3 IRSYAD'S SHORT STORY

ECLIPSE

It is the night of my 18th birthday and I am on fire. After collapsing into my skeleton of a bed, the black
wireframe creaking like a cage of weary bones, and rapidly dropping into an oppressive sleep, my body
had forced itself into a conscious state again at one am. I know this because I am staring at the pill-
shaped alarm clock on my bedside table, its red glow spelling my fate in harsh fluorescent lines. The
blankets are hot and heavy around my legs. It feels nice in a sweaty, consuming kind of way. I don’t
usually let myself feel so unclean. My scorching feet meet the chilled wooden floor, it bites with a
vengeance as I navigate the dark room with practiced familiarity. I am a flaming apparition as I roam
through my doorway and trod down the hall, past family portraits with my toes searing into fluffy
carpet. I’m passing the vacant bathroom, pink and flowery wallpaper devoid of light, where I had turned
the lock in the small golden doorknob hours earlier and forced myself to sob slick streams down my
cheeks, crouched in the bathtub. I had tired myself out, but the feeling had not left my body, and I feel it
now still. I wonder if growing up will always hurt like this.A faint yellow porch light illuminates the
splintering wooden staircase I’ve found myself rooted to, bare knees meeting at the intersection of my
goose-bump flecked legs. It’s quiet, the silence interrupted only by the rustling of dead brown leaves
against barren branches and the scintillating of a wind chime hanging around the front of the house.
Twinkling chimes and wind that is cold like water, or a ghostly embrace that prickles me. My skin.
Leaning my head against the back door, faded white and old, I roll my neck until the short dent in the
back of my skull catches on the wall and holds me in place. Breath escapes my lungs in thick clouds of
mist that rise and dissipate in the air. I look up into the sky that becomes space at some point, burning,
freezing, matter, and void. What is this feeling? Wanting for the world I had as a child, as easy as
cupping river water in my palm and knowing it would taste like the omen of rain. I’m scared of this new
world that awaits me. The realization hurts, but the tenderness of the thought stings nicely. Words
blister up through my throat and eventually, there’s no place for them but out.I whisper, “Please come
get me, I can’t take it.”I hesitate, half-hoping this confession will spawn a creature into existence,
something large and encompassing and maybe warm. Warm and soft and comforting, loving. We all just
want to be cared for most of all. Isn’t it so strange to look up for rescue? The only thing bigger than us
that we can fathom is up, up, up. An infinity to rival the celestial body in our chests. Perhaps for some,
the stars smile back, but for me, they sparkle a cold abyss. Both can be so comforting and so painful. My
mind is so small and the world is so big - and yet they are mirrors of each other. Both happening all the
time and ever-expanding into something more, more, more. Changing, progressing. There is no going
backward.Why do I want to assign divinity to the waking world? Am I lonely? Scared that I’m all grown
up and in control? Do I really need justification to live? I don’t know. Maybe the universe just is. Maybe
we create so much meaning in spite of an uncaring universe so that the weight of our doubt weighs a
little less heavy.Maybe one day I’ll be sixty and none of this will matter as much. Maybe it will only
matter more. The porch light attracts a single moth that I watch encircle the space high off the ground
where the porch light juts off the wall. The moth’s flight pattern is desperate, its fluttering wings
pattering urgently against the thick, hot plastic. No other bugs have ventured to the porch tonight, the
moth is alone. My features fall soft as I consider what plays out in front of me. In elementary school, I’d

learned that moths are drawn to light because they think it’s the moon. That’s the running theory, at
least. They use the light to navigate their reality, having unforeseen little moons everywhere. It might
not even know what draws itself to the glowing beacon. An instinctual want, so mindlessly powerful that
to defy it would break the rule of nature. The rule of self. The moth falls suddenly, landing in the grass
only a few inches from the edge of the splintering wooden stairs. I lean over, porch creaking, arms
supporting my weight as I edge my gaze forward and then down. My hands are slow and gentle as they
reach for the moth’s fragile, powdery body, which is no longer moving. Cradling its paper-thin wings
between my palms, I raise it closer to the light. The moth shimmers charcoal black, dark lines weaving
their way into curved patterns across its wings and body. Two antennae hang lifeless over my
fingers.Night feels like a dream sometimes, like magic. The curtain between the physical world and
imagination thins until I feel a tangle of fervorous electricity build in my stomach, you feel it don’t you?
In small extraordinary moments that feel so crucial and personal. The way your mother’s hands feel in
your hair. The searing intimacy of eye contact.

Night smells like damp earth and a hypnotizing otherness when there’s no one around to remind me
who I’m supposed to be. It’s easier to remember who I am. So profoundly human.It is cold at night, so I
bring the moth inside.We tiptoe through the house on baby fox steps, the night has cooled my feet to
temperate husks but my steps are heavier now, determined and just a little bit dazed. We reach my
room in 17 seconds. My eyes have adjusted to the dark, a tall rectangle of blue moonlight shines on the
foot of my bed where I didn’t notice it before, I have forgotten to pull my curtains shut. I feel hurried all
of a sudden, my heart rate rushing to catch up with the pulse of my feeling. My ankle hooks around the
leg of my desk chair and I sit with sudden focus. I click my lamp on but no light occurs. My brow
furrowing, I lean over the side to see that the plug has fallen out of the outlet. This, for some reason, fills
me with frustrated exhaustion so strong I almost collapse.I find myself preening with jealousy at the
sight of something so small, so cared for, within my shivering grasp. Maybe I would like to be studied,
mesmerized, to be scooped up, and put to my purpose. Singled out and seen. We all just want to be
cared for most of all.

I scoot away from my desk, which scrapes with a volume better suited to waking hours, but I only regret
it a little. Backtracking towards my bed, I let myself fall onto my back on the twin-sized mattress with a
long exhale out of my nostrils. Tears wet my cheeks.Can’t I dream just a little more?I ask this question of
no one, of everyone, my eyes trained on the beam of moonish light shining down my face and onto my
lap. I am a god-less being at a broken, midnight altar.“Is it supposed to be like this?”On the desk, there is
the sound of paper-thin wings pattering against the sturdy tabletop. A fluttering so soft I almost miss it,
but then I am straightening up, arms extended behind me, blinking to let in the dark. It is a tiny black
silhouette on my wall. Its wings flash, a reflection against the night, and now it is floating, staggering,
lurching across the room. My eyes follow the moth bestow its loyalty to the radiant moon as it finally
lands, right in the center of my window. It is an obsidian deity, staining the glass. Tears wet my
chin.There is a little voice inside me that answers; Maybe. Maybe not. But this is how it is.

VOCABULARY

1) Enthusiastic= having or showing intense and eager
enjoyment, interest, or approval.
Example: He could be wildly enthusiastic about a project.
2) Vengeance= Punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for
an injury or wrong.
Example: Voters are ready to wreak vengeance on all
politicians.
3) Fervorous= Great warmth and earnestness of feeling.
Example: Although I love college football, I do not have the
same fervor for the games as those fans that paint their faces
with their team colors.
4) Intimacy= Closeness, togetherness, familiarity or a cosy and
private or relaxed atmosphere.
Example= The room had a peaceful sense of intimacy about it.
5) Inevitability= The quality of being certain to happen.
Example= There was an air of inevitability about the outcome.

SOURCE: https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/pkqi76/

Afiq Adha Bin Adzim

The Bully Monster

By Phoenix Rafferty

Lucas James was a fourth-grader who attended a small school in Montana. The school
had roughly 125 students, within its brick walls. Lucas was the mean, no-good, school
bully. He made fun of everyone, teachers, students, even the janitor! Because of this,
Lucas had no friends. One day, after a successful day of pushing people around, a
letter arrived to Lucas’s front door. He hadn’t gotten a letter in a long time. He decided
to take it back to his room, and open it there. “Stop being mean, or your punishment is
foreseen.” He read aloud. The same line was repeated over and over until it reached
the end of the paper. “Signed, anonymous.” He added. “A punishment? What a joke!”
Lucas shouted cackling. He ripped up the letter and threw it into the trash. Thinking
nothing of it the rest of the evening. The next morning, Lucas James walked into the
school, scanning the area. ‘Who should I be mean to today?’ He thought. Along walked
little Margot, a new student, with a pink sparkly new bow in her hair. “What’s this?”
Lucas said mockingly. “My new bow! Do you like it?” she said. “Mhm I do..I do..so much
to do this!” He laughed. He yanked the bow out of her hair, and threw it into the water
fountain, soaking it, and ruining it. Little Margot started to cry, and yelped out in
disappointment. “Why did you do that!” She shouted. “Because I can.” He replied,
smirking.Before his next class, Lucas went to the bathroom mirror, and screamed in
shock. His nose had doubled in size, and his teeth had grown out into fangs that
showed. He was hideous! But, nevertheless, he shrugged, thinking nothing of it. ‘I must
be hungry that is all.’ He thought. After class, he headed to lunch, and sat at his table
alone. He traveled through the lunch line, and when he was handed his tray, he dumped
it on the lunch lady! “This food is almost as gross as you, old lady.” He mocked. The
lunch lady frowned. She was very hurt. Lucas returned to the bathroom mirror, for his
skin started to itch, he looked again in shock. His skin had turned bright purple! Lucas
was a bit more convinced than the first time, but still shrugged it off. ‘It must be the bad
lighting.’ He thought. When he walked out little Margot screamed in horror. “Your skin is
all purple, and what’s happened to your face?” She shouted at him. Lucas ran to the
lost-and-found and retrieved an old hoodie that was a bit too small for him. “This will
have to do,” he sighed. He decided to stay out of everyone’s way until the school day
was over. But, when it came time for recess, Lucas couldn’t help himself. Margot swang
on the swings, and her little pink bow was back in her hair, almost dried. Behind her,
was a huge mud puddle, just waiting for trouble. Lucas approached the swings, and
Margot’s face paled. “Please don’t do anything..” She pleaded. Lucas smirked like he
had before, and shoved Margot into the puddle of mud. She started to cry, sitting there
with a scraped knee, and the dress ruined. But, then the tears stopped as she backed
away from Lucas. Lucas stood there confused. A boy behind him grabbed him, and

