A Building On Fire.

 One night my sleep was suddenly disturbed by shouts of fire. I ran out of my house to find out what had happened.

 I then saw a four-storeyed building on fire. Many people were screaming inside that building, and many were rushing out of it. Two women were so desperate that they tried to jump down through the windows; but they were pulled back by others inside the building.

 Soon three fire-engines arrived, and the firemen began to work immediately. They threw a lot of water on to the building with the hoses of the fire-engines.

 At last, after several hours, the fire was put out. By now some people were already burnt to death. Others were in a state of shock.

 Soon two ambulances arrived and took the dead and the injured to the hospital. The police too arrived shortly to do what was necessary.

 I felt very sad after this incident.

 A Frightful Experience.

 One afternoon I was enjoying a swim in the sea, together with hundreds of other swimmers.

 Suddenly, I heard some frightful cries. I knew at once that some of the swimmers had seen something in the water. I looked back, and what I saw struck terror into my heart. A huge shark was coming towards the shore as if to catch one of the swimmers. It was still some distance away, however.

 There was now a lot of excitement, as women and children were screaming and struggling to reach safely on land.

 Fortunately, no one was attacked by the shark, for everyone had rushed out of the water in time. I too felt safe only when I reached land.

 Since that day, I have never had the courage to go for a swim in the sea. It was indeed a very frightful experience.

 A Mystery.

 While I was asleep in my room, one night, something suddenly fell on the floor. It made such a loud noise that I woke up at once.

 I then switched on the light in my room, and, to my horror, saw a large snake on my table. The snake was now still, perhaps unable to see clearly in the brightness of the light to go out of the room.

 I was so frightened that I began to scream, and my father came rushing from his room. Seeing the snake, my father quickly began to strike at it with a stick that was in my room.

 When my father was sure that the snake was dead, he took it out of the room and threw it into the bush behind our house.

 I was now relieved and went back to sleep. But how the snake had entered my room still remains a mystery.

 If I Had Hundred Dollars.

 A hundred dollars, to a girl of my age, is indeed a big sum of money. If I had such a large sum of money, however, I would do a variety of things.

 First, I would buy some pretty clothes for myself. I would go round the shop and look for the latest fashions in clothes. I would spend my money carefully, as I would not get so much money so easily again.

 Then, I would buy some jewellery to beautify myself. I would buy a ring and a small necklace. This would cost me about half the money I had.

 I would then buy a pen for my father and a nice hand-bag for my mother. These things would certainly make my parents happy.

 After that, I would spend a few dollars for my brothers and sister's sake. I would take them to a cinema in the town so that they might enjoy a little. I would also buy them some drinks and sweets.

 If some money still remained, I would buy a good book for myself. The rest of money I would keep in my savings account to use in the future. Thus, the money would not be spent carelessly.

 An Autobiography Of A Car.

 I was born in a country in Europe. I do not, however, know who my parents are. All that I know is that, the various parts of my body came not from one country but from several different lands.

 I am made of steel, iron, rubber and cloth. The rubber in my body came from a tropical country. The iron and steel came from some other lands. The cloth in my body also came from an unknown land. Thus, I am a world citizen. The world is my country.

 I drink different kinds of oil which I need to run. Oil is not only my drink but also my food. But I can live without it for days and years, if I do not have to run.

 Men use me to move about. They sit inside my body. They have full control over me. They take me in any direction they like. Sometimes I have to run very fast and sometimes very slowly. Sometimes I have to run day and night.

 In short, I have no freedom. All my activities are controlled by man. This often makes me feel very sad indeed.

 A Frightful Dream.

 One night, after a heavy meal, I went to bed late. It was hot and I felt very uneasy.

 When at last I felt asleep, however, I had a very frightful dream. I saw a monster with long sharp teeth attack my village. It had a great appetite. It ate a number of the people it had killed.

 It was indeed a terrible sight. There was blood all around, and the frightened villagers were running about in all directions, making a lot of noise.

 At last the monster began to come towards me. I was so terrified that I gave out a loud scream.

 I now woke up, and was greatly relieved to find that the danger I was in was not real. It was just another of my wild dreams.

 A Street Quarrel I Have Seen.

 While walking along a street, one day, I came across two men quarrelling with each other. They were of the same age.

 Thinking that it would be fun to watch them quarrelling. I stopped to find out the cause of their quarrel, and to see how it would end.

