《白色巨塔》

当我进入医业时，我郑重的保证：要奉献一切为人类服务，凭着良心和尊严从事医业，病人的健康为我首要顾念。

-- 《白色巨塔》

My Birthday

Above pictures are taken at this tourist attraction at Sun Moon Lake (日月潭), whereby there are 365 steps and on each step is a date stating all the famous people who are born on this particular date.

Guess who shares the same birthday as me?

Elihu Root (some American guy who is a Nobel Peace Laureate)

Andrew Jackson (U.S. 7th President)

Galileo Galilei (an Italian physicist, astronomer, astrologer, and philosopher who is closely associated with the scientific revolution. )

HAPPY PIGGY YEAR!!!

猪小弟的各位猪朋狗友： 猪事如意，身体能够像猪一样吃得白白胖胖，最重要的是天天能够大猪小猪落玉盘，餐餐都能有肥猪肉吃。=）

祝我生日快乐

I AM OFFICIALLY 18 YEARS OLD!!!

3 DAYS BEFORE I TURN 18!!!

Only 3 days to go before I reach my legal age to drown myself in alcoholic drinks, choked myself with nicotine in cigarettes and squander all my family's wealth in one of those Singapore Pools' outlets.

Alternatively, I can also freak myself to death by watching Hannibal at Golden Village.

What should I do when I turn 18?

What would YOU do when you turn 18?

Buy Vodka from 7-Eleven? Bet on your birthdate or the last 4 digits of your NRIC with Singapore Pools? Attempt a ouff of Marlboro?

I reckon that the first M-18 thing I would do is to buy 4D.

How atypical of a JC teenager, to engage himself in such heartlander's activity. Shouldn't I assimilate into the mainstream culture and do what a normal JC/Poly teenager would normally do when he or she turns 18?

I guess this is what that makes me unique -- an elite teenager studying in an environment that breeds and values elitism, but his heart belongs to the colloquial heartlanders.

身体行尸走肉般在上流社会里敷衍着，心灵紧紧惦记着属于真正的自我的草根甘榜。

我仍然只是个平民。

A little nervous about B-Day. All the prolonged, accumulated anticipation and excitement for the arrival of the big day is now haunting me instead. As much as I want my birthday to arrive as soon as possible, I am worried.

With liberty, freedom and power comes a great deal of responsibilities that i have to shoulder and expectations that I have to fulfil.

I am apprehensive about stepping into adulthood. As much as the lure of all the social benefits i get to enjoywhen i turn 18 is irresistible, I would still want to lead my carefree childish days, in which all that I have to worry about is just academics. I don't think I am ready to be called an "adult", yet.

The path to turning 18 is a one-way path with no turning back. As soon as you step into adulthood, you are prohibited from reminiscing your childish days. You are expected to give up all the memories that you used to possess and start afresh.

It's cruel. And I find it far too demanding.

I still want to be a child.

And my days as a child are numbered.

Only 3 more days to go.

General Paper Essay

Question: Must we accept the fact nuclear power is the only practical solution to the world's energy needs?

With the economic uprising and the sudden development of infrastructure in China and India, we should not underestimate how much energy these two countries, which account for one-third of the world's population, need. Statistics have shown that the energy consumption of China and India has been increasing at an alarming rate over the past decade. And thus far, we have only been looking at these two Asian superpowers. The need for energy in other countries, developed or developing, is a bottomless pit. The hunger for energy is never curbed and to worsen matters, oil prices had skyrocketted and even peaked at US$75 per barrel in 2006. It is, therefore, no wonder why finding cheaper alternative to satisfy their demands for energy is amking its way to the top of the agenda list for many nations. And it is also no surprise that many countries in the world are considering nuclear power as the only practical solution to their energy needs.

However, is the world making the correct assumption?

The proponents of nuclear power often praise the physicist Albert Einstein, for the equation he formualted in the 1920s -- E = mc^2. it is more than just an ordinary equation. it paved the way for the research and development of a cheap and mass form of energy to meet the ever-increasing demands by the world for more energy. the brigade also claims that nuclear power is more environmentally-friendly. fowls are not brutally maimed, like how they are by the blades of a wind turbine; the ecology of the aquatic wildlife is not disrupted by the generators of a dam and by the floodings caused by it; and a nuclear power station takes up less land space than that of a solar power generator. Most importantly, supporters of nuclear power are awed by the sheer amount of energy a nuclear power station can generate, supplying power for up to one million homes, as in the case of the nuclear power station in Japan. Therefore, being relatively affordable, eco-friendly and able to satisfy the need for power of many, the proponents for nuclear power claim thta this is the only practical solution to the world's energy needs.

