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0 Narrative Essay

1.1 My "Eight Cow" Bracelet

"Beauty is only skin deep" was a phrase I heard quite often during my
awkward childhood. When I was a baby, I had two chins, Michelin Tire legs, and
hair that stuck straight up even though it was easily over two inches long. My mom
would often dress me in only a diaper on hot days inspiring my uncle to label me
with the name of "Marshmallow Butt." It was a name he was quite fond of calling
me, even years later. As I grew, the double chin turned into one and a half, the legs
stretched into colonial columns, and the hair eventually lay flat. It was during this
transitional point in my life that my father began to teach me a valuable and
significant lesson regarding beauty and the power of words.

    During my childhood, my family indulged in a weekly ritual we called

family night. We used this time for various activities. We would hold family
councils where we truly believed we had a say in important subjects. We would play
games and have lessons such as "being kind to your family" or some other moral
issue of the time. Sometimes we would sing songs, hear stories from Dad who could
rival Mark Twain any day, or spend an hour to two eating ice cream and playing at
the park.
      I am the second child and oldest daughter in a family of ten children, so
these weekly "get-togethers" rarely went without some type of fiasco. These fiascoes
varied from kicking at one another as Mom was teaching us about "Doing Unto
Others" or my older brother Bill and I having a hair pulling fight, not just a tug-of-
the-hair fight, but a fist-full, pull-as-hard-as-you-can, you-let-go-first hair fight. It
was for one of these activities that my dad brought home a movie entitled Johnny
Lingo. The story was simple, but for a shy ten-year-old girl who had long, stringy,
brown hair, big brown eyes, a freckled face, and who looked as though the Pillsbury
Dough Boy was her closest relative, it was a story filled with magic and hope.
       The movie told of a girl named Mohana. Mohana was, quite frankly, the
ugliest girl on the island. She was all "skin and bone." She rarely washed her hair
and never combed it. She spent all her time hiding in the woods so no one could see
her and make fun of her. Even her father called her "Mohana, you ugly." One day,
the most handsome young man in the area, Johnny Lingo, came to the island and
chose Mohana for his wife. He gave her father eight cows as a gift in exchange for
Mohana. No one had ever given more than four cows as a gift for marriage. This was
a great demonstration of devotion and love towards Mohana. A year later when
Johnny and Mohana returned to the island, Mohana's father came to visit them. He
hardly recognized his daughter. She now had long, shining, beautifully combed hair.
She had put on some weight, and even her personality had developed some self-
assurance and confidence. Johnny Lingo told Mohana's father that he bought her a
silver and pearl inlaid mirror and comb set and had told her every day that she was
beautiful. He said that Mohana had always had the beauty inside her; he just helped
her discover it.
      It wasn't until a few years later that I realized the significance of that movie
and the lesson that my father was trying to teach me. We lived in a rural town where
work was very hard for my dad to find. Consequently, he had to leave home to work.
I was just finishing my hardest year in high school, the sophomore year when my
dad took a job in Page, Arizona. I turned sixteen that summer. That was also the
summer that I received my "eight cow bracelet."

      Dad was a man who always had a ready smile on his face. For as long as I
have known him, he has had crow's feet at the corner of his eyes from smiling. His
hands always seemed big and strong to me, and as he got older, I began to see where
I got my physical attributes. He always loved working early in the morning out in
our garden when the dew was still on the leaves of the tomatoes and peas. I enjoyed
going out there with him. It was a time when we could spend some quality moments
together. He would teach me which bugs were not good for the garden as we cleared
plump green tomato worms off the tomato plants. He taught me which insects we
needed in the garden as we left the spider webs strung between the corn stalks. I
learned about rainbows. I learned about life.

     One particular August morning, Dad took me to sit down at our woodpile.
There were always two or three stumps to sit on, and Dad would sit there and watch
the garden as he irrigated. He pulled a small bundle wrapped in one of his red
"farmer" handkerchiefs out of his pocket. He simply opened up the cloth to expose a
turquoise and silver Indian cuff bracelet. It was slender, no more than a half inch in
width. The silver had no engravings on it. It was simple and delicate. Centered
across the top of the bracelet were eight round turquoise stones set into the silver.
Dad asked me, "Do you know what this is?" I looked at him and smiled, "A
bracelet?" His ready smile came back at me. "This is your eight cow bracelet." When
I must have given him one of my most confused looks, he explained how the
bracelet would remind me of my worth. I was worth more than anyone else was on
the "island." I had an inner beauty that was just waiting to come out, and I was
important to him. At that time, I couldn't remember ever loving my father more.