 Soon the quarrel became so violent that one of the men suddenly took out a knife from his pocket and stabbed the other man with it. Now a big crowd collected quickly. The man who had been stabbed was bleeding profusely.

 Seeing the crowd, the man with the knife tried to run way; but some people quickly caught him.

 The police soon arrived on the scene in answer to a telephone call made by someone who had seen the fight. They arrested the man who had used the knife, and sent the wounded man to the hospital.

 I then returned home thinking of what I had seen.

 An Interesting Fight I Have Seen.

 One afternoon I was an interesting fight between a cat and a cobra, a dangerous snake.

 As soon as the fight began, a big crowd collected to see the fight and which of the two creatures would be the victor.

 The cobra attacked the cat again and again with all the strength it had. In return, the cat jumped several times to catch the cobra's head between its sharp teeth. Both the creatures seemed to have realised that it was a fight to the end. The battle would end only when one of them had died.

 In was indeed a fierce battle which lasted for a long time. There was blood on the ground and on the bodies of the two deadly enemies.

 In the end, both the creatures died. The people who had watched the fight then left the scene of the battle, some amused and some sad.

 Frightened By A Ghost.

 One moon-light I went out alone for a short walk.

 As I walked along, enjoying the cool fresh air and the beauty of the night, I suddenly caught sight of a woman. She was wearing white clothes.

 I now stopped to make sure that I had really seen a woman. Then I realised that it might be a ghost. I was at once filled with fright, and began to run back home.

 On the next day, I visited that place again to find out what I had actually seen. What I saw was only a banana plant moving in the breeze.

 I was now relieved to know that I had not really seen a ghost, but only a banana plant. I felt a little ashamed of myself, however, to have been so easily frightened.

 An Unpleasant Dream I Once Had.

 I have dreams almost every night. One dream, however, frightened me greatly. It was indeed a horrible one.

 One day, after a hearty meal, I went out for a short walk. I was alone on a lonely road near a grave-yard. I was thinking of my lessons when I suddenly heard a voice calling me. I looked back and saw an old lady grinning at me. She had long filthy hair. Her face was covered with blood and her nails were very long. She was wearing a white dress. I just stared at her in fear. I dared not move or try to run. I saw her walking towards me. I was too frightened to move. Her long hands then began to stretch out to catch me. I heard her laughing at the same time. It was a horrible sound and my body turned cold. Just before she could catch me, however, I made a desperate effort to run. But she behind me and almost caught me. I now screamed.

 As soon as I screamed, however, I woke up to find that I had only been dreaming. It was a great relief indeed.

 A Sad Event.

 One evening, a friend of mine and I were walking leisurely in a large field, some distance away from our homes.

 As we walked we also talked a great deal. We were so absorbed in the subjects we were talking about that we did not notice the dark clouds that were gathering in the sky.

 Suddenly, it began to rain heavily. There was also much lightning. My friend and I now began to run for shelter. Within minutes, however, my friend fell to the ground after being struck by lightning. He could not move his limbs and I was frightened.

 Without wasting time, I stopped a taxi and rushed my friend to the nearest hospital. He remained in hospital for several weeks to recover from the shocks and burns he had received from the lightning. But he has still not recovered completely. Even today he is unable to walk steadily.

 This was indeed a very sad event, and I felt very sorry for my friend.

 An Unpleasant Night.

 One hot night it suddenly began to rain. I felt very happy, expecting to have a sound and pleasant sleep.

 I went to bed and covered myself with a blanket. Then, to my surprise, water began to flow into my room, and my bed soon became wet. I quickly got out of bed to find out how the water was getting in.

 I soon noticed that the roof of my house was leaking. My room was rapidly becoming filled with water. I began to work at once to save my things from the water. I could hardly sleep after that. What was to have been a pleasant night, had turned out to be the most unpleasant night in my whole life.

 A Robbery I Have Seen.

 One morning, as I was walking along a road, I suddenly caught sight of two robbers. One of them had a gun in his hand.

 The robbers had attacked an old man in broad day-light. They forced the man to give them all the money he had. Then the robbers disappeared from the scene as quickly as they had appeared.

 The old man now shouted for help to catch the robbers; but no one cared to stop and listen to his cries or the story of the robbery. I too made no attempt to help the old man. Everyone seemed to be afraid or to feel that robbery was a common even on the roads.

 The old man then slowly walked away, with tears in his eyes. I felt very sorry for him.

 How I Helped To Catch Thieves.

