001-010

001 permeate

The odor of the flowers will permeate the entire house.

(to pass into and penetrate throughout; to spread or diffuse into; to pervade.)

002 etymology

A course in etymology will help you to increase your vocabulary.

(the study of word origins, development and changes in accepted meaning; such a history of a word.)

003 prevaricator

Truth means nothing to the prevaricator as long as he gets what he wants.

(one who evades the truth; a liar.)

004 gyration

The gyration of the ballerina made me dizzy.

(a revolving action around an axis; a whirling or spinning motion.)

005 nefarious

He was given a long prison term for his nefarious crime.

(wicked; vicious.)

006 gregarious

Sheep are, in general, gregarious animals.

(living in groups; sociable.)

007 ostracized

He was ostracized by polite society because of his scandalous behavior.

(banished; excluded; shut out.)

008 diurnal

The sun moves from east to west in its diurnal course.

(on the day time; during the course of a day; daily.)

009 officious

A good administrator is available but not officious.

(forcing one's service or attention upon upon another; overly meddlesome or attentive.)

010 stereotyped

Those stereotyped characters in the book were boring.

(following a pattern; unoriginal; conventional; trite; formalized.)

A heroic act

Every Saturday afternoon I take my dog for a jog in the park. The last time I did that however, it turned out to be anything but usual.

As I was jogging, I saw a maid, with a baby on her lap, sitting at the edge of a large pond. She seemed to be enjoying the sight of ducks swimming across the pond. As her attention was focused on the ducks, she allowed the baby to slip away from her and get into the water. The powerful currents in the pond pulled the baby to the center.

When the maid shouted for help, I rushed to the pond to see what I could do. There was hardly anyone around. I knew the pond was deep and I did not know how to swim. There was no time to be lost. I quickly instructed my dog to go for the baby.

My obedient dog immediately swung into action. Jumping into the pond, he swam towards the baby. Very soon, my pet was back with the baby. The maid was lost for words as she grabbed the baby and secured it in her arms. At that point, the mother, who had gone to a shop to buy milk for her baby, returned and was informed of what had happened.

Both the mother and the maid thanked me profusely. But I knew it was my dog that deserved the praise. My pet had done me proud.

I returned home with my dog, but I guessed the maid was in for a scolding from the mother for being careless.

Essay Structure

The essay is about an incident that occurred in a park. It involves a heroic act performed by a dog. The writer shows, step by step, what happened in the incident.

The essay starts with the writer going out for his usual jog on a Saturday afternoon. It then goes on to say what he saw near the pond.

Paragraph 3 describes the writer rushing to the pond and instructing his dog to save the baby.

Paragraph 4 relates how the dog responded to the situation and rescued the baby.

The writer then received thanks for the rescue.

The final paragraph shows what the writer was thinking as he made his way home.

Q & A

1. How did the maid let the baby slip away?

The maid let the baby slip away as her attention was focused on the ducks swimming across the pond.


2. What do you understand by the remark "there was no time to be lost" (paragraph 3)?


The baby was being dragged to the middle of the pond and quick action was needed to save it.


3. Why was the maid lost for words on receiving the baby?


The maid was lost for words probably because she was too happy or relieved to think of anything to say then.


4. Why does the writer say "my pet had done me proud"?


The writer says "my pet had done me proud" because his brave dog had saved the life of a baby. He was proud to be the owner of such a clever, courageous dog.

A day when everything went wrong

It was simply not my day. But I had no inkling of this when I set out for school last Monday morning.

As is my routine, I went to the bus stop opposite our apartment block to catch the bus at seven. The bus arrived punctually and as I climbed on board, it seemed it was going to be just another normal day. But it was not to be. On the way to my school, the bus encountered an engine problem and could not be restarted. The bus driver told the passengers to alight and wait for the next bus.

