Value of reading

Winner:

Reading gives a person a deep knowledge about various subjects. Normally people read for pleasure during leisure. Some make it a hobby. An avid reader is a well versed person.

There are so many things to read such as newspaper articles, novels, short stories, magazines, periodicals, biographies and so on. However, one must know what to read and what not to read.

Reading is a good mental exercise which develops our brain and mental power. We need to know the particular language to read a book written in that language. Reading also improves our language skills such as our vocabulary, and understanding of idiomatic expressions.

Some of our ancient people could not read by themselves, so they used to go to places like temples where Jathaka stories were read by the Buddhist monks in the presence of an audience. By reading literature on different countries we get to know their pattern of living, important places and so on.

It is said that 'Reading maketh a fullman' because people can acquire a lot of knowledge by reading. I love to read story books.

M.F.F. Fahima,

Grade 8,Azhar Central College,

Thihariya..

Cow and calf

We have a cow named Raththti. It is red. It has a beautiful calf and it's very playful.

They eat grass and leaves together. I often feed them with watamara and manioc leaves. I love them and they love me too. They lick my body when I feed them.

Raththi gives us fresh milk. It is a very useful animal. The calf is my playmate. It can run fast. I enjoy playing with it.

N.M. Tharindu Bandara,

Grade 4 Rose, Army School,

Panagoda.

My best vacation

My best vacation for this year was the April school holidays. My father promised to take us to Sigiriya and Dambulla during the holidays. As we had decided to go on this trip on April 12, my sisters and I got up early on that day and got ready to leave home by 8.30 a.m.I was so excited and impatient too as it was a long journey.

We stayed in a hotel in Kandalama and had an enjoyable time, especially in the pool. We were pleasantly surprised by some relatives who were also staying in the same hotel. Together, we had so much more fun.The next day we visited the Dambulla Rock Temple. It was a tough task climbing the rock, but I made it to the top and visited the five caves. Then we went to see the Minneriya tank which was built by King Mahasen.

We also went to see the Giritale tank. After that we went to the hotel.

In the night, the hotel held an Avurudu Kumari contest and I took part in it. I was selected as the best dressed contestant. Everyone clapped and cheered me. The next day we went to the eco-park where there were different species of snakes and butterflies. We saw a giant squirrel and a cute little deer whom my sister and I fed with leaves. We also saw the fearsome crocodile. It was quite scary.

We left for Sigiriya after lunch.It was a half an hour's drive.lMy father and I decided to climb the Sigiriya rock. It was tiring to climb but we made it to the top.

The next day, we went on an elephant ride, which I enjoyed very much. Then we went to the Sigiriya museum which was very educational. After lunch we left for Colombo. It was the end of an unforgettable trip. It was the best trip ever in my life.

Amani Gaffoor,

Grade 5, Royal Institute Girls' School.

Impact of decisions on your life

Winner:

Decisions play an important role in life. Your whole life may be ruined or become a success depending on your decisions.

The most appropriate path in life to follow is based on the decisions you make.

Depending on your behaviour, mood and how you react in a particular situation, various decisions are made. Some people feel as if they are suffocating with the wrong decisions taken by them. As a result some might even attempt suicide or go on the wrong path and destroy themselves.

However, if you are able to make the right decisions at the correct time, there isn't any reason to feel suffocated and torture yourselves.

Many people, especially in business, make wrong decisions and sometimes it affects the company's profits. Such wrong decisions are taken mainly due to the incomplete, incorrect, invalid information they come across.

Without giving much thought, many people take quick decisions. They might not know if they are right and wrong and pay the price for them, later.

So, make sure that you take time to think about whatever decisions you take because your life always depends on them.

Devmini Thilakshi Perera,

Grade 10B,

Gateway College,

Kandy.

Gardening, a great hobby

Winner:

Gardening is a good hobby as well as a good form of exercise to do during leisure. Some people like to walk or relax with a book. Others prefer to hike or cycle as a form of exercise.

I do gardening in the morning, relax awhile in the afternoon and again engage in gardening, as time permits me.

After I attend to my chores in the garden, I am very tired. My muscles ache after weeding. My back, arms, legs and shoulders all hurt due to my tired muscles. No wonder, since I have been exercising all day! Raking, weeding and trimming the grass and trees are all done by me, alone. I enjoy it very much and find that I need not go to the gymnasium for exercises because I get all the exercise I need from gardening.

I do gardening as a hobby. I love to see the garden with pretty flowers blooming in the morning, the pleasant smell of the flowers spreading everywhere,colourful butterflies sucking honey from the flowers and birds chirping on trees.

Gardening is a good exercise as well as a fascinating hobby anyone can do. Gardening helps us develop our mental and physical abilities.

The green around the area soothes our eyes and purifies our blood circulation too. As it's essential for all of us to have plenty of exercise and fresh air to maintain good health, gardening is a good hobby to follow.

Minesh Chanuka

Udugahapattuwa,

Grade 8, Sri Sumangala College,

Panadura.

Battle against deadly dengue

Winner:

Mosquitoes are very dangerous insects because they sting us and not only make us itchy all over but also very ill. There are many kinds of mosquitoes that could cause various diseases when they sting a human-being. One such disease is dengue.

How do we get rid of these mosquitoes? The government has taken steps to organise clean-up campaigns and spray chemicals to destroy these mosquitoes and their breeding places.

The spread of the deadly mosquito borne disease has led to the death of many in the country, over the past several months .

Hundreds of people have died and over 9000 cases detected, mainly in urban areas such as Colombo, Gampaha and Kandy.

The disease is spread by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, which breeds in stagnant pools of fresh water. It can be fatal if the disease is not recognised early and left untreated. Suspected cases of dengue should be rushed to medical care, immediately. A simple blood test can reveal the possible presence of the dengue virus through a platelet count.

Symptoms, of dengue include high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, back pains, joint pains and rashes. The most severe form - Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever - causes internal bleeding, which can be detected through the presence of bleeding patches under the skin. Children are especially susceptible. It is vital to keep taking liquids to re-hydrate a patent's body. Aspirin should be avoided as it can increase bleeding.

If we take proper precautions, we can have a good night's sleep and also protect ourselves from contracting diseases spread by the menacing insect.

Dengue is a disease that can be deadly. It has no certain cure and there is no vaccine to prevent it either. The best way to prevent dengue is to eliminate the places where the mosquito lays eggs, mainly artificial containers outside, such as plastic bags, bottles, tins and anything that can collect rainwater.

Therefore, we must keep our houses and the environment clean always.

Kalpani Nimanthi

Vidusari,

Grade 9E,

Devi Balika Vidyalaya,

Colombo 8.

My ambition

Winner:

Every person has an ambition in life, which makes that person act and work hard towards achieving the goal.

If we are determined to reach a goal we cannot afford to idle. We should work hard with determination and dedication until we reach it.

Like all students, I too have an ambition. That is to become a doctor and serve mankind. I have a great respect for doctors and I think the doctors of today are doing a great service to us all. They are like the roots of a tree. Just as the roots of a tree help its growth and survival, so do doctors help the nation survive. As a doctor, I do not intend making a lot of money. My main aim is to serve the poor and the humble.

I would serve them free of charge. I would have a clinic of my own and also do experiments to find out new medicines to cure incurable diseases.

I do hope that I would be able to achieve my ambition.

Chathuka Bandara,

Sussex College,

Millawa,

Kurunegala.