Thursday, May 31, 2012

JUNE HOLIDAY HOMEWORK (WEEK 1)

Dear S4s




I have uploaded three separate tasks on School Portal for Week 1 of the June holidays. You are strongly encouraged to complete the tasks given. 
There will be tasks for each week of the holidays.

The deadline for submission of the task for Week 1 will be 6 June, 6pm.


Please look for your name in the list below.
You will only need to complete the ONE task assigned to your group.
Each task is worth 25marks.


Please email your response to: cchms_romeo_and_juliet@yahoo.com.sg 


LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE GRADED.  




Group A
1. Lim Jiong Hao
2. Chan Chen Yang
3. Peh Jin An
4. Lim Ying Sheng, Derrick
5. Aaron Tan Kee Han
6. Tan Si Ying
7. Poh Qin Jie Brian
8. Kwang Yu Xiang
9. Joshua Ong Chong Wah
10. Ang Shao Wei, Joshua.


Group B
1. Fredion Yu Wen Hon
2. Sng Wei Hock
3. Ong Rui Zong
4. Heidi Teo Ling Yun
5. Sim Ren Zoe
6. Phang Yong Kang
7. Lim Rena
8. Gao Shan
9. Huang Pu Hsin
10. Cassandra Lam Shie Shuen
11. Ang Zheng Xiang
12. Seng Qi Sheng, Aloysius
13. Poh Ming Ying, Aomi
14. Ng Boon Tao
15. Duncan Chew Jia Wei
16. Toh Jill Jean
17. Ong Yong Hao Adrian
18. Ng Zhong Wei, Kelvin
19. Koh Wei Jie, Wayne
20. Yu Ke Ling
21. Yeo Boon Kia
22. Tan Chun Wei
23. Shen Weixian
24. Seah Jiajia, Ashley
25. Kwek Jia Rui
26. Jamie Inez Tan Shing Guat
27. Yin Yuanfang
28. Tan Zheng Jie
29. Nicholas Lam Wei Bin
30. Lee Zhong Han
31. Lauw Wei Zhong
32. Gian Yen Jie
33. Giam Yan Hui
34. Annabelle Ng Sze Lui
35. Yang Wanyuan, Nicole
36. Tay Boon Kiat
37. Mii Chiang, Julian
38. Lim Jia Min, Carina
39. Han Jia Jun
40. Zhang Yuchen
41. Soh Li Yuan
41. Philson Chan Yu Yang
42. Ng Keong Ee, Sean
43. Ng Li Hui Gladys
44. Lee Ming Han
45. Chia Zao Liang Lyon
46. Yeo Hock Jin
47. Yap Ji Yong
48. Tan Yu Jing Vonisa
49. Tang Jie
50. Tan Xi Qing, Anna
51. Seah Suan Yee
52. Lee Ka Wing
53. Hendry Lau Yong Sheng
54. Darren Wee Jia Jie
55. Chai Shong Hee 
56. Theng Yong Yuan, Ben
57. Teo Kai Yi
58. Leong Say Hao
59. Huang Jianfei
60. Foo Cher Siang, Ryan
61. Er Hwa Ming
62. Elizabeth Chua Xinyi
63. Chong Jia Hui Pearlyn
64. Cheong Ming, Kylin
65. Angie See
66. Woo Yu Jin
67. Ranchel Liew Jia Min
68. Priscilla Chan Xin Yu
69. Oei Yen Chien, Jet Widjaja
70. Low Jia Yu
71. Lin Jingkai
72. Lim Hui Jing, Victoria
73. Choong Huey Wen
74. Choon Shu Wen
75. Chong Kia Yee
76. Chin Wei Nyen, Daphne
77. Chan Wing Kuan
78. Anna Ng Li Chin
79. Ang Shiu Yee
80. Wong Jie Er
81. Tan Guan Yu
82. Lee Yao Hong Malcolm
83. Joel Goh Sek Meng
84. Hee Siao Hui
85. Han Zhi Kwang Danny
86. Faith Vonnie Yim Wei Ping
87. Charmaine Ho Shi Min
88. Amanda Tan Yi Shuen
89. Teo Jai Hui
90. Tan Yee Teck
91. Low Wai Zhun Ryan
92. Leong Mei Ting, Emily
93. Kong Yen Ting
94. Koh Zhe Kai
95. Jasmine Chia Jia Min
96. Don Seah Wei Kang
97. Chew Ding Xiang
98. Chee Xin Yi, Jolene


