Incidents In School

School Bullies
The canteen was as boisterous as a cavalcade. Students were chattering animatedly and cutlery clanged as stall owners set about work to cater to all their young customers’ orders. The basketball courts and the parade square were jam-packed and buzzing with all the sporting activities. Ken was right in the middle of an empty classroom serving his detention for not submitting his homework. Sweeping the floor with great reluctance, Ken was sulking like a spoilt child. He desperately yearned for his recess. The forgetful boy reproached himself for how he could have totally forgotten about Mr Tan’s Science worksheets the previous day.
All the fun outside was beckoning persistently at Ken to peek out of the windows. Ken finally submitted to the temptation and threw all caution to the wind. He was supposed to finish cleaning the classroom before recess was over, instead he pasted himself at the windows staring intently at all the fun everybody else was having. Ken felt like he was practically munching on sour grapes. Suddenly, the lights went out. The entire classroom became as dark as a dungeon. A jolt of delight shot through Ken because a blackout meant that he need not serve his detention.
Perking his head out for a quick scan of the surroundings, Ken wanted to sneak to the fields to join his friends. Before Ken could even reach the backdoor of the classroom, the lights came back on. Along with the brightness, came four insidious figures entering the classroom, the four notorious bullies! Temperatures immediately dropped to sub-zero as Ken came face to face with the terrors in school. The chill in his spine made his knuckles turn white from clutching the broom in his hands. Being confined in the classroom with these four brought the gloom of the night along with the grim of death upon Ken. Inevitably, Ken knew he was doomed.
The leader of the pack growled with hostility, “Look who we’ve got here! Ken, our school midget! Dear boy you better hand over all your money now, or else…” Ken was grossly outsized and outnumbered so he meekly handed over all the cash he had in his wallet. The meagre amount incited the wrath of the bullies. They grabbed Ken by the collar and unleashed more verbal threats in his face. Just then the lights went out. Another blackout!
Ken froze in fear, he knew he had to do something. Seizing the golden opportunity, Ken whacked his perpetrator in his groin with the broom in his hands. The pain sent the bullies tumbling to the ground upon one another like dominoes. Ken made a mad dash for the exits and bumped into Mr Tan, who had come to supervise him. Ken blurted out the whole episode to Mr Tan. The bullies were caught. They were still growling in pain when Mr Tan escorted Ken into the classroom to confront the bullies. They were duly punished by Mr Tan and Ken felt triumphant at having justice prevail for him. Nevertheless he still had an outstanding detention to make up to Mr Tan for not finishing his homework.
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What the words and phrases mean…
1
as boisterous as a cavalcade
as lively as a grand celebration
2
cutlery clanged
sounds of metal utensils hit against one another
3
jam-packed and buzzing with all the sporting activities
crowded place with people busy playing sports
4
serving his detention
being punished to stay back after class
5
sulking like a spoilt child
showing an unhappy face like a demanding kid
6
desperately yearned
wanted something very much
7
beckoning persistently
attracting very strongly
8
submitted to the temptation
gave in to one’s ultimate desire
9
threw all caution to the wind
took risks
10
munching on sour grapes
feeling jealous
11
as dark as a dungeon
a place being totally dark without light
12
perking his head out for a quick scan
stretching one’s neck to look around the surroundings
13
insidious
dangerous and mean
14
notorious
well-known for a bad reason
15
temperatures immediately dropped to sub-zero
a chilly atmosphere due to fear
16
chill in his spine
feeling frightened
17
knuckles turn white from clutching
holding something very tightly
18
gloom of the night
feeling as hopeless as the dark night sky
19
grim of death
as depressing as facing death
20
inevitably
unavoidable
21
growled with hostility
spoke threateningly
22
midget
an offensive term for a very short person
23
grossly outsized and outnumbered
at a disadvantage when compared in terms of size and numbers
24
meekly
timidly
25
meagre amount
a very small amount of money
26
incited the wrath
made someone very angry
27
unleashed more verbal threats
bullied verbally
28
seizing the golden opportunity
making the best out of a chance given
29
tumbling to the ground upon one another like dominoes
a continuous falling motion of one item falling after one another
30
duly punished
punished accordingly
31
felt triumphant at having justice prevail
a sense of victory for having fairness showed in a matter





















