A-Level General Paper Tuition Singapore/GP Tuition/General Paper Tutor

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A-Level Tuition Singapore/GP Tuition/General Paper Tutor

Please post your A-Level GP/General Paper questions here

Thank you

[admin]

A-Level Tuition Singapore/GP Tuition/General Paper Tutor

Please use GP Resource, very useful

A-level GP/General Paper Tuition Singapore – Admin

[admin]

A-Level Tuition Singapore/GP Tuition/General Paper Tutor

Hi GP Tuition students

To do well for Paper 1, we will teach you in writing effective argumentative essays. Essential writing skills will be taught along with question answering techniques.

Content knowledge will be covered extensively for good understanding of relevant GP topics.

Examples of areas that will be covered:
1) Social Issues
2) Media
3) Globalisation
4) Science and Human Values
5) The Arts
6) Politics

Have a great days ahead

A-Level GP Tuition Admin

[admin]

A-Level Tuition Singapore/GP Tuition/General Paper Tutor

Hi GP Tuition students

Gentle reminder, please bring your GP file on Sunday 10 June.

A-Level GP Tuition Admin

[admin]

A-Level Tuition Singapore/GP Tuition/General Paper Tutor

5 main qualities that examiners look for in a good essay are as follow:

1. Relevance – Addressing key issues in the question.
2. Adequacy – Facts,arguments,evidence.
3. Maturity – Logic and reason, profound rather than simplistic treatment
4. Organisation – Logical development of ideas to reflect continuity of thought.
5. Style – Simple, clear construction that helps clarity, enchanced by linguistic variation.

A-level GP/General Paper Tuition Singapore – Admin

[admin]

A-Level Tuition Singapore/GP Tuition/General Paper Tutor

Planning Essays

1) Identify the Question-type
2) Brainstorm
3) Select
4) Categorise

A-level GP/General Paper Tuition Singapore – Admin

[admin]

A-Level Tuition Singapore/GP Tuition/General Paper Tutor

Hi GP Tuition students

All the Best for the coming GP on Monday 5 Nov 2012

From A Level GP Tutor

[admin]

A-Level Tuition Singapore/GP Tuition/General Paper Tutor

Essay Guildline

Do you agree that the father has the most important role in a family?

Minimum requirements:
Addressing of keywords “most important”, some explanation on traditional role of father, some discussion on roles of men and women as members of a family

Supporting view:
-father as breadwinner -16th and 17th Century European households, traditional Western structure
-religious argument: father as head of family
-traditional or culturally accepted role of father as disciplinarian, the one who maintains order or an explanation on the influence of Confucianism on Chinese families
-Work in psychology or social research pointing out that children who are raised without a paternal figure lack self-esteem

Opposing view:
-functions and roles are not fixed according to one’s sex. Roles of men and women are changing. Other members may assume roles associated with male head of family
-all members of a family have important roles or mother and father share equally important roles
-same -sex marriages for example, lesbian marriages or in cases of single-parent families there will be no father but family still functions (difference between structure and function)

From A Level GP

[admin]

A-Level Tuition Singapore/GP Tuition/General Paper Tutor

How has the regulation of arts and the media evolved in Singapore? How has new media affected this development?

A. INTRODUCTION

1. Defining “Art”:
“Art” comprises sub-disciplines such as Fine Arts, Liberal Arts, Visual Arts, Plastic Arts, Literary Arts, Conceptual Arts, Decorative Arts, Applied Arts, Design, Crafts, Performing Arts and even Video Games (thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts, an independent federal agency supporting artists and arts organizations and bringing the arts to all Americans).

2. Definition of “the Media”:
“The Media” includes communication channels through which news, entertainment, education, data, or promotional messages are disseminated. Media includes every broadcasting and narrow casting medium such as newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, billboards, direct mail, telephone, fax, and internet. Media is the plural of medium and can take a plural or singular verb, depending on the sense intended.

3. Definition of “New Media”, the Social Media of the New Millennium:
“New Media” encompasses forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos).