Group C
1. Thor Tze Woon Isabella
2. Seah Tze Sheng Kenric
3. Ng Kailing
4. Lin Yanqi
5. Lin Weixuan
6. Lim Jia Yee
7. Lee Yu Chen
8. Lee Jia Min
9. Kum Xin Ying
10. Hsu Chun Kai
11. Ho Jing Jing
12. Gay Zheng Ning, Dallas
13. Doreen Chua Wenjun
14. Vernessa Kwa Lee Ling
15. Soh Ginn Ling
16. Seet Yu Lian
17. Ng Ying Jie
18. Natalie Goh
19. Lee Tzeng Suan
20. Lee Ser Jean
21. Lee Jia En
22. Goh Shi Qi
23. Chen Yingxuan
24. Chantal Heather Seng
25. Ashley Angela Toh Tian An
26. Yim Wan Ting
27. Yeo Jing Wen, Vivyan
28. Teo Jaf Qi
29. Low Pei Xi
30. Ling Hui Jin
31. Javier Foo
32. Soo Yu Jun
33. Ryan Tan Wee Kiat
34. Ng Jia Yu
35. Lue Ming Xuan
36. Goh Wei Qin
37. Winnie Tan Wei Ni
38. Teo Yee Chen, Belicia
39. Goh Kher Liang
40. Tan Hui Sin
41. Ong Li-Jun Benjamin
42. Lim Zhi Wei
43. Lee Si Xuan Beverly
44. Lee Jun Hui
45. Fu Wei Han
46. Yap Zhi Tong
47. Ng Rui Hsia Rachel
48. Jessica Ho Shi Hui
49. Teh Wenqi
50. Michael Tan Wei Kai
51. Woo Hue Kyee
52. Wong Man Ling
53. Teoh Yu Han







Do continue to work hard and try to fit in some rest during the June holidays!



Love,

Ms.Annisa



Saturday, May 5, 2012

SUGGESTED EXPLANATIONS FOR QUESTIONS RAISED IN CLASS

Dear S4s

I intended to go through this in class with you after the MYE but seeing as how some people are nervous about the Lit MYE paper, I thought this might help you as you revise.

Note though that not all the questions here are relevant to the MYE paper. They are meant to be of some help to those who are reading the play for the first time or revisiting the different Acts and trying to figure out certain key questions.

Please remember that I am contactable via email/Twitter/FormSpring if you need to make any clarification. 

Thank you to all Lit Reps for helping me out with the dissemination of information! 




page 99 Mercutio says ‘he is wise….’ Why is there dramatic irony here?
You need to know what ‘dramatic irony’ is. The definition of dramatic irony is a situation that is ironic because the audience knows something that the characters themselves do not. Hence, there is a gap between what the characters on stage believe and what the audience knows to be true. For example, when Romeo and Juliet fall in love, they believe (like most young lovers, even in real life) that their love is meant to last forever. Ironically, the audience already knows through the Prologue that the lovers are doomed to a tragic end.

In this case, Mercutio’s words that ‘(Romeo) is wise…’ is ironic as Romeo has NOT been wise. Despite knowing that his family is sworn enemies with the Capulets, he has chosen to fall in love with (yet another!) a Capulet. Not only is he content to admire Juliet from afar, he has in fact tacitly proposed marriage to her!



page 114 what is the pun on light from Romeo? And what is he trying to say on the line ‘love…. Schoolboy….. heavy lookss’
Here, there is no pun on the word ‘light’… All Romeo is saying that Juliet’s radiance, which as he earlier compared to the brilliance of the sun that lights up the entire universe, is something that he desires to see all the time.  

