Snake in the Bath (ANECDOTE TEXT)

How would you like to find a snake in you bath?

We had just moved into a new house, which had been empty for so long thet everything was in a terrible mess. Anna and I decided we would clean the bath first, so we set to, and turned on the tap.

Suddenly to my horror, a snake's head appeared in the plug hole. Then out slithered the rest of his long thin body. He twisted and turned on the slippery bottom of the bath, spitting and hissing at us

For an instant I stood there quite paralyzed. Then I yelled for my husband, who luckily came running and killed the snake with the handle of a broom. Anna, who was only three at the time, was quite interested in the whole business. Indeed I had to pull her out of the way or she'd probably have leant over the bath to get a better look.

We found out later that it was a black mamba, a poisonous kind of snake. It had obviously been fast asleep, curled up at the bottom of the nice warm water-pipe. It must have had an awful shock when the cold water came trickling down! But nothing to the shock I got! Ever since then I've always put the plug in firmly before running the bath water.

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2012 Film Review (REVIEW TEXT)

2012 is Roland Emmerich's film which uses the Mayan calendar and other end-of-days prophecies for their doomsday scenario. It imagines the world coming to an end in 2012.

2012 film brings off a series of wonders. The movie hits its peak early on. It starts when Cusack drives a limo through the streets of Los Angeles as freeways and skyscrapers crumble all around him from the shock of a 10.5 earthquake. The preposterous flying sequence is equally thrilling. The climax occurs aboard the giant ark, when an equipment malfunction almost threatens the entire mission.

Unfortunately, the crucial sequence is not filmed or edited with the requisite clarity. In 2012 film, Emmerich leaves us befuddled as to exactly what is happening to whom. However, Emmerich' 2012 deserves credit for offbeat casting. Cusack supplies his trademark hangdog charm. McCarthy has perhaps his best role ever as Peet's cocky. Danny Glover lends dignity to the role of the tormented president. Chiwetel Ejiofor, as the chief scientist, brings a moving sense of anguish to a stock role. Platt has fun playing the villain of the piece, and Woody Harrelson also chews the scenery as a bug-eyed radio prophet trying to warn his listeners about Armageddon.

All in one, 2012's cinematography, production design and visual effects are awards-worthy. Music also propels the movie. It presents American Idol runner-up, Adam Lambert, who provides a rousing anthem over the end credits.

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Indonesian Migrant Worker dies in Malaysia (NEWS ITEM TEXT)

An Indonesian migrant worker Munti Binti Bani has died on Monday after being hospitalized for several days due to alleged torture by her employees in Selangor, Malaysia.

Antara state news agency has reported that Munti had been treated at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah hospital since last Tuesday and died on Monday at 10 a.m, local time. Munti was found unconscious with her hands and feet were tied in a bathroom in Taman Sentosa housing complex last Tuesday. She was suffering from major wounds on her body and had apparently been beaten with iron.

Munti's body will be sent tomorrow to her hometown in Pondok Jeruk Barat village of Jombang, East Java after undergoing autopsy at the hospital. “We express our deep condolences as there is yet another worker who was tortured and passed away at the hospital,” Indonesia's Ambassador for Malaysia, Da'i Bachtiar said in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. “The Embassy will arrange for all compensation, including insurance, she deserves to receive,” Da'i said.

He added that Munti's employees Vanitha and Murugan had been detained and were undergoing questioning at the local police office. “We hope the police can uphold justice and punish them should they be proven to be involved in the case,” he said.

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GIVING CHILDREN HOMEWORK (DISCUSSION TEXT)

There are a lot of discussion as to whether children should be given homework or not. Is it enough for children having time to study at school or needing additional time in home for study after school time?

Some people claim that children do enough work in school already. They also argue that children have their hobbies which they want to do after school, such as sport or music. A further point they make is that a lot of homeworks are pointless and does not help the children learn at all.

However, there are also strong arguments against this point of view. Parents and teachers argue that it is important to find out whether children can work on their own without the support from the teacher. They say that the evening is a good time for children to sit down and think about what they have learned in school.

Furthermore they claim that the school day is too short to get anything done. It makes sense to send home tasks like independent reading or further writing task which do not need the teacher support.

I think, on balance, that some homework is good idea but that should only given at the weekend when children have more time.

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WHERE SHOULD BE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL? (HORTATORY EXPOSITION TEXT)

The National examination result will be publicly announced in next short time. Euphoria will flood for those who get success. In the other hand, It will be sorry to hear that there are some of them do not succeed in their national final examination. For those who succeed soon will think to decide; where will they be after graduating high school? Actually it will be easy to decide for those has been arranged and thought earlier but for those have not planed yet, it will be quite confusing.

Continuing study or looking for work is the primary choice among them. When they think about continuing study, they will think hard about the time and cost. How long the higher study will last? And how high is about the cost. In the same way, when they think about straightly seeking job, what skill and competence they have got is a big matter of questioning. So, doing both choices in the same time is an alternative.

Continuing study as well as seeking job is possibly done but it will be hard for them. Conventionally studying in the university needs much time to spend especially in the first year. It is true because they have to do and adapt a lot of things in their new higher school. it will be very hard to looking for job. Therefore it should come to their mind of continuing studying at higher school from their own home. As result, the available time will be more flexible for them. Then it will be very possible to seek job and get the appropriate one. This type of studying is publicly known as distance learning.

As the alternative method of studying, besides the conventional studying which students and the lecturer have to meet in the fixed time and place regularly, distance learning provides possibility to grow better. Possibly working and studying surely will create high quality graduate. Distance learning should appear as a considerable choice for them.

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IS SMOKING GOOD FOR US? (ANALYTICAL EXPOSITION TEXT)

Before we are going to smoke, it is better to look at the fact. About 50 thousands people die every year in Britain as direct result of smoking. This is seven times as many as die in road accidents. Nearly a quarter of smokers die because of diseases caused by smoking.

Ninety percent of lung cancers are caused by smoking. If we smoke five cigarettes a day, we are six times more likely to die of lung cancer than a non smoker. If we smoke twenty cigarettes a day, the risk is nineteen greater. Ninety five percent of people who suffer of bronchitis are people who are smoking. Smokers are two and half times more likely to die of heart disease than non smokers.

Additionally, children of smoker are more likely to develop bronchitis and pneumonia. In one hour in smoky room, non smoker breathes as much as substance causing cancer as if he had smoked fifteen cigarettes.

Smoking is really good for tobacco companies because they do make much money from smoking habit. Smoking however is not good for every body else.

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