Life and how to survive it:
A Speech by Adrian Tan given at a convocation dinner at National University of Singapore
http://jinshinn.blogspot.com/2008/09/life-and-how-to-survive-it.html
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Blk 1 DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
Past Examination questions (Paper 2 Section A)
1. You are in paradise. What is it like? (June 08). (also imaginative )
2. Write a descriptive piece called ‘The Storm’. In your writing you should try to bring out an increasing sense of the power and force of extreme weather. ( June 08)
3. Think of a piece of music you know well. Describe the memories and feelings it brings. (Nov 07)
4. Write the opening to a story called ‘The Dream’. In your writing you should try to bring out an atmosphere built on the use of colour and sound. (Nov 07) (also imaginative; storyline is of secondary importance since this is an opening chapter)
5. Write the short opening chapter of a novel called Dark Star. In your writing you should try to bring out a sense of a futuristic and mysterious world. (June 07) (also imaginative; you should keep the plot very simple because the emphasis is on describing a futuristic and mysterious atmosphere)
6. Write the opening to a story in which things begin to happen in slow motion. (Nov 06) (you should keep the plot simple because the emphasis is on the description of slow motion)
7. Think of a particular sound. Describe the memories and feelings which it brings to mind.(Nov 06)
8. Write two contrasting pieces (between 300– 450 words each) describing the same character when he/she is young and then old. In your writing you should try to bring out differences in the character’s appearance and outlook on life. (June 06)
9. Write the opening chapter of a novel called The Underworld. In your writing you should try to bring out a sense of mystery and suspense. ( June 06) (also imaginative; storyline is of secondary importance since this is an opening chapter )
10. Think of a taste or smell. Describe the personal experiences and emotions which it brings to mind.(Nov 05)
11. Write two contrasting descriptive pieces [around 300–450 words each] which portray the scene before a party or a festival and the scene after it. In your writing you should bring out differences in mood and atmosphere. (June 05)
5 POINTERS for writing descriptive essays
1. Describe the place, person, scene from different angles/aspects. Eg:
a. a Storm (Question 2) - How the storm affects the vegetation, the people, the roads & vehicles, buildings, animals, geographical features (coastline, rivers, mountains)
b. character (Question 8) – appearance ( facial features, body shape, how he walks, talks, dresses, mannerisms etc) ; outlook (of money, friends, career, marriage, raising children, death etc)
c. A party or festival (Question 11) - decorations, music, food, lighting, entertainers, performances, floats, hosts and guests, VIP’s, etc
2. Consider the 5 SENSES - describe sounds (made by humans, machinery, animals, natural elements) smells, colours, shapes or forms of things, movements, how something feels to the touch, temperature (cold/hot), how something feels to your tastebuds. (Questions 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11)
3. Think DETAIL, DETAIL, DETAIL (applies to all questions)
Eg Consider this description of Count Dracula:
His face was a strong -- a very strong -- aquiline, with high bridge of the thin nose and peculiarly arched nostrils; with lofty domed forehead, and hair growing scantily round the temples but profusely elsewhere. His eyebrows were very massive, almost meeting over the nose, and with bushy hair that seemed to curl in its own profusion. The mouth, so far as I could see it under the heavy moustache, was fixed and rather cruel-looking, with peculiarly sharp white teeth; these protruded over the lips, whose remarkable ruddiness showed astonishing vitality in a man of his years. For the rest, his ears were pale and at the tops extremely pointed; the chin was broad and strong, and the cheeks firm though thin. The general effect was one of extraordinary pallor..
Hitherto I had noticed the backs of his hands as they lay on his knees in the firelight, and they had seemed rather white and fine; but seeing them now close to me, I could not but notice that they were rather coarse -- broad, with squat fingers. Strange to say, there were hairs in the centre of the palm. The nails were long and fine, and cut to a sharp point. As the Count learned over me and his hands touched me, I could not repress a shudder. It may have been that his breath was rank, but a horrible feeling of nausea came over me, which, do what I would, I could not conceal…
Dracula, Bram Stoker (2000)
4. Think PERSONAL (thoughts, feelings, memories, likes and dislikes, impressions that are YOURS and yours ONLY.) (Questions 1, 3, 4, 7 and 10). Original ideas are always refreshing and sometimes give new understanding to a topic or subject.
