Say "NO" to plastic bags

Say 'NO' to Plastic Bags! Gone are the days when our grandmothers used cloth bags and straw baskets to carry the grocery while going around in the market. For small items there were brown or newspaper bags, but now whether you buy clothes, groceries, meat, books or buttons, the shopkeepers only use plastic bags for the items. Have you ever wondered the beneficial and dangerous side of using plastics? I have and I have found that plastics are very harmful to the environment, even though they are very useful to carry things around. You must be wondering how just a plastic bag, can be so detrimental to the environment. Allow me to tell you how. Plastic bags are cheap and are light in weight. They are also water and chemical resistant and require less energy in manufacture.1 These are the advantages of using plastic bags, but above all these benefits they are still very harmful to the environment! Let's begin with a story to give you all an idea what actually happens when you just throw away a plastic bag, without considering what harm it can cause. A young boy asks a shopkeeper for a plastic bag for the items he had bought; not knowing that it would harm the earth for not carrying the items in his hands or pockets. As soon as he arrives at his doorstep, he throws away the "plastic bag" now regarding it as a useless piece of junk. The winds carry the bag into the river and

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 909
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Corruption-A fact of life in the indian society

Corruption: A fact of life in the Indian Society The consequences of corruption are well known. But, in India, these consequences are not well-realised. The public has not had an adequate realisation of the dangers of corruption. Corruption is Anti- national and Anti- economic development. We, as the inhabitants of this nation, have either given up hope of making our country less corrupt or, we have accepted corruption as a fact of life. It is not easy to define corruption. But in a narrow sense, corruption is mostly concerned with bribery and it takes several forms. Corruption has progressively increased and is now rampant in our society. Now, corruption is not only confined to politicians or the government alone. The fact is that most of the Indians are involved in corrupt practices in one way or the other, either due to greed or due to so called compulsion. There are not many causes of corruption. But amidst these few causes, there is one main cause. That one main cause is us, the people of India. Just so that our work becomes easy and fast going, we pay bribes and make sure our wanted work is done. The main cause is growing competition in this growing country. As the country grows, so does the corruption and blocks the growth. This is one of the reasons for India still being a less economically developed country. From small time clerks to the high profile politicians,

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 879
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Compare how the poems What Were They Like and Vultures present the cruelty of war.

Compare how the poems "What Were They Like" and "Vultures" present the cruelty of war. Both poems, "What Were They Like" (WWTL) and "Vultures" has conflict as a common theme. "WWTL" is about the Vietnam war and the lasting effect of war on the culture, whereas "Vultures" is loosely about WWII and the conflict between good and evil. One of the ways that Levertov presents the cruelty of war in "WWTL" is through the ignorance of those in conflict. The structure of the poem takes the form of question and answer, which could perhaps be seen as a soldier asking a person of a higher status, because of the use of 'sir'. By asking about the past, the soldier is ignorant of the effect that he has on the 'people of Viet Nam'. In the same way the 'Daddy' in "Vultures" ignores the 'fumes of human roast'; but action cannot be without consequence, which causes the experience 'clinging rebelliously'. Here both poets imply that not knowing the consequences of war is the cruellest act of all, otherwise lives and culture would not be lost. In "Vultures", the cruelty of war is also shown through the conflict of good and evil. Achebe contrasts the beauty of 'love' to the ugliness of vultures; this shows that those at conflict can unite even with their differences. He admires the 'pebble on a stem' as well designed, similar to that of a tank, but at the same time well designed machines could

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 688
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

You have been stranded on a desert island. Describe your first 24 hours alone on the island.

