2024 O-LEVEL ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Describe a special meal you enjoy with friends or family. As well as describing the food, explain where and when you have the meal you have the meal and why it is important to you.
2. ‘We should all value time spent alone.’ How far would you agree?
3. ‘Social media does more harm than good.’ Do you agree? Why or why not?
4. Write about a time when you experienced a difficult but interesting journey.
QUESTION 1 ANALYSIS
This question requires you to
(A) Describe a special meal shared with friends or family
(B) Describe the time and place this meal occurs
(C) Describe the reason that this meal is important
(D) Write in the 1st Person Point-of-View
This question is a Hybrid Question that has elements of Descriptive & Personal Reflective
Common Trap 1: Essay is not focused enough on descriptions and is written purely as a Personal Reflective
Common Trap 2: Essay does not effectively highlight that the meal has sentimental or special importance but focuses on the taste / ingredients used in the meal
Q1. Describe a special meal you enjoy with friends or family. As well as describing the food, explain where and when you have the meal you have the meal and why it is important to you.
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When people come together, sit across from one another at a table and share a meal – beautiful memories are created. The magic of food cannot be understated and all across human history we have seen that the sharing of a meal can bring enemies together, mark the beginning of a beautiful relationship, or even commemorate the end of an era. For me, there is one meal that will always stand out as a truly special one. It is not from a fine dining restaurant that boasts Michelin stars nor is it from a unique hole-in-the-wall establishment found on one of my travels. It is a humble hawker delicacy of Singapore, the oyster omelette. Not just any oyster omelette, but the one from my all-time favourite hawker centre, East Coast Lagoon. I still smile when I recall the last time I was there.
My brother and I exchanged a glance as we gazed at the crowd before us. East Coast Lagoon was an extremely popular dining destination, and it seemed as though the entirety of the island had made an appearance on that unassuming Saturday evening. Blurred silhouettes dashed around the place in search of empty tables as though they were partaking in some sort of street race. The enticing cacophony of sizzling oil pans, clanging cutlery, hustling footsteps and roaring flames from the stoves permeated the air. The aroma of succulent meats, hearty broths, and fresh produce lingered. Catching my eye, Stephen hurried towards a nearby table that had just been vacated.
I headed towards the queue for our favourite stall. The narrow river of people before me slowly meandered into inexistence and before I knew it, my hands were heavy with a tray of delicious dishes. I returned to our table and grinned over at my Stephen. He smiled back and we immediately picked up our chopsticks. I dived at my plate with a ravenous desire. Instantly, all of the sights and sounds at East Coast Lagoon faded into the background as I focused on my oyster omelette. The rambunctious chatter among the other diners and the whirling ceiling fans became white noise. At the back of my mind, I could smell a faint barbeque aroma of roasted satay, but my gustatory system was entirely focused on my meal. The masterfully prepared eggs maintained a perfect harmony between crispy and fluffy. I savoured each bite. The oyster tantalisingly danced on the tip of tongue before carelessly sliding to the back of my throat. I closed my eyes as I let the magnificent flavour manifest. As I opened them again, I noticed my brother laughing at my dramatics. Undeterred, I rushed in for another bite.
Dining at East Coast Lagoon had become something of a tradition for my brother and I as it brought back lovely memories of our childhood. East Coast Lagoon was one of our parent’s favourite spots and they used to bring us here every weekend. As we sat and ate together, our parents would recount stories of their younger years, their adolescent experiences, and their dating days. My mother, the adventurous connoisseur of food, would try all the different stalls while my father, the lover of comfort and familiarity, would stick with his sticks of satay. They would always ensure that my brother and I had the opportunity to enjoy our all-time favourite dish – the oyster omelette.
As my brother and I grew older, we truly began to appreciate all that East Coast Lagoon had to offer. It was not just the hawker centre with our favourite dish, but one that holds a special place in our shared history. Our oyster omelette was not just a delicious dish. It tasted of nostalgia, of a perfect past, and somehow, it tasted of home.