Yet, what the supporters of nuclear power failed to realise are the hidden flaws of this new technology, which can only be discovered upon close inspection. Nuclear power is only "affordable" because it can mass-produce electrical power for millions of homes, and in comparison to other sources of energy, like coal, oil, wind and hydroelectricity, nuclear power is much more cost-effective. However, acquiring the technology and expertise for nuclear power is highly expensive, especially if countries have not already attained a high level of scientific and technological development. Hence, nuclear power is not a practical solution for countries without a sophisticated level of scientific and technological development.

Furthermore, nuclear power can also cause equal, if not greater, amount of damage to the envrionment as comapred to other energy sources. no doubt that nuclear power is not guilty of causing air pollution, the Greenhouse Effect and global warming, the Chernobyl explosion in Czechslovakia in 1990 teaches us the consequences of any mishap related to nuclear explosion and leakage of radioactive substances. Flora and fauna in the vicinity of the 1990 accident perished, land became derelict and human beings suffered from deformity and gene mutation after coming into contact with the uncontained radioactive substances. Nuclear power is hence not a practical solution to meet enegy demands for small countries as the effects due to any leakage of radioactive substances could be easily magnified.

We do have other practical choices made available to us to meet our energy needs. Oil, for instance, is a good option. It fuels practically every single automobile on the roads and jets flying in the air, and it is also our main source of electrical power. Despite the widely-accepted view that the Earth's oil suplly may be emptied by 2050, new sources of oil are discovered yearly. Oil sand are discovered off the coasts of Russia in 2004, new oil wells are found dotting at North Sea and even the Gulf States have reported that they have discover new oil wells beneath their deserts. Even though oil prices are at US$45 per barrel, it is still comprably affordable than nuclear power and it is also the most commonly-used fuel for energy.

Hydroelectricity can also meet the world's energy needs. Currently, 10% of the world's energy is produced by turbines in dams, and this figure is expected to rise. The Three Gorges Dam built along the Yangtze River in China produces enough eletrical power for more than one million homes in eight of China's major cities. The world's second largest dam, Itaipu Dam built on the boundaries of Paraguay and Brazil generates power for three hundred thousand homes across both countries. The productivity of a dam is reliable. Even though damming rivers or waterfalls may flood the surrounding areas and kill wildlife, the effect is still relatively small as compared to the apocalyptic effect of a nuclear explosion.

Wind power can also meet the world's energy needs. Thus far, wind energy makes up 5% of the world's energy produced. Although a wind mill may be aesthetically-unappealing, and its turbine may cause innocent birds flying past to be injured, wind power is a very clean source of energy (unless you consider the blooshed due to the injuring of birds as 'dirty') and it does not emit any harmful gases into the atmosphere in the process of generating power. As wind is readily available in any place, this makes wind power another practical solution to the world's energy needs.

In a nutshell, no doubt that nuclear power does have its own advantages as compared to others sources, but we must be aware of nuclear energy's downside, like how one's negligence can cause calamity to Mankind and Mother Nature. Therefore, we need not accept the fact that nuclear power is the only practical solution to the world's energy needs, since there are also many other options available, like oil, hydroelectricity and wind energy.

Content: 20/30
Language: 14/20
Total: 34/50

Comments: Terence, a pleasure reading your essay! I especially liked your rebuttals to the practicality of nuclear power. Apt and varied examples with appropriate use of vocabulary throughout. Do make sure you make your stand clear in the introduction, though, and check your language.

Waste of Time 浪费时间

Without you, breathing is a waste of time

没有你在身旁，呼吸也只不过是在浪费时间

溪头之旅

若不仔细观察，溪头森林游乐区还真像新加坡的武吉知马天然保护区。但有别于狮城的热带森林，海拔1150公尺，面积约2500公顷的溪头森林属于温带森林，里头所生长的树木种类繁多，是一处理想的森林浴场。难怪溪头森林也被台湾国立大学选为设立试验林场的地点。

台大试验林场

带领我们的黄姓导游解说“溪头”的由来：是因为此地位于北势溪的上游，浊水溪的源头而得名。溪头地势南高北低，属于山谷地势。这里所生长的树木因气候的关系，所以大多为阔叶与针叶植物，而溪头森林所生长的红桧、扁柏、银杏树、梢楠和台湾杉更被称为溪头“五大珍树”。

黄导游也为我们介绍了“大花曼陀罗”这植物，其花朵因有麻醉的功用，而常被用来制作大麻这毒品。此外，黄导游也教导我们如何分辨“台湾桫椤”与“笔筒树”这两种树；以及如何区分“姑婆芋”和“山芋”这两种类似芋头的植物，可说是让大家大开眼界，获益匪浅。

大花曼陀罗

我们在溪头森林游乐区的首站便是“大学池”。大学池闻名遐迩的地方不在于它那座用竹子搭建而成，横跨碧波的拱桥，而是这座竹桥背后的传说：若你能用7步走过这座桥，保证你能考进大学。。这令人半信半疑的传说正是“大学池”的由来。大学池湖光潋滟，清碧翠绿，其荡漾的涟漪更将此地衬托得诗情画意。