Hannah Greenslade Y10 Coursework Assignment 2 5/11/01 Option 3 Task; You have been stranded on a desert island. Describe your first 24 hours alone on the island. The first thing that hit me was the smell. Even before I opened my eyes, I knew where I was. The tantalizing scent of washed-up waves and bananas all rolled into one. I felt the millions of grains of sand, hot against my fingers and the cool breeze against my face, - a relief from the sweltering sun. I heard the sea crawling onto the sand and, further away, the same monster dashing against the rocks. As I opened my mouth to take in a gulp of air, I tasted salt in my throat. Not the same taste as on Brighton Pier, when you look over into the sea, but a fresh, clean one, as if taking in pure oxygen. Only then, when my four other senses had taken in their share of my surroundings, did I allow myself to open my eyes. I was amazed at how easily fantasy and reality intertwined at that moment. It was like continuing a dream after waking up. As I lifted my eyelids, as the barrier between my imagination and actuality was removed, the accuracy of my prediction astounded me. As I sat up and looked around, I realized that I must have been asleep for a long time, as my sopping wet clothes were completely dry. I could just see the island on which I had been staying, a strip of land on the contrasting horizon. The rubber

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 1357
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Dulcet decorum est

Look again at Dulce et Decorum Est and The Send Off. How does the writer's choice of words in these two poems convey the strength of his feelings about the atmosphere and events portrayed? The poems are written by the same writer about different experiences of war. Wilfred Owen uses the theme, tone, structure and language to "convey the strength of his feelings". The theme of The Send Off is how a group of soldiers leave to go to the station to leave the country and fight in the First World War. He mainly refers back to the fact that nobody has come to say good bye also he seems to give the idea that most will not return. The theme in Dulce et Decorum Est is how the men in the trenches have been marching. Then they are gassed and a man dies and is thrown on the wagon and how there is nothing glorious about war. These show his "feelings" of war are negative as both death and being alone and when you leave somewhere with out family you will always feel lonely. Both themes have a larger picture in Dulce et decorum est the larger picture is about how the soldiers are in both poems are marching and going to somewhere unknown to the reader. This leaves us curious but the emotions amplified in the poems by Owen makes it had to see the many meaning. Both tones of the poems are sad as Owen is writing about experiences which are saddening as death and leaving are both hard

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 1002
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Writing to argue - The internet

The internet is the best invention in the world The internet is the greatest technological revolution of the 20th century. It has opened up many opportunities that would have never happened in the pre-internet era. 48,750,000 people have access to the internet in the United Kingdom. As this number grows so do the endless opportunities that will occur. In this argument I intend to explain to you why the majority of people agree that internet is the best invention in the world. Before the internet, talking to friends meant that you had to either meet up with them or call them. Letters that you sent could take weeks to arrive to other countries and talking to family in other parts of the world was expensive or even impossible. Now, however with the invention of the World Wide Web, the world has become smaller and easier to navigate. Family and friends can instantly talk to each other on Msn or through other services like Skype, a video calling network that is most importantly instant and free. Letters can be sent via email in a matter of seconds to people in other countries. You can arrange things in minutes without physically talking to people. You can share memories on social networking sites with family and friends who are in other countries, for example, weddings that families and friends haven't been able to attend. In the past we would never have been able to

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 894
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Aftermath - creative writing.

Aftermath BANG! I woke. I opened my eyes but was unable to see. The dust had settled like concrete boulders into the corners of my eyes! Everything was deadly still. The wind fiercely gave a shout. A black cloud stood dominating the demolished town. I moved my hands to wipe my irritated eyes, boulders, brickwork, broken furniture and complete devastation stood before me. A ray of light appeared through cracks of the rubble. The boulders took on features like monsters and ogres - making my chest tighten with fear. I vociferated for help. No one was around. I was scared: Petrified. I managed to pull my achy bones out from the debris, the pain was horrific. I could feel the cold misty wind stroke my face. In the far distance I could hear low voices that became louder and louder: hysterical screams. I attempted to crawl my way towards the noise - in hope for help. Shards of glass dug into the palms of my hands. Warm blood trickled down my knees, my throat tightened with the dirty dense dust. I could taste the fear. Behind me I heard a crackle. I turned. The flames of fire danced before my eyes. The heat scorched my face like the hottest sauna could. The smoke was a ferocious lion ready to pounce. I moved as quickly as I could, using all the energy I had. Slowly crawling like a young baby. I felt hopeless: disconsolate! The further I crawled the louder the low voices

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 550
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Are Movie Stars' Weddings Too Extravagant?

