TMJC JC2 GP Bulletin 2020 RA final version for publication

1 General Paper Bulletin 2020 (JC 2) Welcome to the first issue of TMJC’s GP Bulletin for 20 20! In this edition, we bring you a selection of the essays written by your schoolmates during the recent JC 2 Revision Assessment. We would like to express our thanks to all 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 examples and points 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! All the best for the upcoming examination! Editorial Team ___________________ Mdm Aslindah Mrs Wendy Goh Mdm Sukhvinder Kaur Ms Jacqueline Tan Mr Max Cheong Contents Q1: Can terrorism ever be eliminated?. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2 Q3: How effective are your nation’s efforts at becoming an inclusive society? …………………………………..… 6 Q5: Is there any value in formal education now that we can learn independently in the digital age? ……. 10 Q7: Can the use of genetic modification in human reproduction be justified? ………………………………………. 13 Q10: A world without borders is neither desirable nor feasible. Do you agree? ……………………................. 16 Q11: Consider the view that more attention should be given to the sciences than the arts in today’s world. 20

2 Q1 Can terrorism ever be eliminated? (TMJC JC2 RA 2020) Sample Essay Comments Imagine living life constantly being afraid for your safety, not knowing where the next bomb might be detonated, or imagine not being able to walk on the street for fear of being kidnapped or raped by armed militia. For most of us, especially those living in Singapore, this may seem like a very distant improbability. However, for both women and men alike, in third world countries, this is an extremely real threat that these p eople face every day. Likewise, for many of us, what terrorist attacks we may hear of or experience are only fractions of what these people face daily. Hence, is it ever possible that we may be able to fully eradicate terrorism? Personally, I am of the ide a that, no, terrorism will never be truly eradicated. However, with enough proper management and vigilance, we can make it so that terrorism will not pose as high a threat to our safety and well-being ever again. Relevance to Question Requirements: Captures all the evaluative keywords in the question. It starts off with an interesting hook to capture the attention of the reader, and through the examples presented in the opening, shows understanding and insight in addressing the key issues in the question. Quality of argument (Depth and Scope): Scope of discussion presented in the form of contrasting the experiences of people living in Singapore and other parts of the world (third world countries). Suggestions for Improvement: While there were examples given that alluded to an understanding of terrorism (detonation of bomb, kidnap and rape by the militia), there could be a firmer explanation of what terrorism is (unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians) and what these groups hope to achieve through acts of terrorism. Singapore and third world countries are mentioned – was there a point to be made about the prevalence of terrorism in some countries but not others? Contextualisation of terrorism today could be stronger with an explanation of transnational terrorism and the proliferation of terrorist groups with globalised agendas whose operations involve many countries or have ramifications that transcend national borders. Greek mythology introduc es us to the creature known as the Hydra, where chopping off one head leads to the growth of two others. This, in fact, is the most relatable example to the exponentially growing number of terrorist attacks happening today. As perpetuated by recent terrori st attacks such as the Brussels bombings or the Paris attacks happening in 2016, at the height of the terrorist threat, we start to see an increasing trend of self -radicalisation occurring, where these armed groups take every day, harmless objects and turn them into malicious, killing machines with the potential to kill hundreds of people. With the pervasiveness of the internet becoming ever prevalent, access to dark terrorist manifestos are becoming frighteningly easy, which poses a threat to the peace, wh ere seemingly impressionable young minds are being manipulated and turned towards doing such lone wolf missions. Hence, in many countries such as the US, New Zealand or even France, Relevance to Question Requirements: Points raised in the paragraph directly addressed the question, and g ood reasons were provided to explain why it is difficult to eradicate terrorism. Quality of argument (Depth and Scope): Insightful arguments, highlighting relevant key issues to the problem of terrorism today (self-radicalisation, lone wolf phenomenon, dark terrorist manifestos over the internet). Use of Illustrations:

3 where the cultures are more liberal, it becomes a problem as training and monitoring these people’s online activity becomes illegal as it infringes on their privacy. Therefore, it would become increasingly difficult to clamp down on these terrorist manifestos, especially with the increasing ease of access, leading to the difficulty of eliminating terrorism. Good selection of relevant and significant examples to support the point in the paragraph and there is a range of examples given. The significance of the examples to the point being made was also explained consistently in the paragraph. Suggestions for Improvement: While the reference to the Greek mythology was intriguing, deeper connections would have to be made to link the difficulty of eliminating terrorism to the hopelessness of exterminating the serpentine water monster Hydra. The link should not have to be inferred. The thing is, according to the myth, the monster is eventually slayed by Hercules, so does this suggest that eliminating terrorism, though difficult, is possible? The links within the paragraph need to be clearly established. The paragraph also dea lt with a number of key issues which could have been tackled in a few paragraphs, rather than compacting them all in a single paragraph, and compromising in-depth analysis as a result. Moreover in the modern world, realistically, many terrorist groups a re funded by larger powers for their own personal agenda, making it extremely difficult to overthrow and stop them because of how much stronger they get from these funding. A case in point is the Taliban in the 1980s. In the 1980s, the Taliban was merely a resistance fighter group fighting for freedom and independence for Afghanistan. However, as there was a Cold War going on at the time between the US and the USSR, which spilled over to the Middle East, with both countries competing for monopoly over the a bundant amounts of oil available at the time, the US had funded and trained Taliban rebel groups in order to fight the USSR. After the conflict was over, the Taliban turned into a mercenary terrorist group, with one man breaking off and forming another ter rorist orga nisation to fight the West. He wa s Osama Bin Laden, leader of Al-Qaeda, orchestrator of the 9-11 attacks. Hence, with this, we see how, in fact, terrorist groups are being funded and trained by first world countries, being given weapons and taught combat, in order for th