Sample Essay

The Internet Has More Advantages Than Disadvantages

  In this era of science and technology, the Internet plays a crucial part in our lives. It is one of the most useful inventions of all time and it brought us a lot of advantages in many ways, such as in communication, in the way we obtain information and in the field entertainment. In my opinion, I think that using internet has more advantages than disadvantages.

  Firstly, the internet plays an important role in the world of communication. This is because the Internet offers easy and inexpensive ways to communicate, such as email, messenger, chatting, teleconferencing and blogging. Besides that, the internet also saves time as message can be delivered in a matter of seconds. Today, we do not need to go to the post office to post a letter in order to contact family or friends. Snail mail has become history.

  In addition, the internet also enables us to gain access to a wealth of information with just a click of the mouse. Information from various fields such as business, education, science and entertainment from all over the world is not only easily obtainable but most of it also free of charge. In education, the internet is a very powerful tool for students for the completion of their assignments or projects. In other words, the internet helps to promote students’ learning. Students of today need not spend hours browsing through volumes of books from cover to cover to obtain information.

  Apart from that, the internet also plays a major role in the field of entertainment. We can download songs, music, watch sports and even play games via the internet. We can entertain ourselves by just sitting in front of the computer. On top of that, we can also download films and watch them on our computer screens instead of going through the hassle of going to the cinema.

  However, I do agree up to a certain point with the writer that the internet has the potential to distract students from their studies. Youngsters nowadays spent hours in front of the computer and this has affected the concentration on their studies. Instead of blaming the internet, they should plan a timetable for them and learn how to manage time. This would ensure that they does not spend too much time in front of te computer.

  In conclusion, it is undeniable that the internet brings us many advantages. It is marvelous creation that has paved the way fpr progress. Let us not point our finger at the internet for the very few negative aspects that come with the package. Instead, we should make full use of the internet to benefit mankind. 

THE CURSE moral values

Write about the moral values found in the novel.

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   There are many moral values found in The Curse by Lee Su Ann. The story is set in an island off Langkawi Island. The Curse revolves around the events surrounding the death of a village girl, Madhuri, who is also the adopted sister of themain character, Azreen.

The first moral value is bravery. This value is shown by Azreen. First, even as a young girl she takes challenges and tries to prove to her friends that the Old Lady is not an evil witch. When she is yelled at for entering the Old Lady’s house and destroying her vegetable garden, Azreen bravely defends herself. In fact, she returns the next day and repairs the trampled garden. Her action wins the Old Lady’s heart.

    The second evidence is when Azreen bravely takes the blame for Mohd Asraf in the bull incident. She demonstrates courage.The same bull later injures her mother’s leg causing he to lose the use of her leg. She was blamed and scolded by her father as well as the villagers. She bravely endures that and never tells anyone of what really happened.

Her bravery is once again tested. The third event that displays her bravery is when she tries to tackle the angry mob who are about to attack the the Old Lady. When the Old Lady’s house is in fire, Azreen tries to rescue the Old Lady but at the end she has to be rescued by her father. When the Old Lady dies in the tragic fire, she confronts Mohd Asraf like a wildcat.

    Finally, towards the end of the story, she finds out the secret that her father has been keeping. She confronts her father about Madhuri’s murder until he is forced to confess about the truth. She is very brave to confront people whom she knows have done wrong to others. At the same time she is very brave when defending herself and the people she loves.

sample (2)

    There are many moral values found in The Curse by Lee Su Ann. The story is set in an island off Langkawi Island. The Curse revolves around the events surrounding the death of a village girl, Madhuri, who is also the adopted sister of themain character, Azreen.

    The first moral value is bravery. This value is shown by Azreen. First, even as a young girl she takes challenges and tries to prove to her friends that the Old Lady is not an evil witch. When she is yelled at for entering the Old Lady’s house and destroying her vegetable garden, Azreen bravely defends herself. In fact, she returns the next day and repairs the trampled garden. Her action wins the Old Lady’s heart.