The next bus came but not soon enough for me to reach the school on time. The school assembly was already under way and I had to stand outside the school gate until it was over. The experience was the most embarrassing I had ever had. I felt everyone's eyes were on me when I was finally allowed to go to my class.

And that was not all. At then end of the English lesson that morning, we were told to hand in our weekend homework. To my horror, I could not find it in my schoolbag. I must have forgotten to put it in the bag the night before. The teacher was furious as there were three others who failed to hand in the work. She kept us in during recess to do the exercise.

Despite the setbacks, I had something to look forward to in the evening. My father had promised to take the family out for dinner. But when dinnertime came, there were still no sighs of my father. Instead we received a call from him to say that he could not make it as he was still at a meeting. I was terribly disappointed. I had fervently hoped to end the day well.

Essay Structure

The essay is all about a day when things went wrong. It starts with the writer setting out for school as usual.

Paragraph 2 marks the beginning of the body of the essay, describing the first problem the writer came across.

The next two paragraphs give an account of how more things went wrong. Paragraph 3 shows the result of the first problem: the writer was late for school and had to wait outside the gate for the school assembly to be over. Paragraph 4 describes the problem with his homework and the resulting punishment.

The essay ends with a description of yet another unhappy experience, this time at home.

Q & A

1. Why did the writer not expect a bad day when he set out for school last Monday?

It began like any other school day. The writer set out for school as usual. It was only when he was on the bus that something unusual happened.

2. The passage lists a number of disappointing incidents. Which two are related?

The incidents described in paragraphs 2 and 3 are related. The writer was made to stand outside the school gate because he was late and this was the result of the breakdown of the bus on the way to school. They show the cause and effect sequence of events.

3. Which of the incidents was of the writer's own making?

The writer's inability to hand in his English homework was of his own making. He failed to make sure that the homework was in his bag before he left home for school.

4. How would you react if you went through similar experiences?

Most of the disappointing incidents experienced by the writer were not caused by him. So if I had similar experiences, I would take them in my stride and hope for the best.

211-220

211 communal

To have a clean city demands a communal effort.

(Pertaining to or belonging to a community or group; public.)

212 commuted

The death sentence was commuted to life in prison.

(Changed to something less severe; substituted; traveled frequently between two points.)

213 compatible

I hope you will get a compatible roommate.

(Capable of existing together; easy to get along with; agreeable; congenial.)

214 compendium

He published a compendium of all of Shakespeare's plays.

(A comprehensive and concise summary.) 

215 complement

Your study of calculus will complement the requirements for a degree in mathematics.

(That which fills up or adds to for completion; that which must be so added; to add to in such a manner.)

216 inalienable

Inalienable rights are guaranteed by the Constitution.

(Not subject to being taken away; not transferable; fixed.)

217 component

We cannot construct the model until we have received all its components.

This component gear helps make the machine operate.

(A part or element of a whole; serving as such a part.)

218 comport

They comport themselves with admirable grace.

(To conduct or behave oneself; to be compatible or in agreement with.)

219 compunction

She had absolutely no compunction about lying to her mother.

My compunction moves me to apologize for inconveniencing you.

(Uneasiness because of guilt; a slight sense of pity or regret.)

220 refulgent

The frost on the ground was refulgent in the moonlight.

(Shining; radiant; glowing)

201-210

201 fulsome

Everyone appreciate a compliment, but fulsome praise is disgusting.

(Excessively flattering; distastefully insincere.)

202 furtive

She caught him making furtive glances at her, but he would never look her in the eye.

(Stealthy; secretive; sly; evasive.)

203 futile

No matter how hard he tried, his efforts were futile.

(Without effect; ineffectual; useless.)

204 gainsay

No matter how much I dislike him, I cannot gainsay his success.

(To deny; to contradict.)

205 galaxy

A galaxy of movie stars appeared in one picture.

(A system of celestial bodies; a group of notable people.)

206 gamut

He ran the gamut of crime before he was fought.

(Entire range or extent of.)