pushed him onto the ground of the basketball courts that stood in the center of the
playground. He grabbed Lucas’s hoodie, and pulled it off. Under revealed what used to
be a bully, but was now a monster. Lucas was purple all over, and had a huge nose,
with fangs that showed when he spoke. Horns grew from his head, and his hands had
turned into claws. All the kids on the playground gathered around, and started to laugh.
“Look at Lucas!” They all chanted. Lucas started to cry, and wanted to say something,
but all that came out, was a roar. Lucas cried and cried and cried, it didn’t feel very good
when people were mean to him.

He started to shout “No! No! No! Stop it! Stop it!”, “I promise I will be nice from now on!”
He continued. “Promise?” A voice said, shaking the area around them. His world started
to swirl, and melted away like paint on a canvas. Lucas woke up, back in his bed at
home, he jumped up and ran to his mirror. He touched his face, and he was back to
normal! He screamed in celebration. His mother ran in, and asked “What happened to
you this morning?” Lucas embraced his mother, and said, “thank you thank you thank
you for all you do!” He said. “Oh uh-you’re welcome- this is all so new.” she said. That
morning Lucas helped his mother around the house, before he left for school. And,
when he arrived at school, he was kind to everyone! He complimented others, he waved
to everyone, and most importantly he took extra careful not to do anything mean. Soon
it was time for recess, and Lucas played along with all the others kids, kindly. A little girl
with a pink sparkly bow, and a dress, watched from behind nodding with pleasure. “It
worked.” She said smiling. She sat against the brick wall, writing another letter, to
another bully, at another school. Stop being mean, or your punishment is foreseen.
Signed, anonymous. She snapped her fingers, and transformed into an elderly woman,
who looked a lot like the lunch lady, who worked at the school. She hobbled with her
small little handbag, off into the distance. Catching a bus, to stop the next bully monster.

Source: https://www.storystar.com/story/21112/phoenix-rafferty/fictionfairy-tales-fantasy

NEW VOCABULARY

1. Foreseen - be aware of beforehand
2. Anonymous - (of a person) not identified by name; of unknown

name.
3. Cackling - laughing in a loud, harsh way.
4. Mockingly - in a way that makes fun of someone or something
5. Yanked - Gambling
6. Yelped - a short, sharp cry, especially of pain or alarm
7. Hideous - extremely ugly.
8. Frowned - furrow one's brows in an expression indicating

disapproval, displeasure, or concentration.
9. Chanted - say or shout repeatedly in a sing-song tone.
10. Nodding - lower and raise one's head slightly and briefly,

especially in greeting
11. Hobbled - walk in an awkward way, typically because of

pain from an injury

SENTENCE

1. Foreseen - We did not foresee any difficulties.
2. Chanted – The priests and choir chanted the story of the

resurrection.
3. Frowned - He frowned as he reread the letter.
4. Yelped - My dog yelped as if hurt.
5. Hobbled – He hobbled around on crutches.

MUHAMMAD LUQMAN BIN ROSLAN

The Storm

The leaves were so still that even Bibi thought it was going to rain. Bobint, who was accustomed to
converse on terms of perfect equality with his little son, called the child's attention to certain sombre
clouds that were rolling with sinister intention from the west, accompanied by a sullen, threatening
roar. They were at Friedheimer's store and decided to remain there till the storm had passed. They sat
within the door on two empty kegs. Bibi was four years old and looked very wise.

"Mama'll be 'fraid, yes, he suggested with blinking eyes. "She'll shut the house. Maybe she got Sylvie
helpin' her this evenin'," Bobint responded reassuringly. "No; she end got Sylvie. Sylvie was helping her
yesterday,' piped Bibi. Bobint arose and going across to the counter purchased a can of shrimps, of
which Calixta was very fond. Then he returned to his perch on the keg and sat stolidly holding the can of
shrimps while the storm burst. It shook the wooden store and seemed to be ripping great furrows in the
distant field. Bibi laid his little hand on his father's knee and was not afraid. Calixta, at home, felt no
uneasiness for their safety. She sat at a side window sewing furiously on a sewing machine. She was
greatly occupied and did not notice the approaching storm. But she felt very warm and often stopped to
mop her face on which the perspiration gathered in beads. She unfastened her white sacque at the
throat. It began to grow dark, and suddenly realizing the situation she got up hurriedly and went about
closing windows and doors. Out on the small front gallery she had hung Bobint's Sunday clothes to dry
and she hastened out to gather them before the rain fell. As she stepped outside, Alce Laballire rode in
at the gate. She had not seen him very often since her marriage, and never alone. She stood there with
Bobint's coat in her hands, and the big rain drops began to fall. Alce rode his horse under the shelter of a
side projection where the chickens had huddled and there were plows and a harrow piled up in the
corner. "May I come and wait on your gallery till the storm is over, Calixta?" he asked. Come 'long in,
M'sieur Alce." His voice and her own startled her as if from a trance, and she seized Bobint's vest. Alce,
mounting to the porch, grabbed the trousers and snatched Bibi's braided jacket that was about to be
carried away by a sudden gust of wind. He expressed an intention to remain outside, but it was soon
apparent that he might as well have been out in the open: the water beat in upon the boards in driving
sheets, and he went inside, closing the door after him. It was even necessary to put something beneath
the door to keep the water out. "My! what a rain! It's good two years since it rain' like that," exclaimed
Calixta as she rolled up a piece of bagging and Alce helped her to thrust it beneath the crack. She was a
little fuller of figure than five years before when she married; but she had lost nothing of her vivacity.
Her blue eyes still retained their melting quality; and her yellow hair, disheveled by the wind and rain,
kinked more stubbornly than ever about her ears and temples. The rain beat upon the low, shingled roof
with a force and clatter that threatened to break an entrance and deluge them there. They were in the
dining room the sitting room the general utility room. Adjoining was her bed room, with Bibi's couch
along side her own. The door stood open, and the room with its white, monumental bed, its closed
shutters, looked dim and mysterious. Alce flung himself into a rocker and Calixta nervously began to
gather up from the floor the lengths of a cotton sheet which she had been sewing. lf this keeps up, Dieu
sait if the levees goin' to stan it!" she exclaimed. "What have you got to do with the levees?" "I got
enough to do! An' there's Bobint with Bibi out in that storm if he only didn' left Friedheimer's!" "Let us