      A lifetime again later, I still remember that day. I remember the sun beating
down on my head, the smell of wet dirt, the sound of our water pump whirring softly
as the family inside the house started getting ready for the day. I remember the love
in my father's eyes, and I know that I am an "eight cow woman."
2.0 Descriptive Essay

2.1 Angkor Wat

Each country in the world has contributed to the world’s cultural heritage. One of the
most contributing parts of the world to cultural heritage is East Asia. Architectural,
religious, musical, visual, and literary forms of art practiced by East Asian people had
been greatly influenced by religious traditions practiced in the region—in particular,
Hinduism and Buddhism. One of the most outstanding monuments ever created under
the influence of these two paradigms was the temple complex of Angkor Wat in
Cambodia.

The Angkor Wat complex is located in the northern province of Siem Reap. Its
overall square is approximately 400-square kilometers; on it, numerous temples, basins,
reservoirs, canals, and communication routes are located. Angkor Wat had been a center
of the Khmer Kingdom; with its impressive monuments, urban plans, and a complicated
system of canals, the site is an exemplar of Khmer architecture, closely linked to the
geographical context, and possessing strong symbolic significance. In the Khmer Empire,
it had a high level of social order and ranking. Therefore, Angkor Wat has a strong
cultural, religious, and symbolic value, as well as aesthetic and artistic significance
(UNESCO).

Angkor Wat is so vast that it is difficult to grasp its entire architectural plan if you are
walking around the monument’s territory. From a distance, Angkor Wat looks like a
colossal mass of stone, but if you get closer, you will see numerous elevated towers,
chambers, and courtyards—all of them located on different levels, and connected with
stairways and covered galleries. Angkor Wat’s central tower’s overall height is
surprisingly greater than it might seem; it is 699 feet high, which is an amazing index for
a building raised in ancient times, without modern cranes and other facilities. This had
been achieved with three rectangular or square levels; each of them is progressively
smaller and higher than the one below. Covered galleries with columns are located on the
first and second levels, and on the third level there are five towers. Four of them are
located in the monument’s corners, and the last one is standing in the center. These
towers are of a conical shape, and are decorated with the ornament of lotuses (Tourism of
Cambodia).

Moreover, the whole monument’s profile imitates a lotus bud. Surprisingly, you

cannot see all the five towers at the same time—they are visible only when looking at the
monument from certain angles, and if you look from the entrance, you will not be able to
see them. The shape of a cross is dominant for the majority of structures and
constructions located within the monument, such as courtyards, basins, and so on. The
hallmark of Angkor Wat is a curved sloping roof of galleries, chambers, and aisles: from
a distance, it looks like a series of long narrow ridges, which looks incredibly
beautiful (Tourism of Cambodia).

Angkor Wat is an incredible monument of a civilization that has vanished ages

ago. The monument, however, is still standing, reminding us of the greatest days of the
Khmer Empire. This is a unique architectural complex, incredibly difficult in its plan and
sophisticated in its execution. Therefore, this place is a must-see for any tourist heading
to Southeast Asia.
3.0 Expository Essay

3.1 The Importance of Extracurricular Activities

School can be a drab place. For those who are not interested in one’s own education,
school can be bleak. However, if you are active in extracurricular activities at your
school, you can enjoy your education much more. Why is this? Joining in on
extracurricular activities have been shown to improve academic performance, give the
opportunity to learn a variety of skills, provide a sense of commitment, and create a wider
circle of friends.

According to The Educator, “Studies have shown that students who participate in
co-curricular activities have a marked improvement in the grades. This can be attributed
to skills they learn such as better time management to accommodate their hobbies and
class activities, better organizational skills and a boost in their self-esteem. Skills learnt in
clubs such as debate can be applied in the classroom too, as the students learn how to
express themselves better” (Jackson and Jackson, 2018). Though it may seem out of
place to say such activities as being part of the Harry Potter Club, or something similar,
would benefit one’s grades, it is scientifically proven to do so.

