NiE Eng 2017 (Vol 486) by thestar

Vol 486

WEDNESDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2017

Elementary A better world Intermediate A new tomorrow BRATs The power of writing

Tel: 03 7967 1388 Fax: 03 7955 4039 thestar.com.my/education

>11

Supported by the Ministry of Education

-NiE ,

1 NOVEMBER 2017

Elementary

A better world Note to the teacher

century learning skills

OUR children are riding the great wave of technology today. They now have facts and procedures at their fingertips. Teachers have to equip their students with new skills that allow them to thrive in today’s global economy. The activities in The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education pullout combine literacy skills with current content to build this set of skills. The key below indicates the skills integrated into the activities in this pullout.

Saving the planet THE Earth has a few nicknames: the blue marble, the blue planet and the world. It has been around for a very long time. No one knows exactly how long but scientists think 4.5 billion years is a close number. This is a colossal amount of time. How long more do you think this beautiful place will be around? Have you heard of the phrase “sustainable living”? Thirty years ago, the United Nations – in its Brundtland Report – drew up plans to keep the world beautiful and liveable for future generations. They also came up with the term “sustainability”. According to the report, it means meeting the needs of the present without having to rob the future generations. In other words, it means using only what we need at the moment so that people in the future will have enough.

Activity Problem solving

Critical thinking ● Identify

● Reason

Communicating

● Question ● Present

● Oral ● Written

● Aural

My action

Our actions can have a negative impact on the Earth. What are three of your actions that affect the Earth? List them out. Is there any way you can have better self-control over these actions? Complete the table by making your pledge. Finally, present your work in class.

EXAMPLE

My pledge

Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason ● Measure

NiE Activity

● Organise

Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Brainstorm ● Connect ● Invent

Problem solving ● Question ● Research ● Recreate ● Present

Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason

● Measure ● Organise

Problem solving

Creative thinking ● Connect

● Invent

● Recreate

● Present

Communicating ● Oral

● Aural

Collaborating ● Listen

● Compromise

● Contribute ● Attain goal respectfully

All of us need to do our part in saving the planet. With a friend, read these good habits. Then, individually, rank the habits from the easiest to the most difficult to practise. Compare both your answers. Why do you think some habits are easier than others to practise?

Good habit

My choice

My friend’s choice

1. Recycling paper, plastic, glass and aluminium 2. Walking or cycling to nearby places, instead of driving 3. Collecting rainwater to be used for watering plants or washing cars 4. Using and buying less paper to save trees from being cut down 5. Turning off the lights and fan switches when not in use

Communicating

6. Always finishing your food so it won’t go to waste

● Oral

7. Saving water by taking shorter showers, turning off the tap when brushing teeth, using a bucket instead of a hose when washing cars

● Non-verbal ● Written ● Aural

8. Changing all light bulbs in your house to energy-efficient bulbs 9. Always bringing your own shopping bag so you don’t need plastic bags

Collaborating ● Listen ● Contribute respectfully ● Compromise ● Attain goal

10. Planting trees, fruits and vegetables in your garden

With your friend, decide on the top five habits that students like you should practise in order to save the planet. You may either pick from the list above or come up with your own. Next, design the listicle on a sheet of A4 paper. Use words and pictures from The Star to make your listicle more attractive. Finally, present your work in class. As a class, vote for the best design to be posted on the classroom noticeboard. nie editorial manager: SHARON OVINIS senior nie executive: ROWENA CHUA writer: MELALYN NG layout designer: SHOBA illustrator: HASSAN BAHRI To order The Star for NiE lessons, call: Sundarrajan 03-7967 1388 ext 1437 or 016-288 3682 We welcome feedback; write to: Star-NiE, Star Media Group, 15 Jalan 16/11, 46350 Petaling Jaya or e-mail us at: starnie@thestar.com.my

-NiE ,

Elementary A better world

NiE Activity ● Measure ● Organise

Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Connect ● Brainstorm

Preserving green lungs

Part A

News of a local park closure is usually greeted with various reactions. Some may feel sad, while others who are not park lovers may feel indifferent about it. In groups of four, come up with 10 words or expressions that can be used to describe one’s emotions in this situation. At least three of them must be taken from The Star. How about you? How would you feel if your neighbourhood park has to be closed and replaced with a housing development?

Problem solving ● Question ● Recreate

● Present

Communicating ● Oral ● Written

Part B

Read the following article which has been adapted from The Star.