hope, Calixta, that Bobint's got sense enough to come in out of a cyclone." She went and stood at the
window with a greatly disturbed look on her face. She wiped the frame that was clouded with moisture.
It was stiflingly hot. Alce got up and joined her at the window, looking over her shoulder. The rain was
coming down in sheets obscuring the view of far-off cabins and enveloping the distant wood in a gray
mist. The playing of the lightning was incessant. A bolt struck a tall chinaberry tree at the edge of the
field. It filled all visible space with a blinding glare and the crash seemed to invade the very boards they
stood upon. Calixta put her hands to her eyes, and with a cry, staggered backward. Alce's arm encircled
her, and for an instant he drew her close and spasmodically to him. "Bont!" she cried, releasing herself
from his encircling arm and retreating from the window, the house I will go next! If I only knew w'ere
Bibi was!" She would not compose herself; she would not be seated. Alce clasped her shoulders and
looked into her face. The contact of her warm, palpitating body when he had unthinkingly drawn her
into his arms, had aroused all the old-time infatuation and desire for her flesh. "Calixta," he said, "don't
be frightened. Nothing can happen. The house is too low to be struck, with so many tall trees standing
about. There! aren't you going to be quiet? say, aren't you?" He pushed her hair back from her face that
was warm and steaming. Her lips were as red and moist as pomegranate seed. Her white neck and a
glimpse of her full, firm bosom disturbed him powerfully. As she glanced up at him the fear in her liquid
blue eyes had given place to a drowsy gleam that unconsciously betrayed a sensuous desire. He looked
down into her eyes and there was nothing for him to do but to gather her lips in a kiss. It reminded him
of Assumption. "Do you remember Assumption, Calixta?" he asked in a low voice broken by passion. Oh!
she remembered; for in Assumption he had kissed her and kissed and kissed her; until his senses would
well nigh fail, and to save her he would resort to a desperate flight. If she was not an immaculate dove in
those days, she was still inviolate; a passionate creature whose very defenselessness had made her
defense, against which his honor forbade him to prevail. Now well, now her lips seemed in a manner
free to be tasted, as well as her round, white throat and her whiter breasts. They did not heed the
crashing torrents, and the roar of the elements made her laugh as she lay in his arms. She was a
revelation in that dim, mysterious chamber; as white as the couch she lay upon. Her firm, elastic flesh
that was knowing for the first time its birthright, was like a creamy lily that the sun invites to contribute
its breath and perfume to the undying life of the world. The generous abundance of her passion,
without guile or trickery, was like a white flame which penetrated and found response in depths of his
own sensuous nature that had never yet been reached. When he touched her breasts they gave
themselves up in quivering ecstasy, inviting his lips. Her mouth was a fountain of delight. And when he
possessed her, they seemed to swoon together at the very borderland of life's mystery. He stayed
cushioned upon her, breathless, dazed, enervated, with his heart beating like a hammer upon her. With
one hand she clasped his head, her lips lightly touching his forehead. The other hand stroked with a
soothing rhythm his muscular shoulders. The growl of the thunder was distant and passing away. The
rain beat softly upon the shingles, inviting them to drowsiness and sleep. But they dared not yield. The
rain was over; and the sun was turning the glistening green world into a palace of gems. Calixta, on the
gallery, watched Alce ride away. He turned and smiled at her with a beaming face; and she lifted her
pretty chin in the air and laughed aloud. Bobint and Bibi, trudging home, stopped without at the cistern
to make themselves presentable.

Source: https://americanliterature.com/author/kate-chopin/short-story/the-storm

NEW VOCABULARY

Huddled crowd together; nestle closely.
“They huddled together for warmth”

Furrows make a rut, groove, or trail in (the ground or the surface of
something).
“Gorges furrowing the deep-sea floor”

Perspiration sweat.
“Perspiration ran down his forehead”

Stolidly calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation.
“He dropped into a chair and sat looking stolidly at the floor”

Sombre having or conveying a feeling of deep seriousness and sadness.
“he looked at her with a sombre expression”

UMAIRAH BINTI KYAIRUL ANWAR

How Teenagers Deal With Their Emotion

Emotional Intelligence', or EI, describes an ability or a capacity to perceive,
assess and manage the emotions of one's real self and of others. Our EQ, or
'Emotional Quotient', is how one measures Emotional Intelligence. Dealing with
emotions is extremely important to our health. When we repress feelings, they
will manifest through illnesses such as depression, anxiety, panic and eating
disorders, just to name a few.

We must be honest about our feelings. Only then can we accept and
manage them. Many people prefer to ignore their emotions, especially when it
may upset people who are close to them. For example, if you are infatuated with
someone who does not reciprocate your feelings, you would want to suppress
these feelings. Many people make the mistake of believing that feelings will go
away if you ignore them. However, the truth is that there is a slim chance of this
happening. Instead, there will be a build-up of pent-up emotions that will
eventually lead to stress.

We must confront our emotions. Ideally, we should have someone to
confide in, but for most people, baring their souls is difficult. Keeping a diary is a
good way of confronting our feelings. When we write down how we feel, our
emotions become clearer to us. It becomes easier to understand why we feel a
certain way, and the emotion becomes less painful. Sometimes it helps us to see
the solution to our problems which had earlier seemed insurmountable.

When we feel depressed, we must find a way to circumvent the urge to
indulge in self-pity. We must engage in an enjoyable activity or hobby, or simply
go for a long walk. Exercise and music have been proven to be therapeutic for the
troubled soul.

Learning how to deal with emotions can be a daunting task for teenagers.
However, it is an essential part of the growing process and the sooner we learn to
deal with them, the faster we will mature.

Source: Model Essay For PT3 Revision Book

VOCABULARY

Repress- trying not to show thoughts or feelings
example: She could barely repress a sigh of relief.
Manifest- to appear or be revealed
example: The anger he felt is manifest in his paintings.
Infatuated- an intense but often temporary passion
example: John had become infatuated with the French teacher.
Reciprocate- to give or feel something mutually or in return
example: When he spoke I was expected to reciprocate with
some remark of my own.
Insurmountable- impossible to overcome
example: No difficulty is insurmountable if one sets one's mind
on it.

NUR AREESYA NAFISA BT NOOR HAIRUL

The Monster Scarer’s Son

Once upon a moon, there lived a boy called Peko. More than his whole
world, Peko wanted to be a monster scarer. Unfortunately, Peko was
too young. According to Moktok, the Witch Doctor of his village, only
the bravest, most daring grown-ups ever became a monster scarer.

There certainly weren’t any in his village, not since his father died.
Most of those who tried to become a monster scarer failed the test.
These few would return home jellified. Others would never return
home at all.

Peko didn’t know what all the fuss was about. He was already a brave
and daring adventurer. Why did he have to wait to become a grown-up?
But whenever he spoke about it, the grown-ups would just pat him on
the head and smile irritatingly, saying, “Maybe one day, little one,” or,
“Why don’t you go chase some piglets around the forest instead?”

This made Peko incredibly angry. He would run into the forest, but not
to chase puny, pestering piglets. No, instead he would imagine he was
on his way to Shadowland, where the scariest monsters lurked. In
particular, Peko imagined he was headed to the Tomb of Boo! to
overcome the Three Scarings and face the Horrid Tommy-knocker, a
being said to know your greatest fear.

He knew all this because of the stories Moktok had told him
throughout his childhood. He loved to hear Moktok’s captivating tales,
but most of all he loved the tale of Shadowland, because, as Moktok
would say, “To face the Horrid Tommy-knocker and return without
becoming jellified, is how you become a monster scarer.”

“Wow,” Peko would say. “I can’t wait to go to Shadowland!”

But Moktok would frown a dark, furrowed frown, and say, “You would
not say that if you had been there, dear child. Do not rush to go to
Shadowland, and hope you never do, for it is a place where nothing kind
lives.” “Okay, Moktok. I’ll stay near the village.”

This was a monster-sized lie, of course! Moktok’s warning only made
Peko want to go even more, and he would spend all his days adventuring
through the forest, looking for Shadowland. Sadly, no matter where
he looked; in spooky caves, up the tallest trees, behind waterfalls and
under bushes, he could never find the way.

Source : https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/fantasy-story-
example-planning-frame-ks2-years-4-5-11104983

New Vocabulary Words and Their Meanings

1) Daring – The quality of being brave and willing to take risks.

2) Puny – Small and weak or not effective.

3) Pestering – To behave in an annoying manner towards someone by
doing or asking for something repeatedly.

4) Frown - To bring your eyebrows together so that there are lines
one your face above your eyes, often while turning the corners of your
mouth downwards, showing that you are annoyed, worried, sad, or
thinking hard.

5) Furrowed – a long line or hollow that is formed or cut into the
surface of something.

Example of Sentences

1) The knight showed great daring on the battlefield.
2) Don’t tell me you’re afraid of that puny little kid.
3) At the frontier, there were people pestering tourists for
cigarettes, food, or alcohol.
4) Don’t frown so much as it spoils your pretty face.
5) The wheels of the heavy tractor furrowed the soft ground.

- MUHAMMAD NAUFAL BIN MOHD MIZAN

THE MODEL MILLIONAIRE

Unless one is wealthy there is no use in being a charming fellow. Romance is the
privilege of the rich, not the profession of the unemployed. The poor should be practical
and prosaic. It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating. These are
the great truths of modern life which Hughie Erskine never realised. Poor Hughie!
Intellectually, we must admit, he was not of much importance. He never said a brilliant
or even an ill-natured thing in his life. But then he was wonderfully good-looking, with
his crisp brown hair, his clear-cut profile, and his grey eyes. He was as popular with men
as he was with women and he had every accomplishment except that of making money.
His father had bequeathed him his cavalry sword and a History of the Peninsular War in
fifteen volumes. Hughie hung the first over his looking-glass, put the second on a shelf
between Ruff's Guide and Bailey's Magazine, and lived on two hundred a year that an
old aunt allowed him. He had tried everything. He had gone on the Stock Exchange for
six months; but what was a butterfly to do among bulls and bears? He had been a tea
merchant for a little longer, but had soon tired of pekoe and souchong. Then he had
tried selling dry sherry.

That did not answer; the sherry was a little too dry. Ultimately he became nothing, a
delightful, ineffectual young man with a perfect profile and no profession.

