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.