4. Definition of Regulation:
A rule designed to control the conduct of those to whom it applies. Regulations are official rules, and have to be followed.

B. THE ADVENT OF NEW MEDIA

Impact on Cohesion in Society
Speaking yesterday at the National Community Engagement Programme (CEP) dialogue, Minister Teo Chee Hean highlighted the Internet and social media as one of three driving forces whose impact on the cohesion of our society can be “double-edged”. The Internet and social media can be “an enabler of active citizenry and positive change” but “can (also) disrupt social order and harmony”, he said. Hence, a fine balance has to be struck between allowing free expression online and exercising some check, he said. “At some point in time, there is a need for some organisation – whether it is self-policing or the state to step in,” said Mr Teo. Early intervention is better because “if we take a step too late … emotions would have already been inflamed and it would be hard to calm people down again.”

About 600 community and grassroots leaders attended the annual National CEP dialogue to discuss ways to strengthen the Republic’s social cohesion and resilience to crises. Along with Mr Teo and Mr Chan, Dr Yaacob, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Lim Swee Say and Minister of State for Manpower and National Development Tan Chuan-Jin also held discussions with the participants. The question of how free the Internet should be cropped up in Mr Tan’s session. He said differing levels of maturity and sensitivity among netizens throw up questions worth pondering on, such as whether the voices online represent the majority – and, if not, should we allow the minority to dictate our views and lives.

The other two driving forces that Mr Teo highlighted were globalisation and extremism. Increased flows of people and ideas across the world can improve cross-cultural understanding, but more diverse peoples living in a dense city like ours can also result in “greater consciousness of the differences in behaviour and norms”, he said. Terrorist groups can also spread their ideological messages more quickly and further today – but the threat of extremism can also rally people to collectively fight for peace and harmony, he added.

Impact on Politics and Governance

Militants of the Arab Spring uprisings this year proved adept at using internet activism in confronting repressive regimes. Opposition leaders built support online, and inflammatory sites drew thousands of posts and served as forums for organizers and their followers. Protesters found community and strength in numbers online, and social networking sites, used recreationally in the West, became powerful tools in the hands of activists. However, governments can also use the internet to track activists and spread propaganda, or they can develop a “kill switch” that shuts down communications, reports Michael Teague for Al Jadid. Internet literacy and the flurry of protests in the Middle East caught technologically unsophisticated governments off guard. But a year later, the element of surprise is gone. Traditional grassroots activism and great personal sacrifice of all kinds are still essential for overthrowing unresponsive and ruthless regimes. – YaleGlobal

5. Have Your Say:

Quite often, the state media is accused of being the mouthpiece of the government while new media (given its “viral” nature and lack of immediate censorship) is thought to be a source of unadulterated truthful content. Read the following article.
That WikiLeaks went to the press with the Afghanistan war logs shows old-fashioned news organisations still have a role to play…shocking material and a flair for public relations may be enough to get you noticed. But if it’s credibility you want, then old-fashioned news organisations still have something to offer.

Do you get your updates on current issues more from in the mainstream news or the reports from the blogsphere? What steps do you take to ensure that what you read is reliable? How do you evaluate the credibility of your sources? (Student Ambassadors can do a straw poll and/or start a discussion on the issue of reliability on their school’s online portal)

6. The Big Question: If you were the leader of a country, to what extent would you regulate the arts, the media and, in particular, the new media? Give reasons for your answer.
Tip: In determining your answer, consider the varying degrees of freedom seen in other countries and its implications. Consider your own country’s unique considerations against your observations of circumstances elsewhere.

GP Tutor

[admin]

A-Level Tuition Singapore/GP Tuition/General Paper Tutor

Theme: How does the European debt crisis affect the lives of Singaporeans?

A. INTRODUCTION
The definition of a recession is a contraction in the total amount of goods and services produced – known as gross domestic product (GDP) – on a quarter by quarter basis for a total period of six months.