The Conspiracy
“Bang! Boom! Bam!” The metal rattled after being abused. The echoes of its attacker’s swearing resounded in the canteen, “Stupid machine! Can’t you even produce a single miserable drop of water?” His anger burnt into the lifeless water cooler.
Everyone’s head was buried in his books early in the morning to cram in as much as possible as the exams were just round the corner. The reverberating loud racket disrupted the silence of the canteen as he continued his punches and kicks. I was infuriated by his misdeed and inconsideration for others. I alerted the school prefect who was standing behind me.
“Excuse me, that boy at the water cooler is very disruptive and we can’t study properly. Would you please report him for vandalising school property?” I informed him solemnly. The prefect nodded with a smirk on his face and sauntered towards the boy.
The prefect tapped the boy on his shoulder. The boy stopped in mid-kick and turned around eyes glinting in hostility. The prefect said a few words to him. My forehead furrowed in puzzlement. I thought that the prefect was going to berate him. However, to my astonishment, the boy’s face changed before my very eyes. The earlier hints of anger were now replaced with amusement! Before I could decipher what was happening, the two boys gave each other a high five and stared at me maliciously. Realisation dawned on me. They were obviously good chums and in cahoots! Feeling indignant, I stood up to them and a vicious quarrel ensued.
The commotion roused most of the pupils from the depths of their books. As our volume amplified, one of them finally raced to the Discipline Master’s office. His timely arrival prevented a fist fight that was on the verge of happening.
The three of us were reprimanded for engaging in a quarrel. However, seeing that I had stood up in righteousness, I was simply given a warning. The other two perpetrators were not as fortunate. The boy was severely punished for vandalism and the prefect was given a dressing down for shirking responsibility. To err is human, but I really hope they would learn their lesson now as I had learnt mine.
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What the words and phrases mean…
1
resounded
echoed
2
anger burnt into the lifeless water cooler
to vent anger at the machine
3
head was buried in his books
studying with deep concentration
4
cram
to study hastily for an impending exam
5
reverberating
re-echoing
6
loud racket
a loud noisy disturbance
7
disrupted the silence
no longer quiet anymore
8
infuriated by his misdeed
furious by the wrong things committed
9
disruptive
troublesome
10
solemnly
seriously
11
a smirk
a self-satisfied smile
12
sauntered
walked at a leisurely pace
13
eyes glinting in hostility
eyes flashing with anger
14
forehead furrowed in puzzlement
deep wrinkles appeared on the forehead due to confusion
15
berate
scold angrily at length
16
to my astonishment
to my surprise
17
decipher
to make out the meaning
18
maliciously
spitefully
19
realisation dawned on me
to understand something
20
good chums
good friends
21
in cahoots
banding together due to association
22
feeling indignant
feeling annoyed
23
vicious quarrel ensued
violent argument resulted
24
roused
stirred up
25
amplified
increased the volume of
26
timely arrival
to appear at the appropriate time
27
righteousness
uprightness
28
perpetrators
persons committing the crime
29
shirking responsibility
neglecting his duties
30
to err is human
it is natural to make mistakes




A Scare
The morning breeze weaved among the leaves and rustled the leaves of the trees. The temperatures dipped to a comfortable cool for Jim and his friends to have their usual game of marbles! Jim’s heart raced excitedly as he headed for the school field to meet his friends. They were going to have a friendly match today with all their favourite marbles.
“Hey it’s my turn now!” Jim bellowed heartily as he ran towards his peers.
“You are late!” they chided Jim jokingly. He smiled sheepishly and Jim was let into the game. It was an intense game and shiny marbles were all over the ground. The excitement among them was sky high. Light-hearted touts and laughter filled the air. All of them were oblivious to the sleek figure that was gliding towards them stealthily.
“JANE! You... There... is... a... ‘thing’... at... your...” Words lodged in Jim’s throat. His heart was in his mouth. The creature had coiled close to Jane’s feet. It was a deadly and menacing cobra! Everyone froze in paramount fear when the snake hissed portentously at everyone. Jane burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably, “Help! Help!” Instantaneously their game turned into a life-threatening match. None of them dared to move a muscle as the creature slithered viciously nearer to Jane. She was panting breathlessly as tears fell liberally down her cheeks. Suddenly the school bell rang and broke the tug-of-war between them and the attacker. Jim boldly stretched his hands out and tugged Jane to his side. The cobra bared its glittering fangs and shot a jet of lethal poison. The poison landed inches away from Jim with a loud sputtering noise. The kids screamed their guts out, “Ahhh! Somebody help! Help!”
Just as the snake was about to launch a second attack, there was a deafening bang! The cobra fell onto the ground, hissing in agony. Blood started oozing out profusely. Three men rushed forward. Mr Lim, the principal, protectively rounded all of them behind him. Jim and his friends cowered under the shield of their guardian. Jane was as pale as a sheet and she could not stop crying. Mr Lim offered words of comfort and assurance to Jane while the other two burly looking men dealt with the lifeless creature that was offensive just seconds ago.
Their school was situated near the Singapore Zoological Gardens and the snake had escaped from there. The two other men whom they later found out were zookeepers, apologised for the scare that the vicious cobra had given them. Jim and his friends heaved a sigh of relief and thanked their saviours. They had survived the ordeal unscathed. It was indeed a close shave for all of them, especially Jane!  
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What the words and phrases mean…
1
morning breeze weaved among the leaves
the wind moved in a criss-cross motion among the leaves
2
rustled the leaves of the trees
sounds of leaves when blown by the wind
3
temperatures dipped to a comfortable cool
a comfortable cooling temperature
4
bellowed heartily
shouted happily
5
peers
friends
6
chided
lectured
7
smiled sheepishly
smiled shyly
8
intense game
a very heated game
9
excitement among them was sky high
all feeling very excited
10
light-hearted touts
challenges issued teasingly
11
oblivious
unaware
12
stealthily
sneakily
13
words lodged in Jim’s throat
speechless due to fear
14
his heart was in his mouth
feeling very frightened
15
deadly and menacing
fatal and dangerous
16
froze in paramount fear
remained motionless due to being very frightened
17
portentously
threateningly
18
burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably
crying non-stop without control
19
instantaneously
immediately
20
none of them dared to move a muscle
being afraid to move
21
slithered
moved in a gliding manner
22
panting breathlessly as tears fell liberally down her cheeks
in a breathless state and crying
23
tug-of-war
a struggle
24
bared its glittering fangs
a snake showed its teeth
25
lethal poison
venom of a snake
26
loud sputtering noise
sound of liquid landing on floor
27
screamed their guts out
shouted fearfully
28
cowered under the shield of their guardian
hid behind their protector
29
words of comfort and assurance
saying comforting words
30
offensive
on an attacking front
31
survived the ordeal unscathed
remained unhurt throughout a dangerous process or event


























