Write a story of a small town girl who worked hard to become a successful chef.

Begin
your story with: “She has used the last of her savings to get to the cooking competition
in the big city and ...”

She has used the last of her savings to get to the cooking competition in the big city and
she has tried her best to emerge victorious. It is all up to the professional judges now. While
waiting for the announcement of the result, very second seems like an eternity. She could feel
her heart drumming against her ribs due to her anxiety, and has even started to think whether
she could accept the fact if she fails in this competition. Just then, the magnified voice of the
announcer makes her jump. She hears her name, and out of the blue, the hall is filled with
tumultuous applause. She actually wins! She is going to be crowned ‘Best Chef of The Year’
in her own right! After the glittering trophy is handed over, she recounts her past endeavours,
and tears of gratitude fall.
Eileen, who hailed from a suburb, dreamt of becoming a successful chef. Money
became her first concern when she first moved to the big city. However, she knew that if she
persevered, she would eventually see the light at the end of the tunnel. With that in mind, she
worked as a cleaner and a waiter in order to build up experience. When she was still raw,
managers kept going ballistic and referred to her as ‘the gormless girl’ because she was slow
and jerky in performing her tasks. Bombardments notwithstanding, she persevered and deemed
it necessary for her to be a fully-fledged culinary professional in times to come.
In the midst of her journey towards success, she was struck by the bad news of her mother’s
death due to terminal illness. Her mother no longer had the chance to see her daughter’s dream
come true, while the daughter held her hand and told the world this is her mother. All of these
seemed to be a million miles away then. Eileen felt her heart being torn apart beyond the point
of repair. Her working capability was greatly disrupted by the mourn, as she felt that even the
silver lining of the cloud had disappeared. The manager was more impatient and irascible than
ever when Eileen made mistakes in every possible occasion. Eventually, she was fired when
she, being in her hopeless and forlorn state, spilled a pot of freshly cooked soup onto fellow
workers. Being rendered jobless, she was broke. She could not afford even the rent and was
consequently exiled as a tenant. For some days, she slept on the five-foot ways and under the
staircase of shophouses on makeshift beds.
Eileen was lucky to have her former colleagues. They offered her a place to stay, with
the proviso that she would get a grip on herself and move on. Thanks to their kindness and
encouragement, she managed to come to terms with the bereavement. She decided that strong
people should not dwell on the past and wallow in despair; they move forward for the better.
She found a new job and strove harder than ever. Due to her natural talent, she shone in
cooking. Soon, her efforts and skills received attention and praise from her new manager. She
was promoted to an assistant in the kitchen. Things started to fall into place as she was
introduced to works with a higher level of difficulty. Her skills were greatly honed as she
imbibed knowledge and practical skills from the main cook.
The day that marked the watershed moment of Eileen’s life came most unexpectedly on a
mesmerising, peaceful sundown. The main chef got home earlier as he had come down with
the flu. She was asked to inform the customers that the dishes from the main chef was
unavailable. All of a sudden, a customer in a black suit walked in briskly. He ordered a dish
which was not found on the menu – Taste from Heaven. Eileen’s jaw dropped. She felt her
heart skip a beat. For a fraction of a second, she stood rooted to the ground, undecided. The
next moment, she instinctively asked for some clues from the customer. After a minute’s
brainstorming session, she started cooking! Little did she know where her courage had come
from as she was well aware that the reputation of the restaurant was banking on her
performance.
 Every drop of blood seemed to curdle in Eileen’s veins as the customer slowly tasted
her cooking. Before she knew it, the customer had wolfed down all his food and paid for it.
The next day, Eileen had the feeling she could no longer tolerate any more shock when she
learnt that customer was the CEO of an international business group as well as a good friend
of the main chef. The Taste from Heaven, which was meant to spoof the chef, had instead put
Eileen to the test. He explained that Eileen had a potential to become a chef, and he could use
her in one of his chain restaurants. He further expressed that Eileen could realise her full
potential through undergoing professional training. Deeply impressed by her skills, he offered
her a scholarship to study in one of the top culinary arts school in France! She was also offered
a 5-year employment contract with the business group upon graduation.
Eileen was on cloud nine. She could not believe that Lady Luck had smiled upon her.
She accepted both offers. However, she was never one to be on her high horse as she knew that
pride comes before a fall. She worked hard doing the 4-year course offered by the school, which
was located in close proximity to Paris, and graduated with a first-class honours degree. Before
returning to Malaysia to fulfil her contract, she had an opportunity to participate in a world-
class cooking competition in Paris. As days of sweats and tears passed, she finally managed to
have herself qualified for the final of the championship and the rest is history.
Eileen’s hard work and determination have helped to fulfil her aspiration – to be a successful
chef! Now, she brings joy to this world with her dishes, as everyone cheers for her – the small
town girl who persevered and created miracles with her bare hands.
Describe the first time you went on a camping trip. You should write about the activities
at the camp and explain how you felt about the experience.