In 2009, the Singapore economy contracted 2% with the biggest contraction of 4.1% in manufacturing sector (electronics, chemicals, transport engineering, precision engineering and general manufacturing).
MTI Press Release: 19 Feb 2010

B. THE EFFECTS OF RECESSION
You may wish to show the following documentary on the impact of the 2009 recession.

C. THE EUROZONE CRISIS
The following articles and videos provide a clear explanation of the eurozone crisis. Unfortunately, due to copyrights issues, we are unable to replicate them in the resource package. However, we have provided a summary of the articles and videos so do check them out!

1. This article provides a timeline and a quick summary of the events leading up to the eurozone crisis.
“World leaders probably spent more time worrying about the eurozone crisis than anything else in 2011.And that was in the year that featured the Arab Spring, the Japanese tsunami and the death of Osama Bin Laden. What’s more, 2012 looks set to be not much different. But as eurozone governments hammer out new rules to limit their borrowing, are they missing the point of the crisis? Follow the path to find out…”
What really caused the eurozone crisis?

2. This New York Times article provides a more detailed explanation of the causes that led to the eurozone crisis.
“The global financial system is highly interconnected. So problems in one part of the world can reverberate almost everywhere else – risking a cascade of default, contagion, contracting credit and collapsing economic activity. Exhibit A now is Europe…”
It’s All Connected: An Overview of the Euro Crisis

3. This presentation explains further the European debt crisis, with clear diagrams and flowcharts.
“The European debt crisis explained: The debt levels around the globe are unprecedented in peacetime. The odds of restructurings and/or defaults are higher than most believe. When does debt become unsustainable? The video shows the debt levels of numerous countries have reached “problem” levels…”

4. For a peak into how the person in the street is affected by the eurozone crisis:
“The eurozone crisis has been under way for three years and has led to sharp welfare cutbacks and a credit crunch throughout the continent. But one of the most serious effects of the financial crisis has been an alarming spike in suicides in debt-burdened Greece, Ireland and Italy. Last Wednesday, about a 1,000 people gathered in central Rome for a candle-lit vigil to honor Italy’s economic victims. Statics show that from 2009 and 2010, some 400 small-business owners took their lives. There have already been 23 crisis-related suicides since January…”
Amid Europe’s Debt Crisis, A Sharp Rise In Suicides

Big player
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
World Bank
European Union
Eurozone and the Euro

E: THE BIG QUESTIONS
• Examine how a struggling economy impacts the lives of different groups (professions, income, family) of people.
• “Our leaders have failed us.” Consider this in the light of global economic crisis.
• To what extent should the government be held accountable for ensuring its citizens’ prosperity?
• Given that the world’s economies are increasingly connected, what implications would a country’s failing economy have on the rest of the world?

GP Tutor

[admin]

A-Level Tuition Singapore/GP Tuition/General Paper Tutor

Theme: The social and economic implications of an ageing population, and
how to deal with them

A. INTRODUCTION: THE AGEING WORLD POPULATION

• The world population is rapidly ageing

Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will double from about 11% to 22%.

• The world will have more people who live to see their 80s or 90s than ever before

The number of people aged 80 years or older, for example, will have almost quadrupled to 395 million between 2000 and 2050…More children will know their grandparents and even their great-grandparents, especially their great-grandmothers.

• The need for long-term care is rising

The number of older people who are no longer able to look after themselves in developing countries is forecast to quadruple by 2050. Many of the very old lose their ability to live independently because of limited mobility, frailty or other physical or mental health problems. Many require some form of long-term care, which can include home nursing, community care and assisted living, residential care and long stays in hospitals.

• Worldwide, there will be a dramatic increase in the number of people with dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease, as people live longer

The risk of dementia rises sharply with age with an estimated 25-30% of people aged 85 or older having some degree of cognitive decline. Older people with dementia in low- and middle-income countries generally do not have access to the affordable long-term care their condition may warrant.