To make matters worse, he was in love. The girl he loved was Laura Merton, the
daughter of a retired Colonel who had lost his temper and his digestion in India, and had
never found either of them again. Laura adored him, and he was ready to kiss her shoe-
strings. They were the handsomest couple in London, and had not a penny-piece
between them. The Colonel was very fond of Hughie, but would not hear of any
engagement.

'Come to me, my boy, when you have got ten thousand pounds of your own, and we will
see about it,' he used to say; and Hughie looked very glum in those days, and had to go
to Laura for consolation.

One morning, as he was on his way to Holland Park, where the Mertons lived, he
dropped in to see a great friend of his, Alan Trevor. Trevor was a painter. Indeed, few
people escape that nowadays. But he was also an artist, and artists are rather rare.
Personally he was a strange rough fellow, with a freckled face and a red ragged beard.

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/121526889926865837/visual-search/

VOCABULARY

1. prosaic - having or using the style or diction of prose as opposed to
poetry; lacking imaginativeness or originality.
On his return to France, a sadder and practically a wiser man, he settled
down to very prosaic work.

2. ill-natured - bad-tempered or mean-spirited.
It is only with you I have good moments, else you know I am an ill-natured
man.

3. bequeathed - leave (property) to a person or other beneficiary by a will.
He bequeathed his paintings to the museum. Lessons of the past are
bequeathed to future generations.

4. cavalry - soldiers who fought on horseback.
He was once an officer in the cavalry.

5. merchant - a person or company involved in wholesale trade, especially
one dealing with foreign countries or supplying goods to a particular trade.
The scrap merchant has a machine which crushes cars.

6. consolation - the comfort received by a person after a loss or
disappointment.
He only consolation for the team is that they get a chance to play the game
again.

7. ragged - old and torn.
The poor man is not so cold and hungry as he is dirty and ragged and gross.

NUR NAJIHAH BT MD NIZAR

THE BOGEY BEAST

There was once a woman who was very, very cheerful, though she had little to make her so; for
she was old, and poor, and lonely. She lived in a little bit of a cottage and earned a scant living
by running errands for her neighbours, getting a bite here, a sup there, as reward for her
services. So she made shift to get on, and always looked as spry and cheery as if she had not a
want in the world. Now one summer evening, as she was trotting, full of smiles as ever, along
the high road to her hovel, what should she see but a big black pot lying in the ditch! "Goodness
me!" she cried, "that would be just the very thing for me if I only had something to put in it! But
I haven't! Now who could have left it in the ditch?"

And she looked about her expecting the owner would not be far off; but she could see nobody.
"Maybe there is a hole in it," she went on, "and that's why it has been cast away. But it would
do fine to put a flower in for my window; so I'll just take it home with me." And with that she
lifted the lid and looked inside. "Mercy me!" she cried, fair amazed. "If it isn't full of gold pieces.
Here's luck!"

And so it was, brimful of great gold coins. Well, at first she simply stood stock-still, wondering if
she was standing on her head or her heels. Then she began saying:

"Lawks! But I do feel rich. I feel awful rich!" After she had said this many times, she began to
wonder how she was to get her treasure home. It was too heavy for her to carry, and she could
see no better way than to tie the end of her shawl to it and drag it behind her like a go-cart.

"It will soon be dark," she said to herself as she trotted along. "So much the better! The
neighbours will not see what I'm bringing home, and I shall have all the night to myself, and be
able to think what I'll do! Mayhap I'll buy a grand house and just sit by the fire with a cup o' tea
and do no work at all like a queen. Or maybe I'll bury it at the garden foot and just keep a bit in
the old china teapot on the chimney-piece. Or maybe—Goody! Goody! I feel that grand I don't
know myself."

By this time she was a bit tired of dragging such a heavy weight, and, stopping to rest a while,
turned to look at her treasure.

And lo! it wasn't a pot of gold at all! It was nothing but a lump of silver. She stared at it, and
rubbed her eyes, and stared at it again. "Well! I never!" she said at last. "And me thinking it was
a pot of gold! I must have been dreaming. But this is luck! Silver is far less trouble—easier to
mind, and not so easy stolen. Them gold pieces would have been the death o' me, and with this
great lump of silver—"

So she went off again planning what she would do, and feeling as rich as rich, until becoming a
bit tired again she stopped to rest and gave a look round to see if her treasure was safe; and
she saw nothing but a great lump of iron!

"Well! I never!" says she again. "And I mistaking it for silver! I must have been dreaming. But
this is luck! It's real convenient. I can get penny pieces for old iron, and penny pieces are a deal
handier for me than your gold and silver. Why! I should never have slept a wink for fear of
being robbed. But a penny piece comes in useful, and I shall sell that iron for a lot and be real
rich—rolling rich."

So on she trotted full of plans as to how she would spend her penny pieces, till once more she
stopped to rest and looked round to see her treasure was safe. And this time she saw nothing
but a big stone.

"Well! I never!" she cried, full of smiles. "And to think I mistook it for iron. I must have been
dreaming. But here's luck indeed, and me wanting a stone terrible bad to stick open the gate.
Eh my! but it's a change for the better! It's a fine thing to have good luck."

So, all in a hurry to see how the stone would keep the gate open, she trotted off down the hill
till she came to her own cottage. She unlatched the gate and then turned to unfasten her shawl
from the stone which lay on the path behind her. Aye! It was a stone sure enough. There was
plenty light to see it lying there, douce and peaceable as a stone should.

So she bent over it to unfasten the shawl end, when—"Oh my!" All of a sudden it gave a jump, a
squeal, and in one moment was as big as a haystack. Then it let down four great lanky legs and
threw out two long ears, nourished a great long tail and romped off, kicking and squealing and
whinnying and laughing like a naughty, mischievous boy! The old woman stared after it till it
was fairly out of sight, then she burst out laughing too.

"Well!" she chuckled, "I am in luck! Quite the luckiest body hereabouts. Fancy my seeing the
Bogey-Beast all to myself; and making myself so free with it too! My goodness! I do feel that
uplifted—that GRAND!"

So she went into her cottage and spent the evening chuckling over her good luck.

Source : https://americanliterature.com/childrens-stories/the-bogey-beast

VOCABULARY

1. errands - a short journey undertaken in order to deliver or collect
something, especially on someone else's behalf.
example : She asked Tom to run an errand for her.

2. scant - barely sufficient or adequate.
example : Companies with scant regard for the safety of future
generations.

3. spry - (especially of an old person) active; lively.
example : He continued to look spry and active well into his eighties.

4. trott- (of a person) run at moderate pace with short steps.
example : the child trotted across to her obediently

5. brimful - filled with something to the point of overflowing.
example : a jug brimful of custard

AINUN AULIANA BT MOHD ZIN

A TRIP TO THE ZOO

We stood at the entrance of the zoo silently, a family of four, awestruck by the scene before our dazed
eyes. The wild sounds of the zoo reached our ears first, a loud cacophony of shrieks, roars, and hoots.
The smell drifting from the inside of the zoo was rich and pungent, causing us to unconsciously plug our
noses in discomfort. However, the sights were amazing. All around us were creatures of all shapes and
colours, each more colourful and mesmerising than the last. Waking up from the daze, I hurriedly called
my family to hurry up and ran along the path, excited to see the animals up close. First of all, we went to
see the aviary. It was a massive cage, brimming with exotic birds fluttering around and preening their
colourful, glossy feathers. I took out my camera, carefully taking pictures after making sure to check the
flash was off. My sister had been busy taking photos too, clamouring about the varied and vivid colours
of their feathers. After leaving the aviary with a certain sense of reluctance, we were off to explore the
aquarium. The cool interior of the aquarium provided a welcome escape from the sweltering heat.
Behind the walls of the huge, glass tank, fishes of varied species swam about languidly, their iridescent
scales shimmering slightly under the lights of the aquarium. The unearthly yet beautiful underwater
world was an enchanting sight to behold. Next, my father called us over to check out the rhinoceros.
We were reluctant to leave the shade of the aquarium but made our way to the enclosure nonetheless.
The rhinoceros was a large and sturdy beast, with thick grey skin and solid white tusks. My sister and I
had never seen a rhinoceros up close and personal before, so we were quite fascinated by it. Visiting the
rhinoceros had re-energised us somewhat, so it was in better spirits that we walked off to see the tiger. I
exhaled a sigh of shock. The tiger was magnificent, even more so than I had ever imagined, with its soft
fur full of orange and yellow stripes and its feline eyes a shocking yellow. It paced in its cage silently with
a smooth and predatory gait, kingly even in its captivity. Worriedly, my mother warned us not to go too
close to it. Our next stop after the tiger was the monkeys. We laughed in delight as we watched them
swing from tree to tree with boundless verve and energy. Their calls and shrieks were both charming
and eerie in the stillness of the trees. Traipsing on, we came upon the Snake House of the zoo. They
slithered about sinuously, their scales a plethora of dull colours. They were rather creepy, the way they
undulated silently, a mass of twisting bodies and metallic scales, so my family and I walked off hurriedly.
By then, the sun was blazing hot and perspiration was pooling at the back of my neck. I looked at the
elephant bathing itself in the cool water and was green with envy. It had an interesting way of cooling
itself off, the way its trunk swung back and forth like clockwork as it showered itself. Afterward, we
moved on to the lake and watched the ducks swim about serenely, their fluffy feathers a soft yellow.
They were so adorable, we had to take more photos to coo over afterwards. Reaching the end of the
trip, we went into the souvenir stall, sighing with relief and pleasure as it was an air-conditioned store.
Such a momentous adventure deserved souvenirs that were equally memorable, so we bought a couple
of items each to keep as memorabilia of the day. I bought a small keychain of the ferocious tiger that
had captured my imagination, my father bought a monkey plush toy, my sister purchased a number of
animal photo cards and my mother decided on a t-shirt that has a charming drawing of a flock of birds.
We were all satisfied with our purchases. As unwilling as I was, it was time to leave the zoo. I was
admittedly a little despondent, as I wanted to stay longer, however, I was over the moon as I had the
opportunity to enjoy this trip of mine to the zoo and was certain that I could always come back during
the next holidays.Before we left, my family and I posed in front of the zoo’s signboard happily as a staff
worker helped us take the photo. Our faces might have been tired, but our smiles were beatific. We
then piled into my father’s car and went home, our feet aching dully but our spirits high.