Extracurricular activities have been linked to the gaining of various skills. The
Mountain Heights Academy expresses this finding: “These activities can also work to
build professional skills that a classroom alone cannot always foster. A leadership-
oriented club, for example, will help students to learn essential skills in management and
delegation, while a debate or speech club will provide additional public speaking practice
for students. In short, extracurricular activities can arm students with many of the skills
future employers will be looking for” (Mountainheightsacademy.org, 2018). So, these
activities can be seen as a necessary side education that fills in the gaps of our primary
education.
 Commitment is difficult to inculcate in the youth, but extracurricular activities seem
to foster it. According to The Educator, “Students who participate in co-curricular
activities have a sense of commitment to whatever they are involved in. This is because
as they take part in whatever sports or club activity they are a member of, they have to
commit to it and give their all, and this commitment extends to all other areas of their
lives” (Jackson and Jackson, 2018). Students can be taught about commitment, but
learning it firsthand through extracurricular activities is the best method of teaching
commitment.

Schools can be lonely places, and extracurricular activities provide a venue for more
social interaction. The Mountain Heights Academy agrees with this notion:
“Extracurriculars are not solely about imparting stronger professional skills and
supplementing education. These programs are also fun and offer students the opportunity
to spend time with others of similar interests. Students can meet friends from different
social groups by joining a sports team, student government or debate”
(Mountainheightsacademy.org, 2018). It may seem out of place, but by making more
friends through extracurricular activities, students can improve their overall academic
experience.

Extracurricular activities are not only for enjoyment. They contribute significantly
to the improvement of grades, to learning various skills, to garnering a sense of
commitment, and to increasing one’s social circle. All of this makes one’s academic
experience fulfilling and enriching.
4.0 Argumentative Essay

4.1 Why E-cigarettes are better for Smokers than Regular Ones?

Smoking tobacco is probably one of the worst habits humankind has developed.
Originating as a tradition of the Native Americans, practiced mostly on special occasions,
smoking has gradually become a kind of mass addiction. Due to the efforts of tobacco
companies seeking to increase their sales, people started smoking more and more often;
the evolution of a more traditional pipe to a cigarette took some time, but eventually
tobacco became more affordable and easier to use (you now simply need to light it up,
instead of having to always carry a tobacco pouch, stuff a pipe, puff it, and so on). As a
result, deaths and health issues connected to tobacco consumption became a worldwide
concern.

A popular belief is that it is nicotine that kills. It is only partially true: although

nicotine does harm one’s health (mostly affecting the cardiovascular system), it is the tar,
carbon monoxide, hard particles contained in cigarette smoke, and a bunch of toxic
emissions and heavy metals that deal the most damage. Nicotine causes addiction, and
the smoke does the rest.

Nowadays, there are alternatives to analogue tobacco smoking: the widely popular
electronic cigarettes. Although it is hotly debated whether e-cigarettes are harmful to
smokers’ health or not, it is hard to argue that substituting cigarettes with these devices
does more good than bad, since they possess a number of advantages that cannot be
neglected easily. And whereas smoking still remains a dangerous and unacceptable
addiction, e-cigarettes might be a decent way to break free of it.

Electronic cigarettes deliver nicotine to a smoker not through burning (which

obviously implies inhaling harmful and toxic smoke), but through the evaporation of
nicotine-containing liquids. An e-cigarette heats up the liquid in a special container called
an atomizer; the liquid evaporates, and through this vapor a smoker receives their dose of
nicotine. Thus, the process of nicotine consumption in this case should be called
“vaping,” not “smoking.” These liquids usually comprise glycerol, propylene glycol,
ethylene glycol, propanediol, and some other components (NCBI). Although some of
them are not completely harmless, the chemical composure of e-cigarette liquids is
definitely safer than the one of a regular cigarette. However, thorough control over the
composure of these liquids should be established, and the usage of such components as
ethylene glycol and propanediol should probably be banned. Still, if a smoker does not
plan to quit, he or she might want to consider using e-cigarettes instead of real tobacco.