• In emergency situations, older people can be especially vulnerable

When communities are displaced by natural disasters or armed conflict, older people may be unable to flee or travel long distances and may be left behind. Yet, in many situations they can also be a valuable resource for their communities as well as for the humanitarian aid process when they are involved as community leaders

B. THE NEEDS AND RIGHTS OF THE ELDERLY

The following are some of the sub-headings of the European Charter For The Elderly
• Autonomy and self-determination
• Equal treatment
• Active citizenship
• Personal development, social contact and meaningfulness
• Access to information
• Financial security
• Housing and living environment
• Care and service provision geared to a good quality of life

Select (4 or 5) of sub-headings from the European Charter For The Elderly.

(i) Discuss what each right entails. This would definitely involve identifying what the lack of that right would mean for the elderly. (See the article for more details about each right.)

(ii) Consider whether these rights are protected in the case of the elderly in Singapore. Support your arguments with concrete examples.

C. DIGNITY IN THE GOLDEN YEARS

1. There are successful examples of retirement villages overseas such as the Humanitas Foundation which is the largest eldercare facility in the Netherlands.

“In the Netherlands and Britain, many seniors are happy to sell their homes and move into retirement villages – or cared-living facilities as they are called these days – run by professionals and volunteers”.
The Straits Times, Saturday, Feb 4 2012, Pg D5

“Older folk need the same things to be happy as everyone else: They want to mingle with friends, dine in cafes, eat apple pie or have a drink in the bar. They love going to the hairdresser, playing bridge, spending time with grandchildren or participating in volunteer work.”
Mr Hans Becker, chairman of the Humanitas Foundation, one of the biggest cared-living providers in the Netherlands
The Straits Times, Saturday, Feb 4 2012, Pg D5

2. The Humanitas Foundation’s Philosophy emphasises happiness more than ‘cure and care’.

The starting point, as well as the ultimate goal of the Humanitas care philosophy is the enhancement of human happiness for clients with a physical, or somatic handicap. Cure and care are, therefore, no longer the core business. Living arrangements and a general feeling of well-being are elements of equal importance, or probably more so.

Human happiness is defined by two aspects, an individual aspect (a person, though handicapped, wishes to have control over his own life) and a communal aspect (a person needs to have a sense of belonging, is in fact a herd animal). This is what the care organization needs to focus on.

D. SINGAPORE’S AGEING POPULATION

“The challenge is to build a city that is both affordable and liveable. ‘Liveability’ takes into account the social-psychological needs of the people including the need for familiarity, sense of place, sense of safety and convenience.

Mr Lim Boon Heng,
Minister-in-charge of Ageing Issues,
Prime Minister’s Office, 3 March 2011.

E: RESPONSES TO OUR AGEING POPULATION

Today, day care centres for seniors provide care and keep them socially engaged. MCYS has also commissioned Tan Tock Seng Hospital to train day care staff, and efforts are also underway to make some day care centres more dementia friendly.
… With the rethink in healthcare provision, the elderly themselves also need to be empowered to manage their health. “Chronic disease stays with the patient for years. The patient needs to know what to do,” said Dr Ho.

‘Holistic and Affordable Healthcare and Eldercare’
From Challenge magazine

To help Singaporeans and Singapore prepare for the ageing population, MOM has adopted a three-pronged approach which encompasses enhancing opportunities and employability; improving Central Provident Fund (CPF) returns; and making savings last during one’s lifetime.

‘Employability and Financial Security’
From Challenge magazine

In 2007, the Council for Third Age (C3A) was formed as an independent body to promote active ageing. The Third Age refers to a phase in life when an older person is actively engaged in society. In line with this, C3A catalyses the development of products and services that fulfil the aspirations and interest of seniors through partnerships with all sectors of society…

‘Active Ageing’
From Challenge magazine

F: QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS IN THE CLASS

1. Recently, the government has been emphasising values in education. How should the value of filial piety be inculcated in the young? Should it even be explicitly taught?

2. How do we combine physical care and protection for our elderly with giving them their freedom and allowing them to engage actively with society?

3. “The responsibility for taking care of the elderly rests solely on the government.” To what extent do you agree?