Our parents had grown older and were not as mobile as they used to be. It had become a rarity for them to leave the house and we would instead go over to visit them whenever we could. As I looked over at my brother with his own oyster omelette, I realise he too was looking into the distance, seemingly lost in reflection. I smiled. This dish, this place, and this tradition would always remain special to us.
That was the reason that we still went to East Coast Lagoon every Saturday evening, and it was the reason that we would always order two sets of the oyster omelette.
QUESTION 2 ANALYSIS
This question requires you to
(A) Consider the value of spending time alone
(B) Consider the value of spending time with others
(C) Decide if everyone should enjoy spending time alone
(D) Have 4 body paragraphs: Supporting Argument 1, Counter Argument, Rebuttal, Supporting Argument 2
(E) Use an appropriate Thesis Statement in the introduction
(F) Support points with appropriate pieces of evidence
This is an Argumentative Question
Common Trap 1: Essay does not distinguish between ‘alone time’ and being lonely
Common Trap 2: Essays do not address ‘How far would you agree?’ The extent of agreement as either ‘agree to a large extent’ or ‘disagree to a large extent’ should be clearly indicated.
‘We should all value time spent alone.’ How far would you agree?
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The philosopher, Aristotle, famously wrote in Politics, “Man is, by nature, a social animal.” Human beings are undeniably social creatures who form bonds with others and enjoy having company. At the same time, however, it can also be emotionally overwhelming to be around people all the time. Despite the fact that there are people who crave the company of others, I agree to a large extent that we should value time spent alone because it is stressful to be around others all the time and the right to not interact when one does not want to can be beneficial to one’s mental health.
People need to spend time alone because even the most sociable person can be stressed out by being in the presence of others due to the pressure to meet expectations and the responsibilities to fulfil. It is particularly telling that, in the United States alone, about 15 million people suffer from social anxiety disorder, which is characterised by feelings such as a fear of being judged by or of offending others in social situations. When a person is in the presence of others, whether they are friends, colleagues or acquaintances, there are social expectations to meet. Simply saying something that displeases others, even when it is unintentional, can lead to tensions, so people consciously or unconsciously feel pressured to behave the way others expect them to. Furthermore, people who lack the luxury of choice to spend time alone and avoid the stress will likely be envious of those who have the flexibility to choose whether they want to be alone. For example, parents of babies and young children have a responsibility to take care of them and thus have little time to be alone by themselves. Farah Miller, a journalist with The New York Times, once discussed this in an article, describing how one of her best days in 2020 was when she got to spend some time alone, away from her child who would often be going to her with one request or another. Ironically, she managed to spend time alone after undergoing a root canal treatment, which is not an experience a person typically longs for. Such an experience shows that, no matter how much people love their families, it can be pleasurable to spend time alone doing what they enjoy, temporarily free from the responsibilities towards others. Therefore, people should appreciate the opportunity to be alone when they have it.
However, some argue that time spent alone can be unpleasant—there are people who genuinely love the company of others and detest it when they are alone. Being alone involuntarily can be a harrowing experience—this is why solitary confinement is sometimes imposed as a punitive measure on convicts in prisons when violate rules. Some human rights groups even consider it to be a form of torture and, according to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, solitary confinement must not exceed fifteen days. Having to spend time alone for substantial durations can have adverse psychological effects and is not something desirable. In fact, in a study by the University of Virginia, the majority of subjects did not want to spend time absolutely alone—without anyone around and without access to entertainment or a smartphone—for even a few minutes. Two-thirds of the men in the study even chose to give themselves electric shocks while they were left alone with nothing else to do for fifteen minutes. This illustrates how people do not take well to absolute solitude. Thus, it must be recognised that having time alone can be an undesirable thing, particularly when one does not have a choice.