    The second evidence is when Azreen bravely takes the blame for Mohd Asraf in the bull incident. She demonstrates courage.The same bull later injures her mother’s leg causing he to lose the use of her leg. She was blamed and scolded by her father as well as the villagers. She bravely endures that and never tells anyone of what really happened.

    Her bravery is once again tested. The third event that displays her bravery is when she tries to tackle the angry mob who are about to attack the the Old Lady. When the Old Lady’s house is in fire, Azreen tries to rescue the Old Lady but at the end she has to be rescued by her father. When the Old Lady dies in the tragic fire, she confronts Mohd Asraf like a wildcat.

    Finally, towards the end of the story, she finds out the secret that her father has been keeping. She confronts her father about Madhuri’s murder until he is forced to confess about the truth. She is very brave to confront people whom she knows have done wrong to others. At the same time she is very brave when defending herself and the people she loves.

sample (3)

    The novel that I choose is The Curse by Lee Su Ann. The story is about the mysterious death of Azreen’s adopted sister, Madhuri, and how Azreen goes through everything to find out the truth behind the death. A moral value that I have leant in the story is bravery.

    This value is shown by Azreen. First, even as a young girl she takes challenges and tries to prove to her friends that the Old Lady is not an evil witch. When she is yelled at for entering the Old Lady’s house and destroying her vegetable garden, Azreen bravely defends herself. In fact, she returns the next day and repairs the trampled garden. Her action wins the Old Lady’s heart.

    The second evidence is when Azreen bravely takes the blame for Mohd Asraf in the bull incident. She demonstrates courage. The same bull later injures her mother’s leg causing her to paralyze. She was blamed and scolded by her father as well as the villagers. She bravely endures that and never tells anyone of what really happened.

    The third event that displays her bravery is when she tries to tackle the angry people who are about to attack the the Old Lady. When the Old Lady’s house is in fire, Azreen tries to rescue the Old Lady but at the end she has to be rescued by her father. When the Old Lady dies in the tragic fire, she confronts Mohd Asraf like a wildcat.

    Finally, towards the end of the story, she finds out the secret that her father has been keeping. She confronts her father about Madhuri’s murder until he is forced to confess about the truth.

    As conclusion, bravery is the moral value that I have learnt through Azreen. For me, Azreen is very brave to confront people whom she knows have done wrong to others. At the same time she is very brave when defending herself and the people she loves.

THE CURSE character that you think is exemplary

Write on a character whom I think is exemplary.

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    In the Curse by Lee Sue Ann, the character whom I think is exemplary is The Old Lady of the forest. Throughout the novel, she shows strength of character and wisdom.

    When she first moves to the village as a newlywed, she is popular among the villagers and she enjoys a blissful marital life with her husband. Everything changes as her husband who becomes an alcoholic starts to abuse her and finally she retaliates and kills him. From then on, the villagers treat her like an outcast. She is forced to move out of the village and makes an abandoned house her home. She lives alone for years until she befriends Azreen and becomes her mentor and will console her whenever she has a fight with her parents.

    When Asraf approaches The Old Lady for help, she is hesitant about going back to the village. Yet she agrees and doing so, she puts her life at risk. When she is trapped in the burning house, she tells Azreen to save herself and she perishes in the fire. Even at death’s door, she reminds Azreen about the importance of forgiveness and tells her to heed all the advice she has given her.

    The Old Lady is therefore an exemplary character as she is strong, wise and honourable

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    Based on  the novel The Curse by Lee Sue Ann, the character that I consider  exemplary is Azreen because she is courageous and brave. She shows resilience and she always fight for what she believes in.

    Firstly, Azreen who does not believe the villagers tales about The Old Lady is being brave by accepting her friend’s challenge to firstly knocking on the door of The Old lady and then meet her in person.  . Subsequently, she befriends The Old Lady and makes her, her precious confidante and counselor.

    In addition, Azreen is courageous by confronting Puan Normala’s mob outside Mohd Asraf’s house when Nek once again has fallen ill and died in order to stop her from entering Nek’s house. Although she is outnumbered, she dares to face Puan Normala’s horde to protect Nek’s house from them.  Moreover, she confronts a group of men led by Asraf who goes to the Old lady’s house to seek revenge after Nek dies as they believe the Old lady has poisoned Nek.