During the school holidays last year, I participated in a 3-day camp organised by the
Boy Scouts Association of my school. As it was the first I had ever taken part in, I was really
excited about it before the trip.
Apart from the scouts from my school, those from a school in a neighbouring town
were also invited to attend. There were about 100 campers altogether, of which approximately
half were from the other school.
The campsite was a clearing of a forest. There was a clear stream nearby. We arrived
on the site early in the morning of the first camp day. After that, we were divided into 10
patrols. Our first task was to set up camp. Our patrol leaders taught us how to pitch the tents.
After the tents had been pitched, we prepared lunch. All of us helped to cut firewood, fetch
water from the stream, make fires with bow drills and cook a meal. Even though the food was
not well prepared, we finished all of it as each one of us was as hungry as a wolf.
In the afternoon, we learnt knot-tying, a skill that is extremely useful in our daily life. That
evening after dinner, we were free to mingle with one another. We had a good time chatting
and playing games. We also slept soundly that night as we were exhausted from the activities
all day long.
The next morning, we proceeded with our next activity - an Iban longhouse visit. We
had to hike through the forest for about 2 hours before reaching the longhouse, where we were
warmly welcomed by the longhouse chief and its occupants. We were given a guided tour of
the house. After that, we were served with lunch and had an opportunity to savour the delicious
traditional delicacies. Then we were presented with a local dance and music performance. We
were also invited to join in. We had a lot of fun doing the ‘ngajat’ dance.
We were all back to our camp in the evening. After dinner, we gathered around a
campfire. Each patrol had to present either a sketch or a song. Some of the sketches were really
hilarious and we laughed till our stomach hurt.
On the last day of the camp, all of us participated in a cross-country race, in which we
had to follow a trail of small bits of white paper across fields, forests and hills. An award
presentation ceremony was held after the race. As I emerged as one of the top 10 runners-up, I
was awarded a medal. Following the ceremony was a session in which we had to memorise
each of our fellow scouts’ names, failing which press-up punishments were imposed. Of all the
100 or so campers, only 3 managed to accomplish the task. I was proud to be one of the 3 as I
had worked really hard in order to avoid being punished.The next morning, all of us prepared
to go home. We broke camp and cleaned up the site before leaving.
Overall, I felt extremely grateful and pleased to have taken part in the camp. It was a
real eye-opener for me. I had acquired new skills and increased my knowledge. I made quite a
lot of new friends as well and some of them were among my best. Moreover, the experience
had also boosted my self-confidence and sense of satisfaction. I definitely look forward to
attending such beneficial camp again.
There are many things to do after your SPM examination. Write about your plans for the
next three months and the challenges you might face.

Despite the fact the SPM examination is just round the corner, I have had the following
3 months after the examination planned, besides studying hard and doing last-minute revision.
The first plan for the 3-month period is what most teenagers would do after completing
secondary school education - learning how to drive. My father has appointed one of his friends,
who happens to be in the relevant line of work, as my driving instructor. According to my
father, he is an experienced and patient teacher and I should have no problem passing the test
and obtaining a licence if I cooperate fully with him. Since I have never driven before, one of
the challenges that I might face is to familiarise myself with all the car parts and driving
techniques, apart from equipping myself with the basic Knowledge of the engine. To me, some
of these seem so complicated - especially the engine. Besides that, I also have a fear of large
vehicles on the road, such as tankers, lorries and buses especially when I am riding in a car.
Anyway, I am sure that with the assistance of my instructor, I will be able to rise to the
challenges and obtain the passport and freedom to drive myself to wherever I want.
My second plan is to learn typewriting using the correct technique,that is, using all my
10 fingers and the right positions, particularly the former. Presently, I type with only a few
fingers, which is obviously much slower. Instead of doing a typing course in an educational
institution, my brother suggested that I learn from home using special software specially
created for this purpose. There are, in fact, a lot of free software available from the Internet.
Besides that, many websites also offer free online typing courses. Since it is much more
economical and convenient, I agree with my brother’s suggestion. I may face challenge
learning proper keyboarding technique as I am so used to the wrong way. Another challenge
that I might face is perseverance, since I am learning on my own. Luckily, my benevolent
brother offers to watch over me and monitor my progress. As such, I believe that I will be able
to acquire the skills and type at a much higher speed with great accuracy after 3 months.
As I intend to further my studies after the release of my SPM examination results, my third
plan is to improve my command of English and mathematical ability. I will be spending time
to further familiarise myself with the grammar rules. I will also be doing a lot of reading and
writing practice as they are two of the most effective methods to achieve my target. As for
mathematics, since one’s mathematical skills take a lot of hard work to develop, I plan to start
learning the higher level mathematics with the help of my friends who are currently
undergraduates. The challenge that I may face for this plan is quite similar to the second - since
I am unattached to any learning institutions, I may find it unnecessary to stick to this plan, even
though I am aware of its benefits. But at least I have assistance. Therefore, I believe that I will
stick to plan 3 as well.
I hope to be able to implement my plans and accomplish my goals. Whether I will be
able to succeed depends a lot on my perseverance, determination and diligence. With these
qualities, proper time management and help from family members, friends and driving
instructor, I believe that it is possible to overcome all challenges and achieve my targets.
Write about your experience helping Puan Ramlah, an elderly lady who lives alone. End
your story with “... I learnt a lot about myself by helping Puan Ramlah.”