Nevertheless, most people are not involuntarily subjected to absolute solitude, and people who cherish their communications and relationships with others ought to appreciate having some time alone every now and then because it allows them to engage in self-reflection, which develops self-awareness and improves how they interact with others. In the words of Dr. Sherry Turkle, a sociologist and psychologist, “The capacity for solitude is the single most important path for grounding us in solid relationships.” It may appear counterintuitive, but spending time alone can enable a person to build better relationships with others. Solitude gives a person space for self-reflection and change. When individuals are left alone after spending time interacting with others, they may recall the interactions and realise that that they could have been tactless or insensitive in the way they communicated with others. As a result, they may resolve to do better. This way, they will be able to improve their social skills and foster stronger relations with others in the long run. As such, it is precisely because we value our connections with others that we need to spend time alone from time to time.
The need for solitude may be especially acute in the contemporary world where people are constantly connected to the Internet because solitude can be beneficial to one’s mental well-being. Nowadays, it is increasingly difficult for a person to be truly alone. Even when one is at home alone, one is easily contactable through a range of ways: a phone call, an email, a social media message and a range of instant messaging apps. Being constantly contactable can be a source of stress for people. According to a study, “Killing me softly: Electronic communications monitoring and employee and spouse well-being," being expected to check and reply to work emails after working hours stresses people out, adversely affecting their health. In recognition of such a problem, countries like France have implemented laws to protect workers’ right to disconnect when they are not at work. Clearly, due to how difficult it is to truly be alone nowadays even when one wishes for solitude, the time spent alone is something that everyone should cherish.
No matter how much people enjoy spending time with others, having some time alone is important because people do need respite from having to meet the expectations of others and because it is increasingly difficult to be truly disconnected from others nowadays. Admittedly, it can be tormenting when people have no choice but to spend time alone. While it is true that human beings instinctively want to interact with others, we can also benefit from voluntary solitude from time to time because social interactions can be exhausting. Loneliness is certainly a curse, but solitude can be a privilege.
QUESTION 3 ANALYSIS
This question requires you to
(A) Consider the harm that social media brings to society
(B) Consider the benefits that social media brings to society
(C) Decide if social media brings more harm than benefits to society and take a stand accordingly
(D) Have 4 body paragraphs: Supporting Argument 1, Counter Argument, Rebuttal, Supporting Argument 2
(E) Use an appropriate Thesis Statement in the introduction
(F) Support points with appropriate pieces of evidence
This question is an Argumentative Question
Common Trap 1: Essay does not address that social media brings about both positives and negatives, but one is more than the other
Common Trap 2: The Counter Argument is not effectively rebutted through a Rebuttal paragraph
‘Social media does more harm than good.’ Do you agree? Why or why not ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Fashion model, Gigi Hadid once said, “We get to live in a time where we get to use social media as a tool.” Just like any other tool, be it a screwdriver, hammer, or wrench, we can use social media to put things together. Unfortunately, this also means that social media can be used to pull things apart. Social media has practically become a staple of modern society as institutions, organisations, and even governments rely on the outreach that social media provides. Yet, it is prudent to take a step back and ask if social media has been more of a boon or bane to our society. Despite the proliferation of misinformation, I believe that social media has brought more good than harm given that it allows people to stay connected with their loved ones and has helped boosts businesses and economies.
Social media has been extremely instrumental in allowing people to connect with their loved ones all over the world. This is evident from a study published in Cyberpsychology, Behaviour, and Social Networking found that social media use is associated with increased perceived social support and reduced feelings of loneliness among users, particularly in adolescents and young adults. This is entirely understandable as platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp allow people to connect with their friends and family that are not in the same geographical location. While early inventions like the telephone or even email allows the same type of connection, the advent of social media is pivotal as it not only allows for communication, but it lets people stay up to date on the daily ongoings of their loved ones. When one uploads a photograph to Facebook, for example, it can be viewed by a family member halfway across the globe. This, arguably, lets users gain a deeper sense of connection to their friends and family that are not physically around. This in turn enhances their emotional connection and brings a clear social benefit to the social media user. Thus, the social benefits of social media are definitively apparent.