    It is a dog-eat-dog world out there and we must be brave and courageous to overcome our daily obstacles and stand for our own rights. We should not be intimidated by our fear and we must be like Azreen in order to survive the world.

    The second exemplary qualities of Azreen is that she portrays resilience throughout the story and she constantly fights for what she believes in. This can be seen when Azreen does not give up and is determine and resilience to seek the truth of Madhuri’s death even though others do not want to tell her the truth. She asks Asraf and The Old Lady about Madhuri’s death and slowly gather evidences and finally she knows the truth about Madhuri’s killing.

In her village, a woman should be conservative and well mannered but Azreen is a contrast to that and thus she is hated but she ignores the villagers’ perception of her, as she believes that women have their own rights. This can be seen as she befriends Asraf and joins the boys’ hockey team and similarly makes The Old Lady her best friend.
    In this cruel world, we must stand for our own right and fight for what we believe in. We must follow Azreen’s resilience to make this world a better place.

THE CURSE character you like/dislike

Which character do you like the most?

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    The novel I have studied is 'The Curse' by Lee Su Ann.  The novel is about the main character, Azreen, who returns from England after she finds out about her sister's death. Upon her return, she is surrounded by many secrets. She discovers the circumstances of Madhuri's death later in the story.  At the end of the story she finds out the truth and leaves for London an orphan but more resilient and wise.

    The character I like most is Azreen Salleh. She is a 20-year-old student who is studying in a university college in London on an exchange programme. She is short, bespectacled, rather bookish and outspoken.

    I like Azreen because she is outspoken and she is not afraid to spoke her mind. She is  vocal and says her opinions although sometimes she says the wrong things at the wrong time. She also hates her father's treatment of her foster parents and Madhuri's burial ceremony  that is conducted without her presence.  In handling the village gossip, Pn Normala, Azreen tells her off that the rain has started even before the Old Lady comes into town.

The second quality she has is she is courageous.  As a child, she plays hockey and football with the boys. In the bull's incident, she is brave enough to accept the blame for the bull's escape instead of blaming someone else. Azreen also shows her courage by taking up the dare to knock on the Old Lady's door when none wants to do it. In another instance, Azreen confronts her father about Madhuri's murder despite her young age.

    Azreen also has strength of character. When she returns to her village, she hears a lot of gossip surrounding her sister's death such as as Madhuri having white blood and her death signals a curse to the villagers. Azreen feels upset but she never retaliates.  Sheshows patience and strengh because she knows that whatever she does, she cannot stop the villagers from gossiping about her family.  In another instance, Azreen is told that her sister is murdered.  She should have been very upset about this news but she takes it calmly and does not become hysterical. Later, when she finds out that her father is the culprit who kills Madhuri, she feels no anger but regrets that it has to happen. She understands her father's anger and shame because Madhuri  has been having an illicit affair with Ashraf although she is already married to Hj Ghani.  Azreen also shows a lot of strength because after all that has happened to her family, she stays composed and strong and returns to England for her examinations.

    In conclusion,  there are many qualities in Azreen that I admire and she is the character that I like most in the story.

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    In The Curse by Lee Su Ann, the main character, Azreen, returns to Malaysia to mourn the loss of her sister, Madhuri. Azreen is studying in the United Kingdom. Azreen senses a cover up about her sister's death and she decides to investigate further.

In her quest to find the truth, Azreen faces challenges. She really wants to discover the truth behind Madhuri's death because she knows that the rumour is not true. She believes that it is more than meets the eyes. Azreen also needs to settle the secret feuds within her family and with the villagers. Azreen's relationship especially with her father is strained. There is no actual communication between them. Azreen also needs to forgive , bury the past and move on with her life and her future. If she is unable to do that, Azreen will not find peace with herself.

