A ten second melody was played over the classroom's loudspeakers, marking the end of academic lessons.
Students packed their bags after they have greeted the teacher. However, this is not the end of the school day for most students. After an hour of lunch break, students have to attend another three hours of co-curricular activities (CCAs). Yuan Feng and Si Ning are in the same CCA: National Cadet Corps (Air) [NCC(Air)]
Yuan Feng and Si Ning took out their uniforms from their bags and went to the changing room. After they have changed into their uniforms, they went to the canteen to have their lunch.
In the canteen, there were many students wearing different clothing which represented the different types of CCAs they were in. Some were in sport CCAs, some in Uniform Groups (UGs), some were in Aesthetics and some were in clubs. Under these main groups, come different individual CCAs. For example, under the UGs, There were seven different CCAs that made up the UGs: Scouts, National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC), NCC(Air), National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC), Boy's Brigade and Girl's Brigade. It wasn't a secret that many students hated or dislike having their CCAs after school, especially on Wednesdays, where students have a ton of homework to do after they return home.
After they had their lunch, they talked with other cadets leaders about the training plan for the junior cadets. The Day was suppose to be indifferent from other trainings. They will have a drill session, a water parade, a games session and last but
not the least an Individual field craft (IFC) session with the junior cadets.
"NCC, Fall in!" The Unit Sergeant Major (USM) shouted. All cadets proceeded to run to the Parade Square to fall in in their respective platoons: Junior Cadets, Senior Cadets and Cadet Leaders.
While that was happening, an Alicorn was walking around the school. She has found out that there were Unicorns believers in this School. Only those that believe in Unicorns existence could see Unicorns. While she certainly is not a Unicorn, she is still part Unicorn. She went looking for the Unicorn believers, however many students walked past her as if she wasn't there. She even tried walking up to the staff room to see if there was any Unicorn Believers, but the teachers did not notice her presence. She was about to give up until she noticed a girl and a boy carrying a dummy rifle walking towards NCC room.
Training has gone as planned and they have concluded the IFC session with the Junior Cadets. Si Ning and Yuan Feng were carrying a dummy SAR21 and is tasked to put it back in NCC room. As they approached the room, they saw something unbelievable in front of them. An Alicorn with a white coat and golden horn, wings and mane.
"Si Ning, are you seeing what I am seeing?" Yuan Feng asked.
"Yes. Should we go near it?" Si NIng replied. Yuan Feng nodded.
"Hey, we are not going to hurt you." Yuan Feng said, as he and Si Ning placed their dummy rifles on the floor.
"Don't be afraid, Unicorn, we are going to help you." Si Ning said.
The Alicorn started to move closer to the two humans. They can see me? That's wonderful news!
"That's right, come closer Unicorn." Yuan Feng said, smiling as the Unicorn started to move closer to them. The Unicorn moved close enough to be touched by them. As they put their hands forward to touch the Unicorn, an unexpected shout from behind scared the Unicorn and the Unicorn ran away.
"What are you too doing?! You are suppose to put back the rifles in the NCC room! Fall in in the Parade Square after you have done so." The USM shouted. Si NIng and Yuan Feng quickly picked up the dummy rifles on the floor and put them in the NCC room. They decided to keep quiet about what they just saw. Maybe it was just their imagination.
The Alicorn hid behind a staircase located near the NCC room. Though she can't be seen by the USm, but the USm could see what the two humans were doing. Questions will be asked and she didn't want to put them in a tough situation. She sighed, she had to find another way to find them.
"NCC, Persurai!" the USM commanded.
"Duty Honor Country, NCC, Hillgrove!" The cadets shouted as they marched off.
This marks the end of another CCA day for the students. As the cadets dispersed and went towards the school gates, Yuan Feng and Si NIng picked up their bags and walked home together. Both of them lived in the same district, Yew Tee. As they were walking towards the back gate, they were pinned to a wall by the Unicorn earlier, her sharp horn pointed straight at their faces.
"Easy there, Unicorn. We don't mean to harm you." Yuan Feng said.
"Sorry, it's the only way to get your attention."
"You can talk?!" Yuan and Si NIng asked, surprised that the Unicorn just said something to them.
"Yes. I need your help." The Unicorn said as she released her grip on the two students. "I need you to help me to find my magic."
"How are we going to do that?" Si Ning asked.
"I don't know. I am the only Unicorn that doesn't have a magical ability. My teachers asked me to come to the human world to look for Secondary School students who believe in Unicorns to discover my magical ability." The unicorn explained.
"Why Secondary school students?"
"Because you are more mature than primary school students. You can keep secrets that primary school students cannot."
"What kind of secrets?"
"The secret of Unicorns' existence and their powers."
"What kind of powers?"