VOCABULARY

No VOCABULARY MEANING EXAMPLE

1. Awestruck Filled with or revealing awe People were awestruck by the

pictures sent back to earth.

2. Cacophony A harsh discordant mixture of We were greeted by a

sounds cacophony of sound as we

entered the road.

3. Drifting Carried slowly by a current of air I feel like we're drifting apart

or water. here.

4. Pungent Having a sharply strong taste or Her thoughts were interrupted

smell by a pungent odor.

5. Mesmerising Capturing ones complete The effect is mesmerizing, yet

attention as if by magic not overpowering.

6. Aviary A large cage I found our limited time at the

zoo passing much too quickly

whenever we entered

another aviary.

7. Preening Tidy and clean its feathers with Laurencio finally motioned a

its beak preening Toni into the shot.

8. Clamouring Shout loudly and insistently The surging crowds clamoured

for attention

9. Sweltering Uncomfortably hot It's raining outside and I'm still

sweltering.

10. Languidly Slowly and with little energy She smiled and languidly blew

him a kiss.

11. Iridescent Showing luminous colors that The cream colored siding

seem to change when seen from looked iridescent in the

different angles moonlight.

12. Enchanting Delightfully charming or She is enchanting, but what

attractive makes her so I don't know.

13. Reluctant Unwilling and hesitant It was a reluctant farewell.

14. Gait A persons manner of walking Gerald was tall and lean, his gait

casual.

15. Verve Vigor and spirit Kollo sings with supreme verve
and flexibility
16. Shrieks Utter a high-pitched piercing The next morning he awoke to
sound his wife's shrieks of terror.
All of them wore eerie red
17. Eerie Strange and frightening contact lenses.
Coldness slithered through him.
18. Slithered Move smoothly over a surface
with a twisting The snakes coiled and twined
sinuously.
19. Sinuously Curving way I have a plethora of shirts, so I
will donate some.
20. Plethora A large of something The surface of the liquid
undulated gently
21. Undulated Move or go with a smooth up- The event ran like clockwork
and-down motion.
The memorabilia is currently
22. Clockwork Runs easily,smoothly and stored in a wooden chest.
automatically
Before you get too despondent,
23. Memorabilia Objects kept or collected though, there's some good news.
because of their historical Jane found hope in prayer and
interest, especially those left the church service with a
associated with memorable beatific expression on her face.
people or events.

24. Despondent In low spirits from loss of hope

25. Beatific Heavenly or blessed

NUR ASMA FAIZIE BT MOHD NAIM

LITTLE HERO OF HOLLAND

Here is the true story of brave heart, one willing to hold on as long as it takes to get the job
done.

Holland is a country where much of the land lies below sea level. Only great walls called
dikes keep the North Sea from rushing in and flooding the land. For centuries the people of
Holland have worked to keep the walls strong so that their country will be safe and dry. Even
the little children know the dikes must be watched every moment, and that a hole no longer
than your finger can be a very dangerous thing.

Many years ago there lived in Holland a boy named Peter. Peter’s father was one of the men
who tended the gates in the dikes, called sluices. He opened and closed the sluices so that ships
could pass out of Holland’s canals into the great sea.

One afternoon in the early fall, when Peter was eight years old, his mother called him from his
play. “Come, Peter,” she said. “I want you to go across the dike and take these cakes to your
friend, the blind man. If you go quickly, and do not stop to play, you will be home again before
dark.”

The little boy was glad to go on such an errand, and started off with a light heart. He stayed
with the poor blind man a little while to tell him about his walk along the dike and about the
sun and the flowers and the ships far out at sea. Then he remembered his mother’s wish that
he should return before dark and, bidding his friend goodbye, he set out for home.

As he walked beside the canal, he noticed how the rains had swollen the waters, and how
they beat against the side of the dike, and he thought of his father’s gates.

“I am glad they are so strong,” he said to himself. “If they gave way what would become of
us? These pretty fields would be covered with water. Father always calls them the`angry
waters.´ I suppose he thinks they are angry at him for keeping them out so long.”

As he walked along he sometimes stopped to pick the pretty blue flowers that grew beside
the road, or to listen to the rabbits ‘soft tread as they rustled through the grass. But oftener he
smiled as he thought of his visit to the poor blind man who had so few pleasures and was
always so glad to see him.

Suddenly he noticed that the sun was setting, and that it was growing dark. “Mother will be
watching for me,” he thought, and he began to run toward home.

Just then he heard a noise. It was the sound of trickling water! He stopped and looked down.
There was a small hole in the dike, through which a tiny stream was flowing,

Any child in Holland is frightened at the thought of a leak in the dike.
Peter understood the danger at once. If the water ran through a little hole it would soon make
a larger one, and the whole country would be flooded. In a moment he saw what he must do.
Throwing away his flowers, he climbed down the side of the dike and thrust his finger into the
tiny hole.
The flowing of the water was stopped!
“Oho!” he said to himself. “The angry waters must stay back now. I can keep them back with
my finger. Holland shall not be drowned while I am here.”

This was all very well at first, but soon it grew dark and cold. The little fellow shouted and
screamed. “Come here; come here,” he called. But no one heard him; no one came to help him.

It grew still colder, and his arm ached, and began to grow stiff and numb. He shouted again.
“Will no one come? Mother! Mother!”

But his mother had looked anxiously along the dike road many times since sunset for her little
boy, and now she had closed and locked the cotage door, thinking that Peter was spending the
night with his blind friend, and that she would scold him in the morning for staying away from
home without permission.

Peter tried to whistle, but his teeth chattered with the cold. He thought of his brother and
sister in their warm beds, and of his dear father and mother. “I must not let them be drowned,”
he thought. “I must stay here until someone comes, if I have to stay all night.”

The moon and stars looked down on the child crouching on a stone on the side of the dike. His
head was bent, and his eyes were closed, but e was not asleep, for every now and then he
rubbed the hand that was holding back the angry sea.

“I’ll stand it somehow,” he thought. So he stayed there all night keeping the sea out.
Early the next morning a man going to work thought he heard a groan as he walked along the
top of the dike. Looking over the edge, he saw a child clinging to the side of the great wall.
“What’s the matter?” he called. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m keeping the water back!” Peter yelled. “Tell them to come quickly!”
The alarm was spread. People came running with shovels and the hole was soon mended.
They carried Peter home to his parents, and before long the whole town knew hos he had
saved their lives that night. To this day, they have never forgotten the brave little hero of
Holland.

Source: https://owlcation.com/humanities/Moral-Short-Stories-Teach-Life-Lesson-Values-
Inspirational

VOCABULARY

Dike
Meaning : a long wall or embankment built to prevent flooding from the sea.

Adam’s mother told that we should never play near the dike because it is very dangerous.

Sluice
Meaning : a sliding gate or other device for controlling the flow of water,
especially one in a lock gate

The flood in the Sri Muda area was due to a damaged sluice gate

Errand
Meaning : a short journey undertaken in order to deliver or collect something,
especially on someone else's behalf.

The boy looked very happy to be able to do the errand.

Thrust
Meaning : push suddenly or violently in a specified direction

She thrust her hands into her pockets.

Bidding
Meaning : Make an effort or attempt to achieve

Tom bidding his friends a goodbye before going back home.

Rustle
Meaning : make a soft, muffled crackling sound like that caused by the movement
of dry leaves or paper.