    The intelligent Azreen listens, observes, questions and sifts things in her mind. She needs to find the conclusive truth. She hears vicious rumours about Madhuri's death. Her death is a curse to the village. This is confirmed by the Old Lady. In the maze of events which unfold, the past mergers into the present. Azreen finally confronts her father, Encik Saleh, who defiantly admits his crime. Madhuri was having an affair with Mohd Asraf. When the affair became known, Encik Saleh could not contain his anger. In a fit of rage, he accidentally killed faithless Madhuri.

    All along, Azreen secretly resents her parents who favoured Madhuri. She hates her father for his unjust punishments. She detests Madhuri for stealing Asraf's affections. Thus she seeks out the Old Lady, who counsels her and helps her come to terms with herself. The Old Lady helps Azreen to see herself and how people treat her from a different perspective. Resentment would only make Azreen more miserable and she would not be able to live a fulfilling life.

    When the Old Lady dies, Azreen is devastated. She finds refuge in nature. When she stands up at the cliff top that her annger finally subsides. She forgive everyone who had hurt her in the past. Azreen leaves the island and forges ahead with her new life. Yes, she has become an orphan but all her life challenges make her a wiser and more loving person.

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    The novel that I choose is The Curse by Lee Su Ann. The story is about the mysterious death of Azreen’s adopted sister, Madhuri, and how Azreen goes through everything to find out the truth behind the death. The character that I dislike in the novel is Puan Normala.

    I dislike Puan Normala because she is a rumour monger. She is the one that spread the rumour about Madhuri and how she died. Puan Normala is also superstitious. She blames the old lady’s visit to Ashraf’s house as the reason for the continuous rain. Furthermore, she is also a mean and malicious person. For example, she provokes Mohd Ashraf to confront the old lady by accusing the old lady as the reason why Ashraf’s grandmother’s health is getting worse. Because of that, Ashraf burns down the old lady’s house in anger, and causes the old lady to die in the fire.

    As conclusion, the character that I dislike most in the novel is Puan Normala because she is a rumour monger, mean and malicious and also a superstitious woman.

THE CURSE character that show responsibility

Write on a character that show responsibility in her or his actions

    Based on the Novel “The Curse” by Lee Sue Ann, the character that shows responsibility in her actions is Azreen Saleh. Azreen is not only a responsible sister and daughter but also a responsible student and friend .

    Firstly, Azreen as a responsible sister comes back immediately when she hears of her sister’s death although at that time she is about to sit for an examination that is important for her. She postpones her examination in order of giving her sister her last respect.

    Secondly, as a daughter she shows her responsibility firstly, when she spends the whole night repairing her mother’s favourite rattan basket that was broken by the heavy durians that she and Madhuri has brought in. Subsequently, with Madhuri’s help she makes a new rattan basket that looks like the one that she and Madhuri have broken. In addition to that, Azreen accepts the offer to further her studies in London for the sake of upbringing her family social status and thus could then save a lot of money to get a better treatment for her mother that is paralyzed by the bull escape incidents that she .

    Thirdly, as a friend and a student, Azreen shows her responsibility when she accepts to join the school hockey team as a substitution to Hock Seng that is injured. She does that even though she knows that she will be the only girl in the team and this will tarnish her image as a girl. In fact she plays very well and almost scores a goal. In addition to that, Azreen shows that she is a responsible friend, when she brings a full basket of fresh vegetables and tomatoes to The Old Lady of the forest to replace the one that she tramples earlier when she comes to The Old Lady’s house for the first time.

    In conclusion, throughout the story, Azreen shows that she is a very responsible towards her actions. In fact, I would like to have her as a friend as a friend as such is hard to come by.

THE CURSE important event that you will never forget

There are many interesting events in the novel you have read. Write about an event or incident that you think is important or that you will never forget. Give reasons to substantiate your answer.

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    The novel I have read is The Curse by Lee Su Ann. I think the incident when Mohd Asraf tells Azreen that he and Madhuri were in a relationship is important in the novel The Curse. Here are a few reasons to substantiate my answer.

