Navigate Issue #4 - EJC GP 2019 1E

NAVIGATE Issue #4     Eunoia Junior College   English Department   General Paper   2019 JC2

Navigate Issue #4   Contents     Message from the JC2 GP Team 2 Essays and Paragraphs 3 Paper 1 Timed Assignment in response to 2016 VJC Preliminary Examinations Paper 1: 3 1 How far should the government be involved in the private lives of its people? 4 2 Is science and technology advancing too quickly for the good of mankind? 6 4 Should countries encourage migration today? 8 5 To what extent can education solve the problem of poverty? 12 5 To what extent can education solve the problem of poverty? 15 6 ‘Not enough has been done to tackle discrimination in the world today.’ Do you agree? 17 7 ‘Much appeal but little value.’ Is this an apt description of tourism in the modern world? 19 7 ‘Much appeal but little value.’ Is this an apt description of tourism in the modern world? 21 9 Are ethical practices the key to a successful business? 24 10 ‘Clothes make a man.’ Do you agree with this view? 26 11 Is the library redundant in today’s world? 28 11 Is the library redundant in today’s world? 30 12 Is it fair to say that the arts do nothing to solve the problems of your society? 32 Stretch Clinic Writing Exercise 33 Do you agree that the West has not treated Eastern ideas with respect and dignity? 34 JC2 March Common Test Paper 2 Application Question 36 Response 1 36 Response 2 38     Eunoia English Department 1

Navigate Issue #4   Message from the JC2 GP Team   Dear Eunoians, “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ― Louis L'Amour This issue of Navigate is a collection of responses to the JC2’s Term 1 Paper 1 Timed assignment and Paper 2 March Common Test AQs. As you are almost three quarters into your GP journey here in Eunoia, you may be starting to sense that at long last, you do understand what the subject demands of you, and how you should be addressing the essay questions! This is where you are possibly wondering how to take things further - how do I provide deeper evaluation? (Hint: try to get familiar with the UCs.) How do I write with original insight? How do I give a clear sense of my own personal voice? While there is certainly no formula available for those questions, these noteworthy pieces of writing from some of your peers may give you an indication of what these seemingly elusive attributes may look like. As always, although these pieces are commendable in many aspects, they cannot be plans for your own writing, for that must come from you. Ultimately, as the quote above suggests, attributes like insight, depth of evaluation and a strong personal voice are not developed through once-a-term writing assignments. Good writing takes time, practice, and a constant honing of your thoughts and arguments over and over again. Perhaps, it is only fitting to end the way we began: start writing! All the best, Your GP Teachers ❤ Eunoia English Department 2

Navigate Issue #4   Essays and Paragraphs     Paper 1 Timed Assignment in response to 2016 VJC Preliminary Examinations Paper 1: 1 How far should the government be involved in the private lives of its people? ● Owen Phua, 18-A4 (Full essay) 2 Is science and technology advancing too quickly for the good of mankind? ● Heng Boon Leong, 18-E5 (Full essay) 3 ‘There has never been a better time for the elderly in your society.’ Discuss. ● Not represented 4 Should countries encourage migration today? ● Kenneth Hoh, 18-O5 (Full essay) 5 To what extent can education solve the problem of poverty? ● Erica Wee, 18-I1 (Full essay) ● Oh Anna, 18-I5 (Full essay) 6 ‘Not enough has been done to tackle discrimination in the world today.’ Do you agree? ● Chong Chi Sum, 18-E5 (Full essay) 7 ‘Much appeal but little value.’ Is this an apt description of tourism in the modern world? ● Jolyn Koh, 18-I2 (Full essay) ● Ma Wee Kai, 18-A6 (Full essay) 8 ‘The value of sports is overrated.’ Is this true today? ● Not represented 9 Are ethical practices the key to a successful business? ● Ngai Win Lynn, 18-U4 (Full essay) 10 ‘Clothes make a man.’ Do you agree with this view? ● Cham Jay Yin, 18-U4 (Full essay) 11 Is the library redundant in today’s world? ● Breanna Tan, 18-O3 (Excerpt) ● Ashley Lee, 19-U4 (Excerpt) 12 Is it fair to say that the arts do nothing to solve the problems of your society? ● Sarah Mak, 18-O3 (Full essay) Eunoia English Department 3

Navigate Issue #4   1 How far should the government be involved in the private lives of its people? This essay demonstrates clear awareness of the issues regarding state intervention, with a good use of concepts such as freedom and its implications. However, the counter argument was not fully developed, and balance throughout the rest of the essay was not present as the conditions of the question (i.e. “how far should … ”) were not taken into consideration. A wide range of interesting examples were used, although not all were evaluated completely. While the overall scope of the essay may have been quite limited, depth in understanding was evident wherever evaluation was made. The essay also highlights the importance of time management in order to ensure completion of the essay and allow for room to develop each point adequately. Benjamin Franklin is believed to have said something to the effect of people who sacrifice liberty in exchange for security will have neither. This quote succinctly highlights the fundamental tension which exists between the government[] duty to safeguard the liberty and safety of its citizens. ​ Many believe that safety and freedom [are] mutually exclusive, that ensuring the security of citizens ultimately entail[s] the invasion of [] private lives in order to police behaviours deemed dangerous and to root out potential threats [or] criminals. ​ [I] agree that while the mutual exclusivity of safety and security is true in some regard, these concepts can be reconciled and governments do own their citizens a moral duty, which justifies their involvement in the private lives of citizens in some aspects. Vague start to the essay, explanation could have been clearer as well Contention is stated clearly Governments owe a moral duty to their citizens which thus justifies their involvement in the lives of citizens when issues of national security are concerned. Governments in principle derive their legitimacy from the will of the people and the expectation that it will do its best to safeguard the nation’s interests, the most paramount of which is security. One must also recognise that the nature of [a] government is fundamentally coercive – they maintain a monopoly on force and violence through the military and police, they [pay] the wages of their people, they alone have the authority to decide whether to curtail your rights or not. In order for this state of affairs to be justified,