kitchen appliances such as blenders and coffee-makers  which use better technology during the blending process not only save on monthly household bills but help save time too. 

The young are keen to invest in such appliances but the old are often skeptical and unwelcoming. 

They are often slow to believe in the abilities of such appliances and fear that it may replace their positions of importance in the family.  

Hence they are resistant. 

Pros and Cons of Nuclear

Till date nuclear weapons have been have been used twice in the Second World War, by the United States on Japan. The US dropped two atomic nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the world witnessed the power and destruction of the man-made nuclear weapons. These bombs were responsible for the death of millions of innocent people and this mass killing finally brought the end to the great war. Scientists have long debated on the pros and cons of nuclear bombs; some say it is very essential for a country, but some still see it as a major threat to the human race. 

Pros and Cons

Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear warheads have been discussed by people from all walks of life. Some people think it as a security measure essential for the country, but some who know and have seen the destruction caused by nuclear bombs despise them. 

Pros: These weapons have protected mankind since the early 1900. They have the capacity to wipe out an entire enemy city or country and are often highlighted as the answer to terrorism. The decision to replace them with a new security measure has been a topic of debate for a while now, but no concrete talks have been held. Many peace activists proclaim that the world would be much safer without nuclear bombs but there is also a possibility that if it not nuclear bombs, something else would threaten world peace. Currently it is impossible to keep a tab on the number of nuclear bombs in the world, as every country is using the excuse of strategic defense to acquire these destructive weapons. Defense experts also say that it wouldn't be a wise decision to scrap all nuclear weapons, when various hostile states are on the verge to acquire them in large number. 

Cons: Their usage is considered highly immoral and highly dangerous. When a nuclear experiment is conducted, its after effects can be seen till decades. More the number of weapons made, more risks are to human life. Maintaining and keeping a nuclear bomb safe is pretty expensive, and it takes a large share from the country's defense budget. Hostile countries are more likely to have a civil war in which they may use nuclear bombs against each other and the result could prove disastrous for the entire planet. Possession of nuclear weapons doesn't mean that the country is powerful and developed; countries like Germany, Spain and Australia don't possess a single nuclear weapon, but are still popular and advanced like many other developed nations.

Facts

A nuclear weapon derives its devastating force from a nuclear fission reaction. So, even a small bomb has enough potential to wipe out an entire city.

In history, nuclear weapons have been used twice, both during the closing days of the World War 2. The first one was dropped on the 6th of August 1945 on Hiroshima and the second bomb was dropped three days later on Nagasaki.

There are still 26,000 nuclear weapons in the world which are enough to destroy the entire human civilization.

Of all the nuclear bombs in the world, 95% belong to the US and Russia.

There are currently nine countries in possession of nuclear weapons (US, Russia, India, China, UK, France, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea).

The United States enjoys the right to declare any form of military action if it or its allies are under threat by a weapon of mass destruction. The United States also assures that it would not use its nuclear power against a non nuclear state, unless the state attacked the US and its allies with a nuclear weapon.

There are up to 2,000,000 kilograms of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) in global reserve and it takes just 15 to 24 kilograms to make a nuclear weapon. There are about 27 countries which have enough reserve to make one nuclear bomb and 12 countries which have stock worth 20 nuclear bombs.

Nuclear reactors create plutonium which also acts like a source of bomb material. It takes less than 5 kilograms of plutonium to make a nuclear bomb. There are around 500,000 kilograms of plutonium in global stockpiles.

The project that led to the formation of the first nuclear bomb was the Manhattan Project. Both Canada and the United Kingdom assisted America with this research.

The Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT) which was signed between the US and Russia, requires them to lessen their deployed nuclear weapons between 1,700 to 2,200 by December 31, 2012. The day this treaty expires, both the countries can redeploy as many nuclear weapons as they want. The weapons which have been taken off deployed status are not being demolished, but are placed in storage where they are easily accessible and can be stolen by criminal and terrorist groups. The US and Russia have speed up their efforts in reducing nuclear warheads from both sides by signing the New START treaty. Under the terms of the New START (The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) both US and Russia would reduce the number of nuclear missile launchers by half. This treaty is expected to last till 2021, during which both the countries would encourage nuclear disarmament on a global scale.

The elimination of nuclear weapons seems practically impossible today, but if world leaders take a sincere effort, then they might be able to make this planet free from nuclear weapons. Nuclear power can be used as a clean source of energy. I hope this article on nuclear weapons pros and cons helped you understand the various aspects of this destructive weapon.

LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER CHARACTER ANALYSIS

Character Analysis 

My impression of Mary is that she is a complex character. She changes dramatically throughout the story. It is completely unexpected. 

 At the beginning of the story she is patiently and lovingly waiting for her husband to return home from work. She loved him so much that she was happy just waiting for him. 'Each minute gone by made  it nearer the time he would come' shows this. She is so willing to serve her husband that she says 'I'll get it!' and 'jumps up' to get him another drink even though she herself is six months pregnant and should be resting a little  more. She always addresses him lovingly as 'Darling' while he is very short with her. 

In the second half of the story, she coolly and unhesitatingly kills her husband. Her behaviour here is totally out of place with that of a woman who loves her husband as much as she appeared to in the beginning.  She killed him 'Without any pause' and did with great violence. 'Brought it down as hard as she could' shows this. The rage she feels for her husband is so different compared to the warm and devoted wife waiting for her husband to come home earlier on. Despite the fact that she appears to be such a meek and 'placid' woman she is able to go ahead and swiftly murder her husband. 