    First and foremost, this piece of news is shocking to Azreen as she has always liked Mohd Asraf from her school days. She even joined Mohd Asraf’s hockey team so she could spend more time with him. Though she knew that Mohd Asraf was taken up by Madhuri’s beauty and always praised her syair recitals, she never knew that Madhuri too, had feelings for him as she had never mentioned it to anyone before.

    Secondly, this event adds a twist to the story as Madhuri agreed to the idea of getting a divorce from Haji Ghani and run away from the village with Mohd Asraf to Kuala Lumpur where he will be furthering his studies. This should never have happened in the first place as Madhuri is already married to Haji Ghani, the village headman.

    Thirdly, with this revelation, Azreen is able to understand what Madhuri had intended to tell her in the letter she had written to her before she died. She also realised that Madhuri has not been happy with her marriage. This is because, to many, she seems to be living a perfect family life. Nobody knows what she is going through.

    In conclusion, this incident is very important and I will never forget this incident because it makes the story more interesting. From this incident, I also learn that people are not always as they seem to be so we should not judge them just based on what they portray.

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    In the novel ‘The Curse’ by Lee Su Ann, an important event is the outbreak of the fire which results in the Old Lady’s death.

    Firstly, it is an important event because after this event, it creates a domino effect on a number of other events which in turn helps Azreen to finally solve the mystery behind her sister’s murder. The fire enrages Azreen and ‘like a wildcat’, she confronts Mohd Asraf. He apologises and admits that he had been too grief-stricken to be rational when he has lost two important people in his life – his secret lover, Madhuri and his grandmother, Nek. After the fire which kills the Old Lady who is trapped in the fire, Awang, the bomoh informs Azreen that Madhuri is not her biological sister. The secret about Madhuri’s identity is finally disclosed by Azreen’s father who reveals that Madhuri is adopted.    Moreover, the village Pontianak is actually Madhuri’s biological mother who returns to the village to seek revenge over her daughter’s death. According to Awang, the ‘ghostly figure’ is also the “vengeful spirit” that has killed Azreen’s chicken.

    Secondly, it is an important event because we are finally shown the reason for Madhuri’s murder and the culprit. When Azreen confronts her father, Encik Saleh defiantly confesses that he had accidentally murdered Madhuri after learning that Madhuri, a married woman, commits an adultery when she secretly sees another man.He confronts Madhuri and during the struggle, Madhuri falls to the ground and her head knocks over the latex cup which stains her clothes. A distraught Azreen flees after hearing the shocking news while Encik Saleh comes face-to-face with the shadowy woman – Madhuri’s mother who nears him with a parang in her hand. Saleh collapses and dies of a heart attack.

    Thirdly, the fire at the Old Lady’s house is the climax of the novel. From that point onwards, events dramatically unfold and Azreen gets to the bottom of the mystery. Azreen puts the pieces of facts here and there together and begins to understand the reasons behind the cover-up of Madhuri’s murder by her husband, Haji Ghani. Most importantly, we are also exposed to the crime of the villagers who are willing to do anything including planning an attack on the innocent and harmless Old Lady just because of superstition. Under the instigation of Puan Normala, the villagers are convinced to believe that the Old Lady possesses a special power to turn people into rats and squirrels, so the latter is accused to be an evil witch who brings all the misfortunes and bad omen to the village. In fact, when the rain continues to pour for more than four days, causing the town to be flooded, the Old Lady is blamed to have put the curse on the village. From this event, we can see how gullible the villagers are to believe the vicious rumours spread by the village gossiper, Puan Normala. She does not seem to care about the destruction she causes. Her irrational behaviour thus destroys the reputations of victims such as the Old Lady even in the eyes of children. At the same time, through this event too that we see the purity of the Old Lady’s heart. Despite being ostracised by the villagers, the Old Lady bears no grudges and is still willing to help people like Asraf’s Nek. More importantly, the Old Lady at the point of her death before the burning house collapses on her, she reminds Azreen to forgive all the villagers who have wronged her.

    In conclusion, the fire is the most important event as it is the catalyst for many more events in which makes the stories more interesting.