接着，大伙儿沿着木屑布道前往“空中走廊”。木屑布道就好像武吉知马山上的布道，只不过溪头的不是用水泥铺成的，而是当地的原住民从附近的凤凰山所砍伐下来的树木，磨成木屑铺建而成的。

溪头的“空中走廊”是全台湾首座森林冠层空中走廊，全长约180公尺，最高点距离地面22.6公尺。站在空中走廊上不仅能鸟瞰整个溪头森林区，还可以体验森林冠层的鸟语花香，以及观察各种生植物、栖树动物、昆虫甚至菌类的生态。

“空中走廊”上鸟瞰溪头森林

最后，我们看到了“溪头神木”。身高46公尺的这株红桧有中空的树干。中空的树干之所以会形成是因为这株红桧已经历经了2800年的沧桑，挨了无数次的日晒雨淋，以致树干被细菌和霉菌侵蚀。尽管神木的中空腐朽，它却仍然生机盎然，屹立不倒，充分体现出其毅力与韧性。

这趟溪头森林区郊游不单让长期居住在钢铁水泥森林的我们见识到什么叫做真正的森林，也让大伙儿有机会远离烦杂的城市喧嚣，呼吸新鲜的空气，感受阳光洒在脸上的感觉，令人心旷神怡！

我有话要说

只要是人，就必定有自己的思维，自己独特的看法和主见，有话想要说。人就是一只爱炫耀的动物。就好像狮子、老虎、蟋蟀和羚羊一样，它们通过比武打斗来证明自己比对方强；而人类则是通过将心中的个人见解表达出来，以这种文明的方式来证明自己的才识过人，比别人来得有墨水。若不将心中的话说出来，我们就好像骨鲠在喉，不吐不快。

不同年龄层的人类，都会因为不同的原因而要表达出自己的看法。年幼时，人类仍然是头懵懂无知但却“不畏虎”的“初生之犊”。就是因为对常识、人性、风俗民情的不了解，所以年幼的人类什么都敢说，一点也不畏惧所错话的后果，不晓得什么叫做“祸从口出”。就比如：儿时的我们或许会在某人的丧礼上问道什么是死亡、某人是怎样死的、死相是否难看。。。又或者：我们会问刚刚失恋的姐姐为什么今天她的（前任）男友没有送她回家、向刚刚失业的父亲要求买新玩具、看到半身不遂的某人正坐在轮椅上，也吵着要坐轮椅玩玩看。总之，年幼的我们总是有话要说，而且还是常常不顾一切地说了心中的话。

逐渐地，我们开始上学，就常希望能够在老师面前好好表现自己。老师在课堂上发问，台下的同学们纷纷举起手，抢着要回答。这时候的人类，已经开始有了自我意识，开始希望自己能够受到别人的注意与瞩目。这时候的人类，认为自己存在的意义就是得到老师的青睐、父母的认同、长辈的称赞，认为给他们的生命赋予价值的是老师、父母和长辈。所以，我们在这个年龄就会极力地去争取表现的机会，而其中的机会包括了在课堂上回答老师的提问，不管心中的答案是否正确，不论看法是否不够成熟，只要心中有话，就一定要把话说出来。

青少年的我们，血气方刚，英气勃勃，敢怒敢言。正处于青春发育期的我们，朝气蓬勃，一点小事都会看不顺眼。而一有任何看不顺眼的事，就会按捺不住内心激动地心情，非把心中的不悦说出来，不吐不快。而且，我们在这个年龄，看不顺眼的事情还真多：学校管理不当、老师授课不妥、公共交通不够便利、电视节目不够精彩、甲君处事不当、不能够乙君的个性、不满政府实施的新措施。。。等等。这个年龄层的人类，若要发言还真的有不少的管道，任君选择。可写在日记簿里、可投稿至报社、可在网上的留言板或在个人的“部落格”发表意见。

成年的人类，也有话要说。但或许是因为被社会的历练磨得精疲力尽了，他们对于发言的热忱逐渐降温，又或许在飞快的生活节奏的压力下，他们已经被疲劳轰炸，再也没有精力去发言，只好默默忍受着任何的委屈及不满，听天由命，不再 强求环境适应他们个人的喜好，而是逐渐改变自己去适应这环境。然而，他们也并非变成了麻木不仁，毫无主见的木头人，只不过他们所关心的课题的范围并不像年少时的那么广。对于民生课题如：生活费、医药费、国内政治、国际局势等，他们还是有话要说。这时候的人类，见识也广了，社会历练也丰富了，自然而然地就能够发表出脱离窠臼，独树一格的主见，思维清晰，条理分明。

总而言之，人类可说是个爱说话的家伙儿。不论年龄都还是那么爱表达自己内心的看法与感受。难怪人类是世上唯一创造了文字与文法的动物，为的还不就是方便我们将心中的话说出来？