However, some argue that the spread of misinformation due to social media leads to harmful and disastrous consequences for social media users. Indeed, research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that false news stories on Twitter spread significantly faster and to a much larger audience than true stories. Falsehoods were 70% more likely to be retweeted than accurate news stories. The impact of the spread of misinformation can truly be troubling given the consequences they bring about in the real world. During the 2016 Presidential Election in the US, fake news about Hillary Clinton’s poor health led many to believe that she would not be fit to take office. This actually affected how people felt about her as a viable candidate for the US presidency. It becomes apparent that the spread of fake news through social media is a bane to society.
Yet, it must be said that government intervention directly addresses the issue of misinformation and social media greatly helps political parties garner support for just causes. Governments remain aware of the potential harms of fake news on social media and have taken steps to circumvent this issue. In the United Kingdom, research found that more than 83% of adults who had come across misinformation online in the past year would take initiative to verify information through trusted sources after being encouraged to do by government bodies. The potential harms of social media can truly be overcome by government intervention. Furthermore, social media is crucial for the garnering of support by political parties. In Singapore, the People’s Action Party utilise their TikTok account to connect with younger generations and share important information. The reliance on social media platforms by governments across the globe, demonstrates that social media has indeed brought huge benefits to society. Importantly, it also indicates that whatever harms social media brings, can be adequately mitigated.
Furthermore, the financial benefits that social media has brought to businesses cannot be understated. These financial gains then truly help boost the progress of economies. A prime example of this is PeachyBB Slime that started on TikTok. The teenage girls that started the business used the platform to gain over 4 million followers. The business is worth over $40 million dollars today. Without the existence of the massive social media platform, such an achievement would not have been possible. The opportunities that social media awards aspiring entrepreneurs is unlike anything that has ever existed. This creation of opportunity inspires further business innovation that boost economies. It is worth noting that large multinational organisations, like Nike and Apple, also use their social media presence for marketing purposes. With an abundance of followers, these businesses are able to market their products directly to the consumers. As social media enhance businesses, individual economies also reap the rewards as they grow bigger. The power of social media is one that can make tangible financial differences to the lives of many and this in itself, is a benefit that must be noted and celebrated. Thus, it becomes apparent that social media has brought more benefits than drawbacks to society.
Ultimately, it is apparent that despite the unfortunate inevitability of misinformation being spread online, the social and economic benefits of social media outweigh the drawbacks. Social media has truly revolutionised the way that we communicate with one another in modern society. The reliance on the various social media platforms for diverse aspects of life demonstrates its significance, and more significantly, illustrates the importance of social media as a tool that can be used to bring people and communities together, or to tear them apart. It is most definitely true that social media is a tool that we get to use. The responsibility, then, is on all of us to use it for the right reasons.
QUESTION 4 ANALYSIS
This question requires you to
(A) Write about a specific occasion
(B) Detail the reason this journey was difficult
(C) Detail the reason that this journey was interesting
(D) Write in the 1st person Point-of-View
This question is a Personal Recount / Reflective question
Common Trap 1: Essay focuses on a metaphorical ‘journey’ alone with no elements of a literal journey being addressed
Common Trap 2: Essay focuses on a literal ‘journey’ alone with no elements of a metaphorical ‘journey’ that the protagonist undertakes
Write about a time when you experienced a difficult but interesting journey. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
A journey is often described as the process of travelling from one point to another point. In reality, however, it is so much more. Over the course of a journey, a person can learn a tremendous amount. They may learn things specific to the path they are travelling upon, about the people that they are travelling with, or they may even learn new things about themselves that they previously did not know. The only time in my life that I embarked on a great journey taught me several things. It was an adventure that oscillated between difficulty and ecstasy and for as long that I live, it will remain vividly clear in my memory.
I exhaled slowly and smiled as my breath materialised into white mist and lingered in front of my face. For a sixteen-year-old student from tropical Singapore, it was a truly a treat to experience the chilly season of winter in a rural region of China.