207 commendatory

His willingness to sacrifice himself was commendatory.

(Reflecting praise or recommendation; worthy of praise.)

208 commensurate

The salary for his position will be commensurate with the applicant's experience.

(Equal in measure; properly proportionate.)

209 loquacious

They are quite different: one is loquacious, while the other rarely says a word.

(Talkative; given to continual talking.)

210 commodious

He bought a commodious home for his large family.

(Spacious; roomy.)

A wedding

It was a gay and colorful scene that I saw when I apporached the Hindu temple last Saturday to atend a traditional wedding. The temple was decorated with banana stems and coconut leaves, and in and around it mingles people with smiling faces and wearing clothes of many different colors. The most eye-catching sight was the bride, who wore a bright red sari and gold jewwllery. Both she and her groom have gralands round their necks.


The wedding ceremony lasted several hours. It started with the bride and the bridegroom taking their seats in front of a sacred fire. The ceremony was elaborate. The highlight occurred when the bridgegroom took a yellow string from a silver tray and tied it round the bride's neck. The act symbolized that they were now united in marriage.


But the ceremony was far from over. In the next stage, the priest tied the end of the bride's sari to the bridegroom's scarf. The bridal couple then walked round the sacred fire three times. As they made a round, they wished for a good life together and the things that go with it.


During the entire ceremony, Indian musicians were on hand to play traditional music. They strummed and banged away, adding to the sounds of children playing in the background, the chanting of the priest and the chatter of the guests.


After the ceremony, I joined other guests on the stage to present my gift to the bridal couple. We were then seated at long tables to feast on a variety of vegetarian dishes. I returned home late that night but was well satisfied. It was the first Hindu wedding I had attended and it was an eye-opener. Now I can say I do know something about Hindu culture.


Essay Structure


The essay is descriptive and is about a Hindu wedding. The writer first describe the setting in which the wedding cremony took place.


Then he shows two important aspects of the cremony in paragraph 2 and 3.


Paragraph 4 gives additional information about the setting and atmosphere -- that the cremony was accompanied by traditional music.


The essay ends with a comment that the writer has learnt something about Hindu culture from the event.


Q & A


1. Why does the writer decribe the scene as colorful?


The writer says the scene was colorful because the temple was well decorated and the people attending the ceremony, as well as the bride, wore bright and colorful clothes and jewellery.


2. What was the most important aspect of the wedding ceremony?


The most important aspect of the ceremony was the action of the bridegroom tying a yellow string around the bride's neck. It signified that they were now married.


3. What did the bridal couple do when they walked round the sacred fire?


The couple made wishes for a good and happy marriage as they walked round the sacred fire.


4. What did the writer learn by attending the Hindu wedding?


The writer learnt something about Hindu culture by attending the wedding.

A trip to Sentosa

The Underwater World at Sentosa is one attraction that always captures the attention of visitors. Those who visit the tourist island seldom return home without going through the aquarium. So it was with me when I visited Sentosa last Sunday with a group of friends. It was not my first visit to the aquarium. Yet I could not resist the temptation to see it once again.


The Underwater World is home to more than 2,500 fishes from 250 different species. The most interesting experience I had at the attraction was going through the 83-meter glass tunnel there. As we walked through the tunnel, sea creatures such as baby sharks, eels and starfish glided all around us. It gave me a feeling of walking through an ocean.


Another attraction that I liked was the "Images of Singapore." It houses life-sized figures and rare artifacts that bring to mind scenes from Singapore's past. One such exhibit is the "Pioneers of Singapore." It comprises statures of key historical personalities such as Sir Stamford Raffles and Tan Tock Seng.


My friends and I then proceeded to Tanjong Beach on the eastern end of the island. It is a favorite of families wanting a quiet time and to relax. A trip to Sentosa would not be complete with a visit to the idyllic beaches on the island.


There are many other attractions on Sentosa, such as the Butterfly Park, the Musical Fountain and the Merlion. However, my friends and I did not have time to visit all the attractions. The remaining ones would have to wait another day.