In the third part of the story she is able to cunningly plan her way to escape the law. She is even able to rehearse it 'several times more'. There is no sign of wavering and she goes out to speak to Sam the Grocer in a cheerful manner while 'smiling at the man behind the counter'

Yet Mary is not completely heartless. Although she has rehearsed her part mentally, the sight of Patrick 'lying there on the floor' makes her break down into real tears and sorrow. She 'ran over to him, knelt down beside him and began to cry her heart out'. This shows that she did have genuine feelings feelings for her husband and felt terrible over his death. 

FULL NOTES FOR Lamb to the Slaughter

Lamb To The Slaughter 

Plot Summary 

The opening scene shows Mary Maloney as a loving quiet and meek woman who is eagerly awaiting her husband's return from work. 

The description of the house as 'warm and clean' shows that Mary is a devoted homemaker who does her utmost to keep a home that is in tip-top condition. She takes pride in her duties as a wife and wants to do it to the best of her abilities. 

The sentence 'Two tall glasses, soda water, whiskey. Fresh ice cubes in the thermos bucket' signal to the reader that she does everything her husband likes. She makes sure that his evening drink is all ready for him so that he feels most comfortable the moment he steps in. 

The sentence 'Now and again she would glance at the clock,but without anxiety, merely to please herself that each minute gone by made it nearer the time he would come' shows that she is full of joy at the thought of her husband returning home. She is content to simply sit and wait for him. She does not think that waiting is a chore but instead finds  that it is most pleasant.  

The sentence 'The eyes, with their new placid look, seemed larger,darker than before' portrays Mary's quiet, docile nature. She seems to be a person who is very peace-loving and unaggressive. One does not need to be excessively guarded against her at all. 

The sentences 'She took his coat and hung it in the closet. Then she walked over and made the drinks' and  'Stood up, and went forward to kiss him as he came in' shows how much she waits on him. Despite the fact that she is 6 months pregnant she is busying herself for him. She does not think of her own needs and instead puts all his needs above hers. 

Mary can sense that something is not right with her husband from the way he is behaving. The fact that  he swallows his whiskey quickly in one gulp and pours himself another thicker one shows this. 

She offers to make him supper although it is Thursdays and they usually eat out.  

Despite all her offers he remains uninterested in food at all. He fails to answer her and when he finally does it is to tell her that he does not want any supper from her at all.  'I don't want it.'

He finally tells her that he has something to tell her. She feels frightened. 

He informs Mary that he is leaving her. 

He tells her that he will provide for her financially and tells her not to make a fuss. He does not want his job to be affected. 

The sentences: 

'Not to believe any of it' 

'She herself had imagined the whole thing'

'When she sort of woke up again' all show Mary's disbelief over her husband leaving her. She is completely unable to accept that he no longer wants her anymore. She is in denial and tries to convince herself that it is only a dream or her imagination.  

'She couldn't feel her feet touching the floor' shows her total shock and disbelief over the news. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF LEISURE

The importance of leisure time for young people, particularly as it relates to personal and community development, is examined in this chapter. It is imperative that youth be given a wide range of opportunities for meaningful participation within the community, provided or facilitated by a multitude of organizations, institutions and programmes in all sectors. The various sections in the chapter focus on how young people spend their free time, the developmental opportunities presented within diverse contexts, and the virtuous cycle of mutual benefit created through reciprocal youth-community support (illustrated in several detailed case studies). The conclusion emphasizes the importance of saturation (adequacy of opportunities is more important than variety), a solid infrastructure, a strong public and political commitment, and the recognition that leisure time and opportunities constitute a right to be protected rather than a privilege to be earned or lost.
Certain major themes—basic health, risk behaviour reduction, education, employ- ment and political participation—constitute the pillars of youth policy. Indeed, they are the foundations of human resource development in general, reflecting a continu- um of goals from protection to prevention to civic and economic participation. They are the domains of responsibility of the main public systems charged with providing services and opportunities for youth. They represent the core indicators against which Governments and advocates track progress. They do not, however, represent the total- ity of young people’s lives; herein lies the challenge.
In every culture, there are hours in the day when young people are not formally required to be in school or engaged in household or paid work. They choose to be involved in various activities, and there are public and private programmes, organiza- tions and individuals who support their participation. These hours, these activities and often even these programmes are considered discretionary. They are viewed as option- al—nice but not necessary, or even particularly important. These are the hours, the activities and the programmes whose absence or disappearance would not be noticed by policy makers but would be very much felt by young people. Public recognition of their importance is low, a fact reflected in the scarcity of relevant data.
Equally important, it is these hours, activities and programmes that policy makers, programme planners and frequently the public have few qualms about reduc- ing. When crime rates go up, the quality and quantity of young people’s discretionary hours are often diminished by strict curfews. When test scores drop or family incomes dip, opportunities to participate in voluntary activities are often restricted, as the hours required for work or study are increased. When 
public funds are low, sports, recreation and cultural programmes and institutions are often among the first casualties. 

Sorce Worlf Health Report

Hello Again

In case you've been busy wondering where we've been and what we've been up to - fear not coz we're back. It's been a busy busy year of building for us. Overall I'd say we've been consistent. (not online of course) but that will change soon so do keep reading us for more helpful notes and information that will benefit your grasp of English. 

From us at The Tuition Room