“Everyone, listen up!” Ms Yong, the teacher-in-charge of the Outdoor Adventure Club called out.
All of the students immediately ceased conversations and hurried over to her. We were more than familiar with her temper.
“As you all know, we are here in Yangshuo for a learning journey and to volunteer our time to help the local villagers. Tomorrow, however, we will not be doing just that,” she announced. I looked over at my friends, Sufyan and Jason, who were both gazing intently at her.
“Tomorrow, I want everyone to push themselves physically. We will be taking the 8-kilometer Moon Hill Trek!” Ms Yong continued.
My jaw dropped. I could not believe what I was hearing. While it was true that I had joined the Outdoor Adventure Club to get healthy and become active, I had just started to lose weight and was nowhere close to being in peak physical condition. My friends seemed to read my mind in that moment and smiled encouragingly at me. This did little to motivate me as both Sufyan and Jason were incredibly fit and well-built.
“This is going to be interesting,” I muttered to myself.
The next morning, we all set off to commence the arduous trek. It began a short distance from the Fenglou Village and the path meandered onwards into the grasslands in the distance. Ms Yong and our local guide led the way. As we approached the Moon Hill, I realised that the path began to gradually increase in terms of its incline. As we began the ascent to the peak of the hill, the air itself seemed to transform into a thinly veiled excuse for oxygen. Each step was a test of willpower against the rocky terrain that twisted and turned in a serpent like manner. Jagged stones seemed to plunge out of the ground, determined to rid me of my balance. Thistles and thorns pulled at my clothes and the ascent seemed endless.
“Two kilometres down, another six to go!” Ms Yong called happily.
I prayed that she was joking. I looked over at Sufyan who just smiled and shook his head.
“You can do it man. Match my pace, let’s go,” he encouraged me.
The higher we got, the more my lungs began to sting. Wisps of fog curled around me, obscuring the view ahead and added an eerie silence to the struggle. My muscles ached, my heart raced and as I was about to raise my hand to ask for a break, Ms Yong stopped walking.
“Our guide has told me we need to stop here. Everyone, please listen to him,” she instructed. The guide had not said a single word throughout the course of the trek. I wondered if he even spoke English.
“If you look to your right, you will see why this is called the Moon Hill,” he articulated fluently. I turned and immediately understood what he meant. The peak of the hill was visible in the distance, and it seemed to be made of an incredibly large and perfectly round boulder that had several craters in it. It was the moon in miniature.
Our guide continued speaking, “Legend tells us, that the moon is home to the Guanghan Palace. A great beauty lives in this palace together with the Jade Rabbit and a Woodcutter. If you look at the nature formed craters in our moon rock, you can see the shapes of a lady, a rabbit, and a bird. So, the question is – is the legend inspired by our moon rock? Or is our moon rock proof of the legend?”
I gaped at the man and then I smiled. It was an extremely fascinating question. It was an extremely fascinating boulder. I took a moment and peered around me. There was a quiet beauty in the air. The wind seemed to caress the rock faces, and the trees danced lazily. The low whistle of the wind was the only sound present. I looked around at my friends who were smiling serenely. It was a privilege to be there, and I had been too busy struggling to realise it.
The rest of the trek seemed to go by quickly. I felt as though I had been invigorated by the fascinating myth of Moon Hill and for some reason I felt as though it was a hill that I could in fact conquer. As I finally reached the top of the hill, I gazed down on the path that I had just trekked up. The difficulties of the journey seemed to slowly fall away. My mind remained with the legend of the palace on the moon. It was an incredibly intriguing idea that I could not stop thinking about. The path that I had just trekked looked manageable from where I stood. It even looked inviting. Smiling, I realised that it must often seem that way from the end.
Journeys can be many things. They can be both difficult and deeply interesting. It may seem like a journey is just a process of travelling from one point to another but in truth the journey may also be the destination.
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