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

[Ong Aaron]

20 January Summary:
At the end of every lesson, I’ll post a lesson outline summary. This is mainly for students who have missed the lesson so you would be able to find out what we have covered for the lesson. I’m also making it your responsibility for students who have missed the class to obtain the materials from me for the previous class that you’ve missed. You may also wish to comment on this post if you have any question with regards to the class held.
1. Administrative Details (Google+ and File Submission on 24 Feb)
2. Discussion on Lance Armstrong Doping Controversy
3. Reviewed Essay Comments

[Ong Aaron]

Aaron OngJan 22, 2013 – Discussion
In what is dubbed as Singapore’s first online rally, the SDA has released and is intending to release a couple of new videos to gain support from the Punggol East Constituency. Judging from the video, I personally have serious reservations on the competency of this candidate.

Colin Foong Hao ShengJan 23, 2013
I really respect his boldness and willingness to serve and give Singaporeans a voice but I guess first impressions count and I certainly would not consider voting him in. 

Aaron OngJan 23, 2013Edit
+Colin Foong Hao Sheng : Interesting perspective. People would definitely take jibes at his command of English but there could be some saving grace for the sincerity that he expresses.

[Ong Aaron]

Aaron OngJan 23, 2013 (edited) – Discussion
It was reported that the fertility rate in Singapore was 1.2, which is well below the replacement rate of 2.1. This year, the Singapore government is increasing spending on pro-family measures from $1.6 billion a year to $2 billion. The new measures address the areas of (a) housing (b) conception and delivery fees (c) cost of raising children (d) work-life concerns (e) paternity leave. Hence the question is whether these government policies would be effective in increasing the fertility rate. What are your views? More information on this pro-family measures that the government is undertaking can be found at heybaby.sg

[Ong Aaron]

Aaron OngJan 24, 2013 – Discussion
You would have probably know by now that the gun issue is one of the top issues that Congress is seeking to tackle. I’ve attached this article to let you have a sense of the Democrats sentiments on this issue. Think about the ways that have been proposed to solve this problem. (1) Outlawing guns completely (2) Extensive background screening on people purchasing guns. No solution is perfect, but what is the best solution that the US can adopt? For (1), outlawing of guns would require a complete repeal of the 2nd Amendment rights to bear arms. Just to give you a brief idea, constitutional amendments which take away certain rights from the individual can invoke harsh reactions from the public given that the US has this culture of individualism and rights-based citizenship; also industries dependent on arms and ammunition would go out of business and cause unemployment. For (2), background screening may not be effective as some people may think it might be. In Singapore, we have the the Arms Control Act which punishes anyone who uses or attempts to use firearms with the death penalty. This solution may not be applicable in the US because we never had a gun problem to begin with.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/24/us/politics/democratic-senators-face-gun-owners-roused-by-talk-of-new-laws.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&hp

Timothy Liu KaihuiJan 26, 2013 (edited)Reply
The US can choose to adopt gun laws similar to those that have been in effect in Israel. Citizens are still granted the right to bear arms, but only if they require it.
“Gun licensing to private citizens is limited largely to people who are deemed to need a firearm because they work or live in dangerous areas. West Bank settlers, for instance, can apply for weapons licenses, as can residents of communities on the borders with Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Licensing requires multiple levels of screening, and permits must be renewed every three years. Renewal is not automatic.”
“In Israel, applicants must undergo police screening and medical exams, in part to determine their mental state”
Information source: http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-dismisses-us-gun-lobbys-inaccurate-claim-about-gun-laws/

Aaron OngJan 29, 2013 (edited)Edit
+Timothy Liu Kaihui Thanks for the comparative research you’ve done on Israel. I can see how it is necessary for Israeli citizens to bear arms as they are in a conflict-sensitive area and hence it is more persuasive for Israeli citizens to have right to bear arms under the restricted circumstances. This does not seem to be the case for US citizens. If you are interested in this area, would you also like to look at this article on Swiss gun culture and tell me your thoughts about it?
http://world.time.com/2012/12/20/the-swiss-difference-a-gun-culture-that-works/

[Ong Aaron]

Aaron OngJan 27, 2013 – Discussion
Research Materials for whether consumers are driven by ethical values. E.g.
(YES/NO. Followed by YOUR OWN comments based on RESEARCH MATERIAL)

Timothy Liu KaihuiFeb 2, 2013
No. While consumers may take ethical values into account when making a purchase, it is often not the first priority, especially if they are pressed to get the most value for money(for example, if they are facing pay cuts or retrenchment). However many consumers tend be influenced by marketing practices relating to a company’s responsibility to the environment(eg. http://www.apple.com/imac/design/#environment) and therefore be inclined to purchase a certain product over another. However, few seem to act solely based on these claims: the price is still the main concern for most, although consumers will still take corporate responsibility on part of the company into account. However, consumer awareness on unethical practices by companies is also increasing, and this might lead to a different trend in the near future.
Reference: http://www.policyinnovations.org/ideas/briefings/data/000199 (which appears to be the full version of the text in the comprehension)