There was a rustle in the undergrowth behind her

AMNI NADHILAH BT RAIS

A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED

The first of May last year is indeed a memorable day for me as it is the day
Sarah, my best friend, lent me a helping hand in a difficult time. Since that day was
a public holiday, Sarah came to my house so that we could do our geography
project together. As the saying goes, ‘two heads are better than one’. My parents
had gone out to attend to some urgent business then. While we were busy doing
our project, my younger brother Liam was playing outside our house. All of a
sudden, Sarah and I heard Liam screaming in pain. Astonished to hear the scream,
we ran out of the house to check on him. To our horror, Liam had fallen into the
drain outside our house. As the drain was quite deep, he was having trouble getting
out of it.

Panic-stricken, I did not know what to do and felt like crying. Just when I
was about to cry, Sarah calmed me down. She suggested that she would call the
ambulance and I would call my parents. I nodded in agreement. As promised, she
called an ambulance at once while I called my parents. Upon knowing what had
transpired, my parents were extremely anxious about Liam. They decided to come
home immediately.

While we were waiting for the arrival of the ambulance, Sarah and I talked to Liam
and comforted him. Seated on the bottom of the drain, Liam’s legs seemed to be in
great pain. He begged us to take him out. As much as I wanted to help him, Sarah
advised me against it. She said it was better to let the paramedics lift him out as he
might be suffering from broken bone injuries and we might deteriorate the
condition. I believed Sarah was right and felt really sorry for Liam, who was
crying bitterly. Sarah ensured him that help would arrive soon. To distract him and
alleviate his sufferings, she told him humorous stories.

Not long after, an ambulance arrived and so did my parents. The paramedics
did their job in a professional manner and lifted Liam out of the drain without
injuring him any further. He was then rushed to hospital. After my father had
driven the rest of us to hospital, the doctor informed us that both of Liam’s legs
were broken and he had to be hospitalised for treatment. But since he was young,
his legs should recover quickly with no permanent damage. Our tension were
assuaged by the doctor’s report and we heaved a sigh of relief.

I conveyed my gratitude to Sarah for her help. She said that was what friends
were for both good times and bad times. Her assistance strengthened our friendship
ties and we hope to remain as best friends forever.
Source : https://english312.com/a-friend-in-need-is-a-friend-indeed-describe-how-
a-friend-helped-you-in-difficult-time.html

VOCABULARY

1. astonished --- very surprised or impressed
2. nodded --- ( past tense for nod ) to move your head down and then
up, sometimes several times, especially to show agreement, approval,
or greeting, or to show something by doing this

3. transpired --- ( past tense for transpire ) that something
has happened, this previously secret or unknown fact becomes known

4. deteriorate --- to become worse

5. alleviate --- to make something bad such
as pain or problems less severe
6. assuaged --- ( past tense for assuage ) to make something bad such
as pain or problems less severe

7. heaved --- ( past tense for heave ) to move something heavy using a
lot of effort

SENTENCES

1. The doctors were astonished at the speed of her recovery.
2. She looked up and nodded for me to come in.
3. As it later transpired, she had known him at school.
4. My eyesight began to deteriorate quite rapidly.
5. The drugs did nothing to alleviate her pain.
6. The government has assuaged the public's fears.
7. He heaved the bag onto his shoulder.

NUR WAFI BATRISYA BT MOHD FAIRUZ

The Story of An Hour

Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was
taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death. It
was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences hints that revealed in
half concealing. Her husband's friend Richards was there, too, near her. It was he
who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster
was received. There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy
armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted
her body and seemed to reach into her soul. She could see in the open square
before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life.
The delicious breath of rain was in the air in the street below a peddler was crying
his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her
faintly, and countess sparrows were twittering in the eaves. There were patches
of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled
one above the other in the west facing her window. She sat with her head thrown
back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up
into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to
sob in its dreams. She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose Ines bespoke
repression and even a certain strength. But now there was a dull stare in her eyes,
whose gaze was fade away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was
not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought.
There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What
was it? She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name. But she felt
creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the
color that filled the air. Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously. She was
beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she
was striving to beat it back with her will-as powerless as her two white slender
hands would have been When the abandoned herself a little whispered word
escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath free,
free, free!" The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from
her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing
blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body. She did not stop to ask it were
or were not a monstrous joy that held her. A clear and exalted perception
enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial. She knew that she would weep

again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death: the face that had
never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw
beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong
to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.
There would be no one to live for during those coming years she would save for
herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence
with which men and woman believe they have a right to impose a private will
upon a fellow-creature. A Kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem
no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination. And yet
she had loved him sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could
love, the unsolved mystery, count for in face of this possession of self-assertion
which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being! "Free! Body
and SOLE free she kept whispering Josephine was kneeling before the closed door
with her lips to the keyhole, imploring for admission "Louise, open the door! I
beg, open the door-you will make yourself it. What are you doing Louise? For
heaven's sake open the door "Go away. I am not making myself " No: she was
drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window. Her fancy was running
riot along those days ahead of her. Spring days, and summer days. and all sorts of
days that would be her own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long.
It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long. She
arose at length and opened the door to her sister's importunities. There was a
feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of
Victory She clasped her sister's waist, and together they descended the stairs.
Richards stood waiting for them at the bottom Someone was opening the front
door with a latchkey. It was Brenty Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained
composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene
of accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at
Josephine's piercing cry at Richards/ quick motion to screen him from the view of
his wife. But Richards was too late. When the doctors came they said she had died
of heart disease-of joy that kills.

Source – internet http://www.yumpu.com

VOCABULARY
Triumph - a very great success, achievement, or victory (= when
you win a war, fight, or competition), or a feeling of great
satisfaction or pleasure
Twittering - the act of talking quickly and nervously, saying
things of very little importance or interest.
Elusive - difficult to describe, find, achieve, or remember
Tumultuously - in a way that is tumultuous (= very loud, or full
of confusion)
Trivial - having little value or importance

Example :
The game ended in triumph for the home team.
The chief executive bursts into the room and the twittering
stops.
The answers to these questions remain as elusive as ever.
His heart started beating tumultuously.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is not a trivial matter.

ANIS AYUNI BT ZAMRI

FLIPBOOK

As a kid, I loved making flip books. They were all I did in art class, whenever I had
it. I worked really hard on one particular flip book. It was around 50 pages long, I
guess. It had a simple stick figure walking into the page, waving at me, and then
walking off. I would look at it at least a dozen times the day that I made it. Then it
got boring. You know how kids are, not entertained by one thing for very long. I
tossed it under my bed and never gave it a second thought.

A few months later, I was cleaning up my room and swept the stack of paper out
from under my bed. I couldn’t quite remember what it was. I flipped through it
once and got a sweet taste of nostalgia. I flipped

through it once more and noticed the pages hadn’t aged or gained dirty at all. I
flipped through a third time. The little stick man walked onto the page, waved at
me, but didn’t walk off.

Instead, a second stick man joined him. It waltzed up, having either an item in its
hand or a severely disfigured arm; its not like anyone could tell the difference.
The second stick man walked next to the first stick figure, stood there for a
moment, then whacked the poor fellow upside the head. The stick figure fell, and
the second stick man swung his stick at the other man. Again. And again. And
again.

What I assume was its blood ran from the stick figure’s rather jagged body. It
looked like nothing more than smeared pencil stains. The killer stick man
proceeded to bend down, and tear apart the first stick man’s body, limb by thin
limb. Once he was done, he bent each one into characters and letters. He set
them upon the page to form a single word. He grabbed the base of his own round
head and tore it off. Then he tore off his legs, and then one of his arms. His zig-
zagged body parts formed themselves into a second word. What I read made me
burn the flip book.

“You’re next.”

Source: https://images.app.goo.gl/3zDrrQ2y4un43Jrc8

VOCABULARY

NO. VOCABULARY MEANING EXAMPLE

1 entertained provide (someone) with A tremendous game

amusement or that thoroughly

enjoyment. entertained the crowd.

2 tossed Throw (something) Suzy tossed her bag on

somewhere lightly or to the sofa”

casually.

3 waltzed Walk somewhere quickly My idiot husband has

and confidently, gone and waltzed off

with my car keys.

4 whacked Strike forcefully with a His attacker whacked

sharp blow. him on the head.

5 smeared Coat or mark (something) His face was smeared

messily or carelessly with with dirt.

a greasy or sticky

substance

6 limb An arm or leg of a person They got out, stretching

or four-legged animal, or their cramped limbs.

a bird’s wing.

7 tore off To remove something by He grasped the sales

ripping or tearing. tag and tore it off.

AISYA WAFAA BT MUHAMMAD YAZID

Source: https://pin.it/brdpBoU

VOCABULARY

1. Fortress
a large, strong building or group of buildings that can
be defended from attack
It can be used for a fortress of any architectural type.

2. Amidst
in the middle of or surrounded by
The town sits amid gentle hills and dense forest.

3. Scope
the range of a subject covered by a book, programme, discussion, class,
etc.
She complained that the plan was too limited in scope.

4. Slit
to make a long, straight, narrow cut in something
He slit open the envelope with a knife.

5. Sentry
a soldier who guards a place, usually by standing at its entrance
My squad were on sentry duty last night.

6. Turret
a small, circular tower that is part of a castle or a large building
The machinery worked so badly that the revolution of the turret was

stopped.

7. Monastery
a building in which monks live and worship
Consequently, some of the abandoned monasteries were repopulated during

their rule.

NUR IRDEENA ALEYA BT MOHD AZMI

THE GOOD STUDENT

BY : PAUL NATION

Sue left her dormitory early that morning. She had even washed her uniform the
night before. She wanted to look nice for the day.

Sue was committed to learning, and she had a talent for getting good grades. In
fact, Sue didn't sleep much. She composed a paper and found the perfect thesis
about the importance of greenhouses. She also studied for her physics test. Sue

was already tired.

During the test, she calculated her answers. Soon, she felt sick. Her face got hot,
and her vision began to blur. She was blind for a moment. The teacher saw Sue's
apparent sickness. He wanted to send her to the nurse. But she wouldn't go. Sue

still had a portion of the test to finish.

After that, Sue went to the nurse. After seeing the secretary, she waited. A few
minutes later, the nurse came in with a glass of juice and told Sue they needed to

chat. "It is obvious that you have exhausted yourself," the nurse said.

"if you keep working so hard, it could have severe results."

"My parents tell me that all the time. I guess I shouldn't ignore them," Sue said.

"You have to remind yourself it is OK to rest," the nurse said. When Sue got back
to her room, she went right to bed. She made sure she got enough rest every
night after that.

Reference :

http://englishea.com/tag/famous-indian-short-stories-in-english-pdf/

https://pin.it/191ncOD

NEW VOCABULARY WITH MEANING AND SENTENCE

1. dormitory : a large bedroom for a number of people in a school or institution.
Example : I will move into the dormitory at the beginning of the school year.

2. composed : form (a whole) by ordering or arranging the parts, especially in an
artistic way.
Example : Tony composed his report using many sources of information.

3. thesis : a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained
or proved.
Example : His central thesis is that psychological life is not part of the material
world.

4. vision : the faculty or state of being able to see.
Example : The ophthalmologist is a medical or osteopathic doctor who specializes
in eye and vision care.

5. apparent : clearly visible or understood; obvious.
Example : Her happiness is apparent from the smile of her face.

6. severe : of something bad or undesirable; intense
Example : After hitting his hand with the hammer, Sam was in severe pain.

AUNI UMAIRAH BT ABDUL RAHMAN

A SAVING-LIFE SLAP

"We all don't know at which moment our knowledge today will save somebody's life." I said at
the end of my Basic Life Support lecture with my students. That was my annual routine at
workplace for the past 6 years. By the middle of the semester, all clinical students of dentistry
would be exposed to the Basic Life Support course and the importance of knowledge in
emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. Usually the course would take up to almost
one day for each group of students, where it began with an introductory lecture on. the aspects
of CPR and how to perform CPR, followed by demonstration sessions, exposure to emergency
equipment for respiratory control and how to manage foreign body airway obstruction
(choking). The most exciting part for students was definitely CPR demonstration sessions, and
management for victims with foreign body airway obstruction as they would be taught on how
to perform the technique on adult mannequin as well as child mannequin. "Aha! I can see that
you can't wait to be a mother!" The sister (head nurse) nagged the female students who were
carrying child mannequins around while their friends were having fun taking pictures. "I want to
post in Instagram later. What hashtag should I use this time?" While the girls loved to take
pictures with baby mannequins, the boys were usually trying to prove what a macho. man they
are when it comes to practical session that involves chest compression technique during CPR
and mouth-to-mouth ventilation on a mannequin. This was the time for the boys to fold their
sleeves up and show off their arms. "How much is the depth of an ideal chest compression
during CPR, Tohir?" "It is as deep as possible until it's close to my heart, Prof!" "Eh! What?!"
"I'm sorry Prof! It's two inches for an adult, Prof!" "Shikin, how fast is an ideal chest
compression should be in CPR?" "It is as fast as our heartbeat when looking at our boyfriends,
Prof! Ahh! I'm sorry, Prof! It's 100 compressions per minute, Prof!" If the morning session was
meant for introduction and demonstration, the evening session was the time for practicality
and assessment. It was the time for the students to be evaluated and the facilitators would
become stricter to ensure a proper CPR technique. "Where did you learn to compress the chest
this way?" "Errr..." The student answered in intermittent stutter. Maybe he knew his technique
was wrong. Supposedly the heel of one hand was placed overlapped on top of the other hand
while the surface of the lower hand was positioned on the sternum in the centre of the chest
before compression was given. Yet this student placed his both hands separately on both left
and right chest as if he was grasping both sides of the mannequin's chest. "Oh no, this is like a
sexual harassment," the facilitator said while shaking his head in disapproval. As I recalled, he
was the only student who failed and had to repeat practical test for CPR throughout my period
as a facilitator. "You need to know how to do a Heimlich manoeuvre. Choking can happen
anytime and anywhere." Heimlich manoeuvre is a method to take out foreign body. which
obstructs the upper respiratory tract or in other words, 'choking'. Foreign body from the
respiratory tract will be removed by a high pressure given to the abdomen. The technique is

unique as the rescuer is required to 'hug' the victim from the back with both fists are tightly
clenched and placed on the central abdomen in between the umbilicus (navel) and ribs. The
same emergency situation had happened to me once when I was attending a conference in
Kuala Lumpur. "Thank you doctor for the sharing just now." One of the participants greeted me
while lining up to grab a meal at the buffet table after giving the main lecture. "You're welcome.
Hopefully it's beneficial for all of us." "I'm Dr. Linda, currently I work in a private clinic. I once
worked in the ministry for three years. Just now you shared on your working experience in
Sarawak, right?" From her character, Dr. Linda was probably in her early 30s. She looked very
cheerful and friendly in person as she greeted me in a quite excited intonation while holding a
plate of chocolate cake and freshly picked fruit from the dessert section. She smiled while
chewing a mouthful of food. It appeared that the chocolate cake on her plate was really
scrumptious. "Oh, I served in Sarawak for about two years back then. My first year was in
Kuching and second year in Kota Samarahan. Have you ever worked in Sarawak?" "No, I've
never but..." Suddenly Dr. Linda could not finish her sentence. I could hear wheezy breathing
while her facial expression turned anxious. Both of her hands were clutching her neck as if she
wanted to say that something was blocking her breathing. Most of the people nearby was
stunned by the sudden unexpected situation. As a coordinator for emergency course, I reflexly
moved to her back because my head automatically interpreted that her condition as choking on
a mouthful of food that she chewed. What happened next was not what I expected at all. When
I was trying to 'hug' her from the back to do Heimlich manoeuvre, she spontaneously turned
back and slapped my face while yelling at me.. "Hey!" Her shout was too loud that the cake
which was obstructed. in the throat spattered out of her mouth onto my shirt. "Oh no! I'm sorry
doctor!" Her face flushed hotly. While covering her face, she ran out of the dining hall. I stood
up in confusion. Despite being slapped and spitted with chocolate cake, at least I saved her life.
Well, I guess besides Heimlich manoeuvre, slapping your 'saviour' might work for choking
situation. To this day, I have never met Dr. Linda again in any conference.

Source :
https://books.google.com.my/books?id=NYUxEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA11&lpg=PA11&dq=a+life+savin
g+slap+by+dr+Firdaus+Hariri&source=bl&ots=kjX6Fvgyos&sig=ACfU3U30hioOXCguL6Or_P66nc
xilnetKA&hl=ms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwitpIOT2oX2AhXHzTgGHfnrD3IQ6AF6BAgeEAI#v=onepage
&q=a%20life%20saving%20slap%20by%20dr%20Firdaus%20Hariri&f=false

VOCABULARY

NO VOCAB MEANING SENTENCES
1 Clutching Mencengkam Both of her hands are clutching
2 Wheezy her neck.
3 Excruciating Semput I could hear wheezy breathing
4 Promptly Menyeksakan from her throat.
Dengan segera I had an excruciating pain when I
5 Perplexed fall into the deep drain.
Bingung They were promptly brought to
6 Grasping the hospital when the accident
7 Intermittent Menggengam happens.
Terputus-putus I was a little perplexed at first
stutter then immediately got my friend
Mengomel on the bed.
8 Nagged The student was grasping his
Hancur bottle from class to the canteen.
9 Mangled Pencari Nafkah My brother answered in
10 Breadwinner intermittent shutter to my mom
question when he knows, his
attitude was wrong.
The nurse nagged the female
students who were carrying new
born baby around the hospital.
His hand was completely mangled
in the machine.
The death of his father made him
be the breadwinner of the family.

NUR IZZATUL INSYIRAH BT BURHAN

The Chest of Broken Glass

Once there was an old man, who had lost his wife and lived all alone. He had worked hard as a
tailor all his life, but misfortunes had left him penniless, and now he was so old he could no longer
work for himself. His hands trembled too much to thread a needle, and his vision had blurred too
much for him to make a straight stitch. He had three sons, but they were all grown and married
now, and they were so busy with their own lives, they only had time to stop by and eat dinner
with their father once a week.

