06 Extensive Reading Questions for Chapter 6, What’s happening out there?
- Living in a World of Fear
Pre-Reading
- Do you feel safe in school? You can consider safety from either physical abuse or verbal abuse or both.
Yes, I feel very safe in school. I have very caring friends and and we always help each other. Even if they are not around, I am prepared to face any physical or verbal abuse because I am strong from inside.
During-Reading
- Why did a stranger deem Kelly ‘the crazy girl’ in Basha High school?
The stranger deemed Kelly as a crazy girl because she tried multiple counts of interfering with an educational system.
- Why did Sarah, the author of the article, respond with anger by correcting her that it was ‘Kelly’ and not ‘the crazy girl’?
The author responded with anger because Kelly used to be her good friend and she did not want to disgrace her school again like the time Kelly publicized it...infamously.
- What was the school’s reaction to the plans made for a school shooting and anything related to it? Why do you think they reacted so?
They became furious, called in more security, called a search warrant for Kelly’s house, became very cautious with very extra precautions because they did not want the students to get harmed by school violence, in this case was school shooting.
- Do you think Kelly was fairly treated? Give reasons to support your answer.
Yes, because she was going to blow up her school and shoot down its students and teachers. If she was going to be just sent to some dome or hostel she would be more encouraged to finish her plans but by sentencing her to jail she would learn from her mistakes and regret her doings.
Post-Reading
- When people have fear of what they don’t know or don’t understand, they tend to over react or at least make decisions. Is this a justifiable reaction?
Yes, it is as I have experience it before. When people fear, they tend to forget everything they know how to prevent or do so they just act like dummies in primary school (Like they also forget simple things like how to open a car door) but that is how the Human Brain works. After a while, when they come to their sense, they tend to make quick decisions, dangerous ones but life-saving ones. When you are in fear, your brain is forced to make decisions.
- Students snap under pressure and sometimes they act this out violently against other students and teachers. In Singapore, there is little possibility for carrying a gun to school but there are other acts of violence that happen. What are some of them and how can you prevent them?
Other acts involve, public property vandalism, shop theft, verbal accusation, cheating, etc, which can be prevented by different degrees of punishments due to the intensity of the act.
- The Day We Lost So Much
Pre-Reading
- Do you have any fears? What are they if you have them? If you don’t have any fears, what are some fears you know your friends or other people have?
I have some fears that involve going in to the dark alone, alien invasion stuff like that but that is natural. I have friends who have developed fear while growing like being shot down by some strangers you don’t know, being bombed and watching someone die with blood and gore.
During-Reading
- What were the reactions of the following people mentioned in the article when the Twin Towers were attacked and then when it later collapsed and during the aftermath:
Jane; the author of the article; her parents; students in school in general; the girl in her school whose mother was in New York then; the teachers in school; and some other people in general.
The author was confused but her parents were glued to the television and all others. But during the aftermath, everybody around the world watching the news were shocked, petrified at the face of death. The innocent lives lost in the incident. Students in school were the same, frozen. The girl in her school whose mother was in New York was very scared but relieved that she was not in the incident as she was helping out the victims.
Post-Reading
- Towards the end of the article, Jane suggested that we should not spend our energy looking for people to blame for something bad that had happened. She instead, suggested a proactive approach to help people affected by the bad incident, remember the good in their glorious moments and smile in the face of despair. She believes this might change the future. What do you think of Jane’s stand? Give reasons to support your stand.
I support her stand and I rather think that is a positive thing to do in times and situations like this because by doing this people tend to get the courage and confidence of what they will do next and to face the situation in the correct way.
- Looking Back
Pre-Reading
- Have you ever thought of or have been involved in raising funds or helping out in any voluntary situations for disaster relief?
I have not been in one but have thought of how it might be and what are the things done to help people.
During-Reading
- How is the author of this article, Paulina, different in her reaction to the 9/11 tragedy from the Jane, the author of the previous article? In particular, what sort of feelings does she have?
Jane is more of relaxed type of person. She faced every situation with courage and confidence but Paulina was afraid at every step that went on her life after 9/11.
- Why is it that every time an airplane passes by, Paulina’s mood changes as quickly as the plane passes?
She has this typical fear that a plane might just come crashing down in to the buildings causing destruction and sorrow all around. Her mood instantly changes into a wild sense of fear with all lightness and happiness vanished. Cold in fear.
Post-Reading
Do you think Paulina’s fears are rational? Why or why not?
Some of them are like the plane crashing into buildings because people can gain fears but there are ways to fight against these things. All we need is courage and confidence against our own hearts, to train them till they are strong to face any situation.
- Recovering from My Own Epidemic
Pre-Reading
- What do you remember (you were probably 6 or 7 years old then) or know about the SARS (Avian bird flu pandemic) scare?
I do not know anything because I was small back then but as I grew I did a little research about the SARS and found out that it was a serious pandemic problem as the virus spread wildfire and there were a lot of restrictions back then and all the streets were deserted/lonely as people were concerned and bored back home. They could only watch TV or do things limited within the boundaries of our own homes.
During-Reading
- What were the steps taken by the teachers and school for the prevention and the spread of SARS?
Schools were closed down, people were asked to wear a mask, safety precautions were taken all around and hygiene made it top in the list of precautions. People were warned off the streets for leisure walking. And many more that may have seemed very unreliable but for our own safety.
- How did the SARS epidemic change the author of this article, Eri’s life?
The SARS Epidemic brought a big change on Eri’s life, she realised that life is short and to live it you have to do something to light it up. She knew that there is no point of living life in depression and sadness.
- What were the thoughts that motivated this change?
She thought why had she was on Earth for, never wanted depression or feeling of sorrow and sadness. There is no way someone can live an ideal life with a negative impression of life and had to appreciate the small things in life.
Post-Reading
- How appropriate do you think the title of this article ‘Recovering from my own epidemic’ is? Give a reason(s) to support your answer.
It has just the perfect touch and description of the whole reflection. There was an epidemic out there but there was a smaller but a more important epidemic in a house to the author about her life. This shows how she faced and reflected her problem and made a resolution and turned over a new leaf to live life in a positive way.
6. Prejudice
Pre-Reading
-Why do you think students are constantly asked to recite the Singapore pledge? We the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build democratic society so as to achieve happiness, prosperity for our nation.
It is done to remind us everyday what we ware here for, what our main goals are, what do we have to achieve and strive at the end of the day. Mainly, what we have to change our attitude to and be positive always as it always gives a good outcome.
During-Reading
- What is meant by ‘Difference is the brother of inferiority’?
It means that difference shows one people into two, it shows someone higher than someone else. Differences are the only things that are selfish and brings the truth out ; bitter or sweet. Difference is greater than showing someone is better/worse than others.
- Why is it that when the dark skinned girl is saying the same words that came out the author, Brooke’s mouth yesterday, it will be disregarded?
The author may have felt bad of what he had said and he did not want to listen to it again as it is coming from a girl. The author wanted to ignore that fact as he was not interested on it, as it is what he said the day before.
Post-Reading
- Universities and educational institutes with a global focus strive to have a 10-20% percentage of foreign students. What are some of the advantages of having classmates from different races and different countries?
Some advantages include getting a sense of other culture and getting mixed with it. By knowing and respecting different cultures and races around the world. With this, people will learn what it feels like to know different people around the world which can introduce to many new things like their food, lifestyle, language, etc.
It will also be very useful in different types of Group projects that includes Geography and History.
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