"There are many different kind of powers that a Unicorn should possess. Some powers include levitation, flight, speed, granting wishes, casting spells and writing spells. I can't do any of the above."
"How do you know that you have not discovered your magical abilities?"
"Those that discovered their magical abilities would have a flowing mane and glitter that comes out of their hooves. But I don't have a flowing mane and my hooves don't produce glitter." the Unicorn said, looking down at her glitterless hooves.
"Do you have a name?"
"I am Ditsy."
"I am Yuan Feng and this is Si Ning. We look forward to helping you, Ditsy, to find your magical ability."
Author's Note
1) Yuan Feng's nickname is Raynen and Si NIng's nickname is Rachel
2) Unicorn and Alicorns are used interchangeably
3) Hope you like this Unicorn adventure series! Leave any critism or improvements to be made in the comments section below.
That is all, General Sparky out!
Yuan Feng and Si Ning brought Ditsy to Si Ning's home. Since their parents don't believe in Unicorns, they couldn't see Ditsy.
After placing their school bags on the floor, they proceeded to take out their pencil case and their homework and entered Si Ning's room.
"Wow, you guys have homework too?" Ditsy asked.
"Yes. Our teachers gave us homework to do which is to be submitted tomorrow." Si Ning said.
"What is your homework?" Ditsy asked, intrigued about how homework worked in the human world.
"A history practice paper and some math questions."
"Your homework sounds boring. In my school, homework was about practicing our magical abilities." Ditsy said, recalling about her life in her school.
"But I thought you said you have no magical ability?" Yuan Feng asked.
"I don't have any homework in my school. I don't even know if that is a good thing or not." Ditsy replied. "The teachers told me if I don't find my magical ability before your national exams, I will be expelled from the school."
"Then we better find your magical ability soon. Our national exams starts in early October." Yuan Feng said.
"Why must the deadline be before October?" Si Ning asked.
"So that your studies won't be be affected."
"That doesn't give us a lot of time to work with." Yuan Feng commented.
"Then we better find a way to get Ditsy to find her magical ability soon." Si Ning added, sounding hopeful of the situation.
That night, Yuan Feng and Si Ning discussed ways to help Ditsy without doing their homework. Ditsy, who was outside their room,tried to do their homework as a way to thank them for helping her. Ditsy tried levitating a pen from their pencil case but could not. Ditsy resorted to using her mouth to take a pen. Ditsy took a look at the questions.
Section A: Source-Based Questions
Why did the Brisitsh intervened in Malaya?
Background Information: On 20 January 1874, the Governor of the straits settlements, signed the Pangkor treaty with the Malay chiefs of Perak. This treaty committed Britian to a policy of active involvement in the affairs of Perak. Before this treaty Britian had followed a policy of non-intervention.
Why did the British decide to intervene in the Malay states?
Answer all parts of Question 1
1a) How similar is source A and B?
1b) How reliable is Source C?
1c) How surprised are you by Source D?
1d) How far does Source E prove that the judgement Source F is accurate?
1e) How far does the sources agree that the British intervened in Malaya because of economic reasons?
Source A: An extract from Pangkor Treaty, signed on 20 January 1874
Source B: From an agreement made at Pangkor between the British and Chinese secret societies, 20 January 1874
Source C: An extract from an article in the 'Straits Times Overland Journal', 25 July 1874
Source D: From an article in the 'Straits Observer', November 1874
Source E: From an article from the 'Straits Times', May 1876
Source F: From an article in 'The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser', August 1910
Section B: Structured Essay Questions
Answer one question
Q2: This question is about the peace settlement after World War 1
2a) Explain why the french wanted the Peace treaty after World War 1 to be harsh on Germany.
2b) 'The most important cause of German hatred of the treat of Versailles was war reparations' How far do you agree with this statement?
Q3: This question is on the reasons for the outbreak of World War 2 in the Asia Pacific
3a) Explain why the League of Nations was unable to stop the Japanese takeover of Manchuria after 193.1
3b) 'The most important cause of Japan's expansionist policy in the 1930s was the impact of protectionism' How far do you agree with this statement?
Thankfully, Si Ning had a history textbook inside her bag. Ditsy took out her history textbook and started to do Si Ning's history paper. She wrote down all the answers on pieces foolscap paper and wrote down Si Ning's name. Ditsy did the same for Yuan Feng.
Next, she did the math questions.
In 2016, Ken earned a total of $44000, In 2017 he earned $3900 each month
Q1a) Calculate the percentage increase in his earnings from 2016 to 2017.
A bank offers a savings account with a compound interest rate of 2.35% per year. Ken invests $6500 in this account and leaves the money in the account for 6 years
Q1b) Calculate the total amount of interest he has earned after 6 years, give your answers to the nearest cent.