There is parallelism in the sentences that Roemo uses subsequently. Students want to stop studying as much as lovers want to spend all their time together and not leave each other at all.  Note the word ‘toward’ is repeated and links the two disparate ideas together.

To paraphrase:
A lover goes to his lover the way school boys hurry to leave their books (studies). But a lover leaving his lover is like a school boy who heads to school with heavy steps and a heavy heart.

pg 115 why does Juliet say to kill with much cherishing?
Here, Juliet compares Romeo to ‘a wanton’s bird’- a young spoilt child’s most favoured pet, in that had she a choice, she would not let Romeo stray too far away or out of her sight.
‘cherishing’ here can be replaced with the word ‘loving’… Juliet implies that she would possibly suffocate/smother Romeo with her love. This could be a possible foreshadowing for how the intensity and recklessness of their love is ultimately what brings about Romeo and Juliet’s undoing.  

page 121-122 what does Friar say about salt water, sun old groans etc
Here, the Friar is rebuking Romeo for his recklessness and haste in falling out of love with Rosaline ‘Is Rosaline, that thou dids’t love so dear / So soon forsaken?’ and replacing her with Juliet.
He is recalling the times when Romeo has cried over Rosaline’s lack of response to his feelings and his ‘love’. Friar Lawrence rebukes Romeo: ‘what a deal of brine / Hath washed thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline.’ and says that the tears were ‘thrown away in waste’.
Basically, Friar Lawrence is implying that Romeo has ‘seasoned’ love with his tears. He has attached emotions to the concept of Love although he was not in love with Rosaline, merely infatuated with her. (unrequited love)

pg 133 what is Romeo saying by ‘I am the youngest of that name, for fault of a worse’
At that moment that Nurse is looking for Romeo, he is the most recent one present there (the ‘youngest’- only implies the most recent). Perhaps there was a Romeo before him and there may be more people named Romeo after him, but at that moment, he was the only ‘Romeo’ around.

pg 138 what is the point of using 'sententious'?
Here is another example of malapropism. Its affect is comedic and reminds the audience that the Nurse is not very educated and is thus, a comic character. Midway through her lengthy explanation of how Juliet is being courted by Paris, she suddenly jumped to how the word ‘rosemary’ and the name ‘Romeo’ share the same initial sound /r/, which is incidentally the same sound that a dog makes. The connection is negligible (and pointless!) and shows the audience how Nurse is a garrulous character who prattles on and on without knowing exactly what she is saying.   

pg 141 what is the flower of courtesy?
The question rather, is ‘who’ the Nurse is referring to.  Recall that Paris was described as ‘a flower…a very flower’ (p.60) by Nurse and Lady Capulet.  Here, Nurse is making that same comparison between Romeo and Paris.  She is saying that although Romeo does not quite measure up to Paris, he has his own merits


pg 244 last line (Lord Capulet-‘No, not a whit……….been sick’.) Is he trying to say that Juliet’s wedding is for a great cause OR for reputation OR Juliet’s happiness?
Note the context. Lines cannot be taken in isolation.

In the subsequent lines, Lady Capulet says that she knows how he has been a woman chaser when he was younger- this could be the ‘lesser cause’ that Lord Capulet talks about.
What is going on here is that Lord Capulet is protesting Nurse’s earlier rebuke that he should sleep: ‘Get you to bed; faith you’ll be sick tomorrow.’ He responds by saying that he used to stay up far later into the night when he was younger, for more trivial causes.  And it did not make him sick J


pg 246 last line- ‘the bridegroom he is come already’ – what is the dramatic irony here?
Juliet is already married to Romeo. So, ironically, Paris is not the ‘groom’ although everyone on stage at that moment (except Nurse who is sworn to secrecy), believes this to be true.


pg 249 Lord Capulet: ‘Accursed time! Unfortunate old man!’- is he blaming himself now?
It seems as though he is bewailing his fate and the tragedy of having his only child die even before he is able to wed her to a suitable man.


