ENGLISH..ENGLISH

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

How to improve my english? A question that I always ask myself and the answer not easy to be done. Why? Well,I admit I'm quiet lazy. However, this is some way to improve my english that I'm doing and will be doing.
Firstly my writing, I'm very weak in Grammar and sentence structure so in order to improve it, I read many articles and try to identify their sentence structure.For Grammar, I make an exercise in 'Vision of Grammar' but I'm still not finish yet. This is the basic to write. The other method is wide my vocabulary. I hope I can memorise at least 5 new words and make some sentences from them.
Next, reading. Besides from read a lot, I learn speed reading as in examination the time to answer is short. At first, it quiet difficult because it difference from normal reading but after try several times I found it is easy. The question in reading for IELTS for me is the hard one so when answer the question I apply critical thinking. Actually, I do not understand about critical thinking but I assume it is when we try to think hardly and think out of the box. I hope it is true.
Then, my listening. The problems that I noticed are the essence and some unfamiliar words. I can understand when the speaker is Malaysian but when it foreigner it vice versa. Listen to english song,and watch english movie are the method I use. Entertainment and the same time learning. I also watch BBC TV even I just understand some word. When I watch malay drama or movie, I read the subtitles as it can wide my vocabulary. IDEA website that miss Eliza suggest to my class is very helpful in understand some essence. Well, it really different in every country and places and I hope I can get well with it.
Lastly, speaking. I always speak to myself and I use english but when it comes to have conversation in English I cannot speak it out. Self-confident is what I lack right now. I try to speak confidently with other people. Another method is record my talk about the choosen topic. I had done it once and I will do it again after this.
All this method I had try and will try. I hope after this I can write well, understand English article and conversation also speak English fluently. Wish me goodluck

MY EID EXPERIENCE

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Ramadhan past like a blink of eyes and Syawal come bring the happiness.
October 11, I return to my house in Pahang by car with my brother and brother-in-law. The highway not so busy. At time I arrived my sister busy with her 'biskut raya'.After breakfast, I heard loud sound from fire chracker and its like in a war but fortunately I was in Malaysia not Afghanistan. Before Isyak, we waited for an announcement and like many people guessed, eid on day after tomorrow.
The next day is the busiest day. I help my mother make 'rendang', 'serunding' and 'ketupat'. While waitin for ketupat, I baked chocolate cakes but my recip was missing so I just do it as I remembered. However my cakes not so delicious like before. That day I slept at 3 a.m because I bake 'baulu lapis'. Actually my mom asked my sister to bake it but my sister slept early and as there is no one else, I finished it by my own.
The big day had come. At my place after perform eid prayers, men will gathered(baraan) and visit from house to house. They read 'doa selamat' while visits the houses. After 'baraan', my mother and I visit neighbours' house. Eventhough, I didn't got 'duit raya' but I felt so happy because it foster my relationship with my neighbours beside they rare to see me at home as I live in hostel.
Second day of Syawal, I returned to my kampong at Selangor.The trip took about 6 hours. When we past Kuala Lumpur, for the first time I saw the roads not busy. My grandfather's house noisy with my relatives. In Selangor, there is also 'baraan' but the situation more excited than at my house. It happend for 2 days at Selangor but only one day at my place and the people join it also more than mine. First day of 'baraan' (second day of eid) for men while next day for women and the houses that they visit approximately 80 houses.
October 15, Besides of had lunch together, there is nothing to do. On evening, my sisters and I went for shopping at Sungai Besar town. The prices there cheaper than any other places. I get myself t-shirt, jeans and scarf. The town was busy. Next day, we prepared to get back to Pahang.Its really sad to leave kampong as I love the way they celebrate eid. Many people visit each other and even at 11 pm there is still relatives come to my grandpa house. The situation that no more in my place, Felda Chini Timur 01. I will miss this year eid celebration and I swear to myself every eid I will visit friends and relatives house and I will learn from my mothey how to make delicious 'rendang'.
Happy eid to all and for my family the memories of 2007 eid celebration will remain in my heart. Love you all!!