An invention I’d like to make or have

Winner:

I wish I could invent or have a time machine. I want this machine to know about the world in the past as well as in the future.

This machine will take me back to the past; I could then see prehistoric animals, the people and the vegetation that existed at that time, but have now become extinct.

I shall be thrilled by the sight of those living beings. I shall also witness great civilizations of the ancient world, such as the Mesopotamian, Babylonian, Egyptian, the Mayan, the Incan and the Indus Valley civilizations. The Roman and Greek civilizations would also be great to see.

I can also travel from the present to the future with the aid of the time machine and view the scientific and technological wonders of the future. I also desire to know about the future human settlements if any, on other planets and the development in inter-planetary travel and communication of the future.This is the greatest dream of my life. I really wish I could make it a reality.

P. Prageeth

Chathuranga,

Sandalanka National

School,Sandalankawa.
 

Doctors and the fields they practise

Winner:

A doctor is a person who is qualified to find out what is wrong with a person when he or she is ill and prescribe medicine that would cure him or her. It takes five to six years of study before anyone is qualified to practise as a doctor.

There are different types of doctors; some are general practitioners and others are specialists in various parts of the body. Accordingly, it is necessary to choose the right type of doctor, depending on the ailment we are having. But in order to do so, we first need to consult a general physician who is aware of various types of ailments and is able to cure them. Doctors check our heartbeats with the stethoscope, our blood pressure with a sphygmomanometer, our temperature with a thermometer and our reflexes with a reflex hammer. If the patient is too ill to visit the doctor, home visits are done by certain doctors, especially in the villages. Then they prescribe treatment after the check up. In case the general practitioner can’t treat the patient, then he or she refers the patient to a specialist. Specialists include paediatricians who treat children, heart specialists, ENT specialists who treat the ear, nose, throat and so on. Another type of doctor is a surgeon, who performs operations on a patient’s body. Most doctors are trained to clean and stitch a small cut or perform minor surgery but for the more complicated operations there are specialists like brain surgeons and heart surgeons.

To meet the medical and health requirements in remote villages or other parts of the country, the government has mobile doctors who travel to these parts regularly and treat patients. Such doctors usually have a stock of medicinal equipment with them to carry out tests if required. Many foreign countries have fully equipped flying hospitals or `train hospitals’ to meet the medical needs of the people.

Shashikala

Weerasinghe,

Grade 9F,

Holy Cross College,

Gampaha.

Beauty of Sora Bora Wewa

Winner:

Sri Lanka is world famous for its giant tanks and canals. Abhaya, Thopa, Tissa, Nuwara and Minneriya are some of them. All were constructed by the ancient kings. But Sora Bora Wewa was built by a giant called Bulatha.

It is situated in Mahiyanganaya. It is a picturesque tank with two sluice gates. There are two natural rocks on either side of the tank bund.

Bulatha was a giant who served King Dutugemunu. His duty was to prepare betel for the king to chew whenever he needed it. When Bulatha was free of his chores he used to walk around the village.

One day, he had spotted a large stream of water flowing down without any use being made of it for cultivation.

So, he decided then and there to make a tank and use the water for irrigation. He had made a bund out of earth between the two huge natural rocks. Then he had made two sluice gates by cutting into the rocks. His wife too had helped him to do this great work.

Bulatha had then invited King Dutugemunu and his mother, Queen Vihara Maha Devi to see what they had done.

Seeing his great work, the king and queen had been very delighted. They had given him a village as a reward. Queen Vihara Maha Devi had gifted his wife some jewellery.

As children we must visit these places, to learn and appreciate our heritage. We must be proud of our heritage.

Bhagya Pandithakoralege,

St. Bridget’s Convent,

Colombo 7.

My best friend

My best friend is Kamala. She is from Siyambalagaskotuwa. She is eight years old and studies at Madeena National School. She is in Grade Three. She goes to school on foot. Kamala’s father is a farmer and mother is a housewife. Her hobby is reading story books. Her favourite subject is English. She wants to be a doctor.

M.M.F. Maheesa,

Grade 3, Al-Hikma English School,Siyambalagaskotuwa.

Technology and humans

Winner:

In ancient times, life was not as complex as now. People lived very simple lives. In Sri Lanka we can clearly see a difference between the past and present lifestyles. Technology is the main thing that has been responsible for this change.Man has used his skills, talents and knowledge to keep day-to-day activities easy and brief by developing various machines and methods to do them. The effects of advanced technology are many; it has both good and bad effects on society. Communication is a main area where great technological advances have been made. It's still developing. The telephone, computer (Internet) and fax machine are a result of the progress made in communication. Communication has been now included in the Sri Lankan school syllabus too. It is also linked with IT. Most students in Sri Lanka are studying ICT (Information and Communication Technology) as an optional subject for the GCE O/L. Not only communication, many other things are based on technology today. We gain much from technology because everything is interconnected.

Technology can help greatly in the development of a country.Even though the good effects of advancing technology are more we can't forget the bad effects. The main negative effect is environmental pollution. Under developing technology, there are many different types of productions being made.Factories release harmful chemicals, gases etc and pollute the natural environment. It leads to many bad effects on human life. Global warning is an example.

We must use our technological know-how carefully and conduct our activities without harming nature. As students we can do many things to ensure that technology is used for good results and not bad ones.

Technology is amazing Encom passing the world Changing appearance always

How do you succeed in doing so?

No one in the world like you

Provides such information

Lacklustre is not your way

Outshining you must be

Globalization was born from you

Yes you are good, but what holds the future?

Rashmi Tharindi

Matharage,

Grade 9,Samudra Devi

Balika Vidyalaya,

Nugegoda.

Your poems

Winner:

Peace after war

The war with bombs,

That broke many hearts

Separated the nation

Made so much trouble.

I wish this war will finish soon

Cure many hearts suffering in pain

Make all the people happy

And build peace and harmony.

Heshani Wathsala Yahampath,

Grade 9 Olu,

Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya,

Colombo 7.