An Unlucky Day
“Ring!” That irritating alarm clock of mine woke me up at the crack of dawn with its shrill wailing. Cursing silently, I slammed my hand on the alarm clock and banged it against the cupboard. It immediately stopped. Satisfied, I promptly turned around and fell asleep.
“Jeremy! Wake up! You are going to be late for school!” my mother’s high-pitched scream permeated the silence, shattering all my hopes for stealing more sleep. I glanced at my alarm clock. I was so startled by what I saw that I tumbled out of bed and landed on my bottom. It was already seven o’clock! I had less than an hour to get to school! I dashed to the bathroom to wash up. To my chagrin, I slipped on a wet patch of tiles and banged my chin against the basin. I felt my tooth break off and tasted blood. Ignoring it, I went to brush my teeth. A missing tooth was better than facing the wrath of my form teacher! I swooped down the stairs like a peregrine falcon, grabbed my school bag and rushed off to school.
I ran like the wind all the way to the bus stop, where I was just in time to see the bus chugging off. “Wait for me! Wait!” I hollered, chasing after it. The bus, as if in reply, coughed out a cloud of black smoke and roared off. It was futile to try and chase it. Sighing heavily, I decided to run to school.
By the time I got to school, the parade square was deserted and voices were streaming out from every classroom. I walked resignedly to my class and stood outside the door. Bracing myself for the explosion, I took a deep breath and walked in.
“Well, don’t just stand there daydreaming, boy! Get to your seat and take out yesterday’s homework!” Mrs Liow barked at me. Sighing with relief that I did not get an earful, I crept to my seat and plopped myself down. I opened my bag and to my utmost horror, I found myself staring at a Mickey Mouse book. I groaned inwardly. I had taken my sister’s bag by mistake! Suddenly, a black shadow descended upon me as I looked into the glaring eyes of Mrs Liow. “Detention for you!” she shrieked and stomped away.
Trudging out of school, I recalled with painful embarrassment of my detention of cleaning a Primary 1 toilet. “Those kids really do not know how to keep themselves clean,” I muttered to myself. Suddenly, I heard a ‘splat’ and felt something warm landed on my head. Argh! Bird droppings! I whipped out my handkerchief and wiped vigorously at the offending spot. I screeched vulgarities at the errant offender, only to be greeted with another barrage of ‘crowning glories’. I ran all the way home, screeching like a madman. I had all I could take for one day!   
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What the words and phrases mean…
1
at the crack of dawn
very early in the morning
2
shrill wailing
a loud high-pitch sound
3
promptly
at once
4
permeated
spread throughout
5
shattering all my hopes
crushing all wishes
6
tumbled out of bed
fell out of bed
7
to my chagrin
to my annoyance
8
wrath
anger
9
a peregrine falcon
a swift flying bird
10
ran like the wind
moved very fast
11
chugging off
sound of engine moving off
12
futile
of no use
13
deserted
not a single person around; desolated
14
resignedly
in a hopeless manner
15
took a deep breath
breathed in deeply so as to calm down
16
an earful
a lecture
17
plopped down
to let body sit down heavily
18
to my utmost horror
to my greatest dismay
19
groaned inwardly
grumbled to oneself
20
descended upon me
visited unexpectedly on me
21
shrieked
cried out in a sharp piercing manner
22
stomped away
walked away heavily and violently
23
trudging
walking with heavy and tired footsteps
24
muttered
spoke in low tones
25
screeched vulgarities
called out bad words in a sharp voice
26
errant offender
a person who behaves badly
27
barrage
onslaught of






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