5. The storyline or plot is of secondary or minor importance ( Plot is important for questions which specifically ask you write a short story or drama script).
1. You are in paradise. What is it like? (June 08). (also imaginative )
2. Write a descriptive piece called ‘The Storm’. In your writing you should try to bring out an increasing sense of the power and force of extreme weather. ( June 08)
3. Think of a piece of music you know well. Describe the memories and feelings it brings. (Nov 07)
4. Write the opening to a story called ‘The Dream’. In your writing you should try to bring out an atmosphere built on the use of colour and sound. (Nov 07) (also imaginative; storyline is of secondary importance since this is an opening chapter)
5. Write the short opening chapter of a novel called Dark Star. In your writing you should try to bring out a sense of a futuristic and mysterious world. (June 07) (also imaginative; you should keep the plot very simple because the emphasis is on describing a futuristic and mysterious atmosphere)
6. Write the opening to a story in which things begin to happen in slow motion. (Nov 06) (you should keep the plot simple because the emphasis is on the description of slow motion)
7. Think of a particular sound. Describe the memories and feelings which it brings to mind.(Nov 06)
8. Write two contrasting pieces (between 300– 450 words each) describing the same character when he/she is young and then old. In your writing you should try to bring out differences in the character’s appearance and outlook on life. (June 06)
9. Write the opening chapter of a novel called The Underworld. In your writing you should try to bring out a sense of mystery and suspense. ( June 06) (also imaginative; storyline is of secondary importance since this is an opening chapter )
10. Think of a taste or smell. Describe the personal experiences and emotions which it brings to mind.(Nov 05)
11. Write two contrasting descriptive pieces [around 300–450 words each] which portray the scene before a party or a festival and the scene after it. In your writing you should bring out differences in mood and atmosphere. (June 05)
5 POINTERS for writing descriptive essays
1. Describe the place, person, scene from different angles/aspects. Eg:
a. a Storm (Question 2) - How the storm affects the vegetation, the people, the roads & vehicles, buildings, animals, geographical features (coastline, rivers, mountains)
b. character (Question 8) – appearance ( facial features, body shape, how he walks, talks, dresses, mannerisms etc) ; outlook (of money, friends, career, marriage, raising children, death etc)
c. A party or festival (Question 11) - decorations, music, food, lighting, entertainers, performances, floats, hosts and guests, VIP’s, etc
2. Consider the 5 SENSES - describe sounds (made by humans, machinery, animals, natural elements) smells, colours, shapes or forms of things, movements, how something feels to the touch, temperature (cold/hot), how something feels to your tastebuds. (Questions 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11)
3. Think DETAIL, DETAIL, DETAIL (applies to all questions)
Eg Consider this description of Count Dracula:
His face was a strong -- a very strong -- aquiline, with high bridge of the thin nose and peculiarly arched nostrils; with lofty domed forehead, and hair growing scantily round the temples but profusely elsewhere. His eyebrows were very massive, almost meeting over the nose, and with bushy hair that seemed to curl in its own profusion. The mouth, so far as I could see it under the heavy moustache, was fixed and rather cruel-looking, with peculiarly sharp white teeth; these protruded over the lips, whose remarkable ruddiness showed astonishing vitality in a man of his years. For the rest, his ears were pale and at the tops extremely pointed; the chin was broad and strong, and the cheeks firm though thin. The general effect was one of extraordinary pallor..
Hitherto I had noticed the backs of his hands as they lay on his knees in the firelight, and they had seemed rather white and fine; but seeing them now close to me, I could not but notice that they were rather coarse -- broad, with squat fingers. Strange to say, there were hairs in the centre of the palm. The nails were long and fine, and cut to a sharp point. As the Count learned over me and his hands touched me, I could not repress a shudder. It may have been that his breath was rank, but a horrible feeling of nausea came over me, which, do what I would, I could not conceal…
Dracula, Bram Stoker (2000)
4. Think PERSONAL (thoughts, feelings, memories, likes and dislikes, impressions that are YOURS and yours ONLY.) (Questions 1, 3, 4, 7 and 10). Original ideas are always refreshing and sometimes give new understanding to a topic or subject.
5. The storyline or plot is of secondary or minor importance ( Plot is important for questions which specifically ask you write a short story or drama script).
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