Winner:

Advantages and disadvantages of the Internet

It is obvious that almost everything in the world has advantages and disadvantages. Similarly, the Internet also has advantages and disadvantages. In recent times, more disadvantages have been highlighted in the press.

Due to the advancement of science and technology children below four years can also use computers. Older children waste much of their time sitting in front of the computer browsing the Internet. As a result most of the children have vision problems.

The Internet provides unlimited knowledge. Nowadays teachers also advise students to use the Internet to gather information. But most of the students use the Internet for entertainment. It is used in different sectors such as banking, finance, education, health, security and defence. It is widely used for entertainment. Students waste time by watching unnecessary movies and songs. And also they waste time playing games for hours.

As young students it is our duty and responsibility to use the Internet wisely.

Fathima Zaakira Nuhman,
Grage 11,
Oxford International College.

Winner:

The blind beggar boy

A blind beggar boy sits under a lamp post. He is crying and saying, “I have no mother, no father. I am nobody’s child. No mother to hold me, when I cry. No father to ask me why I am crying?”

“I am all alone in this world and days pass by, years pass by, but nobody to care about me. I am nobody’s child.”

Ravindu Bandara,
Grade 6A,
Harischandra College,
Negombo.

Winner:

Harvesting day

My father is a farmer. He cultivates in a paddy field. On harvest day, my father requested one of our neighbours to give him a helping hand. He went to the paddy field early in the morning on that day with sickles, mats and some ropes. My brother followed him with a pot of water and a bag of betel.

Around 8 o’clock some of his friends joined in harvesting. It was over by noon. By that time my mother came with some food and tea for them. They enjoyed the refreshments under a shady tree. A group of women gathered and bundled the harvest. The men carried the bundles to the threshing floor. The men continued working and the women left the paddy field.

The paddy was packed into sacks which were later loaded into a tractor. When the sacks of paddy were brought home, we felt very happy.

W.A. Pasindu Anjana Weerakkody,
Grade 5A,
Royal International School,
Kurunegala.

A visit to my grandmother’s house

One day early in the morning I ran to my mother and said, “Shall we go to our grandmother's house?” She said, “Ok”. I was very happy.

Then at two in the afternoon we went to our grandmother's house. I couldn't wait to see my grandmother. When I saw my grandmother, my sister hugged her. Then my grandmother took me to a room while my sister, mother, and father were in the sitting room.

In my grandmother's room there was a bookshelf. I was delighted to read one of her story books. One story book was titled “Elizabeth and King George.” It was a nice story book. Then I felt thirsty. I drank a glass of water.

Then we went to the garden. My grandmother waters the plants everyday. Near the edge of the garden there was a dog called “Silly.” We played with him the whole day.

It was already 9 pm when we decided to leave grandmother's home. It was a memorable day.

Ehansa Arunadee,
Grade 4,
Lyceum International School,
Panadura.

Winner:

What is CHOGM?

The word CHOGM stands for “Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.” It was started in London in 1949. The head was Queen Elizabeth. Fifty-three countries participated in the meeting. Sri Lanka, England, Australia, Singapore and New Zealand were some countries which participated.

This is held every two years. The last CHOGM was held in Australia. This year it was held in Sri Lanka. The first CHOGM was held in Singapore. In 2009 it was proposed to have it in Sri Lanka in 2013.

This time it was the 23rd CHOGM meeting which was held from November 15 to 17. Prince Charles represented Queen Elizabeth at the meeting. It was a good chance to talk about development in Sri Lanka.

Usitha Kodithuwakku Arachchi,
Grade 8A2 (English Medium),
Sri Chandananda Buddhist College,
Kandy.

 

Winner:

Buddhists celebrate Vesak

My favourite festival is Vesak. It is celebrated by Buddhists. We celebrate the birth, enlightenment and parinibbhana of the Buddha. Prince Siddhartha was born at Lumbini, a beautiful garden of Sal trees with flowers. Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became the Buddha at the age of 35. The Buddha’s parinibbhana was in Kusinara at the age of 80. On Vesak poya day we go to temple and observe sil. We decorate our home gardens with buckets, lanterns and bulbs. We go to see pandals, beautiful lanterns and dansals on this day.

Charmi Vagheesha Sonnadara,
Grade 7,
Agamethi Balika Vidyalaya,
Panadura.















 

The festival I enjoy the most

There are many festivals we celebrate in Sri Lanka such as Vesak, Poson, Esala, New Year, Christmas, Deepavali, Ramazan and Thai Pongal. Among them I enjoy New Year the most.

New year is one of the most important festivals. We celebrate it in April. Buddhists as well as Hindus celebrate this festival. We get new clothes and gifts from our family members and friends.

Before the New Year we get ready for it. We clean our house and garden. We remove the cobwebs. We buy clothes and make sweetmeats too. Before the New year dawns we pay a visit to our distant relatives. All these make the New year enjoyable.

We work according to the Almanac on the New Year day. With the dawn of the New year we stop all our work and engage in religious activities. Lighting the hearth at the auspicious time, partaking of meals, worshipping elders, monetary transactions and anointing oil are some customs we follow on New Years day.

The New year changes the lives of people giving ideas and wholesome thoughts. We visit relatives and develop relationships. Peace and harmony prevails during this season. I love it very much.

Gavithri Dilesha Amarasinghe,
Grade 12,
Ke/ Dudley Senanayake Central College,
Tholangamuwa.

The cow

The cow is one of the most useful and important animals. It provides us with many things. Cows are brought up in farms and grasslands.

The cow gives us skin, horns, bones, milk and meat for our needs. Even cow dung is used as manure.

We make leather out of the cow's skin. It is used to make shoes, belts and handbags. The horns of cows are used to make buttons and handles of knives. Bones are crushed to make urea.

We drink cows milk and it is also used to make cheese, butter, milk powder and yoghurt. The meat of the cow, known as beef is eaten by some people.

I like cows and to eat cheese and drink milk.

Kavithi Fernando,
Grade 6C,
Lyceum International School,
Panadura.

A kite talks

I'm a little kite,
My body is light,
I can fly high,
And do you know why?
Because I'm light.

I'm sacred of the rain,
Because I will fade,
I can see the world,
When I fly high,
High and high into the sky.

When I reached up the sky,
The world was very small,
And I think that if I fall,
The world would crash.

Prathapa Supeshala,
Royal Institute,
Maharagama.

Cleopatra

Cleopatra, the empress of Egypt is considered one of the most beautiful women who ever lived. She was not only beautiful but intelligent too. The former rulers of Rome, Caesar and Mark Anthony were in love with her.

The Romans were curious about Cleopatra. They wanted to know as to why their beloved rulers fell in love with her.

Enorbabus, who had seen Cleopatra sailing in her barge on the Nile described her. The poetry of Enorbabus makes Cleopatra even more beautiful in the minds of the people.

F. Aysha Rasheed,
Grade 11B,
Amana International School,
Kolonnawa.