 One afternoon I was walking along a street, looking at all the beautiful things in the shop that were displayed for sale.

 Suddenly, I saw two boys stealing from a shop. At once I began to shout, "Thief , Thief". The boys were surprised and frightened. They tried to run away but they were caught at once by some people who were near by.

 The owner of the shop then telephoned to the Police station. When the police arrived, they look the two boys with them after asking a few questions.

 The owner of the shop was pleased with me. He called me into his shop. He then thanked me for what I had done to catch the thieves. He also gave me a five dollar note.

 I was now pleased with myself. I had not only helped the owner of the shop but also the police a little, in catching thieves.

 A Monkey In My Room.

 As I entered my room, one day, I saw a monkey inside the room. I was excited. I wanted to catch it.

 I quickly closed all the doors and windows and switched on the light. Then I called my brother who came into the room at once.

 The monkey hid in a corner of the room. My brother, who showed great courage, went near the monkey to catch it. The monkey then bit my brother's hand, and brother began to scream with pain.

 At once I opened the door and the monkey ran out of the room. My brother too ran out and rushed to the hospital on his bicycle, unable to bear the pain.

 It was indeed as exciting experience.

 A Frightful Accident I Have Seen.

 One evening I saw a car running at great speed. I knew at once that it would soon be involved in an accident.

 As expected, the car had not gone very far when it went off the road and hit a tree. At once the car was on fire.

 The driver was hurt so badly that he could not open the door of his car. Then I heard some frightful screams.

 By now a big crowd had collected round the car; but no one could help the unfortunate man in the car. It was dangerous to go too near to the burning car.

 The fire grew bigger. There were no more screams. The driver was burnt to death. I felt very sad after that. Indeed I cannot forget that accident.

 Frightened By Fierce Natives.

 One day, a few of my friends and I visited a large island. We went there by boat.

 There were many trees and coconut palms and rocks on that island. The birds and flowers found there were indeed very beautiful.

 There were also many crabs of all types and sizes hidden in the rocks. We caught a number of them. We also picked a lot of beautiful shells. In brief, everything on that island was interesting to see, and my friends and I were very happy.

 Then, to our surprise, we saw some fierce-looking natives hiding behind some trees with spears in their hands. Though they did not seem to be eager to attack us, yet we were frightened.

 Thinking that it would be dangerous to remain on that island too long, my friends and I quickly ran back to our boats and returned home.

 Caught In A Storm.

 One day I was going to an island in a boat to enjoy the sights of the island. Many other people were also going to the same island in the same boat.

 Suddenly a storm broke out. The sea became very rough and the boat began to dance on the waves. Everyone in the boat, including me, was frightened. All of us now began to play for our safety.

 The wind was so strong that the boatman had great difficulty in controlling the boat. I now wished that I have not made the trip.

 Fortunately, the storm did not last very long, and in a short while, the sea was calm again.

 The boat then returned to the shore instead of going to the island, for no one in the boat now had any more courage to travel by boat.

 The Radio.

 The radio is so popular today that it is found in almost every home. It is indeed a wonderful invention of man. It brings a voice from the distance not only to inform but also to entertain.

 Today, the radio plays a very important part in conveying news. The police use it to send messages to the remote corners of the country and to warn people against dangers. They also use it to capture criminals.

 The radio also used to inform people about the latest events of the world. If a war breaks out anywhere, news about it is sent to all countries of the world. Thus, all the countries are informed almost at the same time.

 Further, the radio is an important means of entertaining people in all parts of the world. Music played in one country can be heard in the another country thousands of miles of away. In this respect, the radio is superior to television. Even a man driving a motor-car can listen to beautiful music if he has radio in his car. But is not possible to watch television inside a motor vehicle while one is driving.

 The importance of the radio is therefore not difficult to realize.

 The Usefulness Of A Television.

 Television enables us to see things in distant places. It is indeed one the most wonderful things that man has ever invented.

 Television not only entertains people but also teaches people a variety of important things. Through this wonderful invention we learn about people and events thousands of miles away. Pictures taken in all parts of the world are also shown on television for entertainment as well as or instruction. Short films based on popular stories are often shown which entertain millions of people all over the world.

 In some countries television is used to teach pupils and students many useful lessons. Students who cannot go to school because transport or other problems are taught all their lessons at home through television.

 As television appeals to the eye instead of the ear, people enjoy watching more than listening to the radio. Listening requires knowledge of many thing, but what we see with our eyes explains itself.

