My Best Friend

Aminah is my best friend in school. She is a fair, pretty girl with dimpled cheeks. She andI first met
at kindergarten and we became great friends. She is kind, jolly and helpful. We are classmates
again this year and we go to school together every morning.

Aminah likes to joke and play games. She lives near my house. In the evenings, we usually meet
at my house. We sit in the garden and read story books. She is good at Mathematics. So,
whenever I find difficulties in my Mathematics homework, I would ask her to help me. Sometimes,
when my parents go out in the evening, she comes over to keep me company and we
watch television together. That way I do not feel lonely.

I hope Aminah and I will be in the same class again next year. I like her very much andshe is my
best friend.

My Pets

I have two pretty birds as pets. They are green-and-blue budgies. Their home is a shady tree in the
garden where they are free to fly from branch to branch. Yet they are safe from the cat as the
whole tree is inside a wire enclosure. I have nailed a wooden box on thetree. This is their 'nest'
where they sleep at night and where they find shelter whenever it rains.

My pets are called 'Polly' and 'Sally'. They enjoy flying about among the branches and they chirp
happily all day long. Every morning, I feed them with bird seed and give them a bowl of water to
drink. I also clean their 'nest'.

They are pretty birds and I like to watch their movements. I find them cheery
and lively,so I never feel dull spending my time with them. I love my pets very much

Recess Time in Our School

R-r-ring! These goes the daily bell at 10.30 a.m. for recess. An audible sigh of relief can be heard
in each classroom as the students immediately rush to the school tuck-shop. Hungry and thirsty
students make straight for the mee-man, the iced-drinks seller or the curry and rice stall, for many
have come to school early in the morning without any breakfast as there is hardly any time to eat.

I find the stall-holders busy serving food to the students, who are impatient and sometimes
downright rude if the stall-holder is slow in serving them. The chatter of students, the noise of frying
noodles, the chopping up of ingredients and the delicious smell of food floating in the air contribute
to the typical tuck-shop environment which makes one hungry and eager to eat the daily snack.

R-r-ring! The unwelcome bell goes at 10.50 a.m. for the students to get back to class. It is another
rush, this time for lessons which begin promptly and late-comers will be punished. Recess time is a
welcome break, for hungry stomachs are filled and dry throats are refreshed with iced drinks.

Now the tuck-shop is quiet except for the clatter of plates, glasses and cups being washed by the
stall-holders, who then rest till the next session.

A Frightful Experience

One day, as I was returning home late from school at about 7.30 p.m., I was
Dismayed to discover a group of rough-looking boys following me.

As I quickened my steps, one of them, apparently the leader, obstructed my path and ordered me
to surrender to him my watch and my wallet. At first I resisted, but, when he threatened to cause
me harm, I quickly handed over the items. I felt frightened and, at the same time, mad, having to
part with my possessions as they were of sentimental value tome. Once they had taken
possession of my properties, they laughed and made their way to a coffee shop nearby while I was
left fuming by the road.

At first I wanted to report the incident to the police but, later, I decided against it and went straight
home. I told my parents about it and they concluded that it was unsafe for me to walk alone. They
then arranged for me to go in my neighbour's car and that solved the problem.

Things I Like To Do

I like to play games out in the garden. When it rains, I stay indoors and play card games
and scrabble with my family. Alternatively, I indulge in doing jigsaw puzzles. I have completed
several scenes and pictures.

I also like to play with my puppy. It chases me round the garden and barks at me. It has learnt how
to pick up a stick and bring it back to me each time I throw it far off.

Besides this, I like watching my fish and feeding them with worms. They have beautiful colours and
I enjoy following their movements in the water.

Drawing pictures and painting them is another activity I enjoy doing. Reading story books is my
favourite pastime too as there are exciting adventure and mystery stories to keep me engrossed.

Lastly, I like watching good television programmes.

My Best Pal
Close friendships are hard to come by these days. In an ever-changing world with people striving
to achieve their interpretation of preordained success, it is hard to know who your true friends are.
Fortunately, I found my best pal early at the tender age of seven. We were both enrolled at the
same school and were at wits’ ends as we searched tirelessly for our designated classes.

Samantha and I got acquainted as both of us were in the same class and sat next to each other.
Samantha was a happy-go-lucky girl who always managed to breathe fresh air into the sometimes
arid classroom. She always knew what to say and would voice them at the best possible moments.
Both pupils and teachers alike enjoyed her company and liveliness. There was hardly ever a dull
moment when she was around with her funny quips and expressions.

Samantha was born with a silver spoon. Her father was a businessman and her mother owned and
ran a boutique. Both her parents were very caring towards her as she, just like I, was the only child
of the family. Samantha came to school each day with a perpetual smile. She was a very nice
person to be around with. She and I used to go everywhere together and both of us were rarely
seen apart. We used to talk about so many things as we walked, thoroughly enjoying our time
together.

One day, I went to school and forgot to ask my parents for lunch money. At first, I was not hungry
and thought I could bear going without a meal but soon, my stomach began to growl. Without
asking, Samantha generously paid for my meal and drinks during recess. The incident revealed to
me how lucky I was to have such a caring and compassionate friend.

As time went on, people started teasing us as we were spending more and more time together. We
seemed to know what each other thought and we cared for each other deeply. Was I in love with
her? I did not know then and we both knew we were too young for all that emotional roller coaster.

Currently, Samantha and I are studying at different schools. It was hard to be apart at first, but
technology in the form of instant messaging and e-mails have helped to bridge the gap in our
friendship. I sincerely wish our friendship will never end as it would be equivalent to waking up from
a beautiful dream.