Suit filed in tussle over Kiara park

● Aural

Possible emotions due to park closure

Collaborating ● Listen

● Compromise

● Contribute ● Attain goal respectfully

1. The article is about __________________________________________. 2. Which of these actions do you agree with: saving Taman Rimba Kiara or carrying out the proposed housing development? Before you take a stand, weigh the pros and cons of each action. Write them down in the space provided. Then, as a group, decide on your stand.

KUALA LUMPUR: The move to save Taman Rimba Kiara is now a court battle. Residents of Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) have filed a case against Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Mohd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz to stop a proposed housing development in Taman Rimba Kiara. They are seeking an order from the court to quash a conditional planning permission as well as a development order granted by DBKL to Memang Perkasa, the developer, earlier this year. They have been protesting against the development since news of the project was made public last year. The proposed housing development includes plans to build eight blocks of between 42 and 54-storey high-end serviced apartments, while another 29-storey block comprising 350 units of affordable housing will be allocated to the TTDI longhouse residents. The development includes the construction of a six-lane highway and a flyover. (The Star, Aug 30, 2017)

Versus Residents’ stand:

Developer’s stand:

Saving Taman Rimba Kiara

Carrying out a housing development

Pros:

Cons:

As a group, we agree with _________________

This is because ________________________

We hope ____________________________

__________________________________.

Part C

IMAGINE this scenario: You and your family love going for a walk at the lush green park near your house. You look forward to spending your time there as you get to meet the friendly faces of your friends and neighbours, apart from feeding the ducks and fishes in the pond. However, one Saturday morning, as you arrive at the park, a huge signboard looms over the entrance. It reads: PARK WILL CLOSE IN 2018. You find out later that a development company has proposed that the park be cleared and transformed into a new housing area.

Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason

1 NOVEMBER 2017

From the article, we can see that the residents are trying really hard to save Taman Rimba Kiara. Imagine you are one of the residents. Using words and pictures from The Star, design a poster on a sheet of A4 paper. The purpose of your poster is to:

● Attract attention (bright colours, pictures and catchy headings will come in handy!); ● Educate the public on the importance of having a park in a neighbourhood; ● Inform the public on what will happen if parks are lost to housing developments; and ● Add any other information that you think may be useful.

You may work on this activity in groups of four. Finally, present your poster in class.

-NiE ,

1 NOVEMBER 2017

INTERMEDIATE

Home sweet home

A new tomorrow

YOU may have heard people say, “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.” Physical protection and shelter are among the things that some take for granted in life. Whether you live in a small wooden house in a village or a luxurious

NiE Activity 1 Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason

● Organise

Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Connect ● Brainstorm ● Invent

Problem solving ● Question

brick house in the city, you should find comfort in knowing that you have a roof over your head. Starting a home, for many, signals a new beginning. When was the last time you started something new?

Communicating

● Recreate

● Oral ● Written

● Listen

● Aural

Part B

Collaborating

Many homes are advertised in Star Search. Some are new homes while others are old but have the potential to be made new.

● Compromise

● Contribute ● Attain goal respectfully

Part A Idioms are set phrases or sayings that are often heard in speech. However, we cannot take the meaning literally. For example, when someone says, “turn over a new leaf”, he doesn’t mean that we take a leaf and turn it over onto a different side. Here are idioms that are related to a new tomorrow or a new beginning. Match the idioms to the meanings. Idiom

Meaning

1. To break new ground

a. A refreshing and welcoming change of things from the usual

2. The early bird catches the worm

b. The person who takes action the soonest has the most opportunities

3. A new lease of life

c. To forget the past and start over

4. To turn over a new leaf

d. To start something innovative in an area that others have not thought of before

5. To start with a clean slate

e. To start living life in a new and responsible way

6. A breath of fresh air

f. An event that gives you hope again and makes you more energetic and enthusiastic than before Answers: 1. d 2. b

3. f

4. e

5. c

6. a

EXAMPLE

If you look closely, you will notice that the advertisements have these features: ● ● ● ● ●

You will probably notice that the advertisements are very short, too. That’s because the advertisers have to keep to a word limit. With a friend, look in The Star for a home advertisement that you can improve on. In your advertisement, include one of the idiomatic expressions in the earlier activity. Don’t worry about the word limit but do make sure your advertisement is persuasive and interesting.