I live in a village with a population of approximately 5,000. Puan Ramlah, an elderly

lady, lives alone in a run-down wooden house in close proximity to mine. In the past, Puan
Ramlah lived with her husband and 3 children. Recently, her husband passed away. Her 3
children live far afield and only visit her once in a blue moon. Even so, Puan Ramlah accepts
her fate and never complains. As she has a cheerful personality, she is often seen smiling and
laughing. My parents and I help her in whatever way we can.
Puan Ramlah used to be a good cook. Due to her failing eyesight and arthritic hands,
she finds it difficult to cook. Sympathising with her, mother often cooks an extra portion for
her when she cooks. Whenever I go to her house and give her the food, she thanks me
gratefully. She always says that mother’s cooking is delicious. Then, she savours the food with
delight. She makes me realise how lucky I am to have a great cook at home.
One day, a terrible storm struck our village. Most of the houses here were not affected
but poor Puan Ramlah’s dilapidated house was almost torn down. It would not be able to last
another storm. After a discussion, the men in our village decided to help Puan Ramlah build a
brick house.
My family invited Puan Ramlah to stay with us until the house was ready. She was
deeply indebted to us. I helped to pack her things and bring them to our house. I was sad to
discover that she had only few items of worn-out clothing. She even had no toothbrush to use.
Despite the fact, she never demanded anything from us. We provided her with all the necessities
and offered her whatever assistance she needed. She was extremely beholden to us for our
kindness and generosity.
Puan Ramlah’s house took about 3 months to complete. Her cheerful character brought
a lot of happiness to us. I also realised how fortunate I am to have a warm and loving family
that is willing to help the needy. I should treasure what I have. 'It is better to give than to
receive’, as the saying goes. I used to think that altruism is not worth our while but I was wrong.
Through helping Puan Ramlah, I realise that helping those in need makes our life more
meaningful and happier. It is also a pathway to personal growth. In fact, I learnt a lot about
myself by helping Puan Ramlah.
What is the best way for teenagers to stay fit and healthy?

Teenagers are youngsters between 13 and 19 years of age. As teenage years are the
period that most of our growing occurs, it is of vital importance that teenagers stay fit and
healthy to facilitate the process. In my opinion, the best way for juveniles to gain good health
and fitness is through having a balanced diet, an active lifestyle and a good night’s sleep.