GP Tutor

[Ong Aaron]

Yesterday, one of the 3 major telcos in Singapore (M1), experienced certain data network problems and they attributed this to a power fault. In one of the essay questions attempted by one of our students recently, he wrote about whether Singaporeans have become too reliant on technology. Do you think that this network disruption incident which M1 is facing would reveal any aspects of Singaporean’s reliance on technology? Also the other issue which surfaces from this article is whether the IDA’s (Infocomm Development Authority) fining of telecom operators in Singapore for failing to meeting certain Quality of Service is maintaining the telecommunications network in Singapore.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/m1-network-down-due-to-power-problem-031723311.html

• This reply was modified 12 years, 12 months ago by Ong Aaron.

[Ong Aaron]

Would local companies in Singapore benefit from such technology?

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+Mashable/posts/dffMf9dyqap

[Ong Aaron]

The Punggol East by-election is scheduled to be on Jan 26 (next Saturday), with candidates from the PAP, RP, SDA and WP. SDP had chosen to drop out of the by-election. Do you think the Punggol East constituency would still vote for the PAP? In 2011 GE, MIchael Palmer (who has now resigned from the party), won about 54% of the votes cast in the approximately 32,000 member ward. Do you think that the PAP would win this by-election contest again? Would there be a difference if the opposition parties have come to a agreement to field in the strongest candidate so that it will just be a 2-way vote?

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1248250/1/.html

[Ong Aaron]

Letter to Lance Armstrong: post response here.

Timothy Liu KaihuiJan 21, 2013Reply
Looking at the evidence presented thus far, I personally do not find it easy to believe that a person involved, perhaps even right smack in the center or at the top, in such a well organised fraud for such a long time can just step up to the world and apologise, just as you have done. The situation was such that the concrete evidence against you have already been gathered by the USADA and there was absolutely no way for you to vehemently deny, as you have done time and again, that you have not used performance enhancing drugs to aid you in becoming a seven-time winner of the Tour de France. Your confession, done in such a controlled manner and with such “remorse”, could well serve as a last-ditch attempt to paint yourself in a better light and salvage what that is left of your reputation. Perhaps you really are remorseful. Perhaps we should give you that benefit of doubt. However, I’m inclined to believe that your confession is ultimately self-serving, and doubles as a career boost for Oprah.

Colin Foong Hao ShengJan 21, 2013
Lance Armstrong is only a tip of an iceberg to a huge conspiracy in the sporting world. Powerful people facilitated in his doping case, in other words, he could be one of the many pawns in the doping issue. It is true that he has betrayed the trust of millions of people who loved and believed in him. He was a symbol of hope and inspiration to many cancer patients and yet he not only took part in doping, he vehemently denied which was most unaccepted. However, after all, he had a conscience as he apologized to his staff members in his charity and he came clean eventually.
In the world of cycling doping was more or less a norm to get to the top and Armstrong followed suit but in fact, he did not need the drugs because when he had comeback after his prime, without drugs at all, he came in third. This means that he had the ability to get first without drugs at all. 

Aaron OngJan 23, 2013Edit
+Timothy Liu Kaihui : Excellent comment. That is one way of analyzing this issue. It could be the fact that there has been so much incriminating evidence gathered against Lance Armstrong that just so that Lance Armstrong can escape the coup de grace of public ire, his last ditch attempt to wriggle out of this mess is to come clean and confess, probably in an attempt to garner some public sympathy.

Aaron OngJan 23, 2013Edit
+Colin Foong Hao Sheng : Your view was a good reflection of what we discussed in class. You made a good point about how this whole problem was a concerted effort and that it was just unfortunate that Lance Armstrong had to shoulder most, if not all of the responsibility.

Clover YapJan 24, 2013Reply
Lance Armstrong, who vehemently denied doping for more than a decade, had confessed that he used performance-enhancing drugs in the course of his competitions in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Although he appears to be apologetic and is willing to repay the sponsoring team with millions of dollars, it would never be enough to compensate the disappointments and dishonesty that he previous casted upon his supporters. Although he is willing to make amendments to his mistakes, i feel that it is too much of him to ask for the authorities to mitigate his ban. Even in the event that they do allow him to participate in competitions, will he not be tempted to dope once more? He had already lost his credibility and it takes time for him to build it up again. This issue is bound to scar him for a lifetime. Rather than spending efforts in trying to get back on competitions, should he rather spend time on a new goal? He has the potential to nurture future champions in cycling and if he does, this will definitely overweigh the thousand apologies and millions of compensation he paid and will really make a difference, doing good meanwhile. This can possibly be his new direction to head to in life; it could possibly be a brand new start for Armstrong.