THE CURSE character that you admire

Based on the novel you have read, write about a character whom you admire. Give reasons why you admire him or her. Support your answer with close reference to the text.

    The novel I have read is The Curse written by Lee Su Ann. There are many characters in the novel but the character I find most admirable is none other than Azreen, the younger daughter of Saleh Abdullah. I admire Azreen because she has many positive characteristics. I will give examples from the novel to support my answer.

    First and foremost, Azreen is an independent girl. She goes wherever she wants to without seeking permission from her parents. She was determined to go for the exchange programme where she lived with Datin Sharifah and Datuk Zulkipli in Georgetown. She even applied for a scholarship in an effort to leave the village. Azreen is also loyal. This can be seen when Azreen saw Encik Mohan and his sons manhandling Asraf, she came to his aid by taking the blame for him.

    In addition, Azreen prepares meals for her parents and takes good care of her mother after Madhuri’s death. She is a filial and dutiful daughter. Azreen did not believe the villagers who claimed that the Old Lady could turn anyone into squirrels or rats as well as cook and eat them for dinner. This shows that she is a sensible person.

    I also admire Azreen because she accepts challenges. Azreen was dared to pay a visit to the Old Lady and she went to her house. They became good friends

    Azreen is also a determined person. Azreen could not tolerate her father’s and neighbours constant complaints. So, she accepted the two-month foster programme to stay with Datin Sharifah and Datuk Zulkipli. Similarly, she was determined to accept the scholarship to study in London and so her foster parents decided to support her financially

    From the novel, we know that Azreen is also an open-minded. I admire Azreen as she does not believe in the stereotype role of a woman who is supposedly to be docile and feminine. She is also modest. Azreen is not proud and does not put on airs although she is studying in London. Besides that, Azreen is admirable because of her diligence. Both Azreen and Madhuri work diligently to weave a new basket for their mother as the former broke the basket which was laden with durians. I also admire Azreen because she is intelligent. Azreen obtained a scholarship to pursue her tertiary education in London.

    In conclusion, the character I admire most from the novel I have read is Azreen. Although she is not perfect and has some negative characteristics, she has even more positive characteristics. She is someone I can relate to and I hope to be just like her.

THE CURSE learnt to be a responsible person

Using details from the novel you have studied, describe how it has taught you to be a responsible person. Give examples of how you learned to be a responsible person.

    The novel I have read is The curse by Lee Su Ann. In the novel, we learn about responsibility in terms of thinking before we speak and not spreading rumours. The gossipy villagers spread rumours about Madhuri’s death and how it will bring a curse to the village. Puan Normala begins to spread rumours by claiming to have seen Madhuri’s dead body and white blood. To make matters worse, she starts to link happenings like the endless rain and flood to the curse. This only creates more fear among the villagers. Puan Normala and her neighbours gossip and speculate about everything. To top it all off, when the Old Lady is sought after by Mohd Asraf to treat his sick grandmother, the villagers gang up to chase her away because they consider her evil as she had murdered her husband in the past. They feel that she is the cause of the curse.

    Sadly, due to the irresponsible villagers’ rumours at that time, the Old Lady becomes the victim and she is labelled as a mad woman and a murderer. She was forced to leave the village and had to live in a deserted house in the jungle. She is forced to come to the village again when Mohd Asraf pleads with her to treat his grandmother. When his grandmother passed away, the villagers were quick to accuse the Old Lady of poisoning Mohd Asraf’s Nek and it was enough to convince Mohd Asraf to confront the Old Lady at her house. When things got out of hand, the house is burned down and the Old Lady dies.

    On the other hand, Azreen is a responsible person by the way she treats her parents even though she feels that they love Madhuri more than her. She never receives her father’s warmth as his daughter as much as Madhuri but being the responsible daughter that she is, she continues to treat her father respectfully. Azreen also takes care of her mother who suffers from Alzheimer’s till her mother’s death.

    I have learned that I have to be responsible for my own actions. I should not spread rumours nor cause harm to others without thinking carefully no matter what happens or challengers I have to face. For being irresponsible, we can also cause harm to other people.