Exchange rate between Singapore dollars and Euros: $1= 0.66 Euros
Exchange rate between pounds and Singapore dollars: 1 pounds= $1.97
Ken is planning a trip to Europe. He found these hotel prices on a website.
London hotel: 145 pounds per night
Paris Hotel: 145 Euros per night
Ken books 3 nights in the hotel in London and 4 nights in the hotel in Paris. He pays using his credit card. The credit card company converts the prices to Singapore Dollars. Ken is charged a fee of 1.8% for the currency conversion.
Q1c) Calculate the total amount Ken pays for the two hotels, including the credit card fee. Give your answer to the nearest dollar.
A formula sheet was provide. In it, Ditsy found out that the Compound interest formula is P(1+r/100) to the power of n. Simple interest formula is PRT/100.
After doing the workings, she found out the answer. Q1a) 6.36% Q1b) $972.06 Q1c) $1767 She wrote the answers down on both of their answer booklet.
Ditsy look up into the night sky, except it wasn't so dark. Ditsy estimate it to be around 5 in the morning, where the sun is slowly rising in the horizon. Ditsy glanced around at her surroundings, books lie around her, worksheets on the floor, it was just one big mess. Ditsy took out their timetable for today and packed their bags accordingly. After she has packed their schoolbags, she walked towards a bathroom and looked in the mirror. There was no reflection.
"Mirror Mirror on the wall, make my reflection appear." She chanted. A grey Unicorn was seen on the mirror shortly after. A simple spell she learned in school, and it had worked magnificently. Her mane was still solid and that there were still no glitter coming out of her hooves. She sighed, for once she thought she was magical but it was not the truth. What if she couldn't find her magical ability by October? She would be a disgrace to her family, not only that, but become a laughing stock in the school. Why did the rainbow stairs appear for her? She was not a magical pony and she knew it.
A year ago....
Ditsy stood among other fillies. Parents of these fillies stood behind them. This was the Day. The Day where the ponies with magical abilities would go to a special school to learn how to use their powers. If the ponies were magical, the Magical rainbow would form stairs, where the ponies could walk up to the special school, hidden deep in the clouds above. Most ponies that day had Glitter coming out of their hooves and had flowing manes. There were admittedly some ponies without a flowing mane, but at least glitter came out of their hooves. She had shiny hooves but no glitter or flowing mane. Ponies with shiny hooves is a mark of those with magical abilities. However, compared to other ponies, she stood out from the crowd.
Those with flowing manes go up the rainbow first, then those without flowing manes went up the Magical rainbow. She was the last to walk towards the Magical rainbow. As she placed her hooves on the rainbow, the stairs formed and she walked up towards the school. As she was walking up the rainbow, she could hear other parents from below saying things like "Where is her glitter?" "Is she even a Magical Pony?"
She went up the rainbow staircase faster as she didn't want to hear others' parents comments. Once she reached the top of the staircase, she was amazed with the structure of the school. There were four horn like structures connected to each other by a 5 storey tall structure. As she walked up towards the school gates, she got stares from the other students.
She tried to look for those without a flowing mane (which is not that many) and approached them. She became good friends with them quickly due to them all not having a flowing mane.
As time goes by, her friends found their magical abilities and she was the only one left without a magical ability. Her friends encouraged her to try harder but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find her magical ability. With the semester soon coming to an end, and that the final exam is how well magical ponies could use their powers, her teachers recommended her to come to the human world to find people who believe in Unicorns (as they also usually believe that magic exists too). Which leads her to the present.
Can she really find her magical ability here? She hope so. "Si Ning, Yuan Feng, it is time to go to school!" Si Ning's mother called.
As she was about to say the spell that caused her reflection to disappear, she looked at the mirror in surprise,
Her reflection had faded away, without her even casting the spell.
Yuan Feng and Si Ning came out of the bedroom and got ready for another school day. After they wore their school uniforms, they gestured for Ditsy to follow them. Ditsy followed them and went out of their home. They took the MRT from Yew Tee station to Bukit Gombak station, after that they walked 10 minutes from the station to the school.
While walking towards their school, Yuan Feng asked, "How are we going to conceal you from othert students?"
"You don't need to. I can't be seen by other students cause they don't believe in Unicorns. Don't talk to me during your lessons so that things don't seem out of place."
"Okay."
Author's Note
1) History questions extracted from 2018 MOE-Cambridge GCE O level History (Subject code 2174) Paper 1
2) Math Questions extracted from 2018 MOE-Cambridge GCE O level Mathematics (Subject Code 4048) Paper 2
3) This subjects is what I am currently studying so sorry about that.
4) Leave any criticisms or improvements that need to be made in the comments section down below.
That is all, General Sparky, Out.
