Start with 'INTERESTS'

The first step towards mastering the language is by being interested in it. Start with the area that might spark the interests. A simple example would be, if you love entertainment like watching movies and listening to the songs, focus on things that use the language. In other words, if English is the language that you want to improve, watch more of English movies and listen more to English songs. it is as simple as that.

As I have mentioned in my recent post, the more you use or are exposed to the language, the more proficient you are. So, start focusing on more English materials if you are really serious to improve yourself. Look at the aspects of pronunciation, wordings and many others. So in my future posts, I may discuss some great novels or movies that you might want to read or watch later.

Make the most of English!!!

Today I want to talk about the best way to learn any language. In this context, I'd like to take English as an example. In Malaysia, we learn English for years and years. In fact, the moment we join the schooling system, we learn to pronounce some English words may be through nursery rhymes etc. We learn English for at least 11 years. Unlike any other subjects, English revolves around the same topics like Grammar and Reading throughout the 11 years. So, to say that mastering English is difficult should not be an excuse. The real problem that lies underneath is that most learners lack exposure to the language which causes incompetencies. There's a saying that "Practice makes perfect", so learners need to put their knowledge of the language into practice, like through speaking and writing. The more they speak and write, the better their language is. However, before they are able to produce speeches and writings, they need to read and listen to the materials in that particular language.

Take me, for example. Both my parents did not get the opportunity to receive proper education. However, I am blessed to have such a wonderful mother who truly believes in education, though she herself did not even finish her high school to be married to my father. Since I was a child, she'd buy me a lot of reading materials, among them comics and bedtime storybooks. From as early as 3 years old, I was homeschooled, learning a lot of things from reading to calculating. By 6 years old, I finished my Qur'anic lessons, able to read novels and had already mastered basic Maths. Since I am the youngest in the family, I was always lonely as I did not have anyone to talk to. All my siblings had already left home for boarding schools. So, my salvation was books. I realised that reading had become my main hobby. When I was 12, I read my first English novels (as I couldn't find any more unread Malay novels). The English novels were my sisters' - Barbara Cartland, Mills & Boon and a few others. This explains why my English has always been As throughout my entire years at schools. When I grew older, I became fascinated at reading more and more English novels like Sydney Sheldon, Judith McNaught and many more. Although my parents do not know how to utter a single word in English, I am so fortunate that they have raised me well.

So, the bottom line here is that learners have to make use of any language that they are learning in order to master it. Read English books, listen to English songs and news. Don't be shy to speak English with other people. Start writing diary entries in English. These work all the time.

how this extremely tiny entity and unseen to the naked eye is one of the world's deadliest virus

scary isn't it? and ironic enough. the air allows us to live and the very same air causes death. we share the same air, regardless of our faith, status and race. everyone and anyone can be infected anytime. here's something that I found on the Net written by Chan Lee Peng http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/three-scary-killer-flu-pandemics-that-raged-fiercely-over-the-world/

Swine flu (also called swine influenza, influenza A (H1N1), flu ) is a respiratory disease among the pig populations caused by A influenza virus, in which its outbreak normally occurs in the colder weather months (late fall and winter). In 1930 in the United States, an influenza type A H1N1 virus has been known to circulate among pigs. The current swine flu H3N2 viruses are closely associated with human H3N2 viruses.
Humans catch swine flu when they’ve a direct contact/ direct exposure to the infected pigs or those who’re close proximity to infected pigs such as in slaughterhouses, swine production barns, and livestock exhibits at fairs. More specifically, this virus can be directly transmitted from pigs to humans as “zoonotic” disease agents, and vice versa, from humans to pigs. Human-to-human transmission of swine flu occurs via sneezing or coughing of people infected with this virus; and people may also get infected by simply touching their mouth or nose or contacting with anything with flu viruses on it.
The well known outbreak of swine flu was first reported among soldiers in Fort Dix, New Jersey in 1976. This virus caused at least 4 soldiers with x-ray evidence of pneumonia and one death. In 1988 in Wisconsin, the apparent swine flu infection in pigs was reported to cause multiple human infections. In the same year of September, one 32-year-old pregnant woman was diagnosed to be infected with a swine H1N1 flu virus, and she died 8 days later after hospitalization for pneumonia. She was said to visit a county fair swine exhibition where there was widespread influenza-like illness among the swine. CDC stated that one human swine influenza virus infection is reported every one to two years in the United States, and 12 cases of human infection with swine influenza have been reported from December 2005 through February 2009.

Swine Flu Pandemic

It's very scary that such unseen virus has killed many people. This virus has been responsible in an increasing number of death toll worldwide. In Malaysia alone, up until yesterday 4 have been dead due to the complication from this virus. 4 UiTM campuses have been closed due to the spreading of this extremely tiny virus. As a result of this worrying stats, all UiTM campuses were given mid-sem break 8 weeks earlier. But, there seems to be a problem here. Will sending students home ensure that the virus is not widely spread? Will returning to campus by end of this week ensure that the students are virus-free? Obviously, we can't be so sure of that. Let's just pray that God will protect us all. Here I attach the message from Dr Zainul about the safety measures that all of us should focus on:

INFLUENZA A (H1N1)
A. Adakah ANDA mempunyai tanda-tanda jangkitan Influenza A ?
DEMAM PANAS ( >38*C), BATUK, SAKIT TEKAK, SAKIT BADAN.
Jika YA, sila dapatkan rawatan dan asingkan pelajar dari kelas/kuliah.
(Practice self isolation, social distancing and personal hygiene)
B. Bagaimana ANDA boleh dijangkiti Influenza A ?
i. Melalui titisan cecair yang keluar ketika batuk atau bersin dari seorang pesakit
ii. Menyentuh permukaan yang dicemari kuman H1N1 serta menyentuh muka/hidung
C. Apa yang patut ANDA lakukan sekiranya dijangkiti Influenza A ?
1. Ambil rawatan segera dan patuhi jadual makan ubat
2. Minum air sebanyak mungkin supaya tidak dehidrasi serta makan makanan yang berkhasiat
3. Rehat secukupnya di rumah/ bilik
4. Segera dapatkan rawatan kecemasan sekiranya berlaku :
• SESAK NAFAS, BATUK BERDARAH, SAKIT DADA YANG BERTERUSAN
• CIRIT-BIRIT ATAU MUNTAH BERTERUSAN
• DEMAM PANAS MELEBIHI 3 HARI
• PERUBAHAN TINGKAHLAKU YANG ABNORMAL ATAU SAWAN
• LEMAH DAN TIDAK STABIL KETIKA BERDIRI

5. Amalkan langkah pencegahan jangkitan Influenza A dengan :
i. Amalkan etika batuk - menutup muka dan hidung ketika batuk atau bersin dengan menggunakan tisu/sapu tangan serta cuci tangan selepas batuk atau bersin
ii. Basuh tangan sekerap mungkin dengan air dan sabun secukupnya
Buang tisu yang telah digunakan ke dalam tong sampah
iii. Jangan menggunakan / berkongsi barangan keperluan harian seperti pinggang, sudu, tuala dan sebagai dengan pengidap Influenza A
iv. Elakkan dari berada di tempat yang padat sekiranya anda sedang mempunyai tanda-tanda jangkitan Influenza A sehingga sihat sepenuhnya.
v. Sekiranya anda perlu keluar, pastikan anda memakai penutup muka.
vi. Jarakkan diri anda dari orang ramai sekurang-kurangnya 1 meter