Essay Structure


The essay starts with a comment on the Underwater World before introducing the writer and his friends' visit to Sentosa.


Paragraph 1 and 2 explain why visitors to Sentosa are attracted to the Underwarter World.


Paragraph 3 goes on to highlight yet another attraction -- the "Images of Singapore."


Paragraph 4 hints that a trip to Sentosa is not just for visiting its attraction. This island is also a place for relaxation. Beaches are mentioned as a example.


The concluding paragraph suggests how the group of friends spent the rest of the day before returning home. It also implies that there would be another trip to Sentosa.

Q & A

1. What feature at the Underwater World did the writer find most enjoyable?


The feature the writer found the most enjoyable at the Underwater World was the 83-meter glass tunnel through which visitors can walk and see fishes and other sea creatures wim all round them.


2. The exhibit "Pioneers of Singapore" portrays scenes from Singapore's past and thus teaches lessons about the republic's early days.


3. Who was Sir Stamford Raffles?


Sir Stamford Raffles was the founder of modern Singapore.


4. How do beaches meet the needs of visitors?

Beaches provide an environment for visitors to relax and have a quiet time together.

A day I will never forget

It was the day I had been looking forward to, for a long time. When my parents told me that we were going to the Zoological Gardens in Mandai, my joy knew no bounds. It was a bright Sunday when we set out early in the morning. This was my first visit to the zoo and I was determined to make it both enjoyable and educational.


There were many things at the zoo which impressed me. The most impressive was the fact that a large number of the animals such as the giraffes and deer were kept in an environment similar to their natural habitat. The rest of the animals were housed in cages. Going from cage to cage was an interesting experience as it gave me the feeling of walking through a jungle.


I found the cage housing wild monkeys the most interesting. The monkeys were active, always jumping and swinging, and I stood near the cage for some time, watching their every move.


Suddenly, the unexpected happened. One of the monkeys caught hold of my right hand and pulled me as if it was trying to get me into the cage. Overwhelmed by surprise and panic, I tried to free myself. My parents screamed and tried to make the monkey release its clutch, but with little success. The monkey was pulling my hand so hard that for a moment I was afraid my hand would be torn off. This went on for nearly a minute until an animal keeper, hearing our screams, came to my rescue. Seizing a stick, he shook it at the monkey and ordered it to let go of my hand. Grudgingly, the monkey obeyed.


Although rescued, I was in a state of shock and disbelief. My parents and I walked to a nearby pavilion and sat down there. We were in no mood to continue our tour of the zoo. After some time, we returned home. It was indeed a day I will never forget.


Essay Structure


The essay is about an experience that became a nightmare. The writer wanted to enjoy the day at the zoo but had an unexpected and unpleasant experience.


Paragraph 1 introduces the subject. The writer set out for a visit to the zoo with high expectations.


Paragraph 2 describes the experience that the writer at first enjoyed. It builds up the atmosphere in which the bitter experience, the point of the essay, took place.


Paragraph 3 of the narration focuses on the cage of the monkeys where the unexpected was to happen.


Paragraph 4 provides the climax of the essay; it relates the experience which is the focus of the essay.


Paragraph 5 concludes the essay, emphasizing that this was an experience the writer would never forget.


Q & A


1. What did the writer find most interesting at the zoo?


The most interesting thing the writer found at the zoo was the fact that most of the animals were kept in surroundings similar to their natural environment.


2. What kind of animals in the zoo are usually housed in cages?


Animals that are more likely to pose a danger to visitors are usually kept in cages.


3. How did the writer get into the desperate situation?


The writer got into the desperate situation through carelessness. He failed to make sure that he was not within the reach of the monkeys.


4. What advice would you give to children visiting the zoo so that they could avoid an equally frightful situation?


Children visiting the zoo should be safe-conscious. They should be careful not to go too close to the animals.