2010 KS Bull Issue 1

Raffl es Institution | ksbull volume 1 | 2010 One of the most effective communicators of this era must be US President Barack Obama. Campaign speeches aside, his rhetoric on healthcare reform, sustainable development and the need for strong fundamentals such as education is persuasive and thoughtfully conveyed. The author of a recent biography on him relayed how Obama’s rich cultural background has enabled him to be an Everyman, someone who can relate to a wide cross section of the community and connect across cultures. He may speak the language of the elite from top US Colleges like Harvard, but he can strike a chord with those who come from the midwest, because of his mother and his modest upbringing. Google “Video of Will Smith Interview with Barack Obama” and listen to Obama’s argument on the need to expand our “moral imagination” and how nations should collaborate rather than compete in a world of limited resources. What Obama did – very effortlessly – was to use a number of cross-cultural references and weave in succinct narratives that foreground the plight of the villagers halfway round the world. To quote Obama, “One of the critical ingredients of any effort for peace is my ability to stand in your shoes and see through your eyes, and constantly imagine what it’s like, being a mother in Bangladesh right now... if the waters are rising because of climate change...”. How do we write persuasive and convincing essays? Listen to some of Obama’s speeches and writing and you will get useful tips on how the use of statistics and facts, interwoven with personal stories and conveyed with cross-cultural sensitivity, can strike a chord with listeners, viewers and readers. Read this issue of KS Bull and weigh what it is that makes one argument more persuasive than another. Enjoy. Lim Lai Cheng (Mrs) Principal, Raffl es Institution Message from the Principal @XxpokesxX

Raffl es Institution | ksbull volume 1 | 2010 Message from the Principal GP Promotion Examination 2009 Consider the value of play. [Sarah Chong Xin, 10S030] Consider the value of play. [Li Yiling Eden, 10S03Q] “There is no lack of policy in environmental conservation; it is the people who lack conscience and sensitivity.” How far is this true? [Nigel Fong Jie Ming, 10S03O] “There is no lack of policy in environmental conservation; it is the people who lack conscience and sensitivity.” How far is this true? [Kee Ae Ra, 10S03K] “There is no lack of policy in environmental conservation; it is the people who lack conscience and sensitivity.” How far is this true? [Jaclyn Chong Shu Yeen, 10S03L] “Science cannot stop while ethics catches up.” (Elvin Stackman) What is your view? [Ashish Xiangyi Kumar, 10A01A] How far would you say that singlehood has been hugely underrated? [Eunice Teo Swee Lin, 10A01B] Are the Arts a luxury we should dispense with, especially in diffi cult economic conditions? [Xiao Yi Fei, 10A01B] Is political corruption an inevitable condition in any society? [Rachel Oon Siew Tjion, 10S03N] ‘Advertising has evolved over the years, but not for the better.’ Do you agree? [Norman Maswari Aziz, 10A01B] ‘With economic development comes greater equality in a country.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement? [Eugene Yap Ming Yap, 10S03C] GP Preliminary Examination 2009 “City life is becoming increasingly unattractive today.” What is your opinion? [Gan Guo Wei, 09A03B] “City life is becoming increasingly unattractive today.” What is your opinion? [Wong Ying Xuan Kelly, 09S03L] “Education heightens inequality.” Discuss. [See Xin Ying, 09S03G] “Education heightens inequality.” Discuss. [Ho Jiayun, 09A01A] “Science never solves a problem without creating ten more.” (George Bernard Shaw) Comment. [Grace Tan Shiting, 09S03G] “Science never solves a problem without creating ten more.” (George Bernard Shaw) Comment. [Lee Chuan Yaw, 09S03E] “Women play a more important role than men in families today.” Do you agree? [Elizabeth Marion Chua Zi Min, 09S03G] 4 6 8 10 12 14 17 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 Contents @XxpokesxX

Raffl es Institution | ksbull volume 1 | 2010 Does the presence of a strong opposition in government help or hinder a country’s progress? [Rachel Phoa Huiling, 09S03L] Does the presence of a strong opposition in government help or hinder a country’s progress? [Lau Wei Yii Benjamin, 09S06W] “The world today needs more than one superpower.” Do you agree? [Samuel Koh Boon Hao, 09S06W] “The world today needs more than one superpower.” Do you agree? [Daniel Chew Wen Chao, 09S03M] “Style without substance.” How far is this true of television programmes today? [Joy Chua Zijun, 09S06W] “Style without substance.” How far is this true of television programmes today? [Leong Jin Yin, 09S03L] “Sports stars are paid too much money for their talent.” Do you agree? [Teo Li Quan Bob, 09S06L] “Sports stars are paid too much money for their talent.” Do you agree? [Koh Siew Hui Michelle, 09S03L] GP Class Assignments 2010 “Extensive research in genetic engineering is a huge waste of money.” Do you agree? [Sarah Chong Xin, 10S030] Should a government concern itself only with pragmatic issues and not strive to be a moral compass? [Nigel Fong Jie Ming, 10S03O] Knowledge and Inquiry Preliminary Examination 2009 Paper 1 Is the attempt to ascertain an objective reality limiting our construction of knowledge? [Yap E-Lynn, 09A01B] How far do you agree that most of what we consider to be knowledge is merely belief? [Loh Ping Shun, 09A01D] Knowledge and Inquiry Preliminary Examination 2009 Paper 2 Editorial Team ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but taste is a matter of certainty.’ Discuss with reference to the nature of knowledge in aesthetics. [Yap E-Lynn, 09A01B] ‘Much of what is known today is justifi ed by false appeals to authority.’ Discuss. [Loh Ping Shun, 09A01D] 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 Contents @XxpokesxX

Raffl es Institution | ksbull volume 1 | 20104 For many people, the word ‘play’ brings to mind a group of children having fun at a playground or a child surrounded by his toys. Most would agree that play, long considered the antonym of work, is an activity that seems largely senseless even though the people engaging in it usually enjoy what they are doing. Its value has constantly been underestimated by the majority of society, who view it as little more than a childish activity meant for the younger members of the human race. We fail to realize that beyond the facade that we perceive play to be, play encompasses numerous values that allow it to be a form of therapy and learning. Play is not getting the credit it deserves as society by and large is undervaluing its importance. Play has been criticised frequently as many feel that it serves no purpose other than to reinforce gender stereotypes. The toys that parents and relatives offer to toddlers depend largely on the gender of a child. A study done on fi ve young mothers showed that when they were convinced that the child presented to them was a baby girl, they were likely to offer her dolls, but when they were presented with a baby boy, they offered him trains and cars instead. In fact, the ‘baby girl’ and the ‘baby boy’ were actually the same child dressed in different clothes. Research has also shown that children below the ages of three generally have no discernible differences in behavioural patterns. After this crucial age, however, which is when many boys are presented with ‘warrior toys’ while most girls are presented with ‘girl toys’ like toy cooking sets and dolls, the divergence in behavioural patterns of both genders begins. Girls are less aggressive than boys, and usually take on domestic roles in play like caring for children. Hence, the value of play (if any at all) here is largely debatable as it only reinforces gender stereotypes and ingrains in children these behavioural differences fr