2009 UE Section B Q.2 Dear Editor, Noticing the trickles of extravagant weddings sta+ged by movie stars in recent years, I cannot help suspiring how millions of dollars could have been better spent instead of being squandered on events that could have been just as beautiful and memorable if the budget was cut half. I am therefore writing this letter to express my serious concern over the despicable behaviour of these public figures who clearly have little idea of what it really takes to have an unforgettable wedding. It is not exactly inconceivable why movie stars tend to spend profusely - that they wish to garner media attention and show off their wealth and affluence to the world. But as often as we learn of star wedding news, equally frequently are we aware that they divorce a few years - or more outrageously a few months - after marriage. I have to say I am surprised at how marriage could be as disrespected as such. I am doubly surprised at how forgetful these people are, obviously having no memory of their vows and commitments on their lavish wedding day. It is henceforth a headache think of marriage being treated as a ridiculous game. With this in mind - that marriage is now nothing more than an empty concept that lacks respect and dignity - one comes to the conclusion that it is simply pointless in holding wedding parties at exorbitant prices. Name any loving

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 567
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

The poem Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan, by Moniza Alvi, is about a girl who has emigrated from Pakistan to Britain

Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan The poem "Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan", by Moniza Alvi, is about a girl who has emigrated from Pakistan to Britain. In the poem, she describes the presents her Pakistan aunts send her, and how she left her home country at a young age. It is set in England in the present day. The form of the poem seems to be quite random - the stanzas are irregular and there is a mixture of short and longer lines. The poet makes use of dashes to indicate pauses when reading aloud, along with regular full stops. There are many different types of language used in the poem. An imaginative simile is "glistening like an orange split open", in reference to the girls' salwar kameez. This conveys an image of brightness and freshness. If an orange was cut in half, you would be able to see all the juice inside, shining and sparkling. This could perhaps relate to decorative jewels on the salwar kameez. A metaphor is used when the girl speaks about a war involving her country - she refers to it as "a fractured land". The word "fractured" is usually used when talking about broken bones. The girl may feel that although it is her country that is broken, she feels broken inside. In the first sentence, "snapped" is onomatopoeia - it creates an effect of something actually being snapped through what the word sounds like. Rhyme is not used in the poem, but repetition

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 854
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

A Foreboding Night. Ian sat on the curb, his hands buried deep inside the pocket of his jeans.

A Foreboding Night Ian sat on the curb, his hands buried deep inside the pocket of his jeans. Puddles of rain filled the gaps between the uneven concrete, reflecting the eerie glow of the streetlamps. The oppressive night air never failed to release its grasp on him. The hairs on his arm tingled as the chilling wind breathed into his face, whispering unnerving secrets into his ear. He glanced at his wristwatch. At last, with its headlights flashing, a taxi broke through the end of the street. Ian sprang up and waved frantically at the car. The tires screeched as it skidded to a halt. Ian opened the door and felt a rush of relief as he plopped himself onto the worn-out leather seat. A faint yellow glow emanated from the lights on the peeling ceiling. The taxi driver peered at him through the rearview mirror. His eyes were bloodshot, devoid of all emotions. "Where to?" he rasped. Ian glanced around uneasily. "Where do you want to go?" the driver repeated. The harshness of his tone struck Ian into silence. His throat felt tight as he struggled to think of a place. Sweat began to trickle down his neck. Something wasn't right. Trees, bushes, and streetlamps whirred by as the car sped along the streets, its headlights piercing through the wilderness of night like the eyes of a wolf. Spilling out its light onto the ribbon of slick concrete, the crescent moon followed the car and

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 656
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay