υℓуנ αмαzιиє 2017 Hari Raya Themed Trains

This is the first time that the theme of the trains in Singapore is based on a Muslim festival. On 22 June 2017, two trains were launched and designed to celebrate Hari Raya Puasa, which was held on 25 June 2017. The idea came from Land Transport Authority, SMRT and SBS Transit. These two themed trains were to trav- el on the North-South and East-West line respectively until 9 July 2017 daily. Ketupat and festive light decals were featured on the windows of the train while the carriage floor would be decorated with traditional motifs. The trains were decorated in this manner to duplicate the warmth and comfort that a person feels at home, especially when spending time with his or her family. The Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in- Charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, launched the train ride and he took it from Pasir Ris to Eunos station via the East-West Line. Some of the commuters felt happy when they boarded these trains. One example is Madam Haslinda Kassan, 52, an assistant station manager. Whenever she takes one of these themed trains on her day off, she feels a sense of belonging in her as the interior of the train reminds her of her home.

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/hop-on-a-hari-raya-themed-train

Written by: Marissa Eridany 2F Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle A mysterious island measuring around one- mile long and more than 400 feet wide has unex- pectedly formed in the waters surrounding the Bermuda Triangle. The crescent-shaped mile- long island off the tip of Cape Point in Buxton, North Carolina, began rising from beneath the sea in the spring of 2017. This island has been dubbed as the Shelly Island by locals because of the large quantities of shells that litter the shore as recounted by a Vir- ginian Pilot. Anglers, seashell collectors, and photographers have visited the island even though it is dangerous to travel to it because of the strong currents. Dave Hallac, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore has warned that people should not try to walk or swim across the strong current that flows between Cape Point and Shelly Island. Even Bill Smith, president of the North Caroline Beach Buggy Association, has said that there could be many hazards including sharks up to five feet long and stingrays as large as the hood of a truck have been spotted lurking beneath the surface. The Bermuda Triangle lies in a section of the North Atlantic Ocean and covers an area of 440,000 miles of sea. Being one of the most heavily travelled shipping lanes in the world, the Bermuda Triangle has also been blamed for the disappearance of many planes and ships. The “Shelly Island” has popped up in the waters which surround this same Bermuda Triangle and has been branded dangerous for this very own reason.

Written By: Thasneem Firdous (2D) How to Really Study

Studying is hard. Sometimes, no matter how much time and effort you spend trying to digest notes, it is still impossible to un- derstand anything. And aside from the mountain load of assignments you still have yet to do, there are also projects to be complete, tests to revise for. The stress is real and scary, so here are some study tips you can use to study in lesser time but learn much more. Firstly, it is important to have an ideal study environment to work in. Your study area should be kept neat, not only to have more space to use for studying, but also to clear distractions that can divert attention away from your work. Next, it is crucial make your own notes. Every individual take in pieces of infor- mation differently. So even if you were offered your friend’s notes, make sure you change them into your own words and concepts for better understanding and revi- sion. Finally, practice. Whether you’re with your friend or by yourself, you can test yourself with some self-designed tests or quizzes which you can also find online. If you would like to take up a greater challenge, you can also try to teach your friend if they do not understand a certain topic as it is proven that if you can teach it to someone else, you are more likely to have a solid grasp on the material. No matter how stressful it is, you should persevere to the end. Don’t give up!

Sources: https://www.daniel-wong.com/2015/08/17/study-smart/ http://processandfaith.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/study-process.jpg

Joanne (2G) Bibimbap I’m sure that most of you should be extremely familiar with this dish. This dish is clearly noticeable anywhere! Be it in restaurants or food courts. Korea’s influence especially in the entertainment and food in- dustry has taken over the world by storm ! It is especially fa- mous among teenagers and young adults for being mouth-watering and savoury all by itself. However, do you know about its colourful history and what it stands for? Continue reading to find out! So, what does bibimbap mean? It literally translates to ‘mixed rice’ This means that a person must repeatedly stir the ingredients into the rice before eating the dish. This meal includes a bowl of steamed rice, various types of vegetables, beef (chicken or pork, depending on one’s preference), a whole fried egg, and lastly, kochujang (korean chili paste). This dish was normally eaten on the eve of Korea’s lunar year because people in the past felt that they had to clear out the leftover dishes before the new year arrives. Hence, they fixed this problem by mixing the side dishes and rice in a bowl. This dish has also been con- sidered as a meal for farmers during the farming season. This is because this was the most convenient way to feed a large number of people. Bibimbap has also been thought to have been a lunch or a snack for the King. Lastly, this dish has many nutritional benefits as it is mostly made up of natural ingredients! Therefore, you can enjoy this dish fully keep- ing in mind that you have your health prioritised!

Jazmine (2H)

Sources : Bibimbap Wikipedia page http://seonkyounglongest.com/korean-stone-pot-bibimbap/ Is it good to keep up with trends? It is definitely not uncommon nowadays to see fidget spinners and slime everywhere we go from classrooms to departmental stores. Fidget spinners used to be toys for people with special needs but now they have evolved into toys for children and even for teenagers. Similarly, today, slime is used for stress relief and holds wide appeal for teens too. Previously the trendy item that took Singapore by storm was the draw- string bag, it was an item which everyone had to have. However, drawstring bags existed even before the 2000s. Many a times, items or even fashion trends we see now actually used to exist in the past. The trends that we are trying to keep are ever changing and they vary from hair trends, shoe trends, fashion trends and there is absolutely no way we can catch up with these fast evolving changes. Furthermore, these trends are costly and are we really going to use our money to purchase products which are in trend and perhaps after a few weeks later purchase another batch of such products? These may make us happy momentarily but it cannot purchase us eternal joy since we are always spending our hard earned money just to keep up with these trends. On the other hand, these trends can also be a good thing as we will be on par with what’s happening and we would not be behind time too. Proba- bly, adopting trends which are not too costly could solve the issue of over- spending and also allow us to keep up with the in-crowd. All in all, there is no right or wrong answer to following a trend. However, one should always spend within their means and manage their money well.

Chrystal Toh( 3G)

What would become of ? Does the name above sound familiar? Maybe you heard it some- where, but just cannot put your finger to it. If you do know it, you can probably guess what this article is about. 38 Oxley Road is probably a BIG landmark in Singapore, for it was the home to our late Mr , since the 1940s. The year 2015 passed by quite grimly, with the late Mr Lee’s passing. Indeed, it was a huge loss for our country. Personally, I was hoping that Mr Lee would at least be there to witness his country’s Golden Jubilee but sadly, that did not happen. Undoubtedly, we Singaporeans have a strong, trustworthy government. However, due to recent events, many Singaporeans are now weary of the accusations and disputes between PM Lee and his younger siblings. The debate on whether 38 Oxley Road Home should be demolished is still ongoing, with claiming that PM Lee was “misusing his authority”. Mr Hsien Yang’s sister, Dr , a competent and outspoken neurologist supported his allegations. The duo also stated in a six-page statement that they believed that their older brother and sister-in-law, Mdm , the Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings, are motivated by a yearning to inherit their father’s standing and reputation solely for themselves and their children. Mr , on the other hand, strongly disagreed with his siblings’ statements, saying that he was very disappointed in them as such private family affairs should not be publicised. “I asked my father on (what he wanted to do with the house) and he replied that he wanted to demolish the house,” said PM Lee. Mr Goh Chok Tong, Singapore’s second prime minister, said that the “Lee Family Feud” had been blown wildly out of proportion, damaging Singapore’s reputation with their disputes. In my humble opinion, I do hope that the Lee siblings would have a rec- onciliation. I am sure that the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew and the late Mdm would not have wanted their three children to fight, es- pecially over their home. There are debates to actually demolish the house to fulfil the late Mr Lee’s wishes and to end the Lee siblings’ feud, preserve the house, re build it and more.Whatever the final outcome, I believe that it should be carefully considered and thought through. What do you, my dear reader, think?

Meera 1Dilligence

Sources: http://www.straitstimes.com/tags/38-oxley-road http://mothership.sg/2017/07/38-oxley-road-prime-minister-lee-hsien-loong-full-speech-on-july-3- parliament/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/38_Oxley_Road