page 250 Lord Capulet loses everything?
Yes, the sense of loss here is absolute. Without Juliet, everything is meaningless. All his hopes rested on Juliet. Recall (p.48) ‘She is the hopeful lady of my earth’. Juliet’s death makes everything Lord Capulet has on Earth, pale into nothingness.


pg 251 Lord Capulet : ‘my soul and not my child!’ and ‘my joys are buried’ – is he thinking about himself only? And is nurse sincere? ‘o woeful day’ or ‘hateful day’ repeated excessively.
Lord Capulet:  He is reacting in the only way he knows how. We are not able to say definitively that this is selfish of him as we do sense that there is a real loss behind all his words. He is infinitely affected by Juliet’s death and the loss that her death brings with it. He no longer has a child to carry on the family name. At his advanced age, the chance of him fathering another is close to nought.

Nurse:  She seems to be over-reacting but based on what we know of her closeness to Juliet, her grief would be understandable. Her maternal relation with Juliet makes her grief possibly keener than Lady Capulet even. Her words seem excessive and repetitious but Nurse has a tendency to repeat herself, so this may be expected.


pg 254 What is the irony on Friar’s statement: ‘The heavens do …….. high will’
Irony: What do we as the audience (and the Friar) know about the situation, that the other characters do not?

Like us, Friar Lawrence knows that Juliet is not truly dead. She is in a state of feigned death as a result of consuming the potion given to her by the Friar. Thus, her ‘death’ is not a result of ‘heavens…high will’. Rather, it is a result of human intervention, and decisions that were made by Juliet and the Friar himself.


pg 275 why is there talking about a ring from Romeo?
Romeo wedded Juliet and in the process, a ring would have been give or exchanged.


pg 277 Here tomb is described as ‘detestable maw, thou womb of death……..rotten jaws’. Can we say both metaphor and personification is used?
Both personification and metaphor are imagery (tools that help paint a picture of something).  Here, the tomb is painted as something that has consumed Juliet who is ‘the dearest morsel of the earth’.  The tomb is like a creature that has fed on Juliet. The gates of the tomb are its jaws and the interior of the tomb is its stomach (which now contains Juliet).


Generally, what is point of summarising the sequence of events from Friar? Is it because he was like the ‘mastermind’ of the events?  
Friar Lawrence is the only other character that is aware of the marriage between Romeo and Juliet. He is the only other character apart from the Nurse that actually assisted the lovers in their decision making, which inadvertently led to the tragedy. Thus he is in the best position to explain to Prince Escalus what had happened. However, unlike the Nurse, Friar Lawrence by virtue of his position as a man of the cloth, is in a better position to rebuke the noble families of Montague and Capulet, almost without any fear of reprisal. Nurse, though possessing almost the same information (except for Juliet’s decision to consume the potion) is a servant of the Capulets. She would not therefore have the ‘authority’ to ‘preach’ to the nobles at the end of the play- to show them how their actions contributed to the eventual tragedy.


pg 296 Prince: ‘some shall be pardoned, and some punished’ who pardoned and who punished?
Pardoned- who do you think will not be held accountable for the events that took place? J

Punished- these are likely, the people who have already suffered from the losses brought about by the death of Romeo and Juliet.





Please remember that you will only need a

good working knowledge

of the play Romeo and Juliet for the MYE.

  • You will need to know the characters and their contribution to events in the play.
  • Themes will always be worked into questions, so feel free to study that as well.
  • For PBQ, you will need to decipher language, and explain how language provide insight into a theme, or a character etc.  

There will be no surprises or questions designed to trip you up and make you scream in agony.
At least, I didn't plan it as such. Hee.

All the best! :)




Love
Ms.Annisa 

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

CA1 MARKS FOR CHECKING

Dear S4s

Please note that each class will be given a namelist for the above within this week. Your Lit rep will ensure that all students have initialed against their name, before returning the signed list to my locker.

