English

Staying Safe Online

Last week our school held a talk (0) about internet safety, and I learnt a lot. The speaker, an officer from a cyber security agency, told (9) ____ that we must never share our passwords with anybody.

She said that we (10) ____ not accept friend requests from people we do not know. (11) ____ example, a stranger may pretend to be a student from another school. I used to write my password on a piece of paper, (12) ____ now I keep it only in my head.

The officer also warned us that if we (13) ____ our passwords with friends, they may pass them to other people. A long password is (14) ____ difficult to guess than a short one, so she asked us to use at least twelve letters, numbers and symbols.

I am (15) ____ to tell my little sister about these tips tonight. I (16) ____ already changed two of my passwords since the talk.

Robots Take the Field
by Aliya Sofea, school reporter

The first Inter-school Robot Soccer Challenge took place at the Pusat Sains Negeri on Saturday, 15 March. Eighteen teams from nine schools in the district took part. Each team had three members, and every member had to build, program or control the robot.

The first match was planned for 8.00 a.m., but a power cut delayed the start until 8.40 a.m. Each game lasted five minutes, and the winners moved on to the next round.

The final was between SMK Seri Aman and SMK Tun Fatimah. SMK Tun Fatimah led 2-0 at half time, but the robot of SMK Seri Aman, named Harimau, scored three goals in the last two minutes and won 3-2. The team captain, Daniel Wong, said, "We practised every evening for two months, and our teacher, Encik Rosli, never gave up on us."

The champions received a RM500 book voucher and a trophy. The organiser, Dr Salmah, said that next year the challenge would be held in Melaka.

Back on Track

Nurul Aina, 15, has loved running since she was nine. She joined her school's athletics team in Form 1 and dreamed of winning the 800 m race at the state championship. In January, however, she fell during a training session and broke her left leg. The doctor said she must stay off her feet for six weeks and wear a cast.

Nurul was heartbroken. She stayed at home on crutches and missed her friends. Her mother, a nurse, told her that a setback is not the end of the road. So, with help from a physiotherapist, Mr Chong, she began gentle exercises as soon as the cast was removed in March. At first she could only walk for ten minutes, but she slowly built up her stamina by swimming twice a week.

By June, Nurul was jogging again. She also changed her diet: she ate more vegetables and drank eight glasses of water a day. In September, she ran in the state championship and came third. "I did not win," she says, "but I am proud because I never gave up."

My First Team Challenge

I have never enjoyed group work. I prefer to work alone, so I was not happy when Cikgu Hanim chose me for a team of four in the school's Online Maths Challenge. (35) ______ We had one week to practise before the challenge on Saturday.

On Monday evening, we met in the library. (36) ______ I took geometry, Suria took algebra, and Kevin chose word problems.

During the first practice, we made many mistakes and argued about the answers. (37) ______ Instead of shouting, we learnt to listen to each other.

On Saturday morning, the library was full of students from ten schools. (38) ______ But when the timer started, I forgot my fear and my fingers moved quickly.

We answered the last question with only ten seconds left. (39) ______ A few minutes later, the screen showed that we had come second out of forty teams.

Now, I do not mind group work any more. (40) ______

How technology helps students

• What technology: the devices or apps students use
• In school: how it helps students to learn
• At home: how it helps with homework or hobbies
• A problem: one danger or problem, and how to avoid it
• Your own idea