Colin Foong Hao ShengFeb 3, 2013
NO. Consumers tend not to be genuinely concerned about ethical issues, except when there is a deep-seated commitment or loyalty to the ethical social movement and where consumers are able to sustain such consumption habits despite the premium prices and purchase behavioral tendencies.

http://i-am.sg/main/?p=1447

[Ong Aaron]

27 Jan Summary
1. Singapore Growth Model Article
2. YJC Prelim 2012

A lot of jardons were thrown out in class today. Word like ‘constitution’, ‘social mobility’, ‘gini coefficient’. Although I would have liked to explain each of this term in more detail, class time is rather limited and for your exam purposes, it is only necessary to know briefly in a sentence or two what these jargons mean. I personally feel that there is quite a big transition from secondary to junior college in terms of the demands of exams and the standards are expected of you. A lot of the academic rigour for General Paper goes into getting acquainted with a lot of these concepts that you were previously unfamiliar with. I’ll be with you on this learning journey and don’t be afraid to consult me online or offline regarding any problems you may be facing. There is no ‘stupid’ question.

[Ong Aaron]

The Singapore Government has released a White Paper on its projected policies for Singapore’s population. It envisions a population of about 6.9 million people by 2030. I’ve attached the link to the White Paper for your reference. For your purposes, it is only necessary to read the Executive Summary which is from pages 1 to 4. Do you find the arguments in the White Paper convincing? For your information, White Papers are policy papers issued by the Government. (You can download the White Paper from the linked website.)

[Ong Aaron]

Aaron OngJan 31, 2013 (edited) – Discussion
We can be proud of our local university (NTU) researchers who found out possible methods to cooling with lasers. This would replace bulky and noisy refrigerators. It would certainly be a technological breakthrough if this gets mass-marketed and is more environmentally friendly than refrigerators.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1251154/1/.html

[Ong Aaron]

Aaron OngJan 31, 2013 – Discussion
This article clearly highlights the problem of a growing middle class in China and negative impacts caused by poor environment practices. Some of the factors which have led to this situation are: (a) Weak environmental laws (b) Lack of control of population of cars (c) Poor public transportation system. Are you able to think of any more factors? If you have read about the plans to increase the population in Singapore, how adversely would our environment be affected?

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/china-s-love-affair-with-cars-chokes-air-in-cities-324789

[Ong Aaron]

Aaron OngFeb 3, 2013 (edited) – Discussion
3 Feb Summary:
1. YJC Prelim 2012 Comprehension Answers
2. Discussion of Application Question (we referred to 2 articles): http://www.policyinnovations.org/ideas/briefings/data/000199

Click to access march2009.pdf

Notice: We would attempt the AQ in class on 17 Feb. Please also read the Executive Summary of the White Paper which I have linked below because we would write a short reflection on this proposed policy on 17 Feb as well.

[Ong Aaron]

Aaron OngFeb 3, 2013 (edited) – Discussion
3 Feb Summary:
1. YJC Prelim 2012 Comprehension Answers
2. Discussion of Application Question (we referred to 2 articles): http://www.policyinnovations.org/ideas/briefings/data/000199

Click to access march2009.pdf

Notice: We would attempt the AQ in class on 17 Feb. Please also read the Executive Summary of the White Paper which I have linked below because we would write a short reflection on this proposed policy on 17 Feb as well.

[Ong Aaron]

Aaron OngFeb 16, 2013 – Discussion
For those interested in crime and society, we have in our legislation a provision under the Registration of Criminals Act which states that for some minor offences (like fines not exceeding $2000 and jail sentence not exceeding 3 months), and the ex-convict remains crime free for a certain number of years then his offence becomes ‘spent’. The effect of this would mean that it would be lawful for him or her, after his or her offence becomes ‘spent’ to answer that he has not committed any illegality in the past. This raises the idea of a second chance and rehabilitation for ex-convicts.

[Ong Aaron]

Aaron OngFeb 16, 2013 – Discussion
For those interested in crime and society, we have in our legislation a provision under the Registration of Criminals Act which states that for some minor offences (like fines not exceeding $2000 and jail sentence not exceeding 3 months), and the ex-convict remains crime free for a certain number of years then his offence becomes ‘spent’. The effect of this would mean that it would be lawful for him or her, after his or her offence becomes ‘spent’ to answer that he has not committed any illegality in the past. This raises the idea of a second chance and rehabilitation for ex-convicts.

[Ong Aaron]

Aaron OngFeb 17, 2013 – Discussion
17 Feb Summary:
1. Reviewed YJC Prelim 2012 Comprehension Passages
2. “Green Labelling and Responsible Consumerism” Article discussion
3. Attempted YJC Prelim 2012 AQ in class
4. Instructions for Population White Paper

[Ong Aaron]

If you are interested in the issue of journalism the linkages with free speech, do check out this article (important to read the headings in bold).

http://www.mysinchew.com/node/82697

[Author]

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