Before you initial against your name, please be reminded of the following breakdown for CA1:

Comp 1: TFA
Comp 2: Comparison of extracts (online)- 10 marks (5%)
Comp 3: Individual/Pair/Group Work- 10 marks (10%)
Comp 4: Content Quiz on ClassMarker- 50 marks (15%)
Comp 5: Essay (Lord Capulet)- 25 marks (20%)


Please read the following points CAREFULLY.

1. VR grade is only given to students who missed the CA task BUT did the make-up task assigned. If you did not do a replacement task, you get a ZERO grade.

For CA1, the default make-up task was either:
Commentary of Juliet's solilloquy (Hard copy)
AND/ OR
Practice Essay on Humor/Comedic Moments
AND/OR
Modified PBQ on ClassMarker (Nurse)


What does this mean?

Please refer to the screen grab below:



Student 1: Missed CA1 Comp 2. Did replacement task. VR awarded.
Student 2: Missed CA1 Comp2 and 4. Did not do replacement tasks. Zero grade awarded for both components.


(B) Please also note that the replacement tasks are thus named for a reason.
They were NOT meant to be part of the CA1 weighting. I cannot thus in good conscience, award marks for them and then include them as part of your CA1 marks. Even if you scored 21 marks for the replacement task, it will still only be reflcted as a VR. This is to be fair to your classmates who worked on their CA1 tasks in class.



Please refer to screen grab below:




(C) What does this mean?

Student 1: Missed two CA1 Components. Did only ONE replacement task. Receives one VR and one ZERO grade.




Please note that the deadline for ALL tasks have passed.
No further submissions via email or hard copy allowed.
WHY?

  • I have been very lenient in terms of the allowances I have made with regard to submission of CA1 tasks.
  • Deadlines were set, negotiated and extended. Even the 20 min quiz on ClassMarker had its' deadine extended.
  • Repeated reminders were given regarding the completion and submission of the CA1 components and the replacement tasks.
  • I normally issue a verbal reminder in class regarding tasks to be completed. I will also tweet about the tasks to be completed and/or post about it on the blog.
  • Quite a number of students managed to complete ALL FOUR CA1 components AS WELL AS all three replacement tasks. Geniuses? Perhaps. I laud the effort more than anything else.
  • To be fair to those who have put in effort to attempt the tasks, those who did not bother to invest the time and effort gets a zero grade.
  • Awarding the zero/VR grade follows the standard procedure set by the English Department. 
  • If you have missed a CA task, it is your duty to approach me for a replacement task.
  •  

    Please retain a copy of your graded assignments for reference.
    Love
    Ms.Annisa
    


Friday, April 20, 2012

THANK YOU

Dear S4s

Once again, thank you for attending the play last night. 
I hope that you benefited from having watched the play unfold onstage and seeing how comedic certain scenes are- both visually and verbally.
I also hope that none of you were robbed of your innocence by the sight of pelvic thrusts abound and a topless Romeo! 

I am heartened that some of you noticed that certain lines and scenes were left out. 
It just goes to show how well you know the play and how certain parts of the play can actually be omitted, without affecting too badly, the overall plot. 

I trawled the Internet today to see what has been said about the play. 
Below are some links to things that I think may prolong the stage experience for you. Enjoy! :)


Love
Ms.Annisa





ROMEO & JULIET
(Credits to all original sources for the use of visuals and links)


(Credits to all original sources for the use of visuals and links)



1. Print interview with Lim Kay Siu (Lord Capulet) and Neo Swee Lin (Nurse) 
(video interview at the end is a must-see!)

2. ChannelNewsAsia's review of the play 

3. A simple review by Campus.com.sg 

4. An earnest piece by buttonsinthebread.com 
(especially for Ashley Seah who bewailed the lack of props on stage)  

5. View from an as-yet untainted eye (by a first time play goer, like many of you!)


Have a great weekend ahead! TGIF!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

W!LD RICE PRODUCTION OF ROMEO+JULIET (UPDATE!)