FOR SA

NiE Activity 2 Critical thinking ● Identify

● Reason

EXAMPLE

Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Connect ● Brainstorm

Problem solving ● Question

● Recreate

Communicating ● Oral ● Written

● Aural

Reason:

Collaborating ● Listen

Picture Location Description (land area, number of rooms, etc.) Price Contact person and contact number

● Compromise

● Contribute ● Attain goal respectfully

With a friend, look in The Star for three things that represent new beginnings. Cut out the pictures and paste them on a sheet of A4 paper. Then, write down a reason for each of your choices. Next, display your work on the classroom wall and do a gallery walk. Do you agree with everyone’s choices?

-NiE ,

INTERMEDIATE A new tomorrow

Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason

Problem solving

Creative thinking

● Measure ● Organise

Struggling to survive REPORTS of the Rohingya people fleeing Myanmar and losing their homes have been making the rounds in newspapers. But how many of us actually scratch the surface to understand the horrors they have to endure just to survive? Some

NiE Activity

1 NOVEMBER 2017

● Imagine ● Connect ● Brainstorm

● Question ● Recreate

● Present

survive the journey to a new land but the others are either stopped in their tracks or buried at sea. Whatever their reason for fleeing their own homes, their hope is the same. It is to find a safe place they can all call home.

Communicating ● Oral ● Written ● Non-verbal ● Aural

Collaborating ● Listen

● Compromise

● Contribute ● Attain goal respectfully

Rohingya child re food distribut n stretching their hands ed by locals at ou Cox’s Bazar. a makeshift t to receive — AP refugee cam p in

Read the following article which has been adapted from The Star.

18,000 Rohingya flee Myanmar Violence forces refugees into Bangladesh COX’S BAZAR (Bangladesh): At least 18,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled fresh violence in Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh in less than a week. Hundreds of them are stranded in no man’s land at the countries’ border, the International Organisation for Migration said. Human rights groups and advocates for the Rohingya say the Myanmar army was retaliating for attacks last week by Rohingya militants by burning down villages and shooting civilians. The Myanmar government blames Rohingya insurgents for the violence, including the arson. Government figures put the death toll since last week at a minimum of 103, including 12 members of security forces, 77 persons described as insurgents and 14 civilians. Rohingya advocates fear hundreds of civilians may have been killed in army raids.

A report issued yesterday by Myanmar’s Information Ministry said that 45 improvised explosive devices were detonated. In addition, seven villages, one security post and two neighbourhoods in the township of Maungdaw burned down on Sunday and Monday. A majority of Myanmar’s estimated one million Rohingya live in northern Rakhine, where they have faced persecution in a country that refuses to recognise them as a legitimate native ethnic minority, leaving them without citizenship and basic rights. Sanjukta Sahany, a spokesman for the International Organisation for Migration, said the Rohingya crisis was not an issue between Myanmar and Bangladesh but of international concern. Ali Hossain, Cox’s Bazar district’s top government official, said that their resources were under huge stress after some 87,000 Rohingya entered Bangladesh since October last year and another 18,000 since last Friday. “This is a very complex situation,” he said. — AP (The Star, Aug 31, 2017)

Part A

Part B

Work on this activity with a friend. Each of you will play different roles – either that of a Noun finder or a Verb finder. Conduct a vocabulary hunt by looking for words in the article that are linked to suffering and negativity. Fill the words in the table below.

Form a group of four. In your group, compare the list of nouns and verbs you have found. Remember, these are words that carry a negative meaning. Now, think of words that have a positive meaning. Write them down next to each of the words you have listed. Then, as a group, read the article again. How would you rewrite the article using the positive words to change the scenario depicted? Discuss among yourselves. Next, in not more than 300 words, rewrite the article in the space provided. Finally, appoint a group representative to deliver the story as a news presenter.

Noun

Verb

Heading: _____________________________________

burned killed detonated

crisis stress

blames fear

raids persecution

burning down shooting

arson death

__________________________________________________________

stranded retaliating

militants insurgents

__________________________________________________________

fled

attacks

__________________________________________________________

Verb

Noun

__________________________________________________________

Answers:

Part C We often think we have bigger problems than others. It is when we learn about other people’s circumstances that we realise just how much bigger their problems are. What are some lessons or points that you can take away from the Rohingya refugee crisis? Share your reflections in class.

Standfirst: ________________________________________ COX’S BAZAR (Bangladesh): __________________________________

__________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE ●

A heading is the title of a news article.

●

A standfirst is a brief introductory summary of a news article.

-NiE ,

1 NOVEMBER 2017

ADVANCED

Education empowers

Living skills for the real world

Activity Creative thinking

Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason

● Measure

● Imagine

THE world is changing so rapidly today that education has to change with the times, too, in order to prepare the younger generation for the future. The subjects you learn in school today go beyond mere knowledge. Twenty-first century skills like critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity are embedded into your lessons. There is also a range of extracurricular activities that equip you with living skills for the real world.