Aaron OngJan 26, 2013Edit
+Clover Yap Good, candid response. I liked how you portray the situation that Armstrong should try to pick up the broken pieces and move on with his life.

Donavan MuiJan 28, 2013Reply
What he did had a great impact to people of all walks of life. Being an iconic figure for cancer patients around the world, he has triumphed over testicular cancer and shown the world the true meaning of ‘Nothing is impossible’. Despite facing cancer, he was able to take it in his stride, not only overcoming it, but even becoming one of the most prominent athletes, winning 7 Tour de France titles. Ever since young, I heard of him as being a person with determination and perseverance, leading him to the success he had. However, he has broken the faith and belief that people had in him for we have learnt that he made use of performance enhancing drugs during this career as a cyclist. For close to a decade, he has been deceiving the world, making us believe in the determined individual whom strived despite facing adversities. Throughout the years, we have even named him after certain cancer foundations such as Livestrong. In the eyes of many, no matter what excuse he provides, he would be labeled as a cheater and a disgrace with no sportsmanship. From now on, no one would trust or believe in him anymore and to many, he would no longer be considered an inspirational character. Currently, he might attempt to salvage the situation by pointing out some of the background characters but this would not alter the fact that he was a scam dashed people’s dreams and aspirations as they looked up to him as an inspirational individual.

Wilson OngJan 29, 2013
The very day that Lance Armstrong first decided to dope for the top position in the Tour de France was arguably the saddest day in the entire history of doping in sports. It resulted in the unveiling of the largest doping scandal to hit the sporting realm and resulted in the one of the biggest upset in the 21th century. However, it can be said that what is done is already done and the ‘blame game’ would bring one nowhere. Personally, I think that it is more practical for the relevant authorities to learn from this episode and perfect their system to identify dopers. In addition, I feel that we should also focus on the impact this scandal probably had on the cancer patients or survivors who had (and still are) looked up to him for inspiration and courage to battle and overcome their situation. We should also help the Livestrong Foundation (which is still dedicated to improving the lives of the cancer patients) rid off the after-effects of this scandal so that it can continue to improve the life of the cancer-stricken population. 

Aaron OngJan 29, 2013Edit
+Wilson Ong : I’m not sure if I would go so far to say that the day Armstrong started to dope was ‘the saddest day’ in ‘the entire history’ of doping in sports. That seems to be a bit of a stretch. I liked the fact that you explored the idea of the relevant authorities taking certain preventive measures or to look at how they can prevent/discourage future incidences from happening. They may consider measures like more stringent checks. Also, it is interesting how you mentioned about the fact that the Livestrong Foundation still deserves the support it once gathered. See this article which puts it rather eloquently: Livestrong is about cancer, NOT about Armstrong.
http://www.newsday.com/opinion/oped/campbell-livestrong-is-about-cancer-not-about-lance-armstrong-1.4510088

Aaron OngJan 29, 2013Edit
+Donavan Mui : True. It is difficult for Armstrong to be held in high regard anymore.

Maverick LimJan 31, 2013Reply
What Lance Armstrong had done has disgraced cycling and the world of sports. His confessions to doping comes after years and years of any allegations held against him. By confessing to using performance -enhancing drugs during his cycling career, he has brought a totally different definition of competition and winning. To him, winning is the only option and to fulfill this goal, he turns to doping and drugs that were banned in the sport. This is a huge setback for his millions of fans around the world who believed and look up to him. He came from a strong cancer survivor to being part of the most sophisticated, organized and professional doping scheme in the history of sports. Furthermore, his constant lies to reporters during many interviews for the past decade portrays him as a cheater and a liar, a disgrace to the sports industry.

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