Expressions

The day we saw a ghost

I used to think that ghosts didn’t exist until the day my friend Amy and I decided to investigate an old house, at the end of my lane. There was a rumour that all of the people who lived in that house suddenly died even though nothing seemed to be wrong with them.

We decided we would sleep over at the creepy old house and see if ghosts really do exist. We packed some food, water, lemonade, torches, a portable radio and sleeping bags and went to the house around 7 ‘o’ clock or so. When we entered the house, a shower of dust fell onto our heads. We thought we’d sleep in the sitting room though it really didn’t make any difference as it was covered in dust everywhere.

We put the radio on and ate but nothing unusual happened. At about eleven in the night we went to sleep. Somewhere in the middle of the night Amy had heard someone walking about so she woke me up. We fumbled for our torches and switched them on and slowly went up the stairs.

Suddenly I stopped; I was sure I saw something and it wasn’t Amy. I turned around and saw a ghost. It was a man in his pyjamas who looked a little lost. He asked us whether we knew where his night-robe was. We both screamed and ran out of the house as fast as our legs would carry us.

At school we told everyone about what happened, explaining how brave we were on encountering the ghost. I left out the part that we screamed. Now I never go near the creepy house, but I must tell you that I did feel a little sorry for the ghost. In the end Amy’s dad had to go and retrieve our belongings that we had left in the house. But he said that he didn’t see anything unusual.

Nipunika Fernando, Class Form II, College of World Education, Thalawatugoda

My gratitude for teachers

Teacher’s Day was observed on October 5. I express my gratitude to all my beloved teachers at Harrow International College, Beruwala and Colombo.

Teachers provide a great service to the society not only in the educational arena, but also in other areas, by guiding students along the correct path in life.

After parents, teachers are the most important adults in a child’s life.

Teachers open the doors of knowledge to all children alike, and so a teacher’s service to the society is immense.My teachers at Harrow International have taught me many good things to shape my life, such as good manners and qualities, how to co-operate with others, how to develop a friendship, help others and many other valuable things including disciplining myself. I’m short of words to express my gratitude for these beloved teachers who have taught me for nine long years.

I like to thank all my beloved teachers who have taught me since nursery classes, not just on Teachers Day which passed, but always. The best way to show gratitude to our teachers would be to grow up and live according to the ways they have taught us.

Savathri Ponnamperuma, Harrow International College, Colombo.
 

Let’s prevent pollution

Pollution can be caused either by nature or man. Dust from volcanic eruptions is one form of natural pollution. But most other forms of pollution are caused by people.

Water, a valuable natural resource is polluted by dumping chemicals and waste material from factories into canals, rivers, lakes, ponds and oceans. Polluted water contains bacteria and chemicals that cause and spread various diseases. Another way water is polluted is by throwing garbage and releasing sewage and water used in homes for washing and bathing, into waterways.

Water is also polluted due to oil spills and also when oil from vehicles is washed off from roads and gets into water resources like river, canals and lakes.

The air we breathe too is polluted. Air pollution is caused by the burning of fuels like gasoline, oil, coal or wood.

Burning of such fuels releases smoke, soot and harmful gases into the air.The land is also polluted by dumping garbage and litter.

Some people burn their garbage and waste material and this destroys the soil.If we want to stop pollution, all the people should curb their careless habits.

Lets think of ways to prevent pollution. We should collect the garbage and dispose of it properly. We should try to make manure out of it. We shouldn’t let water stagnate.

If we do, mosquitoes will breed in it. We must not throw bottles with chemicals that are poisonous into waterways. It could kill animals that live in water and also those who drink from it.

Everyone should think about this matter seriously. There are many organisations and committees campaigning against pollution. It is our duty to prevent pollution of all forms.

C.M. Ruskana Bana, Grade 8-A, Muslim Mahalir Vidyalaya, Sammanthurai.
 

Water - our life blood

Can we live without food for a day? Many might say ‘Yes’. But if we ask someone “Can you live without water?”. The answer might be ‘no’. None of the living beings can live without water, even for a day. It is so precious to all of us and the need for it is very high.

It is said that 75 per cent of the Earth is covered by water by way of the mighty oceans. Most of the water is also in the polar regions in ice sheets and ice bergs, seas, rivers and canals.

We are fortunate because our country is also surrounded by the Indian Ocean.There are many uses of water. It is used for drinking, washing clothes, other utensils and ourselves, watering plants, bathing domestic animals and for various industrial work.

As our country is an agricultural country water plays a major role in day-to-day activities.As children let’s take a decision not to waste even a drop of precious water. Let’s save it for ourselves as well as for our future generations. Let’s save water like our life blood.

Shenal Jayasinghe, Grade 6-F,English Medium, St. Benedict’s College, Colombo 13.
 

The valuable service of a farmer

A farmer is an indispensable person for agricultural activities in Sri Lanka. If there are no farmers we will have to import all our food.

This is not possible because our country is a developing country and we don’t have so much money to spend only on food imports. So, we will have to die in hunger.

Our staple food is rice. Therefore, the paddy farmers play a significant role in our society. They cultivate paddy and provide plenty of paddy which is turned into rice and flour.

In the dry zone farmers cultivate cereals like kurakkan, meneri, thala and gram. Cereals are very nutritious. If there are no chena farmers too we could suffer from malnutrition. All this proves that the farmers are essential to us.

A farmer is always a simple man who does a valuable job. Being a paddy farmer or a farmer of any agricultural produce is a valuable job in society. We must treat and honour all our farmers well.

R.M.P. Malka Ranatunga,Grade 7-A,St. Joseph’s BMV, Kegalle