Communicating

● Connect

● Written

Complete the table below by listing the subjects you learn in school, as well as the extracurricular activities you take part both in, and out of, school.

Subjects I learn in school

Extracurricular activities I take part in

Example:

______________________________

From the list on the left, select your three favourite subjects or activities. Why do you enjoy them? How do you think they will prepare you for the real world? Write out your reasons and explanations in your exercise book.

Subject/ Activity

Why I like this subject

How it will prepare me for the real world

NiE Activity Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason

● Measure ● Organise

Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Connect ● Brainstorm ● Invent

Problem solving ● Question ● Recreate

● Present

Communicating ● Oral ● Aural ● Non-verbal

Collaborating ● Listen

● Compromise

● Contribute ● Attain goal respectfully

In groups of four, read the following article which has been adapted from The Star.

Still good friends after all these years

Ex-cheerleaders share how their bond never wavered since winning first CHEER competition

und fira with (backgro Sharifah and Za ft) nt le ce m re e fro th d at un posing (Foregro r Azura and Ezrin from left) Izrin, No photoshoot.

There are some things that can only be learnt in school. Think about forging friendships, handling peer pressure, managing personal time, developing leadership skills, etc. Some of these are mentioned in the article. Now, your group will play the role of the four interviewees – Nor Azura, Zafira, Sharifah and Ezrin. Imagine that all of you have been invited to speak to current BBGS students to motivate them to cherish their time in school. As a group, discuss what each of you would say and how you would sequence each other’s parts. Then, carry out the activity in class. Have fun!

PETALING JAYA: Although their lives have branched out into different paths, the members of the cheerleading squad to win the first-ever CHEER competition in 2000 remain good friends. The former cheerleading champs, now 34, have been friends long before they founded the team in 1998 when they were 15. Two years later, the “Shirtliff” team from Bukit Bintang Girls’ School (BBGS) clinched the top spot at Malaysia’s inaugural premier inter-school cheerleading competition. Recently, former team captain Izrin Ismail, who is the founder of fashion label Innai Red, brought four of the cheerleaders back for a photoshoot with The Star. Describing the win as one of her “best moments” in life, Nor Azura Abd Aziz, who works in a bank, said being in the team strengthened the bond she shared with her friends. “There is a special bond there because we’ve been in a team together. We learnt the value of teamwork at a young age,” said the mother of two. Zafira Ismail added that the skills she acquired from her cheerleading years helped shape her leadership style as the chief executive officer of her advertising company. “My team treated each other like family. It’s a practice I carry on until today. I lead my staff by working together with them as a team to get things done. That’s how we get to know each other and make work more fun,” Zafira explained. Account manager Sharifah Haizura said team spirit is ingrained in BBGS girls. “If you talk to any BBGS girl, you’d find the team spirit lives in all of us. Consultant Ezrin Zainuddin, who is married with a two-year-old son, said cheerleading has helped her harness her creative side. “Cheerleading is a sport where you can create something from scratch. It’s not easy in the real world, you have to be creative in order to stand out,” she said. (The Star, Oct 3, 2017)

-NiE ,

ADVANCED

NiE Activity 1 ● Identify ● Reason

● Organise

Problem solving ● Question ● Research

● Recreate

Skills can be a lifesaver

Living skills for the real world

Critical thinking

1 NOVEMBER 2017

Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Connect ● Brainstorm ● Invent

COOKING, plumbing, changing a light bulb or a car tyre – how many of us can say we have the skills to get the job done? Yet, these are some of the skills that are important in day-to-day living. Sure, we can get someone to do the work for us. But isn’t it much more convenient if we could at least pick up the basic skills? Imagine having to call a plumber to fix a burst pipe in the middle of the night!

NiE Activity 2 Communicating ● Oral ● Written

● Aural

Collaborating ● Listen

Critical thinking

● Compromise

● Contribute ● Attain goal respectfully

● Identify

In groups of four, pick a life skill that you need to improve on. For example, applying a tourniquet to stop bleeding. Do some research to help you develop a better understanding of how to get it done. Then, using words and pictures from The Star, create a step-by-step guide on a sheet of A3 paper. Finally, stick your work on the classroom wall and do a gallery walk. Give your friends’ work a rating from one to five stars (with five being the most user-friendly guide).

Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Connect ● Brainstorm

● Reason

Communicating ● Oral

Collaborating ● Listen

● Aural

● Compromise

● Contribute ● Attain goal respectfully

Read the article below.

Skills course empowers Rohingya refugees PETALING JAYA: When she first arrived in Malaysia, Rohingya refugee Rahana Nur Salam couldn’t imagine how she and her family would survive. But now, Rahana, 29, is rebuilding her life with the help of PieceWorks Vocational Training Centre. She is among the first batch of refugee women who have graduated with a certificate in baking after completing a course aimed at skills training and capacity building. The Kedah-based centre is run by the non-profit social enterprise arm of New Thessalonian Apostolate (NTA). Rahana and her coursemates have received their certificates in baking, along with a new set of baking tools, at a graduation ceremony in Alor Setar recently. It was a bright moment for the Rohingya community here. Rahana was one of thousands who fled Myanmar in rickety boats and made perilous jungle treks. Many face limited options and legal challenges in finding ways to support themselves and their families, said NTA founder and director-general Dave J.

Kameron in a statement. In the statement, the NTA said it planned to offer basic training in skills such as sewing and automotive repair to help the men and women from the Rohingya refugee community support themselves and their families. The Certificate in Baking is the first in a series of courses under its vocational training programme. PieceWorks is now developing a complementary programme aimed at helping its course graduates find work. “We are in talks with a blue collar job matching platform and are actively looking into finding partners with whom we can develop CSR-based initiatives for workshops and skills training. “We are also looking for retail platforms through which we can eventually sell and market products made by entrepreneurs within the community,” said its executive director of external affairs Sherril Netto Vijayan (Sunday Star, Sept 10, 2017)

Part B

Part A

Apart from baking, sewing and automotive skills, what other types of training do you think the refugees could be given in order to help them make a living for themselves and to be an asset to our community? Brainstorm ideas in groups of four.

In groups of four, imagine you are working for a blue-collar job matching company. You have been asked to come up with a list of five potential jobs and course recommendations for the Rohingya community. Look in The Star for relevant information to help you complete the table below.

Job name

Job nature

Skills needed

Training/course recommendation

Types of vocational training for the Rohingya community

Blue-collar workers work in industry, doing physical work, unlike white-collar workers, who work in offices. Finally, present your recommendations, with explanations of your choices, in class. As a class, decide on the top three recommendations that have a realistic chance of being carried out.

-NiE ,

1 NOVEMBER 2017

Unscramble the words to find the idioms: l Picture: trip on a head self-important and vain

l Across:

one’s head scratch be confused or bewildered

l Down:

head in the right mentally well or very sensible

Fill in the correct one from the list below: 1) Before long, I begin wondering if I’m ________ for making so many excuses for Tom’s mistakes. 2) Have you ever ________ wondering where all his wild ideas come from? 3) “You might think I am ________, but I believe I have the talent to be a big star in Hollywood,” Eggmont said as he waved goodbye. a) on a head trip b) right in the head c) scratched your head

A STILL VOICE IN THE NIGHT “Sometimes I feel so small and insignificant,” Hunky said. “That’s why I like the dark when I can let out a call and feel important.” Even so, Hunky’s cry sounds like a still voice in the night to me! This describes a plea or a begging wish that goes unheard. Here’s an example: “My request to get changes in the bus service is but a still voice in the night because no one seems to be listening.”

Fill in: 1) b 2) c 3) a Down: right in the head Across: scratch one’s head Picture: on a head trip Answers:

Episode 32

By: Dean Pitchford So Chris Newman, how are you feeling?

Is it true that you have a younger brother?

Well, my legs are a little wobbly, I’m so hungry. But I’m really happy to be back. Oh, yeah, I have a great brother. Newton. We call him Newt.

Ordinarily

Usually, normally.

Mayor

The elected or chosen head of a city or town.

Victory

The mayor had asked Newt to ride in this year’s victory parade.

I told the mayor that parades should be led by heroes and there’s only one real hero in Appleton today.

Success or triumph.

What? When it was all over and we got home, my parents returned to doing all the things they would ordinarily do on a November evening.

What do you say, Newt? Can I ride in your parade? The parade took place two days later on a crisp, sunny November Sunday. wt! wt! Ne Ne

Newt!

Newt! Newt! Newt! Newt Newt! Newt! !

So how does it feel to be a hero? I’m not a hero. I’m just a kid who happened to be in the right place at the right time, that’s all.

It was a good day.

It was

The End

QUESTION

Why did Chris and Newt laugh at what the old lady said?