 For all these reasons, there is no doubt that television will continue to be popular for a long time.

 The Cinema.

 The cinema is today the most favourite place of entertainment to most people, young and old. Hundreds people visit the cinema every day.

 There are many things that we can learn from our visit to the cinema. The picture that we see in the cinema often show us many useful things. They show how people in other lands live and think. Sometimes they also show how people in the distant past lived and died. There are also pictures which show many things about the world of birds and animals.

 Some pictures, however, sometimes spoil the minds of many, especially those of small boys and girls. Pictures which show how people steal, kill or kidnap, for example, have done a lot of harm. But these same pictures also show how, in the end, the criminals are caught and punished, and many people have learnt to obey the law, as a result. Thus, whether such picture are good or bad depends on what lesson the person has learnt from them.

 On the whole, however, most pictures try to teach many useful lessons. The cinema may therefore be described as a school where people can learn many useful lessons. It is for all these reasons that I like to visit the cinema.

 The Market In My Town.

 The market in my town is large. Hundreds of people visit this market every day.

 The market in my town is always alive with activity, like any other big market. Every moment buyers and sellers can be seen moving about in all directions. Sellers try to raise the prices of their goods as much as they can. Buyers, on the other hand, try to reduce the prices to save some money. Thus, much bargaining goes on between buyers and sellers. Sometimes quarrels arise from this kind of bargaining.

 The presence of the large number of people in the market makes the market very noisy indeed. Voices are heard in every corner. Sometimes some vehicles bring fresh goods into market and add to the noises. Even the last painful cries of chickens and ducks put to death for man's appetite from an important part of the noises.

 However, as the market is large, almost every item of food that a person needs for his home is available. One does not have to go elsewhere in search of essential articles.

 The building is new beautiful. It is a two-storeyed building. It therefore has a large number of stalls. Thus, it is a market worth visiting.

 How An Animal Saved Me From Death.

 One night I was alone in my house. I was about to be attacked by a cobra, the most dangerous snake. Lucky, I was saved by my cat.

 My parents had gone out, and I was doing my homework. Suddenly, I heard a noise in the kitchen. Something had fallen on the floor. I was frightened. I did not dare to move from my place.

 Within minutes, I saw a large black cobra coming out of the kitchen. It was moving towards me. I did not know what to do. Just at that moment my dear cat rushed into my room and attacked the deathly enemy. The snake attacked the cat again and again. The cat too fought equally hard to kill the snake. The fight continued for almost half an hour. At last the battle ended. Both the creatures fell to the ground and died. The floor was covered with blood. I felt very sorry for my cat which had died to save my life. I had never thought that it would be such a great thing for me. My heart was filled with gratitude.

 Shortly, my parents returned, and I told them what had happened. They too felt very sorry for the cat.

 Describe Your Village.

 The village I lie in is known as Kampung Java. It is about ten miles from a large town.

 There are many people in my village. Most of them are farmers. They grow paddy in the large fields around my village. These paddy fields look very beautiful when the paddy plants are growing. The mountains in the distance and the palm trees all round, add to the beauty of these fields.

 The shops in my village are very old. There are few brick buildings. Most of the shops are along the main road in the village. As the people in my village live a simple life, their needs are not many. So, many of the things found in the shops in the towns are not found in the shops in my village.

 The people in my village are good. They do not like to quarrel or fight with others. Every evening they meet one another and talk about many things. If they need any help or advice, they go to the village chief. The chief is a wise man. He gives good advice and keeps the people happy.

 Indeed, I like my village very much.

 Imagine That You Are A Dog.

 I am a very useful animal to man. I am called a dog by human beings. Whether this is good name or not I do not know. But I do know that when a man is called a dog, he gets very angry.

 Whether I like human beings or not, I have learnt to live with them. My master is a young and rich man. He needs me to protect his large family and his huge property.

 I do not, however, have much work to do. Yet, I am given a lot of very good flood. My master buys meat for me every day and I really enjoy my meals.

 Sometimes, I feel ashamed to eat such expensive food, for I do no work for my master in return. I just bark once in a while to remind my master that I am doing my duty. If I hear some noise or see a strange person, I bark loudly. This makes my master think that I am a very obedient dog. I know that in this way I am actually deceiving my master. But there is no other way of showing my loyalty to my master. I do not even get a chance to catch a thief.