Dear S4s

Please remember to thank your Lit Rep for helping to collate and submit the information. 
Tickets cost $38.20 each.

The following students confirmed their interest to purchase tickets on the namelist that was passed around in class for the play on 19th May (Thursday). Tickets have been purchased for you

4BN
1.Chin Wei Nyen
2. Lee Jia En
3. Lee Ka Wing
4. Lee Qiao Mei
5. Leong Mei Ting Emily
6. Lim Jia Min Carina
7. Ng Hui Li Gladys
8. Soo Yu Jun
9. Yang Wanyuan Nicole
10. Yin Yuanfang
11. Do SeahWei Kang
12. Hendry Lau Yong Sheng
13. Kwek Jia Rui
14. Ng Keong Ee, Sean
15. Ong Li-Jun
16. Philson Chan Yu Yang

Click here to read Channel NewsAsia's take on the play :)

4CR
1. Cassandra Lam Sie Shuen
2. Chan Wing Kuan
3. Tang Yu Jing Vonisa 
4. Vernessa Kwa Lee Ling

4FG
1. Hee Siao Hui
2. Priscilla Chan Xin Yu
3. Hsu Chun Kai

4GR
NIL

4HM
1. Chong Kia Yee
2. Choon Shu Wen 
3. Kong Yen Ting
4. Lin Yanqi
5. Seah Jiajia Ashley
6. Seah Suan Yee
7. Soh Li Yuan
8. Ang Shao Wei, Joshua
9. Ang Zeng Xiang
10. Er Hwa Ming
11. Foo Cher Siang, Ryan
12. Javier Foo
13. Joel Goh Sek Meng
14. Koh Wei Jie, Wayne
15. Lee Jun Hui
16. Lee Zhong Han
17. Leon Lee Jun Hao
18. Ong Yong Hao Adrian
19. Phang Yong Kang
20. Ryan Tan Wei Keat
21. Tan Zhen Jie

4MD
1. Cheong Ming Kylin
2. Chong Jia Hui Pearlyn
3. Fu Wei Han
4. Goh Wei Qin
5. Lee Ser Jean
6. Lee Si Xuan
7. Ling Hui Jun
8. Tan Hui Sin
9. Teo Yee Chen Belicia
10. Teoh Yu Han
11. Winnie Tan Wei Ni
12. Wong Man Ling
13. Chew Ding Xiang
14. Gian Yen Jie
15. Goh Kher Liang
16. Koh Zhe Kai
17. Lin Jingkai
18. Tan Guan Yu


Please note the following:
  • Meet the teachers (Mr. Ahmad, Ms.Yang or myself) at NLB by 730pm to collect your tickets.
  • Dress code is smart casual for those who are changing out of the school uniform. No shorts (FBT or others) or spaghetti tops allowed. No slippers allowed either.
  • This is not a movie, please do not bring in food to snack on.
  • You may be seated in different sections of the theatre. Do not cry if this happens and you cannot sit with your best friend.

Mr.Ahmad is currently looking to secure additional tickets for students who recently indicated an interest to go for the play. Please click on the comments box and leave your name if you are keen to get a ticket.

Please note that:
  1. Tickets may cost more than the ones bought in bulk.
  2. They may be for a matinee (afternoon) show instead.
  3. You will likely have to go on your own.


UPDATE!
For those who did not indicate your interest but are now keen to go, Catergory 1 tickets are still available as follows:

Wednesday 18 April- 64 tickets ($54.20)
Thursday19 April- 15 tickets ($54.20)
Saturday 21 April- 15 tickets ($42.20)

Post your comment BY 10pm TONIGHT (17 May) and indicate which date and the number of tickets you require. Mr.Ahmad will try and secure the tickets for you as he is liaising with SISTIC. 

Please understand that the $38.20 tickets sold out very fast and though more expensive, the remaining tickets are worth the splurge considering the good reviews the play has had so far. Do consider it as an investment, if you can.


Love,
Ms.Annisa :)