Another good reason for a smoker to start using e-cigarettes is that the
aforementioned liquids can contain different amounts of nicotine. A heavy smoker might
want to start vaping using liquids containing up to 24 milligrams of nicotine, and the
good news for them is that it is possible to gradually decrease the dose until zero
milligrams are present.Although some smokers might experience physical symptoms
when trying to quit smoking tobacco, in the majority of cases, it is a strong psychological
component that does not let a smoker give up their addiction. It can be assumed that there
are five main components of this psychological addiction: 1) believing in the
relaxing/stimulating effect of nicotine that helps a smoker deal with stressful situations;
2) a smoker’s need to “keep hands busy” when bored, waiting for something, feeling
nervous, and so on; 3) socializing with “fellow smokers”; 4) unconsciously and
“automatically” following the habit; 5) the fear that if a smoker quits, he or she will lose
something valuable, a source of psychological support or pleasure. Besides, some
smokers find it aesthetic to inhale/exhale smoke, or have other reasons to continue
tobacco consumption. Generally speaking, smoking is a behavioral pattern consisting of
repeating situations and reactions. Without neglecting or challenging these reasons, it can
be said that an e-cigarette is probably a safer alternative for a person who does not want
to give up nicotine. They still deliver nicotine to a smoker’s body (thus fulfilling the
reasons 1 and 5); they disrupt automatic smoking described in points 2 and 4 (since e-
cigarettes function differently from their traditional analogues); they allow a person to
continue socializing with other smokers during breaks at work, or on other occasions, as
mentioned in point 3. But, while performing the same functions as regular cigarettes,
electronic devices are safer and more socially acceptable.
 In addition, a purely aesthetic reason to prefer e-cigarettes over their analogues: when
evaporated, the liquids taste and smell better than tobacco. They are sold in a variety of
flavors: melons, apples, cherry, tropical fruit, mint, blueberry, and so on. At the same
time, regular tobacco smells and tastes awful not only for the non-smokers, but for a
smoking person as well. So, why not stop poisoning oneself with toxic smoke, and at
least substitute it with pleasantly smelling vapor?

Nicotine addiction in any of its forms, regardless of whether it is smoking or vaping,

is a huge problem for addicts. It leads to a number of severe, chronic diseases and even to
death. At the same time, there might be a healthier alternative for those smokers who
realize the harm they cause to themselves, but who cannot yet give up their addiction.
Electronic cigarettes are nowadays considered to be safer than regular cigarettes. Liquids
used in these e-cigarettes contain fewer toxic elements, and do not include the products
that are commonly burned in cigarettes. Vapor from e-cigarettes is mostly harmless to
non-smokers; it tastes and smells better, which makes smoking e-cigarettes a less
reproached habit. Finally, many smokers might discover that e-cigarettes do not obstruct
their reasons to continue smoking, while making it possible to decrease the amounts of
consumed nicotine and to eventually break the habit. Therefore, without praising or
advertising e-cigarettes, it can still be stated that they are a more preferable alternative for
smokers.
4.2 Watching television is bad for children. Do you agree or disagree?

By and large, it is established beyond doubt that children have always been
looking for some exciting amusement or hobbies. Indeed, vast majorities of children opt
for television dubbed by some magic or gimmick box because of too many cartoons and
movies. Stemming from this fact a relevant question that is a moot point is whether
children should watch TV or not. Due to the controversial nature of this question, there is
not a general agreement on this issue. I am, however, to a great extent of the conviction
that not only can TV destroy children's' behavior but also could have deleterious effects
on their health. The following reasons will aptly substantiate my personal perspective.

To commence with, there is no doubt that myriads of people spend their precious
time watching TV in their spare time but it might have deleterious effects on people's
lives especially youth. Generally phrased, celebrities that play an important role in every
given society present on the screen in an inappropriate way like smoking, which could
provide fertile ground for children to mimic their behavior. For instance, many well-
known individuals do not make a secret of alcohol, drugs, short relationship and so forth.
These immoral manners by celebrities might make children think that imitate that
behavior is acceptable. To elucidate more on this issue, watching television by the
presence of celebrities not only will harm children's relation but also will cause antisocial
problems, which can threat children lives.

Another reason that should not go unnoticed is that watching TV will cause
irreversible mental and physical health problem for the children. To put it in another
word, based on different studies conducted by researchers, crowds of children who spend
most of their time watching TV are not healthy enough and suffer from physical
problems and eyesight. Going into the depth, watching TV not only can aggravate
children's health condition but also can impact their eyesight negatively.

However, in some case, TV will make children knowledgeable and provide an

opportunity for them to enhance their information about various fields by watching
documents, movies and so forth. Indeed, many children suffer from a paucity of
knowledge but watching television will patronize them to compensate the lack of
knowledge.
 In light of reasons elaborated, I reiterate that television has played a key role in
people's lives throughout history. In fact, due to the presence of celebrities on the screen
watching TV will damage children relationship and make them mimic immoral behavior.
In addition, watching television might put people's health into danger and run them into a
huge problem.