Gradually the old man grew more and more feeble, and his sons came by to see him less and
less. "They don't want to be around me at all now," he told himself, "because they're afraid I'll
become a burden." He stayed up all night worrying what would become of him, until at last he
thought of a plan.

The next morning he went to see his friend the carpenter, and asked him to make a large chest.
Then he went to see his friend the locksmith, and asked him to give him an old lock. Finally, he
went to see his friend the glassblower, and asked for all the old broken pieces of glass he had.
The old man took the chest home, filled it to the top with broken glass, locked it up tight, and put
it beneath his kitchen table. The next time his sons came for dinner, they bumped their feet
against it.
"What's in this chest?" they asked, looking under the table. "Oh, nothing," the old man replied,
"just some things I've been saving."
His sons nudged it and saw how heavy it was. They kicked it and heard a rattling inside. "It must
be full of all the gold he's saved over the years," they whispered to one another.

So, they talked it over, and realized they needed to guard the treasure. They decided to take
turns living with the old man, and that way they could look after him, too. So the first week the
youngest son moved in with his father, and cared and cooked for him. The nest week the middle
son took his place, and the week afterward the eldest son took a turn. This went on for some
time.

At last, the old father grew sick and died. The sons gave him a very nice funeral, for they knew
there was a fortune sitting beneath the kitchen table, and they could afford to splurge a little on
the old man now.

When the service was over, they hunted through the house until they found the key, and
unlocked the chest. And of course they found it full of broken glass.

"What a rotten trick!" yelled the eldest son "What a cruel thing to do to your own sons!"

"But what else could he have done, really?" asked the middle son sadly. ". We must be honest
with ourselves. If it wasn't for this chest, we would have neglected him until the end of his days."

"I'm so ashamed of myself," sobbed the youngest. "We forced our own father to stop to deceit
because we would not observe the very commandment he taught us when we were young."
But the eldest son tipped the chest over to make sure there was nothing valuable hidden among
the glass after all. He poured the broken pieces onto the floor until it was empty. Then the three
brothers silently stared inside, where they now read an inscription left for them on the bottom:
HONOR THE FATHER AND MOTHER.

Source: http://good-bedtime-stories.blogspot.com/2009/07/chest-of-broken-glass.html?m=1

Vocabulary:

Feeble
Meaning: weak and without energy, strength and power.
Example: I could tell that the man was very feeble by his walk.

Locksmith
Meaning: a person who makes and repairs lock
Example: He has been work as a part time locksmith for four years.

Glassblower
Meaning: someone who blows air down a tube to form heated
glass into objects.

Example: The injured glassblower was hospitalized for a few days
so that the doctor can monitor his condition.

Nudge
Meaning: to push (someone or something) very gently.
Example: Ned nudge the busy Peter as he was trying to make his
spider web experiment in science lab.

Rattling
Meaning: a quick, often unsteady, burst of sounds.
Example: The rattling sound heard in the bush just now was from
a rattlesnake’s tail.

Splurge
Meaning: to spend a lot of money on buying goods, especially
expensive goods
Example: Nina just splurged on a new perfume and watch after
she got her first paycheck.

Deceit
Meaning: a statement, act, device that intended to mislead; fraud;
trick
Example: : The deceit of J. King Construction was too much for
High Plaza tenants, but with the help of two competent lawyers
from Hides Law Firm, it made the tenants stand on their ground
bravely.

Inscription
Meaning: something that is inscribed

Example: The inscriptions engraved on National Monument as a
remembrance of fallen warriors who sacrifices during Malaysia’s
struggle for freedom.

NUR WAFI BT SHARIF ZAIDI

The Struggles of Our Life

Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and
that she didn’t know how she was going to make it.She was tired of fighting and
struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon
followed.

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed
each on a high fire.Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot,
eggs in the second pot and ground coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them sit
and boil, without saying a word to his daughter.The daughter, moaned and impatiently
waited, wondering what he was doing. After twenty minutes he turned off the
burners.He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the
eggs out and placed them in a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a
cup. Turning to her, he asked. “Daughter, what do you see?” “Potatoes, eggs and
coffee,” she hastily replied.

“Look closer” he said, “and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were
soft.He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she
observed the hard-boiled egg.Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma
brought a smile to her face.

“Father, what does this mean?” she asked. He then explained that the potatoes, the
eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity-the boiling water. However,
each one reacted differently. The potato went in strong, hard and unrelenting, but in
boiling water, it became soft and weak.The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell
protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg
became hard.

However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling
water, they changed the water and created something new.
“Which one are you?” he asked his daughter.
“When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an
egg, or a coffee bean?”

Source: https://wealthygorilla.com/best-short-moral-stories/

VOCABULARY

1. Hastily
To do something quickly or urgently.
; People are not allowed to board the bus hastily as it may cause injuries.

2. Sip
Drinking a very small amount of a drink at a time.
; He could only sip his tea right know as it is still hot.

3. Aroma
A pleasant smell,usually from coffee and tea.
; Customers love to go to that café since it serves coffees with a very rich
aroma.

4. Adversity
A challenging or unpleasant situation.
; Our people in the past had faced many adversities for our country to break free
from the hands of foreign colonizers.

5. Unrelenting
To not give up easily.
; The rugby team of the opposing school was spiritful and unrelenting.

MUHAMMAD ARIF AKMAL BIN MD NABIL AB ADZIM

WHAT REMAINS

The woman stooped low and gathered a motionless bundle of fur into
her arms. She cradled it before laying the dead raccoon into a sack that
hung from her shoulder. She finished her round of the neighbourhood,
finding a flattened squirrel whose tail had fallen off. There was also
what she guessed was a crow. She brushed the feathers and her thumb
dipped into its skull. Maybe it was a young raven. Careful to hold the
sack in such a way that it didn't bounce against her hip, she walked
home. The rusted gate squeaked shut behind her.

Her spade scraped away chunks of dirt, throwing it onto her lap and
into her shoes. The sun was nearly set when she finished the first
carefully-squared hole. She laid the raccoon in and pushed handfuls of
dirt over him, pressing it into a mound before she topped it with a small
rock. Sitting on her heels, she wiped her forehead with the back of her
hand. The squirrel and what remained of the crow had their own graves
and stones when she brushed her hands on her pants and cracked her
back.

Source: https://images.app.goo.gl/4pfEYZubcvSUC7he6

VOCABULARY

1. Mound - a small hill or heap of dirt or stones
Example: " Among some tribes a circular grave was dug and the body
placed in it with its face towards the east, and a high mound covered
with bark or thatch raised over it."

2. Scraped- to deprive of or free from an outer layer, or to smooth by
drawing or rubbing something.
Example: " He scraped the toe of his boot across the floor."

3. Laid - put (something) down gently or carefully.
Example: " He finished and laid out his clothing and weapons in neat
piles for the next day "

4. Squeaked - to make a short high-pitched cry or sound.
Example: "His chair squeaked as he leaned forward"

5. Dipped - put or let something down quickly or briefly in or into
(liquid).

Example: "he dipped a brush in the paint"

MUHAMMAD SYAKIR BIN RASHIDEY

SUNDAY IN THE PARK

It was still warm in the late-afternoon sun, and the city noises came
muffled through the trees in the park. She put her book down on the
bench, removed her sunglasses, and sighed contentedly. Morton was
reading the Times Magazine section, one arm flung around her
shoulder; their three-year-old son, Larry, was playing in the sandbox: a
faint breeze fanned her hair softly against her cheek. It was five-
thirty of a Sunday afternoon, and the small playground, tucked away in
a corner of the park, was all but deserted. The swings and seesaws
stood motionless and abandoned, the slides were empty, and only in the
sandbox two little boys squatted diligently side by side. How good this
is, she thought, and almost smiled at her sense of well-being. They
must out in the sun more often; Morton was so city-pale, cooped up all
week inside the gray factorylike university. She squeezed his arm
affectionately and glanced at Larry, delighting in the pointed little
face frowning in concentration over the tunnel he was digging. The
other boy suddenly stood up and with a quick, deliberate swing of his
chubby arm threw a spadeful of sand at Larry. It just missed his head.
Larry continued digging; the boy remained standing, shovel raised,
stolid and impassive.

Source: http://shorturl.at/tyGRU

NEW VOCABULARY

1) Muffled --> cover or wrap up (of sounds) to reduce its loudness
2) Glanced --> take a brief or hurried look
3) Frowning --> forming an expression of disapproval, displeasure, or

concentration by furrowing one’s brows
4) Spadeful --> the amount of thing that can be dug out with or

carried on a spade
5) Stolid --> an action which shows calm, dependable and showing

little emotion or animation

EXAMPLES :)

1) The musician’s voice was muffled.
2) Ginny take a quick glanced at her watch.
3) The young writer pitched his screenplay to a frowning producer.
4) They have to take a spadeful of sand out one at a time.
5) That is a stolid bourgeois gent.