Eating a balanced diet is a vital part of maintaining good health as it provides the
essential nutrients required for growth. Each of our meals should contain the 7 components of
a balanced diet - carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fats, protein, fibre and water -
for optimal health. Whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, poultry and fish
contribute to a balanced diet. Organic foods are better by comparison with inorganic ones as
the former are grown or farmed without the use of artificial chemicals, hormones and
antibiotics which can be detrimental to our health. Since about 60 percent of our body is made
up of water, consuming adequate water is also an important factor. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of
water is the ideal amount for an adolescent’s body to function well.
The human body is built for movement. If we lead a sedentary lifestyle, health problems
are prone to arise. Hence it is wise to exercise a few times a week for about half an hour each
session. Even doing domestic chores, which brightens your parents up, is better than nothing
at all. Cardiovascular exercise helps to strengthen our heart and lungs while stretching reduces
the risk of injury by increasing flexibility. Strength training helps to strengthen our muscles.
Other benefits of doing exercises include preventing obesity and osteoporosis, improving blood
circulation and combating depression.
Sleep is crucial to our health because when we sleep, our body undergoes repair, growth
and detoxification. For instance, sleep is involved in the healing and repair of our heart and
blood vessels. As such, teenage boys and girls should get quality sleep of about 9 hours each
night. Sleep improves brain performance and therefore teenagers with sufficient sleep tend to
learn and memorise more effectively. Thus, they also tend to perform better academically.
Apart from that, sleep also helps to prevent inflammation and obesity, spur creativity, reduce
stress levels and boost our immune system, among many other advantages. Therefore, it is
important to cultivate good sleep habits like going to bed at the same time every night and
make sure that your bedroom is dark and quiet when you go to sleep.
Although there are numerous other ways for teenagers to stay fit and healthy, the 3
factors mentioned above are some of the most effective, from my point of view. Undeniably,
teenagers today face more challenges and pressure. It is therefore essential for them to realise
the importance of staying fit and healthy in order to live life to its fullest and tackle challenges
and problems that come along with confidence.
Social networking has caused a lot of problems. How far do you agree?
Social networking, which is also known as social media, is the use of internet-based
applications to make connections with people such as our family and friends. It is now
becoming an important part of our lives. In order to keep pace with the advancement of
technology, almost all of us have learnt how to use social networking websites such as
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. Despite its popularity, is it true that social
networking has caused us a lot of problems?
In my opinion, social networking has its advantages and disadvantages. It actually
depends on how we use it. I believe that social media benefits us because it brings people closer
even though they are from different parts of the world. By using social networking, a person
can communicate with his family and friends wherever they are. Furthermore, social
networking sites are basically free of charge. It is extremely user friendly and can be used
wherever there is internet access. By comparison, it is more economical than making telephone
calls. We are able to share our life stories and special moments through social networking. For
instance, we can see photos of beautiful scenery and cultural activities posted by users from
different countries. We can also interact with them through the use of chat rooms and also by
posting comments and messages.
Another benefit of social networking is that like-minded people all over the world are
able to discuss important topics and share their points of view. This can widen a person’s
personal knowledge as he can discover different things that he never knew. For example, young
people around the world are now more involved in their countries’ politics. They also have a
more caring attitude towards other important issues both at home and abroad.
Just as everything has its pros and cons, social networking is no exception. One of the
problems it has caused us is that it allows us to hide behind the screens. That limits face to face
interaction among people. Some of us might think that it is good enough to be sociable simply
through the use of social networking. This could result in the lack of communication and
interpersonal skills when we come face to face with people. In addition, we tend to neglect the
importance of building a good relationship with friends that we make through social media.
For instance, users can have thousands of friends in their Facebook friends lists, but how many
of them do they see on a semi-regular basis?
Moreover, social networking has taken too much out of our lives. A lot people are busy
with ‘Facebooking’ or ‘Tweeting’ instead of interacting with their friends and family when
meeting up. When their elders are talking to them, they are busy with their social networking
sites and tend to ignore their elders. Such insolence is prevalent especially among today’s
younger generation. Apart from that, another serious problem which social media has caused
us is distraction. For example, while studying, students may decide to catch up with Youtube
videos or update their Twitter accounts. This causes concentration problems and consequently
has a negative effect on the students’ academic performance. The similar situation is also not
uncommon among workers who are on duty. This can result in their superior’s distrust of them.
In conclusion, I agree to a certain extent that social networking has caused a lot of
problems. If it is misused or used in an improper manner, problems can arise. On the other
hand, it can be a useful tool to people from all walks of life if it is used in an appropriate
manner.
Describe an important family celebration and how you felt about it.

Last Saturday, my family had an important celebration. It was my father’s birthday and
we celebrated the special occasion by throwing a surprise party for him. A week prior to the
party, we secretly invited our relatives and my father’s friends to the party. In the afternoon of
my father’s birthday, my elder brother Brian requested our father to take him shopping in a
shopping centre to buy some sports gear. Our father had no idea that it was just a pretext to get
him out of the house. While they were away, my mother, younger brother Austin and I started
to get ready for the party at home. After decorating the living room with crepe paper and
balloons, we went to a bakery to fetch the birthday cake that we ordered a few days earlier. Not
long after we reached home, the caterers arrived and started to set up the food in no time.
About an hour later, the guests started arriving. Just then, Brian called to inform our
mother that he and our father would be coming home soon. Mother told him to stay in the
shopping centre a bit longer as not all the guests had arrived yet. Brian said that he would try
his best. After all the guests had arrived, all of us hid excitedly and waited for their return.
Within moments, we heard a car parking, followed by people walking towards the front door.
“You haven’t been a good son today, have you?” my father complained in a slightly cross tone
of voice. He then took out the door key from his trouser pocket. Inserting it into the keyhole,
he continued, “You know that I dislike shopping, especially for long hours. And yet you
dragged me all over the shopping centre. In the end, you bought nothing. I’m so tired now.”

