TMJC 2022 JC2 MBT GP Bulletin

1 General Paper Bulletin 2022(JC 2) Welcome to the first issue of TMJC’s GP Bulletin for 202 2! We bring you a selection of the essays written by your schoolmates during the recent JC 2 March Block Test. We would like to express our thanks to the students who have contributed their essays. While these essays are not perfect or model essays, there is a lot of merit in them, and they are clear evidence that good quality writing is possible! While reading these essays, you may find some of the content useful for application to other questions ; do be judicious in using such information in a manner that is relevant to the question you are answering. Pay extra attention to the comments on the right column, which corresponds to the marking rubrics on which essays are assessed. Lastly, you should not attempt to copy and hand them in as your own. We wish you all the best in your upcoming Mid-Year Examinations. Editorial Team ___________________ Mdm Aslindah Ms Jacqueline Tan Mrs Annie Clayton Mr Max Cheong Contents Q4: ‘For young couples today, having children is neither appealing nor practical.’ How far is this true of your society? …………………………………………………………………………………… 2 Q4: ‘For young couples today, having children is neither appealing nor practical.’ How far is this true of your society? ………………………………………………………………………………….… 5 Q6: Are influencers paid too much? ....………………………………………………………………… 8 Q8: ‘In today’s world, a country’s domestic issues are never just its own.’ Discuss. ……………. 12

2 Q4. ‘For young couples today, having children is neither appealing nor practical.’ How far is this true of your society? (TMJC JC2 MBT 2022) Sample Essay Marker’s Comments In today’s society, the idea of buying a home with your significant other, or having ch ildren with them has become something that is rare. The widely perpetuated ‘American Dream ’ has transcended different societies and time, yet it has been challenged countless times in the past few decades as its idealistic goals and outcomes can rarely com e into fruition in the present economy. It remains nothing more than an outdated belief, amongst the many other conservative ideals that failed the test of time. In the present, young couples define what they call home, or a family differently. Hence, there has been a stark decline in birth rate, as they rethink the pros and cons of having children. Hence, I agree to a large extent that for young couples in Singapore, having children is neither appealing nor practical. Relevance to Question Requirements: Clear and relevant context of the current, modern world is highlighted: the idea that some conservative beliefs simply cannot stand given the changes in our present time Suggestions for Improvement: Might need to clarify the idea of ‘American Dream’, what it entails, and to better link it to the context of Singapore. Firstly, having children is neither practical nor appealing due to the high monetary costs in the present decade. The general cost of living has risen exponentially, as compared to the 1970s – 1980s, where the older generation who were then young adults would experience better economic opportunities as well as higher wages. In the present, it is harder to gain a job that pays well, with just a degree and no experience. Having a bachelor’s degree, for instance, has become quite commonplace amongst candidates applying for a white-collared job, with about 33 per cent of the workforce in Singapore holding a university degree. As such, the you ng adults themselves are already struggling to earn a liveable wage, and have barely enough disposable income to sustain their living standards and habits. If they were to raise a child, they would have to take into account the inflated costs of diapers, f ormula milk, clothes and other necessities. These all can easily cost up to about S$400 a month, excluding the possible visits to the paediatrician in the event of complications that may occur during childbirth. In addition, if they choose to adopt a child, the costs would be even higher, and the process of child-rearing would be even more tedious and complex. Hence, this shows that they are not prepared to take on this financial burden, as they do not have financial stability, which would be an important f oundation for child-rearing, as the amount of money one has may determine the child’s early development and health. Therefore, this reinforces the point that it is neither practical nor appealing for young adults to have children in Singapore. Relevance to Question Requirements: Topic sentence clearly addresses the question on practicality and appeal. Quality of argument (Depth and Scope): Context of the past was aptly brought in to serve as a comparison to the present context to better bring out the difficulties faced by the current generation. Development of the argument thoughtfully considered the cost of raising children from various aspects, even bringing out the context of child adoption as a possible consideration. Use of Illustrations: Examples are detailed and clearly linked back to the question on raising children. Suggestions for Improvement: Could bring out other SG characteristics which contribute to the cost of raising children. These can be used to highlight needs vs wants in child- rearing. Singapore, like any other metropolitan city, is fast paced and unyielding. From trends to social issues, they arise as quickly as they go. It is unsurprising to see the young adults in Singapore emotionall y drained and tired by the end of the day. They have little time where they are at home and by themselves, away from the hustle and bustle, as well as away from their pressing work obligations or societal pressure temporarily. The pressure to succeed and r eceive recognition from their peers is ingrained in their minds by the parents and teachers, weighing heavily in their hearts. This emotional burden hinders them from having children as it would take away their time and even progress in their career, which may have taken years of toiling to attain and get that far . Relevance to Question Requirements: Clear SG context set to justify argument to address question requirement of ‘your society’. Context clearly brings out the lack of appeal in raising children. Quality of argument (Depth and Scope): SG characteristics highlighted are not only relevant but varied and the implications of these characteristics are also logically provided.

3 For working women, the opportunity costs of having children are even more than that of men. Due to the commonly held notion that women should be the caretaker of children, they are often passed u p for promotions and opportunities in favour of the men in the workforce, in the event they get married and have children. This stigma against women in the workforce is subtle but persistent, with 45 per cent of female respondents agreeing that corporate c ulture favouring a particular gender and stereotypes are barriers in career advancement, based on a Straits Times article. Hence, young adults are more reluctant to have a child as it would potentially disrupt their climb up the corporate and social ladder in the workforce, as well as their desire for success, creating an emotional burden. If they were to have a child, this emotional burden can transform into resentment and hatred towards their child, as they just view them as a form of obstruction. Some ma y even project their desire to succeed on their children by pressuring them to excel academically. Hence, this perpetuates a negative generational cycle that pressurises one to succeed. Showed acute awareness of the reality of working life in SG. Showed consideration of specific groups of people in the SG society (e.g.