 In short, I am a very lucky dog, and I am proud of my master. Perhaps I shall soon get a very good chance to show my master how much I care for him.

 A Visit To Hospital.

 A visit to a hospital is not always pleasant. Yet, it teachers us a lot about the pain and suffering of men everywhere.

 A hospital always gives out an unpleasant smell which visitors dislike. This smell is caused by many things. The patients in the hospital suffer from all kinds of diseases. Some of the diseases destroy the flesh and other parts of the body. They have to be treated with all kinds of medicine. Each medicine has its own smell. Again, some kinds of medicine have to be used to keep the hospital clean and to prevent diseases from spreading. All these things make the hospital very smelly indeed.

 However, from a visit to a hospital we can learn a lot about how doctors and nurses work to bring comfort and happiness to thousands of people, young and old. Many people come to the hospital without any hope of returning home. Many come without any hope of being able to use their hands or legs. But they do return home completely cured and smiles on their faces. Yet, few of them show how thankful they are to the doctor, nurses and others who have helped them to become well again. But the doctors, nurses and others in the hospital continue to work for the happiness of all the sick people.

 Visiting a hospital is therefore very interesting, if the visitor has the time to look at all the work that is done here to save human lives and to make people happy.

 A Visit To An Estate.

 I have always lived in the town. The thought of visiting an had never occurred to me. Then, one day, my friend, Kok Kee, asked me if would like to visit an estate with him.

 After Kok Kee asked me question, I began to think if it might be worth while visiting an estate, which I had always considered to be nothing more than a Jungle. After some thought, however, I agree to go with him, and we fixed a day for the visit.

 When the day arrived, Kok Kee and I left our homes early in the morning by bicycle to visit the nearest rubber estate. We cycled for about an hour before we reached the estate.

 The first thing that attracted my attention was the size of the estate. It was very big indeed. Thousands of rubber trees could be seen all round. They were all arranged in straight rows. Many tappers were engaged in their work. We stopped at various places to see how a tree was tapped. We also saw the streams which were full of fish. The water in them was as clear as crystal and the fish in it could be seen clearly.

 We then visited the factory, the office, the dispensary, the staff and labour quarters in that estate. They all looked very clean and interesting. From the estate office we could see the beautiful mountain in the distance. We also saw the beautiful swimming pool and the green fields around.

 All these made the visit very interesting indeed. I therefore enjoyed the visit greatly, and my ideas about estates have changed since that visit.

 How I Learned To Swim.

 Swimming is one of the best pastimes that people have. Learning how to swim is indeed very exciting.

 It was my sister who taught me how to swim. Everyday, for about a week, she would take me to the swimming pool in the park in my town and spend about three hours, teaching me how to swim. Now, I am one of the best swimmers among my friends.

 The first lesson that I had in swimming, however, was very unpleasant. I sank several times and not only drank a lot of water but also allowed some of it to enter my nose. At times I felt as though I was drowning. My sisters did not seem to be very helpful. I blamed her every time I had some difficulty in the water. She, however, would only laugh and irritate me more.

 On the next day I was not keen to go to the pool. I did not now wish to learn how to swim. My sister then told me that she was not trying to be cruel to me. The difficulties I had in the water were some of the excitements I had in the water were some of the excitements of learning how to swim.

 So I followed her to the pool again. That day I was able to keep my nose above the water. My sister was more helpful than on the previous day. She allowed me to use a rubber tube whenever I felt tired. I now began to like the lessons.

 Finally, after about a week, I could swim without the rubber tube or my sister's help. I was delighted and thanked my sister profusely.

 Why We Should Travel.

 Everyone, young or ages, love to travel, especially to lands beyond the seas. Even animals, birds and insects and all other creatures get tired of staying at the place for along time.

 People travel not only to see things but also to meet and learn about other people in other lands. As we travel we see a variety of things. We see the hills, valleys, jungles, lowlands, rivers and many other things that nature has created. There are indeed very beautiful things to observe. The lakes and waterfalls that we see, for example, are some of the most beautiful things that nature has created to beautify the world. Looking at these things we improve our knowledge of Geography and man's place in the world.

 We also see how people in different parts of the world work and live. In some places we see people growing crops or making machinery. In short, people do not do the same things everywhere. Thus, their ways of life are also different in different parts of the world.

 Even the languages, the customs and religious of the people are not the same everywhere. All these and many other facts we come to know better if we travel.

 We should therefore travel whenever we have the opportunity to do so.