After my father had turned the key and opened the door, all of us jumped out of our hiding
places and shouted, “Surprise!” My father was quite flabbergasted to see so many people in
our beautifully decorated living room. For a while, he was dumbfounded. When he had
recovered from his ‘shock’, he laughed heartily and exclaimed, “OMG! It’s my birthday today.
I should’ve seen this coming!”
Realising why Brian had taken him all over the shopping centre, he punched Brian’s
arm playfully and said that he was not a bad son that day after all. All of us laughed and
conveyed our birthday greetings to him. After he had talked to the guests, the food was served.
Next, he cut the cake and served it to everyone as dessert. After the meal, all of us gave my
father birthday gifts. Before the party ended, my father made a short speech to thank all the
guests for coming and also for their presents. He also expressed that the greatest gift he had
ever received is his family. Everyone of us applauded.
I love surprise parties and this is the best that I have ever had so far. I was happy to see
my father having such an enjoyable time at the party, not to mention the delicious food served.
Although I was glad to celebrate my father’s birthday, I felt a little sadness as he had grown a
year older and the number of his grey hairs had increased. My father has sacrificed so much
for the well-being of our family and I love him dearly. As the only daughter of my family, I
want him to be by my side, to be there for me forever. But I know that this is impossible.
Anyway, I wish him nothing but happiness, health, longevity and many happy returns of the
day.
The Malaysian tradition of having open houses is important and should be practised
more. Do you agree? Give reasons to support your view.

Having open houses is a tradition much common among Malaysians since decades ago.
It speaks volumes about our hospitality. Usually held when there are festivals going around, it
not only signifies the Malaysian culture but also brings us a lot of benefits. Therefore, I am of
the opinion that the tradition is vital and should be practised more. Stated below are the reasons
to support my stand.
Firstly, the open house tradition is of paramount importance to foster close relationship
among neighbours. In today's dog-eat-dog world, it has become a form of luxury if one has the
time to chatter away in his neighbour's house as he only keeps his nose to the grindstone
pursuing his career. As a result, the bond among neighbours is sacrificed. Worry not, the open
house is here to save the day! Whenever an open house is held, all of those living in close
proximity are welcome. It is a golden opportunity to get to know even the most reclusive of
neighbours. Chit-chatting and having fun together strengthen ties. New friendships are also
bound to form. A strong neighbourhood spirit is important as neighbours are the ones who live
closer to us than most of our relatives. Should any untoward incidents crop up, they are the first
ones to be able to offer us a helping hand. Therefore, it is crystal clear that the open house plays
a prominent role in forging strong ties with neighbours.
The open house promotes harmony among races. As the saying goes, “one man's meat
is another man's poison”. This is very true in our nation where different ethnic groups co-exist
with cultures of their own. Understanding, respect and tolerance is the key to harmony. The
open house enables us to better understand the traditions and culture of a particular race, such
as their beliefs, off-limits and rules to abide by as well as their traditional food and dance.
Through such understanding, we are able to live by the golden rule of respecting and tolerating
the discrepancy in beliefs and culture and boost harmony.
Apart from that, the open house also brings unity among races. Whenever a family
decides to organise an open house, other families rush to help regardless of race, beliefs and
culture. Bigotry and racism are reduced to a minimum and we strive as one towards a common
goal - a better Malaysia!
Last but not least, the open house tradition benefits our tourism industry. Tourists
visiting Malaysia during festivals will indubitably be curious and attracted to an open house.
Naturally, many of them will visit the house to experience the jubilation and savour our
traditional dishes. Upon returning to their homeland, they tend to spread the word about our
unique tradition and most likely bring more visitors to our nation.
All in all, it is obvious that our tradition of having open houses is important as it holds
significant values. It contributes towards racial harmony and unity. Just as the adage goes,
‘united we stand, divided we fall.’ In addition, it also promotes tourism, which strengthens our
economy. Thus, I believe it is an essential tradition that should not only be upheld but also
practised more.